Apple today introduced Apple Vision Pro with the powerful M5 chip that delivers a leap forward in performance, improved display rendering, faster AI-powered workflows, and extended battery life. The upgraded Vision Pro also comes with the soft, cushioned Dual Knit Band to help users achieve an even more comfortable fit, and visionOS 26, which unlocks innovative spatial experiences, including widgets, new Personas, an interactive Jupiter Environment, and new Apple Intelligence features with support for additional languages. There are over 1 million apps and thousands of games on the App Store, hundreds of 3D movies on the Apple TV app, and all-new series and films in Apple Immersive with a selection of live NBA games coming soon. Vision Pro with M5 and the Dual Knit Band is now available to pre-order on apple.com. Customers can book a demo at Apple Store locations today and it will be available nationwide beginning Wednesday, October 22.

"With the breakthrough performance of M5, the latest Apple Vision Pro delivers faster performance, sharper details throughout the system, and even more battery life, setting a new standard for what's possible in spatial computing," said Bob Borchers, Apple's vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "Paired with the comfortable Dual Knit Band, innovative features in visionOS 26, and all-new Apple Immersive experiences spanning adventure, documentary, music, and sports, spatial computing is even more capable, entertaining, and magical with the new Vision Pro."

MAINGEAR, the leader in premium-quality, high-performance, custom gaming PCs, is dropping its all-new DOOM EDITION desktops, forged in collaboration with HAVN, using their HS 420 DOOM: The Dark Ages Limited Edition chassis. Combining the artistry of HAVN's award-winning design with MAINGEAR's industry-leading engineering, these limited-edition systems are bespoke-crafted battle stations worthy of the Slayer himself. Face the nightmare, watch the drop come alive in this short video.

MAINGEAR's DOOM EDITION PCs are built using no ordinary PC case. Crafted with precision-cut steel, tempered glass, and premium-grade finishes, the chassis is built to resemble a relic of war, brutal, imposing, and instantly recognizable as DOOM. Designed for maximum airflow, cable management, and support for the highest-end GPUs and cooling systems, it's a masterpiece of form and function. MAINGEAR takes this foundation and infuses it with top-of-the-line components and expert craftsmanship, ensuring that every DOOM EDITION desktop doesn't just look the part, but dominates the battlefield of modern gaming.

AMD today released a new video featuring Jack Huynh, Senior Vice President and General Manager of AMD's Computing and Graphics Group, and Mark Cerny, Lead System Architect for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro at Sony Interactive Entertainment. The two discussed Project Amethyst, the collaboration between Sony and AMD to integrate machine learning-based technologies into next-generation graphics and gameplay. Project Amethyst intends to combine custom hardware design with advanced AI-driven rendering and optimization technologies to shape the future of interactive entertainment.

Among other things, they discussed three key parts. First, Neural Arrays tech lets GPU compute units work together as one AI engine, which helps things scale better and allows bigger machine learning models to run with less overhead. Second, Radiance Cores add special hardware for real-time ray tracing and path tracing, which makes light transport better and frees up the GPU to focus on shading leading to faster and more efficient rendering. Last but not least, Universal Compression squeezes all data moving to memory—not just textures—which cuts down on bandwidth needs while giving higher detail better frame rates, and improved power efficiency. However, all of those are just on paper or in software simulation mode so we will have to wait a few more years until they become a reality.

MSI, a global leader in gaming hardware and AI-driven computing, is proud to announce its return to PAX Australia 2025, the Southern Hemisphere's largest gaming and pop-culture exhibition. Running from 10 - 12 October 2025 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), the show attracts over 80,000 attendees across three days of gaming, technology, and entertainment. MSI will take center stage at Booth #8020, presenting an immersive showcase of world-first hardware, hands-on gaming experiences, and daily stage tournaments in collaboration with Intel Australia and Scorptec Computers.

