Desktop PCs are typically bulky behemoths, taking up precious real estate in your home office or game room. That’s not the case for products in the Beelink catalog, however, which are all incredibly compact--yet still manage to pack relatively powerful components for the price. Several mini PCs in the Beelink catalog are on sale right now too, making this a great time to free up space on your desktop and add a bit of firepower to your setup.

See all Beelink Mini PC deals

The most affordable PC in the collection is the Beelink Mini S12, which can be had for just $144 instead of its usual $199. Boasting 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, and a 12th Gen Intel Alder Lake processor, this tiny desktop is surprisingly well equipped. You won’t be playing many games on it, but it’s powerful enough to output content in 4K without breaking a sweat (thanks to a unique cooling system that uses both a CPU fan, copper heat sinks, and SSD cooling shield).

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Xbox has a big week planned, but one game that won't be present at the Xbox Games Showcase is Starfield. Instead of sharing the stage, one of the biggest games of 2023 is instead getting its very own dedicated livestream ahead of its upcoming launch in September. This will be the showcase where more details are revealed on Starfield, as Bethesda says that it'll have plenty to share on its first original IP in decades. Here's everything that we know about the Starfield Direct so far.

When is the Starfield Direct?

This livestream will take place directly after the Xbox Showcase ends on June 11. Xbox hasn't mentioned just how long this livestream will be, so there are no exact times just yet. If previous Xbox Showcases are an indicator, you can likely expect the show to run for between 60-90 minutes, which would put the Starfield Direct presentation in the range of 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET / 6 PM UTC at the earliest. We'll update this list as soon as a proper time has been confirmed.

We also don't know how long the Starfield Direct will be, but if it's getting its very own showcase, it'll likely be a decent length to justify its main event status.

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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is doing big business at the box office. It earned $120.5 million in the US over its opening weekend to become the biggest blockbuster of the summer so far and the third-strongest opening weekend for the entire Spider-Man film series.

For comparison, Across the Spider-Verse's first-weekend results edged out Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which made $118.4 million in the US for its first weekend. Comparing to other Spider-Man movies, Across the Spider-Verse trails only No Way Home ($260.1 million) and Spider-Man 3 ($151.1 million). Across the Spider-Verse started off with just a bit more than Spider-Man: Homecoming, which earned $117 million for its debut in the US back in 2017, according to Deadline.

Internationally, Across the Spider-Verse put up big numbers, too, boosting the movie's first-weekend global haul to $208.6 million.

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Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise has been dormant since 2017's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, but the series remains important to the company and it sounds like another entry in the series may be in the works.

Sean Bailey, president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, told The New York Times that the company believes it has a "really good, exciting story" for a new Pirates movie that "honors the films that have come before" and also has "something new to say."

The series, which is based on a Disney theme park ride, debuted in 2003 and spawned four sequels, which together brought in billions. The series stars controversial actor Johnny Depp, who plays Captain Jack Sparrow. Could he come back for the next movie? "Noncommittal at this point," Bailey said, leaving a fair degree of ambiguity.

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Cloud gaming is one of the most hyped aspects of the contemporary gaming scene, but it's still unclear if the technology is ready to make a big impact in the coming years. Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida recently said that the company is looking into cloud gaming in the future, but noted that the technology is "very tricky."

In that interview with the Financial Times, Yoshida said that latency has continued to present problems for cloud gaming, since gamers demand low response times. However, he did say that the financial possibilities of the technology are exciting from a revenue perspective. Sony's cloud gaming service, PlayStation Now, has been a major part of its business for years.

"I think cloud itself is an amazing business model, but when it comes to games, the technical difficulties are high," Yoshida said in part. "So there will be challenges to cloud gaming, but we want to take on those challenges."

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Amazon Fire tablets are among the best available in 2023 from a value perspective, especially if you're talking about tablets designed for kids. Amazon Fire Kids tablets are bargain-friendly and chock-full of age-appropriate content that kids know and love. Right now, Amazon is offering a huge discount on its lineup of Fire Kids Tablets. In fact, you can save nearly 50% on the Amazon Fire 7 Kids Tablet, making this a great time to scoop up a premium form of entertainment without breaking the bank.

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Aside from the big price cuts, there are a lot of other reasons why Amazon Fire Kids Tablets are so popular. This includes a two-year guarantee, allowing you to get a replacement if it breaks, a durable, kid-friendly case with kickstand, and the ability to expand your storage up to 1TB.

