Gaming - Page 18

As part of Unreal Fest 2026, NVIDIA has announced that its new NVIDIA ACE Game Agent SDK for creating and building in-game AI companions that run on GeForce RTX hardware is now available in Beta. This suite of tools includes Unreal Engine 5 plugins for the AI-powered Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR), Small Language Models (SLM), and Text-to-Speech (TTS) components of NVIDIA ACE.

Examples of the technology in action are already available, with KRAFTON recently launching its new PUBG Ally in-game AI teammate as part of a limited-time Beta to test and gauge feedback on a new Ally Duo Mode that will pair humans with AI. Another in-development example is Creative Assembly adding an AI advisor to Total War: PHARAOH.

Naturally, the NVIDIA ACE Game Agent SDK will allow any game developer to play around with in-game AI companions, with NVIDIA noting that it has been designed as a "lightweight, C/C++ agentic framework" for seamless integration thanks to the inclusion of a ready-to-use Qwen 3.5 4B model for decision-making and an ultra-lightweight Chatterbox Turbo 350M model for text-to-speech. As seen with the new PUBG Ally, ACE Game Agents can run on GPUs with only 8GB of VRAM, and cards like the GeForce RTX 3060. So yeah, you won't need a GeForce RTX 5080 to run them.

PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS helped define the Battle Royale genre, and the game remains one of the most-played multiplayer titles on Steam and other platforms. And this week, as part of the game's latest update, the game is introducing a new Ally Duo Mode that introduces a PUBG Ally or AI companion powered by NVIDIA ACE technology.

The PUBG Ally and Ally Duo Mode will be available in Beta through PUBG Arcade for the next two weeks, until June 30, via Steam. NVIDIA says this will allow KRAFTON to "collect invaluable real-world player feedback" and to help guide "the future of AI agents in games." Now, generative AI in PC gaming is controversial, but based on what we've seen in early hands-on demos of the AI-powered PUBG Ally, the idea of an AI-controlled in-game partner or helper is a potential game-changer in the right circumstances.

The good news is that the PUBG Ally, called Ella, is powered by optimized, lightweight models, so it will run on GeForce RTX GPUs with at least 8GB of VRAM, with the GeForce RTX 2080 Ti and GeForce RTX 3060 listed as the minimum specs. As for the recommended specs, KRAFTON lists the GeForce RTX 4070, which features 12GB of VRAM.

Destiny 2 may stay in retirement as the recent wave of players may not be enough to sway Bungie's/Sony's decision on sunsetting the online FPS.

Faced with financial pressures, Bungie is putting Destiny 2 into stasis. The studio simply doesn't have enough money to fund Marathon and Destiny 2 at the same time, and the studio's assets have been hit hard by a hefty $750 million impairment charge. This basically means that Bungie's games failed in a way that triggered accounting adjustments that impacted and lowered Bungie's net profit by creating another expense on its income statement.

The news sparked a campaign among hopeful gamers that Destiny 2, or the Destiny franchise, could be revived if enough players showed up. The game has had over 100K players on Steam for the past 9 days in a row, since the Monument of Triumph update released. Unfortunately, sources tell Forbes' Paul Tassi that this outpouring of player support hasn't affected the decision around Destiny 2.

Sony Interactive Entertainment has filed a patent for a PlayStation controller with buttons that physically change their hardness and resistance during gameplay. The application was filed with the World Intellectual Property Organization in November 2024 and published in May 2026, with the patent recently brought to light by the folks at Cheat Happens.

The DualSense controller introduced adaptive triggers and haptic motors that changed how controllers could respond to on-screen context. However, the face buttons and joysticks themselves still provide a fixed physical feel. This patent aims to change that by bringing adaptive feedback to the face buttons as well, using two main approaches.

The first uses a magneto-viscoelastic elastomer, a material embedded with magnetizable particles that can soften or harden in response to a surrounding magnetic field controlled by the game in real time. The second approach involves fluid-filled membranes that achieve a similar tactile effect. Both methods would allow the game to dynamically alter how much force is required to press a button depending on what is happening on screen.

Microsoft is currently breaking up its Xbox Game Studios label to reduce costs, and the layoffs are also hitting other divisions like ZeniMax.

New reports indicate that layoffs have begun at Bethesda's parent ZeniMax. People behind the scenes have told Duke Nukem creator George Broussard that layoffs are currently happening at ZeniMax, potentially affecting all groups under the limited-integration company--ZeniMax Online Studios, Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, Arkane Lyon, and Machine Games.

"Getting word that layoffs at Zenimax has begun. Heard rumblings recently that the cuts may be much deeper than you expect," Broussard said on Twitter. The 3D Realms co-founder goes on to say that only developers working on Fallout and The Elder Scrolls may be 'safe' from the layoffs.

