Gaming - Page 5

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has publicly clarified the company's stance on open-weights models, rejecting calls for a broad ban while warning of two major nightmare scenarios.

In a recent post shared to the Anthropic website, Amodei emphasized that open models are a public good when not dangerous, but he sees real threats from powerful AI in the hands of authoritarian regimes. Amodei outlines two primary nightmare scenarios: one where authoritarian governments build superior AI models to achieve military dominance, and another where powerful models are misused for cyberattacks or biological threats.

He stresses that open weights are irrelevant to the first and only a partial risk factor in the second scenario. Instead, he advocates for three strategic measures to be put in place: restricting powerful chips from going to China, cracking down on distillation operations, which are efforts from AI laboratories to extract the capabilities of a model to improve their own, and implementing mandatory safety testing for all advanced models, regardless of whether they are open or closed.

Xbox endured a 16-hour global outage that left users unable to sign in, download games, or launch many titles. The CTO has since put out a response to the outage, describing it as an "unacceptable situation" and saying that users of Xbox products and services deserve better.

In the public statement, Xbox CTO Scott Van Vliet admitted the company "must do better" after a licensing system failure caused widespread disruptions. According to the CTO, the licensing system sits outside of Xbox, but Xbox depends on it, which resulted in users experiencing problems with sign-ins, entitlement checks, launching games you own, and more. Additionally, some publishing partners that rely on this infrastructure were impacted, which is why some games were affected, and others weren't.

Van Vliet said on-call teams declared the outage a "major incident" and worked to reroute traffic onto healthy parts of the system while identifying the root cause. Service returned unevenly across regions, which is why some Xbox users are reporting that they regained access earlier than others.

Take-Two has published a new letter to shareholders informing them when the next shareholder meeting will be held, and it includes a statement from Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick on the release date for Grand Theft Auto 6 and the expected success of the launch.

Zelnick writes that Take-Two delivered "outstanding" fiscal 2026 results with $6.72 billion in Net Bookings, which is the net value of the products and services sold during a period of time. Additionally, approximately $750 million of that total was "above our initial guidance," with each of the company's labels beneath its umbrella exceeding internal expectations. As for the future, Zelnick writes that "Fiscal year 2027 has the potential to be a major inflection point" with "the planned release" of Grand Theft Auto 6.

As you can probably imagine, the release of Grand Theft Auto 6 is central to Take-Two's financial strategy, with the company expecting fiscal net bookings of $8 billion to $8.2 billion, which would be up from the $6.72 billion in fiscal 2026. If accurate, Take-Two will see growth of approximately 19% to 22%. Additionally, fiscal year 2027 runs from April 2026 to March 2027, which means a November 19 launch for GTA 6 would leave roughly four and a half months of GTA 6 sales within that financial year.

Lenovo has shared new details about its upcoming Legion C700 gaming handheld. The pitch is a thin, lightweight device built specifically for game streaming rather than powerful onboard silicon. A new teaser confirms the C700 will ship with a dedicated USB streaming dongle and companion PC software, promising local streaming latency as low as 10ms.

That 10ms figure comes from lab testing using a Legion Y9000P laptop with an RTX 4060 running at 1080p and 120Hz. Real-world results will depend on the strength of the local network and the host PC, but the setup is designed to feel close to native play. The dongle enables one-click streaming from a connected Windows PC, and Lenovo says the handheld can stream locally stored games even in an offline environment when paired with the host machine.

The C700 is not a Windows handheld. It is expected to ship running Android, making it more comparable to the Logitech G Cloud than the Legion Go series. Lenovo has partnered with Tencent's START cloud gaming service for the device, which gives it access to a broad library of streamed titles.

Ever had a family member borrow your Steam Deck only to hand it back with a dead battery? Reddit user ConroyyJenkinss certainly had, and they clearly had enough. Rather than setting a PIN or hiding the device, they built an automated defense system around it, and it is exactly as unhinged as it sounds.