Flagship Product Line-Up
MEG Vision X AI (2nd Gen) Desktop
Powered by the latest Intel Core Ultra 9 285K processor and GeForce RTX 5090 graphics, the MEG Vision X AI (2nd Gen) defines next-generation performance for gamers and creators. Its exclusive 13" AI HMI touchscreen offers real-time system monitoring and tuning, while Silent Storm Cooling 4 and AI-driven optimization ensure uncompromised performance and whisper-quiet operation.

AGON by AOC - the world's leading gaming monitor brand - launches two distinct gaming monitors that cater to different player needs. The AOC GAMING Q27G4SRU brings a 320 Hz refresh rate performance to the popular QHD (2560x1440) resolution, delivering competitive gaming at an accessible price point. Meanwhile, the AOC GAMING U32G4U expands the successful Dual Frame technology to the 32-inch format (31.5" / 80 cm), offering gamers the flexibility to switch between immersive UHD (3840x2160) at 160 Hz and competitive FHD (1920x1080) at 320 Hz on a larger display.

QHD competitive gaming made accessible
The Q27G4SRU delivers exactly what competitive gamers want: 320 Hz performance in the optimal QHD resolution without breaking the bank. This 27-inch (68.58 cm) monitor provides the sweet spot combination of visual clarity and speed, with 110.84 pixels per inch ensuring sharp details that help players read game environments and spot opponents effectively. The sharp yet easy-to-drive QHD resolution on the 27-inch size makes it future-proof for years to come, while the 320 Hz refresh rate will be in reach of today's GPUs and will feel a step-up over 240 Hz models.

TDK Corporation (TSE:6762) announces new TMR sensors as part of TDK's broad suite of custom sensing solutions for gamers and gaming gear builders who seek the ultimate game performance from their keyboards, controllers, mice, webcams, AR/VR, driving wheels, and pedals. TDK's suite of gaming sensing solutions - which includes TMR-based sensors and MEMS motion, microphone, and ultrasonic time-of-flight sensors - are exceptionally precise with fast response, plus compact and low power, to enable a winning edge for gaming gear.

Serious gamers demand the highest levels of performance from sensors within their gear, and TDK has a well-established presence with top industry gaming OEMs. Building on this, TDK now expands its custom sensing solution offerings to include ultra-precise TMR sensors to more top gaming gear manufacturers globally.

Microsoft recently overhauled its Xbox subscription lineup, putting offerings into Essential, Premium, and Ultimate tiers and adding a PC only plan. These plans were upped by 50%. Concurrently, the company is testing an ad-supported Xbox Cloud Gaming option that would let people stream select titles without a Game Pass subscription. Sources familiar with internal tests describe roughly two minutes of pre-roll advertising before a session becomes available, followed by a permitted play window of up to one hour. Early sessions are also capped at about five free hours per month. Microsoft is said to be adjusting those parameters as it prepares a public beta. The ad-supported service would run on PC, Xbox consoles, handheld devices, and web browsers.

The trial covers streaming games a player owns, temporary Free Play Days titles, and a selection of retro classics. Paying subscribers will still benefit from higher streaming quality and fewer restrictions, while the ad-supported tier emphasizes cost-free access over performance. Microsoft frames the experiment as a way to make cloud gaming more accessible in new regions and on lower-end devices, but it could prioritize monetization. Players now face a choice between paying more for uninterrupted access or accepting ads and tight session limits. As testing continues, Microsoft may change ad lengths, session time, and monthly allowances before making a final announcement in the coming months. The model could attract casual players while risking damage to brand loyalty among committed subscribers, and ad partners may push for dynamic ad insertion and regional pricing to maximize revenue. How Microsoft balances ads, caps, and pricing will still be shaped in the weeks to come.

Upgrade your gaming setup with the newly launched ENHANCE Infiltrate 3 Collection, featuring our distinctive hexagonal design across three new essential peripherals. This coordinated trio combines effective cooling, precise control, and comfortable ergonomics to enhance your gaming experience. Built for extended sessions and competitive play. Ready to complete your setup? Your next upgrade is here.

