In this episode of Off the Console, we dive into the latest gaming and tech news! From Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ historical controversy and Steam Deck performance insights to the rise of home labs for game streaming and Nvidia’s latest GPU reveals — we’ve got it all. We also explore handheld gaming trends, Ubisoft’s DRM concerns, and the future of gaming interfaces. Tune in for insightful discussions, hardware breakdowns, and the evolving landscape of game development!

A White Steam Deck OLED, Xbox handheld rumors, PlayStation Trophy controversy, and Half-Life 2 anniversary! Plus, Retro Pocket 5 insights and hot GPU rumors. Dive into gaming’s latest!

In this week’s episode, we dive deep into the gaming industry’s hottest developments, from Microsoft’s bold handheld gaming plans to Lenovo Legion Go’s challenge to the Steam Deck. Discover the exciting potential of new SteamOS devices, cutting-edge features, and the hurdles of compatibility and software. We also explore the latest CES tech from AMD, Intel, and NVIDIA, speculate on the Nintendo Switch 2, and discuss Tencent’s new designation as a military company. Stick around as we tackle innovations in gaming controllers, the rise of AI in gaming, and what it means for speedrunning, voice acting, and copyright. With insights into the future of immersive gaming and the role of Linux in gaming, this episode is packed with the tech and gaming news you don’t want to miss.

🃏 Hi-Tech is grinding our a perfect game of Balatro 🕹️ James is playing Chess Mess 🏗️ Gardiner is trapped in VR games?

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We’re ranting about printers, diving into Steam Next Fest, and debating AI’s role in gaming. We explore rumors about the Steam Deck 2, discuss GameFreak’s latest leaks, and break down what’s going on with Ubisoft and Sony. Plus, are AAA games sustainable? Tune in for laughs, hot takes, and all things gaming!

Is the AAA gaming bubble finally bursting? In this discussion-packed episode, we talk about the shake-ups rocking the industry; from the rise of indie gems (and whether they get enough recognition) to the slow downfall of bloated blockbusters. We debate whether Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree truly deserves a Game of the Year nod, share our excitement for Steam Deck community rumblings, and dream big about the Steam Controller 2. Plus, we tackle Valve’s controversial 30% revenue split, Sony’s bold move to acquire FromSoftware’s parent company (and the intrigue of a possible hostile takeover), and the potential of SteamOS 3 to redefine PC gaming.

With the Steam Autumn Sale just around the corner, we also highlight the best deals and must-play titles. With guest host Noah from Steam Deck HQ, this is a can’t miss episode!

This week on Off The Console, we dive into some of the hottest topics shaking up the gaming and tech world! First, the Nintendo Switch 2 is finally revealed, but the drama doesn’t stop there—Nintendo’s lawyers are already making waves at CES 2025. Plus, the imminent TikTok ban in the U.S. is causing chaos, with users flocking to alternatives like REDnote.

We also discuss Elon Musk’s controversial gaming habits and the shady truths behind Honey’s coupon practices. On a brighter note, we break down an exciting interview with Pierre-Loup Griffais at CES, where Valve drops new insights on SteamOS and the future of gaming hardware. Lastly, we explore Sony’s wild AI patents and the staggering number of unplayed games on Steam.

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In this episode of Off the Console, the hosts dive into the exciting world of gaming, focusing on the Next Fest event and the plethora of game demos available. They discuss their experiences with various demos, the performance of the Steam Deck, and the competitive landscape of the GPU market, particularly between AMD and Nvidia. The conversation also touches on the impact of AI on the GPU market and the potential of the Framework desktop for customization and performance. In this conversation, the hosts delve into various topics surrounding the latest advancements in motherboard technology, gaming consoles, and the implications of data privacy practices by companies like Mozilla. They explore the potential uses of a new motherboard, the future of gaming consoles, and the impact of AMD’s new architecture on gaming performance. The discussion also touches on the controversial practices of Mozilla regarding user data and the state of game development, particularly focusing on the implications of software patents.

