Gaming

Bitmagic has announced a closed alpha test of its game development system powered by generative AI. By simply typing what you want, users can create playable games in minutes. This will democratize game creation by allowing anyone to make games they envision and enjoy.

CheckMag Despite finer-looking graphics, games released in 2023 aren't in any meaningful way better than what we played 20 years ago. Shoot random people, steal cars, blow things up - is Grand Theft Auto VI really going to be breaking any new ground in terms of gameplay?

Elden Ring's first (and likely only) story-driven DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree, is unlikely to be launched to be anytime soon. However, development is moving smoothly, and FromSoftware says it will reveal more about it when the time is right.

Sporting a 27-inch Fast IPS panel with a 180 Hz refresh rate and 1 ms response time, the Alienware AW2724DM is a QHD Display HDR 600-certified gaming monitor with a list price of US$499.99 on Amazon (which is US$100 above its launch price). Thanks to a 34% discount, its price is now down to US$329.99.

CD Projekt Red has announced the Cyberpunk 2077 Patch 2.1 will arrive on December 5 across all platforms. It brings forth a few gameplay changes and adds some minor tweaks, such as new romance options.

Valve has brought an official Steam Link app to Meta Quest headsets. Available on the Quest 2, Quest 3 and Quest Pro, Steam Link appears to have replaced existing solutions like Air Link and Virtual Desktop.

Wild Bastards will follow up the cult success of Void Bastards, featuring the same unique graphics and RTS gameplay elements as the original. The new game will launch in early 2024, and players will travel throughout the galaxy, gun slinging and developing their skills with 13 playable characters.

Netflix subscribers will soon be able to download and play three "Grand Theft Auto" games at no extra cost on both Apple iPhone and Android smartphones. This is because Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition is being added to the Netflix games library.

The most powerful version in Microsoft's current-gen console lineup has received its steepest discount thus far as Walmart is now selling the Xbox Series X for just US$349 including free shipping.

A Nintendo Switch Mini or Nintendo Switch Pocket handheld console could be in the pipeline according to a popular X-based leaker. It seems the source has dug up numerous patents that point to a miniature Switch, although patents often lead to nothing more than the public description of an idea. However, this hasn’t stopped the leaker predicting a price and release date for a Switch Mini.

Developer Rockstar Games has finally revealed the release date of the highly anticipated GTA 6 trailer, for which fans of the wildly successful open-world action game only have to wait a few more days. Even an exact time is mentioned.

A report out of Korea may have offered some hope for Nintendo fans wishing for a Switch 2 with an OLED panel. Recent rumors about the next-generation console have lent toward the idea that the Nintendo Switch 2 would come with a cost-cutting LCD panel. However, multiple models would increase the chances of a Switch 2 OLED model turning up at some point.

The NucDeck DIY gaming handheld has made great progress throughout the past six months. At this point, the project is close to being completed, with Daniel McKenzie, the person behind the project, sharing the full list of design files, parts, and assembly guidelines

ASUS has brought more new features to the ROG Ally courtesy of Armoury Crate SE, MCU and BIOS updates. Now, the ASUS ROG Ally supports gyroscope controls and can disable its CPU turbo boost to extend battery life when gaming, among other changes.

Letting the Nvidia card do the rendering with Frame Gen and passing the resulting output through AFMF on the AMD card that is connected to the display, the average fps in Cyberpunk can be boosted by 290%. However, in some games, the 1% lows show dramatic drops due to AFMF not working properly.

Valve announced today that it would no longer support the Steam Client on macOS 10.14 or earlier versions starting February 15th. The decision comes as a result of Apple dropping support for 32-bit applications with macOS 10.15.

AYANEO has showcased gameplay footage of the Pocket S, an Android gaming handheld based on the Snapdragon G3x Gen2. The AYANEO Pocket S should be available early next year, although it remains in the prototyping stage for the time being.

The Gaming CU34G2XP/BK is AOC's more expensive alternative to the CU34G2XE/BK. Not only does the AOC Gaming CU34G2XP/BK boast 400 nits peak brightness, but it also delivers 1 ms GtG response times, a 1440p resolution, a 180 Hz refresh rate and numerous ports for connecting devices and peripherals.

The Gaming CU34G2XE/BK is one of AOC's latest gaming monitors. Based around a 34-inch VA panel, the AOC Gaming CU34G2XE/BK delivers a 1440p and 144 Hz gaming experience with 1 ms MPRT response times.

OnePlus has just confirmed second-gen Rain Touch Control and Tiangong cooling technology for its upcoming flagship Android smartphone. The 12 has allegedly shown these new AnTuTu Benchmark-destroying enhancements off already in another new leak; then again, this one might also reveal that its new and allegedly class-leading display may be less than 100% perfect.

It appears that Dell is planning to upgrade at least three Alienware gaming laptops early next year. According to a new report, second-generation refreshes of the Alienware m16, Alienware m18 and Alienware x18 are due, but not all with Intel Meteor Lake processors.

Windows Report has shared new details about the AW2725DF and AW3225QF, a pair of Alienware gaming monitors that Dell showcased at TwitchCon 2023. While neither is rumoured to arrive until January 2024, Windows Report has obtained official press shots of both ahead of their official introduction.

Released across multiple platforms in late September, 2021, Diablo II: Resurrected is a remaster of Diablo II and the Lord of Destruction expansion with 4K graphics and 7.1 Dolby Surround sound. While it significantly improves upon the original's visuals, the remaster hits a whole new level in a fan-made Unreal Engine 5 demo.

A new leak says Nvidia plans to launch a new graphics card to comply with US sanctions. It will be called the GeForce RTX 4090 D and will cost the same as the original.