The Infiltrate 3 Laptop Cooling Stand keeps your gaming laptop running cool with an impressive array of 8 fans that work together to eliminate thermal throttling. Its metal top plate actively disperses heat while maintaining optimal laptop positioning across seven adjustable heights. Supporting gaming laptops up to 17.3 inches, this cooling powerhouse features 10 RGB edge lighting modes that bring your setup to life, dual USB ports for connecting your favorite peripherals, and a stepless fan speed dial that allows you to fine-tune your cooling exactly as you want it. The braided USB cable adds durability to match the solid construction.

SCUF Gaming, creator of the high-performance gaming controller category and part of the Corsair family of brands, today announced the SCUF Valor Pro Wireless Performance Controller for Xbox and PC, available now starting at $189.99. The SCUF Valor Pro Wireless continues to build on SCUF's legacy of innovation and customization with key input from creators and international esports pros. Built for pure speed, the signature SCUF design is taken to the next level with key features built and refined for ultimate performance. PC and Xbox gamers will be armed with unmatched precision and control as they dominate the competition with this latest SCUF pro controller.

With an unprecedented level of speed and control, the SCUF Valor Pro Wireless gives Xbox and PC gamers a decisive competitive advantage, with every aspect of the controller refined and built to the highest SCUF standards. With four Customizable Paddles, an ultra-fast 1000 Hz Polling Rate (PC only), Adjustable Instant Triggers, Companion App, and more game-changing features including precise Endurance TMR Thumbsticks, the SCUF Valor Pro Wireless will improve any hardcore gamers performance.

There have been a number of concerns around game subscription services, like Xbox Game Pass, not the least of them sustainability, but it seems as though those concerns have been misplaced. According to Xbox president, Sara Bond, in a recent interview with Game Watch at the Tokyo Game Show, Xbox Game Pass is profitable. A translation of a quote from the interview reads: "It's a profitable business, and more creators are participating in Xbox Game Pass," with Bond going on to say that the payments to creators—presumably developers—are increasing, suggesting that it is profitable for developers as well. She also mentions that the previous fiscal year saw Xbox Game Pass hit a record high sales figure of $5 billion.

These statements come not too long after concerns voiced by Shuhei Yoshida, former Sony Gaming head, who said that these subscription services could become risky for developers. The reasoning was that these services could have a stifling impact on innovation in gaming if gamers became too used to being able to play the latest AAA titles at launch for a low monthly price instead of taking risks and buying games outright. Bond, on the other hand, argues that Game Pass is one of the tools Microsoft and Xbox are leaning into, alongside both Xbox Cloud Game Streaming and the recent launch of the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally, in order to maintain a flexibility.

Thermaltake, a leading PC DIY brand for premium hardware solutions, proudly announces the GR300 Racing Simulator Cockpit, available in Black and Snow finishes. Designed as an accessible yet high-performance entry point into sim racing, the GR300 combines a durable steel frame, adjustable PVC racing seat, and customizable pedal mounts to deliver a stable, comfortable, and immersive driving experience for every type of racer.

Tough & Sturdy Design
The GR300 features a reinforced aluminium profile and steel structure, ensuring rigidity and long-lasting stability even during extended racing sessions. Its robust construction minimizes flex and provides a reliable foundation, instilling confidence to tackle the most demanding virtual tracks.

After last week's leak of an EA buyout, an official agreement was announced that would see the game studio be bought out by PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners for a whopping $55 bn, with the current CEO, Andrew Wilson, remaining in his post for the time being. The deal is slated to go into effect in Q1 FY2027, pending shareholder and regulatory approvals. A subsequent report by The Financial Times, however, has provided slightly more details about the future of EA under its new ownership.

According to the new report, investors are banking on using AI to cut EA's operating costs and "manage a large debt load," indicating that we may see a drastic shift to the inclusion of AI in games, where it may replace developers and actors, although it is so far unclear exactly how EA and its new owners plan to leverage AI in the company's projects. This news comes mere months after the United Videogame Workers Union was founded, partially in response to the rise of artificial intelligence in gaming and mass layoffs that have plagued the gaming industry of late.

