Earlier in 2026, it was reported that Sony would no longer be porting the majority of its games to PC, with those reports later being backed up by an official confirmation that narrative games would remain PlayStation exclusive. Now, Sony has announced that it will soon be ending development of the PlayStation Plus PC app, which previously allowed PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers to stream PlayStation Plus games from their PCs.

The announcement comes by way of the official PlayStation Blog, which confirms that the app will go offline on December 10, and Sony justifies the move by saying that "less than 0.4%" of PlayStation Plus Premium users actually used the PlayStation Plus app on PC. It also confirmed that it would be ending the PlayStation Plus cloud streaming app on PC at the same time. At the same time, it seems as though Sony is completing its transition away from PC ports, with the recent return of the "PlayStation Exclusive" badge on first-party games, as spotted by @realradec on X.

Valve disabled HDR during Remote Play game streaming on the Steam Deck OLED in early October alongside its Big Art Mode update. Although it was never specified why the feature was disabled, there were reports of bugs and issues with HDR support on the Steam Deck OLED, and it seems as though Valve had been working on revamping HDR support on the Steam Deck OLED altogether, according to a recent Steam Client beta update.

The update notes for the latest Steam Client preview/beta update cite an overhaul for Remote Play, adding a host of features and options as well as re-enabling HDR support on the Steam Deck OLED. In addition to HDR being re-enabled, there are now options to switch between automatic mode, which only enables HDR when HDR content is detected, and an always-on mode that allows for higher brightness when viewing SDR content.

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.

Pimax, a leading manufacturer of high-end PC virtual reality headsets, today unveiled Crystal Pro, a wireless PC VR headset built around a streaming technology it calls Native Foveated Streaming, at its "Frontier: Change To Stay The Same" launch event. Pimax also debuted Ringless VR Controllers, the Spation mini-PC, and a refreshed brand identity built around a new signature color, Stratosphere Blue.

Crystal Pro ships with built-in Wi-Fi streaming and a dedicated Wi-Fi 6E adapter. For the GPU's native image, Pimax offers an optional 60G AirLink kit, bundled or sold separately. Using eye-tracking, its 60 GHz connection sends the GPU's native image directly to the panels in the user's focus area, without the encoding Wi-Fi streaming requires. The kit's two Room Antennas run in a 2x2 MIMO configuration—a first for VR headsets, Pimax says—for up to 6 Gbps combined throughput and under 2 ms of added latency.

Today, Shure announced the launch of the MV6 USB Gaming Microphone Gen 2, including a new white variant, the latest evolution of its digital MOTIV microphone portfolio. Following the success of the original MV6, the MV6 Gen 2 incorporates feedback from gamers, streamers, and creators to deliver a more customizable audio experience while maintaining an accessible price point.

Engineered specifically for PC gaming, streaming and content creation, the MV6 Gen 2 brings Shure's professional broadcast technology to more creators, including those purchasing their first dedicated microphone and looking to elevate their sound beyond a headset.

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.

Fosi Audio announces four new products making their debut at IFA 2026, taking place September 4-8 at Messe Berlin: the Carbon12 In-Ear Monitor, ZH1 Desktop DAC & Headphone Amp, DISC Nano Portable CD Player, and S3 Lite Streaming Digital Transport. Visitors can experience the products in Hall 10.2, Booth 101.

IFA brings consumer technology brands, retailers, and media from around the globe to Berlin each September to introduce the products shaping the next cycle. For Fosi Audio, this is an opportunity to introduce a lineup that moves beyond its traditional amplifier and DAC offerings, from an IEM and portable CD player to a desktop DAC/headphone amp and streaming transport. Together, the four products extend the company's approach to Hi-fi across more of the ways people listen at home and on the go.

Audio-Technica today announced the release of its ATH-M20xSTS StreamSet, a professional-quality streaming headset designed to support streamers, gamers, and content creators at every stage of their creative journey. Combining the design philosophy of Audio-Technica's best-selling ATH-M20x professional monitor headphones with microphone technology from the company's iconic 20 Series, the ATH-M20xSTS delivers accurate sound reproduction and clear vocal capture in a lightweight, accessible design.

The headset is equipped with powerful 40 mm CCAW voice coil drivers that provide wide-bandwidth performance and a balanced, flat frequency response. This accurate sound reproduction allows creators to clearly monitor source audio, hear subtle details while gaming, and confidently produce content ranging from livestreams and podcasts to recorded video.