A Special Edition Off The Console episode! We watched The Game Awards and made predictions and talk about announcements. All live!

Join us as we chat about what we’re playing, dive into how we come up with fresh video ideas, and react to Sony shutting down Firewalk Studio. We tackle anti-cheat’s impact on Steam Deck, explore the new M4 Mac Mini, and break down Ubisoft’s latest NFT gamble. Don’t miss the insights, tech takes, and gaming news.

Join @Gamesrevealed@mastodon.world, @HiTechLoLife@meta.masto.host and @gardiner_bryant@mastodon.social as we discuss this week’s hottest gaming and tech news.

Valve is cooking up something behind the scenes! It seems Valve may be bringing back the old Steam Machine initiative! Will they succeed? And will there be an armada of SteamOS devices aiming for Nintendo’s portable crown? On the heels of this, Valve has also included guidelines on how to properly use the Steam brand on your product’s box!

And Valve’s Class Action lawsuit heats up! Will they be able to make it out alive? And what happens if they lose? What happens if they win?

This episode of Off the Console… it’s Nintendo Week! The biggest gaming news of the week… maybe even the biggest news of the year? #OffTheConsole #podcast #Nintendo, #Switch2, #NintendoSwitch2 #Tariffs, #CristianoRenaldo, #PriceIncreases and more!

In this episode, Gardiner, James, and Hi-Tech welcome Russ from Retro Game Corps! Today we’re debating Palworld’s bold moves against Nintendo, celebrating the PS5 Pro release, and exploring what Steam’s new API means for developers. We cover Amplitude’s split from SEGA, the fall of Multiversus, and why the M4 Mac Mini packs serious power. Plus, GeForce Now just changed its game with time limits. Tune in for all the latest in tech and gaming!

This week, we cover Microsoft’s latest AI abomination–this time targeting the gaming industry. Plus, we deep dive into the new state of matter that Microsoft claims to have “invented.”

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Topics

Microsoft Muse - A Generative AI for “Gameplay Ideation” - Backwards Compatibility?

Link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/blog/introducing-muse-our-first-generative-ai-model-designed-for-gameplay-ideation/

https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2025/02/19/muse-ai-xbox-empowering-creators-and-players/

Microsoft’s Muse project is an AI model designed for gameplay ideation. In their examples, they’ve trained their model one 1 second of real footage from a Ninja Theory game called Bleeding Edge. It’s… something alright.

But one of THEIR biggest claims is that they “believe this could radically change how we preserve and experience classic games in the future and make them accessible to more players”. Using AI to… preserve older games inaccessible? I mean… we have a thing. It’s called Emulation, and it’s pretty fucking good.

Microsoft’s new State of Matter

Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/19/technology/microsoft-quantum-computing-topological-qubit.html

It’s not Solid, Liquid, Gas, or Plasma… it’s something new entirely, as per Microsoft. MS dubs it… the “topological qubit”. All of this to fuel a quantum computer. Personally I can’t wait for a quantum GPU to fit in my PC powered by this mysterious state of matter.

Amazon v Steam - How David felled a Goliath

Link: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/02/19/why-amazon-failed-to-compete-with-steam-store

“We never validated our core assumptions before investing heavily in solutions”

The Death of the AA games market

Link: https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/ps5-japan-studios-closed-because-the-double-a-market-has-disappeared-says-shuhei-yoshida/

Former President of Sony Interactive Entertainment, Shuhei Yoshida spoke about the death of Sony’s former “Japan Studio”. He chiefly attributes the death of the studio to the evaporating AA market, where AAA games got bigger and bigger and indies came in to fill in the void. Are AA games truly dead? Is the middle class of gaming dead?

