Urban Ascend is a city-building game centered on continuous expansion, system-driven design, and long-term optimization. Players grow a small town into a highly efficient metropolis by placing buildings, managing resources, and refining interconnected systems that evolve over time. The full version launches on Steam on April 3, 2026, following a public demo that introduced its core progression loop. The full release expands on those systems with additional buildings, upgrades, and mechanics designed to deepen strategic decision-making and long-term planning.

Urban Ascend features nearly 100 buildings and hundreds of upgrades that reshape how the city functions. Players manage citizen needs such as happiness, safety, and governance to unlock powerful bonuses, while responding to dynamic incidents that introduce new challenges as the city grows.

Solidigm, a pioneer in enterprise data storage, today announced it has exceeded initial investment goals for its Greater Sacramento initiatives, including the company's Rancho Cordova headquarters and surrounding research and development (R&D) campus. Announced in September 2022, Solidigm committed to investing $100 million into regional R&D facilities. Approximately three-and-a-half years into the build out, the company has surpassed this figure and will continue to invest in local talent and technology to help fuel global AI advancements.

In addition to $75 million in local lab investments, Solidigm has introduced close to 100 new NAND tools through the development of more than a $5 million world-class NAND lab and R&D center. "We have the most robust data storage product line for AI data centers," said Greg Matson, SVP, Head of Products and Marketing at Solidigm. "Our industry leading SSDs help our customers achieve the highest levels of efficiency, density, and performance in storage for their AI demands. And all of the innovation for us starts right here in Rancho Cordova."

Gigabyte Technology Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, today marks a defining moment in computing aesthetics with the introduction of the X870E AERO X3D DARK WOOD—a groundbreaking motherboard that transcends technological achievement to become a true design statement. Building on the acclaimed success of the X870E AERO X3D WOOD, the X870E AERO X3D DARK WOOD carries that legacy boldly forward, deepening the experience into something more immersive and emotionally resonant.

Guided by the philosophy of Technology with Warmth, the X870E AERO X3D DARK WOOD envelops the user in a quiet, grounded mood that feels less like a hardware upgrade and more like coming home. The authentic dark wood texture finish brings natural warmth and character into high-performance computing; the supple leather pull tab adds tactile intimacy; and the understated dark metal tones offer calm and breathing room—a deliberate counterpoint to the noise of modern life.

Worldwide 300 mm fab equipment spending is expected to increase 18% to $133 billion in 2026 and 14% to $151 billion in 2027, SEMI reported today in its latest 300 mm Fab Outlook. This strong growth reflects surging AI chip demand for data centers and edge devices, as well as the growing commitment to semiconductor self-sufficiency across key regions through localized industrial ecosystems and supply chain restructuring. Looking further out, the report projects investment will continue to increase 3% to $155 billion in 2028 and another 11% to $172 billion in 2029, respectively.

"AI is resetting the scale of semiconductor manufacturing investment," said Ajit Manocha, President and CEO of SEMI. "With global 300 mm fab equipment spending projected to exceed $150 billion in 2027 for the first time, the industry is making historic, sustained commitments to the advanced capacity and resilient supply chains needed to power the AI era."

One could be forgiven for thinking it's an April fools, but alas, Raspberry Pi has announced yet another price hike due to the increasing costs of DRAM. Its CEO, Eben Upton announced in a blog post that the company has seen a seven-fold increase in the cost of LPDDR4 DRAM, which is used in both the Raspberry Pi 4 and 5. All 4 GB and up SKUs of the aforementioned products will see a price hike that ranges from US$25 to US$100. Other products will also see an increase in price and you can find all the price bumps in the table below.

At the same time, the company is launching a new 3 GB SKU of the Raspberry Pi 4, which will launch at US$83.75. The new SKU is available today from all authorised resellers globally. The price increases mean that the 16 GB SKU of the Raspberry Pi 5 now comes in at US$305, which is more than what a lot of mini PCs set you back six months ago. The 16 GB Raspberry Pi 500+ keyboard computer comes in at a whopping US$410, suggesting that some products are unlikely to sell, as they've simply become uncompetitive. The only good news today is that the 1 and 2 GB SKUs for the Raspberry Pi 4 and 5 won't see any price hikes this time around, alongside the 4 GB SKU of the Raspberry Pi 400. Raspberry Pi is promising to lower its pricing as soon as the cost for DRAM goes down at some point in the future.

