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Steam Is Making Its Discounts and Events More Personalized

Aritra Patra
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Steam Is Making Its Discounts and Events More Personalized

Steam is preparing to overhaul the way discounted games and sale events are presented to users, moving away from its current manually scheduled system toward a more dynamic, algorithm-driven approach.

Valve announced that its Discounts & Events section will gradually shift from a calendar-based model to one that personalizes game recommendations for individual customers. The change is expected to be completed in early 2027, although Valve has not yet provided an exact date.

Under the existing system, Valve and participating developers can schedule games for curated placements, including promotions such as Weekend Deals, Midweek Deals and Daily Deals. Valve has now paused the scheduling of new curated placements, while previously scheduled promotions will continue to run.

The upcoming system will instead use Steam’s algorithms to determine which discounted games and events individual users see. Valve said it has already been testing personalized recommendations by replacing some manually curated positions with dynamic selections.

According to Valve, those experiments allowed Steam to showcase 10 times more games to customers in a single day within the relevant section. The company also reported increases in Steam store-page visits, wishlists, and items being added to shopping carts.

The change could also alter how smaller and independent developers attract attention on Steam. Game Developer reported that some developers have already seen increased traffic from the personalized Discounts & Events section. Hooded Horse CEO Tim Bender, for example, said one of the company’s games received more than 7,000 visits from the section in a month, compared with only a small number of visits during the preceding months.

Valve says the goal is to help players discover games that are more relevant to their interests while allowing developers to concentrate on creating compelling games and discounts rather than seeking manual placement.

Game developers will also receive new and updated tools for managing discounts and sale events through Steamworks. Valve says further information about the transition will be provided in the coming weeks.

The move represents another step toward a more personalized Steam storefront, where algorithms increasingly determine which games receive visibility based on individual users and their interests rather than a single schedule applied across the platform.

BMSD 2026: Grand Finals, Semi Finals, and Survival Stage Teams Confirmed

Aditya Parsutkar
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BMSD 2026: Grand Finals, Semi Finals, and Survival Stage Teams Confirmed

Update: The full 24-team field is set. Read the BMSD 2026 Semi Finals format and timings.

The BGMI SHOWDOWN (BMSD) 2026 Qualifiers have officially concluded after three weeks of competition. All 48 invited teams have now completed the Qualifiers, with their Week 3 group positions deciding which stage of the tournament they will play next.

A total of 40 teams remain in contention, while eight teams have been eliminated. Four teams have directly booked their places in the Grand Finals, 12 teams have qualified for the Semi Finals, 16 teams will enter the Upper Bracket Survival, and eight teams will begin from the Lower Bracket Survival.

BMSD 2026 Grand Finals Qualified Teams

The top four teams from Group A earned direct qualification for the BMSD 2026 Grand Finals. These teams can now skip all the remaining qualification stages and prepare directly for the LAN Finals scheduled for October 16-18.

The four directly qualified teams are:

  1. Meta Ninza
  2. 8Bit
  3. Revenant XSpark
  4. Blitz Epigrotive Gaming

This is a massive advantage for these four teams, as they don’t have to compete in the Semi Finals, Survival stages or Last Chance.

BMSD 2026 Semi Finals Qualified Teams

A total of 12 teams have directly secured their places in the Semi Finals through the Qualifiers.

The teams finishing from fifth to 12th in Group A qualified for the Semi Finals alongside the top four teams from Group B.

From Group A:

  • Myth Official
  • Team Tamilas
  • Team Soul
  • 7Gods Esports
  • Elite Nova
  • Genesis Esports
  • Gladiators Esports
  • Welt Esports

From Group B:

  • Rapid Chaos
  • Team Aryan
  • Wyld Fangs
  • Cultrex x Zero Ark

These 12 teams will be joined later by eight teams from the Upper Bracket Survival and four teams from the Lower Bracket Survival, creating the complete 24-team Semi Finals lobby.

Read More: “How Are We Supposed to Rotate?” Spower Calls Out BMSD 2026 After GodLike Technical Issue

BMSD 2026 Upper Bracket Survival Qualified Teams

The bottom four teams from Group A, teams ranked fifth to 12th in Group B, and the top four teams from Group C will compete in the Upper Bracket Survival.

