Latest News - Page 58

Microsoft has released a new update for Windows 11 that makes the entire operating system feel much faster, or snappier, when it comes to opening applications.

The new update (KB5094126), which is currently being rolled out regionally, introduces a neat trick for Windows 11 users that are feeling like their experience navigating Windows is more on the slower side of things. The update introduces Low Latency Profile (LLP), which is essentially a profile that yells at your CPU to increase to high clock speeds whenever the user clicks on applications. According to Microsoft, the new profile "accelerates app launch and core shell experiences such as Start menu, Search, and Action Center."

So, what does this mean for users? Opening apps should feel slightly snappier, especially apps that are heavily supported Microsoft tools. However, it won't make every app feel snappier, applications such as Steam, or even Xbox games won't open quicker given the nature of how games launch. But for smaller games, such as solitaire, users should notice an increase in speed. This feature will be particularly useful for people who own older PCs that are likely just making it past the cut off point for Windows 11's hardware requirements.

Vibe coding is becoming ever-more prevalent, as you may have noticed, and now AI has crept into graphics driver maintenance in Linux.

Phoronix.com reports (via Tom's Hardware) that a fresh effort to tidy up code for the AMD R600 Linux GPU drivers witnessed a bunch of commits (from Gert Wollny) assisted by GitHub Copilot.

This fact was clearly highlighted, with Wollny stating: "This series does a lot of refactoring to make the sfn shader compiler code a bit cleaner. The refactoring was done with the help of Copilot (auto mode)."

Nintendo shares have dropped nearly 7% after the most recent Direct show as investors express their disappointment with the event.

Following the outperformance of the original Switch, shareholders are expecting big things from Nintendo. But the company has carefully informed investors about the Switch 2 generation's myriad of problems, including rising costs eating into profits. One thing that hasn't changed, though, is Nintendo's conservativism around software, which sees the group carefully scheduling and spacing out its games across multiple years.

Right now, investors believe the Switch 2's pipeline is missing something big for this fiscal year--a new 3D Mario game. The latest Nintendo Direct apparently disappointed shareholders because it didn't include more new Switch 2 games, leading to a reduction in share demand and causing stock prices to drop more than 7.4% in next-day trading (currently at 7,215JPY, -6.76%). Nintendo only revealed two new first-party Switch 2 game at the show, and neither was a Mario game.

Neural Dawn is an impressive new mobile game co-developed by Arm and Sumo Digital, created in part to showcase the capabilities of Arm Neural Technology in next-gen Arm Mali GPUs that are set to hit the mobile space later this year. Launching exclusively on Android, Neural Dawn is also the first game to make use of Unreal Engine MegaLights, the impressive ray-traced lighting tech that delivers high-end desktop-class visuals.

As seen in Neural Dawn, Arm Neural Technology leverages AI-powered solutions to improve image fidelity and performance, much like DLSS, FSR, and XeSS in the PC space. Here, it includes Neural Super Sampling (upscaling), Denoising (NSSD), and Neural Frame Rate Upscaling (NFRU). The latter is Arm's take on Frame Generation, while the AI denoiser should hopefully deliver results close to NVIDIA's DLSS Ray Reconstruction or AMD's FSR Ray Regeneration.

Part game, part tech demo created to showcase what's possible with mobile games, Neural Dawn will ship with around two hours of gameplay across four levels as players follow a research scientist exploring a cave network to uncover the "truth behind a collapsing civilization." Lighting plays a major role in how the game plays out, which makes it all the more impressive that this will be the first mobile game to use Unreal Engine 5.6.1 and Unreal Engine MegaLights in real time.

Kingdom Hearts IV is the next mainline game in Square Enix and Disney's long-running action RPG, which is pegged to follow Sora after the events of Kingdom Hearts III.

Reports indicate the new game will launch a new saga called the Lost Master Arc, marking a transition away from the Xehanort/Dark Seeker storyline. While still retaining the most iconic Kingdom Hearts characters, Kingdom Hearts IV is reportedly set in Quadratum, a realistic Tokyo-like city with more grounded visuals than the whimsical, fantastical world seen in typical Disney content. Additionally, Sora's design has changed, appearing more realistic to fit this world.

Kingdom Hearts IV was recently announced for the Nintendo Switch 2, which means it's coming to all platforms, including the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via the Epic Games Store and Steam. However, the release date has yet to be revealed by Square Enix or Disney, but according to one Australian retailer, it may be sometime next year.