ASUS today announced the UGen300 USB AI Accelerator—the first AI USB device from ASUS, bringing inference performance directly to any device. An M.2 version is also available. This slim AI accelerator measures 105 x 50 x 18 mm and features the Hailo-10H AI processor that delivers 40 AI TOPS of dedicated power to support large language models such as LLMs, VLMs, and more. UGen300 includes 8 GB LPDDR4 dedicated memory and connects to other devices via a USB-C interface, consuming just 2.5 watts of power under typical workloads. The convenient plug-and-play design ensures cross-platform compatibility with Windows, Linux, and Android. UGen300 also supports major AI frameworks like TensorFlow, PyTorch, and ONNX—right out of the box.

"By integrating the Hailo-10H into a ubiquitous USB device, ASUS brings the full power of AI and generative AI to everyone" said Max Glover, Chief Revenue Officer of Hailo. "We're excited to see how our developer community will use this plug-and-play accelerator to push the boundaries of on-device AI. This is exactly how Hailo envisions the future of AI: accessible, affordable, and designed for anyone to build with."

Continued investment in AI infrastructure by major CSPs, including purchases of GPUs and deployment of in-house ASICs, has driven strong growth among AI-related chip designers, according to TrendForce's latest findings. In 2025, the total revenue of the top 10 fabless IC design houses exceeded US$359.4 billion, up 44% YoY. NVIDIA maintained its leading position, while Broadcom moved up to second place due to increased involvement in AI, overtaking Qualcomm, which continues to depend more heavily on consumer electronics.

Industry leader NVIDIA delivered another year of record revenue, supported by its strong AI chip portfolio and computing ecosystem. The company's fourth quarter revenue from data centers accounted for as much as 90% of its total. Full-year revenue rose 65% YoY to $205.7 billion—the fastest growth among the top players—with its share of total top-ten revenue increasing further to 57%.

ASUS today announced ASUS ExpertBook P5 G1, a powerful and versatile business laptop—with 14-inch and 16-inch display options—designed to support the productivity needs of modern professionals. Combining dependable performance from up to an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor and a sleek and lightweight design, ASUS ExpertBook P5 G1 is engineered to deliver a reliable computing experience in offices, hybrid work environments, and for professionals on the move.

ASUS ExpertBook P5 G1, with its choice of 14-inch or 16-inch form factors, provides a flexible workspace in a highly portable design. The lightweight chassis starts at just 1.29 kg, making it easy to carry between meetings, offices or travel destinations. A 70Wh battery supports extended productivity throughout the workday, while the durable design meets MIL-STD-810H US military-grade standards, ensuring reliability in everyday business environments.

Zero Latency VR, the undisputed leader in immersive entertainment and the mastermind behind the world's largest true location-based free-roam VR network, has announced a new collaboration with CD PROJEKT RED to bring the award-winning universe of Cyberpunk 2077 into its warehouse-scale VR format.

Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world, action-adventure role-playing game set in Night City, a dark future megalopolis obsessed with power, glamour, and body modification. Players take on the role of a cyber-enhanced mercenary named V, who faces the most powerful forces in the city in a fight for glory and survival. Created by the studio behind The Witcher series of games, Cyberpunk 2077 has reached a global audience since its launch in 2020, earning acclaim for its storytelling, gameplay, and the immersive nature of its open world.

The CZ.NIC Association, the Czech national domain administrator, presents Turris Omnia NG Wired - a rack-mountable model offering 10 Gbps connectivity and the Turris OS operating system based on OpenWrt/Linux. It builds on the security principles of the Turris project and features a quiet, passive-cooling design. The device is intended for businesses, institutions, and demanding users seeking a powerful and sustainable network foundation while supporting European technologies, open source, and digital sovereignty.