The 16 teams are:

From Group A:

  • Madkings
  • Team Apex Gaming
  • K9 Esports
  • GodLike Esports

From Group B:

  • Blue Army
  • Orangutan
  • Higgboson Esports
  • Team Outrage
  • LEFP
  • Iris Esports
  • Vijay Esports
  • The Knight Mobs

From Group C:

  • Nebula Esports
  • HyperCatz
  • 4TR Official
  • Lastade Esports

The Upper Bracket gives these teams another opportunity to reach the Semi Finals without having to go through the more dangerous Lower Bracket route.

BMSD 2026 Lower Bracket Survival Qualified Teams

The bottom four teams from Group B and teams finishing fifth to eighth in Group C have been seeded directly into the Lower Bracket Survival.

From Group B:

  • Carpe Diem
  • Reckoning Esports
  • Vasista Esports
  • White Walkers

From Group C:

  • Quantum Sparks
  • MYSTERIOUS4
  • Team H4K
  • Raspator Esports

These eight teams will eventually be joined by the bottom eight teams from the Upper Bracket Survival.

Eight Teams Eliminated From BMSD 2026

For the bottom eight teams from Group C, the BMSD 2026 journey has officially ended.

The eliminated teams are:

  • Santa Esports
  • SBS Esports
  • WindGod Esports
  • GENxFM
  • Godsent Forever
  • 4Ends Esports
  • Naqsh Esports
  • Rising Esports

With these eight teams eliminated, 40 teams remain alive in the race for the BMSD 2026 championship.

BMSD 2026 Upper Bracket Survival: October 1-3

The next stage of BMSD 2026 begins immediately with the Upper Bracket Survival from October 1 to October 3.

Sixteen teams will compete across three matchdays, with every team playing a total of 18 matches.

The top eight teams will advance to the Semi Finals, while the bottom eight will not be immediately eliminated. Instead, they will drop into the Lower Bracket Survival for one final opportunity.

BMSD 2026 Lower Bracket Survival: October 4-6

The Lower Bracket Survival will take place from October 4 to 6, featuring 16 teams.

The eight teams already seeded into this stage through the Qualifiers will be joined by the bottom eight teams from the Upper Bracket Survival.

Each team will play 18 matches across three days. Only the top four teams will advance to the Semi Finals, while the bottom 12 will be eliminated.

BMSD 2026 Semi Finals: October 8-11

The Semi Finals will run from October 8 to October 11 and feature 24 teams.

The lobby will include 12 teams directly qualified from the Qualifiers, eight from the Upper Bracket Survival and four from the Lower Bracket Survival.

The teams will be divided into three groups of eight and compete in a Double Round-Robin format. Each team will play a total of 16 matches.

After all matches are completed, the top eight teams in the cumulative overall standings will qualify for the Grand Finals. The remaining 16 teams will move to the Last Chance stage.

BMSD 2026 Last Chance: October 12-13

The Last Chance stage will take place on October 12 and 13 and will feature the bottom 16 teams from the Semi Finals.

A total of 12 matches will be played, with six matches each day.

Only the top four teams will secure the remaining Grand Finals slots, while the other 12 teams will be eliminated.

BMSD 2026 Grand Finals: October 16-18

The BMSD 2026 Grand Finals will take place from October 16 to October 18, featuring the final 16 teams.

The Grand Finals lineup will consist of four directly qualified teams from Group A, eight teams from the Semi Finals and four teams from Last Chance.

A total of 18 matches will be played across three days, with six matches each day. The Smash Rule will be activated on Day 3, adding another layer to how the BMSD 2026 champion can be decided.

Meta Ninza, 8Bit, Revenant XSpark and Blitz Epigrotive Gaming have already secured their places in the Grand Finals. For the remaining 36 teams, however, the road to the BMSD 2026 trophy continues through the upcoming stages.

Team India Eliminated From League of Legends at Asian Games 2026

Sarjyo Mukherjee
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Team India Eliminated From League of Legends at Asian Games 2026

Team India are out of the League of Legends tournament at the Asian Games 2026 after finishing fourth in Group B with a 0-3 record. Failing to secure a single win, they became the first team to bow out of the event.

The 20th Asian Games hosted eight nations for the League of Legends tournament, which were divided into two groups. Only the top two seeds from each group would find a place in the playoffs. India, placed in Group B, found themselves in tough competition against strong LoL nations like South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, where they went 0-3 to see themselves head out along with Hong Kong, who only managed a single win.