After showcasing Senua, Ninja Theory's upcoming new game in the Hellblade franchise, Xbox announced it was closing down Ninja Theory just eight days after Senua was unveiled, marking a world record for the fastest turnaround time for a publisher unveiling an AAA title and then announcing the closure of the studio behind that title.

However, new details have emerged that have shed light on the situation, with Game File reporting that the reveal of Senua at The Xbox Games Showcase was intentional,, as Xbox used it as an opportunity to advertise Ninja Theory in an effort to attract a buyer.

Additionally, the report states that the decision to close Ninja Theory's doors was made before the announcement of Senua on June 7. The advertising opportunity for the studio has apparently been failing, as reports continue to surface stating Ninja Theory isn't engaging in negotiations and is preparing for closure. These same reports state that the other two studios Xbox announced were closing, Compulsion and Double Fine, are actively negotiating with Microsoft's gaming arm.

NVIDIA's RTX Remix continues to evolve and expand as more modders use it to breathe new life into classic PC games thanks to its ability to remake and rebuild games with modern path-traced lighting, remastered assets, and more. This week NVIDIA is releasing RTX Remix 1.5, which is available now via GitHub or through the NVIDIA App, and it brings several notable updates.

The first of which, and one that the RTX Remix community has heavily requested, is called Smooth Normals. Basically, this takes the blocky, polygonal look of classic PC games and lets modders make environments and objects look less blocky and more modern with path tracing.

The second notable update is the arrival of RTX IO support to speed up loading times, stream high-quality assets, and reduce overall mod install sizes. RTX IO leverages your GeForce RTX GPU for decompression, freeing up the CPU for other tasks, and it works with Microsoft's DirectStorage API. NVIDIA notes that notable RTX Remix projects on Steam, like Portal with RTX, Portal: Prelude RTX, and the Half-Life 2 RTX demo, all feature RTX IO.

Nintendo is about to make life harder for Switch 2 scalpers by tightening its grip on the console's sales in Japan. The company is introducing new purchasing restrictions, directly targeting scalpers who have exploited the weaker yen to buy consoles cheaply and resell them overseas at a markup.

These restrictions cover only the multi-language version of the Nintendo Switch 2 that Nintendo sells through its official Japanese store. Scalpers target this version because the Japan-exclusive model supports only Japanese text and characters, making it less appealing outside the country. The multi-language version, on the other hand, works anywhere, and the exchange rate makes Japan an attractive place to source at lower prices.

Nintendo confirmed on X that it had identified multiple orders suspected of scalping and temporarily suspended sales of the multi-language model. When sales resume, buyers will need to meet two conditions. First, their Nintendo Account must show at least 50 hours of playtime on the original Nintendo Switch. Time spent on demos or free-to-play software does not qualify. And secondly, purchases are limited to one console per Nintendo Account.

Epic Games is utilizing generative AI programs and tools like Nano Banana and GPT Image to help with the early designs of Fortnite content.

Epic has given an interesting behind-the-scenes look at how it's using gen AI to make games. The industry-leading engine-maker, which has also made $20 billion gross revenue from Fortnite in less than 8 years, is using gen AI tools in a bid to create content faster and more "efficiently."

Now in a recent video, Epic shows an example of its workflow using gen AI. The developers highlight various tools, including an in-house "genmedia" bridge built right into Photoshop, and go through the step-by-step process. Epic starts with a sketch hand-drawn by an actual person, and that is then passed through the custom genmedia bridge which basically lets devs use written AI prompts to adjust the image.

Normally, using a PlayStation 5 DualSense controller on PC with full haptic feedback requires a wired connection. Despite expanding its PC accessory lineup and even releasing a PC-focused version of the controller, Sony still hasn't addressed this limitation. Instead, a third-party app may have finally solved the problem thanks to the new DSX v3.2 Beta 01 update.

DSX, also known as DualSenseX, has released v3.2 Beta 01 on Steam, adding support for native DualSense audio and haptic feedback over Bluetooth. The update works by creating a virtual DualSense device that games recognize as a wired controller, then transmitting trigger, light, and haptic data wirelessly through a custom software layer.

This workaround is required because Windows' Bluetooth stack lacks support for the high-bandwidth audio stream required by DualSense haptics. DSX, therefore, emulates a wired connection and transmits the data wirelessly. The feature requires DSX+, the paid add-on for creating Virtual DualSense. DSX itself is available on Steam for $7.99, with the DSX+ DLC at $3.99. A bundle of both costs $9.58.