VxKex NEXT - For those who refuse to leave Windows 7 behind

Link: https://github.com/YuZhouRen86/VxKex-NEXT

https://github.com/i486/VxKex

https://x.com/TheBobPony/status/1891308340837249317

“VxKex NEXT is a set of API extensions for Windows 7 that allow some Windows 8, 8.1 and 10-exclusive applications to run on Windows 7.” Quite a few programs that no longer support Windows 7 (most notably, Steam) runs on Win7 using VxKex NEXT. Quite impressive really, though VxKex isn’t made for games. Still curious about them effectively bolting forward compatibility onto an older version of Windows… and how far one could feasibly take it.

Team Fortress 2 - SDK Released

Link: https://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=238809

https://github.com/ValveSoftware/source-sdk-2013

Team Fortress 2 is a beloved game that’s sort of fell to the wayside many years ago. But today marks a day when Valve did the TF2 community a massive favor, by effectively open sourcing TF2. In theory, this change allows gamers the freedom to essentially create new games based on TF2. Any game made using the Source SDK must be free however. Valve is also updating their back catalogue of multiplayer games including 64bit support, HUD scaling, prediction fixes, and more.

Grand Theft Auto VI - The Next Big “Creator Platform”?

Link: https://digiday.com/media/rockstar-games-talks-with-top-metaverse-creators-with-an-eye-on-making-grand-theft-auto-the-next-creator-platform/

Grand Theft Auto VI is heavily speculated to feature the ability to create custom experiences in GTA VI, ala Fortnite or Roblox. In fact, Rockstar is said to be in talks with top creators in Fortnite/Roblox and GTA content creators for this explicit reason. Not much else has been revealed about it but the game is also speculated to ALSO have a budget of $2 BILLION. Good chance user generated content may fit the quota. Having users generate the content while R* takes a bit off each sale.

Epic v Cheater - Does the Punishment Fit the Crime?

Link: https://x.com/JakeSucky/status/1891565780283617631

https://x.com/FNCompetitive/status/1891564240604999725

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XouE9KalIVA

Epic Games has taken action against a player who account shared to qualify for the Fortnite Championship Series. On top of legal action, they’ve also permanently banned that player from entering any Epic sanctioned tournaments indefinitely and forced the prize money to be donated to charity. On top of that, they also made the player post a public apology on YouTube. Is public humiliation a good anti-cheat strategy?

In this episode of Off The Console, we dive deep into gaming and tech news! Special guest Bill from Nerd Nest joins us as we chat about Monster Hunter Wilds, Steam Deck prototype sold, Mac gaming setups, retro consoles like the GameCube, and exciting new indie releases from the Triple-I Initiative. We also get real about game preservation, digital ownership issues, and the Ubisoft lawsuit over shutting down online games. Plus, what’s the deal with big publishers getting involved in indie games?

#OffTheConsole #GamingPodcast #SteamDeck #LinuxGaming #GamePreservation #IndieGames #TripleIInitiative #GamingNews #GameOwnership #Microtransactions #TechPodcast

Nvidia vs AMD… Who will reign supreme in the GPU wars? We also discuss Steam’s rapid growth, the impossible PC port, modern day graphics, and how Discord may be selling out?!

What’s this all about? Only one way to find out, by checking out this episode of Off The Console!

Welcome to Off The Console, the hottest new podcast that’s all about gaming, tech news, and all things nerdy. This week we cover the biggest news including Xbox Direct, the new PlayStation 6 chip, and whether the Switch 2 is killing the Steam Deck. Joined by Hi-Tech Lo-Life, James, and Gardiner, we explore personal gaming achievements, discuss Chinese Chess Mess, and shout out to a porting genius in the community. Dive deep into topics like console market movements, live services, impacts of generative AI, and the future of handheld gaming. We also reminisce about the golden days of midnight game releases and reflect on industry shifts. Get ready for insights, laughs, and a trip down memory lane!

Valve heads to CES with Lenovo?! What the hell is going on with Balatro and PEGI? And as Sony comes to an agreement with KADOKAWA, the “final spec” approaches. And as the year closes, Valve and us look back at our past year in gaming and surprises and games we kinda forgot we played this year too!