Anthropic has officially launched Claude Fable 5, a Mythos-class AI model that now available to the public, and to celebrate the launch Anthropic has also reset current and weekly session limits.

The release marks a major milestone for the company, offering users unprecedented access to a powerful system that balances performance with safety. Anthropic explains in its blog and a series of videos that after it conducted its preview of the Mythos model and discovered thousands of cybersecurity vulnerabilities, which meant the Mythos model could be used for nefarious practices if used by the wrong hands. So, Anthropic created a new model based on the Mythos model, but implemented safeguards.

Fable 5's capabilities surpass those of previous models, excelling in complex reasoning, natural language understanding, and multi-step problem solving. According to Anthropic, the model has been made safe for general use while retaining the advanced features of its Mythos sibling. The company also writes that if users begin asking questions in the following areas Fable will detect the line of questioning and prevent any misuse of its capabilities. Those areas are: cybersecurity, biology, chemistry, and distillation.

FromSoftware's The Duskbloods will be playable on the Nintendo Switch 2 this summer, as Nintendo has confirmed during a recent Direct.

FromSoftware has developed The Duskbloods with a focus on multiplayer, with the setting being inspired by the studio's iconic title Bloodborne. From the above trailer, we can see Duskbloods is shaping up to be a gothic, action-packed experience, as players will be taking on not only other players but also the environment.

The title is expected to leverage the Switch 2's enhanced hardware to deliver a smooth experience in a portable package, and while we don't have any performance metrics yet, The Duskbloods is a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, meaning it has been specifically developed for the Nintendo Switch 2 hardware, as opposed to being a port.

Razer's latest microphone supports USB-C, so it's versatile, but it's also built to deliver a professional-grade sound thanks to its built-in audio DSP. The new Razer Seiren V3 Pro is built for creators, streamers, and gamers of all sizes, delivering broadcast-quality audio with the simplicity of a plug-and-play setup.

And it's packed with impressive features, like support for 32-bit float recording via Razer Synapse on Windows, expanding on the standard 24-bit recording to offer a wider dynamic range and more detailed sound. 32-bit recording (with a 50 Hz to 16 kHz range) is also useful when capturing from a louder or more dynamic source, such as an instrument. Part of the premium design of the Razer Seiren V3 Pro is the built-in audio DSP, which means all sound processing is handled on the device rather than on the PC it's connected to.

This includes onboard effects and audio tools such as an AI noise remover, compressor, limiter, and expander. In addition to dual USB-C inputs, the Seiren V3 Pro supports XLR connectivity for pro setups with audio interfaces, mixers, and other hardware. As for the microphone itself, you've got a 30mm dynamic capsule with a cardioid polar pattern.

Xbox's new strategy boss, Matthew Ball, recently sat down with The Game Business to discuss how he and his team, led by new CEO Asha Sharma, are looking to turn the business around. In addition to talking about the return of Xbox exclusives, with the new Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution set to be 'Xbox console exclusives,' he also touched upon the future of the brand and Xbox hardware.

Namely, Project Helix, the upcoming console-PC hybrid device from Microsoft and Xbox, has been officially announced. Although details such as hardware specs and the architecture of the internal AMD CPU and GPU are still to be confirmed, the company has stated that Project Helix is being positioned as a premium, powerful gaming device. And in the meantime, it's focused on restoring Xbox's status as a premium console brand in gamers' eyes.

The only problem is that skyrocketing prices for memory and storage are making things difficult for Xbox (and others) to deliver both affordable and readily available console hardware. And with demand for Xbox Series X|S consoles exceeding supply, the company is rethinking its approach to Project Helix as "the crisis is not yet getting better."

In addition to creating acclaimed cinematic action games, Remedy is also known for pushing the boundaries of graphics technology, and the upcoming Control Resonant is set to be no different. With all of the summer game conferences wrapping up, we got a new story-focused trailer for the game during Sony's recent State of Play event, which confirmed a release date of September 24 for PC and consoles.

And for the PC version of the game, NVIDIA has confirmed it has once again partnered with Remedy, and that the game will launch with native DLSS 4.5 support and ship with full ray-tracing or path-tracing mode on day one. And when it comes to the game's ray tracing, as seen in the trailer above, the game will leverage NVIDIA's new RTX Mega Geometry technology to improve fidelity, as well as DLSS Ray Reconstruction, which is getting its own DLSS 4.5 version in August.