Movement around Valve's highly anticipated Steam Machine is starting to pick up. Valve has been very vague about the console's release window, instead saying it will definitely launch "this summer." However, we might have some new information on our hands that gives us a better idea of how close the launch actually is.

Recently, it was leaked that Valve has started seeding Steam Machine samples to reviewers ahead of launch. There might be some truth to that rumor, since two new Geekbench entries of the Steam Machine were just spotted on the famous benchmarking platform. The console has appeared under the "Fremont" codename, which was previously used for the Steam Machine as well. Its official identifier on the site is the Authentic AMD Family 25 Model 124 Stepping 0, which is in line with earlier data.

What's unique about these two new benchmarks is that, in addition to relative performance data, these benchmark entries confirm the Linux-based SteamOS operating system that the console will use. Valve has recently issued a SteamOS update that includes official support for the Steam Machine hardware, and this is probably the clearest official indication that the Steam Machine is just around the corner.

The European Union has answered the Stop Killing Games movement following a successful petition campaign earlier in the year.

The European Commission today recognized the Stop Killing Games initiative and delivered a formal response to the group's worries. STG (also called Stop Destroying Games) gained traction after Ubisoft pulled online-only game The Crew offline, cutting off access to anyone who bought the game. The movement argues that developers should be made to keep these products, which consumers have paid for, available for play in an offline state.

In its response, the EU says that it will not introduce any new laws to force publishers to keep their games playable even when delisted from storefronts.

EA is introducing a new ad program aimed at pulling in more revenue from targeted in-game advertisements, including dynamic placements as well as user-generated content.

Electronic Arts is no stranger to advertising--its billion-dollar sports franchises typically have in-game ad placements. The group wants more, and has opened up a new initiative called EA Advertising that's somewhat akin to Activision Blizzard Media (now Xbox Advertising).

The idea is sponsors now have more ways to advertise in EA games, including the traditional in-game billboards and signs as well as things like dynamic and interactive experiences. The publisher even mentions that ads could show up as or in user-generated content.

Alinea analyst Rhys Elliott echoes my own thoughts on Game Pass: launching big marquee games day one into the service is not sustainable long-term.

Xbox's current issues are the result of multiple years of unfortunate events--the Xbox One, COVID-19 disruptions, bad investments, overspending, economic turmoil, the current hardware crisis, etc--but one business decision has had affected Microsoft's software the most: Xbox Game Pass. After years of steady pricing, Microsoft was forced to raise subscription prices, and millions of people dropped the subscription. This shows the volatility of Xbox's business model--putting a lot of the weight on a subscription--and after years of risk, Xbox was hit hard when so many people left the service.

Now fast-forwarding to present day, it appears that Game Pass needs an overhaul. High-level sales analysis from firms like Alinea highlight Game Pass' cannibalization effect that has reduced sales in favor of cheaper access via subscription. According to Alinea head of market analysis Rhys Elliott, Game Pass is essentially not really a sustainable solution for Xbox in its current state.

A post circulating online is sparking conversation about Xbox and its recent closure of three studios, undoubtedly resulting in layoffs.

The post is a screenshot of Egil Gloersen's LinkedIn announcement, in which he said that, after spending 20 years at Microsoft, 12 of those years on Team Xbox, he has decided to accept the "retirement program". The screenshot was shared by Destin, who wrote, "Xbox is apparently offering a 'Retirement Program' to employees." This isn't unusual for a company of Microsoft's size to do, and Microsoft itself outlined a plan to retire many of its senior staff with an offer that applied to roughly 8,750 employees, or approximately 7% of Microsoft's workforce.

This program, which dates back to May, 2026, was the first retirement plan in the company's history. According to a report, Microsoft offered employees whose years of service plus age totaled 70 or more. Those eligible were offered five years of healthcare coverage, a lump-sum severance payment, and six months of vesting for unvested stock options. The lump-sum cash payment depends on their position: mid-senior staff is offered a week of base pay for every 6 months of service, up to a maximum of 39 weeks.

Valve is quietly preparing for the release of the Steam Machine, a console/PC hybrid that will be the next serious competitor in the console market, right alongside the Xbox and PlayStation.

Valve has said the Steam Machine is on track to release "this summer," and it was only recently that the company put out new Steamworks Documentation that stated the Steam Machine will be approximately six times more powerful than the Steam Deck, and for games to receive a Steam Machine verified badge, they will need to meet specific performance requirements on the system. One of the latest pieces of Steam Machine information, and perhaps the furthest thing people actually want to know about the console, is that Valve rolled out support for the Steam Machine in SteamOS.

