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Helldivers 2 and Halo officially merge in a legendary crossover

Jak Connor | Gaming | Aug 19, 2025 10:02 AM CDT

After the teaser of the Halo ODST soundtrack at the end of the last Helldivers 2 trailer, Sony and Microsoft have briefly put down their swords to team up for an epic crossover event. Introducing, Helldivers 2 x Halo: ODST Legendary Warbond.

Helldivers 2 and Halo officially merge in a legendary crossover

The hype for this announcementwas sparked when Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead Studios briefly teased a Halo introduction to the game when a snippet of the Halo: ODST soundtrack was briefly played at the end of the "Bring the Boom" trailer released a week ago. As any Halo fan would, the soundtrack was immediately recognized and anticipation reached fever pitch as fans patiently waited for the official announcement.

Now, hours before Gamescom 2025 is about to kick off, Halo has officially crossed over with Helldivers in trailers released to both the official PlayStation and Xbox YouTube channels. It is quite strange to see Halo-themed content being released on the PlayStation YouTube channel, along with Helldivers 2 content being released on the Xbox YouTube channel. How times have changed. As for what the crossover entails, Helldivers 2 x Halo: ODST Legendary Warbond includes the following content listed below.

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Continue reading: Helldivers 2 and Halo officially merge in a legendary crossover (full post)

Black Ops 7 release date and super jump mechanic confirmed in new ad leak

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Aug 19, 2025 1:53 AM CDT

A newly leaked advertisement confirms new features coming to Black Ops 7.

Black Ops 7 release date and super jump mechanic confirmed in new ad leak

Activision is set to pull the wraps off Black Ops 7 tomorrow at Microsoft's big Gamescom 2025 press reveal, but some of the thunder of that announcement has been stolen.

The quick 14-second ad says a lot in such a short time, confirming that Black Ops 7 will launch on November 14 while also showing off the new super jump boost pack ability both in combat and in a cinematic cutscene sequence. Users have been careful to point out that this isn't a double-jump or a jetpack, but more of a heavily-amplified boost-jump with more aerial control insofar as movement.

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Continue reading: Black Ops 7 release date and super jump mechanic confirmed in new ad leak (full post)

NVIDIA bundles Borderlands 4 with RTX 50 Series GPUs and DLSS 4 pushes 250+ FPS

Kosta Andreadis | Gaming | Aug 19, 2025 12:59 AM CDT

We're weeks away from Borderlands 4 launching on PC and console, and to celebrate, NVIDIA has partnered with developer Gearbox and publisher 2K for its latest GeForce RTX bundle. The new Borderlands 4 GeForce RTX 50 Series Bundle, if you purchase an eligible GeForce RTX 50 Series GPU or laptop system, you'll get a free copy of the game on Steam alongside the Gilded Glory Pack DLC.

NVIDIA bundles Borderlands 4 with RTX 50 Series GPUs and DLSS 4 pushes 250+ FPS

This pack unlocks new skins for each of the four playable Vault Hunters, your weapons, and the ECHO-4 Drone companion - seen above. Redemption for both the game and the DLC will be available via the NVIDIA App's rewards section, with the bundle limited to GeForce RTX 5090, 5080, 5070 Ti, or 5070 desktops and graphics cards, as well as notebooks with GeForce RTX 5090, 5080, 5070 Ti, or 5070 Laptop GPUs.

Unfortunately, it looks like GeForce RTX 5060 and RTX 5060 Ti gamers miss out, which is a shame. For the complete list of participating partners, retailers, and full details on the bundle, head to NVIDIA's dedicated Borderlands 4 GeForce RTX 50 Series Bundle page.

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Continue reading: NVIDIA bundles Borderlands 4 with RTX 50 Series GPUs and DLSS 4 pushes 250+ FPS (full post)

Phantom Blade Zero could be the next Black Myth: Wukong-style breakout hit from China

Kosta Andreadis | Gaming | Aug 19, 2025 12:26 AM CDT

Described as an action role-playing game, Phantom Blade Zero comes from Chinese developer S-GAME, and it looks stunning in its latest RTX and DLSS 4-powered trailer. With fluid animation, fast-paced blade and martial-arts inspired combat, and a blend of regional myth, folklore, and history driving the unique visuals, this has every chance to become the next Black Myth: Wukong-style breakout hit when it launches.

