The Genesis Project Team is delivering a meticulous Commodore 64 remaster of the 1984 cult classic Sabre Wulf, featuring completely redrawn 320x200 pixel art, smoother code, bug fixes, and a refreshed soundtrack that finally taps the system’s full audiovisual potential. With added quality-of-life features such as a “fog of war” map, enhanced UI, and expanded enemy variety, the project is nearing completion, and an early v0.5 build is already available for download.

Krikkz’s newly announced EverDrive GBA Pro flash cartridge brings modern conveniences to original Game Boy Advance hardware, including save states, an in-game menu, gyro and tilt support, and an adjustable real-time clock for time-sensitive titles. Despite a higher $129 price tag and the absence of rumble features, the Pro’s rapid sell-out and broad support for GBA, GB, GBC, and NES titles underscore its appeal for dedicated retro handheld enthusiasts.

Asus is facing criticism after refusing to replace a $4,000 limited-edition ROG Matrix RTX 5090 whose misaligned 12VHPWR power connector allegedly prevents proper seating and could jeopardize the card’s 800W performance. The company maintains the off-center connector is intentional and part of the original design, effectively pushing the affected buyer toward a return rather than a warranty claim.

Framework is raising laptop prices again as DDR5 RAM costs spike amid a global memory shortage, while unusually urging buyers to source their own modules if they can find cheaper deals. The company frames the move as a pass-through of supplier increases rather than profit-taking, warning of further hikes ahead and promising to lower prices once costs normalize.

ASUS is facing criticism after refusing to replace a $4,000 limited-edition ROG Matrix RTX 5090 whose misaligned 12VHPWR power connector allegedly prevents proper seating and could jeopardize the card’s 800W performance. The company maintains the off-center connector is intentional and part of the original design, effectively pushing the affected buyer toward a return rather than a warranty claim.

An Amazon shipping error left one Reddit user with two full cartons of Samsung 9100 PRO 2TB NVMe SSDs worth an estimated $6,000 after ordering just two drives, prompting both logistical dilemmas and joking “first-world problem” laments on r/pcmasterrace. After contacting Amazon, the customer was told they could legally keep the unrequested surplus under U.S. FTC rules, sparking community debate over authenticity checks, resale plans, and whether the viral windfall was too good to be true.

The Fantech EOS Mini shows that an ultra-light, $13 Bluetooth gamepad can still deliver strong performance, broad platform compatibility, and up to 20 hours of battery life in a truly pocketable form factor. While its membrane face buttons may fatigue fast-action players, its responsive shoulder buttons, precise D-pad, and versatile extra features help it stand out in the growing mini-controller market.

Homebrew developer Marc Max is reviving the 1991 Game Boy title Ninja Gaiden Shadow with an unofficial DX upgrade that adds full color, performance tweaks, and quality-of-life improvements for modern hardware like the Analogue Pocket.

Homebrew developer Marc Max is reviving the 1991 Game Boy title Ninja Gaiden Shadow with an unofficial DX upgrade that adds full color, performance tweaks, and quality-of-life improvements for modern hardware like the Analogue Pocket.

Airs Adventure, a little-known 1996 Sega Saturn JRPG, is now fully playable in English thanks to a new fan-made translation patch led by Saturn hacker Hitomi2500. While never a critical darling, this quirky, light-hearted RPG, long locked to Japan, can finally reach a global audience of retro enthusiasts willing to embrace its “so bad it’s good” charm.

Hideo Kojima’s latest self-interview for Wired’s Tech Support series offers a sharp critique of risk‑averse AAA game design, a warning about AI dulling the creative spark, and a renewed defense of deeply personal, auteur‑driven worlds. He also teases Physint as a boundary‑blurring “game‑film” hybrid, signaling a future where cinema and interactive storytelling increasingly converge.

Microsoft is reshaping its Xbox strategy around cloud and cross-platform gaming while denying reports that it is enforcing a 30% profit margin target on the division. Amid steep hardware sales declines, significant project cancellations, and widespread layoffs, the company is doubling down on subscriptions and broader device access as it distances itself from Bloomberg’s claims of a 30% margin minimum in play for the division.

Valve is phasing out 32-bit Windows support for Steam, with the client shifting entirely to 64-bit on compatible PCs and updates ending for 32-bit systems on 1 January 2026. While the change affects only a tiny minority of users, those who don’t upgrade their OS, or are stuck on legacy 32-bit hardware, will lose access to client updates, security patches, customer support, and reliable compatibility with new games.

Dishonored co-creator and Arkane Austin studio director Harvey Smith reflects on the “shock” of Microsoft’s decision to close the studio after Redfall’s troubled launch, describing sleepless nights, guilt over the game’s failure, and concern for younger developers whose first project was abruptly cut short.

