Inven Global

Time is short, and there is a lot of information to know. Inven has prepared a section where you can check Steam news at a glance. From weekly new releases to updates, discounts, and events, Inven handpicks and delivers a variety of news. Please note that this column is published biweekly.

● Somehow feel like a programmer — Programming Games Festival

This week on Steam, the Programming Games Festival centered around programming themes is underway. The event runs until the 14th, featuring discounts on a variety of titles ranging from games requiring actual programming to those that connect functions or use programming as a motif.

'Kaizen: A Factory Story' is a game where players connect various functions to build an efficient product manufacturing process. Just watching a completed facility line operate as planned offers a strangely satisfying thrill. It is currently 25% off.

Is there a fun and easy way to learn coding or algorithms? '7 Billion Humans', developed by Tomorrow Corporation, might be the answer. A simulation game combining puzzles with algorithms, players must write algorithms themselves to automate the actions of numerous employees and solve given problems. Combining the fun of learning code with the joy of problem-solving, it is currently 50% off.

● BlizzCon 2026 returns after 3 years

BlizzCon returns after three years. BlizzCon 2026 will run from the 13th to the 14th (KST). As an event making its comeback after a long wait, expectations among gamers worldwide are running high. News regarding new games is drawing particular interest.

The most prominently mentioned prospect is undoubtedly the StarCraft IP. Unlike previous StarCraft titles that revolved around the RTS genre, speculation that the new title will be a shooter is drawing even more attention.

Interest in expansions for the Diablo series is also heating up. Fans are especially excited by prospects that new expansion content for both 'Diablo II: Resurrected' and 'Diablo IV' will be unveiled.

Meanwhile, a sale on the Diablo series is also taking place on Steam ahead of BlizzCon 2026. The base game of Diablo IV is 75% off, while its 'Lord of Hatred' expansion released this April is also discounted by 25%. In addition, fans can enjoy various deals, such as a 30% discount on the 'Reign of the Warlock' DLC for Diablo II: Resurrected.

There seems to be no better opportunity to start the Diablo series fresh or return after a long break.

At the top of this week's trending list is 'WARDOGS'. It is a large-scale military sandbox FPS where up to 100 players participate. While its sandbox nature might briefly evoke the 'ARMA' series, it leans more heavily into shooter mechanics compared to 'ARMA', which pursues realistic simulation.

On Steam, it has surpassed a peak concurrent player count of 340,000, with around 310,000 players still enjoying the game. However, separate from its early commercial success, its Steam reviews sit at 'Mixed'.

The game recording the next highest concurrent player count is 'Valheim', which finally exited Early Access and officially launched on September 9. Having received immense acclaim since its Early Access phase, positive sentiment has continued following its 1.0 release. Powered by vastly expanded content, its concurrent player count—which usually hovered around 20,000 during peak hours—soared to up to 190,000 after official launch.

The asymmetrical multiplayer game 'Halloween: The Game' also made the trending list. Players either take on the role of Michael Myers hunting 4 survivors, or team up as survivors to stand against Myers. Notably, unlike traditional asymmetrical multiplayer games focused solely on survivor escape, players can directly confront Myers. However, weak NPC AI and various bugs hold it back, resulting in somewhat harsh Steam reviews.

Crytek's PvPvE extraction shooter 'Hunt: Showdown 1896' is currently 60% off. While it has enjoyed steady popularity since its 2019 debut, Korean gamers will find even more reason to pay attention thanks to the 'Sage of Joseon' DLC released on the 10th. Sporting a durumagi coat, a Hahoe mask, and wielding a mother-of-pearl engraved revolver and bow, the character represents the culmination of Korean fantasy aesthetics—perhaps another testament to the reach of the Korean Wave.

※ Hunt: Showdown 1896 Shortcuts

- Go to Hunt: Showdown 1896 Steam Store

- Go to Hunt: Showdown 1896 Metacritic

A PC port of the Zenonia series that once divided the domestic feature phone RPG market alongside 'Heroes Lore', 'Zenonia 1: Threads of Memory' (hereafter Zenonia 1) is running a launch sale until the 15th. Being a feature phone original, its visuals may feel somewhat rough compared to modern indie games, but it faithfully captures the gameplay and sentiment of the original. While graphics and UI convenience have been upgraded, its distinct charm remains intact. Evoking nostalgia from the feature phone era, it serves as a gift-like title for fans of the original to relive those emotions on a larger screen.

※ Zenonia 1: Threads of Memory Shortcuts

- Go to Zenonia 1: Threads of Memory Steam Store

- Go to Zenonia 1: Threads of Memory Inven Games Store

Gamers who enjoy the 'PAYDAY' series but are looking for something a bit different may want to keep an eye on 'Crime Boss: Rockay City'. Currently at a historic 90% discount, the goal is to commit various crimes to gather money and become the kingpin of the underworld. Since most crimes involve armed heists, it may feel somewhat straightforward, but the thrill of formulating a plan with synchronized friends and executing it perfectly is substantial. While its Steam reviews sit at 'Mixed', at this level of discount it costs no more than a bag of snacks, making it worth taking a chance on.

※ Crime Boss: Rockay City Shortcuts

- Go to Crime Boss: Rockay City Steam Store

- Go to Crime Boss: Rockay City Metacritic

Yes, it's this game again. Which game, you ask? 'No Man's Sky', the title that created the legend of total transformation through updates. Frankly, it's hard to call it a game that "transformed through updates" anymore, because that reputation was established long ago. Nevertheless, the dedication the development team pours into No Man's Sky remains noteworthy to this day. Even 10 years after its 2016 launch, they consistently deliver major updates on par with expansions.