Phantom Blade Zero could be the next Black Myth: Wukong-style breakout hit from China

Like Black Myth: Wukong, Phantom Blade Zero is set to launch on both PC and PlayStation 5. This new trailer showcases environments, characters, and action in the game's Pang Town region, recorded on PC with a PS5 DualSense controller. With cinematic lighting, depth of field effects, and more, the good news is that this Unreal Engine 5-powered title looks like it's already running pretty smoothly.

This trailer also showcases the game's ray-traced lighting for the first time, with ray-traced reflections, shadows, and ray-traced caustics that accurately replicate the way light distorts under water. These are similar to the ray-traced effects we saw in Black Myth: Wukong; however, the developer hasn't confirmed if the game is also set to receive a 'path tracing' or 'full ray tracing' mode.

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Continue reading: Phantom Blade Zero could be the next Black Myth: Wukong-style breakout hit from China (full post)

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle's DLC will debut NVIDIA's fancy new RTX Hair tech

Kosta Andreadis | Gaming | Aug 18, 2025 11:58 PM CDT

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, from developers Machine Games and Bethesda Game Studios, was a pleasant surprise when it launched late last year on PC and Xbox and then earlier this year on PlayStation 5. Its first-person take on the cinematic icon presented a mix of exploration, archeology, stealth, and puzzle-solving that felt like a breath of fresh air.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle's DLC will debut NVIDIA's fancy new RTX Hair tech

It also didn't hurt that it's one of the most visually impressive PC games out there, thanks to its ray-traced and path-traced visuals, presenting a level of detail that's only possible thanks to AI-rendering technologies like DLSS 4 Super Resolution, Ray Reconstruction, Multi Frame Generation, and NVIDIA Reflex.

With Indy's adventures set to return to Rome in the upcoming Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants DLC on September 4, 2025, the game is set to receive another visual update in the form of RTX Hair - an innovative new approach to rendering realistic and detail path-traced hair using Linear-Swept Spheres (LSS).

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Continue reading: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle's DLC will debut NVIDIA's fancy new RTX Hair tech (full post)

Dying Light: The Beast and Cronos: The New Dawn trailers showcase stunning ray-traced visuals

Kosta Andreadis | Gaming | Aug 18, 2025 11:33 PM CDT

Dying Light: The Beast and Cronos: The New Dawn are both launching next month, and if you're in the mood for moody sci-fi horror, intense action, and open-world exploration, they're both worth putting on your radar. Especially now, thanks to NVIDIA releasing new trailers for these games showcasing their stunning ray-traced visuals on PC and DLSS 4-enhanced image quality and performance.

Dying Light: The Beast and Cronos: The New Dawn trailers showcase stunning ray-traced visuals

Dying Light: The Beast is effectively Dying Light 3, and the latest installment in Techland's zombie-infested open-world series sees you take on the role of Kyle Crane, who carries both human and zombie DNA. With the action taking place around the fictional Castor Woods overrun with zombies, the game is set to debut with even more impressive ray-traced visuals than what we saw in Dying Light 2. Check out the trailer above to see some truly jaw-dropping ray-traced locales.

The game will be here soon, on September 19, with DLSS 4 support, including Super Resolution, Multi Frame Generation, NVIDIA Reflex, and DLSS 4's new Transformer model-powered Ray Reconstruction to increase the detail and quality of all ray-traced lighting effects like reflections, shadows, ambient occlusion, and global illumination.

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Trump admin in talks to take a 10% stake in Intel, US gov would be the biggest shareholder

Anthony Garreffa | Business, Financial & Legal | Aug 18, 2025 11:11 PM CDT

The Trump Administration is in talks with Intel to take a 10% stake in the company, by converting some (or all) of the CHIPS Act grant money from Intel into equity.

