Gaming

The Raspberry Pi 5 isn't exactly a gaming power house, although it certainly is a popular device for building retro emulation machines. PS2 emulation is spotty at best on the Pi 5, so the idea of running PS3 titles on the same hardware seems akin to flying pigs. Nevertheless, RPCS3 now has an arm64 build working on the Pi 5, and it performs better than you might think.

GPD is updating another of its popular gaming handhelds to AMD's Zen 5 and RDNA 3.5 architectures. This time, the company has revealed plans to update the GPD Win Mini, which gains faster RAM and M.2 2280 storage as well as Ryzen AI 9 365 and Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 APUs.

The Intel Arc B580 is a $249 GPU that might bring some much-needed excitement back to the budget gaming segment. This is due to the card's 12 GB of VRAM and the advertised performance. Team Blue claims that the Arc B580 performs better than an RTX 4060 and the latest leak from Moore's Law Is Dead backs this claim.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows is shaping up to be one of Ubisoft’s most ambitious entries in the franchise. Previously, Ubisoft overviewed the stealth gameplay of the game, and now, it has detailed the combat mechanics.

HP has discounted its Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060-powered Envy desktop PC by 29%, making it a killer deal for anyone looking for a 1080p or even 1440p gaming machine, and undercutting the RTX 4050 variant of the same PC. The rest of the specs are decent, too, with a 512 GB PCIe SSD, 16 GB of RAM, and built-in Wi-Fi 6.

The Intel Arc B580 has been tested on 3D Mark Time Spy. Its overall, graphics, and CPU scores are 15,551, 14,719 and 22,881 points, respectively. This gives credence to Intel's marketing claims about it outperforming Nvidia mid-rangers.

Valve has added the Steam Deck OLED to its refurbished store. You can buy one for as little as $439, and it comes with a one-year warranty.

CD Projekt Red has announced another major patch for Cyberpunk 2077. It brings forth a bunch of quality-of-life improvements for the base game and Phantom Liberty. It is now live on PC, PlayStation and Xbox.

An ill-timed ad may have given us our first look at the Nintendo Switch 2. While the actual image doesn't reveal much in the way of details, it effectively confirms both consoles will be aesthetically similar.

Japannext's new gaming monitor blends retro aesthetics with modern gaming features. It sports classic TV-inspired dials and bezels while delivering a 180Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time.

8BitDo has released a new wired and wireless controller with Hall effect joysticks. Also sporting a 6-axis gyroscope and a third set of shoulder buttons, the 8BitDo Ultimate 2C Bluetooth comes in at under $30 too.

PNY touts its latest solid-state drive (SSD) as capable of "Next-Gen Speeds" thanks to its new NVMe PCIe Gen5 x4 interface. The OEM asserts that it is the ideal new PC upgrade for professionals with its TCG Opal 2.0 spec. The CS2150 also supports Microsoft DirectStorage for potentially enhanced loading times in Windows gaming.

The Lunar Lake-powered MSI Claw 8 AI+, along with the Claw 7 AI+ bring impressive improvements to the table when compared to the previous-gen MSI Claw. Unsurprisingly, the Arc 140V iGPU allows the new Claw handhelds to pull ahead of the ROG Ally X by as much as 113%.

The OneXFly F1 Pro is currently the only gaming handheld that combines an OLED display with an AMD Zen 5 APU. The device is now available to order through Droix too, which should provide superior customer service than first parties.

A new report has shared release details for Anbernic's Game Boy Advance lookalike. Not only that, but Anbernic has also revealed full specifications for the RG34XX, which it intends to sell in four colour options.

The developers behind the top-rated PS3 emulator RPCS3 have just announced the app's ports for ARM-based Linux, Windows, and MacOS devices. However, the team says that there are currently no plans to port it to Android and iOS.

Six fingers, questionable textures, and suspiciously stylized zombie imagery. Amid a flurry of voice actor recasts due to a lack of AI protections, mammoth game developer Activision seems to have made another unsavory cost-cutting measure. Will the makers of the Call of Duty franchise come clean?

MSI has released yet another gaming product. This time, it has refreshed the MPG 321URX with a white variant globally, which can be picked up for $1,099 in the US.

This week, four new titles are coming to the Nintendo Switch, including the highly anticipated remastered edition of a beloved action-adventure series.

The Asus TUF F15 gaming laptop with an RTX 4070 GPU at the helm is now on sale at a discount of 29%. The notebook pairs the RTX 4070 with a 10-core/16-thread Core i7-13620H CPU, 16 GB DDR5 memory, and a 1 TB SSD. Display duties are handled by a 15.6-inch 144 Hz IPS panel with G-Sync.

Gamers can now claim four free games from Microsoft, featuring a mix of platformers and adventure titles. Act quickly, though, it's unclear how long these offers will be available for.

More than two years after the launch of its unique gaming handheld, Panic has released a charger that owners can purchase. The AC charger comes in the same yellow color as the Playdate and is pretty cheap, too.

For most developers, using Python for VR game development does not sound like the most efficient use of the programming language. However, developer DaFluffyPotato met the challenge and discovered some exciting results.

The Copilot Vision AI can see everything users do in the Microsoft Edge web browser and provide verbal recommendations, information, planning help, and gaming tips when prompted. All data processed by Copilot Vision will be deleted after each session, but all answers will be retained.

Google has once again postponed the date for discontinuing the ability to convert the Stadia Controller from Wi-Fi mode to Bluetooth mode. However, Google no longer sells the controller for those willing to buy one.

The latest ASRock gaming monitor boasts a 32-inch 4K W-OLED panel from LG Display capable of reaching a 240Hz refresh rate. This can even go up to 480Hz at a lower resolution. One unique feature of the display is its integrated Wi-Fi antennas.

