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EA's new Skate game is 100% online only, can't be played offline

Derek Strickland | Gaming | Apr 25, 2025 4:12 PM CDT

EA's new Skate game will require an online connection in order to play, game developer Full Circle has confirmed.

EA's new Skate game is 100% online only, can't be played offline

A new Skate is coming soon, but the sim has now been morphed into a live service game that's free-to-play and doesn't cost an upfront purchase. The flip side is that Skate will now be monetized with microtransactions, and is now an always-online game. The developers confirmed the news in a blog post, saying that Skate was built from the ground up as a digital world that gets updated over time.

"The game and city are designed to be a living, breathing massively multiplayer skateboarding sandbox that is always online and always evolving," Skate developer Full Circle said in a recent blog post.

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Continue reading: EA's new Skate game is 100% online only, can't be played offline (full post)

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 hits major sales milestone faster than the developers ever imagined

Jak Connor | Gaming | Apr 25, 2025 12:33 PM CDT

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, developed by Sandfall Interactive, has sold half a million units in just 24 hours after its release, according to a recent announcement.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 hits major sales milestone faster than the developers ever imagined

Sandfall Interactive is celebrating the launch of the turn-based RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, and what better way to celebrate than to announce how many units the game has sold? According to the official Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 X account, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has surpassed more than 500,000 copies sold, presumably across all the platforms it has released on. As for PC, SteamDB data indicates the game reached its peak all-time player count of 71,225 as of today, with that being an upward trend.

Steam players have also responded to the release of the title quite positively, with the game receiving a 91.69% Steam rating across approximately 7,000 reviews. For those who don't know much about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, here's a brief overview. Players will take members of Expedition 33 on a quest to destroy the Paintress in order to prevent her from painting death again. Players will embark on an epic journey that takes them across a world inspired by Belle Époque France.

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Continue reading: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 hits major sales milestone faster than the developers ever imagined (full post)

NVIDIA RTX 5060 could go on sale May 19, and we'll see how well an 8GB GPU sells at $299

Darren Allan | Graphics Cards | Apr 25, 2025 11:16 AM CDT

NVIDIA has supposedly set a launch date for the RTX 5060 vanilla version, and the GPU is apparently going to debut on May 19.

NVIDIA RTX 5060 could go on sale May 19, and we'll see how well an 8GB GPU sells at $299

That's according to VideoCardz, which tapped its sources to discover that this is the intended release timeframe which is being communicated by NVIDIA to its third-party graphics card making partners.

If this speculation is correct, it means that the RTX 5060 is only just over three weeks away.

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Continue reading: NVIDIA RTX 5060 could go on sale May 19, and we'll see how well an 8GB GPU sells at $299 (full post)

DOOM: The Dark Ages will have a 'ludicrous' graphics mode on PS5

Jak Connor | Gaming | Apr 25, 2025 11:01 AM CDT

DOOM: The Dark Ages has received a brand new trailer published on the PlayStation YouTube channel, where the title's game director, Hugo Martin, reveals some previously unknown details about the upcoming title.

DOOM: The Dark Ages will have a 'ludicrous' graphics mode on PS5

Martin explains DOOM: The Dark Ages will be the biggest DOOM game ever released, and plans to include a world that has never been implemented into the DOOM universe before, the Cosmic Real. Martin describes the Cosmic Realm as a "Lovecraftian dimension" formed through a blend of Hell and the Comic Realm. This realm features is littered with "cyclopean architecture" and is filled with dark secrets guarded by "the most insane enemies".

The new gameplay trailer shows off a few new enemies, such as the Cosmic Baron, a twin-bladed brute that has relentless close-range attacks and a long-range psionic attack. The Cosmic Baron can be defeated by a proficient Slayer who takes advantage of its small parry windows. To go along with the new enemies is a new weapon, the Reaver Chainshot, a brutal ballistic iron mace that can be used quickly for a single target attack or charged to inflict area-of-effect damage.

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Continue reading: DOOM: The Dark Ages will have a 'ludicrous' graphics mode on PS5 (full post)

Philips unveils a new glorious 4K 240Hz QD-OLED gaming monitor

Jak Connor | Gaming | Apr 25, 2025 10:46 AM CDT

QD-OLED gaming monitors are the best gaming monitors available on the market, and now Phillips has unveiled its latest contender, sporting Samsung's latest third-generation pixel technology.