Trump admin in talks to take a 10% stake in Intel, US gov would be the biggest shareholder

Bloomberg is reporting from a White House official and other people familiar with the matter, which would see the US government become Intel's largest shareholder. Intel is set to receive $10.9 billion in CHIPS Act grants for both commercial and military production, and at Intel's current market value, a 10% stake in the company would be worth around $10.5 billion.

According to Bloomberg's sources, the exact size of the stake in Intel, and whether the Trump administration decides to ink the deal, is "still in flux". White House spokesperson Kush Desai declined to comment on the specifics of the discussion, only saying that no deal is final until it's announced by the administration.

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Continue reading: Trump admin in talks to take a 10% stake in Intel, US gov would be the biggest shareholder (full post)

Xbox first-party, third-party purchases surge by double digits, Game Pass payouts at new high

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Aug 18, 2025 10:38 PM CDT

A sizable portion of Xbox's record-breaking $23 billion revenues in FY25 were driven by Xbox Game Pass, and now Microsoft gives more interesting Xbox figures from an unlikely source.

Xbox first-party, third-party purchases surge by double digits, Game Pass payouts at new high

Microsoft pulled some surprises today: First, Xbox ecosystem VP Jason Ronald confirmed new details about the upcoming next-gen Xbox, including that the console would be powered by custom NPU tech from AMD. Second, Microsoft actually revealed some Xbox numbers that we didn't know about before, which is a rare occasion.

In the recent episode of Xbox Podcast, the Xbox hardware exec seemed to take on the recent scrutiny around the subscription, including claims from ex-PlayStation boss Shawn Layden that Xbox Game Pass is unhealthy for developers, or Revenge of the Savage Planet dev asserting Game Pass may hurt indie devs in the long run.

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Continue reading: Xbox first-party, third-party purchases surge by double digits, Game Pass payouts at new high (full post)

The Oversight Bureau combines voice-driven puzzles and powerful NVIDIA ACE AI technology

Kosta Andreadis | Gaming | Aug 18, 2025 10:04 PM CDT

Games and technical demonstrations with NVIDIA ACE technology are something we've gone hands-on with in the past, where AI models and tech are used to generate digital AI characters, recognize speech, and create dynamic responses based on how you interact. At Gamescom 2025, NVIDIA announced that the first NVIDIA ACE game built around speech recognition, interaction, and puzzle solving is coming later this year.

The Oversight Bureau combines voice-driven puzzles and powerful NVIDIA ACE AI technology

The Oversight Bureau, from developer Iconic Interactive, sees players take on the role of a prisoner called Candidate 404, who's trapped in a mysterious and dystopian underground "reconditioning facility." As seen in the announcement video above, you'll interact and engage in various tests and scenarios using natural language.

"Every day you're forced to participate in simulations as the Bureau attempts to reprogram your mind and turn you into a more compliant member of society," the game's description reads. It's the sort of setting that sounds perfect for one of the first games that relies on NVIDIA ACE technology, as it creates a sense of unease long before you start hearing your first AI-generated responses.

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Continue reading: The Oversight Bureau combines voice-driven puzzles and powerful NVIDIA ACE AI technology (full post)

PC handhelds like Steam Deck and Xbox Ally X to sell 2.3 million this year, analysts predict

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Aug 18, 2025 9:39 PM CDT

The handheld PC market will continue to grow throughout 2025, undoubtedly catalyzed by the incoming Xbox-branded Ally and Ally X duo.

PC handhelds like Steam Deck and Xbox Ally X to sell 2.3 million this year, analysts predict

According to new estimates from analyst firm Omdia, the PC gaming handheld market will expand by 2.3 million units this year. This multi-million range includes a bevy of products ranging from the proprietary Steam Deck to OEM PC handhelds like the MSI Claw, Lenovo Legion Go, and newcomers like the ASUS-made Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X duo.