Welcome to another episode of Off The Console with Gardner, and James, and Hi-Tech. This week we dive deep into Sony’s State of Play, updates from Nintendo vs PalWorld, and Steam’s newly implemented policies. We also celebrate hitting 300 YouTube subscribers and discuss some exciting game news including Borderlands 4, Digimon Story Time Stranger, and a new collaboration between Gearbox and Sega. Don’t miss our top tips on avoiding scams, especially involving fake Elden Ring playtest invites. Plus, we explore the impacts of AI on critical thinking and touch on Scarlett Johansson’s call for deepfake regulations. Join us for all the latest in gaming and technology!

This week, we’re talking about the potential return of E3 in the form of IICON! We also talk about EA doubling down on their live service rhetoric and how Linux gamers are SUPPOSEDLY all cheaters, as well as Sony’s DMCA actions against fanmade Bloodborne projects combined with the very recent PSN outage (which is up as of the uploading of this video. And lastly, how S&box may change the gaming industry by letting people publish their own S&box games as standalone games!

This week, we’re talking about the impact of potential tariffs on TSCM–the world’s largest chipmaker–and the negative impact it will have on everyday prices. We’re also talking about the future of PlayStation and Microsoft’s strategies. We explore the buzz around GTA VI’s rumored price tag and the surprising fall of live-service games like Multiversus. Whether you’re a hardcore gamer or just love staying up-to-date on all things nerdy, this episode is packed with fresh insights and lively debate—don’t miss it!

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Trump wants to issue tariffs to Taiwanese Chip makers like TSMC, up to a 100% tariff supposedly.

Link: https://www.pcmag.com/news/trump-to-tariff-chips-made-in-taiwan-targeting-tsmc

Submitter: Hi-Tech Lo-Life

The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (or TSMC for short) is quite the prolific chip manufacturer, manufacturing chips for MANY many big hardware companies like Apple, AMD, Nvidia, Qualcomm, and yes, even Intel now starting with Arrow Lake. While it isn’t guaranteed to be 100%, any form of tariff would drastically increase the price of just about anything technology related. Anything from computer components, to modern cars, to video game consoles, TVs, and much much more that we can’t even begin to imagine.

The $100 Video Game

Link: https://www.ign.com/articles/gta-6-at-100-would-be-a-bridge-too-far-even-for-grand-theft-auto

$100 for a video game. Would you buy it? Would you do it if it was GTA VI? Would you do it for anything else?

New Sony Leadership

Link: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250128118356/en/New-Leadership-at-Sony-Interactive-Entertainment

https://sonyinteractive.com/en/press-releases/2025/new-leadership-at-sony-interactive-entertainment/

Hideaki Nishino and Hermen Hulst were both co-CEOs of Sony Interactive Entertainment, and now Nishino will be the sole CEO of SIE. Hulst will continue to serve as the CEO of the Studio Business Group, which means he will still be heading PlayStation’s portfolio of first-party studios. However, he will now be reporting to Nishino, rather than leading PlayStation alongside him.

Moon Studios CEO believes Sony will ALSO follow MS’s example

Link: https://x.com/thomasmahler/status/1883273827284599091

Thomas Mahler, CEO of Moon Studios (developer of Ori and the Blind Forest) believes that Sony will follow Microsoft’s example, eschewing the traditional console market instead opting for a similar structure where they will STILL sell their own hardware, but they will also sell games on whatever platform you want to game on.

PlayStation Drops PSN Account Requirement on PC

Link: https://steamdeckhq.com/news/playstation-drops-psn-account-requirement-on-pc/

PlayStation initially required a PlayStation Network (PSN) account for PC games like Helldivers 2, restricting purchases in over 170 countries. While they removed this requirement for Helldivers 2, the restriction remained for other titles. However, PlayStation has now reversed this policy for upcoming releases like God of War Ragnarok, The Last of Us Part 2, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, making account linking optional and offering in-game rewards instead.

