Latest News - Page 40

MindsEye developers are staging a public protest outside their Edinburgh studio this weekend as Build a Rocket Boy, the developer of the flopped title, hosts an all-expenses-paid fan event at the developers' offices in Edinburgh.

Reports indicate the fan event includes flights, hotel stays, and a meet-and-greet with studio staff, a lavish gesture from a studio that has laid off over 400 employees in three rounds of layoffs in under a year, following the disastrous launch of MindsEye, and the strange and tumultuous time following its debut. Union members with the IWGB are set to gather at 10AMto voice their discontent toward the studio, according to DualShockers.

The event has already drawn sharp criticism, with multiple outlets highlighting the perceived disparity between studio spending, worker conditions, and the fact that Build a Rocket Boy has let go more than 400 employees from the studio in cost-cutting measures.

SK hynix and TetraMem have developed a new analog in-memory computing chip that processes AI workloads directly inside memory, dramatically cutting energy use and latency, and if scalable, could be the answer to one of the biggest challenges the AI industry is facing today.

A new partnership between SK Hynix and TetraMem has combined SK Hynix's advanced memory expertise with TetraMem's analog computing, creating a prototype device that uses memristor-based in-memory computing to perform efficient depthwise convolution, a key operation carried out by AI inference models.

By processing data where it's stored, the system bypasses the energy-heavy data transfers between memory and compute units. The companies claim this architecture addresses a major bottleneck in modern AI hardware as models scale to trillions of parameters. The device demonstrates that it is possible to process data where AI model weights are stored, and with this new architecture, it dramatically reduces the need to transfer between memory and processors, reducing overall power consumption, latency, and generated heat within the system.

NATO is building a real-time AI-powered 'kill web' to detect and counter Russian aggression before it escalates, as part of its Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative.

Papers secured by the German tabloid BILD, and according to reports, NATO is constructing an AI network designed to monitor troop movements and respond swiftly to potential threats. Internal documents, shared by Business Insider, name Russia as the direct target of the "kill web". Ground.News reports the system will be ready to act in real time, offering a proactive defense functionality.

According to YouTube coverage, AI-controlled drones could soon patrol the Baltic region to detect and neutralize threats to underwater pipelines and cables. This mirrors Russia's own push to integrate AI into its military systems, including drone navigation and battlefield decision-making, as detailed in a recent briefing from the U.S. State Department. As for the "kill web," the intention behind the system is to reduce the time between identifying a target and hitting it with a response.

It looks like people grew tired of the new RPG-style Assassin's Creed games, as the new Black Flag Resynced has garnered extraordinary interest since its announcement. The game is not even officially out yet, and Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced already looks to be tracking well ahead of Assassin's Creed Shadows on Steam before launch, according to new estimates from games analytics firm Alinea Analytics.

The data shows Resynced had sold roughly 300,000 copies on Steam two days before its July 9 launch, worth close to $14 million in gross revenue. That's about 5.39x as many Steam copies as Shadows had sold at the same pre-release point last year, per Alinea's tracking.

Mind you, these figures do not represent total sales for Resynced and Shadows, but rather the sales made in the specific pre-sale period. For context, Shadows has gone on to sell 5.7 million copies globally, split roughly 53.6% on PS5, 23.8% on Steam, and the rest on Xbox, with Steam lifetime sales landing around 1.3 million. Black Flag Resynced is off to a strong start, but it will be some time before it catches up to those figures.

Obsidian and Bethesda will join forces to make a new Fallout game as Xbox restructures its business, sources tell Bloomberg's Jason Schreier.

New updates from the big Xbox reset say that Obsidian has been downsized and is now laser-focused on a new Fallout project. Sources close to the matter tell Bloomberg that Obsidian has cancelled multiple projects to make way for the new Fallout game, including a sequel to Avowed. Josh Sawyer, who served as game director of fan-favorite 2010 RPG hit Fallout New Vegas, is leading the new Fallout project.

It's said that Obsidian has reduced its workforce by about 25% as a result of the reorganization.

DDR4 was supposed to be the safe fallback once DDR5 pricing went off the rails. That is no longer true. According to a new DigiTimes report, Taiwanese memory makers are quoting DDR4 8Gb contract prices for Q3 2026 up to 50% higher than Q2, blowing past what the market had already priced in as a worst-case scenario.

