Articles about Gaming

The next addition to the Xbox family is code-named Project Scorpio, and today details about the next-generation console have emerged. Rather unusually, these details have come neither direct from Microsoft nor through a series of leaks.

For reasons best known to Microsoft, the company chose to invite Digital Foundry to its Redmond campus and reveal Project Scorpio details. Due for release later this year (Q4 to be a little more precise), the console is said to be running ahead of schedule, and boasts some impressive specs that will have gamers drooling.

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It used to be that a desktop gaming PC would almost always be a monstrous tower. In more recent years, however, these rigs have become much more svelte. Heck, there are even respectable gaming laptops nowadays. Small gaming machines not only save space, but they are arguably more aesthetically pleasing too.

Earlier this year, MSI launched a beautiful mini gaming PC called the Trident 3, for which the company has received the IF Design award. To celebrate this achievement, today, the company unveils a limited edition "Frosty" variant. With a beautiful white chassis and customizable lighting, the Trident 3 Arctic stands out from boring conservative designs.

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If you are a PC gamer, there is a good chance that you enjoy building your own computers. After all, building them yourself guarantees that you select every single component that goes inside. Not only can you pick the parts from a performance perspective, but aesthetically too -- for some folks, looks matter.

While a self-built gaming rig can be rewarding, it can be an expensive headache too. If something goes wrong, you have to reach out to each component manufacturer for support and warranty purposes. Alternatively, when you buy a pre-built machine, you have a single company to contact. Today, PC component maker CORSAIR announces an all-new gaming computer series -- its first ever. Simply called "ONE," it is designed to be both svelte and powerful. The hardcore mini PC is rather pricey, however, as it starts at $1,800 -- there are several "PRO" variants which will increase the cost dramatically. Unfortunately for AMD fans, this is an Intel/NVIDIA-only affair.

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It is quite some time since Super Mario Run arrived for iOS and took the world by storm. Right from the start there were questions about when the Android version would appear, and the delay from Nintendo saw the springing up of a batch of malicious fakers.

Pre-registration for the Super Mario Run for Android opened up in late-December, and now Nintendo has finally revealed the launch date for one of the most eagerly-awaited Android games of all time. The Android version of Super Mario Run will launch on 23 March -- just days away!

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Mechanical keyboards are all the rage with gamers nowadays, and it is easy to see why. Not only are they usually solidly built, but they provide a satisfying typing and clicking experience -- arguably better than cheaper membrane variants.

Today, CORSAIR launches a new tenkeyless (no number pad) mechanical keyboard, called K63. This product features CHERRY MX Red switches and is quite affordable. It even has both dedicated media and volume buttons, plus a Windows Start button lock -- no more accidentally clicking "Windows" and exiting a game. Best of all? It is available now!

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The issue of ad blocking once again resurfaced at the 2017 Mobile World Congress. Leading network provider, O2 announced that it is looking to give users the ability to block ads if they feel "plagued by advertising." This follows on from similar threats at the 2016 MWC from Three Mobile -- another leading network provider in the UK. Although there have been no legislative changes or work regarding ad blocking, the debate is very much in the headlines and in the public domain.

Ad blocking uptake has slowed, but brands should not be resting on their laurels just yet. According to statistics from Campaign magazine, during 2017, 41.1 percent of millennials will use ad-blockers, versus 26.9 percent of Generation X and 13.9 percent of baby boomers. The increase in mobile phone usage will force marketers to think more carefully about exactly how they will reach these people, so that users do not feel interrupted, specifically during mobile gaming. Consumers are so used to advertising on television and radio, but mobile is a very different medium. Ultimately, advertisers need to be less invasive and more creative in their approach to reach their target audience.

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There is a new trend in console gaming, where existing consoles are enhanced rather than replaced. For instance, the Xbox One S and PlayStation 4 Pro aren't really new consoles, but upgrades of the current generation. They may have new features, but they play the exact same games.