Amazon Fire Kids 7 tabletGallery

Best of all, you’ll get a free year of Amazon Kids+ with your purchase, giving you an easy way to find content that’s appropriate for all kids between the ages of three and seven. This includes ad-free books, games, videos, and other digital entertainment. Typically sold for $5/month, a year’s subscription is a pretty nice bonus.

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Long before Valve was making mobile PC gaming a more compact reality, gaming laptop manufacturers were regularly dropping new pieces of high-end hardware into the market for mobile play. One of the best laptops in this category, the Asus ROG Zephyrus 14, just so happens to be on special right now, as you can grab that gaming notebook for just $1,000. This deal will likely disappear after this week, and it's definitely possible Best Buy will sell out before then.

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This particular model usually retails for $1,650, and it has plenty of horsepower for your gaming needs. It comes equipped with an AMD Ryzen 9 6000-series CPU, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a high-end AMD Radeon RX 6700S mobile GPU. That'll allow it to easily play most modern games with several fancy features activated, and with AMD's upscaling FSR technology, you can draw a lot of power out of this setup.

For smaller games that don't have high requirements, this laptop will also shine. The LED display has a 2560x1600 resolution with a 120Hz refresh rate, and at 14 inches, it's a very nice size for mobile gaming. Or if you want to sit back and enjoy some Netflix, this screen will also make shows and movies look sharp. The Zephyrus 14 weighs only 3.64 pounds, which makes it ideal for carrying around in a backpack.

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GameStop is running an enticing promotion from now until June 10, as its Pro Week event is giving members a chance to cash in on a buy one, get one free deal on a wide assortment of new games. You’ll need to be a Pro member to check out the savings--but since the cost is jumping from $15/year to $25/year on June 27, now is a great time to sign up while it’s still available at this low annual price. Simply taking advantage of this B1G1 free sale will more than cover the cost of the membership.

Join GameStop PowerUp Rewards

Once you’ve signed up for the PowerUp Rewards program, you’ll be able to check out the B1G1 free deal that’s running during Pro Week. Tons of great titles are included in the sale, giving you an affordable way to check out big releases like Elden Ring or Like a Dragon: Ishin. You’ll also find plenty of older games, including our 2021 GOTY, Deathloop, or the ultra-popular Final Fantasy VII Remake.

Final Fantasy VII Remake.

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The standard DualSense controller is already one of the most technologically advanced controllers around today, but if you also want pro-style features on your controller, the DualSense Edge is the way to go. It combines the inventive features of the original hardware with impressive customization and a premium build. All of that extra tech commands a high price of $200, but right now you can get your hands on the DualSense Edge for as low as $173.

See open-box DualSense Edge

Best Buy is selling "open-box" DualSense Edge controllers for $179. The open box descriptor at Best Buy means the controller is in brand-new condition and comes with all of the original components, including three pairs of analog stick caps, two sets of removable rear triggers, a USB-C charging cable, and a carrying case. Open box products come with full warranties at Best Buy.

DualSense Edge controller

The only catch here is that the packaging will be opened and possibly damaged or even replaced entirely with an alternate box. But at the end of the day, what matters is the controller itself, and it should be indistinguishable from a brand-new model. Considering the DualSense Edge has yet to be discounted, this offer is worth considering.

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WWE has had a weird relationship with Twitch over the years. After not allowing its talent to participate on streams, the company reversed that decision last year during Wrestlemania weekend. It removed past restrictions on wrestlers' use of "third-party platforms," including Twitch and Cameo. Now WWE is all-in with partnering with the streaming platform in a multi-year deal.

On Monday, WWE announced it's officially partnering with Twitch which will see the return of the official WWE channel and popular WWE Superstar channels. In the statement, WWE announced it will debut a new companion stream to Monday Night RAW, taking fans "behind the scenes and closer to the in-ring action."

These streams will be hosted by a rotating cast of hosts and will regularly feature appearances by WWE performers and focus on "unique and exclusive content such as backstage interviews, and more." Viewers can stream the sidecast live every Monday beginning at 8 p.m. ET on a browser by going to the WWE Channel or the Twitch app itself.

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The Xbox Games Showcase 2023 is just a week away, and as one of the more highly anticipated events of Not-E3 season, this show is expected to reveal exactly what fans can expect from Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda, and other third-party partners. Now in its third year, this show usually contains a number of trailers for upcoming games, updates on in-development titles, and possibly even a few world premieres. Here's how you can watch the Xbox Games Showcase 2023 when it kicks off in a few days time.

When is the Xbox Games Showcase?

