With Texture Set Neural Compression, Intel has unveiled a new AI-based technology intended to store textures and material data far more efficiently. That could not only reduce download sizes, but also lower the VRAM requirements of modern games – an area Nvidia is also actively targeting.

After a Pokémon GO tournament in Orlando, the community is seething: one player won the final fair and square, but was denied the title because his victory celebration was judged to be unsportsmanlike.

The dates for Halo: Campaign Evolved’s Advanced Access phase and full release may have been leaked. The information is based on a cryptic X post by grunt.api, a dataminer known in the Halo community. Some fans interpret the post as pointing to an Advanced Access start on July 23, 2026 and a full release on July 28, 2026. There has been no official confirmation so far.

With the K90 Max, Redmi could solve a problem that gaming smartphones have struggled with for years. The new model is said to combine active cooling with full dust and water resistance rated at IP66, IP68 and IP69. That would make it the first device of its kind to bring these two features together.

Pokémon Champions has been received better than many expected: less grind, fair monetization and a more accessible entry into competitive play are earning praise. At the same time, an annoying Pokémon Home bug and the 30 FPS cap are dampening the overall mood.

Sony is apparently testing a new user interface for the PlayStation 5, with early users reporting a revised home screen that offers faster access to the Store, PS Plus and the games library – in some cases even outside the beta program.

Evitania Online combines idle automation with MMO elements and is off to a remarkably strong Early Access start: just one day after release, the free-to-play game already has more than 140 reviews on Steam, 96% of them positive.

Google is finally granting Google Photos users on Android a long-requested feature: videos can now be played faster or slower directly in the app. The rollout is already underway.

Anthropic is keeping its new cyber AI, Claude Mythos, under wraps, even though the company says the model has found security vulnerabilities in major operating systems and browsers. The reason: Mythos may not only be able to detect vulnerabilities, but also help create dangerous exploits.

Gamers are already suffering from high memory prices driven by the AI boom and may even have to brace for further restrictions in the future. The strategy game Stormgate is losing its online features because its server host was acquired by an AI company. It is entirely possible that scenarios like this could become more common in the future.

Samson, an open-world action game reminiscent of genre heavyweights such as GTA and Sleeping Dogs, launches on Steam on April 8. Despite the clearly recognizable parallels, developer Liquid Swords wants to give the title its own identity.

Google is apparently continuing work on AluminiumOS: A new leak shows eye-catching wallpapers with neon colors, abstract shapes, and both light and dark variants. The images could offer an early indication of how the new laptop platform is meant to stand out visually from ChromeOS.

YAR: Forgotten Throne, an open-world RPG with strong Slavic influences, has climbed into the top ranks of SteamDB. The indie title from Honor Games launched on April 3, 2026 and appears to be going down well with the community: 93% of Steam reviews are positive.

Nvidia’s own promotional video for DLSS 5 was blocked on YouTube because of a third-party copyright claim. Although the clip is now back online, the case is still causing frustration in the community – and raises questions about the reliability of YouTube’s copyright system.

According to Bloomberg, Apple is planning a major Siri upgrade: in the future, the voice assistant could execute multiple commands within a single request. Apple’s Shortcuts app is also said to become much smarter.

Deal | Although it takes a different path than its predecessor, Frostpunk 2 remains a very good city-building game. Anyone who has not yet had the chance to see that for themselves can now pick up the title on Steam with a 50% discount for the first time.

Pokémon Champions is about to launch, and experienced players have already prepared their teams in Pokémon Home. However, anyone who is not bringing their own Pokémon and does not want to spend money on the game may have to brace for a rather slow start.

According to insiders, a new Star Fox game for Switch 2 could launch as early as summer 2026 – and apparently turn out quite differently than expected. Rumors from last year were revisited on the VGC podcast, including hints at a more humorous tone, which could point to a noticeable shift in direction for Star Fox.

Deal | Anyone in the mood for some uncomplicated co-op shooting can currently pick up Killing Floor, one of the best-known survival shooters, at its best price on Steam. The game also includes a single-player mode and still feels almost tailor-made for a quick shooter session on the go.

The maiden flight of China’s Tianlong-3 has ended in failure. The rocket from private space company Space Pioneer lifted off successfully on April 3, 2026, but did not reach its planned orbit. The debut mission therefore marks a technical setback for one of China’s most ambitious private space projects.

