Xbox One owners will be able to play GTA 6 when it launches on November 19, while PC players still have no official way in. In its pre-load announcement, which also confirmed a 30 FPS target on consoles, Rockstar says the game will be available through Xbox Cloud Gaming on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles, using Xbox Series S graphics settings. Xbox says streaming opens at 1 AM ET on launch day, and the game still has to be bought separately. Rockstar also warns that connection speed and other technical factors may affect performance in ways that local play would not.

Xbox CEO Asha Sharma framed the news as the start of a much bigger deal with Rockstar's parent company. In a post on X, she called the Xbox One cloud launch the first step of a new 10-year strategic partnership with Take-Two, adding that GTA 6 is already the most pre-ordered game ever on the Microsoft Store. Neither company has shared the terms of that partnership so far. Xbox did confirm that GTA 5, Red Dead Redemption 2, and more Rockstar titles will join Xbox Cloud Gaming in the coming months. Back in October, Sharma reportedly told staff at an internal town hall that Xbox had something planned around GTA 6 that "no other platform holder is doing," which led to reports of exclusive streaming rights. Xbox CSO Matthew Ball shot those down shortly after, saying the game "will not be streaming exclusively or to PC."

Microsoft has introduced Cloud Rebuild, a recovery option that can wipe and reinstall Windows 11 by pulling a fresh image and the PC's drivers from Windows Update, even when the system refuses to boot. It ships with KB5127936, the optional preview update released on October 28 for Windows 11 25H2 and 26H2, and it's rolling out gradually. If Windows still loads, the option sits under Settings > System > Recovery as "Rebuild PC." If it doesn't, the PC falls back to the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) after a few failed boots, where Cloud rebuild shows up under the Troubleshoot menu.

The "Reset this PC" menu has had a Cloud download mode for a while. According to Microsoft, Cloud rebuild goes a step further by grabbing drivers as well and by not depending on the installed copy of Windows being intact. It is a clean slate, though. The system drive gets reformatted, wiping apps, settings, user accounts, and local files, and only data synced to services like OneDrive survives. Anyone handing the PC off can pick a sanitize mode that has the drive securely erase itself first, and IT admins can kick off a rebuild remotely through the Recovery CSP.

Microsoft has started selling Xbox Cloud Gaming time to people who don't pay for Game Pass. Starting today, Xbox Insiders without an active subscription can buy prepaid playtime and stream games on supported devices, with a broader rollout planned for November. There are three packs at what Microsoft calls introductory launch pricing: 10 hours for $3.99, 25 hours for $7.99, and 50 hours for $11.99. The packs are ad-free and come with shorter wait times, and the purchased hours don't expire until they are used up. Insiders can also keep using the free, ad-supported option Microsoft began testing in July. These pay-as-you-go plans arrive right before the monthly hour limits Microsoft announced in September kick in.

Starting in November, Game Pass Ultimate ($22.99) includes 15 hours of cloud gaming per month, Premium ($14.99) gets 10 hours, and Essential ($9.99) gets just five. Microsoft expects the caps to affect around 4% of subscribers, and said those who run out will be able to buy extra playtime through the Xbox Store. It seems likely these packs will double as top-ups for subscribers, though Microsoft hasn't confirmed that yet. On paper, $11.99 gets you more than three times the streaming hours Ultimate includes each month. Of course, Ultimate also comes with the Game Pass library, while the packs are meant for streaming eligible games you already own. More details on eligible games and market availability should follow in November. Since the current prices are labeled introductory, they could very well change later.

Microsoft has announced the Xbox Nano Controller, a pocket-sized gamepad priced at $49.99 (£44.99) that it calls its smallest controller yet. It measures just over five inches long and weighs a tiny 3.5 ounces, yet still packs all 18 standard gameplay inputs, plus a programmable Action Button for screenshots and gameplay capture. It connects over Xbox Wireless and Bluetooth, runs on a built-in rechargeable battery, and works with Xbox consoles, Windows PCs, iOS and Android devices, and select smart TVs. Microsoft hasn't shared battery life or color options yet, and there's no word on rumble or impulse triggers either. Pre-orders are open now, with the controller launching on November 4 across 36 markets, including the US, UK, Japan, and much of Europe.

