Latest News - Page 55

Ubisoft is going through yet another round of layoffs, and this time the cost-cutting measures have hit Ubisoft San Francisco, which reports indicate will see at least 100 employees depart.

Ubisoft's San Francisco office is being cut by an estimated 100 employees, coming on the heels of the company closing two development studios just last week, with all three sweeping layoffs part of the company's years-long restructuring following catastrophic performance post-COVID-19 pandemic. Reports indicate that between 50 and 100 jobs at the San Francisco studio have been affected, with an estimated 380 jobs currently being in jeopardy across Ubisoft as a company.

The two studios the company closed last week were Winnipeg and Belgrade, with Winnipeg reportedly losing 65 staff members and Belgrade losing 100 employees, and the studio permanently closing. As for San Francisco, the team there is responsible for developing XDefiant, Ubisoft's online multiplayer shooter. Ubisoft's cost-cutting measures date back as early as 2022, but became apparent in 2023, when seemingly continuous rounds of layoffs followed by studio closures occurred.

According to a new report over at Tom's Hardware, Intel is looking toward bringing back the LGA 1700 platform in 2027 with a 'Raptor Lake Next' desktop CPU lineup that's all about supporting older hardware and breathing more life into DDR4-based systems. It's a move that makes sense, especially in light of AMD's recent Ryzen 7 5800X3D revival and continued AM4 support, which is also a DDR4-based platform.

For those who need a refresher, Intel's 'Raptor Lake' architecture debuted with the 13th-Gen Intel Core series of processors. And on that note, the Intel Core i9 14900K, which is based on 'Raptor Lake,' is still widely considered one of the company's best pure gaming CPUs.

And in the context of PC gaming, the rumored 'Raptor Lake Next' CPU lineup begins to make sense in light of rising DDR5 memory prices and gamers on a budget looking for a viable upgrade that still lets them make use of their DDR4 memory and storage. According to the report, this refresh will also see new LGA 1700 motherboards hit the market, with at least two vendors telling Tom's Hardware that it's about to increase production of AMD AM4, Intel LGA 1700, and DDR4 motherboards.

Synology is one of the biggest names in NAS (Network Attached Storage) technology, and its latest offering is perfect for the home or a small office. The new and compact Synology FlashStation FS200T measures only 21 x 151 x 175mm, and delivers whisper-quiet performance with massive storage capacity on offer thanks to its six 2.5" drive bays for SSDs. It's a miniature flash-storage NAS built for the modern era.

The FlashStation FS200T features fast networking with a 2.5GbE port and an additional 1GbE port for redundancy or additional bandwidth. Although it's compatible with Synology's built-to-last Enterprise Series 2.5" SATA SSD lineup that includes SSDs with up to 7TB of capacity, like other Synology devices, it should be compatible with third-party enterprise-class drives.

Outside of the compact size and storage capacity, the other side of the Synology FlashStation FS200T is the fact that you've got access to the company's impressive DiskStation Manager (DSM) for data management and the ability to transform the NAS into a private cloud server that you can access from anywhere. The robust software support also includes comprehensive security, data protection, and backup options to help ensure their data remains intact.

Apple's MacBook Neo has been one of the biggest success stories of the year, with the company's budget and affordable laptop quickly becoming one of the most sought-after and recommended 'best-value' entry-level laptops for productivity, creator workloads, and more. With its vibrant 13-inch Liquid Retina display, the MacBook Neo's affordability and success stem from its A18 Pro processor, which previously powered the iPhone 16 Pro.

It's unprecedented for an Apple device to dominate or make a splash in the budget and entry-level laptop space, and it's been such a disruptor that the competition is taking note. Case in point, a new marketing push from AMD for the latest Ryzen AI-powered laptops is all about how they're, well, better than a MacBook Neo.

