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Activision-Blizzard was ready to buy Time Warner and adapt its wealth of intellectual properties in a grand transmedia strategy, company CEO tells Variety.

At one time, Activision-Blizzard CEO and board of directors had a monumental vision that would have utterly transformed its business into an entertainment empire. That's not to say Activision isn't already an empire--eight separate billion-dollar franchises, including the $31 billion Call of Duty series, beg to differ.

The plans went beyond games, though. Activision wanted to do something more along the lines of the cross-adaptation strategies that Sony is employing between its PlayStation Studios and PlayStation Pictures units, complete with Marvel's Spider-Man licensing thrown in. Activision-Blizzard was ready to buy Time Warner if the $85 billion AT&T deal offer fell through, with the main goal of massive IP expansion.

Activision CEO Bobby Kotick discusses controversy at the company and comments on harassment allegations and his stance of labor unions.

In 2021, the California Civil Rights Department (formerly DFEH) sued Activision-Blizzard on the grounds of female employees facing "constant sexual harassment," which kicked off a wave of controversy that ultimately tanked Activision stock.

As per a press release from the CRD's announcement that it will not dismiss its case against Activision-Blizzard:

ASRock has announced a selection of new gaming monitors at Computex 2023, introducing a few conventional-sized displays aimed at mid-level gamers.

ASRock was kind enough to invite me to their press conference to debrief me on the selection of gaming monitors, and in this article, we are going to take a look at the company's 1440p and 1080p variants. Starting off, we have the PG27FF1A, which is a flat 1920 x 1080p 27-inch FHD IPS display equipped with a 165Hz refresh rate. Additionally, ASRock explained that the PG27FF1A has a 1ms response time, a color space of 94% DCI-P3 / sRGB 123%, a maximum brightness of 250 nits, a contrast ratio of 1100:1, and HDR10.

Furthermore, the PG27FF1A is outfitted with speakers, 1x DisplayPort 1.2 port, 2 x HDMI 2.0 ports, 1x 3.5mm headphone jack, AMD FreeSync certification, and VESA mounting support. Moving on to the 1440p variant, ASRock explained to me the PG27QF2A is a 27-inch QHD flat IPS display that is also 165 Hz, has NTSC 90% color space, 1x DisplayPort 1.2 port, 2 x HDMI 2.0 ports, and an integrated 7dBi Wi-Fi antenna. Currently, there is no word on the price for either of these displays.

The threat of the extinction of humanity posed by AI is on a level with that of a pandemic or a nuclear war.

This warning comes from a bunch of experts, including AI scientists, professors, and tech luminaries, including high-up members of Google/Alphabet (and DeepMind), OpenAI (the maker of ChatGPT), and the CTO and Chief Science Officer at Microsoft (one of the biggest proponents of AI currently, with Bing, and now Copilot).

It also includes a bunch of authors who have written go-to textbooks on AI and deep learning, and a trio of Turing Award winners, plus many, many others. It's quite the heavyweight backing here.

A gaming PC built with good cable management is the direct result of skill, experience, and art because you're looking at a system where components, fans, RGB headers, and anything in-between has some sort of cable that requires being connected to either the motherboard or power supply. And wrangling all of those cables is no easy feat.

This is where Corsair's new iCUE LINK Smart Component Ecosystem fits in, which is all about simplifying the DIY PC building process through a reversible single-cable with a built-in micro-controller that can link, chain, and connect to a System Hub. According to Corsair, it will help to eliminate "nests of wires, connection hubs, PWM and RGB splitters cluttering up your case."

At Computex 2023, we checked out a few different Corsair builds using the new iCUE Link system, and the results were as impressive as you'd expect. Even in the tidiest builds, there's usually a hidden nest of cables all grouped together at the back of the case like a mini server rack.

An RTX 4060 graphics card has been spotted at Computex, with this model coming from MSI.

It's the first sighting of an RTX 4060 that we've been treated to - the vanilla version due to debut in July, as opposed to the RTX 4060 Ti, which is already out - although it doesn't bring any surprises.

By which we mean that the MSI Ventus 2X Black OC looks pretty much like the same take on that model with the RTX 4060 Ti (it's a compact board with dual fans, designed to fit well in a smaller PC case).

Computex 2023 is well underway, and today ASRock announced a slew of new gaming monitors. One of those monitors is the PG32UMF, and it's worth highlighting.

ASRock has a range of new monitors that were on display at the company's booth at Computex 2023. I was lucky enough to get a tour of ASRock's booth at the convention and learned a bunch about what these new monitors will offer gamers. Of ASRock's new range of monitors, the PG32UMF stood out among the rest as it sports a glorious 3840 x 2160 (4K) resolution with a flat IPS display at my favorite size, 31.5 inches.

Additionally, ASRock has slapped a 144Hz refresh rate on the PG32UMF, with a 97% DCI-P3 Color Space, at a maximum brightness of 600 Nits and HDR 1400. The specs don't stop there, as the PG32UMF Mini LED comes with AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-Sync support, with HDMI2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4 interfaces, as well as a USB Type-C PD3.0 90W fast charging (upstream) port and four USB Type-A (downstream) ports, providing gamers with the connectivity that become abundantly necessary in today's day and age.