As a sequel to the popular Control, this new entry is different in that players control Dylan Faden, brother of the first game's protagonist Jesse Faden, as the action moves from the Oldest House to a corrupted Manhattan overrun by the "chaotic Hiss" and other paranormal threats. And instead of wielding firearms, the combat here is primarily melee-based.

NZXT showcased a selection of new product offerings at Computex 2026, and launching alongside new cases are two types of RGB fans.

At the NZXT suite in Taipei, Taiwan, the company showcased its new products and explained that it is moving forward with a new design language. The RGB fans will be available in a range of sizes, including the F120 RGB, F140 RGB, F360 RGB, and F420 RGB, with Reverse options for the F360 RGB and F420 RGB. Additionally, the Ultra RGB fan series was on display, and those will be available in a selection of sizes, including F120U, F140U, F360U, and F420U.

NZXT explained that its new fans feature a fluid dynamic bearing and multi-zone lighting, paired with NZXT's software that enables users to individually change the color of specific LED zones. NZXT showed me its software while at the suite, and the level of customization available to users was quite impressive. As for cases, NZXT showcased the H6, a new case featuring a beautiful glass wraparound design paired with slick NZXT branding near the rear.

NVIDIA has issued GeForce Hotfix Display Driver version 610.52 in response to its latest official Game Ready Driver release (610.47), which added day-one support for 007 First Light and over 40 new G-SYNC-compatible displays. This new Hotfix Display Driver doesn't seem to be in response to a single major issue, but rather to a number of smaller ones.

It includes fixing frame pacing issues on GeForce RTX 40 Series graphics cards when G-SYNC is enabled, improving gaming stability in multi-monitor setups with DLSS Frame Generation, and fixing an issue where some monitors would not wake when exiting sleep mode. There's even a game-specific fix for World of Warcraft, where it seems that the game's performance and stability were affected by the most recent driver release. So, if you're a WoW player, you might want to install it.

These Hotfix drivers are considered Beta, so they're only recommended for those experiencing any of the issues outlined in the release notes, as the QA process is "abbreviated" compared to regular driver updates and releases. Here are the full GeForce Hotfix Display Driver version 610.52 release notes.

With NVIDIA's new RTX Spark chip for laptops pairing an Arm-based 'Grace' processor with RTX Blackwell graphics, the first wave of ultra-thin, premium laptops sporting the chip is expected to debut later this year. At Computex 2026, we got to go hands-on with a number of them and even see games like Alan Wake 2, Fortnite, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Pragmata, and more running and looking good.

And based on our discussions with both NVIDIA and Microsoft representatives at the show, these new Windows on Arm devices powered by RTX Spark are set to usher in a new era for the specialized version of Windows, with more native app support and better-optimized emulation. And with that, we'll probably start to hear a lot more about Windows on Arm updates and support in the lead-up to the RTX Spark launch.

Case in point, today we've got word from UL Solutions, the makers of the popular 3DMark benchmark suite for measuring PC gaming performance. The company has confirmed that it's updating more of its synthetic benchmarks with native Windows on Arm versions.

With no GeForce RTX 50 SUPER Series refresh this year, and the next-gen GeForce RTX 60 Series coming at some point in 2027 or even 2028, Computex 2026 was a little light when it comes to brand-new GPUs built for PC gaming. The good news, however, is that, as we all know, it's simply a matter of time; MSI showcased some of the brand-new cooling technology it will introduce with its next-gen graphics cards.

Basically, the company is set to level up the thermal performance on its more premium GPU offerings with a number of innovations, new technologies, and new features. Starting with the fans, MSI notes that it's going to transition the fan blades on its cards to 0.8mm ultra-thin, durable metal. This will not only improve airflow but also efficiency when spinning at high speeds.

And that's just the beginning, as MSI is set to update its heat pipes to a new, advanced spiral-groove heat pipe. Under a microscope, this shifts the pattern toward a more diagonal orientation rather than horizontal, increasing the contact area and improving heat transfer. And on that note, MSI is also switching to a diamond-composite thermal pad for memory, and a diamond-copper composite baseplate for the GPU and heatsink. MSI notes that this new approach will significantly improve conductivity, and yes, it includes diamond particles.

Starting in 2026, Xbox will start to form new and innovative business models the likes of which we haven't seen before...and they could include free ad-supported streaming.