The Last Ninja Collection + Bonus Games brings seven meticulously preserved C64, Amiga, and ZX Spectrum classics to Steam, bundling the full Last Ninja trilogy with remixed editions and celebrated fighting titles like International Karate and International Karate+. It also comes with controller support, split-screen multiplayer, modest system requirements, and planned physical editions for PC, PS5, and Switch in the near future.

Voice actor Alix Wilton-Regan has revealed that Microsoft’s canceled Perfect Dark reboot had reached advanced development, with whole motion-capture chapters and key milestones completed before funding was abruptly pulled. Her account underscores how deeply the project was underway and how sudden Xbox’s wider wave of studio closures and layoffs felt to those working on the game.

Atari is reviving its brand with an ambitious plan to build a neon-soaked, esports-ready “gaming hotel” in Phoenix, Arizona, inviting fans to invest from as little as $500 as part of a community-focused funding model. With $14 million raised toward a $124 million budget, the project aims to open in 2028, promising high-tech rooms, creator suites, and large-scale entertainment venues while still facing a steep capital gap.

Veteran N64 developer and hacker Kaze Emanuar has publicly challenged Analogue 3D’s claims of cycle accuracy and “100% compatibility,” presenting side-by-side tests that show slower performance, missing hardware behaviors, and failed system checks compared to an original Nintendo 64. While he still considers the FPGA-based system a strong, affordable option for most players and notes that firmware updates may address many issues, Analogue has yet to respond to the mounting concerns from speedrunners, modders, and preservationists.

Playtiles, a $12 credit-card-sized gamepad that physically overlays smartphone touch controls, is finally reaching early backers after months of anticipation, delivering a surprisingly sturdy, adhesive-free alternative to Bluetooth controllers.

Fan-made 8-bit demake Bit of War resurrects the original 2005 God of War as a free NES-style side-scrolling platformer, turning Kratos’ cinematic Greek odyssey into tight, retro action with pared-back visuals and bite-sized levels. Developed by Holmade Games with Sony’s blessing, it offers an alternate, interview-inspired storyline, straightforward enemy design, and a nostalgic homage to both the franchise and classic 8-bit era.

A nearly complete build of the long‑cancelled Resident Evil Game Boy Color port has resurfaced, offering fans a rare look at HotGen and Fluid Studios’ ambitious attempt to recreate the PlayStation survival horror classic on Nintendo’s handheld. The 98% complete version, showcased by preservation site Games That Weren’t, includes late-game enemies, endings, and most core mechanics, while also shedding light on the project’s mysterious cancellation at Capcom’s behest in 2000.

Nex Playground has quietly become the No. 2 game console in the U.S., outpacing PS5 unit sales during the Black Friday run-up, by emphasizing low-cost, controller-free, camera-based gameplay over cutting-edge graphics. In an interview, CEO David Lee says the PS3-level hardware and sub-$250 price point are deliberate trade-offs that position the cube-shaped console as a budget-friendly, family-focused alternative to traditional high-fidelity systems.

Epic Games has confirmed that Fortnite will remain blocked on iOS in Japan, accusing Apple of defying the country’s new Mobile Software Competition Act despite formally allowing third-party app stores. CEO Tim Sweeney alleges Apple is preserving its dominance through high “junk fees,” strict reporting requirements, and alarming security prompts, while Apple defends its policies as necessary for user privacy, safety, and platform maintenance.

Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke has sparked backlash after defending the studio’s limited use of generative AI in the early development of its new Divinity game, prompting criticism from former employees who dispute his claims of internal consensus. The controversy underscores wider industry tensions over AI’s role in creative work, as fans and developers question its impact on jobs, artistic integrity, and innovation in big-budget games.

Hideo Kojima, famed creator of Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding, outlined bold new concepts, including a game designed for weightlessness and another built to train and “delight” artificial intelligence. In an interview, he predicted AI will transform game development within five to ten years, arguing it should be embraced as a practical tool, much like smartphones once were, rather than feared.

Google’s decision to drop support for the aging PlanetWeb 3.0 browser has effectively ended the Sega Dreamcast’s 25-year run as a functional web-browsing device, severing one of the console’s last remaining ties to its online past. Yet even as modern web standards leave the hardware behind, retro fans are turning to tools like FrogFind to keep the Dreamcast’s browsing experience and its nostalgic charm alive.

Veteran game director Glen Schofield reflected on his decade at EA and Activision, describing the post‑acquisition transformations of both publishers as “bittersweet” and a marked departure from their roles as rigorous, developer‑shaping powerhouses. In a candid LinkedIn post, he contrasted EA’s disciplined, structured review culture with Activision’s intense, freewheeling creative debates, arguing that recent ownership shifts signal the end of an era for talent development in AAA game publishing.

