Strategy and Stealth: Epic Rotates to ‘Bloons TD 6’ and Teases ‘Styx’

Epic Free Games

By

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8 January, 2026

Styx Master of Shadows - Stealth game free on Epic Games Store next week picture — Styx Master of Shadows - Stealth game free on Epic Games Store next week

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

The high-fantasy strategy of Total War: THREE KINGDOMS and the sci-fi extraction of Wildgate have officially rotated out as of today, January 8. In their place, Epic has launched today Bloons TD 6 as the free title available to claim until January 15 at 11:00 AM ET. Following this window, the store will shift into a stealth-focused week by giving away Styx: Master of Shadows from January 15 through January 22. While the giveaway is the most resourceful way to build your library, those who prefer other platforms can find Bloons TD 6 on the Steam Store for $13.99. For a significantly cheaper alternative, G2A (affiliate link) currently lists global keys for roughly $2.45, which is a 76% discount compared to official retail.

Bloon TD 6 - Free on Epic in January 2026 picture — Bloon TD 6 – Free on Epic in January 2026

Tactical Depth Beneath a Colorful Exterior

Bloons TD 6 is far more complex than its bright art style suggests. It is a massive tower defense title featuring 24 distinct “Monkey Towers,” each with three separate upgrade paths and unique 5th-tier abilities. The game also introduces powerful “Heroes” that level up automatically during a match, providing specialized buffs or massive screen-clearing attacks. Since its release, the developer has added a steady stream of content including weekly Boss Events, four-player co-op, and “Paragon” towers that fuse multiple tier-5 upgrades into a single ultimate unit. It is a resourceful pickup for anyone looking for a strategy loop that supports both quick ten-minute sessions and long-term completionist goals across nearly 90 different maps.

Bloon TD 6 - Gameplay picture — Bloon TD 6 – Gameplay

Upcoming Shadow Work in the Tower of Akenash

Starting next Thursday, January 15, the mood shifts significantly with the arrival of Styx: Master of Shadows. This is a dedicated stealth-RPG where you play as a two-century-old goblin navigating a massive, vertically-designed fortress. Unlike many modern “stealth” games that allow you to fight your way out of a mistake, Styx disincentivizes direct combat, forcing you to rely on cloning yourself for diversions, using invisibility, and manipulating the environment to stay alive. If you want to jump in early or grab it on Valve’s platform, Styx: Master of Shadows is priced at $19.99 on Steam. However, you can find keys on G2A (affiliate link) for approximately $2.60, representing a 92% discount for those who miss the upcoming free period.

Styx Master of Shadows - Stealth game picture — Styx Master of Shadows – Stealth game

Managing Your January Claims

You have exactly seven days to claim Bloons TD 6 before it is replaced by the Styx giveaway. Both of these titles represent a solid start to the year for gamers who value mechanical variety over raw graphical power. While Bloons provides a social, co-op experience for up to four people, Styx offers a challenging, single-player dive into traditional stealth mechanics. Make sure to hit the “Get” button on Epic before the refresh next Thursday to ensure these remain in your library permanently, or use the Steam and G2A links to secure them for your preferred secondary launcher at record-low prices.

Assetto Corsa Competizione: The Broken Competition System

Sim Racing

By

Mat

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7 January, 2026

Assetto Corsa Competizione - No racing just waiting at game competition servers picture — Assetto Corsa Competizione - No racing just waiting at game competition servers

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Assetto Corsa Competizione Version 1_10_4 but no fix for competition picture — Assetto Corsa Competizione Version 1_10_4 but no fix for competition

If you have tried to jump into an official Competition race in Assetto Corsa Competizione (ACC) lately, you know the routine: you register, you wait, you join the server for free practice, and then… nothing. You can start your engine, but the game won’t let you engage first gear. The timer hits zero, the session never switches to qualifying, and everyone eventually gives up and leaves. Even hopes in newest livery update did not bring a solution for internal racing. This is a widespread issue in early 2026, and it’s reaching a breaking point for the community. Here is the reality of what is going on with the game’s internal competitive system.

Assetto Corsa Competizione - Registration is possible but the waiting pain for no race begins picture — Assetto Corsa Competizione – Registration is possible but the waiting pain for no race begins

Stuck in the “Practice Loop”

The core problem is a systemic failure in the way Kunos handles session transitions. Since the release of the Season 25 libraries and liveries, the official servers have been plagued by a bug that effectively kills the race before it starts.

The Gear Lock: You are stuck in the pit box. While the UI might say “Qualifying,” the server logic is still stuck in “Practice.” Because the server hasn’t officially moved the session forward, your car remains software-locked.
Wasted Time: Because registration windows are limited to a few specific times a day, players are spending 30–60 minutes waiting in queues for a race that is fundamentally broken.
Invisible Servers: In many regions, the Competition tab is simply empty, or it shows servers that you cannot actually click on or join.