Xbox is also lining up US holiday bundles, with select Samsung TVs and Meta Quest headsets coming with a Nano Controller and two months of Game Pass Ultimate for new members. A compact controller for TVs and VR headsets makes the most sense for cloud gaming, though the timing isn't great. Starting in November, Xbox Cloud Gaming gets monthly time limits, with Ultimate subscribers capped at 15 hours, Premium at 10, and Essential at 5, and extra hours costing more. At $49.99, the Nano also costs noticeably more than other compact controllers, such as CRKD's Atom+ at $29.99 and 8BitDo's Lite 2 at $34.99. Native Xbox Wireless support might justify some of that premium, but battery life will probably decide whether it's worth it.

Jailbroken PS5 owners can now stream Xbox games on Sony's console. Developer RafaelNGP has released PSBox Cloud Gaming on GitHub, an unofficial Xbox Cloud Gaming client that runs natively on homebrew-enabled PS5s through a loader such as ShadowMountPlus. Sign-in works through a code entered at microsoft.com/link, and a Game Pass Ultimate subscription is still required. The DualSense acts as an Xbox controller, rumble included, and the latest build even adds voice chat through the DualSense mic. Streams run at 1080p60 by default, with 720p for slower connections and an experimental 1440p mode where Microsoft offers it. Interestingly, the app can also use the PS5's GPU to upscale the stream to 4K, with a choice between AMD FSR 1 and the Anime4K upscaler.

The project is moving fast, too. Version 0.5.0, which brought the 4K upscaling, landed on October 8, and version 0.9.5 followed just two days later, picking up Remote Play to your own Xbox along the way. Video is H.264 decoded on the CPU, so there's no HDR for now, and bitrate sits at around 10 to 12 Mbps at 1080p. Some early testers reportedly ran into macroblocking, pink artifacts, and DualSense vibration issues. It's the latest in a busy stretch for PS5 homebrew, following emulators that run Nintendo Switch games, load PS2 discs, and even get Halo 2 running on the console. Of course, Microsoft could change or block the services the client relies on at any time, something the developer notes in the project's own README notes.

Microsoft has reportedly signed a deal that makes Xbox Cloud Gaming the only cloud service allowed to stream Grand Theft Auto 6 at launch, according to The Verge's Tom Warren, citing sources familiar with Microsoft's plans. The claim follows an internal town hall this week where Xbox CEO Asha Sharma apparently told staff that the company has something planned around GTA 6 that "no other platform holder is doing." Sharma doesn't seem to have described the deal herself, and neither Microsoft nor Rockstar has confirmed it officially yet. It's also unclear how long the exclusivity lasts, or whether streaming will require buying the game.

If it pans out, the deal would matter most to PC players. GTA 6 is set to release on November 19 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, and Rockstar hasn't announced a PC version. Xbox Cloud Gaming works on PCs, so it could be the only official way to play there at launch without owning a console. Rival services such as NVIDIA GeForce NOW and Sony's PlayStation Plus cloud streaming would presumably have to wait, though the report doesn't name them directly. Meanwhile, Microsoft is introducing monthly caps on cloud play in November, with Game Pass Ultimate limited to 15 hours, Premium to 10, and Essential to just 5. Extra hours can be bought, and a pay-as-you-go option for non-subscribers is expected the same month. Anyone hoping to finish GTA 6 over the cloud would probably burn through those hours fairly quickly.

A warped Manhattan is waiting in the cloud this week. Remedy Entertainment's CONTROL Resonant brings Dylan Faden's extraordinary abilities and a paranatural crisis to GeForce NOW at launch. With the release comes the final days of the CONTROL Resonant Ultimate Membership Bundle. Purchase a 12-month GeForce NOW Ultimate membership through Sunday, Sept. 27, and receive CONTROL Resonant at no additional cost. GeForce NOW support is coming soon to Googlebooks, a new category of laptops bringing together the best of ChromeOS and Android. To top it off, DragonSword: Awakening leads nine new games this week, bringing an anime-style open world to supported devices.