Samsung Electronics today announced an exclusive partnership with Activision as the official TV, monitor, soundbar, and Wi-Fi speaker of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, the latest title in one of the world's largest first-person shooter (FPS) franchises. The collaboration brings Call of Duty together with Samsung's premium display and connected gaming technologies to give players more ways to experience the title before its official launch.

Call of Duty is a critically acclaimed and award-winning franchise that has become one of gaming's most recognized intellectual properties. The collaboration marks another step in Samsung's efforts to expand next-generation gaming experiences across TVs, monitors, soundbars, Wi-Fi speakers, and connected gaming services.

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.

AVerMedia showcased several new streaming and capture devices at the Computex 2026 show in Taipei, including the MultiStudio Core GC750, a professional multi-platform streaming solution for professional content production, as well as the X'TRA GO GC515, the world's first capture dock device for handhelds, the ELITE GO GC313Pro, which is essentially a 100 W GaN charger with FHD video capture, and the new PW313D DUALCAM, a 2-in-1 webcam that can capture two different angles simultaneously.

In addition to the new products for capture, AVerMedia also showcased real-world physical AI applications for enterprise and industrial customers. The company demonstrated multiple physical AI and edge AI applications that combined NVIDIA AI computing platforms, robotics technologies, and partner solutions to showcase use cases across smart traffic, robotics teleoperation, smart spaces, and public safety, highlighting its integration of video sensing, edge computing, device control, and remote management.

Fosi Audio has announced the launch of the new C3 Gaming Sound Card, the first card in the company's esports lineup. Now available on various shopping platforms, the C3 combines StepSense gaming audio, Hi-fi-grade circuitry, and intuitive desktop controls to help competitive players hear more, react faster, and communicate more clearly during gameplay.

StepSense Audio Enhancement for Competitive FPS Gaming Developed specifically for FPS gamers, the C3 uses Fosi Audio's proprietary StepSense positional audio enhancement technology to analyze in-game audio in real time and intelligently enhance critical footstep frequencies without overpowering explosions, gunfire, or environmental effects. Unlike traditional EQ-based gaming sound cards that boost entire frequency ranges indiscriminately, the StepSense technology selectively enhances key positional audio cues while preserving the overall game mix for improved situational awareness and reduced listening fatigue.

Microsoft has released its latest DirectStorage 1.4 update, focusing on the technicalities behind game asset streaming. Today, the company introduced new compression and decompression technology called Zstandard (Zstd), which should improve game loading times and bring much faster game asset streaming than what was previously used. Microsoft originally developed its DirectStorage in DirectX 12 to take advantage of the quick NVMe SSDs. Powerful consumer GPUs need game assets to load incredibly fast, and DirectStorage devleopment has cut out the middle-man, the CPU, in the process of streaming these assets from storage to the GPU. Traditionally, this has been done over CPU, causing delays and latencies across teh stack.

To push Zstd even further, Microsoft has developed the Game Asset Conditioning Library (GACL), a companion tool that developers run on their assets before a game ships. The idea is that instead of simply compressing textures, GACL first conditions them to be more compressible, allowing Zstd to squeeze files down by up to 50% more than it otherwise could. It does this through a few different techniques. Shuffling rearranges data inside texture files so repeating patterns cluster together, giving Zstd more to latch onto. Block-Level Entropy Reduction (BLER) and Component-Level Entropy Reduction (CLER) then reduce texture complexity at the block and color-channel level, using perceptual quality as a guide so any changes remain invisible to the player. CLER takes this a step further by incorporating machine learning to identify exactly where that reduction can be applied without anyone noticing.

GXTrust puts high-quality sound at the forefront with the Emita II microphones, featuring a premium 16 mm condenser capsule, delivering studio-quality sound that brings every word to life. With a cardioid recording pattern, they're perfectly tuned to pick up the user's voice while minimizing background noise, making these microphones ideal for any kind of streaming setup.

The Emita II includes pop and wind filters reduce plosives and distortion, ensuring clean vocals and a smooth, polished result every time. A robust metal alloy casing offers improved acoustics, while its external shock mounts block unwanted vibrations to enhance sound quality even further.