We got a closer look at Corsair's new range of Dominator Titanium DDR5 memory kits at Computex 2023, and they're all about performance and style. Built using premium components and some of the fastest DDR5 ICs, with Corsair's patented DHX cooling technology, they are also made for overclocking with support for Intel XMP 3.0 and AMD EXPO.

What makes them truly impressive is that the stylish look and feel of the range features fully replaceable top bars, allowing those that pick up one of these kits to add style to the look. Inside the top bar is an RGB strip with 11 individually addressable LEDs that can sync with Corsair's iCUE Murals software.

Capacity-wise, Corsair offers up to 192GB, four 48GB modules, and speeds of up to 8,000MT/s (they'll start at 6,000MT/s). Dominator Titanium DDR5 memory will also come in 16Gb, 24GB, and 32GB sizes. Available in multiple colors, the white and black modules are designed for Intel XMP 3.0, with the grey being designed for AMD EXPO.

SFF cases have been all the rage lately, and it seems Fractal is launching yet another mITX case that might tickle your pickle. The Terra, which seems to have the same Scandinavian design elements as the company's North case, is a 10.4L mITX SFF case that is more akin to the sandwich style of an SFF case.

The internals of the Terra features a movable spine with seven pre-marked positions, allowing the use of every possible space available. This allows support for triple-slot GPUs, up to 322 x 72 x 131 or 322 x 62 x 145mm, with a CPU height clearance of 48mm. A max CPU height clearance of 77mm is achievable by using a GPU sized at 322 x 43 x 145 or 322 x 33 x 145mm. A PCIe 4.0 x16 riser cable is also included.

The Terra also supports larger SFX-L power supplies, while water-cooling support is limited to a single 120mm radiator if a shorter 200mm GPU is installed. The Terra can accommodate two 2.5" SSDs, however, one must be sacrificed if an SFX-L power supply is used. Made from 8mm thick anodized aluminum, walnut front trim, and gull-wing action side panels, it sure makes for some of Terra's most exciting features.

Plenty of new products are emerging out of Computex 2023, and one to highlight is from ASRock. Introducing the PG558KF, an 8K IPS display slated for high-end gamers.

ASRock announced a new line-up of gaming monitors under its Phantom Gaming brand at Computex 2023, and the company was kind enough to give me an introduction to each of its new variants at its booth. More specifically, ASRock unveiled its PG558KF, an 8K UHD flat IPS display at 60Hz refresh rate, a 1200:1 contrast ratio, 750 Nits, and HDR 1000. Additionally, the PG558KF comes with two HDMI 2.1 ports, two DisplayPort 1.4 ports, one 90-watt USB-C Type-C port, and four USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports.

For those that don't know, there currently isn't any hardware that can efficiently run games at 7840 x 4320 (8K), and gamers that decide to pick up the PG558KF when it's available will likely be waiting a long time for hardware to release that can fully utilize its capabilities. While gaming on newly released maxed-out games may currently be a pipe dream, the PG558KF would still look incredible on a desk and be an awesome multi-purpose display for users looking to do any work or watch movies, TV shows, or high resolution YouTube videos.

While at Computex 2023, we found ourselves at the XPG booth and found this monstrosity. Who would want to run four RTX 4090s at 100% load? Well, this is just to show how robust their flagship PSU is; XPG decided it was time to max out its Fusion 1600w ATX 3.0 PSU fully.

In the picture above, you can see via XPG's Prime software showing the DC Output wattage, which has surpassed 1800 watts and actually hitting up to 2000 watts at times for brief periods in the millisecond range.

Also, the efficiency of this load, which is generated with a ChatGPT application on the left-hand side, as well as running four instances of Furmark, is at 90% while maintaining about a 33C temperature, which is equally impressive in its own right.

Walking through the halls, meeting rooms, and off-site presentation suites at Computex 2023, one thing was made clear - at least in the world of DIY gaming PCs - all-white components are hot right now. Like, so much so that you'd think that's all there is now.

From the chassis to the system fans to the motherboard, memory, and of course, the GPU.

Sitting down with Inno3D, we immediately noticed a wall full of brand-new white GPUs on the way from the company, from the flagship GeForce RTX 4090 X3 OC WHITE edition to the brand-new GeForce RTX 4060 Ti X3 iCHILL WHITE and GeForce RTX 4060 Ti TWIN X2 OC WHITE.

Regarding new PCIe Gen5 SSDs, we're in the middle of an arms race, where it's all about hitting speeds previously unheard of in the storage space. As with all things tech, going faster means generating more heat, and when it comes to new PCIe Gen5 storage - additional cooling is no longer an option.

Heatsinks, pipes, and active fans for SSDs are here - and even liquid cooling. The first PCIe Gen5 products to hit the scene that pushed sequential read speeds up to 10GB/s required some serious cooling.

With Patriot debuting its first PCIe Gen5 drive at Computex 2023, the Viper PV553 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen5 x4 SSD, the company has managed to deliver impressive sequential read speeds of up to 12,400MB/s (12.4GB/s) and write speeds up to 11,800MB/s (11.8GB/s) using a low-profile cooler.