India began its journey in the tournament against Hong Kong on September 30, where they suffered a 1-0 defeat in their opening game. Following the first loss, they went on to accumulate two more losses against South Korea and Chinese Taipei. South Korea and Chinese Taipei managed to book their spot in the playoffs at the expense of India and Hong Kong.

South Korea, being a dominant force in LoL esports, managed to top the group, securing a 3-0 scoreline. Chinese Taipei managed to secure two wins to edge ahead in the group and reach the playoffs.

With the group stage concluding, we have the teams that will take part in the playoffs starting from October 1, 2026. Saudi Arabia and Vietnam from Group A will be joining South Korea and Chinese Taipei for an extremely competitive playoff stage.

Unfortunately for India, their road ends here, but their valiant effort has managed to win over every Indian League of Legends fan. While they failed to secure a win, they set a benchmark for what Indian teams are capable of, and it goes without saying that when this event comes around for its next iteration, we will see a stronger Indian side waiting to take on the big dogs.

Discord Partnering With Riot to Give Free Valorant and LoL Credits to Nitro Subscribers: Leaks

Discord Partnering With Riot to Give Free Valorant and LoL Credits to Nitro Subscribers: Leaks

Sonu Banerjee
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Discord Partnering With Riot to Give Free Valorant and LoL Credits to Nitro Subscribers: Leaks

Discord may be all set to enter into a partnership with Riot Games, giving away free credits for Valorant and League of Legends to Nitro subscribers, as per recent leaks.

The leak was first put forward by prominent leaker “Discord Previews” on X. According to the leaker, Discord Nitro subscribers will be able to redeem $10 USD worth of Credits for free in Riot Games titles like Valorant and LoL.

While the exact date for the Discord x Riot Games partnership has not been revealed by the leaker, the post states that all eligible Nitro users will be able to see the promotion in their Nitro tab once it officially goes live.

Notably, several key details regarding the potential collab are still uncertain. For instance, the post refers to the Nitro reward as “credit” toward in-game items instead of naming Riot Points or Valorant Points, and the phrasing “Valorant or League of Legends” hints that players may have to pick a game to receive the corresponding amount of credits in.

Also, nothing has been reported about how the credit will be delivered, whether through a redeemable code or a direct link to your Riot account, not to mention that there’s no word so far on which regions will qualify.

Reactions from the community have been split. Some players are excited about the freebie, while others doubt it will reach everyone, pointing to the word “eligible” and guessing that it could be limited to certain countries or subscription tiers.

Since neither Discord nor Riot has officially confirmed anything, it’s best to take this news with a grain of salt until an official announcement arrives. If the promotion does launch, Nitro subscribers should keep an eye on the Nitro section of the Discord app for the offer.

This leak comes just days after another Discord leak that pointed towards the app introducing a “Game Mode” in the near future to reduce CPU and GPU utilization. Posted by the same leaker, it’s still unclear when either feature will roll out.

Valve’s Hero Shooter MOBA Deadlock Sets New Concurrent Player Record After Major Game-Changing Update

Sonu Banerjee
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Valve’s Hero Shooter MOBA Deadlock Sets New Concurrent Player Record After Major Game-Changing Update

Despite being in its early stages of testing, Valve’s upcoming hero shooter MOBA title, Deadlock, continues to shatter records with every major update the game receives, and it’s not even surprising.

Earlier today, Deadlock received its first major update in roughly eight months, and calling it game-changing would be an understatement.

The Deadlock update in question, titled “City Never Sleeps,” not only added six brand-new characters to the game, but it also introduced a complete map rework, tons of new gameplay mechanics, a jungle overhaul, a revamped UI, and a plethora of other crucial changes that completely changed the way players interact with the game.

Deadlock Hits New Concurrent Player Peak

Needless to say, fans of the title weren’t gonna pass up the opportunity to check out the new update and experience it all firsthand, and on the day it dropped, several players across social media reported taking time off work for Deadlock’s big “patch day.”

As a result, Deadlock’s player count skyrocketed in the matter of minutes, as the game hit a concurrent player peak of a whopping 228K players in less than an hour of the patch going live.

This marked a new player peak for Deadlock since it was initially revealed to the world. Its previous record was 171,490 players back in September 2024, shortly after it was first unveiled.