Intel has quietly deprecated its Software Defined Silicon initiative (SDSi), known as "Intel On Demand," according to a report from Phoronix. The company has archived the official GitHub repository for SDSi for Xeon, an effort intended to enable optional features on Intel's server processors that could be unlocked for an extra fee. Intel had hoped enterprises would pay to enable these features, but the initiative never gained mass traction and was only sporadically maintained. Because hyperscalers operate at massive scale, paying an additional fee to enable a feature on silicon they had already purchased made little sense, contributing to Intel's decision to abandon the project. Subscription services are similar in concept, but they generally apply to software on a monthly basis rather than one-time hardware activations.

Originally, Intel planned to make Quick Assist, Dynamic Load Balancer, and Data Streaming Accelerator available as On Demand features, alongside Software Guard Extensions and the In-Memory Analytics Accelerator. These were described on the Intel On Demand website as a "one-time activation of select CPU accelerators and security features." The Intel On Demand site has since been reworked to remove most information, leaving only a few documents and paragraphs. Thankfully, the idea of putting hardware features behind a paywall has not gained traction for now, leaving the paywall model to traditional software. At one point enthusiasts wondered whether Intel On Demand would trickle down to consumer CPUs, but with the project apparently dead, that possibility seems unlikely in the near term. Intel Upgrade Service existed in a similar format back in early 2010s, but was also short-lived.

Break out the cake and green sprinkles - GeForce NOW is turning six. Since launch, members have streamed over 1 billion hours, and the party's just getting started. Throughout February, members can look forward to new games, fresh ways to play across more devices and even more ways to bring RTX power to every screen in the house. There's plenty to celebrate: the February games list kicks off with 24 new games. Start with the 10 new games in the cloud this week, including the launch of Team Jade's Delta Force and the newest title launching in the PUBG universe, PUBG: BLINDSPOT.

Reporting for Duty
Delta Force, now boots on the ground and fully deployed on GeForce NOW, brings the tactical first-person shooter from Team Jade (TiMi Studio Group) to the cloud. The game features high-stakes extraction with an all-out warfare mode, giving players a playground of open environments, vehicles and gadgets to pull off coordinated assaults. Players join elite units tasked with tackling high-risk missions across sprawling maps, from tight urban incursions to rugged open-terrain operations. Expect strategic objectives, combined-arms combat with land, air and sea vehicles, and tense firefights where teamwork and planning are just as important as quick reflexes.

AVerMedia Technologies, a global leader in streaming and digital audiovisual solutions, today announces the launch of Live Streamer, a new mobile streaming app, and new feature updates to its PC-based Streaming Center software. These updates together expand AVerMedia's creator ecosystem across mobile and PC workflows. Developed to complement the X'TRA GO GC515 and ELITE GO GC313Pro capture devices, Live Streamer offers a lightweight alternative for creators who want the flexibility of mobile streaming without replacing their existing PC-based workflows. For moments when portability matters such as traveling, staying in hotels, or creating content on the move, creators can now stream using just their mobile devices, without carrying a laptop.

"Creators don't always want to carry a full PC setup, but they still need control, reliability, and quality when streaming on the go," said Michael Kuo, President and CEO of AVerMedia Technologies. "With the GO Series and Live Streamer, we're offering a mobile streaming solution that is easy to use, powerful where it matters, and flexible enough to fit into different creative moments."

With Heddon, music flows freely throughout the home. The hub streams music via Wi-Fi and uses Auracast to broadcast audio across multiple Marshall home speakers, allowing listeners to move from room to room without interruption. By adding a record player to the setup, Heddon also bridges analogue and digital listening, bringing the warmth and richness of vinyl into a connected, multi-speaker environment.

Heddon supports leading streaming services including Spotify Connect, TIDAL, AirPlay and Google Cast, delivering music simultaneously to Acton III, Stanmore III and Woburn III Bluetooth speakers. Heddon also allows a selected older-generation Marshall speakers to be connected via RCA output, extending their life while opening them up to new technology.

Developer_Direct returns next Thursday, January 22 at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern / 6pm UK, and will kick off Xbox's 25th anniversary year with a look at some of the incredible games in store for players. As we shared previously, the show will include exclusive gameplay and developer insights for Playground Games' Fable and Forza Horizon 6, as well as Game Freak's Beast of Reincarnation—all presented directly by the people making the games, and recorded in their studios.

The show will also be streamed simultaneously on regional Xbox channels around the globe, as well as on Steam. It will air on China's Bilibili platform later the next day. The YouTube stream will be broadcast in 4K/60, and as with any live broadcast, there may be dips in streaming quality based on your bandwidth.

IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Confluent, Inc. (NASDAQ:CFLT), the data streaming pioneer, today announced they have entered into a definitive agreement under which IBM will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Confluent for $31 per share, representing an enterprise value of $11 billion. Confluent provides a leading open-source enterprise data streaming platform that connects, processes and governs reusable and reliable data and events in real time, foundational for the deployment of AI.

IDC estimates that more than one billion new logical applications will emerge by 2028, reshaping technology architectures across industries. To fuel meaningful outcomes and drive productivity in operations, these applications, as well as AI agents, need access to connected and trusted data - in real time. IBM and Confluent will enable end-to-end integration of applications, analytics, data systems and AI agents to drive intelligence and resilience in hybrid cloud environments.

The first Activision games are now available to stream on Ubisoft+ Premium, with more from Activision and Blizzard coming soon. These additions to Ubisoft's subscription platform are a result of the August 2023 announcement of Ubisoft's acquisition of the rights to stream Activision and Blizzard games. The first cloud integration is with NVIDIA GeForce NOW, and these games will become available via Ubisoft+ Premium through more cloud providers in the future.

"Our acquisition of the cloud streaming rights for Activision & Blizzard titles enables us to further strengthen the Ubisoft+ content offering as well as license streaming access of this amazing catalog to cloud gaming companies, service providers and console makers," said Chris Early, Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at Ubisoft. "We're committed to delivering amazing experiences wherever players choose to play, and our Ubisoft+ offer - now providing access to the first set of Activision titles - will continue to deliver on that promise."

In an announcement posted on the Plex forums, the company has announced that from next week, users of its Roku app will have to pony up for what it calls a remote watch pass, to access content when away from home. The remote watch pass will then roll out to all of its other clients, regardless of platform, at some point in 2026. In other words, it doesn't matter if the client is on Android TV, Apple TV, Fire TV or any other platform, if it's not on your home network, you might have to pay up for the remote watch pass.

Note that this doesn't apply if you are paying for a Plex pass, which means that those that either pay monthly or annually, or have gotten a lifetime Plex pass, don't have to worry about the remote watch pass to stream to devices outside their home. Plex calls the remote watch pass an optional subscription, which in all fairness is true, as it's not needed for those that just want to use Plex in their home, and it might be possible to work around it using a VPN, but it makes things more complicated. The remote watch pass will cost US$1.99/€1.99 per month, or US$19.99/€19.99 annually. Earlier this year, Plex increased the pricing for its Plex pass by not an insignificant amount and this seems like another way for the company to get some recurring revenue, but there's also a chance that it'll backfire and users will switch to alternative software.

We're bringing Xbox to more players around the world across devices including console, PC, and mobile, making it easier than ever to connect and play. With more ways to play, thanks to Xbox Cloud Gaming, more people can jump in and play their favorite games, meaning more people to ready up with, throw down against, and build memories with. Players are streaming their games more than ever—cloud gaming hours from Game Pass subscribers has increased 45% compared to this time last year. And, console players are embracing flexibility, spending 45% more time cloud streaming on console and 24% more on other devices.

People play across the globe in many different ways and our ambition at Xbox is to reach players wherever they live and however they choose to play. Earlier this month, we expanded Xbox Cloud Gaming to India, the fastest-growing gaming market in the world, which surpassed 500 million gamers this year. With the addition of India, Xbox Cloud Gaming is now available in 29 countries. We're also seeing exciting momentum in Latin America in countries like Argentina and Brazil which have shown double digital growth in play time and active players.

Rapid technological advances can pose a challenge for end users, integrators, and consultants. With the DuraVision DX0231-IP, EIZO introduces the latest generation of its IP decoding solution for security and surveillance. The complexity of system installations, cybersecurity, and maintenance requirements underscore the need for a comprehensive approach to physical security. Since introducing its first IP decoding monitor in 2014, EIZO has been offering innovative solutions that enable users to effectively deploy visual technologies to protect people, businesses, and infrastructure.

The DX0231-IP is a standalone IP decoding solution that can be connected to up to two 4K monitors in a flexible configuration to display IP cameras or video streams. This solution works without a PC, application software, or additional hardware, offering users a simple installation process that saves time and money for initial setup and system maintenance. This reduces potential sources of error and eliminates security gaps, as only minimal equipment is required for monitoring sensitive image data over the network.

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.