At this point, it's secret that EA Games has been in a bit of a rough spot lately, with a recent chain of layoffs resulting in the loss of hundreds of staff and the closure of multiple studios over the last two years. Now, it seems as though EA might have found a lifeline, if a recent report by The Wall Street Journal is to be believed. According to the report, a group of private investors, including Silver Lake and the Saudi Public Investment Fund, may be looking to purchase EA with a $50 billion leveraged buyout. The Saudi PIF already owns 9.4% of EA's shares, so a buyout would not be surprising. The news of a potential buyout deal comes just days after EA launched Skate to a lukewarm reception from PC gamers.

The last time rumors about an EA acquisition were doing the rounds, the company's CEO, Andrew Wilson, was quick to dismiss them and play up EA's successful earnings. Of course, the deal is not yet signed, although an announcement is expected within the next week or two. Theoretically, privatization could help EA streamline company decision-making and remove investor pressure, potentially allowing for more agile moves and interesting game releases. As we discussed late last year, EA isn't the only major publicly traded game studio that is seeking a buyout, with rumors previously spreading about Tencent potentially buying out Ubisoft.

Since the launch of the Steam Deck, Valve has been hard at work polishing its Arch-based Linux distro, SteamOS, for both its own gaming handheld and, more recently, third-party gaming handhelds. With the launch of the SteamOS 3.7.15 update, Valve has taken steps to correct a handful of gaming handheld issues. Most of the updates are bug fixes and quality of life updates, rather than new features, but there are also a number of security updates included that patch out known CVEs. This follows recent news about the official full release of the new Steam Store redesign and the Steam beta that adds support for detecting Secure Boot and TPM states for modern anti-cheat solutions. Overall, Valve seems to be working towards getting SteamOS in a state that is both user-friendly and stable in an attempt to attract and keep as many users on its platform as possible.

For the Steam Deck, the clock and power limits and Wi-Fi connection should more reliably return to their configured states after the device wakes from sleep, and the battery charge estimation has been improved. Wake-on-Bluetooth support has also been returned to all versions of the Steam Deck with support for BLE peripherals—which should prove handy when the handheld is docked. The built-in screen reader also now has multi-language support, and there are a number of audio improvements. For starters, the Steam Deck's volume will no longer jump to 100% when removing wired headphones, the Deck will now also automatically switch to USB audio devices when detected, and audio distortion in the built-in microphone has also been removed. Valve has also removed the Pro Audio profile from the KDE desktop mode—an anti-feature many Linux users will be aware of because it simply disables audio when you select it.

OneXPlayer, famous for its super-sized gaming handhelds and the recent launch of the AMD Strix Halo-powered Super X gaming tablet, has officially confirmed that it will be putting the high-powered AMD Strix Halo APU into a compact gaming handheld with the OneXFly Apex. The Apex, officially teased by OneXPlayer, will be available with an AMD Ryzen AI Max 385 or Max+395, and exact pricing is yet to be confirmed, but a $1,000+ price point is fully expected, given its internals. No official release date has yet been announced for the OneXPlayer OneXFly Apex gaming handheld, either.

The OneXFly Apex will have a native landscape 8-inch display, so there will be no incompatibilities like there were in the early days of the Lenovo Legion Go, and that display will feature a 120 Hz refresh rate with VRR. The controller layout will be similar to that of the ASUS ROG Ally, with asymmetrical joysticks, and it will have two-stage triggers. It will also have a microSD card slot for storage expansion, but there is no word on what the internal storage size would be. OneXPlayer also mentioned what it calls the "ONE Dock silent liquid cooling system," but it has not provided any details about how the dock would work. The closest competitor to the OneXFly Apex is the GPD Win Max 5, which features a detachable 80 Wh battery.

Since it launched, Borderlands 4 has been the subject of complaints about performance, both on console and PC, with some of those performance issues apparently resulting in an indefinite delay of the Nintendo Switch 2 port of Borderlands 4. One slightly more obscure complaint that keeps popping up, though, is the lack of an FOV slider on console versions of the game. A new Borderlands 4 update that dropped on September 25 aims to address both of these types of issues by improving stability and performance for both PC and console and adding a field of view slider in the settings for console players. According to Graeme Timmins, Borderlands 4 creative director, the game will be getting another balance update sometime next week, which will contain a host of vault hunter buffs that could not be included in this update.