Assetto Corsa Competizione - Stuck in qualification no race possible in competition server picture — Assetto Corsa Competizione – Stuck in qualification no race possible in competition server

Why Isn’t Kunos Fixing It?

The most frustrating part for any racer is the lack of information. If you check the Kunos Simulazioni website, you won’t find a server status page or an official acknowledgment of the outage.

The reality is that ACC has been moved to “legacy” status. Most of the development team is now fully focused on Assetto Corsa EVO, which just saw a massive 0.4 update in December 2025. While Kunos still releases small cosmetic packs for ACC, the core infrastructure is currently unmonitored. There is no one “at the wheel” fixing the backend transitions that the competition servers rely on.

Where to Actually Find a Race when Serious in ACC

Since the internal solution is broken, the community has completely moved to third-party platforms. If you want to race seriously, you shouldn’t look at the game’s own menu. Instead, use these independent services:

Low Fuel Motorsport (LFM): This is where the vast majority of the player base has gone. LFM runs its own servers and its own ranking system, bypassing the broken Kunos matchmaking entirely.
SimGrid: A great hub for finding organized leagues and endurance events that actually function.
PitSkill.io: Another reliable alternative with a small but strong community and daily ranked racing.

Feature	Official ACC Servers	Third-Party (LFM/SimGrid)
Status	Frequently Broken	Stable
Matchmaking	Broken “Practice Loop”	Working Elo/Rating System
Support	None	Active Admins/Stewarding

It is painful to see a great sim like ACC struggle with its basic features, especially for new players who just want to race. For now, the “official” way to play is essentially a dead end. To get the experience you paid for, you have to look outside the game and join the community-run platforms.

Until Kunos releases a final stability patch, the community is the only thing keeping the competitive spirit of ACC alive.

The Silksong Sweep and the Salt of Love – 2025 GOTY Steam Awards Breakdown

GOTY 2025

By

Mat

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6 January, 2026

Hollow Knight Silksong Steam Awards 2025 Winner GOTY picture — Hollow Knight Silksong Steam Awards 2025 Winner GOTY

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

The Silksong Sweep: Redemption for Team Cherry

The biggest story of the #GOTY night is the absolute dominance of Hollow Knight: Silksong. After years of development that many feared would never end, the game launched as a massive critical and commercial success in late 2025. It managed to snag both Game of the Year and Best Game You Suck At, beating out heavy hitters like Kingdom Come: Deliverance II and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Clair Obscur - Best Soundtrack Award at Steam Awards 2025 picture — Clair Obscur – Best Soundtrack Award at Steam Awards 2025

While Expedition 33 was a critical darling at other shows, Steam users clearly preferred the tight, punishing platforming of Hornet’s journey. The “Best Game You Suck At” category was particularly competitive this year, with Silksong edging out Elden Ring: Nightreign and Marvel Rivals. It’s a rare feat to take the top prize while also being recognized as the most frustratingly difficult experience of the year, but for the Hollow Knight faithful, that challenge is exactly why they waited so long.

Baldurs Gate - Labor of Love Award Steam Awards 2025 picture — Baldurs Gate – Labor of Love Award Steam Awards 2025

The “Labor of Love” Controversy

One of the most debated wins is Baldur’s Gate 3 taking home the Labor of Love award. Larian Studios has been remarkably consistent with free updates and massive patches, even rebuilding the Linux client from the ground up for native Steam Deck support in 2025. However, the win sparked a predictable amount of salt from fans of No Man’s Sky and Helldivers 2, who felt those titles—which have been supported for years (or in the case of Helldivers, fought through a rocky launch)—were more deserving. Still, the Steam community tends to vote for their current favorites, and BG3 remains the platform’s golden child.

Peak - Better With Friend Award Steam Awards 2025 picture — Peak – Better With Friend Award Steam Awards 2025

Handhelds and Innovation

Best Game on Steam Deck: Hades II won this handily, proving that Supergiant’s rogue-like loop is the gold standard for portable play. It beat out Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor and the sleeper hit BALL x PIT. The developers worked specifically to ensure the sequel was “verified” and battery-efficient from day one, and that effort paid off with the community.

Hades 2 - Best Game on Steam Deck 2025 Steam Awards picture — Hades 2 – Best Game on Steam Deck 2025 Steam Awards

Most Innovative Gameplay: This went to ARC Raiders (affiliate link). It was a controversial pick for some, as many felt the mind-bending puzzles of Blue Prince or the genre-blending of Mage Arena pushed the medium further. However, ARC Raiders’ unpredictable community-driven “story generator” in an extraction shooter setting won over the masses, proving that even a crowded genre can feel fresh with the right execution.