Especially when it comes to gaming, where AMD says that the affordable AMD Ryzen 5 240 and its integrated Radeon 760M graphics can run all 20 of the 'Top 20 PC Games,' natively, while the MacBook Neo can only run five. AMD adds 'high frame rates' and 'advanced graphics' as features of its Ryzen AI processors; however, it's worth noting that the Radeon 760M struggles with a lot of modern games.

Simulation games are quite niche and very impressive in their own right, especially when it comes to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, which took simulation to a whole new level.

In its category, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 warrants for some gamers an entire dedicated system with additional joysticks, controllers, or even a cockpit setup for full immersion. Surprisingly, Microsoft hasn't seen any competition in this niche from other major players in the "Earth mapping" business, such as Google. You would have thought by now, with Google holding Google Maps data, they would have created a game for people to access. But the company hasn't, until now, as Google has released an experimental flight simulator mode for Google Earth, specifically the web app version.

Google writes in its documentation that the mode is designed for "casual exploration rather than high-fidelity aerodynamic training," which is a corporate way of saying, "this new mode isn't intended to be a competitor to Microsoft Flight Simulator or any other flying sim". Unlike Microsoft Flight Simulator, Google Earth is free to use, and since it's a web application, there isn't anything to install, either.

Yes, after a year or so since its release, the flagship RDNA 4 graphics card from AMD has finally made its way into Valve's Steam Hardware & Software Survey results for May 2026. And it's a strong debut, with the Radeon RX 9070 XT's 1.33% market share making it one of the Top 25 most-used discrete gaming GPUs on the platform, and also making it the most popular Radeon GPU amongst PC gamers.

The reason for the Radeon RX 9070 XT's sudden appearance in the latest Steam Hardware & Software Survey could be chalked up to recent updates Valve has made to Steam's GPU reporting - read about that here. And the 9070 XT's immediate rise to become the most popular discrete Radeon GPU on PC is fantastic news for RDNA 4, even if it trails its direct competitor, the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti. Basically, it's the best showing for a Radeon GPU since the RDNA 2-era.

And with that, the mainstream Radeon RX 9060 XT has also made the cut, now holding more market share than the Radeon RX 7800 XT, the most popular card from the previous RDNA 3 generation. As for the Top 25 PC Gaming GPUs for May 2026, not much has changed aside from RDNA 4 finally getting its due. The GeForce RTX 3060 remains the most popular card among gamers, while the GeForce RTX 5070 continues to cement its position as the card of the current generation.

Ever since the GeForce RTX 40 Series first debuted on the scene back in 2022, led by the 450W flagship GeForce RTX 4090, there's been a steady stream of reports related to cables overheating, melting, and even damaging the GPUs they're connected to. The latest case actually dates back to this era, to the original 12VHPWR connector, which the safer 12V-2x6 connector has since replaced. Of course, there are still issues with the newer connector, but this is a gentle reminder that even a GPU that has been using the older 12VHPWR connector for more than a year is still at risk.

According to a new post on Reddit from 'Dry-Relationship5158,' they were using a GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition paired with the original Corsair Power Bridge adapter for 12VHPWR GPU connections. The 180-degree design of the adapter was developed for users seeking a cleaner look and to avoid bending their GPU power cables near the pins. Corsair's product page for the Power Bridge adapter says it's rated for up to 55A and can withstand temperatures up to 105 degrees Celsius, making it the right choice for a "power-hungry GPU" like the GeForce RTX 4090.

For this one Redditor, however, after their PC began freezing and randomly restarting every time they tried to fire up a game, unplugging the Power Bridge revealed a "total nightmare."

Gears of War: E-Day was the big game showcased during the recent Xbox Games Showcase, and it's also an Xbox console exclusive when it releases on October 6 for PC and Xbox Series X|S. With an extended gameplay video and a behind-the-scenes deep dive showcasing the game's impressive action and potential return to form for the groundbreaking series, the good news for PC gamers is that it's shaping up to be another well-optimized 2026 heavy hitter.