We knew this update was on its way, as Valve put out a preview of SteamOS version 3.8 in March, and within that preview, Valve states that the update includes "Initial support for upcoming Steam Machine hardware". That update has now rolled out in SteamOS 3.8.9 Beta: Second Clutch patch notes, which also state that support for the Steam Machine has been added to SteamOS. What people actually want to hear about the Steam Machine is the price. Valve has stated the console is launching "this summer," but hasn't said anything about the price.

The new God of War, Faye, was unveiled at the Sony State of Play Showcase in June as a new God of War title that lets players step into the shoes of Faye, Kratos' wife, who wakes up in the afterlife of the gods after being burned by Kratos in God of War 2018.

GOW Faye will take players on a journey through the afterlife of the gods, ruled by two gods of war. Faye, the former protector of Midgard and the Giants, is described as extremely capable in combat and unafraid to fight dirty. After realizing her plan to prevent Kratos and Atreus from fulfilling a tragic destiny she foresaw may not work, Faye sets out on a quest to return from the afterlife and help Kratos and Atreus on their quest.

Faye is accompanied by a cube and a sword that help her escape the afterlife and defeat the two gods of war. The State of Play announcement didn't include a target release date, but reliable industry insider NateTheHate reports that God of War Laufey is targeting the first half of 2027. As always, with release dates for upcoming games or other unconfirmed details, take them with a healthy dose of skepticism, as they are subject to change.

At Computex 2026, we got the chance to go hands-on with a few PC gaming handhelds powered by the new Panther Lake-based Intel Arc G3 Extreme processor, which features the impressive integrated Intel Arc B390 GPU. And we were blown away by the 1080p (or 1200p) performance that lets you play modern titles like Forza Horizon 6 or Battlefield 6 with High graphics settings at 60+ FPS thanks to XeSS.

One of the devices we got to spend some quality hands-on time with was the new MSI Claw 8 EX AI+, which, in addition to featuring the new Intel Arc G3 Extreme processor, has a vibrant 8-inch 120Hz VRR display, Hall-effect sticks and triggers, and premium ergonomics and build quality, quickly make it one of those devices that have you praying that it launches with a reasonable price point. A concern born from the current memory and component crisis driving up the cost of all things consumer tech.

Well, turns out that we weren't praying hard enough, as a retail listing for the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ over on MSI's official US storefront (via VideoCardz) puts the MSRP of this new gaming handheld at an eye-watering $1,799.00 USD. Yes, this would make it one of the most expensive portable gaming devices on the market, with the $1,800 price point also coming in a lot higher than the $1,500 or so that many were expecting - an already inflated price point based on the current crisis affecting consumer tech.

Xbox is currently going through a major restructuring phase as the publisher seeks to "reset" the brand to better position it for the future. Unsurprisingly, a part of this restructuring is the closure of studios, but what was surprising was the studios that were selected.

A new report from Bloomberg's Jason Schreier has revealed that Microsoft has decided to close down major game development studios as part of Xbox's restructuring and its expenditure control measures. The studios selected are Compulsion Games, developer of South of Midnight; Double Fine, developer of Brütal Legend and Psychonauts; and, most shockingly, Ninja Theory, developer of the Hellblade franchise. The closure of Ninja Theory is particularly shocking as it was only eight days ago that Senua, Ninja Theory's upcoming Hellblade game, was showcased at the Xbox Game Showcase.

The studio's closure has cast a shadow of concern over Senua, as many are now wondering about the title's fate. Does it get canceled entirely? Or will it release as intended? Notably, Microsoft and Xbox haven't officially canceled Senua, meaning on paper the game is still on track to release sometime in 2027. What is unprecedented here, and will be an unwanted record for Xbox to hold, is the time between a AAA game's first public reveal and the announcement or reported decision to shut down the developer behind that upcoming title. Just eight days.

A sealed copy of Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Entertainment System just sold for $3 million at Heritage Auctions, which called it the "finest known copy" and "the Holy Grail of video game collecting." The previous record was a $2 million private sale in 2021 for another copy of the same game.

The copy was discovered only a few months ago, still sealed inside a brand-new NES Control Deck console bundle that had sat completely untouched since 1986. The console and game hail from the Los Angeles test-market period, one of Nintendo's earliest US expansion efforts, and the bundle had never been opened.

The cartridge itself is from Super Mario Bros. ' second production run, released in early 1986, with a distinctive gloss sticker seal that replaced the short-lived matte sticker used on the original 1985 launch copies. According to Heritage Auctions, only three sealed second-production copies with this gloss sticker format are known to exist, and this one carries the highest PSA 9.6 A++ grade. It also bears a cardboard hang tab that was discontinued in 1987. That means it is in near mint condition. The other two known examples are graded at VGA 80 and Wata 9.4 A++.