The build starts with a 3D-printed orange spiked case modeled in Blender. The spikes make the Steam Deck uncomfortable to pick up, which is the point. From there, ConroyyJenkinss added a Raspberry Pi, a small speaker, an object detection camera, and a servo motor.

A custom Python script monitors the camera feed and plays an audio warning when it detects someone in frame. If they do not leave within a few seconds, the servo triggers a taser mounted above the device. The taser is loud and designed to scare rather than shock, but the crackling noise alone appears to be doing the job.

Microsoft expands its PC gaming footprint with a new cross-licensing promotion with Ubisoft.

Xbox today announced the next step in its so-called console-to-PC program, offering free access to specific Ubisoft games. Users who own a copy of select Ubisoft games on Xbox consoles will be able to download and play the same game on PC. The access point is the publisher's Ubisoft Connect app, not the Xbox app, but the cross-licensing origin point is the Xbox console ecosystem.

Titles include a medley of modern games including AC Mirage and Valhalla, Far Cry 6, The Crew 2, and two Rainbow Six games. The licenses for DLC also transfer over, except for consumables, and cross-progression features will carry over to the PC version. Xbox says that there's no reverse freebie--if you own the PC version on Ubisoft Connect, you won't magically unlock an Xbox version.

Xbox servers have gone down just days after the PlayStation Network was hit by its own outage, and Microsoft has officially recognized the problem in a recent statement, but left out perhaps the most troubling aspect that is seemingly emerging at the time of reporting.

As we outlined in a separate report, Xbox began suffering on July 23 when the Live services were knocked offline, subsequently downing critical features and services such as Store, subscriptions, remote play, app access, etc. The problems didn't stop there, as a second outage occurred only a few days later, resulting in some gamers reporting games missing from libraries, inability to sign into accounts, Store access again, and options to purchase a game that a player had already paid for.

That last problem has seemingly reversed itself, as the latest issue for Microsoft is that numerous posts on X are rapidly surfacing claiming Xbox players are currently exploiting a glitch with the Store that enables them to download, install, and play a selection of titles. Some posts claim this exploit is exclusive to discontinued Xbox 360 games on the One and Series X|S, and include games such as Left 4 Dead, Silent Hill: Downpour, and Peter Jackson's King Kong.

Xbox's online services went down for several hours this week, just days after a separate PlayStation Network outage left millions of players locked out of their accounts. Two major outages in one week is a rough coincidence, and it's giving gamers an early look at what an all-digital future might actually feel like.

Xbox's troubles started on July 23, the same day early access opened for Halo: Campaign Evolved, when Xbox Live services went down and knocked out the Store, subscriptions, social features, cloud gaming, remote play, and app access. A second outage followed just days later, this time hitting account sign-ins, the Store, and parts of the Xbox app.

Some players reported games missing from their libraries entirely, along with ownership warnings appearing on titles they had already paid for. Xbox Support acknowledged the problems on X, saying the team was still looking into the sign-in, library, and game launch issues, though it hasn't said what caused either outage.

The Xbox Series X is known to be a powerful console, but a recent story just proves its strength in a different way. A TikTok user says his Xbox Series X survived a house fire, and the video he posted afterward shows the console booting up and running games like nothing happened.

The clips come from TikTok user @kai_doggett14, who says a fire recently destroyed his house for reasons that still aren't clear. Among the wreckage, he found his Xbox Series X mostly intact, though the shell was warped and charred in several spots.

In the first video, he plugs the console into a wall outlet and hits the power button. The Xbox logo lights up and the system boots normally, despite heat damage around the top vents and a disc drive that looks bent out of shape.

Call of Duty Black Ops II, a 14-year-old shooter, had the most active users on the PlayStation Network.

A PS3-era game has taken over PlayStation. Activision and Xbox recently had the brilliant plan to re-release the original Black Ops and Black Ops II games onto the PS4 and PS5. These games had previously been stuck on the PS3 for over a decade, and the new release is actually a straight port of the classic released in 2012. New data figures show that the plan has worked incredibly well; Black Ops II has successfully captured the PS Network.