Philips unveils a new glorious 4K 240Hz QD-OLED gaming monitor

Within the category of QD-OLED gaming monitors, the latest are 27-inch displays, which all come with 166 Pixels Per Inch (PPI) for increased image clarity. QD-OLED monitor at this size have only been released by a few brands so far, MSI and ASUS to name some of the biggest players in the space, and having tested a few, I can personally they are worth looking at if you are looking to make the jump to 4K from a 1440p or even 1080p display.

As for Phillips' latest addition to the gaming monitor market, the company has showcased the Evnia 27M2N8800, a 26.5-inch monitor that has a 3840 x 2160 resolution, 240Hz refresh rate, and a 0.03ms (GtG) response time. Other notable specifications are as follows: 99% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, 97.6% of Adobe RGB, and 100% of sRGB, with factory calibration ensuring Delta E <1 accuracy. Connectivity-wise, the Evnia 27M2N8800 features 2x HDMI 2.1 ports (48 Gbps FRL6), 1x DisplayPort 2.1 (80 Gbps UHBR20), USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, 1x USB-B upstream port, and a headphone jack.

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Continue reading: Philips unveils a new glorious 4K 240Hz QD-OLED gaming monitor (full post)

Nintendo Switch 2 uses NVIDIA DLSS to upscale from 540p to 1080p

Jak Connor | Gaming | Apr 25, 2025 10:20 AM CDT

The Nintendo Switch 2 was confirmed to have upscaling technology when it was announced, and now we are starting to get some hands-on reports revealing the technical details of what is happening under the hood.

Nintendo Switch 2 uses NVIDIA DLSS to upscale from 540p to 1080p

A new report from the gold standard of gaming hardware analysis, Digital Foundry, has looked at what the Nintendo Switch 2 is doing with Street Fighter 6, and according to the experts at Digital Foundry, Nintendo's new console is capable of achieving a stable 60FPS while in docked mode with visuals on par with PlayStation 4 and Xbox Series S versions of the same game. An early analysis of the footage revealed the Switch 2 isn't running the game at native 1080p, but using its NVIDIA DLSS technology to upscale it from a base 540p resolution to 1080p.

As for optimization, Digital Foundry reports the Switch 2 was able to consistently produce 60FPS for Street Fighter 6, but does make some concessions to get there, specifically with shadow quality being reduced, and screen space reflections being disabled, which is the same as the PS4 and Series S versions of the game. Other Switch 2 titles that are using NVIDIA's DLSS upscaling technology include Cyberpunk 2077, which is reportedly using the technology in both docked and handheld mode.

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Continue reading: Nintendo Switch 2 uses NVIDIA DLSS to upscale from 540p to 1080p (full post)

Oblivion Remastered includes original's item dupe glitch (or you could cheat with mods instead)

Darren Allan | Gaming | Apr 25, 2025 9:42 AM CDT

The duplicate item glitch that was abused by some gamers in the original Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is still present in the remake.

Oblivion Remastered includes original's item dupe glitch (or you could cheat with mods instead)

Eurogamer noticed the presence of the cheat which allows you to dupe items and make a pile of them to sell for a profit.

While the glitch remains, it doesn't work quite the same way as it did with Bethesda's RPG way back in 2006.

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Continue reading: Oblivion Remastered includes original's item dupe glitch (or you could cheat with mods instead) (full post)

Intel's Lunar Lake CPUs might be great but they're not selling, Raptor Lake laptops are instead

Darren Allan | Processors | Apr 25, 2025 9:03 AM CDT

Intel has admitted that its latest processors are not what laptop buyers want, but rather Team Blue's older mobile CPUs are currently more popular - to the point where Raptor Lake silicon is running short of inventory.

Intel's Lunar Lake CPUs might be great but they're not selling, Raptor Lake laptops are instead

Tom's Hardware grabbed the scoop on this from an Intel earnings call, which revealed that the turbulent times at the company extend to include problems with new chips for AI PCs - Copilot+ laptops - not selling as well as the company hoped they would.

There's less demand for Lunar Lake and Meteor Lake laptops, as consumers are buying older notebooks with previous-gen CPUs inside. This is happening to the point that Intel's running short of production wherewithal when it comes to older Intel 7 chips - the 7nm Raptor Lake and Raptor Lake Refresh processors.

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Continue reading: Intel's Lunar Lake CPUs might be great but they're not selling, Raptor Lake laptops are instead (full post)

Most Switch 2 third-party games will need to be downloaded

Jak Connor | Gaming | Apr 25, 2025 5:34 AM CDT

Third-party Nintendo Switch 2 games are teeing up to be mostly Game Key, which, for those who don't know, are physical game cards that come with a download key instead of a card with the full data of a game.