The FOV slider was originally not included in the console Borderlands 4, with Gearbox CEO, Randy Pitchford, recently hinting in a poll on X that the reason for its omission had to do with fairness, but the overwhelming majority of players voted in favor of adding the slider, with many citing nausea and motion sickness from the lack of a slider combined with the inconsistent performance. While 2K says that it is still investigating instances of performance degradation, it also claims it has addressed "various instances of hitching, low FPS, and crashes," although there are no specifics as to the causes or fixes implemented. Various bug fixes and balance patches were also issued for all four vault hunters and various weapons, and there are fixes to gameplay and equipment bugs, like improved hit detection for beam weapons, enemies getting stuck, and abilities sometimes not working reliably.

Hades II has been available as an Early Access Steam game for a while already, and during that time, it has proven its popularity, reaching a peak player count of over 100,000 players. However, on September 25, nearly a full year after the Early Access launch, Hades II has officially launched, with the 1.0 update bringing a host of new features and renewed interest in the hack-n-slash roguelike. As of the time of writing, a mere three hours after the official v1.0 update launched, Hades II has peaked at 84,232 concurrent players, according to SteamDB. Although this is still a fair bit away from its all-time peak of 103,567 players, the game launched on a Thursday morning and evening in the biggest gaming markets, so player counts are expected to increase over the weekend. Hades II already had an Overwhelmingly Positive (97% positive) Steam, but after the release, the game has seen a spike in reviews, with over 900 new positive reviews published just three hours after launch.

Among other things, the Hades II v1.0 update adds a true ending to the story of Melinoë's rebellion against the underworld. Players who played the beta version of the game will also now have access to 50 achievements, unlockable Familiar customizations, updated in-game visuals, new music, and new decorations and collectible Keepsakes. More details about tweaks to gameplay, visuals, sound effects, and customization options are available in the full Steam v1.0 update notes. In the v1.0 launch announcement, Supergiant says that "it's too early to say what's next for our team," and that, following the launch of Hades II, the development team will take a much-needed break, aside from the usual post-launch hotfixes. Thus, it seems unlikely that any new content will be added to Hades II for at least a short while. Hades II is currently available for $29.99 on Steam, and it is also available for the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 and Epic Games.

Qualcomm only just unveiled the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 as its latest flagship mobile SoC, and although there were early Geekbench results presented at the Snapdragon Summit event, the first real-world performance figures are starting to emerge, courtesy of the as-yet unreleased OnePlus 15. These tests, carried out by Geekerwan on YouTube mostly center around the Adreno 840 GPU in the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which is meant to deliver marked performance improvements, thanks to the inclusion of Snapdragon HPM (High Performance Memory) cache and updated GPU architecture. It's also important to note that these performance results won't necessarily be representative of results on other smartphones, since thermal management is a big determining factor for smartphone performance, especially when it comes to gaming and sustained workloads. The OnePlus device in question is also running pre-release drivers and firmware, so it's possible that more optimizations and performance gains are coming.

The YouTuber tested the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 across five different games (Honkai: Impact 3rd, Wuthering Waves, Honor of Kings, and Delta Force) and compared it to an iPhone 17 Pro Max and a MediaTek Dimensity 9500. The results are rather impressive, as the new Snapdragon SoC manages to keep up with the Apple A19 Pro in the iPhone 17 Pro Max for the most part. He also performed his own Geekbench 6 tests and found that the results presented on Qualcomm's test devices at the Snapdragon Summit were representative of retail devices, with the OnePlus 15 scoring 12,352 points in the multicore benchmark and 3,836 in single-core tests.

Alphacool International GmbH, headquartered in Braunschweig, has been one of the pioneers in the field of PC water cooling for over two decades. With one of the broadest product portfolios in the industry and extensive expertise, Alphacool is once again setting new standards: the product range is now being expanded with the new ES GeForce RTX 5090 Gaming 1-Slot Design GPU cooler.