The Xbox livestream will officially begin on June 11 at the following times:

• 10 AM PT
• 1 PM ET
• 5 PM UTC
• 6 PM BST
• 7 PM CET
• 10 AM AET (June 12)

How to watch the Xbox Games Showcase

Like previous shows, the Xbox Games Showcase will be livestreamed across a variety of platforms. You'll be able to tune in via YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook to catch all the announcements.

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RoboCop: Rogue City feels like a game trying too hard to emulate the experience of its inspirations. Having played a few hours of the game at a preview event, I'm a bit conflicted regarding how I feel about the upcoming sci-fi first-person shooter. Rogue City captures the look and sounds and overall feel of the first two RoboCop movies exceptionally well, but by sticking so close to the general vibe of those movies, it creates several moments that aren't very fun to play. It has good voice acting and some intriguing RPG-inspired elements working in its favor, though.

In Rogue City, you play as Old Detroit cop Alex Murphy, who, after being fatally wounded, is rebuilt as a cyborg called RoboCop. Armed with enhanced strength and durability, advanced scanning technology, and other cutting-edge tools, you're tasked with bringing lethal justice to the growing criminal element of the city. After a hostage situation leaves you partially damaged, however, you begin to remember your old life and the wife you once had, causing you to accidentally hesitate in a dangerous situation. With your higher-ups wary of your mental state and the general public unsure if you can be trusted, you have to figure out how to proceed forward case-to-case to earn that faith back, all the while shaping the future of Old Detroit. You can punish every crime with aggressive force, for example, or take the time to resolve things more amicably.

This game emulates the visuals, sounds, and just the general vibe of the original RoboCop and its 1990 sequel--the two best entries in the franchise--very well. Much like Alien Isolation or Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Rogue City feels genuine to the storyline of its respective franchise, recapturing the aesthetic and then squeezing a brand-new story into a familiar narrative framework. Rogue City obviously differs from games like Alien Isolation or Fallen Order by not tackling its world from the perspective of a never-before-seen main character. This does mean--at least at first glance from the few hours I played--Rogue City sometimes feels a little too close to the original RoboCop movies. Those movies already explored themes of control and free will through the lens of Alex Murphy, leaving Rogue City feeling like it's retreading old ground. It's too soon to make a definitive call on the full storyline, but I am worried that the efforts to keep Rogue City faithful to the vision of the original movies may result in the story ultimately feeling "been there, done that."

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In a recent VGC Podcast interview, Summer Game Fest host/producer Geoff Keighley hit back against claims that SGF is responsible for the death of E3--the Entertainment Software Association's seemingly defunct (but once very popular) annual gaming expo.

"I think E3 sort of killed itself in a way," Keighley said when asked about his show's reputation as the source of E3's downfall. "I understand why people say [I killed E3], but I think if anything, we created Summer Game Fest, and I built Summer Game Fest because I saw the wheels falling off the wagon of E3."

Keighley created Summer Game Fest in 2020, after the COVID-19 pandemic led to E3 2020's cancellation. Ideas for a virtual event were entertained by the ESA, but never materialized. After the cancellation of E3 2021 and 2022, Summer Game Fest's popularity only grew. As a live-streamed online showcase from the start, SGF had managed to put together a safe, functional gaming showcase that was more accessible to the general public than E3 had historically been.

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Sony's Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse had a phenomenal opening weekend with a global box office of $209 million, almost seven times more than 2018's Into The Spider-Verse and two-thirds of that movie's total box office.

It might be a while before fans get another live-action Spider-Man with production being shut down while the WGA strike is in effect, but the man who wears that mantle, Tom Holland talked about his favorite Spider-Man film and, surprisingly, he doesn't actually appear in it.

Speaking to Variety, Holland said that his favorite Spider-Man film is actually Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. He also admitted he hasn't had time to see the sequel, so there might already be a new potential top spot.

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Blaseball, the "absurdist baseball simulation" that became a social media sensation during the COVID years, is now over. Developer The Game Band announced the closure earlier this month, stating that the game simply isn't sustainable to run, and that it will lay off an undisclosed number of staff as a result of this move. In a blog post, The Game Band states that the studio has has struggled to balance the workload that Blaseball requires.

"Since Blaseball's inception, we've been fighting against the amount of work it takes to keep Blaseball true to itself while financially supporting the team and keeping our staff healthy," it reads in part. "We've tried countless solutions to make it work, and we've come to the conclusion that this fight isn't one we can win in the long run. The cost, literally and metaphorically, is too high. So we are making the decision to end it here instead of changing Blaseball into something unrecognizable."