It's not just hardware that's expected to drive adoption, though. Microsoft's efforts to bring a more streamlined, handheld-friendly version of Windows 11 and the Xbox app are expected to make a big difference in easing friction during the onboarding process.

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Continue reading: PC handhelds like Steam Deck and Xbox Ally X to sell 2.3 million this year, analysts predict (full post)

TSMC sets production price of 2nm node at $30,000 per wafer, no 'discounts' in its policy

Anthony Garreffa | Business, Financial & Legal | Aug 18, 2025 9:09 PM CDT

TSMC has reportedly set the production price of its bleeding-edge 2nm process at $30,000 and has established a new policy of supplying 2nm chips without any discounts according to new reports.

TSMC sets production price of 2nm node at $30,000 per wafer, no 'discounts' in its policy

The company plans to kick off trial production in the next 34 months, aiming for a monthly production capacity of 30,000 to 35,000 wafers. By 2026, TSMC plans to establish a production system with a monthly production capacity of 60,000 wafers across its four factories, with initial yields reportedly in the mid 60% range, and for SRAM, yields reportedly exceed 90%, with Korean media outlet DDaily reporting that there are "no obstacles to mass production".

The high pricing on 2nm wafers isn't just a simple reflection of production costs, but rather a strategy to maximize profits by focusing its limited initial production capacity on "premium demand". TSMC is targeting customers with high-performance computing (HPC) and AI needs, including Apple, NVIDIA, and AMD.

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Continue reading: TSMC sets production price of 2nm node at $30,000 per wafer, no 'discounts' in its policy (full post)

Next-gen Xbox confirmed to have AI chip with neural rendering, part of a unified platform

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Aug 18, 2025 8:31 PM CDT

Xbox hardware VP Jason Ronald reveals new details about Microsoft's next-gen console plans, including confirmation that Xbox will become a unified platform.

Next-gen Xbox confirmed to have AI chip with neural rendering, part of a unified platform

Today, the official Xbox Podcast released a hefty 33-minute episode that discussed a few interesting details about new hardware. Xbox president Sarah Bond has already confirmed that a new console is in the works via a new AI-centric partnership with AMD.

Exact details on the next-gen Xbox are still light, but hardware exec Jason Ronald did confirm that Microsoft is investing in neural rendering tech, and it's likely the new Xbox will utilize new AMD silicon with NPUs (neural processing units) built in.

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Continue reading: Next-gen Xbox confirmed to have AI chip with neural rendering, part of a unified platform (full post)

Intel to bundle Battlefield 6 with Core Ultra + Core CPUs as part of 'Gamer Days 2025' deals

Anthony Garreffa | Gaming | Aug 18, 2025 8:08 PM CDT

Intel has just announced that it is bundling free copies of Battlefield 6 with its Core Ultra and Core CPUs as part of the "Gamer Days 2025" event.

Intel to bundle Battlefield 6 with Core Ultra + Core CPUs as part of 'Gamer Days 2025' deals

Intel partnered with EA on optimizing Battlefield 6 for its Core Ultra + Core CPUs as well as its Arc GPUs, where Battlefield 6 will feature XeSS 2 and Low-Latency support at launch, while also supporting competing AI upscaling formats including NVIDIA DLSS and AMD FSR.

Battlefield 6 will feature key optimizations focused around scheduling for Intel Core Ultra + Core CPUs, with these optimizations not included in the beta of the game, so we should see some performance improvements using Core Ultra + Core CPUs when Battlefield 6 officially launches in October.

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Continue reading: Intel to bundle Battlefield 6 with Core Ultra + Core CPUs as part of 'Gamer Days 2025' deals (full post)

Apple won't release regular iPhone 18 in 2026, foldable iPhone changes release schedule

Anthony Garreffa | Mobile Devices | Aug 18, 2025 7:33 PM CDT

Apple will reportedly not release a regular iPhone 18 in 2026, rather the company will launch the normal iPhone 18 in 2027, with the change in release schedule being a result of the foldable iPhone launching next year.