Despite this positive change, there’s no confirmation on whether restricted countries will regain access to these games. The article also notes that the PSN requirement hasn’t significantly impacted Steam Deck compatibility, aside from Ghost of Tsushima’s multiplayer. Lastly, it highlights the quiet lead-up to Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s release on PC

Sony has filed DMCA to Lance McDonald to Remove the Bloodborne 60fps Patch

Link: https://old.reddit.com/r/pcgaming/comments/1iejj36/sony_has_filed_dmca_to_lance_mcdonald_to_remove/?share_id=T8cZoaAPO3fBECEKHZF02

Submitter: Hi-Tech Lo-Life

Bloodborne on runs on PC via ShadPS4, but still runs at a capped 30FPS unless you patch the game. With the patch, you were able to run the game at a 60FPS limit. Sony however has decided to DMCA the patch, so to speak.

Nvidia RTX 5000 Launch - Better but maybe not worth the price?

Link: https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/23/598045/nvidia-rtx-5080-review-test-benchmark

https://old.reddit.com/r/nvidia/comments/1i85jwg/geforce_rtx_5090_review_megathread/

As far as I’m aware, none of us actually own a new 5000 card. And many sources cite VRAM as being a bottleneck for newer titles and that 16GB may not be enough. Reviews for the 5080 are especially scathing with a content creator, Optimum, claiming he saw a literal 0% increase over the 4080 Super in Cyberpunk 2077. But of course the optics are different if you’re upgrading from say, a 3080. Some have observed that the 5090 is 50% more performant than the 5080.

Multi-frame-generation, the new Halo feature of the 5000 series cards, is also subsequently seeing mixed reviews. Much like the previous FrameGen tech Nvidia has, it works a LOT better with a higher base framerate as it doesn’t magically reduce latency and has increased overhead meaning your base framerate might actually be lower than normal and result in worse latency. Artifacting is also an issue. I’ve seen some videos of it in action and man… it is TERRIBLE.

The Layoffs Begin Anew

Link: https://www.eurogamer.net/ubisoft-announces-studio-closure-as-it-lays-off-185-staff

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-01-31/electronic-arts-slashes-bioware-after-dragon-age-sales-miss?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTczODM1MTgzMSwiZXhwIjoxNzM4OTU2NjMxLCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJTUVlXVThUMEFGQjQwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiJCMUVBQkI5NjQ2QUM0REZFQTJBRkI4MjI1MzgyQTJFQSJ9.91ztnslkcG02JwTwRRfVCXIJp8FOdqGBjCNQgz-bE8k&leadSource=uverify+wall

Ubisoft closes down a UK based studio of theirs. A support studio formerly known as FreeStyleGames, Ubisoft Leamington assisted with development on Tom Clancy’s The Division series, Star Wars Outlaws, Skull and Bones and Far Cry 5 among other games.*

And Ubisoft isn’t alone. EA is also in on it, with Bioware employees effectively being relocated into other studios and the studio being halved from 200 to 100 while Mass Effect 5 is still in pre-production.

Another Live Service Bites the Dust - Multiversus going offline

Link: https://multiversus.com/en/news/multiversus-update

Season 5 of Multiversus will be the last season of the game and starts on February 4th, and will last until May 30th. Starting from January 31st, all real money transactions will be disabled. The game WILL be playable offline, so long as you download and log into the game before the end of the season. They also say the game will no longer be downloadable after May 30th, but it is unknown if they mean the game will no longer be claimable or that you cannot redownload it if you ever decide to uninstall it.

DeepSeek r1 Destroys The USA AI Tech Market

Link: https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/graphics-cards/today-i-learned-i-can-run-my-very-own-deepseek-r1-chatbot-on-just-usd6-000-of-pc-hardware-and-no-megabucks-nvidia-gpus-required/

https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/jen-hsun-huangs-net-worth-dropped-by-a-reported-usd20-800-000-000-after-deepseek-fears-shook-the-ai-market-to-its-core-earlier-this-week/

https://github.com/deepseek-ai/DeepSeek-R1

A Chinese based AI LLM that trained off of the OpenAI o1 LLM. It has removed about 1 trillion from the tech stock market. On the bright side, it puts million dollar AI into the hands of the common folk. It Democratizes AI. With a dozen Mac Pros, you can have a large (68GB) DeepSeek r1 LLM that competes with OpenAI’s o1.