Designed for rack installation: 10G/2.5G connectivity in a compact package
Turris Omnia NG Wired is built for racks and spaces like server rooms and network cabinets. Wi-Fi can be provided by separate access points, while the router stays in the backroom.

The Behind The Scenes Trailer offers an in-depth look into the creation of Masters of Albion. It features personal and detailed interviews with Peter Molyneux, Mark Healey and Russ Shaw, as they reflect on their history as collaborators and the creative processes behind MoA, all supported by brand new in-game capture.

Created entirely in-house, the documentary showcases previously unseen areas of Albion's world, behind-the-scenes footage of key development moments, and candid stories from the team's past. Alongside this, viewers can expect new gameplay insights, a closer look at the game's evolving systems, and a tone that reflects both the humour and ambition of the studio… including, at one point, a rogue chicken.

MSI announced that its next-generation AI platform, MSI EdgeXpert, has officially become an NVIDIA-Certified System. This validation ensures the hardware has undergone rigorous testing by NVIDIA engineers for performance, functionality, scalability, and security. Most importantly, it brings MSI EdgeXpert into the supported ecosystem of NVIDIA AI Enterprise (NVAIE), strengthening its capability to support enterprise-grade generative AI, AI agents, and high-performance edge AI workloads.

Establishing Hardware Trust Standards through Rigorous Testing
NVIDIA-Certified Systems establish a broad hardware trust standard. MSI EdgeXpert has passed extensive evaluations, including deep learning training with TensorFlow and PyTorch, high-throughput inference with TensorRT and Triton, and system-level security testing. While the certification covers a wide range of hardware reliability, its support for NVIDIA AI Enterprise is one of the most significant values, helping organizations move efficiently from proof of concept to real-world deployment.

JetStor today announced the successful deployment of an 80 PB high-density archive for a government agency - one of its largest on-premises archive deployments of its kind in the public sector. Designed to meet rigorous security demands for long-term data retention, JetStor's POD-based architecture was paired with WD Ultrastar 26 TB enterprise-class hard drives to deliver a secure, high-density cost-efficient storage foundation built for long-term data retention at scale.

Public-sector IT teams face a distinct challenge at this scale: growing storage capacity economically without disrupting active production networks or retraining operations staff. JetStor addressed this by standardizing the entire deployment into repeatable POD building blocks—each anchored by WD Ultrastar DC HC590 26 TB SAS 7200RPM drives—across 132 JetStor XS3324D 4U 24-bay systems and 3,200 drives total. The result is a dual Fibre Channel fabric architecture that supports seamless expansion while keeping infrastructure management straightforward and predictable from day one.

Publisher Digital Vortex Entertainment (part of Utmost Games) and indie developer Firevolt are proud to announce Salvation Denied, a chaotic co-op building sim for 1-4 players where a crew of small, yellow, mischievous construction robots attempts to build massive structures with heavy machinery and absurd tools.

A time-limited open playtest is now available on Steam for one week, with the full game release launching Fall 2026 on PC via Steam and in 2027 on PS5 and Xbox Series X. In Salvation Denied, players work under contract for a mysterious and fanatical client. On a hostile planet filled with extreme environments, a crew of construction robots is tasked with assembling massive experimental structures, though only their obsessive employer seems to know what's coming next.

Gameplay Group International and PM Studios, in collaboration with Paramount, Skydance and Avatar Studios, Today announced a global publishing partnership for AVATAR LEGENDS: The Fighting Game. Developed together with Nickelodeon Animation Studios, the fast-paced 1v1 fighter is set to launch July 2 for $29.99 USD SRP on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam, with full cross-play support available at launch. The game's release date was unveiled live at the EVO Awards, marking a major milestone for the fighting game community. Players can pre-order now on Steam and wishlist the game on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S Today.

Set within the iconic worlds of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, AVATAR LEGENDS: The Fighting Game delivers fluid combat, expressive bending abilities, and competitive gameplay designed to engage both seasoned fighting game players and newcomers alike. Players are challenged to master the elements across a roster of fan-favorite characters, combining strategic depth with fast-paced, accessible action.