Apple won't release regular iPhone 18 in 2026, foldable iPhone changes release schedule

In a new article from Korean media outlet ETnews picked up by @Jukanrosleve on X, we're hearing from industry sources that Apple plans to release both the budget e-series iPhone and the regular iPhone in the first half of the year moving forward, while unveiling four models including the foldable iPhone in the second half. Only next year's regular iPhone 18 will be affected, and not the iPhone 19, iPhone 20, etc.

The changes to the release schedule are because of the foldable iPhone coming in 2026, as the foldable iPhone -- rumored as the iPhone Ultra -- will be one of the four major releases in 2026.

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Continue reading: Apple won't release regular iPhone 18 in 2026, foldable iPhone changes release schedule (full post)

AMD pencils in November 11 to unveil next-gen products and technology roadmaps at analyst event

Anthony Garreffa | Business, Financial & Legal | Aug 18, 2025 7:07 PM CDT

AMD has announced that it will be hosting its 2025 Financial Analyst Day on November 11 in New York City, where we can expect details on next-gen products and long-term financial plans from the company.

AMD pencils in November 11 to unveil next-gen products and technology roadmaps at analyst event

The upcoming event should be filled to the brim with new details on AI and Data Center products, with AMD's next-gen Zen 6-based "Venice" EPYC CPUs and future-generation "Verano" CPUs should be teased, as well as next-gen RDNA 5 and UDNA GPU architectures.

UDNA will be a big concentration for AMD as it has the Instinct MI400 and MI500 AI accelerators already teased, so we might get a glimpse into what to expect from the company's next-generation AI accelerators past 2027. We should get some updates to the ROCm ecosystem for AI, as well as the AMD's strategy for AI with its UDNA architecture.

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Continue reading: AMD pencils in November 11 to unveil next-gen products and technology roadmaps at analyst event (full post)

Playing Battlefield 2042 will unlock exclusive Battlefield 6 rewards

Jak Connor | Gaming | Aug 18, 2025 6:15 PM CDT

The two weeks of Battlefield 6 mayhem has officially come to a close as the servers are now offline and players are left wondering where they can continue the chaos. Well, EA has an idea of where they can go - Battlefield 2042.

Playing Battlefield 2042 will unlock exclusive Battlefield 6 rewards

To entice players with keeping up with the Battlefield action before Battlefield 6 is officially launched, EA has rolled out a massive surprise update to Battlefield 2042, which has released on all platforms. According to the press release, Update 9.2 includes new weapons, maps, vehicles, bug fixes, various gameplay changes, and a new free Battlepass.

Additionally, and this is probably the best way for EA to attract players to the previous Battlefield game, is playing the content in Update 9.2 will unlock exclusive Battlefield 6 rewards that will be available to the player once Battlefield 6 is launched.

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Continue reading: Playing Battlefield 2042 will unlock exclusive Battlefield 6 rewards (full post)

RTX Remix adds path-traced particles, and they look incredible in Portal RTX

Kosta Andreadis | Gaming | Aug 18, 2025 5:47 PM CDT

NVIDIA is set to release an update to its RTX Remix modding platform in September that will add a particle system. That's particles as in little floating objects like embers or dust, that will be realistically lit with the same path-traced lighting found throughout a scene. This update will allow modders to add new particles to a catalogue of over 165 classic PC games, with NVIDIA noting that the majority of these titles didn't feature a particle editor.

RTX Remix adds path-traced particles, and they look incredible in Portal RTX

Ahead of the announcement, NVIDIA showed us a quick preview of the new RTX Remix particle system in NVIDIA Lightspeed Studios' impressive Portal with RTX mod and DLC. In the demo, we got to watch one of those glowing orbs floating through a portal, except this time it's got tiny, ember-like particles falling off it as it moves.

And because each of these particles exists in the scene and is lit, their light affects other objects in the scene, and they're also reflected with impressive detail. What was also impressive about the particle effects was how they showcased accurate physics as they fell and interacted with each other and objects in the environment.