Rumors surrounding Valve’s long-absent Half-Life 3 have intensified, with industry insiders claiming the game will launch alongside the newly announced Steam Machine hardware ecosystem in Spring 2026. While component price volatility is reportedly delaying concrete pricing and announcements, multiple leaks suggest Half-Life 3 is real, playable end-to-end, and planned as the definitive conclusion to Gordon Freeman’s story.

Counter-Strike co-creator Minh “Gooseman” Le said CS2’s grip on Steam is driven less by tactical gunplay than by a booming, speculative market for cosmetic weapon skins. In a wide-ranging interview, he reflected on how a dorm-room mod morphed into an esports and economy juggernaut, and on his own uneasy exit from Valve and failed bid to surpass Counter-Strike with Tactical Intervention.

The long-troubled SuperSega FPGA “all-in-one” console has been officially cancelled, ending a two-year saga marked by dubious demos, trademark pressure from Sega, and over $156,000 in undelivered crowdfunding pledges. This article examines how red flags around the hardware’s authenticity, the creator’s controversial history, and failed promises to backers culminated in the project’s collapse and ongoing refund uncertainty.

Commodore International Corporation has filed a major trademark lawsuit against Italy-based Commodore Industries S.r.l., seeking to invalidate its 2017 registrations before the European Intellectual Property Office and Italian courts. The dispute, which CIC frames as essential to protecting the legacy and consumer trust in the original Commodore brand, comes as the company prepares a new licensing program and continues shipping its modern C64 Ultimate systems.

“The Trial of Kharzoid” is a new NES homebrew that fuses Arkanoid-style brick-breaking with Metroidvania exploration and Castlevania-inspired boss battles, proving the 8-bit console’s library is still evolving decades after its heyday. Developed by Canadian indie creator Pascal Belisle and released via Broke Studio’s Homebrew Factory imprint, the game arrives as a boxed collector’s cartridge and low-cost digital download, fresh off a successful Kickstarter and already spawning plans for an even more ambitious sequel.

“Gang of Dragon” marks Toshihiro Nagoshi’s brutal return to the crime genre, trading Yakuza’s playful excess for a lean, cinematic descent into Kabukicho’s underworld led by Korean star Ma Dong-seok. Powered by an all-star team of former Ryu Ga Gotoku developers and backed by NetEase, the in-engine reveal teases a Tarantino-tinged crime epic that favors raw intimidation over mini-games and comic relief.

Long-lost NES puzzle game Xcavator, initially developed in 1991 by Chris Oberth and never released, is being resurrected as a fully polished cartridge edition through a collaboration between iam8bit and the Video Game History Foundation. Priced at $100, the 2025 release includes an authentic NES cart and a detailed manual that chronicles the game’s troubled past, Oberth’s career, and the broader challenges of preserving 8-bit history, with profits supporting VGHF’s archival efforts.

Limited Run Games is reviving the 1987 NES cult classic Jaws with Jaws: Retro Edition for PS5 and Nintendo Switch, combining the original game, now enhanced with save-anywhere, rewind, and bonus features in addition to a newly expanded multi-chapter mode drawing from all four films. Offered in Standard and deluxe “Bigger Boat” physical editions, the release targets both retro enthusiasts and collectors ahead of the movie’s 50th anniversary in 2025.

John Romero has revealed that his cancelled, big-budget Microsoft-backed FPS has been reborn as a smaller-scale indie shooter that repurposes about $50 million worth of prior work into a radically redesigned single-player project. Now free of AAA constraints, Romero claims the game’s experimental mechanics aim to deliver a fresh experience he likens, in terms of innovation rather than genre, to the transformative impact of Elden Ring.

Australia has become the first country to impose a nationwide ban on social media use for under‑16s across ten major platforms, with companies facing multimillion‑dollar fines if they fail to take “reasonable steps” to block underage users. Framed as a historic child‑safety and mental health reform, the move has drawn global scrutiny for its broad reach, selective targeting of platforms, and potential cultural impact on how young people spend their time online and offline.

A briefly published PEGI 18+ rating for “Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag: Resynced” has reignited speculation that Ubisoft is preparing a full remake of its 2013 pirate epic, potentially dropping the modern-day storyline in favor of expanded Golden Age of Piracy content. While the listing has since been removed and no platforms were confirmed, mounting leaks, financial hints, and teases from Edward Kenway’s voice actor suggest an official reveal could be imminent, possibly at The Game Awards 2025.

New Blood Interactive has unveiled Dungeons of Dusk, a turn-based dungeon-crawling RPG spin-off of its acclaimed retro shooter Dusk, drawing heavily from cult mobile titles DOOM RPG and Wolfenstein RPG. Slated for 2026 with 30 campaign levels, full platform support, and a built-in level editor, the game canonically fills the gaps between Dusk’s episodes while trading twitch shooting for grid-based, bite-sized role-playing.