The studio further says that it'll now be making something new, which means that it has to lay off a significant portion of its staff, including artists, engineers, designers, and QA testers. The rest of the post eulogizes Blaseball, stating that it was born out of a desire to find connection during the early days of the pandemic. The studio says that it will grieve the loss of the game. It's unclear what the studio's next project will look like. The announcement of Blaseball's closure produced a large response on social media, with fans mourning its loss.

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Aspyr has announced that the Restored Content DLC for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords on Nintendo Switch has been canceled.

In a recent Twitter post, the studio thanked the KOTOR community for its "immense passion and continued support" before revealing that the planned DLC for KOTOR II is no longer in development.

"Sadly, today we’re announcing that the Restored Content DLC for the Nintendo Switch version of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords will not be moving forward for release," Aspyr said. Aspyr didn't provide the reason behind the sudden cancelation but has promised players who purchased KOTOR II prior to the announcement a free game to make up for the news.

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Capcom announced that Street Fighter 6 has surpassed one million players, just three days after the game's release in early June. To celebrate the milestone, Capcom has added a free profile title, "Just Picked Up SF6," as a celebration gift to Street Fighter 6. It can be redeemed now.

This comes by way of a tweet from the official Japanese Street Fighter account. Capcom also confirmed that the Street Fighter series has surpassed 50 million copies sold altogether.

It's clear Street Fighter 6 is already off to a strong start. On June 3, the game broke a record on Steam (as noted by Twitter user Benji-Sales), reaching over 70,000 concurrent users, coming out ahead of Mortal Kombat 11, Tekken 7, and Mortal Kombat X. Considering how well the game has performed already, it will likely continue to generate traction in the coming weeks and months.

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Even just a few years ago, many of us naively believed that streaming services would act as constantly-growing libraries of content that we could return to whenever to watch shows at will. Then, last year, Warner Bros. Discovery fired the first big shot in The Great Write-Down. Disney followed suit last month and now says there's more to come, Variety reports.

Following the removal of shows and movies like Willow, Y: The Last Man, Dollface, and the Mysterious Benedict Society, Disney is expected to incur a content impairment charge of $1.5 billion, meaning that the company can remove that much from its tax sheet. That's an impossible number to ignore--that's savings equivalent to a handful of Marvel movies. As a result, Disney is reportedly continuing to review content on both Disney+ and Hulu, and "currently anticipates additional produced content will be removed from its DTC and other platforms, largely during the remainder of its third fiscal quarter." That will likely equate to about $400 million more in impairment charges related to produced content (primarily meaning scripted television and film).

Since the early days of Netflix creating streaming content for its platform, streaming services have been growing and growing their libraries. So many people have joined streaming services, though, that growth is slowing significantly; there just aren't as many new customers as there used to be. It's about retaining existing users and bringing back others that have switched to other services.

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20 years ago, there was something undeniably exciting about scrounging up a few dollars, heading down to your local game store, and placing a preorder for the next entry in your favorite series. These days, however, we can't help but feel a bit more hesitant. With each passing year, the hype and marketing around games grows more intense, and while it might be easy to get caught up in it all, it's not so easy to realize you spent $70 on a game that doesn't meet your expectations.

Following the rise of digital media and live-service games, with the uncertainty towards when a game will actually release (and what shape it will be in when it does), and more and more preorder bonuses that just aren't worth your hard-earned cash, we're beginning to rethink the way we approach buying games--and we think you should, too. On this week's episode of Spot On, Lucy and Tamoor discuss why preordering games is not as consumer-friendly as you've been led to believe, as well as ways to show developers your support that require less cash and uncertainty.

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Diablo 4 is full of side quests, and while many of them simply ask you to mow down the forces of Hell, some of them require a bit more thought. One of those is a side quest called "Secret of the Spring" which can be found just north of the first major hub city Kyovashad. This quest is started when you find a small note with a riddle on it. Here's how to complete it.

How to complete the Secret of the Spring in Diablo 4The note can be found near the entrance to the Forsaken Quarry Dungeon.

First, you will need to collect the riddle note that starts the quest off. This note can be found north of Kyovashad near the entrance to the Forsaken Quarry dungeon, marked on the map above by the red circle. The quickest path here is to leave the city via the east exit and stick to the end of the map heading north. Once you find the note, the quest will start marking a small area on the map further north from where the note was found.

The spring itself can be found just a bit north of where the note is picked up.

The note itself reads "Beacon of warmth in winter's embrace, patience rewarded by nature's own grace." Once you reach the location indicated on the map, you will find a small pool of water, which is the spring in the name of the quest. Like some other side quests in Diablo 4, you need to use a specific emote here. What might be confusing to some is that the "patience" noted in the riddle doesn't match anything in the default emote wheel.

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