While such player numbers are already impressive for any live-service title out there, it’s important to note that Deadlock is still an invite-only alpha game and is not publicly accessible unless you get invited by someone who’s already in on the playtest. This makes Deadlock’s player surge far more impressive, as the majority of gamers likely don’t have access to Valve’s upcoming title in the first place.

With the six new heroes being introduced to the game one by one over the course of the next few weeks, Deadlock’s player count is only expected to increase further. If you’d like to try out this incredible game but don’t have access yet, your best bet would be to ask someone who already has it or to look for invites in the game’s community Discord servers.

“How Are We Supposed to Rotate?” Spower Calls Out BMSD 2026 After GodLike Technical Issue

Aditya Parsutkar
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“How Are We Supposed to Rotate?” Spower Calls Out BMSD 2026 After GodLike Technical Issue

The BMSD 2026 Week 3 Day 3 matches are underway today, September 30, and this is arguably the most important day of the Qualifiers for Group A. The final standings after today’s six matches will decide the teams’ routes into the next stages, with the top four teams from Group A directly qualifying for the BMSD 2026 Grand Finals.

However, during Match 3 of the day, GodLike Esports appeared to face a technical issue involving Admino. Viewers in the livestream chat were repeatedly posting that “Admino is offline,” while GodLike player Spower later posted an Instagram story questioning why the match was not rehosted.

According to Spower’s statement, the technical problem reportedly appeared within the opening minutes of the match and affected GodLike’s game plan, rotations and positioning during one of the most important matches of its Week 3 campaign.

Spower Questions BMSD 2026 Rehost Decision After Technical Issue

Following the match situation, GodLike Esports player Spower shared an Instagram story criticising how the issue was handled.

Spower claimed that the glitch occurred within the first five minutes and questioned why officials did not rehost the match.

He wrote:

“You guys want to host a tournament like EWC, but when there’s a glitch in the first 5 minutes, you won’t rehost the match. At EWC, they rehost in situations like this.”

According to Spower, attempts were being made to resolve the problem from around the four-minute mark. He claimed that after the issue was eventually fixed, the team was asked to continue playing rather than restarting the match.

Spower argued that continuing from that point affected GodLike’s original strategy.

“How are we supposed to rotate now? What about our game plan, rotations, timings, and positioning?”

The GodLike player also compared the situation with his experience at the Esports World Cup, saying he felt there should be greater consistency in how tournament rules are implemented.

“At EWC, a rule is a rule. Here, it feels like the rules change whenever and however you want.”

He concluded by calling for the same level of consistency and fairness if BMSD aims to operate at the level of international tournaments such as EWC.

Admino Reportedly Goes Offline During Match 3

During Match 3, viewers watching the official broadcast also noticed the situation, with several users in the livestream chat posting messages such as “Admino is offline.”

However, the chat messages alone do not establish exactly what technical problem Admino experienced or its cause.

Spower’s subsequent statement indicates that GodLike experienced a glitch during the opening stages of the match and that tournament officials attempted to resolve it while the game continued.

At the time of writing, the information provided does not include an official statement from BMSD 2026 organisers explaining the incident or why a rehost was not given.

Huge Stakes for GodLike Esports on BMSD Week 3 Day 3

The timing of the issue makes the situation particularly important for GodLike.

Week 3 Day 3 is the final day of the BMSD 2026 Qualifiers, with Group A playing its last six matches. Unlike the earlier weeks, these results directly determine where teams will go next.

The top four teams from Group A directly qualify for the Grand Finals, making every point extremely valuable. Teams finishing from fifth to 12th move to the Semifinals, while the bottom four head to the Upper Survival stage.

For GodLike Esports, losing an opportunity to execute its planned rotations during one of only six matches could therefore have an impact on its final position.

The complete effect of Match 3 will only become clear once all six Group A matches are completed and the final Week 3 standings are confirmed.

For now, Spower has publicly questioned the decision not to rehost the match, while an official explanation from the tournament organisers regarding the incident would provide further clarity.

PlayStation Store Update September 29, 2026: All New PS5 & PS4 Games

Satyam Kumar
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PlayStation Store Update September 29, 2026: All New PS5 & PS4 Games

The PlayStation Store update for September 29, 2026 went live this week with around 50 new games for PS5 and PS4. Sports fans get EA Sports FC 27. Horror players get Silent Hill: Townfall. The rest of the list is long, and much of it is simulation, puzzle, and indie titles.