This comes via the game's Steam page, which lists the Minimum and Recommended specs. GPU-wise, the Minimum system requirements call for a GeForce RTX 5050, GeForce RTX 2060, Radeon RX 6600, Radeon RX 9060 (non-XT), or an Intel Arc A580. This level of GPU performance is lower than most of the Top 20 discrete gaming GPUs on Steam's latest Hardware & Software Survey results for May 2026, so a lot of PC gamers should be able to jump right into Gears of War: E-Day with no issues.

Like with most System Requirements on Steam, there's no mention of a performance target or in-game settings, but it's safe to assume that Recommended requirements would be the main one to focus on, as this usually refers to playing a game at 1080p or 1440p with 60 FPS and console-like graphics settings. Here, Gears of War: E-Day calls for a GeForce RTX 5060, GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, Radeon RX 6700 XT, Radeon RX 9060 XT, or Intel Arc B580.

A renowned gaming industry insider recently shared some information about the release date for Grand Theft Auto VI, and if Take-Two's recent statements weren't enough to elicit some faith in Rockstar making it to the finish line without a delay, perhaps these comments from NateTheHate will.

In a recent X post, NateTheHate responded to an X user suggesting there is some reason to believe that GTA 6 won't release this year, meaning Rockstar will shift the current November 19 release date to sometime in 2027. In response to this, NateTheHate wrote, "Unless something unexpected & catastrophically goes wrong with GTA6 in the immediate future... it'll hit in November as planned."

This insider statement aligns with recent statements from Take-Two Interactive, the publisher of the Grand Theft Auto franchise. Take-Two recently stated that marketing for the upcoming game will begin "this summer", and that marketing timelines ahead of GTA 6's release will be short. So, that means when Take-Two begins marketing GTA 6, the release will be right around the corner. If marketing for GTA 6 is expected to begin "this summer," it means we will get the first wave between now and August.

CD Projekt Red already has a lot on its plate with The Witcher 4, a remake of the original game, The Witcher 3 DLC titled Songs of the Past, and the previously announced multiplayer spin-off Project Sirius. According to a new report from MP1st, there may be yet another unannounced project in the works.

The leaked title is described as a free-to-play co-op action RPG currently in development for PC and mobile, with no console release confirmed. Set in 1230, well before the main Witcher timeline, it features Geralt as a young witcher. Instead of playing as Geralt or Ciri, players will create their own customizable witchers, with typical online multiplayer character options like gender and appearance.

Gameplay centers on accepting contracts to hunt monsters in familiar series environments: dark forests, bustling villages, and deserted ruins. Combat is built around a skill-based system that lets players choose abilities from various witcher schools, craft potions, and use signs, rewarding well-timed blocks, dodges, parries, and executions. In that sense, it sounds closer to the franchise's action-focused side than to its narrative-driven entries.

Google is reportedly in talks with Samsung Electronics to manufacture part of its next-generation AI processor. According to The Information, citing people familiar with the matter, the chip in question is Google's 10th-generation Tensor Processing Unit, codenamed "Icefish", with mass production potentially beginning as early as 2028.

The arrangement under discussion would split manufacturing between two foundries. TSMC would handle the main compute die on its 1.4nm process, while Samsung would produce the memory I/O die using its 2nm technology. Google is co-developing Icefish with MediaTek, and the chip is still under development.

The Information noted that Samsung's deep understanding of memory characteristics, including HBM, appears to have been a key factor in Google's consideration, and Samsung's ability to handle memory production, foundry work, and advanced packaging under one roof gives it a compelling integrated pitch.

AMD's Ryzen AI Halo Developer Platform has gone on sale in the US through Micro Center for $3,999. First unveiled at CES 2026, the compact AI mini PC is available in two variants that are identical in hardware but ship with different operating systems, one with Windows 11 Pro and one with Linux, both at the same price.