Get ready for a jam-packed episode! We’re diving into retro handhelds, taking on horror games, and dissecting the latest on Starfield. We’ll cover the Qualcomm and ARM feud, Google’s search monopoly, and even the Internet Archive hack! Plus, we debate gaming launchers, relive Prince of Persia, and give Halloween gaming recs. Don’t miss out on the laughs, insights, and gaming nostalgia!

Nintendo Direct 03/27/2025

Link: https://www.ign.com/articles/nintendo-direct-march-2025-everything-announced

Interesting move by Nintendo to unveil a Switch focused Nintendo Direct, especially when we’re supposed to get a Switch 2 Direct in a few days…7

Ubisoft makes a deal with Tencent…

Link: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ubisoft-carves-top-games-unit-164015707.html

Perhaps it was always the plan, even if AC Shadows was a financial success.

Major Publishers looking to delay games to avoid being beaten by GTA VI

Link: https://www.thegamebusiness.com/p/major-publishers-plan-to-delay-games

Announcing GTA VI’s release date will be cataclysmic for game releases as no one wants to release alongside GTA VI, as it’ll look especially bad.

Gamestop Closes Down More Stores (and invests in Bitcoin?)

Link: https://www.ign.com/articles/gamestop-plans-to-close-a-significant-number-of-stores-and-invest-into-bitcoin

The bitcoin plan was in unanimous agreement from the top level execs of this sinking ship.

RGG Studio justifies the reuse of assets in the “Like a Dragon” series

Link: https://www.ungeek.ph/2025/03/rgg-studio-directors-explain-their-approach-to-reusing-assets-in-like-a-dragon/

Perhaps it was always the plan, even if AC Shadows was a financial success.

Cristiano Ronaldo is now a fighting game character

Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbeEWm4%5Fqeg

This was announced a while back but we couldn’t have possibly imagined Ronaldo being an actual playable character in the new Fatal Fury.

Game Informer returns with ALL Staff

Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoVfBvxKdm0

Game Informer is BACK!

Japanese Gaming is Back on the Rise! 5/8 major companies reported record profits.

Link: https://automaton-media.com/en/news/japans-aaa-game-industry-performs-strongly-as-5-out-of-8-major-companies-hit-record-breaking-share-prices/

Japanese Gaming is back! Not that it ever left or anything but people seriously underestimate how important the Japanese are to gaming as a whole.

Hope for Silksong After All

Link: https://steamdb.info/app/1030300/history/?changeid=U:60144384

Silksong’s Legal Line was changed from “Copyright Team Cherry 2019” to “Copyright Team Cherry 2025”. Now I’m not saying Silksong’s coming out this year…. but I’m saying it’s coming out this year.

HP’s “Steam Deck”

Link: https://www.videogamer.com/news/hp-doesnt-want-windows-on-its-steam-deck-competitor-but-valves-simple-steamos/

HP does not want to make a Windows handheld, but would be far more interested in making one with SteamOS on it.

Google Makes Android Development Private, But Will the OS No Longer Be Open-Source?

Link: https://www.techtimes.com/articles/309791/20250327/google-makes-android-development-private-will-os-no-longer-open-source.htm

This week we talk about CES 2025 including Valve’s presence and other details. Plus, we chat about the outrageous pricing of the RTX 50 series cards, the Half-life 3 rumors, FFVII Rebirth going multiplatform, the resurrection of Tango Gameworks and more!

What’s everyone been playing?

Hi-Tech:

Grinding Balatro

James:

Half-Life 3 Copium Game

Gardiner:

Dome Keeper

Calls-to-action!