Path of Exile 2, the highly anticipated sequel to the ARPG giant Path of Exile, has been available in Early Access since December 6. Its dark atmosphere and demanding gameplay have struck a chord with players, earning it widespread acclaim on Steam. Currently, the monster-slaying adventure holds the top spot in the platform's sales charts.

This week, Xbox Game Pass surprises subscribers with two unexpected additions: a strategic RPG and a challenging PvPvE shooter. Combined, the titles have a value of approximately $55.

The 2024 Acer Predator Helios 18 in certified-refurbished condition and powered by a Core i9-14900HX CPU and an RTX 4080 laptop GPU can now be yours at a discount of more than $700. The discount has dragged the final price to below $1,800, making the Predator Helios 18 an excellent value for fans of powerful 18-inch gaming laptops.

Humble Bundle has a new selection of games containing seven top-rated games worth $162. These titles have Steam Deck Playable and above compatibility ratings, and you can claim all of them with a minimum payment of $18.

The Vision Pro is a ~$3,500 mixed-reality headset with top-end hardware and the power of Apple Silicon behind it, yet is increasingly seen as lacking in many ways compared to conventional PCs, gaming included. The Cupertino-based behemoth is now reportedly working with Sony to try and rectify that with support for the controllers that come with the very similar PlayStation VR 2 (PSVR 2).

Steam is currently giving away a well-rated game called Pankapu. This Deck Verified title has a "Mostly Positive" rating and generally goes for $11.99 when there's no sale in place. However, note that this free game offer will expire on December 18.

The MSI Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+ made their official debut a few days ago, and now, the company has confirmed the launch timeline and prices of the Lunar Lake gaming handhelds.

Oppo will be joining the gaming tablet segment in the near future as a leak has revealed that the rumored compact tablet with a Dimensity 9400 processor is made by the tech giant. Called the Oppo X8 Pad, it will challenge the likes of the Lenovo Legion Y700/Legion Tab.

CheckMag Featuring the classic LCD handheld stylings, Moida Manson is a retro adventure game in which players must find and help their friends escape Moida Manson. This is Lucas Pope's latest title, and it features immaculate LCD visuals and engaging gameplay.

According to a new report, ViewSonic is preparing to introduce a next-generation 27-inch OLED gaming monitor next month at CES 2025 in Las Vegas. Likely one of many companies hoping to do so, the panel is alleged to combine a 1440p resolution with a heady 520 Hz refresh rate.

The Samsung Odyssey G7 (G70B) is a well-equipped 4K IPS gaming monitor with a 144 Hz refresh rate. The monitor boasts great viewing angles, commendable color volume and accuracy, and smart features, but suffers from poor contrast ratios despite having local dimming functionality.

An upcoming Android smartphone is tipped to launch with an on-trend flat screen to go with its almost gaming PC-like active cooling system that even has its own tiny working fan. However, the device is not said to debut from prominent performance-focused brand RedMagic as tech aficionados might expect, but from Oppo (or its globally popular subsidiary OnePlus).

For gamers on the lookout for a decent gaming monitor, the 27-inch Samsung Odyssey G3 (G30D) proves itself to be a solid contender, especially for those with budget constraints. Amazon's ongoing offer drops the 180 Hz gaming monitor to its lowest-ever price, rendering the G3 even more affordable.

Game developers looking to showcase their skills and spread some cheer can participate in this year's Secret Santa game jam. For this jam, devs will create custom games for a random giftee and receive a game in return.

In addition to day-one support for several titles launching this month, including Delta Force, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and Path of Exile 2, Nvidia's driver package with version number 566.36 also packs one-click optimal settings for three games, several fixes, and more.

iFixit and Microsoft have extended their collaboration with the availability of genuine parts for the Xbox Series S and Series X consoles on iFixit. In addition to genuine parts, there are also step-by-step repair guides explaining how to fix your console.

Singaporean game developer Garena has introduced a new mobile game called Free City. This smartphone game combines elements from GTA Online and GTA 5, but it's currently only available in Argentina.

The Ayaneo Pocket S has been refreshed with new limited-edition colorways. One of them is called Sakura Pink, while the other is called Retro Power. Both have the same internals as the regular variant.

Nyxi has unveiled the Flexi Game Controller that allows gamers to customize the location of the left analog stick to be offset from or in-line with the right analog stick.

Final has unveiled the ZE3000 SV TWS earbuds for high-resolution music enjoyment, with active noise cancellation designed not to create abnormal ear pressure. A larger driver and optimized acoustic chamber enhance low-frequency reproduction.

With its elegant and compact clamshell design, the Ayaneo Flip KB offers a comfortable handheld gaming experience. The Radeon 780M GPU performance is in line even with more powerful competitors, despite the 30 W TDP limit, while connectivity is future proof with USB4 and OCuLink. Some downsides include the cooling system that is a bit noisy in full load and the reduced battery runtime.

The first signs of new Valve hardware have emerged courtesy of a change within SteamOS code. While it is unclear whether the device is a Steam Deck 2 or a console-like system, it should pack healthy performance improvements over the existing Steam Deck.

The Anbernic RG34XX is a compact gaming handheld aimed at retro gamers who are fans of the classic Game Boy Advance. Copying Nintendo's design wholesale, the RG34XX should be powerful enough to emulate up to N64, PS1 and PSP games.

Asus has introduced a plethora of new monitors, including a dual-mode 31.5-inch ROG gaming monitor with 1080p/320 Hz and 2160p/160 Hz support. For creative professionals, on the other hand, the ProArt Display 6K promises an impressively pixel-dense experience with great color accuracy.