This time, the driver is not PC demand but, surprisingly, enterprise SSDs. High-capacity eSSDs need standalone DRAM chips to handle random reads and writes, and as data centers push toward 16TB to 30TB drives for AI workloads, that DRAM requirement has scaled up with them.

Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron have mostly wound down standard DDR4 production to chase DDR5 and HBM margins, though Micron reportedly restarted 1-alpha DDR4 and LPDDR4 output at its Manassas, Virginia fab, aimed mainly at automotive, defense, and medical customers rather than PC builders. With the other suppliers unable to cover the shortfall, the supply gap could reportedly stretch out for as long as two years.

Sony is set to kill physical PlayStation games, and the backlash is already turning into a full-blown culture war.

The PlayStation 6 will officially launch without a disc drive, with Sony setting a firm end date for PlayStation physical media. But gamers aren't taking it lying down. A recent petition against the move has already surpassed 200,000 signatures, and Microsoft has joined the fray with a snarky counter-offensive, offering free CDs to developers via GitHub.

The wave of resistance started with a simple but powerful act of digital defiance. Over 45,000 gamers signed a letter urging Sony to reconsider, arguing that physical media is still king for collectors, gift-givers, and those with spotty internet. The petition exploded in just four days, proving that this isn't just a niche issue, but a generational shift in how people engage with PlayStation games, not to mention a pivotal change in how PlayStation gamers actually own their games.

Samsung has begun mass production of its first PCIe 6.0 SSD called the PM1763, specifically designed for high-performance AI and HPC workloads.

The drive is already feeding NVIDIA's next-gen Vera Rubin AI servers, which require ultra-fast data access to handle the ever-growing demands of AI training and inference, which at this rate seems to be endless. According to Samsung, the PM1763 offers up to 28.4 GB/s sequential read performance, already making it one of the fastest SSDs aimed at data centers.

This speed is critical for the expansive nature of AI infrastructure, particularly where latency can slow learning models and affect real-time inference. Samsung's press release highlights how important it is for storage to continue advancing, and according to the company, the PM1763 will use its 9th-generation V-NAND and new 4-nanometer controller.

Xbox's promise to "bet big" on The Elder Scrolls VI and other core franchises has collided with brutal reality as Bethesda Game Studios and id Software were hit hardest in the latest wave of layoffs.

Reports reveal that studios behind DOOM, Fallout, and The Elder Scrolls have been decimated, with some teams nearly halved; id Software, the studio behind the DOOM franchise and its iconic idTech engine, reportedly lost most of its coders.

Bethesda, despite being a darling of Xbox, also saw significant cuts, which has now raised red flags for fans of the long-awaited Elder Scrolls VI. Bethesda Game Studios Union wrote in a post on BlueSky that Bethesda's latest round of layoffs affected several departments, such as programmers, artists, designers, and game testers. Additionally, the union added that many of these former staff members had been at Bethesda Game Studios for "decades".

Valve's Steam Machine has had a rough couple of weeks. It was first criticized for its high price tag and mediocre performance, which even fails to beat a base PS5. Then, scalpers were spotted selling Steam Machine reservations on eBay for more than $3000, calling Valve's queuing system into question. Shortly after the first units were shipped to buyers, reports began to appear about a mysterious "red line" error.

Early buyers started reporting a solid red light across the console's LED strip shortly after setup, sometimes after installing a firmware update, sometimes after just a few minutes of gameplay. Since Valve's own support documentation lists a full red bar as a GPU error, it did not take long for "Red Line of Death" comparisons to the Xbox 360's infamous Red Ring to start doing the rounds.

The scare started with a Reddit post from user me_hill, who said their Steam Machine bricked itself right after installing an available update, following a short session of No Man's Sky. Commenters jumped in with theories, most pointing at a fried GPU, since the console's graphics silicon is soldered directly to the board with no way to swap it out. That is about as bad as it gets for a $1,049 to $1,349 device that had barely made it into customers' hands.

Samsung has officially confirmed that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 will be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. The confirmation comes via a Weibo post that teased a "brand-new form factor" for what is expected to be a new trio of foldables.