The ES GPU coolers have been specially developed for use in server cases and workstations. Thanks to their slim 1-slot design and rear-mounted connectors, they can be easily integrated into densely equipped systems and stacked without blocking adjacent PCIe slots. This simplifies tubing and enables a space-saving, efficient integration into the water loop.

Previous leaks pertaining to the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally purported to reveal a retail price around the $550 mark, and as the official October 16 launch date approaches, a new leak disputes that price and adds that the gaming handheld will be available for pre-order as early as September 24. Pre-order pricing on the leaked documentation indicates a pre-order price of £499.99, which would convert to roughly $605 at the time of writing. While tech pricing almost never converts that linearly, the ASUS ROG Ally retails for £549.99 in the UK and $649.99 in the US, so the conversion more or less lines up. On the other hand, Xbox console pricing converts at a 1:1 ratio, although it seems as though ASUS will handle production, pricing, and distribution, so it seems unlikely that the Xbox Ally will follow Microsoft's pricing strategy.

The Reddit user who shared the information, u/FriendlyPharma, claims to work at UK retailer Argos and has shared promotional material that claims to contain the pre-order information for the ROG Xbox Ally with the AMD Ryzen Z2A. The Z2 Extreme is notably missing from the leak. The actual marketing materials make no mention of a pre-order date, but the redditor said in the September 23 post that pre-orders would start "tomorrow," meaning September 24. That said, no official announcement has been made, so if the leak is accurate, it would mean the pre-orders will likely open at midnight, making the supposed pre-order date September 25. While the leaked pre-order pricing is still significantly higher than the Steam Deck LCD price, it's dangerously close to the price of the Steam Deck OLED, which retails for $549, with the 1 TB version costing $649.

With the launch of Battlefield 6, we started to see a move towards anti-cheat implementations that require BIOS-level security features like Secure Boot and TPM in order to verify system trust. The next confirmed game launching with anti-cheat that requires both Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 is Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. While Battlefield 6 gives users an error if they try to launch a game without these features enabled, and Call of Duty will likely do the same, Steam appears to not want to leave this to chance.

The latest Steam client beta update adds capability to detect whether Secure Boot and TPM are enabled. For the time being, this will be limited to the System Information dialogue in the Help menu, but it will likely start to be featured somewhat more prominently if the anti-cheat requirements become more commonplace. Steam will also collect this information in the Steam Hardware and Software Survey. It's also unclear when the feature will arrive in the mainline Steam client.

VGN, the maker of niche gaming peripherals, like the Dragonfly F1 Pro Max we reviewed previously, has just started revealing the latest in its line-up of gaming mice, this time vying for a world first. VGN Dragonfly King, as it appears to be called, made an appearance on Reddit, where it claimed to be the world's first wireless gaming mouse with a full magnesium chassis and no holes—at least in the top of the shell. VGN says that it has spent two years developing the shell, specifically mentioning wireless reception stability in the marketing materials. The official launch date on the shared promotional material confirms an October 15 release, although it's unclear if this will be limited to Asian markets or if it will be a global release. Pricing is also so far unclear, but it will likely not come cheap, since it is billed as a flagship original shell design with exotic materials, and VGN's other Dragonfly series gaming mice can cost as much as $100 already.

The new mouse features what looks to be a low overall height with a rear hump and aggressively concave sides. While we don't have information about the weight or dimensions just yet, the VGN Dragonfly King looks to be taking inspiration from the likes of the ATK Blazing Sky Duckbill mouse that launched recently, which would put it on the smaller side. One of the promotional images shows off an exploded view of the mouse and reveals that it is made of a base, internal skeleton, and a lightweight magnesium shell over the top. That inner structure will house the sensor and the MCU, while also adding stiffness and increasing the mouse's durability, according to translations of the included text. Given that the Dragonfly King is part of the Dragonfly line-up, it's safe to say that it will use the same combination of a Nordic 52840 SoC and dependable PixArt PAW3950 sensor with somewhere in the region of 100-120 hours of battery life. Exact weight is also unknown, although there is a lot of speculation that it won't be quite as light as the likes of the 41 g Dragonfly Y2 Ultra+, although there has been an attempt at weight savings with the cutouts in the bottom of the mouse.