Take Control on the Cloud
Explore a warped Manhattan on the brink of paranatural annihilation in Remedy Entertainment's CONTROL Resonant. Harness Dylan Faden's extraordinary abilities to battle the Hiss, the Mold and other reality-bending threats while searching for his sister, Federal Bureau of CONTROL Director Jesse Faden. Dylan must master his new powers and the ever-changing forms of the Aberrant, his paranatural melee weapon, to face a cosmic threat that has escaped the Oldest House and swept through the city.

Microsoft has filed a patent application for a system that would show ads in PC and console games during natural breaks, such as after a boss fight, at the end of a cutscene, or on a loading screen. Titled "Contextually Aware Management of Interactive Software Application Access" (US 2026/0260258 A1), the filing describes an initial ad-free window, either time-based (30 minutes, say) or tied to progress, like finishing a level. As that window runs out, the game would signal a content management system once it reaches a suitable pause, and the ad would play. Watching it earns a "credit" that delays the next interruption. Some have pointed out that this patent describes something very similar to what free mobile games are doing.

Of course, this is only a patent application. Companies file these all the time, and many never become products. The filing does not name a specific Xbox game, service, or rollout. Microsoft recently began testing free, ad-supported Xbox Cloud Gaming for Insiders, but those ads play before a session starts, and Microsoft says they will not interrupt gameplay. Xbox Chief Strategy Officer Matthew Ball has also said he personally believes interrupting gameplay "would be bad." However, what the patent describes would be a step in the opposite direction.

Since Xbox's new CEO, Asha Sharma, took over, the company has made a number of changes to its strategy, including the Xbox Game Pass subscription service, and it seems as though more Game Pass changes may be planned for 2027, if a recent rumor posted to the ResetEra forums holds any water.

The rumor claims a number of changes are coming to the Xbox Game Streaming subscription services, the biggest of which is the removal of day-one releases as of sometime between February and April 2027, and a corresponding change in the price structure for Game Pass, which will see Game Pass cost $3 less—$19.99 monthly. Additionally, Game Pass will also be split into a $12.99 ad-free tier and the aforementioned ad-supported tier. This is not the first time an ad-supported Game Pass tier has been mentioned, lending credence to the rumors.

Microsoft is putting a hard cap on Xbox Cloud Gaming for the first time, ending years of unlimited streaming for Game Pass subscribers. Starting in November, Game Pass Essential will include 5 hours of cloud streaming a month, Premium gets 10 hours, and Ultimate tops out at 15 hours. Once subscribers burn through their allotment, they'll need to pay for extra hours through the Xbox Store to keep going. Xbox says the change should only affect around 4% of subscribers, so casual streamers likely won't notice much. Heavy users are a different story, particularly anyone leaning on cloud streaming as their main way to play.

Xbox hasn't announced pricing for extra hours yet, saying more details will come before the change goes live. The company did admit outright that "the practical result is a higher cost" for some players. Contrary to how generous this might look on paper, Xbox's own ceiling is notably tighter than NVIDIA GeForce Now's 100-hour monthly cap on its top tier. Microsoft points to rising cloud infrastructure costs as the reason, though it's hard not to read this as part of the division's overall push toward profitability after a rough stretch of layoffs.

We reported previously that Microsoft was planning an ad-supported version of its Xbox Cloud streaming service, and a new post by Xbox Wire confirms that this rumor is finally coming to fruition, with Xbox Insiders now gaining access to free, ad-supported game streaming via their Xbox accounts.

Ad-supported game streaming will be limited to games that players own already and free-to-play games, and gaming sessions will be limited to an hour. Microsoft explains that ads will play at the beginning of gaming sessions, seemingly exclusively, and that it will be available on any device where Xbox Cloud streaming is available. Judging by the blog post, there don't appear to be any other limitations, aside from the 1440p resolution limit.

Intel and Google Cloud today announced an expansion of their previously announced multi-year strategic collaboration, which would accelerate Intel's enterprise-wide digital evolution through the deployment of Gemini Enterprise and Google Cloud.