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CES 2025 is AROUND the Corner

Link: https://www.ces.tech/

Technology of Tomorrow…. TODAY! CES is a trade show where tech companies from all around the world come to showcase their new hottest tech. Sometimes they’re products that are basically ready for production, and sometimes they’re high concept devices and machines made by companies that desperately need investors. While not explicitly gaming oriented like E3, Gamescom, or Tokyo Game Show, there ARE always companies showing off gaming hardware.\n\nAll of this… in a few days. Who’s gonna be at CES? What companies? What content creators? What SHOULD we look forward to?

Valve @ CES - Related to Above Topic

Link: https://x.com/sadlyitsbradley/status/1874899690464198753

We already know Valve’s going to be at CES with Lenovo… the big question is what ELSE will Valve do there?

Nvidia RTX 5090 & 5080 Price Revealed (in China)

Link: https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/gpus/rtx-5090-and-rtx-5080-listed-for-usd2-600-and-usd1-350-at-chinese-retailer-leaked-listing-suggests-blackwell-might-see-a-price-hike-at-least-in-china

The RTX 5090 is listed for 18,999 Yuan ($2600) & the RTX 5080 listed for 9,999 Yuan ($1350). As per this source, China employs a 13% VAT. After adjusted for VAT the prices end up being $1200 for the 5080 and $2200 for the 5090. A 37% price hike for the 5090.\n\nPrices MAY be different over here but the prices for the 4090 have remained somewhat similar between the US and China when adjusted for VAT.

“#Valve #Halflife #GMan #2025”

Link: https://x.com/mikeshapiroland/status/1874213952680607922

Mike Shapiro, best known as the voice of The G-Man from Half-Life posted a mysterious video with mysterious hashtags. The Half-Life 3 rumor mill begins once again…

“Final Fantasy VII Rebirth sales don’t disappoint but they can’t be exclusive to a single console anymore”

Link: https://x.com/Knoebelbroet/status/1873115322032787872

https://br.ign.com/final-fantasy-vii-rebirth/134307/news/nao-podemos-ser-exclusivos-de-um-unico-console-diretor-de-final-fantasy-7-rebirth-diz-que-numeros-de

Yoshinori Kitase, producer for FFVII Rebirth did an interview with IGN Brazil. Kitase says the sales are doing good but it is clear that modern games cannot be exclusive anymore… that they need to offer the game to as many players as possible. FFVII Rebirth’s PC port comes out later this month, nearly a year after it was released as a PS5 exclusive. Still no word on if FFVII Remake or Rebirth will come to Xbox.

Tango Gameworks Lives Again Thanks to Krafton

Link: https://wccftech.com/tango-gameworks-lives-again-thanks-to-krafton/

Today, at the dawn of the new year, Tango Gameworks has resumed social media communications with the following message to all its fans:

A New Start\nTango Gameworks studio has been reborn as Tango Gameworks Inc., proudly joining KRAFTON Inc.\nWe’re excited to continue crafting games that bring joy to players around the world.\nThank you for your continued support as we embark on this new journey!

As a reminder, the Japanese studio previously also released The Evil Within, The Evil Within 2, and Ghostwire: Tokyo. Those franchises have stayed with Microsoft for now, but they don’t appear to be used for the time being. As such, it’s not inconceivable that Tango might ask for the license at some point in the future, though the current focus is undoubtedly on Hi-Fi Rush 2.

EmuDECK adds ShadPS4

Link: https://steamdeckhq.com/news/emudeck-adds-ps4-emulation-support-shadps4/

PS4 emulation is now easier than ever on the Steam Deck thanks to EmuDECK.

it is possible to play some of these on the Steam Deck

Luck be a Landlord banned from Google Play?

Link: https://blog.trampolinetales.com/luck-be-a-landlord-might-be-banned-from-google-play-2/

Another game being scrutinized for gambling aesthetics (in this case, literal slot machines). But like Balatro there are no real money transactions beyond the game itself.