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Continue reading: RTX Remix adds path-traced particles, and they look incredible in Portal RTX (full post)

NVIDIA Smooth Motion now officially available on RTX 40 Series GPUs

Jak Connor | Gaming | Aug 18, 2025 5:33 PM CDT

NVIDIA has announced at Gamescom 2025 that it is moving Smooth Motion out of beta for RTX 40-Series GPUs and officially launching it.

NVIDIA Smooth Motion now officially available on RTX 40 Series GPUs

NVIDIA informed us via a press briefing that it's announcing the launch of Smooth Motion for RTX 40 Series GPUs, and that RTX 40 Series owners can update the NVIDIA App to start improving in-game performance of titles that don't natively support DLSS. Notably, Smooth Motion for RTX 40 Series GPUs will be available in the beta NVIDIA app on August 19, but will be publicly rolled out next week.

For those who don't know what NVIDIA Smooth Motion is, the feature was launched alongside the RTX 50 Series GPUs at the beginning of the year. Smooth Motion is an AI-based frame interpolation feature that works by inserting an extra frame between two rendered frames, which effectively doubles the perceived frame rate in games that support it.

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Continue reading: NVIDIA Smooth Motion now officially available on RTX 40 Series GPUs (full post)

Save big with MINIX's new AMD Ryzen AI 9-powered Mini PCs, early bird discounts available now!

Sponsored Content | Deals | Aug 18, 2025 5:25 PM CDT

MINIX has teamed up with us at TweakTown to celebrate the launch of its brand-new AI-powered Mini PCs with some great exclusive early-bird discounts. Available until September 4, these next-generation systems deliver outstanding performance, sleek design, and cutting-edge connectivity.

Save big with MINIX's new AMD Ryzen AI 9-powered Mini PCs, early bird discounts available now!

The MINIX ER937-AI packs serious power thanks to the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, featuring 12 cores, 24 threads, and speeds up to 5.1GHz. With the integrated Ryzen AI NPU (dual-engine, 80 TOPS total), this compact system is ready to accelerate AI workloads, from productivity tools to creative applications.

It also comes with AMD's powerful Radeon 890M GPU, making it ideal for 3D rendering, content creation, and even smooth gaming. Networking support is next-level with tri-band Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and dual 2.5GbE LAN ports. Add Windows Hello fingerprint unlock, and you've got security and convenience built right into the device.

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Continue reading: Save big with MINIX's new AMD Ryzen AI 9-powered Mini PCs, early bird discounts available now! (full post)

NVIDIA RTX Remix Mod Contest winners include path-traced Painkiller, Call of Duty, and more

Kosta Andreadis | Gaming | Aug 18, 2025 5:16 PM CDT

The NVIDIA and ModDB RTX Remix Mod Contest has wrapped, and the winners have been announced at Gamescom 2025. For those that need a refresher, NVIDIA's RTX Remix is like sorcery for the PC gaming and modding community, as it opens the door to remastering classic games with updated assets, remastered textures, physically-based material, and full path-traced lighting. It's what makes Half-Life 2 RTX and NVIDIA's own Portal with RTX possible, and there are now over 350 active RTX Remix projects in development, with 100 mods released so far.

NVIDIA RTX Remix Mod Contest winners include path-traced Painkiller, Call of Duty, and more

To be eligible for an award and a slice of the $50,000 prize pool, any RTX Remix Mod Contest submission needed to offer a playable slice or demo that took advantage of RTX Remix's features. The impressive Painkiller RTX Remix mod, by Binq_Adams, not only won the top Best Overall RTX Mod award, but it also earned the Best Use of RTX in a Mod and Most Complete RTX Mod awards.

Painkiller, a fast-paced first-person shooter from developer People Can Fly, was first released in 2004 on PC. With old-school Doom and Serious Sam-style gameplay that sees you taking down hordes of monsters, Painkiller has become a cult favorite among PC gamers, and this RTX Remix mod and remaster sports modern ray-traced visuals with DLSS support.

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Continue reading: NVIDIA RTX Remix Mod Contest winners include path-traced Painkiller, Call of Duty, and more (full post)

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