Below is the full list of new releases, followed by the PlayStation Plus Essential games you can claim now.

Biggest games in this week’s PlayStation Store update

A few releases this week come from major publishers or well-known series. These are the ones most players will look for first.

GameSeries or publisherWhat to know
EA Sports FC 27EA SportsThe yearly football release follows FC 26
Silent Hill: TownfallKonamiA new entry in the Silent Hill horror series
Minecraft Dungeons IIMojang / XboxSequel to the 2020 dungeon crawler spinoff
Control ResonantRemedy EntertainmentA new game set in the Control universe
Gothic II Complete ClassicTHQ NordicA console release of the 2002 PC RPG
TOEM 2Something We MadeSequel to the 2021 photography adventure
Transport Fever 3Urban GamesThe next entry in the transport tycoon series
Way of the Hunter 2THQ NordicSequel to the 2022 hunting simulator

EA Sports FC 27 is likely to get the most attention this week. EA has already said how it plans to handle Ultimate Team this year, and you can read how EA responded to FC 26 Ultimate Team complaints ahead of FC 27. Edition details and pricing are on the official EA Sports FC page.

Full list of new PS5 and PS4 games (September 29, 2026)

Here is every game in this week’s PlayStation Store update, listed alphabetically. Some games may launch on different days during the week, depending on your region.

A to FG to MP to Z
Agefield High: Rock the SchoolGarfield: Escape From MondayPicture Puzzle Girls: Slide & Match
Alien Breed 35th AnniversaryGods With GunsPUPU’s Adventure Park
Ancient FarmGothic II Complete ClassicQliphah in Providence’s Shadow
Arcade Archives 2 XEVIOUS 3D/GGUTSSandwalkers
The BathroomsHeroes of Magic & CardsSeafarer: The Ship Sim
Beer Manufacture SimulatorHidden Object Adventure Bundle 3Silent Hill: Townfall
Better Mart SimulatorI Hear ThemSiN Reloaded
Bibi & Tina: Ready, Set, Ride!KalanoroSuch a Guy
BirdcageKeep DrivingTOEM 2
Blades & BattlesLawn Mowing Simulator 2Transport Fever 3
Cargo Rail TycoonThe Legend of Dark Witch Episode 2The Trolley Solution
Coaster Crash CourseLegendary Tales 2: CataclysmUsed Cars Simulator
Console Archives Karate ChampA Love Letter in SnowfallThe Vig
Control ResonantMinecraft Dungeons IIVORON: Raven’s Story
Dice A MillionMy Hidden ThingsWay of the Hunter 2
EA Sports FC 27
Farming Camp
Farming Life: Agriculture Simulator
Five Elements Chess

Simulation games make up a large part of this week’s list. Lawn Mowing Simulator 2, Used Cars Simulator, Better Mart Simulator, Seafarer: The Ship Sim and Cargo Rail Tycoon all arrived this week. Retro fans get Arcade Archives 2 XEVIOUS 3D/G, Console Archives Karate Champ, SiN Reloaded and Alien Breed 35th Anniversary.

You can check prices and regional release times for each game on the PlayStation Store.

PlayStation Plus Essential games available now

PlayStation Plus Essential members can still claim these five games from the current monthly lineup:

GamePlatform
Chained EchoesPS4
MLB The Show 26PS5
MLB The Show 26: Jump Start BundlePS5
Sniper Elite: ResistancePS4, PS5
Wobbly LifePS4, PS5

Once you add a game to your library, you can keep playing it while your subscription stays active. The Jump Start Bundle is a separate item from MLB The Show 26, so claim both. For tier details and current pricing, see the PlayStation Plus membership page.

GTA 6 New Screenshots: All 12 Game Informer Images Explained

Satyam Kumar
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GTA 6 New Screenshots: All 12 Game Informer Images Explained

Game Informer released 12 new GTA 6 screenshots on September 29, 2026, as part of its Issue 382 cover story. The images show Jason and Lucia in Leonida, along with hunting, wildlife, stormy weather, and a few crime scenes. Grand Theft Auto 6 launches on November 19, 2026, for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Where the new GTA 6 screenshots come from

The screenshots are part of the GTA 6 cover story in Game Informer Issue 382. The digital issue came out on September 29, 2026, and print copies follow for subscribers and retailers. Senior associate editor Marcus Stewart wrote the 14-page feature, which draws on interviews with Rockstar’s lead designers.

