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Featured image for January 07, 2026: Losing Steam: Battlefield 6 Check-In & Splitgate's Struggle

January 07, 2026: Battlefield 6 Check-In & Splitgate’s Struggle

Fred
Fred · · 5 min read

Today’s Gaming News Roundup

I was a diehard Battlefield 6 fan for about two straight months, until Marvel Rivals roped me back into the mix. Fast forward a month, and the player numbers are continuing to decrease, despite the developer’s best efforts.

The Steam reviews have nosedived to “Mixed”, and everyone’s talking about bugs, hardcore monetization, and the AI content fiasco. Is it time to say RIP to our beloved game, or is there still hope in 2026? Oh, and speaking of stats, ever wondered how Steam reviews can skyrocket your game’s sales? Let’s get into it!

‘Losing Steam’, 3 Months After Launch, It’s Time for a Check-in With Battlefield 6 and Its Community

Losing Steam - IGN

Battlefield 6’s Steam reviews have dropped to “Mixed.” Players are frustrated by bugs and “aggressive monetization.” Generative AI content isn’t winning fans either. Player numbers are dwindling while waiting for Season 2.

The latest patch attempted to address some notorious bugs, but players are still encountering game-breaking glitches. Despite the backlash, the developers are sticking to their guns with the current monetization strategy, hoping it’ll pay off in the long run. Meanwhile, community forums are active with suggestions for improvements and a demand for more transparency from the dev team.

Read more at IGN

Splitgate devs respond to troubling Steam Charts numbers

Splitgate’s developers are facing challenges with Splitgate 2. The latest statement reveals delays in content updates, which is a setback after the rocky launch. Player numbers have dipped below 10,000, a stark contrast to the original Splitgate’s peak of 67,000 concurrent players. The team’s also grappling with technical issues that have hindered gameplay experience, raising concerns about the game’s future.

This isn’t the first time Splitgate has struggled post-launch. The original Splitgate faced similar issues in 2021, which the team eventually overcame. However, with Splitgate 2 aiming for a broader release in 2026, these current challenges could jeopardize long-term success. The developers need to act swiftly to regain player trust and stabilize the game’s performance.

Details on Polygon

Steam Reviews Moving From Mixed To Very Positive Can Triple Games’ Chance Of A Sale

Steam Reviews Moving From Mixed To Very Positive Can Triple Games Chance Of - GameSpot

A new report reveals that a game’s Steam review score can triple its marketing success. Gamesight’s study shows games with over 80% positive reviews see conversion rates above 2%. They tracked 30 premium games, linking higher scores to better sales. One game’s conversion rate hit over 7% with an “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating.

Curious for more? Check out GameSpot’s full article. Games with lower than 50% positive reviews struggled to reach even a 0.5% conversion rate, highlighting the importance of maintaining good reviews.

Full story via GameSpot

Xbox Wireless Controllers Hit All-Time Lows After 10K+ Sold as Microsoft Clears Out Special Editions

Xbox’s Ice Breaker Core controller now costs the same as regular ones. Over 10,000 Xbox Wireless Controllers have been sold. The price drop comes as Microsoft clears out special editions. This news comes directly from Kotaku.

You can now snag the Ice Breaker Core for just $59.99, matching the standard controller price. This might be your last chance to grab one before they disappear from shelves. Microsoft often uses these sales to make room for fresh designs in the future.

Read more at Kotaku

New games performed really well on Steam last year, shaking the dominance of the same old live service games

New - Eurogamer

Steam saw a big boost in new game performance last year. Over 12,000 new titles were released in 2022. That’s a 20% increase compared to 2021. The platform also hit a peak of 33 million concurrent users in December 2022.

Additionally, Valve reported a 30% rise in sales revenue from new games. This surge means that gamers are getting a crazy amount of variety, from indie gems to big-name titles. Plus, with more games pouring in, there’s something new for everyone to look into pretty much every day.

Original report: Eurogamer

007 First Light PC Specs And System Requirements Revealed By IO Interactive

First Light PC Specs And System Requirements Revealed By IO Interactive - Game Informer

If you’re itching to look into IO Interactive’s “007 First Light,” here’s the deal: the game’s dropping on May 27th, after a delay from March, and you’ll need a rig ready for action. You’ll need 32 GB of RAM to hit those sweet recommended specs, and the game is optimized for 1080p at 30 FPS minimum and 60 FPS recommended. As for your hardware, minimum spec-wise, you’re looking at an Intel Core I5 9500K or AMD Ryzen 5 3500 for the processor, paired with a trusty Nvidia GTX 1660 or AMD RX 5700 graphics card.