Pocketpair, which recently found itself in hot water over Palworld's striking similarity to Nintendo's Pokemon games, has announced its next game release with an official Steam page. One of the biggest points of contention in the Nintendo v. Pocketpair lawsuit has been the creature collecting mechanics that Palworld employs with regard to its Pals, and those exact same Pals will now be able to accompany you in Palfarm, which bears a not-insignificant resemblance to the popular indie game, Stardew Valley. Palfarm is, unsurprisingly, a spin-off of Palworld, taking place on the Palpagos Islands, where humans and Pals live and work side-by-side.

The Pals seem like more than just visual dressing for Palfarm. The Steam store page makes mention of the Pals' different abilities to help accomplish tasks, farm the land, cook, work, and grow shop. Unlike Palworld, it seems as though Palfarm will be treating Pals more like people than animals, since they will reportedly be able to run their own stores and form relationships with players. Officially, violence towards your companions and eating Pals are both off the table—another divergence from the original Palworld philosophy, which more or less gives players free rein over their actions in-game. However, there is a darker side to Palfarm, like fighting wild Pals who come to raid your crops, and an underground black market where you can buy all manner of illicit materials, like guns and contraband. Palfarm will be playable in both single-player and online co-op multiplayer modes, although an exact launch date has not yet been announced.

Intel's higher-end Arc GPUs—whether the current Xe2 "Battlemage" or the previous Xe "Alchemist"—typically arrive later, as the new Arc product family launches with lower-end and mid-range SKUs first. This has historically created rumors that Intel is retreating from the higher-end play, much like AMD did with its current RDNA 4 portfolio. However, Intel's newest job listing suggests that these rumors couldn't be further from the truth, as Intel is now hiring more engineers to work on these high-end GPUs. The job listing notes: "In this role, you will have the opportunity to work on cutting-edge technology, and you will be responsible for optimizing and validating the Gaming performance of our High-end Desktop System-on-Chip (SoC) designs focusing on dGFX Gaming performance." The focus here lies on gaming high-end dGFX SoCs, which are actually higher-end discrete GPUs.

Additionally, the company spokesperson recently confirmed that "Intel will continue to have GPU product offerings," despite NVIDIA's $5 billion investment. This has given current and potential future users of Arc a good indication that Intel will continue to invest in its GPU platform for gamers. As a reminder, Intel currently ships Arc "Battlemage" GPU generation, with the higher-end Arc B770 reportedly planned for the holiday season. The company plans to use a part of its Xe3 "Celestial" for graphics rendering and Xe4 "Druid" for media and display duties in its upcoming "Nova Lake" SoCs scheduled for 2026. We are yet to see if Intel's upcoming high-end GPUs are a match for current and next-generation offerings from AMD and NVIDIA.

The Sennheiser brand today announces the launch of the HD 500 BAM, a boom arm microphone that transforms the brand's renowned HD 500 series audiophile headphones into a gaming powerhouse. The microphone seamlessly plugs into the headphone's cable port to give gamers, audiophiles, and everyday professionals a first-party microphone solution that pairs perfectly with the brand's hallmark immersive acoustics. With broad compatibility for laptops, desktops, game consoles, and select mobile devices, the add-on accessory is an instant upgrade for both new and legacy Sennheiser models that utilize their single-sided twist-lock connector. From the latest HD 550, HD 505, HD 560S, and HD 620S to earlier 5-8 and 5-9 series headphones, audio purists no longer must choose either exceptional listening or precise voice communications.

"Gamers have praised the extended comfort and immersive listening their 500-series headphones bring, but the lack of a microphone option meant compromise," said Klaus Hanselmann, Audiophile Product Manager. "With the HD 500 BAM, we've created a sleek, durable, and great-sounding way to level up your output and input. It is the perfect addition to your daily driver headphones, and a powerful accessory for anyone chasing a total audio upgrade."