ASUS today announced the appointment of Shawn Chang as the General Manager of its North America System Business Group. Chang, a veteran ASUS executive with more than two decades of experience across global markets, will now lead the business development and strategic growth initiatives across the United States and Canada.

Under Chang's leadership, ASUS North America will continue to accelerate its momentum across consumer, gaming, and commercial segments. The company remains committed to delivering the award-winning hardware and innovation that has made it a leader in consumer and gaming electronics and delivering the level of advanced security, durability and processing power needed for its commercial line of electronics.

XGIMI has announced that its flagship TITAN Noir series 4K projectors—first unveiled at CES 2026—are now officially available for pre-order, with early supporters eligible to save up to $3,200 off the retail price. As XGIMI's most advanced and powerful flagship home theater lineup to date, the TITAN Noir series is engineered with cutting-edge RGB triple-laser technology and a precision Dual Iris system, redefining "absolute black" in home cinema and setting a new benchmark for professional-grade at-home projection.

Crafted for home cinema enthusiasts and power users who refuse to compromise on visual excellence, the TITAN Noir series is purpose-built for dedicated home theaters and high-end living spaces—where deep blacks, high brightness, and superior contrast are the cornerstones of an exceptional viewing experience.

Aurzen today introduced the EAZZE D1 air smart projector, a portable cinema designed for people who want the experience of a smart TV without being tied to a single room. Built for effortless viewing, D1 air runs popular streaming apps like Netflix and YouTube out of the box, fully licensed and ready to play—no extra sticks, no workarounds, and no complicated setup. Power it on, and your favorite content starts immediately, just like turning on a TV.

A recessed USB-C port with 65 W PD support allows D1 air to run from common laptop chargers or portable power banks, making it easy to move from room to room or take entertainment outdoors. The integrated 180-degree gimbal stand keeps cables neatly out of sight while allowing smooth transitions from wall to ceiling projection with a simple adjustment.

QNAP Systems, Inc. (QNAP), a leading innovator in computing, networking, and storage solutions, today announced an expanded partnership with CyberLink Corp., a global leader in AI and multimedia software. Through this collaboration, QNAP has been officially selected as a recommended storage partner for CyberLink's PhotoDirector and PowerDirector workflows.

CyberLink's PhotoDirector, PowerDirector, and PowerDVD are trusted by creators worldwide for their AI-driven editing technologies. When paired with QNAP NAS, creators gain a private cloud storage solution that allows them to centrally store, manage, and protect their entire media library—without being locked into recurring cloud subscriptions. This seamless combination enables creators to edit freely while retaining full ownership and control of their content and files.

MSI is excited to introduce full support for the upcoming AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition processor, built on cutting-edge "Zen 5" architecture and powered by next-generation AMD 3D V-Cache technology. Designed for MSI's AM5 motherboard lineup, this 16-core, 32-thread powerhouse boasts a massive 192 MB L3 cache, up to 5.6 GHz boost clocks, and a 200 W TDP. Whether for intense gaming or heavy content creation, it delivers exceptional speed and efficiency, pushing performance to new heights.

MSI also introduces its new flagship MEG X870E UNIFY-X MAX, built for uncompromising performance. Designed with a specialized 2-DIMM layout and OC Engine, it caters to extreme overclocking enthusiasts seeking maximum potential. A powerful 18+2+1 power phase design (110 A SPS), combined with an advanced cooling solution featuring a Direct Touch Cross Heat-pipe and double-sided EZ M.2 Shield Frozr II, ensures stability under the most demanding conditions. The exclusive Tuning Controller simplifies advanced tuning and CMOS reset, making overclocking accessible even for those new to extreme performance tuning. Fully optimized for AMD Ryzen 9000 Series processors with AMD 3D V-Cache technology, and equipped with Full-Speed Wi-Fi 7 and 5G LAN, it delivers blazing-fast, low-latency connectivity.