The Samsung announcement aligns with earlier reports that the new generation of foldables will be adopting Qualcomm's latest chipset. Alongside the Fold 8, Samsung will also unveil the Z Fold 8 Ultra and Z Flip 8 at its Galaxy Unpacked event on July 22 in London. The company has already begun teasing the event across multiple platforms, including Instagram and Weibo, with content that strongly suggests the Fold 8 is getting the top-tier Qualcomm chip.

This move signals a continued seemingly exponential partnership between Samsung and Qualcomm, with the chipset maker now exclusively powering Samsung's mainstream foldables in both the US and Chinese markets. While the Fold 8 Ultra is also expected to use the same processor, the Flip 8 instead reportedly uses Samsung's own Exynos 2600 chipset.

Apple's rumored foldable iPhone is now in full mass production and appears to be on track for a September 2026 launch, according to multiple reports citing sources who spoke with individuals working on the supply chain.

The device, widely referred to as the iPhone Ultra or iPhone Fold, has passed key production hurdles and is moving toward large-scale assembly.

Chinese outlet Cailian Press and others confirm that Apple has locked the design and is working with Foxconn to scale up production, including a hiring push to meet demand. Despite earlier reports of hinge and yield issues, sources say these have been largely resolved, with the foldable iPhone expected to debut alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models later this year.

New research is rewriting the fate of Earth in the sun's final act, which was thought to expand and engulf our planet in approximately 5 billion years.

However, a new study published in Astronomy & Astrophysics suggests our planet may avoid being swallowed by the Sun when it expands into what is known as a red giant. The study challenges previous estimates by using updated models that more accurately reflect the relationship between the Sun's gravitational pull and the mass lost during its final stage.

Lead author Mats Esseldeurs of KU Leuven explains that Earth's survival now depends less on tidal forces, which are the gravitational connection between Earth and the Sun, and more on how much mass the Sun sheds at the end of its life. If the Sun loses enough mass, Earth could drift outward just in time to avoid being engulfed.

Vivo's upcoming X500 Pro smartphones are set to deliver one of the largest batteries seen in a flagship phone, with leaks suggesting a 7,000mAh capacity.

So, while other smartphone companies are focusing on improving camera capabilities, Vivo is investing its time in battery technology. The X500 Pro and Pro Mini are expected to pack a 2nm MediaTek Dimensity 9600 Pro chipset, offering improved performance and power efficiency. Notably, MediaTek hasn't officially named the new chip, but it's expected to be called the Dimensity 9600 Pro.

The focus on the big battery is going to be challenging, as fitting such a large battery while also housing a 64MP 85mm periscope lens and a 50MP LOFIC main sensor has created internal space constraints, according to the latest leaks.

With Microsoft Flight Simulator alone featuring countless real-world aircraft that you can realistically fly to any location in the world, the idea of a proper flight sim setup for aviation and gaming fans continues to gain traction. MOZA, a brand probably best known for its racing gear (which is its own thing in the simulation space), is expanding its flight simulation lineup with new premium displays, panels, and cockpit controls modeled after those found on Boeing or Airbus aircraft.

The lineup includes several new bits of gear that will excite just about any digital aviator, with the MA3F Electronic Flight Control Modules (EFCM), MA3F Flight Computer Display, MB7F Flight Computer Display, MGX1000 Instrument Panel, and FMP18 Panel Bundle. Best of all, because these new premium products feature displays, MOZA has maintained modularity and ease of installation by using DisplayLink technology over USB.

"We believe cockpit building should be as intuitive as flying," said the MOZA team. "This new generation of displays and panels is designed around simplicity, accessibility, and scalability - delivering streamlined setup, seamless software integration, and an ecosystem that grows alongside every pilot's ambitions, from a single display to a fully integrated flight deck." Let's take a closer look.

A petition calling on Sony to reconsider its decision to end physical disc production of PlayStation games in January 2028 has reached 200,000 signatures, indicating a substantial number of PlayStation gamers urging Sony not to end production of physical PlayStation games.

For those who don't know, Sony announced it would end production of physical PlayStation games in January 2028, and any games released after that time will be sold with a download code rather than a disc. Sony cited digital sales outpacing physical sales of its games as the reason for ending physical media production, but that reasoning isn't sitting well with many gamers, who are rightfully concerned about what an exclusively digital gaming landscape would look like.