Arc Raiders - Most Innovative Gameplay Award picture — Arc Raiders – Most Innovative Gameplay Award

Story & Style: The Rise of the New Classics

In a major upset, Dispatch from AdHoc Studio took home Outstanding Story-Rich Game. This superhero workplace comedy managed to beat out cinematic giants like The Last of Us Part II Remastered and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. Players were enamored with its episodic structure and meaningful choices, showing a pivot toward tight, focused writing rather than sprawling open-world bloat.

On the visual front, Silent Hill f secured Outstanding Visual Style. It faced stiff competition from Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and DOOM: The Dark Ages, but its unique, unsettling Japanese folk-horror aesthetic resonated more than raw graphical power. This win signals that Steam players are increasingly looking for a cohesive art direction that defines the game’s identity.

Silent Hill f - Outstanding Visuals Awards at Steam Awards 2025 picture — Silent Hill f – Outstanding Visuals Awards at Steam Awards 2025

Rounding Out the Winners

Category	Winner	Notable Runners-Up
VR Game of the Year	The Midnight Walk	Pavlov, Le Mans Ultimate
Better With Friends	PEAK	Battlefield 6, Split Fiction
Best Soundtrack	Clair Obscur: Expedition 33	Spider-Man 2, DELTARUNE
Sit Back and Relax	RV There Yet?	Slime Rancher 2, PowerWash Sim 2

RV There Yet - Sit Back and Relax Award at Steam Awards 2025 picture — RV There Yet – Sit Back and Relax Award at Steam Awards 2025

The 2025 results highlight a community that is increasingly independent from mainstream trends. Whether it’s the claymation beauty of The Midnight Walk or the chaotic cooperation in PEAK, the winners reflect a year where creativity and community engagement mattered more than budget. How do you like Steam GOTY 2025 results yourself? Please leave a comment.

VR Game winner at Steam Awards 2025 is The Midnight Walk picture — VR Game winner at Steam Awards 2025 is The Midnight Walk

CDPR 2026: The New Witcher Era and the GOG Reboot

CD Projekt Red

By

Mat

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6 January, 2026

Ciri Witcher IV - Project Polaris picture — Ciri Witcher IV - Project Polaris

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

The first week of January 2026 finds CD Projekt Red in the middle of a structural overhaul. After years of quiet work following the Phantom Liberty launch, the studio cleared its plate. They sold GOG, moved their entire tech stack to Unreal Engine 5, and started pushing The Witcher into a permanent release cycle.

CD Projekt sold GOG picture — CD Projekt sold GOG

The GOG Sale: Back to Preservation

On December 29, 2025, CDPR sold 100% of GOG.com back to its original co-founder, Michał Kiciński, for PLN 90.7 million ($25.2 million). The storefront is now independent again.

CD PROJEKT co-founder Michał Kiciński acquires GOG for 25M dollars picture — CD PROJEKT co-founder Michał Kiciński acquires GOG for 25M dollars

For players, this protects the DRM-free mission. Kiciński wants GOG to return to its original purpose: reviving classic games and ensuring digital ownership. The studio will still launch future titles like The Witcher 4 on GOG, but the storefront can now focus on its Preservation Program without needing to compete with Steam’s scale or answer to quarterly earnings reports.

The Witcher 3 “Bridge” Expansion: Ciri and the Lynx

Rumors from Polish industry insider Borys Nieśpielak and financial analyst Mateusz Chrzanowski at Noble Securities point toward a massive, paid expansion for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt dropping in May 2026.

This DLC connects the original trilogy to the new saga. It focuses on Ciri after the main game ends. The marketing features the School of the Lynx medallion, a new Witcher order that represents a break from the dying traditions of Kaer Morhen. Playing as Ciri lets us see the founding of this school, which positions her as the anchor for Project Polaris.

Ciri likely as main character of Witcher 4 CD Project Red picture — Ciri likely as main character of Witcher 4 CD Project Red

The internal Warsaw team isn’t developing this. Fool’s Theory—the studio remaking The Witcher 1—is handling it. This team includes many lead developers who built the original Wild Hunt. They’re using the familiar REDengine to deliver a standalone-style expansion (projected at $30) while the main CDPR staff stays focused on the new engine for The Witcher 4.

Technical Shift: The Unreal Engine 5 Revolution

The transition to Unreal Engine 5.x is the foundation for everything CDPR plans between now and 2030. The State of Unreal tech demo showed how this shift affects actual gameplay.

Nanite Foliage means the forests of Kovir (the rumored setting for Polaris) use high-fidelity geometry. Trees and grass no longer pop in as you get closer.