Xbox isn't in a great place right now. Following the departure of Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond, Xbox brought in a new CEO, Asha Sharma, to effectively reboot the business. We've already seen Sharma make big changes to Xbox, including reducing Game Pass' price and reversing course on Xbox exclusive games, but more shifts are coming.

At a recent Fortune Magazine event, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma said that "radically new business models" will start to become future money-making strategies for Xbox. The firm is rumored to offer a free, ad-supported version of its xCloud game streaming service later this year, and this could be what Sharma is referring to.

GEEKOM, a brand best known for its ultra-compact mini PCs, has launched its first high-performance business laptop. The GeekBook M16 is priced at $899 with a $100 pre-order discount, bringing it to $799, and it comes with an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor and a battery capacity that puts many premium laptops to shame.

On the hardware side, the Core Ultra 9 branding is front and center in GEEKOM's marketing, though the actual chip is the Core Ultra 9 185H, a Series 1 Meteor Lake processor rather than the newer Arrow Lake or Panther Lake architectures. That is not a dealbreaker, as the 185H remains a capable chip with 16 cores, 22 threads, boost clocks up to 5.1GHz, and sustained power of up to 55W through GEEKOM's Dynamic Tuning Technology.

However, this does make the M16 a step back from the GeekBook X14 Pro and X16 Pro that GEEKOM showed last year. Those models were listed with Intel Core Ultra 200H "Arrow Lake-H" processors, including the Core Ultra 9 285H. The M16 features a 99.9Wh battery, which GEEKOM claims can provide up to 24 hours of Wi-Fi browsing and around 20 hours of local video playback. It also supports 100W fast charging via USB-C.

If you have been holding off on a PC upgrade, hoping DDR5 prices would come down soon, AMD has some bad news. David McAfee, AMD's VP and GM of Client Channel Business, told 4Gamers during Computex 2026 that DDR5 memory prices are not expected to return to normal levels for around two years, putting any meaningful recovery around 2028.

In the interview, David pointed to the AI boom that has shifted supply away from consumer DDR5 and toward HBM for AI data centers. DDR4 production capacity has also been declining over the past year or two as manufacturers shifted investment heavily toward DDR5. This has left users on older platforms squeezed from both directions.

To give you an idea of the impact, a 32GB Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000 kit that cost around $100 in late 2025 is now selling for around $440. McAfee expects prices to recover gradually as new capacity comes online. Samsung, Micron, and China's CXMT are expanding their DDR5 production capacity. The problem is that building new memory manufacturing facilities takes years, meaning the relief is real but slow.

SEGA Is reviving classic Dreamcast-era franchise Crazy Taxi with a brand new game set for a 2027 release, but the company is facing backlash over the project's use of generative AI.

In an effort to revitalize sales and spark cultural interest, SEGA is reviving core legacy franchises as part of its so-called Next Level marketing campaign. A new Crazy Taxi is among these revamped titles and the new game was revealed at Summer Game Fest as Crazy Taxi World Tour, modernizing the retro gameplay for new platforms.

The news was welcomed by fans--Crazy Taxi is back, complete with the signature rip-roaring chaotic driving, explosively bombastic colors, and of course, Offspring belting out punk guitar riffs on the soundtrack. There's just one fly in the ointment: the new Crazy Taxi's Steam page confirms that SEGA used generative AI to make the game.

Halo Studios may have innovated a new business model that could help the industry revitalize dormant brands.

One of Xbox's oldest franchises might be the source for an interesting new type of content model. The new Halo remake has been updated with a clustered trio of missions that are effectively like mini-DLC for the campaign. Set under the name Operation Meteorite, this designation could open the door to more operation missions further down the line, giving Halo Studios a way to continue expanding Halo lore in a sellable package.

The new Campaign Remix feature looks to be the most innovative addition to the remake, and if it works as Halo Studios describes it, the mode could open up a new way for players to experience old games.

It's officially happening: the old-school 90s classic is getting reborn on the Switch 2.

Nintendo today announced an official remake of The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time for its upgraded Switch 2 console. The game was revealed at today's Nintendo Direct and is planned for a launch in 2026, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the franchise.

Only a short glimpse of prologue cinematic footage was shown, but we did get our first look at Link, and the visuals are just incredible compared to the original game--there's even light reflecting in Link's hair. No exact details or information has been revealed so far and Nintendo plans to unveil more in the coming months.