To mark its long-awaited 10th anniversary, No Man's Sky released the Version 7.0 Cosmos Update. This update focuses on space itself—the very identity of the game. Where space previously felt like a transit route for planet exploration, space itself has now been reborn as a primary arena for adventure.

A prime example is space stations. Players can become station directors to manage them, join galactic federations to explore alongside other players, or take part in faction territorial wars. Additionally, a wide array of space-focused content has been added, including deep-space outposts, free-floating orbital construction, and exploring massive derelict hulks. Players can even fly toward the center of a star system's sun—though doing so carries no grand purpose, and the consequences rest entirely on the player.

Through the Cosmos Update, No Man's Sky has once again turned space into a realm of adventure. At this point, it is almost impossible to guess how much further it will evolve. In fact, concurrent player counts—which barely held at around 10,000 during peak hours right before the update—recently surged into the 30,000 range.

※ No Man's Sky Shortcuts

- Go to No Man's Sky Steam Store

- Go to No Man's Sky Metacritic

The new Touhou Project title 'Touhou Koumakyou: New Classic' officially released on the 9th. It comes roughly a year after 'Touhou Kinjoukyou' launched on August 17, 2025. However, it is not an ordinary new entry. As the title suggests, this work is a remake of 'Touhou Koumakyou', which marked the beginning of the Windows era of Touhou Project titles. Though a remake, the core systems have not changed drastically; it stays faithful to the original structure from its basic storyline to playable characters Reimu and Marisa, as well as boss battles.

What has changed is the "fairly" upgraded character sprites. From bosses like Cirno and Flandre Scarlet to the designs of Reimu and Marisa, visuals have been refined with much cleaner polish, elevating the detail of expression. Resolution has also seen major improvements. Since the original 'Touhou Koumakyou' debuted in 2002, its low maximum supported resolution resulted in a somewhat blurry display in full-screen mode—a shortcoming that has now been completely resolved.

The soundtrack, which stands alongside bullet-hell shooting as one of the two pillars of the Touhou Project series, cannot be overlooked either. Alongside visual enhancements, the BGM has been heavily rearranged, allowing even veteran players of the original 'Touhou Koumakyou' to discover fresh enjoyment.

Steam reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. While the series already boasts a dedicated fanbase, attempting the franchise's first official remake posed its own challenge. Immediately after launch, it achieved a peak concurrent player count of 14,634 and currently holds an 'Overwhelmingly Positive' rating on Steam as favorable reactions continue to roll in.

※ Touhou Koumakyou: New Classic Shortcuts

- Go to Touhou Koumakyou: New Classic Steam Store

When it comes to scale, bigger is often better. In MMORPGs, whether you form a party or not, a capital city bustling with people makes the world feel lively. Similarly, multiplayer games are usually more fun with 6 to 10 players rather than 2 or 4, provided there are no matchmaking issues.

Here is a game that brings that sense of scale to life. 'WARDOGS' is a large-scale military sandbox FPS supporting up to 100 players. As you might guess from a 100-player roster, the map is immense—spanning a staggering 256 square kilometers. Naturally, combat here does not unfold like a standard deathmatch.

The core of WARDOGS lies in tactics and strategy. Three teams clash over a randomly selected 2×2 km control zone. The team with the most players inside the zone earns points, and the first team to reach 100 points wins the match. Depending on the zone's location and individual tactics, every match offers a distinct experience.

The holding team must defend the area using diverse strategies, such as having a squad anchor defense while others flank. Conversely, attacking forces might temporarily ally with a competing team or utilize various equipment to reclaim the point.

It might evoke the 'ARMA' series at first glance, but unlike 'ARMA', which leans toward simulation, WARDOGS sets itself apart by delivering large-scale tactics and strategy while retaining a more accessible shooter feel.

This large-scale appeal is clearly working. On Steam, peak concurrent players surpassed 340,000, and hundreds of thousands of users continue to play daily. However, Steam reviews remain mixed, holding a 62% approval rating for a 'Mixed' overall status. Fortunately, most complaints stem from server issues rather than core gameplay. While server problems are not to be overlooked, the core game loop is demonstrably solid, suggesting reviews should improve once server stability is addressed.

※ WARDOGS Shortcuts

- Go to WARDOGS Steam Store

'Dungeon Settlers' is a unique title combining colony simulation with dungeon crawling. Players act as an expedition leader sent by a guild to build and expand a settlement, train members, and tackle strategic battles to conquer and collapse the dungeons that serve as the source of all calamity.

Described up to this point, it might sound like an ordinary tactical RPG. But Dungeon Settlers reveals its true nature afterwards. Suppose you assemble a party of up to 4 members, carefully managing equipment, skills, and traits. They may look invincible, but dungeons are unforgiving. Unexpected trouble can wipe out the party and claim lives. While other games allow resurrection via gold, Dungeon Settlers does not: once a member dies, they are gone forever. A single lapse in judgment can permanently cost you the heroes you painstakingly raised—which is why this game is dubbed a 'hardcore' tactical RPG.

Another combat highlight is its real-time battle system. Playing out essentially like a strategy game, sound decision-making is critical. Fortunately, combat can be paused at any time for careful deliberation. Players can employ tactics such as using terrain for tanks to hold off enemies while wiping them out with powerful skills, or pulling enemies one by one. Even seemingly impossible battles can be overcome through clever strategy.

Packed with rich gameplay ranging from settlement management and member progression to real-time tactical combat and dungeon exploration, Dungeon Settlers is thoroughly engaging. Highly addictive by nature, once you dive in, hours will slip by in an instant.

※ Dungeon Settlers Shortcuts

- Go to Dungeon Settlers Steam Store