The cover shows Jason and Lucia together in a car, both holding guns. You can read the full issue through Game Informer, which is available in digital and print.

All 12 GTA 6 screenshots explained

Most outlets grouped the images by what each scene shows. The table below uses those labels along with the details reported so far.

#ScreenshotWhat it shows
1Vice CityA wide view of the modern Vice City skyline
2BeachCharacters relaxing on a Vice City beach
3BarAn indoor bar scene with NPCs
4HuntingJason in the wild with a quad bike and a rifle, watching a deer
5WildlifeA swamp with several bird species and deer
6BikeA masked character pulling a pistol on a group of approaching bikers
7JasonJason holding a baseball bat inside a shop, with the register open and the shopkeeper knocked out
8DockA waterfront area with boats
9LuciaLucia in a mask, crouched behind a barrel with an AR-15 while she watches a deal
10PlaneAn aircraft over Leonida
11HikingA rural trail in thick foliage
12CoastalA shoreline under a thunderstorm

Push Square counted 13 images in its coverage, likely because it included the cover art. Game Informer lists 12 screenshots for the cover story.

Here are the screenshots:

Weather, wildlife and the Leonida map

The weather and wildlife shots line up with what Game Informer says in the feature. Here is what has been confirmed:

Weather: The advanced weather system in GTA 6 builds on the one in Red Dead Redemption 2. Rain leaves puddles and wet surfaces that stay after a shower ends, and rainbows can form. The system is designed around Florida’s less sunny conditions. Some coverage mentions storms, but Rockstar has given no full list of weather events. For what is currently known, see our breakdown of whether GTA 6 will have hurricanes and tropical storms.

Wildlife: Game Informer reports more than 170 animal species across land, air and sea. That includes about 60 bird types and 30 land mammals, with both native and non-native animals.

Map: Reports describe the map as about twice the size of GTA 5, and much denser. Leonida is split into six regions:

RegionType of area
Vice CityMain city
Leonida KeysIsland chain
GrassriversWetlands
Port GelhornGulf coast town
AmbrosiaInland industrial area
Mount Kalaga National ParkMountains and forest

Rockstar also researched Miami and the rest of Florida so that Leonida would match the real state in look and culture. Game Informer says NPCs vary in height, body type and regional style.

Side activities mentioned in the feature

Push Square’s summary of the issue lists these side activities:

  • Airboats and jet skiing
  • Base jumping
  • Billiards and mini golf
  • Gyms
  • Kayaking and scuba diving
  • Street and off-road racing
  • Zoo visits

Several of these, like hiking trails and hunting, also show up in the new screenshots.

GTA 6 release date and platforms

GTA 6 comes out on November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Rockstar has not announced a PC version. Official trailers and updates are on Rockstar Games’ GTA VI page.

Best Cheap Minecraft Server Hosting Under $5 a Month (2026)

Satyam Kumar
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Best Cheap Minecraft Server Hosting Under $5 a Month (2026)

You don’t need to spend much to run a private Minecraft server for a small group of friends. Several hosts sell plans for under $5 a month, and some charge as little as $1 per GB of RAM. This guide compares the cheapest Minecraft server hosting plans available right now, with their specs, locations, and refund terms.

All prices are in US dollars, billed monthly, and were checked on September 30, 2026. Hosts change their prices often, so check the order page before you pay.

Cheap Minecraft server hosting comparison

HostCheapest planPrice per monthPrice per GBRefund window
PebbleHost Budget1 GB$1.00$1.0072 hours
Sparked Host Budget2 GB$2.00$1.0024 to 48 hours
Shockbyte Dirt1 GB$2.79$2.7972 hours
GGServers Stone1 GB$3.00$3.00Not listed
Minecraft Realms (Bedrock)Up to 3 players$3.99N/AN/A

PebbleHost and Sparked Host give you the most RAM for $5. On either one, $4 a month gets you a 4 GB server.

1. PebbleHost Budget: $1 per GB

PebbleHost’s Budget line starts at $1 per GB of RAM, so a 1 GB server costs $1 a month and a 4 GB server costs $4.