Welcome to the final few days of March and the first few days of April. We kick off this week with a very shiny looking game that wants to freak you out. This is followed by cleaning up the neighbourhood, killing off some vampires, getting the Star God's blessing, being a very smart octopus and finally playing jenga with a city in the ocean. We also have a bunch of other games that might appeal to you this week as well.

Subliminal / This week's major release / Tuesday 31 March
Subliminal is a psychological horror game inspired by the urban legend of The Backrooms. Bleeding edge lighting and rendering, handcrafted open-ended levels, light and perspective-based puzzles, nostalgic spaces, unfamiliar faces, and a rotting feeling that something is not quite right. Steam link

ASUS today announced two new ExpertCenter P600 AiO models, the 27-inch PM640GA and the 24-inch class PM670GA. The ExpertCenter P600 AiO is an all-in-one Copilot+ PC, designed to deliver next-generation AI performance for business. Powered by up to an AMD Ryzen AI 7 processor with up to 50 NPU TOPS, it combines immersive visuals, AI-enhanced collaboration and enterprise-grade security in a sleek and versatile design.

With its edge-to-edge touchscreen, adjustable stand options and built-in security features, ExpertCenter P600 AiO is engineered for the evolving needs of modern offices, retail counters and educational environments—empowering employees to work faster, collaborate smarter and stay more secure.

Dimension-hopping developer Behaviour Interactive (Dead By Daylight) and rocket-jumping publisher Devolver Digital (BALL x PIT, Baby Steps) have joined forces to unveil Serious Sam: Shatterverse via today's Xbox Partner Preview showcase. This multiversal multiplayer FPS is based on the adventures of boomer shooter legend Sam 'Serious' Stone - whose over-the-top run-and-gun classic, Serious Sam: The First Encounter, celebrates its 25th birthday this year - but with an oh-so-modern roguelite twist.

Serious Sam: Shatterverse is a co-op FPS where five players can team up, blast through shifting universes, stack wild boons, bend the rules with run modifiers and hunt the deadliest forces of Sam's relentless arch-nemesis, the villainous Mental.

DEEPX, a Seoul-based fabless semiconductor company developing ultra-low-power AI inference chips for physical AI applications, has secured 27 commercial purchase orders across eight countries within seven months of starting mass production of its first-generation AI chip—a pace that industry observers describe as highly unusual for an emerging fabless company at such an early stage of commercialization.

The orders span seven major Physical AI application domains, including robotics, smart factories, edge AI servers, industrial AI, surveillance, AI IT services, and smart cities, with deployments now active across Asia, North America, and Europe.

GIGABYTE Technology, one of the top global manufacturers of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, today announced the release of its new AMD AGESA 1.3.0.0a BIOS, bringing full support and performance optimization for the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition processor across GIGABYTE's entire AM5 800 Series and 600 Series motherboard lineup.

The Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition processor doubles the L3 cache stacked below the processor cores, delivering a massive leap in data-intensive and latency-sensitive workloads. GIGABYTE's latest BIOS is specifically tuned to unlock the full potential of this expanded cache architecture.

ASRock, a global leader in motherboards, graphics cards, gaming monitors, small form factor PCs, and power supply units, today announced that its AM5 motherboards fully support the newly launched AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition Processor. The newly introduced AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition processor offers more cache than ever, making it the ideal processor for creators and developers.

ASRock's AM5 motherboard is able to support the newly launched processors by simply downloading and installing the latest BIOS from the ASRock official website. In addition to downloading BIOS updates from the official site, users can also take advantage of BIOS Flashback and Instant Flash for quick and convenient upgrades. ASRock strongly recommends updating to the latest BIOS version to ensure optimal compatibility and performance.

Soon, fans of The Expanse: Osiris Reborn will be able to don the armor of a Pinkwater mercenary and experience part of the game themselves. Starting April 22, the closed beta will be available on Steam, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5 to everyone who purchases the Collector's Edition or Miller's Pack on the website. The closed beta will give players a feel for the game's combat, movement in the zero-g environment, and dealing with life and death on a remote space station. Additionally, Owlcat Games revealed that the game will launch in Spring 2027 on PC (via Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG) and on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, with a Day 1 launch on Xbox Game Pass. Fans can wishlist the game now.