Micro Center is listing the system as in-store pickup only, with local availability expected by July 10, 2026. Online shipping is not currently available. A follow-up variant using the Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 495, which supports up to 192GB of memory and 300-billion-parameter models, is expected in Q3 2026, with pricing not yet confirmed.

The Ryzen AI Halo is built around the Ryzen AI Max+ 395, AMD's flagship Strix Halo SoC. That means 16 Zen 5 cores and 32 threads, a 3GHz base clock and 5.1GHz max boost, 16MB of L2 cache and 64MB of L3 cache, onboard Radeon 8060S integrated graphics with 40 RDNA 3.5 compute units, and a dedicated XDNA 2 NPU rated at 50 TOPS. It comes with 128GB LPDDR5X-8000 memory, 2TB PCIe 4 SSD, 10GbE LAN, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, four USB-C ports, HDMI 2.1b, and an aluminum chassis measuring 149 x 149 x 43mm.

Microsoft's Advanced Shader Delivery has officially left the Xbox Insider program and is now available through the Xbox PC app. The update also brings a significant expansion of AMD GPU support, with coverage now extending all the way back to RDNA 1, meaning every Radeon GPU since the RX 5000 series in 2019 is supported.

Advanced Shader Delivery delivers precompiled shaders with the game download, rather than forcing the CPU to compile them locally at launch or during gameplay. This eliminates the long initial load times and traversal stutters that have plagued PC gaming for years. Microsoft's showcase example is Forza Horizon 6, which now loads in around 4 seconds compared to nearly 1.5 minutes without the feature, a reduction of roughly 95%.

To use Advanced Shader Delivery, users need Windows 11 24H2 or newer, Xbox Gaming Services version 37.113.11003.0 or newer, and AMD Adrenalin driver 26.6.1 or newer. The feature currently supports a substantial list of titles, including:

Microsoft needs Xbox to become more innovative, because, as CEO Satya Nadella says, some platforms are monetizing Xbox's own games better than the group itself. It just so happens Microsoft may be prepping a solution for this

Faced with growing costs and shrinking margins, Xbox's path in the road has forked and it has to choose where to go. The games division doesn't have an earnings problem, far from it; our data indicates Xbox has generated over $92 billion throughout the last five years (excluding FY26) of the Xbox Series generation. It's not the money that's an issue, but how Xbox is utilizing it, often spending in a way that simply doesn't work out.

In a New York Times event, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently commented on Xbox's woes and seems to indicate that more monetization options are on the way. An important distinction is that Nadella is referring here to monetization like YouTube's ads, not something like microtransactions. Xbox's new strategy lead Matthew Ball has publicly mentioned how ads could expand reach, and that ties into what Nadella says here.

Apple's first touchscreen MacBook is now "100% confirmed," according to Instant Digital, a Chinese leaker with a strong track record on Apple supply chain rumors. Posted on Weibo via MacRumors, this claim is the most definitive statement yet on a feature Apple has dismissed for over a decade.

Touchscreen rumors for the Mac started back in January 2023 when Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said an OLED MacBook Pro with touch support would be Apple's first touchscreen Mac, originally slated for 2025. That timeline slipped, but the rumors never really went away.

In September 2025, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the first touchscreen OLED MacBook Pro would enter mass production sometime in 2026. Gurman has since repeated that the next 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models will get touchscreens, with a launch window of late 2026 to early 2027.

AMD has agreed to replace a damaged Ryzen 9 7950X3D after initially rejecting the warranty claim. The change in decisions came only after Hardware Unboxed publicly called out the company on X. The case was first reported by Reddit user VINCENT199411, who said their system shut down with a loud pop while idle on April 28, 2026.

The user added that the PC would no longer boot after the incident, and inspection revealed visible swelling on the back of the CPU's substrate. The system used a GIGABYTE X670E AORUS MASTER motherboard, Kingston Fury Beast DDR5-6000 memory, and a be quiet! Dark Power 13 1000W Titanium power supply. EXPO was enabled, but no manual CPU overclocking or SoC voltage tuning had been applied.