Recettear - One of the most influential doujin titles gets an HD Remaster

Link: https://x.com/Recettear_EGS/status/1873564667366506965

Recettear: An Item Shop’s Tale was a doujin title released in 2007 at the 73rd Comiket and historically one of the first independent games from Japan to be released on Steam. It has inspired quite a few games, like Moonlighter, Potionomics and even the likes of ConcernedApe’s upcoming game, Haunted Chocolatier. One of the most capitalist games of all time where the goal is to make a shitload of money from the loot you find in dungeons. Possibly the antithesis of Disco Elysium.

It’s getting an HD remaster in 2025. Capitalism Ho!

Join us for the latest episode of Off the Console as we dive into the hottest gaming tech news of the week! From Valve’s ongoing controversies and the assumptions made by CoffeeZilla, to the innovative Ioneo 3 and its modular design. James, aka The Brink, is joined by HiTech (and Gardner in spirit) to discuss their latest gaming adventures, the photorealistic vs. stylized graphics debate, and more. Plus, we touch upon the fascinating world of War Thunder leaks and the unique challenges faced by game developers today. Don’t miss this engaging discussion and be sure to tune in for our CES predictions next week!

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Recording Date/time: March 15th 10 AM EST

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The Supposed Xbox Handheld

Link: https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/xbox-hardware-report-project-keenan-next-gen-xbox-2027

Dubbed Project Kennan, it appears to be a handheld made not inhouse by MS but in collaboration with a PC manufacturer. Currently unknown who this player is. It is however said to be unmistakenably “Xbox” in an era where everything is an Xbox.

Fortnite and Epic Anti-Cheat services coming to Windows on Snapdragon

Link: https://onlineservices.epicgames.com/en-US/news/windows-on-snapdragon-support-is-coming-to-epic-online-services-anti-cheat-and-fortnite

So they’ll support ARM but not support Linux on x86?

Steam - A Year in Review 2024

Link: https://steamcommunity.com/groups/steamworks/announcements/detail/751641001553035272

I think it’d be a more fun surprise if we read this on the show without knowing any specific data points.

SteamOS 3.7.0 PREVIEW

Link: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1675200/view/529841158837240756

Read the changelog

Saudi Arabian gov’t buys Pokemon Go + 100 million player’s real-time location data

Link: https://lemmy.world/post/26731033

Niantic has sold their rights to the games they developed with Nintendo to the Saudi crown. No word on if that deal includes sold all their consumers’ historical data but it will definitely mean anyone who continues to play this game will have Saudi spyware on their devices.

Yet another reason to not play these types of games.

Is this yet another attempt by the Saudi’s to sportswash their image?

The Triple I Initiative RETURNS

Link: https://iii-initiative.com/

The Triple I Initiative was an indie only showcase that surprised us last year with some crazy announcements! This year they’re set to return bigger and better than ever! With no ads!

Bazzite DX & GDX

Link: https://universal-blue.discourse.group/t/introducing-the-bazzite-developer-experience-alpha/7342

Bazzite’s latest innovation? Two new spins of their operating system focused on the Developer Experience.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows - Steam Deck Optimized?

Link: https://www.pcguide.com/news/we-are-supporting-steam-deck-at-launch-ubisoft-changes-stance-on-assassins-creed-shadows/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HInwdVFWvVs

Ubisoft initially stated that the game would NOT be supported on Deck due to the high spec requirements… but now it seems they’ve reversed this stance. As of the making of this document it’s still Unsupported… but I’d be surprised if it ran at a decent framerate on Deck.

Disco Elysium: Reimagined for the TikTok Generation

Link: https://www.eurogamer.net/disco-elysium-is-being-reimagined-for-mobile-devices-to-captivate-the-tiktok-user

“We intend to captivate the TikTok user with quick hits of compelling story, art, and audio, ultimately creating an all new, deeply engaging form of entertainment,”

Steam Spring Sale 2025

Link: https://store.steampowered.com/

No more Steam Catgirl