Both Asus ROG Ally variants have received a hefty price cut on Best Buy. The AMD Ryzen Z1-powered version can be had for US$399 new, and the Ryzen Z1 Extreme-powered flavour for US$599.

Microsoft is once again offering an Ugly Sweater again in 2023, this time based on the "Bliss" background image from Windows XP. If you missed Bliss, you can download four variations of the iconic wallpaper for free, both for PCs and smartphones.

Yet another potential Nintendo Switch 2 release date window has turned up, this time via a source that could possibly have some insider information. A teaser for the game Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time has included an interesting comment about the game’s release date that could be linked to the Switch 2 release date.

The Sony PlayStation 5 Slim could have been much smaller, as a modder proves. A modified version of the console fits into a case with a volume of just three liters, making the game console more reminiscent of a mini PC.

The attractive mid-range SKU of the 2023 Legion Slim 7 Gen 8 features AMD's powerful Zen 4-based processor as well as a beautiful QHD display with 240Hz, up to 400 nits as well as 100% sRGB coverage. Thanks to a steep discount, the 16-inch Lenovo gaming laptop is now more affordable than ever.

(Update: Now available) Active PlayStation Plus subscribers can once again download and play three interesting titles for free in December 2023. This time, Sony is catering to Lego fans, digital adventurers and pressure washing aficionados who don't necessarily want to leave their comfortable couch.

Kangsters Wheely-X wheelchair fitness treadmill has been awarded a CES 2024 Innovation Award Honoree. Bluetooth connected sensors allow wheelchair users to participate in esports gaming and practice cardio exercises.

CheckMag Netflix's library of games is steadily growing and it features some popular titles, but not all are compatible with a controller. However, there are still a handful that have controller support.

Acer has launched the Predator XB283K V3, a 28-inch gaming monitor with an Innolux AAS panel. Available already for US$439.99, the Acer Predator XB283K V3 outputs at 4K with a 150 Hz refresh rate and high colour accuracy.

Acer has started selling the Predator XB273U V3, a 27-inch IPS monitor that combines a 1440p resolution with a 180 Hz refresh rate. The Acer Predator XB273U V3 is available for US$249.99 and provides 400 nits peak brightness, among other features.

Other specs include 16 GB of DDR4-3200 RAM, 512 GB PCIe 4.0 SSD storage, 15.6-inch 1080p 144 Hz IPS display and a full-size SD card reader. Walmart also throws in a free 1-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

The original LCD screens can also benefit from this mod, as it ups the refresh rate to 70 Hz. Users report that the battery life is not affected too much, but the versions integrating OLEDs supplied by Samsung may experience gamma and brightness issues.

If you're experiencing display issues, Dell recommends rolling back your driver to v31.0.14076.3, A01. And if you're not, then don't update your display drivers at all even if AMD Adrenalin says otherwise. The latest drivers should be avoided for now until they are properly optimized for the Radeon RX 7900M.

CheckMag This article explores the diverse and dynamic world of gaming through the lens of Xbox Game Pass, highlighting the top 5 must-play games that define the platform. These selections offer a mix of exciting stories, great gameplay, and impressive graphics. They cover different types of games, so there's something for everyone.

October 2023 witnessed the sale of 10.21 million PC and console games across Europe, marking a marginal 2.3% year-on-year decline. In the realm of console hardware, the PS5 emerged as the indisputable leader in Europe with sales surging by an impressive 143%, while Xbox Series S and X struggled with a 52% decline.

A new report has revealed that children in the US would prefer games subscriptions and virtual currency over physical games for Christmas. A staggering 72% of US children expressed a desire for video game-related gifts for the upcoming holiday season.

The Data Frog R36S is another Rockchip RK3326-derived retro gaming handheld with a 3.5-inch display. While it shares all core features with the Powkiddy RGB20S, it does so while costing about 50% less without sacrificing performance or usability.

One-Netbook has started selling the ONEXGPU, an eGPU that sits within its ONEXPLAYER brand. Available for US$599 initially, the ONEXGPU combines an AMD Radeon RX 7600M XT GPU with various ports, RGB lighting and M.2 SSD expansion.

The ASUS ROG Strix G18 with an RTX 4080 GPU, a Core i9-13980HX CPU, 16 GB of DDR5-4800 memory, and 1 TB of PCIe Gen 4 storage is now going for a respectable 20% off at Best Buy. The price drop which represents a considerable discount of US$500 has brought the laptop to a record low rate making the machine worth considering.

CheckMag Here are some of the best racing games on Steam to round out the Steam Autumn Sale. Live life on the proverbial edge with Riders Republic, enjoy the off-road chaos in Dirt 5, or take things more seriously with Forza Horizon 5, all with spectacular discounts, thanks to Steam's holiday sales event.

The AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D can now be bought on Amazon for US$359. The 8-core, 16-thread Zen 4 processor is tailor-made for gaming PCs and outperforms even high-end Intel/AMD counterparts.

To celebrate Cyber Monday, Ubisoft is giving away the full version of Assassin's Creed Syndicate to PC gamers for a limited time. All you need to play is a compatible Windows computer and a free Ubisoft Connect account.

As the Black Friday deals come to an end, Sony is launching an even bigger sale on its PlayStation Store with over 1800 games discounted by up to 95%, including Alan Wake Remastered, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and the Director's Cut of Death Stranding.

A Cyber Monday deal on Amazon offers one of the lowest prices yet for the RTX 4070-powered Dell G16 7630, which is also equipped with a beautiful QHD panel with 165Hz as well as the quick Intel Core i9-13900HX Raptor Lake CPU.