Intel will integrate advanced, Gemini-powered generative AI across its global workforce, helping to scale capabilities and bolster traditional workflows across engineering, supply chain, and corporate operations. Google Cloud's highly scalable infrastructure will also augment Intel's semiconductor development environment, introducing custom, agentic workflows to speed the chip design lifecycle and streamline cross-functional execution.

IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced IBM Power Autonomous Operations, an AI agent that can help continuously monitor Power systems and autonomously resolve issues to keep operations running smoothly. It complements the recently launched IBM Bob Premium Package for i, which brings agentic-driven software designed to accelerate application development on IBM i. These capabilities can accelerate building modern applications so enterprises can innovate at the pace required by their business. Additionally, the entry-level Power S1112 server provides a new compact, efficient option powerful enough to run AI inference locally.

IBM Power has long been IBM's platform for mission-critical enterprise workloads. As AI becomes part of that critical infrastructure, Power is built to support it. IBM introduced Power11 last year as autonomous IT for the AI era, built for availability, resiliency, and scale across on-premises and IBM Cloud environments. IBM Power Virtual Server is a fully managed cloud service on which enterprises can run AIX, IBM i and Linux workloads while offloading much of the routine management for system operations. Now, IBM is embedding autonomous IT across the Power platform, from code to runtime, with new capabilities and systems.

Synology had plenty to show at Computex 2026 in Taipei, unveiling a broad range of new products and software updates focused on AI, private cloud, data protection, and surveillance, but while many focused on AI, Synology focused on keeping users data private and under control with all those AI enhancements. The biggest update is the next generation of DSM, Synology's operating system that powers its NAS systems. The company is leaning heavily into AI features, adding smarter automation tools, AI-assisted workflows, and improved management for both businesses and larger deployments. Since the company is focusing on data security, those same AI features are meant to be run locally instead of relying entirely on cloud services.

Synology also showcased updates to its ActiveProtect platform, including ActiveProtect Manager 2.0 and the new DP5200, which promises further flexibility for deployment. The updated platform now supports more cloud and virtualization services while also adding AI-powered threat and anomaly detection. The company is obviously focusing on enterprise backup and cybersecurity due to raising AI-related security issues. On the surveillance side, which also fell victim to AI, Synology introduced new cameras, access control products, and updated DVA systems with smarter AI-powered search and tracking capabilities. The company also previewed Surveillance365, a hybrid cloud surveillance platform aimed at easier remote and multi-site monitoring.

Dell Technologies (NYSE: DELL) introduces Dell PowerStore Elite, a new class of modern storage platform that delivers breakthrough performance and efficiency through software-driven innovation and a fully refreshed hardware platform. PowerStore Elite supports block, file, virtual machines and container workloads with mixed-generation clustering that lets existing customers adopt the latest PowerStore without disruption.

Why it matters
Enterprise storage decisions have never been more important. Data is exploding. AI workloads are expanding. Cyber threats are intensifying. Flash supply dynamics are putting new pressure on infrastructure planning. And IT teams are expected to modernize through all of it, without adding complexity, risk or operational overhead.

Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC) and Google today announced a multiyear collaboration to advance the next generation of AI and cloud infrastructure, reinforcing the critical role of CPUs and custom infrastructure processing units (IPUs) in scaling modern, heterogeneous AI systems.

As AI adoption accelerates, infrastructure is becoming more complex and heterogeneous, driving increased reliance on CPUs for orchestration, data processing and system-level performance. Through this collaboration, Intel and Google will align across multiple generations of Intel Xeon processors to improve performance, energy efficiency and total cost of ownership across Google's global infrastructure.

It was recently revealed that Xbox's new CEO, Asha Sharma, is planning to announce a new Game Pass subscription tier in order to draw in more gamers, and, although there has been no official announcement from Xbox itself, it seems as though those rumors have been confirmed by Better xCloud, an open-source service that adds features to Xbox Cloud Gaming, in a recent analysis of the Game Pass update code.

