The Steam Next Fest special: free demo everybody - Redux

The seventh issue of Letter to a Gamer will have a slightly different structure because I've decided to make the recommendations section available to all subscribers, not just paying supporters, because this week the Steam Next Fest has a myriad of demos on offer. I'd like to take this opportunity to remind you that the Telegram group (here) is now open to all subscribers! As I do every week, I'd like to thank my subscribers once again, whose contributions allow me to continue this project. Those who choose to financially support the newsletter not only have access to the full version (with a review of Battlefield 6 and an editorial on Destiny 1), but they also support my independent journalism that can remain ad-free, sponsor-free, and AI-free.

News index

+ Update your Unity games
- Clair Obscure has sold 5 million copies
+ Assassin's Creed director leaves Ubisoft
- Bloober is at risk for burnout
+ Arc Raiders has a free beta
- Destiny 2 filled an infographic with its walkbacks

Update your Unity games - A vulnerability in Unity's security protocols was discovered by a group of enthusiasts, and the company was notified. As a result, both large and small studios have removed their Unity-based games (Obsidian's Pentimenti, for example) from the stores while the issue was being resolved. Updates have been made available for all affected titles, so if you don't have them automatically, hurry up and update all your Unity-based games to prevent any risk of cyberattacks.

Clair Obscure has sold 5 million copies and a major update is on the way – Sandfall Interactive celebrated its million-dollar sales by announcing a major downloadable content pack for its record-breaking title, and rumors suggest a possible DLC is in the works. One of the Letter to a Gamer Twitch channel's favorite games has also reached a major milestone: Megabonk has sold 1 million copies and reached a peak concurrent player count of 117,000, becoming, for a few hours, the fourth most-played title on Steam.

Assassin's Creed Director Leaves Ubisoft – Marc-Alexis Côté has turned down the Assassin's Creed franchise directorship at Vantage Studios, the new Tencent-led subsidiary that Ubisoft launched as part of its restructuring. A veteran of the company for more than twenty years, Côté has served as franchise director for AC since Odyssey and is a historic figure within the saga, having held leading roles in AC 3 and Syndicate.

Bloober Risks Burnout – Following the success of Cronos: New Daws, Bloober Team, the Polish studio behind the excellent remake of Silent Hill 2, has announced it is working on a remake of Silent Hill 1, as well as on four other projects. Fans of the studio might be thrilled by the news, but having so many titles in development to ride the wave of success is exactly what nearly led Bungie to collapse and into Sony's arms. I have faith in Bloober Team, given their string of excellent works they put out, but I can't hide a slight concern at such a massive spreading of resources.

Arc Raiders has a free beta - From October 17th to 19th, Arc Raiders, the extraction shooter from the developers of The Finals (all former DICE), will have an open beta to test its server load. Head over to the Steam page to participate in the test and receive some cosmetic rewards in the final game.

Destiny 2 filled an infographic with its second walkbacks - So many decisions have been rethought since the launch of Destiny 2's Edge of Fate, the latest expansion, that user Llama filled an entire infographic with them, which you can see below. The good news is that almost all the decisions made recently have responded to community complaints. The bad news is that they don't seem to be enough to tackle the game's player count, which is now at an all-time low.

What to play this weekend

The Steam Next Fest Special

This year's fall Steam Next Fest is upon us, and that means plenty of free demos to try out to get a feel for what's coming out in the next few months. My selection is designed to please everyone, from those who dream of leading a battalion of angry Scots to those who want to climb the highest and most difficult mountains.

• Crashout Crew: from the creators of Peak, this cooperative title will have you managing the most chaotic of warehouses, featuring forklifts, bees, chickens, lava, meteors, and much more. If you're looking for a party game for your Saturday night, Crashout Crew is the answer.
• Skate Story: the skateboarding game we deserved is finally here. Great tricks, a flawless vaporwave aesthetic, a thoughtful soundtrack, and a delightfully bizarre story are just a few of this game's many positives. If you have to choose one single title from this list, choose Skate Story—you'll thank me.
• The Legend of Khiimori: this horse breeding and caring simulator set in the Mongolian steppes is for horsegirls and horseboys. Endless customization, zero pressure, peace of mind, and plenty of ways to pamper your animals, all with special attention to representing Mongolian culture.
• Shroom and Gloom has one deck for combat and another for exploration. If you like card games, this quasi-roguelike manages to innovate the formula enough to be worth a try, and it also has a mushroom-filled aesthetic that's perfectly in line with current trends.
• Slots and Daggers: did you enjoy CloverPit? Want more slot machines in absurd and creative settings? Slots and Daggers is the solution.
• The Remake of the End of the Greatest RPG of All Time: this game is the definition of being meta. It tells the story of the remake of the final hour of a legendary, long-lost RPG through a visual novel, and is for those hungry for experimental gameplay.
• Tears of Metal: who doesn't want to lead a battalion of angry Scots? This hack-and-slash game is delightfully cocky and action-packed, and I recommend it to anyone who needs to let off steam.
• The Seance of Blake Manor is a little bit Blue Prince, a little bit Lorelei and the Laser Eyes. Anyone looking for a touch of stimulating unease should give this detective mystery a try.
• Cairn: are you almost 30 and only think about climbing? This is the game for you: it's difficult, but climbing a digital mountain with Cairn will be incredibly rewarding.
• Reanimal is the new action horror from the creators of Little Nightmares 1 and 2, nothing more needs to be said.
• Winter Burrow: a little mouse returns home for the winter and finds no one there. There's sadness, but also hope and determination. It's unclear whether this is a truly cozy game, but the artistic flare and game design are well-crafted, and if you like the aesthetic, i recommend it.
• Constance: have you finished Silksong and need a new, polished and interesting Metroidvania? Constance is the title for you and will give you a giant paintbrush to defeat your enemies with.
• The Berlin Apartment: anyone looking for a layered, rich, and polished story (or the beginning of one, since this is a demo) should try this title firsthand. You'll enter the lives of the residents who, over the course of a century, have lived in the same Berlin apartment.

This is just a taste of everything Letter to a Gamer has to offer. The full version of the newsletter (with tips, discounts, reviews, and insights) costs just one euro a week: click here to subscribe! It's only thanks to those who help me pay the bills that this project can continue to exist. Letter to a Gamer is also live on Twitch Monday through Thursday from 3 to 5 PM CEST to play this week's game in review, try the demos, and chat. I'll see you there! If you love Letter to a Gamer and want to help out, you can share this link with your friends and gaming buddies and follow the newsletter's social media channels (Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok).

See you at the next letter,
Riccardo "Tropic" Lichene