Circana's Mat Piscatella recently shared a look at weekly active users (WAUs) data for PlayStation games in the US. Black Ops II was at the top of the charts, and Piscatella also notes that three separate Call of Duty games reached the Top 10.

SEGA is shifting to digital and stresses the importance of direct-access delivery on platforms like consoles and PC, but doesn't want to give up on physical entirely.

More publishers are seeking to use digital as a way to grow software sales. SEGA's president and CEO Shuji Utsumi recently spoke about the company's shift to digital, telling Famitsu that it's a vector for increased game sales.

When asked about the most critical part of the plan to boost sales, the SEGA CEO says that digital is the way forward, in part, because the PC market continues to expand. "When it comes to titles we call "full games" for consoles (home game consoles) and PCs, I believe a digital shift is crucial," Utsumi said.

Classic PC gaming series Myst is making a comeback with a brand new release, developer Cyan Worlds has announced.

If you grew up in the 90s, you probably remember Myst, the enigmatic puzzle game that blended novel 3D visuals with classic PC gaming. After decades in between new releases outside of remakes, the creators of Myst have announced a new project.

"We are currently in development of a new game, codenamed Mudfish, set inside the Myst Universe," Cyan Worlds said on their website.

For the first time in 17 years, Microsoft is raising the minimum and recommended PC requirements for Minecraft, with the developer outlining in a blog post that Minecraft: Java Edition will be getting a specification increase to fall in line with modern hardware.

The new recommended and minimum system requirements came into effect on July 21, which means performance and visual quality are no longer guaranteed on hardware that falls below each of the requirements. Microsoft now recommends 16GB of RAM, a 2020s-era CPU, and a GPU with at least 6GB of VRAM to hit 1080p at 60FPS, while the 1080p at 30FPS requires 8GB of RAM, a discrete GPU, or 12GB integrated graphics, along with a 4-core processor and a Vulkan 1.3-capable GPU that has at least 2GB of VRAM.

The updated specs are intended to future-proof performance and discontinue older, more outdated hardware. Players who once met the recommended requirements are now likely to fall below the new minimums. If for whatever reason you begin suffering performance issues, the company suggests switching to the Bedrock Edition for those on subpar hardware, though mod support will be limited. Used PCs in the $350 - $500 range can bridge the gap, offering a decade of gameplay if Microsoft sticks to its 17-year spec routine change.

007 First Light has witnessed the arrival of its first patch, and on top of that, Denuvo has been dropped from the game.

If you recall the launch, the developer of 007 First Light waited until the game was just a week from release before revealing that Denuvo DRM would be included. That led to quite the backlash from gamers who had already pre-ordered, and viewed the developer's move with some cynicism.

The good news is that Denuvo has just been canned, as TechPowerUp reports, after 007 First Light has only been on sale for two months. The revelation came via SteamDB, which observed the removal of the DRM as part of its tracked changes for the games on Valve's platform.

The notorious hacking group Anonymous has officially targeted Sony over its decision to end the production of physical PlayStation discs, with the group taking to its X account to share a warning, "The End of Owning Your Games is Coming".

The group explains the difference between purchasing a physical copy of a game, which in many cases enables the owner to play the game without the need for an internet connection or an active account. Additionally, a physical copy also means if the game is removed from the PSN Store, it will still work, while also being able to trade it in, lend it to a friend, or resell it.

Anonymous goes on to write that Sony, by removing physical copies of games, means the only way to access PlayStation games is digitally, which is a purchase of a license that Sony holds the revocability rights to in perpetuity, meaning Sony can disable access to your game at any given time, despite you having "bought" or "purchased" it. The company even outlines in its Software Usage Terms that any terminology such as "own," "purchase," "buy", and "sell" "do not mean that ownership is actually being transferred to you," writes Anonymous.

US gamers are pre-ordering the more expensive $100+ editions of video games on the PlayStation Store.

In the games industry, billion-dollar companies are passing down the higher costs of production right to consumers. Current trends indicate that gamers are now willing to pay higher prices for specific games, including $100 or even $150 under special circumstances.