According to a post by the Better xCloud official X account, there is a new Game Pass tier that uses the codename "Triton" in the Game Pass update code, and all of the games in the new tier are from first-party Xbox Game Studios, as opposed to regular Game Pass, which features games from third-party developers as well. The exact pricing Xbox will use for the new Game Pass tier is still unknown, but there has been speculation that it will be an ad-supported free or low-cost subscription. This first-party approach could theoretically allow Microsoft to keep costs down, effectively eliminating licensing costs from the equation. It would also be a way for Microsoft to leverage the numerous studio acquisitions it has made during the last few years. There have also been talks of a partnership between Xbox and Netflix for bundled subscriptions, so this may be the groundwork for that.

Super Meat Boy 3D, the 3D remake of the "tough-as-nails" platformer will officially launch on March 31, according to a new release date trailer published as part of an Xbox Partner Preview. It will be available for the Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam and the Xbox Store, the PS5, and for the Nintendo Switch 2 via the Nintendo eShop. It will also be a day-one Xbox Game Pass and Cloud gaming title, so it will see quite a wide release.

Super Meat Boy 3D is meant to be a 3D reimagining of the original 2D precision platformer that originally launched way back in 2010, which has sold an estimated 2.6 million+ units, according to conservative estimates. Pricing has not yet been announced for Super Meat Boy 3D, but the original Super Meat Boy still retails for $14.99 16 years after release. The 3D version of the game will require at least an AMD Ryzen 3 3100 or Intel Core i3-10100, 8 GB of memory, and an AMD Radeon RX 6400 or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti or 1650 to play.

Asha Sharma has faced her fair share of criticism since stepping into the role of CEO of Microsoft Gaming earlier in 2026, but she has repeatedly made statements that she would try to guide the company in what she calls a "return to Xbox," with a focus on in-house hardware. According to a new report by The Information, one of Sharma's first moves as CEO of Microsoft Gaming will be to introduce a new lower-price tier of Game Pass in order to attract new gamers to the service and to make the service inticing to a broader range of consumers.

This comes shortly after Microsoft renamed the Windows Full Screen Experience to Xbox Mode, perhaps a rebranding in the name of unifying Microsoft's gaming offerings—a mission that is clearly part of Microsoft's plan, given that its next-gen console is confirmed to be a PC-console hybrid. Previously, there were rumors of an ad-supported tier for Xbox Cloud Gaming, but Microsoft also increased the price of Game Pass across the board as recently as October 2025. A Microsoft executive previously confirmed that Game Pass was profitable as a service, but that Xbox had to emphasize flexibility in its strategy, and introducing a cheaper Game Pass tier may be a viable way to draw in new Game Pass gamers, some of whom will presumably hop over to the more premium tiers, depending on Microsoft's implementation of the new entry-level tier.

NVIDIA today announced NVIDIA BlueField-4 STX, a modular reference architecture that enables enterprises, cloud and AI providers to easily deploy accelerated storage infrastructure capable of the long-context reasoning required for agentic AI. Traditional data centers provide high-capacity, general-purpose storage but lack the responsiveness required for seamless interaction with AI agents that work across many steps, tools and sessions. Agentic AI demands real-time access to data and contextual working memory to keep conversations and tasks fast and coherent. As context grows, traditional storage and data paths can slow AI inference and reduce GPU utilization.

NVIDIA STX allows storage providers to build infrastructure that keeps data close and accessible at scale, so agentic AI factories can deliver higher throughput and responsiveness across inference, training and analytics. The first rack-scale implementation includes the new NVIDIA CMX context memory storage platform, which expands GPU memory with a high-performance context layer for scalable inference and agentic systems - providing up to 5x tokens per second compared with traditional storage.

Advantech (2395.TW), a global leader in industrial IoT, today announced an expanded collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. to accelerate the deployment of generative AI (GenAI) at the edge. This collaboration centers on Advantech adopting the Qualcomm Dragonwing AI on-prem appliance solution, powered by Qualcomm Cloud AI 100 Ultra accelerator into the Advantech SKY-641E3 4U high-performance edge server. By utilizing a specialized PCIe switch backplane, this solution provides the high-bandwidth connectivity required to unlock the full potential of high-density AI inference for enterprise and industrial verticals.
Unmatched Inference Density for Massive Concurrency

Unlike standard dual-slot GPU servers, the SKY-641E3 is architected specifically for maximum inference throughput. By supporting up to 12 single-slot FH/FL accelerators within a single 4U chassis, it offers a superior density-to-footprint ratio. This configuration is optimized for high-concurrency edge workloads, such as city-wide intelligent video analytics or large-scale retail AI agents, allowing for the simultaneous processing of hundreds of real-time data streams without the thermal overhead of power-hungry training GPUs.

