Lincoln Carpenter
Lincoln spent his formative years in World of Warcraft, and hopes to someday recover from the experience. Having earned a Creative Writing degree by convincing professors to accept his papers about Dwarf Fortress, he leverages that expertise in his most important work: judging a videogame’s lore purely by its proper nouns. Lincoln's previously written for sites like Waypoint, Polygon, and Fanbyte, and spent three years freelancing for PC Gamer before joining on as News Writer in 2024. He's a sicko for games that act as storytelling toolkits, whether we’re shaping those stories for ourselves or sharing them with others, and will take any opportunity to gush about Monster Hunter.
Latest articles by Lincoln Carpenter
![A pixelated imagining of a desktop showing the Old School RuneScape login screen, surrounded by RuneScape and metal iconography.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/y9gQ93dTqYANMHfwmMKKeU-320-80.jpg)
Attention former RuneScape preteens: You owe it to yourselves to hear this official metal cover of the RuneScape theme
By Lincoln Carpenter published
News RuneScape: Battleaxes and Ballads is a licensed metal cover album and the ideal soundtrack for cooking thousands of lobsters.
![Hachiware pixelated by monoli's Pixel Window.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/box5NJfWQbq23QV9Qh2CKJ-320-80.jpg)
After seeing this handheld pixel filter prism on Twitter, I'm haunted by an insatiable urge to pixelate everything in my home
By Lincoln Carpenter published
News If you're sick of pixel art, you might want to look away now.
![A player Tarnished attacks an enemy with a swipe from a thrusting shield.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DnADHxadbPodHy2hnUfetc-320-80.jpg)
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree players are sleepwalking through bossfights with the DLC's silly, pointy shields
By Lincoln Carpenter published
News Simply always be blocking.
![A hacker, doing hacking.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/CsUnpyvP2koyCgK4oboF3R-320-80.jpg)
To combat torrent traffic, a South Korean ISP deployed a bold strategy: Infecting 600,000 of its own customers with malware
By Lincoln Carpenter published
News Maybe don't.
![Cyberpunk 2077 posing](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ymhJ9vZMzikGHht2RKfHiU-320-80.jpg)
Thanks to the Responsive NPCs mod, crowds in Cyberpunk 2077 can now react if you sprint nude through Night City's streets
By Lincoln Carpenter published
News At last, the recognition I deserve.
![Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree preview](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/y8c7XQzA7kwt659uAADc6b-320-80.jpg)
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree claws its way back to a 'Mostly Positive' rating on Steam: 'Don't listen to the negativity. Big sword still go brrr'
By Lincoln Carpenter published
News At this point, it's only a little tarnished.
![A hard drive on fire.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/y9K9zQ8vVpo2nojLCzSwAM-320-80.jpg)
Paramount rounds out a grim month for media preservation by nuking 25 years of Comedy Central video
By Lincoln Carpenter published
News Why keep today what you may or may not sell again tomorrow?
![Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree preview](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EqTzCyHTkWTDDTUq4McJ8f-320-80.jpg)
Despite all the difficulty grousing, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree has sold 5 million copies in less than a week
By Lincoln Carpenter published
News Evidence strongly suggests hitting things with swords remains cool.
![A majestically mundane Frank West from Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HxNUaX4CnUXTcHfNvzPcMN-320-80.jpg)
DRDR, Frank's in the news: Capcom announces Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster
By Lincoln Carpenter published
News Oh, to shamble once more through the malls of yesteryear.
![Swagger, a mysterious new ally for Darktide players, standing in a foggy abandoned industrial floor.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SFDh7avEx6S5isnYTCu6gg-320-80.jpg)
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide's latest update adds new weapons and a mission to reactivate an icy AdMech foundry
By Lincoln Carpenter published
News There's never been a better time to pick that old boltgun back up.
![A player shuffles through a deck of Pokemon TCG cards.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fRdJEkQAnHWgPxePpwvbnC-320-80.jpg)
Following AI art complaints, Pokémon Company boots contest finalists who allegedly already robbed themselves of the joy of drawing a little guy
By Lincoln Carpenter published
News How could any machine hope to capture the wonder in an Eevee's heart?