The Expanse: Osiris Reborn is a story-driven action RPG set in The Expanse universe with focus on companions, player choices, and dynamic third-person combat. As a Pinkwater Security mercenary who survives a catastrophic incident on Eros, players have to build a team to fight back against Protogen and their experiments. Though the game is set in the same universe as the books and show, it focuses on its own story and characters.

Samsung Display announced today that it has developed a new low-reflection, high-durability film that further reduces light reflectance while enhancing display durability.

Samsung Display announced the development of 'QuantumBlack,' a low-reflection and high-durability film that reduces light reflection by 20% compared to the company's previous film and increases panel hardness to 3H. The company confirmed that this technology will be fully applied to all new QD-OLED monitor products launched this year. To highlight the unique value of this technology, Samsung Display named it 'QuantumBlack ' and recently completed trademark registration.

Perixx has introduced the PERIMICE-719R/RX Series, a new wireless ergonomic vertical mouse designed specifically for women seeking a more natural hand position, reliable everyday performance, and flexible charging options. With a focus on comfort and usability, this series also provides an excellent fit for users with smaller hand sizes.

At the core of the PERIMICE-719 Series is its ergonomic vertical design, which keeps the wrist in a neutral, upright "handshake" position. This helps reduce strain and discomfort compared to a traditional mouse, making it a practical solution for long hours of work, whether in office environments or home setups.

Samsung Electronics today announced the official launch of Samsung Browser for Windows, extending its popular mobile browser experience to PC with seamless cross-device continuity and new agentic AI capabilities designed to make the browsing experience easier and more intuitive.

Browse Seamlessly From Mobile to PC
Samsung Browser for Windows bridges the gap between devices, allowing users to seamlessly continue browsing as they move between mobile and PC. Beyond simple synchronization of bookmarks and browsing history, users can pick up exactly where they left off. For instance, users can continue exploring the same webpage when moving between mobile and PC, creating a more seamless cross-device experience. With Samsung Pass integration, users can securely store personal information and sign in to websites or autofill profiles with ease.

Durabook, the global rugged mobile solutions brand owned by Twinhead International Corporation, today announced the launch of its new Z14I-HG fully rugged mobile workstation. Powered by Intel Core Ultra processors with integrated AI Boost NPU and NVIDIA RTX Ada Generation GPUs, the Z14I-HG delivers up to 682 TOPS of AI performance and workstation-class graphics acceleration directly at the edge. This enables demanding workloads such as real-time 3D rendering, AI inference, computer vision, digital twin simulation, and advanced data analytics to be performed on-site without reliance on cloud infrastructure.

The Z14I-HG is built to operate in environments where conventional laptops cannot function reliably. Combining rugged durability with workstation-level graphics and AI computing, the Z14I-HG is designed for defence operations, industrial automation, field engineering, AI-powered inspection, geospatial analysis, and mobile command applications.

TrendForce's latest findings show that global OLED monitor shipments hit 2.735 million units in 2025, a 92% YoY increase. This impressive growth was mainly fueled by aggressive promotional efforts by brands in the fourth quarter. Furthermore, 27-inch 240 Hz QHD models gained considerable popularity due to their excellent price-to-performance ratio, significantly increasing shipments. The launch of new 280 Hz models further energized the market.

Looking ahead to 2026, total shipments are expected to grow by 51% YoY as brands continue to roll out new products and marketing strategies gain further traction.

High-end GPUs are hungrier than ever, and connector safety is a top priority. MSI's new MPG Ai TS Series PSU introduces GPU Safeguard+, a proactive protection for 12V-2x6 interfaces that stops hardware damage before it even starts.

Proactive Detection, Not Reactive Shutdown
Most PSUs only react after a crash. GPU Safeguard+ is different—it spots hidden issues in real-time to stop damage or melting before it happens. Say goodbye to sudden system crashes. With our "Save Buffer," you'll get instant alerts from a hardware buzzer and a software pop-up screen. This gives you plenty of time to save your work or exit your game safely. Keep your hardware safe and your progress secure.