If you’re aiming for that smoother gameplay experience, the recommended setup swaps in an Intel Core I5 13500 or AMD Ryzen 5 7600, with video duties handled by an Nvidia RTX 3. Oh, and keep an 80 GB space free for installation on your SSD. Unfortunately, they haven’t spilled details on what you’ll need to crank it up to 1440p or 4K, or push beyond 60 FPS. Time to check if your PC’s ready for this spy-thriller ride.

Source: Game Informer

FPS Quest turns the perpetual battle for a good frame-rate into an emergent shadow war between rival geeks

FPS Quest - Rock Paper Shotgun

“FPS Quest” by Farlight Games Industry is stirring up curiosity with its unique twist on dungeon crawling. Your frame-rate acts as your health, meaning mistakes lead to slowness and stuttering. To regain speed, you tweak settings, like reducing texture quality or removing environment pieces, just like coaxing performance from a struggling PC. This mechanic makes the world increasingly bizarre and challenging to navigate. A standout line from the Steam page warns: “optimizing is risky. ”

This inventive approach adds layers to gameplay, requiring players to balance visual fidelity with performance. You also need to manage a simulated PC temperature, adding to the depth. With faux-prototype areas accessible through noclip-style abilities, “FPS Quest” promises an intriguing exploration experience. If you’re into games that blend tech management with classic dungeon crawling, this one’s worth keeping an eye on.

Details on Rock Paper Shotgun

Fallout season 2 is fuelling another Steam player bump, as folks once again remember they like Fallout

Fallout - Rock Paper Shotgun

Amazon’s Fallout TV show’s second season is drawing more players back to Fallout games on Steam. The show’s influence, combined with Steam’s recent winter sale, has boosted interest. Many Fallout titles were heavily discounted, encouraging gamers to revisit the wastelands. Despite not matching the debut series’ impact, this season’s buzz is evident.

Fallout’s classic post-apocalyptic charm and the show’s narrative are engaging fans. As gaming and TV worlds collide, it’s a win for both Fallout veterans and newcomers. Are you ready to look at the wasteland again?

Source: Rock Paper Shotgun

Will Battlefield 6 bounce back?

Battlefield 6’s three-month checkpoint is feeling like a pivotal moment. It’s either gonna catch a second wind or crash hard. I’m leaning towards a comeback, but I’ve definitely been wrong about these types of predictions before. What do you think – is the Battlefield community rallying, or are the Steam Charts telling us it’s time to move on? Let’s hash it out in the comments.

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FAQ

Why did Battlefield 6's Steam reviews drop to Mixed?
Players are frustrated with bugs, aggressive monetization, and the use of generative AI content. Despite a recent patch attempting to fix notorious bugs, players are still encountering game-breaking glitches, and the dev team has stuck with their monetization strategy despite community backlash.
How bad is Splitgate 2 doing compared to the original game?
Splitgate 2's player numbers have dipped below 10,000, a massive drop from the original Splitgate's peak of 67,000 concurrent players. The sequel is facing delays in content updates and technical issues that are threatening its broader 2026 release.
Can a game's Steam review score really impact sales that much?
Yes, according to Gamesight's study, games with over 80% positive reviews see conversion rates above 2%, while games with "Overwhelmingly Positive" ratings hit conversion rates over 7%. Games below 50% positive reviews barely reach 0.5% conversion rate.
What are the PC specs needed for 007 First Light?
For minimum specs, you'll need an Intel Core i5-9500K or AMD Ryzen 5 3500 with an Nvidia GTX 1660 or AMD RX 5700. Recommended specs bump up to an Intel Core i5-13500 or AMD Ryzen 5 7600 with an RTX 3, plus 32GB RAM and 80GB SSD space for the May 27th release.
What makes FPS Quest's gameplay mechanic so unique?
Your frame-rate acts as your health bar, mistakes cause slowness and stuttering. To regain speed, you tweak PC settings like reducing texture quality or removing environment pieces, making the world increasingly bizarre as you optimize. You also manage a simulated PC temperature for added depth.

Written by

Fred
Fred LEVEL 1

Fred has been gaming since his dad brought home a recycled PC from work and installed Hugo's House of Horrors as a toddler. He continues to play games almost daily across PC, console and mobile and may have a slightly addictive personality.

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