QNAP Systems, Inc., a leading innovator in computing, networking, and storage solutions, today introduced the TS-h1077AFU, a compact 10-bay SATA-based all-flash NAS designed for businesses seeking fast, reliable, and cost-effective flash storage. Built on the ZFS-based QuTS hero operating system, powered by AMD Ryzen PRO 7000 Series processors, and equipped with ECC DDR5 memory, the TS-h1077AFU delivers exceptional performance, data integrity, and deployment value. Engineered with speed, density, and reliability at its core, the TS-h1077AFU is ideal for virtualization, high-speed media workflows, database operations, and multi-site backup consolidation.

"Following the strong market reception of our 30-bay TS-h3077AFU, we developed the TS-h1077AFU to bring the same enterprise flash performance to a more compact and versatile form factor," said Alex Shih, Product Manager at QNAP. "This 10-bay model gives businesses greater flexibility when designing high-performance flash storage architectures, while retaining the reliability and data integrity that QuTS hero is known for."

Microsoft has partnered up with ASUS and Dell to bring back the "dumb terminal," or at least something that very much reminds of it. Back in 2024 Microsoft launched its Windows 365 Link cloud PC which largely went unnoticed outside some corporate usage. Now the company has decided that it's time to let its partners get a slice of the action with the announcement of the ASUS NUC 16 for Windows 365 and the Dell Pro Desktop for Windows 365.

Based on the specs of equivalent models from ASUS and Dell, the hardware could still prove to be decent, with ASUS' coming soon page point towards DDR5 memory, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 and 2.5 Gbps Ethernet, as well as USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C connectivity. Nothing is really known about the Dell Pro Desktop, as it appears to be a new model of its current hardware, based on the picture provided by Microsoft. What makes these two devices "dumb terminals" is that they run Windows 365, which is a stripped down OS that launches you straight into Office 365. The devices aren't expected until the third quarter of this year, but are a clear sign of things to come, where Microsoft wants to push the corporate PC to be a cloud only device. This might work for some businesses that don't require any other software for their staff, but it's hard to see how this will replace the traditional PC.

Dell Technologies (NYSE: DELL) introduces the Dell PowerEdge XR9700 server, a first of its kind closed-loop liquid-cooled, fully-enclosed, ruggedized server engineered to run Cloud RAN and edge AI workloads in unprotected outdoor environments. Designed to mount on utility poles, rooftops and building exteriors, the PowerEdge XR9700 brings high performance computing into dense urban areas, remote locations and space-constrained facilities where traditional data center infrastructure cannot reach.

Why it matters
Telecommunications operators and those working at the edge often struggle to deploy compute due to lack of power and space. The PowerEdge XR9700 solves this, delivering high performance compute directly at the point of need in an ultra-compact, zero-footprint IP66-rated enclosure that's sealed from the elements. For telecommunications operators, it provides a flexible, software-defined alternative to traditional RAN solutions, supporting Cloud RAN and Open RAN processing at the cell site. At the same time, the platform can run edge and AI applications directly where data is created and consumed.

NVIDIA today announced a multiyear, multigenerational strategic partnership with Meta spanning on-premises, cloud and AI infrastructure. Meta will build hyperscale data centers optimized for both training and inference in support of the company's long-term AI infrastructure roadmap. This partnership will enable the large-scale deployment of NVIDIA CPUs and millions of NVIDIA Blackwell and Rubin GPUs, as well as the integration of NVIDIA Spectrum-X Ethernet switches for Meta's Facebook Open Switching System platform.

"No one deploys AI at Meta's scale—integrating frontier research with industrial-scale infrastructure to power the world's largest personalization and recommendation systems for billions of users," said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA. "Through deep codesign across CPUs, GPUs, networking and software, we are bringing the full NVIDIA platform to Meta's researchers and engineers as they build the foundation for the next AI frontier."