Pokémon Champions launches on April 8, and anyone who wants to stay competitive from day one should start preparing now. One useful starting point is an unofficial list of available Pokémon compiled by Bulbagarden.

Deal | Nova Roma launched in Early Access on Steam on March 26 and is available with a 20% introductory discount until April 9. The city builder takes players to antiquity, where they build a Roman island settlement as the empire falls into decline.

At GTC 2026, Nvidia presented a possible answer to the VRAM crisis in modern games: with Neural Texture Compression, memory usage in a demo drops from 6.5 GB to 970 MB while maintaining nearly identical image quality. The technology is giving the community hope, but it is also fueling criticism of Nvidia’s past VRAM strategy.

In Turkey, McDonald’s is offering a quirky “Pro Gamer Menu” that includes a Big Mac, fries, Coke, onion rings and the anti-AFK tool “Archie.” While Reddit users see the promotion as a funny marketing gimmick, many think the price of around $12 is too high.

Deal | Just in time for Easter, Subnautica is free: the acclaimed underwater survival game with 97% positive Steam reviews can be played for free until April 6 and will then be available at a 75% discount.

Valve is overhauling Steam: the new homepage brings a more modern design, personalized offers and infinite scrolling for the first time. Users can already try out the new design in the beta client.

With the free Pokopia Garden, Berlin has had a new Pokémon-themed photo spot featuring plants, terrariums, PokéStops and a Gym for Pokémon GO since March 31, 2026. For local Pokémon fans, it should be a real must-visit. A longer trip just to see the Pokopia Garden is probably not worth it, but similar themed areas are also planned for other parts of Germany and for Paris.

With RAM prices having risen sharply in recent months, YouTuber PortalRunner set out to try an unusual hardware experiment: He wanted to find out whether a PC could somehow run with RAM replaced – or even with no RAM at all. The result is certainly interesting, but still far from anything practical for everyday use.

Deal | The dark stealth spin-off Dishonored: Death of the Outsider is currently available on Steam for just $6 instead of $30. Players can expect an atmospheric steampunk adventure with plenty of freedom in how they approach each mission.

According to insider reports, the new stars of HBO’s Harry Potter series are expected to earn a combined £500,000 in season 1, which is a very strong payday for young actors in a new series. Daniel Radcliffe, however, was reportedly paid even more for the first Harry Potter film.

A new Olaf robot at Disneyland Paris suddenly collapsed during a performance and even lost its carrot nose in the process. On TikTok, the awkward but funny incident is already being celebrated as a viral fail.

Deal | Old World takes players into an ancient world full of political intrigue and dynastic power struggles. The 4X strategy game is currently 90% off on Steam and costs just under $4 until April 13.

The ARC Raiders update "Flashpoint" goes live on March 31 and expands the extraction shooter with new ARC threats, fresh equipment, a new map event, convenience improvements for crafting and additional cosmetic rewards, among other things. Insider Gaming also ranks Flashpoint as the third biggest update on the roadmap to date.

YouTube finally appears to be coming to Android Auto – but not in the way many had hoped. According to early user reports, the app offers audio only rather than video on the car’s display, and it also seems to require YouTube Premium.

Pokémon Champions is meant to become more than just a new PvP spin-off: according to producer Masaaki Hoshino, the game is designed as a long-term platform that, in the best-case scenario, could keep running “forever.” To achieve that, The Pokémon Works and Game Freak are relying on a live-service model with rotating Pokémon pools so that the battle system remains manageable even with thousands of possible pocket monsters. The free-to-start title launches on April 8, 2026 for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2.

Deal | FRONT MISSION 1st: Remake is a remake of the 1995 strategy classic and throws players into a futuristic war fought with heavy combat mechs. The game is currently available on Steam at an 80% discount for $6.99, making it cheaper than ever before.

A long-haul truck driver shows on Reddit just how far gaming in a truck can go: instead of a simple console in his cab, he has installed a complete SimRacing station. The setup, which costs around $6,000, may seem a little over the top, but it could be entirely justified in the monotonous day-to-day life of a trucker.

Google wants to make it much easier to switch from ChatGPT, Grok and other AI apps to Gemini. New import tools can transfer memories, preferences and complete chat histories so users no longer have to start from scratch.