Both the motherboard and power supply were cleared of faults. GIGABYTE reflashed a corrupted BIOS, adjusted the CPU socket pin alignment, and the board passed over 64 hours of stress testing. Be quiet! ran the PSU through 12V, load, dynamic, and burn-in testing with no issues found. With both components cleared, the CPU was the only remaining candidate.

ASUS launched the ROG Equalizer cable this year as a premium solution for 16-pin connector-burning issues that have plagued high-end NVIDIA GPUs since the RTX 4090 era. Priced at $50, it promised balanced power delivery, lower cable temperatures, and more load capacity than standard 12V-2x6 cables. Now, it appears the cable that was supposed to prevent your components from burning has burned itself.

Posted on Chiphell Forums and picked up by UNIKO's Hardware on X, a photo shows a chat log with a user holding a burned ROG Equalizer cable with its distinctive purple connector tint and ROG-branded cable comb. At least three of the 12 primary pins show clear burn marks, with the top-right pin in the worst condition, with the plastic housing fully melted around the connector.

The ROG Equalizer's design had already drawn criticism before this, with hardware tester Der8auer concluding that it actually performed worse than a standard 12V-2x6 connector. Specifically, his tests showed significant current variance between pins, up to 4A on an RTX 5080, meaning some pins were being asked to carry disproportionately more current than others. That kind of imbalance is exactly the mechanism that causes connectors to burn in the first place.

The first PassMark results for Intel's Core Ultra 7 251HX have surfaced. On paper, the chip technically sits below its siblings, but the results are surprisingly on par with them. Spotted by leaker x86deadandback, the 18-core Arrow Lake-HX processor is putting up numbers that land it remarkably close to, and in some cases ahead of, the 20-core Core Ultra 7 255HX and 265HX.

PassMark currently lists the 251HX at 48,713 points in multi-thread and 4,666 points in single-thread. That single-thread score puts it 2 to 3% ahead of both the 255HX and 265HX, while the multi-thread result also edges out both 20-core chips slightly.

Now, this is based on only two submitted samples so far, and PassMark itself flags the result as having a high margin of error given the limited sample size. The 255HX and 265HX have far larger result pools behind their averages. With all that in mind, treat this as an early signal rather than a settled comparison.

Elon Musk has officially become the world's first trillionaire after SpaceX stock began trading on the Nasdaq at $150 per share, valuing the company at over $2 trillion.

Forbes reported that, based on SpaceX's stock price, Elon Musk's net worth has now exceeded $1.1 trillion as of Friday morning. Musk made a substantial jump on Thursday evening when the SpaceX IPO went live at $135 per share, which caused Musk's net worth to rise from $188 billion to $982 billion. Yes, $794 billion in a single evening.

Musk's wealth is divided between shares and stock options, with Musk owning 4.8 billion shares of SpaceX, worth $715 billion, and an additional 350 million stock options, worth $50 billion. In total, Musk's ownership of SpaceX sits at 38%.

The US government has banned the use of Anthropic's latest AI models, Fable and Mythos 5, forcing the company to disable access effective immediately.

Only a matter of days after Anthropic released Fable, the company's first publicly released Mythos-level model, which is a cut-down version of the original Mythos model that Anthropic said couldn't be released to the public due to the number of cybersecurity vulnerabilities it detected, which could be used nefariously if placed in the wrong hands. Fable is a somewhat cut-down version of that original model, including safety guardrails that prevent users from using the model on topics and along specific lines of conversation.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Friday sent a letter to Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei informing him that Mythos 5 and Fable 5 models will now be subject to export controls to any location outside of the US, and to all foreign persons within the US. Essentially, the US government has banned the use of Mythos 5 and Fable 5 models by anyone who isn't an American living in the US.