The PC requirements for the latest, upcoming iteration of Forza Horizon (now in its fourth installment) have just been outed. Of course, you wouldn't expect these to be much different from those of Forza Motorsport 6. Forza Horizon 4, developed by Microsoft Games Studios' Playground Games, will launch on October 4th, and promises to take you to new heights in arcade racing.

Being a Games for Windows game, of course, means Windows 10 is part of the minimum requirements - specifically, version 15063.0 of the OS (the Creators Update released back in 2017). Catch up on the rest of the requirements after the break - but if you have an Intel i3-4170, or an NVIDIA GT 740/ AMD R7 250X, you're gold for the minimum.

Keen-eyed Linux and Valve uses have noticed what could seemingly be a big reveal and shake-up to games' compatibility with the Linux platform. If you're a die-hard Linux fan, or even if you're just a curious dabbler in that operating system, you know that there aren't many concerted efforts of bringing game experiences to that operating system. A good port requires many more hours than game developers are willing to put into it - let alone compiling a native implementation of their game for that OS.

However, Valve, being the most important digital games distributor through their Steam platform, know there's an untapped source of income in that part of the market. And if developers won't do it themselves, then Valve seem to be willing to take the matter into their own hands. This speculation arises from Steam's GUI files, which when looked at with SteamDB's Steam Tracker, include a hidden section with unused text related to an (as of yet) unannounced Steam Play system, which "(...) will automatically install compatibility tools that allow you to play games from your library that were built for other operating systems."

More and more publishers seem to be seeing Steamworks as the best viable DRM on the market and 2K Games is no exception. All PC editions of Borderlands 2 will use Valve's Steamworks suite as their DRM. Steamworks supports snazzy features beyond simple copy protection, Gearbox's shooter-RPG will also use it for multiplayer matchmaking, Steam Cloud storage, achievements, auto-updating, downloadable content, "and more." How Steamworks... works is that if you buy a boxed edition of Borderlands 2, you'll need to register the game with a Steam account, and launch it through Steam. The box will still contain a disc to install the game from, but you'll have the option to download it directly through Steam whenever you please. Digital distributors other than Steam will simply sell you a product key to activate on Steam. Steamworks was to be expected, really, as 2K Games has used it for PC editions of games it's published since Mafia II in 2010. It briefly dabbled in Games for Windows Live before then but, thankfully, that was a short-lived experiment.

Borderlands 2 is coming to PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on September 18. As ever, a selection of shiny things are on offer as pre-order bonuses.

After Microsoft's evolved game controller the Kinect for Xbox 360 came to the fore, speculation among tech circles saw a future for the device in the PC platform right away, beyond being just a game controller. It looks like Redmond is taking steps in that direction, with the groundwork for Kinect's arrival on the Windows PC platform underway. Microsoft will release the Kinect for Windows software development kit (SDK) this spring, so developers can start work on it right away. This could include giving Games for Windows applications Kinect support which they enjoy on the Xbox 360 platform.

The possibilities are endless for non-game applications to make use of Kinect as a gesture-recognizing, and face-recognizing device. Gesture recognition UI and face-recognition are pitched to be some of the defining features of Microsoft's next version of Windows. Kinect for Windows SDK will be released on a non-commercial basis. "The hope is that the SDK will unleash a wave of creativity to add to the already exciting developments we've seen on top of Kinect. The SDK will provide access to Kinect's sensor as well audio and system API's," the company commented.

Bethesda Softworks, a ZeniMax Media company, announced today that its highly anticipated title, Fallout 3, will be available on store shelves and online in North America on October 28, 2008 and in Europe on October 31, 2008. Developed at Bethesda Game Studios - creators of the 2006 Game of the Year, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - Fallout 3 is slated for release on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, and Games for Windows.

"We are very excited to let gamers get their hands on Fallout 3, the latest chapter in this beloved and highly acclaimed franchise," said Vlatko Andonov, president of Bethesda Softworks. "To meet the huge demand for this title by our fans worldwide, we are planning one of the biggest launches of any game released this year."

Microsoft Game Studios today announced the first expansion pack for the critically acclaimed Flight Simulator X, released last Fall, has gone gold and will begin hitting retailers throughout North America on Oct. 23rd. Developed by ACES Studio, Flight Simulator X: Acceleration adds a wealth of new content and features, allowing gamers to race against each other in amazing, highly-detailed locations around the world. Aviators are able to test their skills and heroism in more than 20 new missions while enjoying three exciting new aircrafts including the F/A-18A Hornet, P-51D Mustang and EH-101 helicopter. Players will also have the ability to share rewards, photos and videos with friends and the broader flight simulator community. Flight Simulator X: Acceleration will be available for the estimated retail price of $29.99 for Windows. The original game is required in order to play the expansion.