![The latest warframe, Jade, wearing optional Choir cosmetics.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8QxrQgWPETxwNpNB8JvKZW-320-80.jpg)
Warframe pregnancy: A PC Gamer special report
By Lincoln Carpenter published
Expectant I asked Warframe's creative director if Warframes can get pregnant so you don't have to.
![Three player-customized Space Marines brandish their weaponry.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/C9qZNzLFK9KaYHmgEF9zMA-320-80.jpg)
The latest Space Marine 2 gameplay overview promises 'seemingly endless waves' of Tyranids, chill hangouts on the Battle Barge
By Lincoln Carpenter published
News It is the Emperor's will that I spend quality time with the boys.
![Captain Blood threatens a rival pirate with a large, stylized saber.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9tbbte28T2GeoETCXKg65R-320-80.jpg)
Pirate game not seen since 2010 will finally release this year
By Lincoln Carpenter published
News Last seen in 2010, Captain Blood has a new lease on a pirate's life.
![helldivers 2](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/6nG6uFZVwojwN7LqV3rv6Z-320-80.png)
Sony accidentally leaked an unannounced Helldivers 2 stratagem by getting its rocket launchers confused
By Lincoln Carpenter published
News The Super Earth censors are going to have a field day with this one.
![Four wooden meeples in various colors.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pUdvwteRbmWCB25eYLKodb-320-80.jpg)
Intellectual property law has come for the word 'Meeple'
By Lincoln Carpenter published
News Not even the little wooden board game guys are safe.
![Key art for the Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D remake.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Dzh3y4gPZCf5ZTzXn2xT7m-320-80.jpg)
Here's everything from the June 2024 Nintendo Direct that's coming to PC
By Lincoln Carpenter published
News A crop of incoming JRPG remakes, fresh from Mario's house.
![Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree preview](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/y8c7XQzA7kwt659uAADc6b-320-80.jpg)
Shadow of the Erdtree review roundup: 'Recaptures all of the magic of playing Elden Ring for the first time'
By Lincoln Carpenter published
News Critics are heaping a Torrent of praise on Elden Ring's DLC.
![Lae'zel talking to the player while holding her sword up in Baldur's Gate 3.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sd4hyszc6kgqaxz2Ytx4Va-320-80.jpg)
To create its cast of Baldur's Gate 3 companions, Larian came up with 'hundreds and hundreds' of character concepts: 'It was a huge, huge list'
By Lincoln Carpenter published
News Character classes were the last details finalized in the Baldur's Gate 3 party's long iteration process.
![A collection of Sims from The Sims 4.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3RR3TvS2Bw6XSpoppguTXc-320-80.jpg)
Maxis canceled The Sims in the '90s, but it was saved by an unlikely hero: Electronic Arts
By Lincoln Carpenter published
News Project "Dollhouse" outlasted industry turmoil, gender norms, and company collapse.
![Two tees are offered up for judgement in Tee K.O.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eoHZXSN2cB64zUJduHuLCd-320-80.jpg)
Jackbox players rejoice: A free 'Megapicker' is coming soon that can launch the specific Party Pack game you want to play
By Lincoln Carpenter published
News With The Jackbox Megapicker, it'll be easier than ever to track down Tee K.O.
![Minecraft 1.21 - Two players stand together in a copper Trial Chamber looking at a Trial Spawner block](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9CGbu87vb9Q6fDpa8DZafY-320-80.jpg)
Minecraft 1.21, the Tricky Trials update, is out now
By Lincoln Carpenter published
News 1.21 brings Trial Chambers, automatic crafters, and new, worse skeletons.
![Gears of War: E-Day screenshot](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Z8Ua4cukpeeL8w34xXZRzH-320-80.jpg)
Microsoft backs up Geoff Keighley after he ignited console warrior outrage over the Gears of War: E-Day trailer
By Lincoln Carpenter published
News In a valiant defense of a trillion dollar corporation, Xbox fans declare graphics terminology the latest battlefield of a war raging in their own minds.
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