Sony has filed a patent document that could potentially allow AI to take over your game for you if you're struggling with it. The documents suggest that this "ghost assistance" can be activated at any time to either guide a player through progression or assume direct control of gameplay.

As revealed in the patent documents first filed in September 2024 (via VGC), the AI assistance system could potentially play through a section of a game that a player is struggling with, completing it for them. Sony describes the idea of training its AI agent using "footage from many users that have played the game" and various other online sources where gameplay videos have been uploaded.

An example from Sony, showing how the feature could potentially work.

Over the last couple of years, Sony has worked on several features to make its video games more approachable. The PS5 console launched with the Game Help system, which offers helpful tips and tricks via short videos and images on PS5 cards that can be instantly called up during gameplay. While developers haven't widely adopted it, it's still a useful feature for the games that do.

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Asus has hit the Consumer Electronics Show show floor with a brand-new set of Extended Reality glasses. Developed in partnership with Xreal, the Asus ROG Xreal R1 packs an impressive amount of technology into a slim frame for your face, allowing you to stream video directly to your eyes via a USB-C connection.

Internally, the Asus ROG Xreal R1 features 240Hz micro-OLED 1080p lenses, and it comes with an ROG Control Dock for HDMI and DisplayPort connectivity. You can also connect it to an ROG Ally via a single USB-C cable for a seamless experience. Asus says the lenses can create a 57-degree field of view and a 171-inch virtual screen at a distance of four virtual meters, covering 95% of the focused viewing area.

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At CES 2026 this week, Lego introduced its brand-new Smart Play system--a series of high-tech Lego bricks, tiles, and minifigures equipped with sensors, accelerometers, light and sound sensors, a miniature speaker with an onboard synthesizer, and more. The company says these pieces can communicate to enhance interactivity. The system will launch in March with three Star Wars sets, available for preorder starting January 9.

While this isn't the first time Lego has experimented with electronic components, there are key differences with Smart Play pieces. For starters, they can detect nearby NFC-equipped smart tags. They're also wirelessly charged. This is a big improvement compared to the Lego Super Mario toys, which required AAA batteries to function.

All of the pieces work with standard Lego bricks. Each piece contains a custom-made chip that is smaller than a standard Lego stud. So what do they do exactly? Lego says the Smart Bricks will respond to actions with appropriate sounds and behaviors. Here's a closer look at what you can expect, starting with the new Lego Star Wars sets that will make use of this technology.

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8BitDo unveiled the next generation of its flagship Ultimate controller series at CES 2026--and it now makes sense why the manufacturer hasn't released an Xbox version of the Ultimate 2. Officially licensed by Xbox, the 8BitDo Ultimate 3E is a wireless modular controller for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, Apple devices, and Android. A firm release date hasn't been set, but the Ultimate 3E is currently slated for Q2 2026 (April-June).

If you're eager to get your hands on 8BitDo's first modular controller, be prepared to spend considerably more than you did on the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 or any other traditional controller from the popular accessory maker. The 8BitDo Ultimate 3E will retail for $150, placing it squarely in competition with Microsoft's own Elite Series 2 and other licensed Xbox controllers such as the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro, Victrix Pro BFG Reloaded, Nacon Revolution X Unlimited, Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra, Scuf Valor Pro, and GameSir G7 Pro.

8BitDo Ultimate 3E Wireless Controller for Xbox/PC

$150 | Releases Q2 2026

See at 8BitDo

Unsurprisingly, the 8BitDo Ultimate 3E is the most feature-rich and technologically advanced controller in 8BitDo's catalog. It has some features found on the Ultimate 2 and Pro 3 Controllers, but the fully modular build means it has more customization options than any 8BitDo controller before it. And while you certainly can't refer to a $150 controller as "budget-friendly," it is priced lower most of the controllers listed above.

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Mega Bloks Halo Guilty Spark (609 pieces)

$29.10 (was $70.19)

See at Amazon

Mega Bloks Halo Floodgate Firefight (635 pieces)

$39.20 (was $75) | Amazon Exclusive

See at Amazon

Halo fans can get massive limited-time discounts on multiple officially licensed Mega Bloks building sets themed around the video game series. The most notable deal is the popular 343 Guilty Spark display model for $29.10 (was $70.19). The 609-piece set is part of Mega Bloks' collector series for adults. Amazon also a limited-time deal on the 635-piece Floodgate Firefight playset that drops the price to $39.20 (was $75). Based on Halo 3, Floodgate Firefight is one of several Mega Halo building sets exclusive to Amazon.