The current pre-order positioning on the PlayStation Store in the US gives indications on how gamers in this region are buying games. The listings show a clear trend: Seven of the top 10 best-earning pre-ordered games are for editions that cost over $100. The top 6 pre-orders are for editions of games that cost $100 or more, including EA's new controversial $150 FC27 Ultimate Plus Edition. This reinforces our previous findings of price tolerance in the console gaming space.

Meccha Chameleon players have found themselves in the crosshairs of a sophisticated cyberattack after malicious Steam Workshop maps infected devices and led to the official Discord server being taken over. The attack has resulted in infected PCs and a compromised developer account.

The exploit was discovered by independent researcher Feint, who found that some custom maps such as Laser Tag Neon contained code that wrote a batch file to a player's Documents folder. From here, the file then attempted to use PowerShell to download additional malware and remote access trojans.

Developer Haganeiro confirmed the vulnerability was patched in update 3.1.0, but warned users to scan their systems and avoid the original Discord server. The map has since been removed, and the malware has been disabled for players who haven't installed the update.

Valve's eagerly awaited Steam Frame VR headset is now facing a new roadblock ahead of its 2026 launch, which comes after the Steam Machine launched at a price point even Valve wasn't happy with. Now, new reports are claiming Qualcomm has announced a double-digit price increase for its Snapdragon chips, the very processors that power Valve's upcoming Steam Frame.

According to a report from Bloomberg, the price hike will take effect on September 1, 2026, as Qualcomm has informed its customers that they should expect at least a double-digit increase.

Notably, this price hike is just ahead of the expected Steam Frame release window, which is pegged for later this year. The report states Qualcomm will be targeting a range of its chips, including the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, which is used in the Steam Frame, to rise in cost by a significant percentage, a move that could directly inflate the final retail price for consumers.

PlayStation's most diehard fans are calling for a 7-day blackout of their PS5s in an effort to protest Sony's decision to end physical disc production of PlayStation games. Sony's decision to end physical copies of PlayStation games has sparked fury among gamers, with many critics citing it as a decision to drive profits higher and remove ownership from gamers.

The protest, organized via social media, urges players to unplug their consoles from August 23 to 30, which is an attempt at directly targeting one of Sony's key metrics: active users. Organizers argue that Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) has grown increasingly disconnected from its fanbase, citing the closure of studios like Bluepoint and Japan Studio, along with price hikes for hardware and services such as PSN.

This backlash isn't alone, as a Change.org petition titled "Don't Kill the Disc" has already reached 345,286 verified signatures, indicating there is substantial pushback from the gaming community against the phase-out of discs. Fans claim that Sony's shift toward digital is not only financially driven but a betrayal of the physical gaming culture that helped define PlayStation's identity, with the Change.org petition highlighting E3 2013, where Sony attracted a generation of PlayStation gamers with an advertisement that mocked competitors locking games to their initial buyers, removing the ability to trade it in, sell it, or lend it to a friend.

PS5 emulation keeps inching forward, and the latest update comes from SharpEmu, which can now get GTA 5 as far as its loading screen. Footage posted on X shows the game displaying its logo and loading indicators before stalling out in the North Yankton intro sequence.

That's not nothing, but it's also nowhere near playable. This builds on an earlier milestone from a separate project, KytyPS5, which recently got GTA 5's main menu and settings screen to load without any actual gameplay behind it. SharpEmu itself has been busy elsewhere too, having previously pushed Demon's Souls Remake all the way to its character creation screen, up from just booting and crashing a week earlier. Ghost of Yotei has apparently reached its splash screen through similar testing, though it crashes shortly after.

It's worth being realistic about what any of this actually means. PS5 emulation is still roughly where PS4 emulation was in its earliest days, and it took projects like ShadPS4 a long time to go from loading screens to functional gameplay. RPCS3, the PS3 emulator, needed years of work before commercial games became reliably playable, and that project had to deal with the Cell processor's notoriously strange architecture along the way.