Most Switch 2 third-party games will need to be downloaded

Game Key cards were announced during the Nintendo Switch 2-dedicated Direct, and now that several third-party games are available for pre-order in Japan, we are getting a glimpse at how many third-party games will utilize Game Key cards instead of a physical release.

For those who enjoy collecting the physical copies of their games, the odds aren't looking great. Titles such as Bravely Default: Flying Fairy, Wild Hearts, Yakuza 0: Director's Cut, Street Fighter 6, Sonic X Shadow Generations, Puyo Puyo Tetris 2, and Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion have all opted for Game Key releases.

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Continue reading: Most Switch 2 third-party games will need to be downloaded (full post)

Colorful is introducing a quad-fan GeForce RTX 5080 that also has an LCD screen

Kosta Andreadis | Graphics Cards | Apr 25, 2025 5:01 AM CDT

Colorful's latest flagship GPU, the new COLORFUL iGame GeForce RTX 5080 Vulcan W, incorporates a four-fan cooling system and a 5th-generation iGame Smart LCD screen into its "snow-white armor" design. It marks the second four-fan GPU design this year, with the fan setup reminiscent of ASUS's new flagship Astral line-up for the GeForce RTX 50 Series.

Colorful is introducing a quad-fan GeForce RTX 5080 that also has an LCD screen

We never expected to see quad-fan cooling, but with the new iGame GeForce RTX 5080 Vulcan W and the ASUS Astral, we'll probably start to see more of it. However, it will probably be limited to high-end GPUs like the GeForce RTX 5080, which deliver impressive 4K gaming, productivity, and AI performance.

The fourth fan on the COLORFUL iGame GeForce RTX 5080 Vulcan W is mounted on the backplate. The overall design maintains the same 3.5-slot thickness found on many high-end premium GPUs.

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Continue reading: Colorful is introducing a quad-fan GeForce RTX 5080 that also has an LCD screen (full post)

LG Smart TVs just got a native Xbox app that supports 4K cloud gaming

Kosta Andreadis | TV, Movies & Home Theatre | Apr 25, 2025 4:26 AM CDT

Recently, Microsoft launched a new marketing campaign for Xbox that stated that every device is an "Xbox." Naturally, when gamers think of Xbox, they think of consoles like the Xbox Series X|S. But, with Xbox and PC Game Pass now an integral part of Windows, alongside Xbox Cloud Gaming offering access to Game Pass titles and other select games owned by Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers, everything from a laptop to a smartphone to a gaming handheld like the ROG Ally from ASUS is an "Xbox."

LG Smart TVs just got a native Xbox app that supports 4K cloud gaming

At least, that's the idea. And now, thanks to the latest LG Smart TV webOS update, LG's impressive range of OLED and QNED TVs has finally delivered a native Xbox app for device-free cloud gaming using a controller connected via Bluetooth. The new Xbox app for LG Smart TVs is rolling out this week in over 25 countries and is accessible from the LG Gaming Portal.

Although Xbox Cloud Gaming streaming is currently limited to 1080p 60 FPS, the good news is that LG's latest OLED and QNED TVs will upscale gameplay to 4K for "lifelike visuals."

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Global PC shipments grew 6.7% in Q1 2025, but it was due to tariff uncertainty

Kosta Andreadis | Computer Systems | Apr 25, 2025 4:02 AM CDT

According to a new report at Counterpoint Research, global PC shipments increased 6.7% year-over-year, which is a sizable increase, with shipments from companies like Apple and Lenovo rising by over 10%. However, this data doesn't paint the picture of a PC market that is rapidly growing, but one that has been responding to months of US tariff policy talk and action from the Trump administration.

Global PC shipments grew 6.7% in Q1 2025, but it was due to tariff uncertainty

PC manufacturing, which includes various hardware and components, is heavily centralized in Asia and concentrated within China. Counterpoint Research notes that the impressive growth is due to "PC vendors accelerating shipments ahead of US tariffs" and that the current economic and global trade situation will dampen growth and PC shipment momentum throughout 2025.

On the plus side, with the end of free and official Windows 10 support on the horizon and AI-enabled PCs becoming the norm, consumers and enterprises alike are buying new or replacing older hardware for the AI era. The report notes that the company's AI-capable M4-powered MacBooks drove Apple's impressive 17% year-over-year shipment growth for Q1 2025.