SpecDetail
CPUAMD Ryzen 7 5700X or similar
MemoryDDR4 2133MHz
StorageUnmetered NVMe SSD
LocationsNorth America, Europe, Australia
DDoS protection480 Gbps
Player slotsUnlimited
Support24/7 on Discord

The Budget plans are aimed at private servers and small community servers. Asia locations, including India and Singapore, are only available on PebbleHost’s Premium plans, which cost more. Every PebbleHost service has a 72-hour money-back policy.

2. Sparked Host Budget: $1 per GB with Asia locations

Sparked Host’s Budget tier also works out to about $1 per GB. The 2 GB plan costs $2 a month and the 4 GB plan costs $4, and both allow unlimited player slots.

The Budget servers run on dual Intel Xeon E5-2698v4 processors. That hardware is older than the Ryzen chips on Sparked’s Enterprise and Extreme tiers. According to Sparked Host’s budget Minecraft plans page, the Budget tier is available in 11 locations:

RegionLocations
North AmericaMiami, Dallas, Salt Lake City, Ashburn
EuropeParis, Helsinki, Vienna, London
AsiaSingapore, Mumbai
OceaniaSydney

The Mumbai and Singapore options give lower ping to players in India and Southeast Asia than servers in Europe or the US. Sparked’s refund policy covers the first 24 hours if its support team can’t fix a problem, and the site also mentions a 48-hour guarantee.

3. Shockbyte Dirt: $2.79 for 1 GB

Shockbyte’s cheapest plan is Dirt, with 1 GB of RAM for $2.79 a month. The next plan up, Sand (2 GB), costs $5.59, which is just over the $5 budget.

PlanRAMPrice per month
Dirt1 GB$2.79
Sand2 GB$5.59
Cobblestone3 GB$8.39

Shockbyte includes instant setup, DDoS protection, automatic backups, and a one-click installer for more than 3,000 modpacks. It lists a 99.9% uptime guarantee and a 72-hour self-serve refund.

A 1 GB server is enough for a few players on vanilla Minecraft. It is not enough for most modpacks.

4. GGServers Stone: $3 for 1 GB

GGServers charges $3 per GB on its Standard plans. The Stone plan has 1 GB of RAM for $3 a month, and Premium versions of each plan cost twice as much.

GGServers supports both Java and Bedrock Edition. It has one-click modpack and plugin installs, FTP and MySQL access, and 80 Gbps DDoS protection. Its server locations are Montreal, Oregon, Virginia, London, Frankfurt, Finland, Roubaix, Singapore, and Australia.

5. Minecraft Realms: $3.99 for Bedrock players

Minecraft Realms is Mojang’s own server service. It isn’t a hosting company, but it is one of the cheapest ways for Bedrock players to share a world.

Realms planEditionPrice per monthPlayers online at once
RealmsBedrock$3.99You + 2
Realms PlusBedrock$7.99You + 10
RealmsJava$7.99You + 10

Realms includes three world slots and automatic backups, and invited friends don’t pay anything. It doesn’t support plugins, and Java Realms can’t run modpacks from CurseForge or Modrinth.

Free option: Aternos

Aternos is free and says it will stay free. It supports Java (Vanilla, Paper, Forge, Fabric, and modpacks) and Bedrock Edition, with unlimited player slots.

Free servers work differently from paid ones. On Aternos, you have to start the server from the website before anyone can join, and it shuts down when nobody is online. You may also have to wait in a queue at busy times.

How much RAM do you need?

The amount of RAM decides how many players and mods your server can handle. These figures are common starting points, not guarantees:

Server typePlayersSuggested RAM
Vanilla survival2 to 51 to 2 GB
Vanilla with a few plugins5 to 102 to 4 GB
Light modpack2 to 54 GB
Large modpack (100+ mods)Any6 GB or more

At $1 per GB, PebbleHost and Sparked Host are the only hosts in this list that give you 4 GB for under $5.

GTA 6’s Biggest New Details: Hurricanes, 170+ Animals, Dynamic Wind and More

Deepak Ojha
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GTA 6’s Biggest New Details: Hurricanes, 170+ Animals, Dynamic Wind and More

GTA 6 will bring hurricanes, more than 170 animal species and a more detailed simulation of everyday life to Leonida, according to new information from Game Informer’s Rockstar Games interviews. The latest GTA 6 new details also describe a world roughly twice the size of GTA 5’s, with greater attention to the buildings, people and natural environments players encounter along the way.