Many PlayStation gamers have raised concerns about how an entirely digital gaming landscape takes away ownership from gamers, as at any moment the controlling platform can delist a game and effectively revoke access to the potentially thousands of people who bought it, versus having a physical copy of the game and being able to just put the disc in your console.

Here's a new compact keyboard with a fun yet seemingly impractical design. The KeyBoy Advance from PromoType and Unikey is a relatively tiny 50% form-factor board, designed to resemble Nintendo's classic Game Boy Advance handheld, which debuted in 2001. The Game Boy Advance was the highly anticipated 32-bit follow-up to the original Game Boy and Game Boy Color and went on to sell over 81 million units in its various forms over the years.

Unikey's KeyBoy Advance is based on the original Game Boy Advance landscape shape and is available in a wide range of colors, including 2001-era purple and orange variants. There's also e-coated aluminum and translucent options for those looking to match the specific GBA handheld they had (or wanted) back in the day. The 50% HHKB layout keeps things compact, with the main letters and 10-key number row accounted for.

Starting from $275 USD, the KeyBoy Advance is definitely pricey and something crafted for enthusiasts and collectors. It's also a bare-bones kit, so you'll need to supply keycaps, switches, and things like stabilizers. The good news is that there are options to add a hot-swappable PCB with various plates (ALU, PC, CF, PP). The real start of the show, though, is how it captures all of the little details of Nintendo's classic handheld.

Lexar's lineup of THOR DDR5 memory for desktops, compatible with AMD and Intel systems, is built for high-performance and PC gaming. With vibrant RGB lighting, aluminum heatsinks, and support for Intel XMP and AMD EXPO overclocking, these are the sort of modules and kits that you'd install in a high-end gaming rig.

According to a new report over at IT Home (via TechPowerUp), Lexar's upcoming THOR II DDR memory kits will be built using CXMT (ChangXin Memory Technologies) chips. Now, the use of memory chips from Chinese companies is making its way to global markets, which is not uncommon in 2026 thanks to the current memory crisis, but this move from Lexar is notable because it highlights the progress CXMT has made with its memory.

The report notes that these new Lexar THOR II DDR5 memory kits will arrive in 32GB dual-channel form, with two 16GB modules, supporting speeds up to DDR5-7600 (7,600 MT/s).

GeForce Game Ready Driver 610.74 is now available for GeForce RTX owners, and it's all about two of the biggest PC game releases in July. First up, there's DOOM: The Dark Ages Revelations from id Software, a full-game-sized campaign expansion for the base game featuring new environments, demons to slap, and a new Chain Spear weapon that hearkens back to the fast-paced aerial mobility of DOOM: Eternal.

Like the base game, DOOM: The Dark Ages Revelations features a full Path Tracing mode and support for DLSS 4.5, including the new Ray Reconstruction for enhanced ray-traced lighting effects, DLSS Multi Frame Generation, and DLSS Dynamic Frame Generation modes to enhance performance and smoothness. With 'Max Settings' and DLSS 4.5, the flagship GeForce RTX 5090 can hit up to 310 FPS in 4K.

Dropping the resolution down to 1440p, the GeForce RTX 5080 hits 280 FPS with Path Tracing, Max Settings, and DLSS.

Following deep personnel cuts, ZeniMax remains committed to The Elder Scrolls Online, yet the devs remaining after the layoffs are worried about the future of the long-running MMO.

Xbox recently announced it will lay off a total of 3,200 people from now until June 2027. Half of that amount, some 1,600 people, are in the process of being let go across all of Xbox's divisions; from sales and marketing to QA and level design, the layoffs affect multiple divisions and studios. Four studio groups will be divested--Ninja Theory, Compulsion Games, Double Fine, and Undead Labs. Arkane Lyon is also in discussions to be separated as well.

ZeniMax is also affected. While exact numbers remain unclear, reports indicate that a substantial portion of ZeniMax Online Studios has been let go. ZOS is responsible for the popular Elder Scrolls Online MMORPG that has accumulated tens of millions of players throughout the years. The cuts were so substantial that anonymous developers remaining at ZOS tell Kotaku that they have worries about the future of the game. As an online-driven MMO, games like ESO have a unique synergistic affinity for subscription services like Xbox Game Pass.