Microsoft's next generation of video game console is currently called "Project Scorpio." This will be a truly new console, although it will be backwards compatible with all Xbox One games -- nice. In fact, you will even be able to use your Xbox One controllers and other accessories. While we do not have a definitive date of when it will go on sale, today the next Xbox console makes its debut in the Microsoft Store. We even get a slightly better idea of when it will be in stores.

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PC gaming is a huge business nowadays, with consumers not only spending a lot of money on games and hardware, but dedicating much time to the pastime too. Heck, people don't just play video games themselves, they also watch other people play them. Amazon's Twitch platform is full of people streaming themselves playing games, and even more people watching them.

As the gaming scene grows, the hardware offerings seem to get better and better. After all, the bigger the market, the bigger the incentive to cater to it. Logitech has long supported the PC gaming community, especially with its iconic "G" series of hardware. Today, the company is bringing a new professional-level keyboard to market. Called "G Pro Mechanical Gaming Keyboard," it is designed for those that take their gaming sessions seriously and are willing to invest in quality accessories.

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Just as operating systems borrow ideas from each other, the same is true of social networks -- and just about all sites and services feature social networking elements. Twitch, the streaming video platform for gamers, is copying Twitter and launching a social media feed called Pulse.

Described as "a place where streamers can post and engage with all of their followers and the greater Twitch community right from the Twitch front page", Pulse is not just about text updates, but also sharing GIFs.

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If you were one of the many gamers who unwrapped a Nintendo Switch this weekend, there are a few little tidbits that you might be interested in. Whether you've opted for a standard Joy-Con controller, or the Switch Pro Controller there are secrets waiting to be discovered.

In the US, UK and Japan, sales of Nintendo's latest console have been impressive, so there are lot of gamers out there ready to explore the likes of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. But before you devote hours to whatever games you bought, take a look at the controller in your hand because it has more to offer than you might first think.

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AMD recently released its all-new Ryzen 7 desktop processors, and many folks are excited. Well, I am sure Intel isn't too happy, actually. Why? AMD's new chips are comparable from a performance standpoint, but at lower prices. Believe it or not, with this new AM4 platform, this is AMD's fist time embracing DDR4 memory.

If you want powerful and compatible RAM for a new Ryzen build, there are many choices. With that said, there is one popular brand of memory that many gamers enjoy nowadays -- G.SKILL. Today, the company announces two new RAM kits -- Flare X and FORTIS. They can be had in various speeds and capacities, with the Flare X being offered with frequencies up to 3,466MHz!

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Microsoft has promised that the arrival of Game Mode in Windows 10 Creators Update will improve the performance of games. This sounds great in principle, but how does it work?

Microsoft has already said a little about what's going on, but really it has not gone far beyond saying that more processor and GPU cycles will be dedicated to compatible games. But speaking at the Game Developers Conference this week, Xbox Advanced Technology Group's Eric Walston went into a little more detail.

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Yesterday, I reported on how Windows 10 usage had fallen in February according to the latest figures from NetMarketShare.

Today, Steam releases its hardware survey for February, and that shows that Windows 10 usage has fallen on the gaming platform too, and not for the first time. Usage in January was also down from the month before. Is it the start of a downward trend?

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Google has announced a few changes to the Play Store, one of which means that listings for games will be promoted not based solely on the number of downloads. The company is tweaking its algorithms to take into account how much time is spent playing games -- so a game which achieves large numbers of downloads but isn’t played much will drop down the rankings.

Another change that has been a long time coming is the option for developers to list sale prices for their apps and games. While it was previously possible to manually change the price of a title, now devs can list the full and sale price at the same time, so buyers can easily see what savings they are making. New editorial pages are also due to be added to Google Play.

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Gaming can be an expensive business, with games often costing $60. Starting later this spring, however, things are set to get cheaper. Microsoft is about to launch Xbox Game Pass, a $9.99 per month subscription that gives unlimited access to over 100 Xbox One and Xbox 360 games.

Fears that this might just mean access to a substandard set of titles appear to be unfounded -- games such as Halo 5: Guardians, Payday 2, NBA 2K16 and SoulCalibur II are to be found on the list. Microsoft is quick to stress that this is not a streaming service; subscribers will be able to download full games to the console.

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