CD Projekt Red shifting to Unreal Engine 5 focus on game rather than engine picture — CD Projekt Red shifting to Unreal Engine 5 focus on game rather than engine

Lumen Lighting makes all lighting dynamic. If you cast a Sign or walk past a light source, the shadows and reflections update instantly without the performance hit of traditional ray-tracing.

FastGeo Streaming is a tool CDPR co-developed with Epic Games. It streams massive amounts of data instantly, which matters for the dense urban environments planned for the Cyberpunk sequel.

The 2026–2030 Roadmap

The current plan splits development geographically so The Witcher and Cyberpunk don’t fight for the same resources.

Project	Lead Team	Current Status	Expected Release
W3 Expansion	Fool’s Theory	Finishing Touches	May 2026
Polaris (W4)	CDPR Warsaw	Full Production	Late 2027
Sirius (Multiplayer)	CDPR / Molasses	Conceptual	2028
Orion (CP2)	CDPR Boston	Pre-production	2030

Project Polaris: The New Saga

Over 400 people in Warsaw are working on Polaris. It starts a new trilogy that CDPR plans to release over six years. By using a shared UE5 technical base, they expect to release The Witcher 5 and 6 much faster than previous sequels.

The Witcher 4 known as Project-Polaris picture — The Witcher 4 known as Project-Polaris

Project Orion: The Future of Night City

The Boston hub is now home to the Cyberpunk sequel. Lead designers from Phantom Liberty are building the team in North America. They want to integrate multiplayer directly into the core experience this time, turning Night City into a social hub instead of just a single-player playground. The game entered pre-production in May 2025 with an expected release no earlier than 2030.

Cyberpunk 2077 2 Project Orion CD Project Boston picture — Cyberpunk 2077 2 Project Orion CD Project Boston

ENA: Dream BBQ On Steam Is The Most Valuable Free ‘Catch’ Of 2026 Yet

Free on Steam

By

Mat

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5 January, 2026

ENA Dream BBQ free game picture — ENA Dream BBQ free game

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

The Architecture Of A Digital Fever Dream

Claiming a free title on Steam usually feels like hoarding digital clutter, but ENA: Dream BBQ represents a pivot toward high-concept exploration that feels earned. Released in March 2025 by the ENA Team, the first chapter, “Lonely Door,” remains a masterclass in using the jagged, low-poly aesthetics of the PS1 era to build something that feels genuinely alien. The world is a hyper-saturated void where corporate language and surrealist horror merge, forcing the player to navigate environments that feel both nostalgic and hostile. It avoids the typical traps of modern indie design by refusing to explain its internal logic, instead opting for a sensory blitz that rewards the patient observer. You find yourself trapped in a reality where the colors are too loud and the dialogue is too sharp, yet the lack of a price tag makes the initial friction feel like a fair trade for the visual brilliance on display.

ENA Dream BBQ is free on Steam now picture — ENA Dream BBQ is free on Steam now

Labor As A Psychedelic Aesthetic

The core loop of the experience centers on tasks that feel like a mockery of productive labor, placing ENA in a position of perpetual, confused service. Walking through the Red Outworld or navigating the “Purge Route” involves interacting with entities that speak in riddles and demand nonsensical favors. This isn’t a power fantasy; the game functions as an exploration of emotional instability through a mechanical lens. The dual nature of the protagonist—shifting between the manic “salesperson” and the melancholic “meanie”—mirrors the exhaustion of maintaining a persona in a world that only values you for what you can provide. It utilizes the Unity engine to simulate a kind of hardware instability that feels intentional, creating a space where the glitch is the point and the discomfort is the primary export. This specific focus on the mundane made strange keeps the experience grounded even when the scenery begins to melt into a kaleidoscopic blur.

ENA Dream BBQ Sureal Neon picture — ENA Dream BBQ Sureal Neon

The Economy Of Episodic Discomfort

Choosing to release the first chapter for free on Steam was a calculated move by Joel G that bypassed the traditional demo cycle to create a self-contained cultural event. While the Supporter Edition and future chapters carry a cost, “Lonely Door” serves as a complete artistic statement that doesn’t hold back on the creator’s idiosyncratic vision. It captures a specific brand of “Internet Weird” that has matured from YouTube shorts into a fully realized interactive medium. The “Overwhelmingly Positive” reviews reflect a community that values vision over traditional gameplay polish, proving that there is a massive audience for games that prioritize mood over mechanics. We see a landscape where the most interesting ideas are often the ones given away for nothing, forcing the paid market to justify its existence against the high-quality surrealism found in these episodic experiments. It remains an essential download for anyone who thinks the current state of gaming has become too predictable or too safe.