Announced at this year's Computex, Enermax's PlentiMax series has been a solid foundation for any high-end gaming computer, but this year Enermax decided to combine the two latest ATX standards into one powerful, future-proof design. This allows the end-user to be able to move from one standard to the other without having to purchase a new PSU to accommodate the new standard.

At Computex 2023, Enermax showed off their new Plentimax Gemini 1200w Platinum ATX 3.0 and ATX12VO, which is impressive in its own right to have both ATX standards built into one platform, thus saving cost to the consumer if one ATX standard is more applicable to the situation or build.

Having a full list of features that include a native 600w PCIe 12VHPWR cable, the ability to reach 74% efficiency at only a 2% load, ECO intelligent overload and overhead protections, the fan also remains inoperative with system loads under 60%, a 50C product reliability certification testing, and having a very small form factor of 150 x 150 x 86mm.

Sony's video games business is no longer console-only, but executive management reiterates that PlayStation is still console-first.

Today, Sony Interactive Entertainment announced the latest first-party PS5 exclusive to cross over to PC, and this time it's Ratchet and Clank: A Rift Apart, one of the premiere PS5 launch games that flexed the console's ultra-fast SSD. While Sony's expansion onto PC has been well-telegraphed by the company since Horizon Zero Dawn's released onto Steam in 2020, the continued exclusivity-breaking has divided some PlayStation faithful.

The reality is that PlayStation consoles are still tremendously important for Sony, and the PS5 is the beating heart of the whole operation. SIE executives have made it clear on numerous occasions, and taking a closer look at PlayStation's operations only underlines this fact.

Activision legal counsel alleges that UK regulators at the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) had only spent 4 weeks out of its total 32-week investigation on the Microsoft-Activision merger focusing on potential SLC effects in cloud gaming.

Microsoft has filed an appeal with the intent to quash the CMA's decision to block the Microsoft-Activision merger. Today, lawyers for Activision, Microsoft, and the CMA met with Competition Appeals Tribunal's Justice Marcus Smith to discuss how to best proceed with the appeals process. While Microsoft's full 400-page appeal will not be made public, the Tribunal did publish an application summary that condenses the main points. At the hearing, Activision legal counsel delivered key reasons on why it seeks to intervene in the case--Activision has a stake in the outcome of the merger and can provide relevant information in regards to cloud gaming and the games market as a whole, so it is likely to be able to intervene and add evidence to support Microsoft's case.

During the hearing, Activision's lawyer made specific allegations against the CMA's determination of anti-competitive effects that could arise from the merger. The CMA blocked the merger on grounds that the combination would result in a significant lessening of competition (SLC) in the segment of cloud gaming due to Microsoft's potential ability to foreclose, or take away and prevent, access to Activision-Blizzard games to cloud competitors.

Nintendo has filed a cease-and-desist order that forces Valve to prevent the popular Dolphin emulator from releasing on Steam, and has now issued a statement explaining how the Dolphin emulator is harmful to the company and how emulation harms the games industry as a whole.

Nintendo is one of the most fiercely protective companies on the planet when it comes to IP. We've seen the Japanese company shut down multiple emulation sites through lawsuits, and also impose tight restrictions on YouTube content. Recently, Nintendo has thwarted the release of the popular Wii and GameCube emulator, Dolphin, from releasing on Steam.

"It is with much disappointment that we have to announce that the Dolphin on Steam release has been indefinitely postponed. We were notified by Valve that Nintendo has issued a cease and desist citing the DMCA against Dolphin's Steam page, and have removed Dolphin from Steam until the matter is settled. We are currently investigating our options and will have a more in-depth response in the near future," Dolphin's development team wrote on May 27.

The rumors were right: Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is the next first-party PlayStation 5 exclusive making the hop over to PC.

Following Jim Ryan's assertions that PC is a "significant profit contributor" to the PlayStation business, it's no wonder that Sony is continuing its PC gaming efforts. Now Sony has announced the latest first-party game to drop on PC, and it's a big one.

Today Sony and Insomniac Games announced Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is coming to PC on July 26, complete with support for 21:9, 32:9 and up to 48:9 resolutions for triple monitor setups, raytracing, DLSS 3.0, AMD FSR 2.0, and Intel XeSS support--alongside NVIDIA Reflex as well.

NVIDIA has joined the growing club of tech companies that are worth over $1 trillion.

Reuters reports that the company is the first chipmaker to hit this valuation, driven forward by its progress on the AI front, and the fact that artificial intelligence has become such a massive focus for, well, pretty much everyone of late.

The sting in the tail, as Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown, points out, is that there will be 'significant pressure' to live up to this valuation, and likely a bit of a rollercoaster ride for the share price to come if NVIDIA stumbles at all.

Microsoft has been boasting about how it has improved various facets of performance in Windows 11, from core parts of the interface to how smoothly gaming mice run.

This comes courtesy of a Microsoft blog post detailing the 'major strides' taken in the past year to improve performance across a range of fundamentals for Windows 11.

That includes boosting the performance of "frequently used shell interactions like Taskbar, Notifications, and Quick Settings" by up to 15% in some cases.