The most interesting revelations concern what happens between missions. Storms can develop over one part of the map while another stays sunny, wildlife includes creatures players can track, and an upgraded wind system promises movement that responds to the surrounding environment.

The information accompanies Game Informer’s GTA 6 cover story and new screenshots. Its September 29 reports provide firmer answers to several questions that trailers, retailer listings and community speculation had previously left open.

GTA 6 Will Feature Hurricanes and Localized Tropical Storms

Hurricanes and tropical storms are now confirmed for Leonida. In its dedicated weather report, Game Informer explains that Rockstar’s recreation of Florida extends to the severe conditions associated with its tropical climate.

The system also supports smaller, localized changes. Players can stand in sunshine while watching rain fall elsewhere, then travel into that area after the shower has passed and find puddles and wet surfaces. Clouds move across the map, and suitable lighting conditions can produce rainbows after rainfall. That persistence is the interesting distinction, arriving after a storm can still tell you something about what happened before you reached the area. Weather becomes part of the location’s recent history, rather than disappearing completely when the sky clears.

There are still unanswered questions about the larger storms. Game Informer does not establish how often hurricanes occur or what role they play in missions and the story. Their inclusion therefore should not be read as confirmation of destructible buildings, evacuation systems or hurricane-driven map restrictions.

The report expands on TalkEsport’s earlier coverage of GTA 6’s advanced weather system, providing specific examples of what Rockstar has built.

More Than 170 Animal Species, Including Legendary Wildlife

Leonida will contain more than 170 animal species across its land, waterways and skies. That figure refers to distinct species, rather than the total number of individual animals populating the world.

Game Informer’s wildlife report names flamingos, manatees, pelicans and alligators, alongside invasive animals including green iguanas, cane toads, feral cats and rhesus macaques. Several species will appear in a Rockstar game for the first time. There is a gameplay detail here, too: players can track certain animals classified as Rare, Discoverable and Legendary. Rockstar has not revealed the identities of those creatures, leaving an exploration hook beyond simply spotting familiar wildlife beside the road.

The studio is also developing its animal rendering beyond earlier work on Red Dead Redemption. The report describes improvements to feathers, hair and fur, alongside effects such as iridescence, translucency and bioluminescence.

Legendary wildlife will inevitably invite comparisons with Red Dead Redemption 2, although the announcement does not establish an identical hunting, crafting or reward system. What it does confirm is that at least some animals will give players something specific to seek out.

Leonida Is Roughly Twice the Size of GTA 5’s World

Map size is another major revelation. VGC’s coverage of the Game Informer interview reports that Leonida is roughly twice as large as GTA 5’s world, with Rockstar’s Aaron Garbut describing it as the studio’s largest map by a considerable margin. Rockstar’s explanation places equal emphasis on density. Rooftops, alleys, interiors and the spaces connecting buildings have all received attention, with the studio aiming to make the environment feel coherent at street level and inside its structures.

That does not mean every building is enterable, and the report supplies no percentage of accessible interiors. The stronger takeaway is that Rockstar is discussing the amount of detail within the world alongside its overall footprint.

For players, those are different measures of scale. A longer drive expands the distance between destinations; more places worth stopping at can change the journey itself. How successfully GTA 6 balances the two will matter more than the map comparison alone.

Dynamic Wind Reaches Rooftops, Water and Swamp Grass

A community summary of the Game Informer feature also describes an upgraded wind simulation, including offshore breezes after sunset, rising air currents and buildings that obstruct airflow. The examples range from hair and loose debris moving on rooftops to ripples across water and grass bending in swamp environments. Together, they suggest greater consistency in how nearby objects respond to the same conditions.

These are environmental details; the summary does not establish effects on bullet trajectories, aircraft handling or driving physics.

Leonida’s Residents Get More Physical Variety

The same summary highlights differences in pedestrian height, physique and weight distribution, alongside skin details such as freckles, moles and tanning. It also describes a broader range of hairstyles and grooming, plus tattoos intended to reflect Leonida’s different communities. Those changes concern how residents look, rather than confirming new AI routines. Their potential value is in making a busy street feel populated by individuals whose appearance belongs to the surrounding place.

With GTA 6 scheduled to launch on November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, these reveals give players a more specific picture of Rockstar’s ambitions for Leonida. The remaining questions concern how its weather, wildlife and densely built locations interact once players have the freedom to explore them.

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