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Continue reading: Global PC shipments grew 6.7% in Q1 2025, but it was due to tariff uncertainty (full post)

RuneScape: Dragonwilds players fear a Valheim-style burnout

Jak Connor | Gaming | Apr 25, 2025 3:32 AM CDT

RuneScape: Dragonwilds is off to a roaring success, with the CEO of Jagex now coming out and celebrating the achievements the title has made within the first week of being available.

RuneScape: Dragonwilds players fear a Valheim-style burnout

Jon Bellamy, the CEO of Jagex, has taken to his personal LinkedIn account to share some statistics on the success of Dragonwilds, with the CEO writing that the survival-crafting experience has sold more than 600,000 units since it entered into early access. In addition to the units sold, which is certainly a healthy amount, Dragonwilds has also received a "Very Positive" Steam rating with an 84%. Check out the Steam listing here.

The accolades don't stop there as Dragonwilds is also the third most-watched game on Twitch, the #1 Global Top Seller rank on Steam, and the average session length for each player is over two hours. As for player feedback, Dragonwilds players seem to be relatively thrilled with the release of the game, but have raised concerns about its longevity. Dragonwilds is being compared to Valheim, another survival-crafting game that was immensely popular at its launch but eventually lost steam when the developers prioritized fixing bugs over releasing new content for players.

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Fallout 3: Remastered is coming, here's what to expect thanks to Oblivion Remastered

Kosta Andreadis | Gaming | Apr 25, 2025 3:04 AM CDT

After years of rumors, Bethesda and Xbox shadow-dropped The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered this week, finally putting to rest the big question mark surrounding what it will look and feel like to play. The game runs on the original engine/code underneath an Unreal Engine 5 wrapper, with several quality-of-life improvements. It's a remaster that looks like a full-on built-from-the-ground-up remake.

Fallout 3: Remastered is coming, here's what to expect thanks to Oblivion Remastered

Chatter about a potential Oblivion remaster and remake project has been circulating for years. The project appeared on leaked court documents outlining an Xbox Game Studios roadmap during Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard's legal battle. The same document also listed a Fallout 3 remaster from Bethesda, a project that insiders and known sources have confirmed as currently being developed.

Based on the success of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, we're expecting Fallout 3: Remastered to follow a similar approach or blueprint to its development. As Oblivion Remastered's developer, Virtuos, is a global studio with over 4,000 people across 25 locations, there's also a good chance that Bethesda is collaborating with the same team on the Fallout 3 reimagining.

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Continue reading: Fallout 3: Remastered is coming, here's what to expect thanks to Oblivion Remastered (full post)

It's now much harder to get a Nintendo Switch 2

Jak Connor | Gaming | Apr 25, 2025 2:33 AM CDT

The Nintendo Switch 2 is pegged to be the biggest console launch ever, and representative of that statement is the fact that Switch 2 preorders are now sold out across major US retailers.

It's now much harder to get a Nintendo Switch 2

Analysts have predicted Nintendo is going to be able to produce anywhere between 6 and 8 million Switch 2 units before the release date of June 5 arrives, and at the moment, more than 2.2 million people have already pre-ordered the console in Japan, and 6 million have pre-ordered it globally.

Pre-orders have reached such a point in Japan that Nintendo had to make a formal announcement, preemptively apologizing for not being able to fulfill pre-orders of its upcoming console.

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Continue reading: It's now much harder to get a Nintendo Switch 2 (full post)

Scientists discover naturally impossible color by hacking a human eye

Jak Connor | Science, Space, & Robotics | Apr 25, 2025 2:04 AM CDT

A team of researchers discovered an unseen color that they claim hasn't been seen by any human that has ever existed before.

Scientists discover naturally impossible color by hacking a human eye

A new study published in the journal Science Advances details research conducted by scientists in California who explained how they stimulated specific cells within the retinas of study participants to produce a color that is impossible to see naturally. The new color has been deemed "olo," and the above image is what the researchers say is the closest to what olo looks like, but apparently, the image pales in comparison to the actual color. Moreover, study coauthor Austin Roodrda said, "There is no way to convey that color in an article or on a monitor."

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Continue reading: Scientists discover naturally impossible color by hacking a human eye (full post)

Razer Pro Click V2 mice are for designed for all-day productivity with gaming precision

Kosta Andreadis | Peripherals | Apr 25, 2025 1:27 AM CDT

Razer's latest mice are ergonomic productivity mice built with gaming-grade technologies. The new Razer Pro Click V2 Vertical Edition and Razer Pro Click V2 are designed with ergonomics and all-day usage in mind, so comfort is at the top of the list. However, with the fantastic Razer Focus Pro 30K Optical Sensor, you're still looking at a pair of productivity mice with impressive gaming capabilities.

