The PC is one of the most popular gaming platforms in the world, and one that’s constantly changing. Here at The Verge we cover every aspect, including the latest hardware developments from companies like Nvidia and Logitech, massively popular games like Fortnite and Overwatch, and hugely influential digital platforms like Steam and itch.io.
Microsoft sure seems to be hinting so! And I suspect Tom is right about what that means. (Better W than L, right?) The company will be at GDC on Wednesday with a “Building for the future with Xbox” keynote session.
If you are, Valve has a list of the 50 most-played demos. I only dabbled with a few, but I loved the one for the Vampire Survivors spinoff Vampire Crawlers.
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Any Xbox Insider PC can opt into Microsoft’s new “postgame recaps,” but the Xbox Ally X handheld’s integrated NPU takes it further with Copilot-generated “highlight reels.”
To start, it’ll only work with Among Us, Elden Ring, Fortnite, Forza Horizon 5, Lies of P, Overwatch, and Palworld. Let me know if it’s better than a normal recap?
Lenovo’s 15-inch Legion 7A is its first with an AMD Strix Halo APU. The 7A will charge via 180W USB-C and be configurable with a gaming-focused Ryzen AI Max Plus 392.
It launches in July from $2,299, competing with Asus’ upcoming TUF Gaming A14. Remember, integrated graphics are good now.
The 1TB version also reappeared this morning, but was gone before I could get up a Verge Quick Post. I’m moving faster this time! Here’s the store page. Valve warned on February 16th it’ll be intermittently out of stock because of RAMageddon. Wednesday was the Deck’s fourth anniversary. (Update: 1TB is back too, and hearing Canada has stock as well!)
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The GeForce Game Ready Driver 595.59 that optimizes DLSS features for the game on PC has been temporarily removed after Nvidia discovered a bug impacting fan control and monitoring. Anyone who already installed the driver is being advised to roll back to 591.86 WHQL while the issue is investigated.
Today is the fourth anniversary of Valve’s gaming handheld, which has been out of stock for weeks due to RAM... but when I set my VPN to the UK, I see some available now! Not in the US, EU or Asia, though.
Last February 25th, I wrote how the Deck had dominated handheld sales; recently, Circana analyst Mat Piscatella shared that the Asus ROG Ally still hasn’t made a dent.
Death Stranding 2 is coming to PC on March 19th, and the system requirements are fairly relaxed, except for needing 150GB of SSD storage — an especially tough ask for portable players (who are getting their own graphics preset). A 21:9 ultrawide mode is coming to PC and the PS5. Although, it seems likely that the effect will be simulated on PS5 like it was with its predecessor, with horizontal black bars and a wider field of view.
It turned me into Antonio Hikingman.
Costco members can get access to an exclusive Asus Xbox ROG Ally promotion running through February 22nd that knocks $100 off the original $589.99 price and includes four games. The entry-level handheld had a rocky launch late last year, but its software has improved since then.
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GameHub on Android let Sean Hollister play the Steam version of Hollow Knight: Silksong on his phone, and GameSir says its new Mac app is “coming soon.” Gamesir claims the app will let you run Windows games natively, and it’s teasing a new controller, too.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is coming to PC on March 19th, after previously being a PlayStation 5 exclusive. It’ll feature unlocked framerates, ultrawide support, upscaling, and frame generation.
It’s out of stock in the US and in parts of Asia, as reported by Windows Central. We reached out to Valve this morning to ask about it, but didn’t get a reply.
Wonder if it’s partly due to the component supply shortages that will affect the price of the Steam Machine.
HP has started offering subscriptions to rent its laptops, including its Victus and Omen gaming laptops ranging from $50 per month up to $129 per month, PC Gamer reports. There’s no option to own the laptop that you’re subscribed to, but HP will let you trade it in for an upgrade every year.
Just a few years after Overwatch 2’s free-to-play 5v5 replaced the original, Blizzard announced it’s dropping the “2.” There’s been a steady flow of other changes lately (like the return of 6v6), but the plan for this next year includes 10 new heroes (Domina, Emre, Mizuki, Anran, and Jetpack Cat arrive when S1 launches February 10th), new maps, menu updates, a Conquest meta event, Reign of Talon narrative arc, and more.