Razer Pro Click V2 mice are for designed for all-day productivity with gaming precision

The Razer Pro Click V2 Vertical Edition ($119.99 USD) is the company's first wireless vertical mouse, with a 71-degree angle that "mimics a natural handshake grip, reducing strain during prolonged use."

A vertical mouse is considered one of the most ergonomic and comfortable options for prolonged use. With Razer's fantastic sensor, which has a maximum sensitivity of 30,000 DPI and a 550 IPS rating, and mechanical switches rated at 60 million clicks, it will be interesting to see how the vertical orientation fares when gaming.

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Continue reading: Razer Pro Click V2 mice are for designed for all-day productivity with gaming precision (full post)

Leaked images of PowerColor's Radeon RX 9070 GRE range point to imminent release

Kosta Andreadis | Graphics Cards | Apr 25, 2025 12:59 AM CDT

Images of PowerColor Radeon RX 9070 GRE Red Devil and PowerColor Radeon RX 9070 GRE Reaper GPUs have made their way online (via Videocardz), pointing to an imminent release for what could be the third RDNA 4 GPU to hit the market.

Leaked images of PowerColor's Radeon RX 9070 GRE range point to imminent release

Usually, the GRE or Great Radeon Edition cards hit the Chinese market first, and that's expected to be the case here. With both images showcasing retail packaging alongside the GPU designs (these are the exact sort of images that show up on retail listings), this third Radeon RX 9070 GPU will reportedly hit the market before the rumored June launch for the mainstream Radeon RX 9060 XT.

Regarding performance, the Radeon RX 9070 GRE will sit between the Radeon RX 9060 XT and the Radeon RX 9070 and will ship with 12GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus. Previous reports indicated that the Radeon RX 9070 GRE launch was pushed back to Q4 2025. However, Videocardz's sources state this isn't the case.

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Continue reading: Leaked images of PowerColor's Radeon RX 9070 GRE range point to imminent release (full post)

GeForce NOW adds two of the biggest RPG releases of 2025 to its library

Kosta Andreadis | Gaming | Apr 25, 2025 12:28 AM CDT

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered shadow-dropped this week, and it's quickly become one of the most talked-about and played games out there. With several quality of life updates and a truly stunning visual upgrade thanks to Unreal Engine 5, the 2006 classic has been completely transformed for the modern era.

GeForce NOW adds two of the biggest RPG releases of 2025 to its library

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a visually impressive new turn-based RPG from developer Sandfall Interactive that is currently receiving rave reviews from critics and players alike - check out the launch trailer above. IGN praises its "brilliant combat system and a gripping, harrowing story," while Game Informer said everything from the world to the art and narrative is memorable. The PS5 version currently has a 92 Metacritic rating, while the PC version has a 90 - both excellent scores.

Without a doubt, it has been a fantastic week for RPG fans. The good news for PC gamers is that both Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered have been added to NVIDIA's GeForce NOW library, where you can jump into the action on a GeForce RTX 4080 in the cloud and experience both titles with incredible fidelity across a wide range of devices.

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Continue reading: GeForce NOW adds two of the biggest RPG releases of 2025 to its library (full post)

TSMC has 24 semiconductor fabs under construction worldwide, 83,825 employees in total

Anthony Garreffa | Business, Financial & Legal | Apr 24, 2025 9:09 PM CDT

TSMC currently has 24 semiconductor factories under construction across Taiwan, the United States, Germany, and Japan, but the company has a shortage of fab workers that could slow things down.

TSMC has 24 semiconductor fabs under construction worldwide, 83,825 employees in total

In a new report from DigiTimes, we're hearing that almost all of the teams that TSMC has in Taiwan that can be mobilized, have been, and that hiring locals in Taiwan has caused issues to get worse across its global supply chain. TSMC had 83,825 employees at the end of 2025, which is a huge increase from the 51,000 staffers it employed at the end of 2019.

However, turn over of TSMC employees has reportedly been high enough that it has pushed the company to increase salaries and bonuses, with overseas operations being a challenge to figure out local work culture. Japan is very similar to Taiwan, but there aren't many workers to fill positions, while the shortage of workers in the US has made it hard for TSMC to deal with America's "work-life balance" idea.

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Continue reading: TSMC has 24 semiconductor fabs under construction worldwide, 83,825 employees in total (full post)

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