Mega Bloks Halo Guilty Spark (609 pieces) $29.10 (was $70.19)

Based on the Monitor (AI robot) from Bungie's original Halo trilogy, the 609-piece replica of 343 Guilty Spark has cool interactive features that longtime fans will appreciate.

Spark has working LED lights with two display modes and a built-in speaker that plays 15 quotes from Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, and Halo 3. The dialogue is voiced by the character's original actor Tim Dadabo. You can activate the lighting and audio features by pressing Spark's eye. The model is powered by three AAA batteries, which are included with the kit.

Guilty Spark comes with a buildable display stand and a name placard to attach to the base. The faithfully designed model measures 6.1 x 5.5 x 8 inches when connected to the stand.

See at Amazon Mega Bloks Halo Floodgate Firefight (635 pieces) $39.20 (was $75) | Amazon Exclusive

Floodgate Firefight is a 635-piece playset recommended for builders ages 13 and up. As mentioned, it's exclusive to Amazon and on sale for $39.20, which is close to the all-time best price. The set originally retailed for $75, but lately it has hovered around $52.

The Halo 3-inspired building set has a modular design with four different layouts and multiple interactive features, including a working winch to move a storage crate across the map.

The set comes with micro action figures of Master Chief and three enemies and buildable accessories such as a forklift and crane. The posable figures can wield various weapons and other small accessories.

See at Amazon

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Arc Raiders is a popular gaming, and it could become a movie or TV show next.

Embark Studios CEO Patrick Soderlund told GamesBeat (via VideoGamer) that the team has received numerous offers from Hollywood, but nothing has materialized as of yet. "It needs to be done in the right way," he said.

"I can't tell you how many companies have reached out wanting to make a TV series [and] movie out of this IP," he said. Soderlund added that it would be "fun" to see Arc Raiders get adapted for a film or TV show, but nothing is officially in the works as of yet.

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Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 developer Warhorse has revealed one feature that it cut from the RPG because it was too weird and not very fun.

Speaking to PC Gamer, executive producer Martin Klima said this feature was a GTA: San Andreas-like eating system where main character Henry could gain and lose weight depending on food consumption. This would also affect what Henry would be able to wear.

The version of Kingdom Come 2 that launched in February 2025 allows players to put on any piece of clothing they find. But it wasn't always this way. In earlier stages of development, Klima said, "Some NPCs would be fat and some would be thin, and then the clothing they wear would be either too large or too small for you."

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Microsoft has announced a new partnership to Hisense to bring the Xbox app to TVs that run on the company's TV operating system, V (formerly known as VIDAA).

In essence, the big takeaway here is that people will soon be able to play Xbox games in yet another place, without needing to own an actual physical Xbox. This is possible through Xbox Cloud Gaming, which is included with Game Pass Essential, Premium, and Ultimate.

Your Hisense TV will soon be an Xbox.

"Our vision is to make sure your games, your community, and your achievements are always within reach. Bringing the Xbox app to select Hisense and V homeOS-powered TVs is another step toward making gaming available across a broad range of devices, to meeting you wherever you want to play," Microsoft said.

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In 2025, Microsoft canceled an upcoming title at The Elder Scrolls Online developer ZeniMax Online Studios, and it has now come to light that studio boss Matt Firor resigned because of this.

He said in a post on LinkedIn that when it comes to him leaving the studio, "the most obvious explanation is the correct one."

The game, which was in the works under the working title Project Blackbird, was "the game I had waited my entire career to create, and having it canceled led to my resignation," he said.

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Asus ROG Delta II Wireless Gaming Headset: Kojima Productions

$270 | Releases February 4

Preorder at Best Buy

Asus ROG Keris II Origin Ultralight Wireless Gaming Mouse: Kojima Productions

$170 | Releases February 4

Preorder at Best Buy

Asus ROG Scabbard II Gaming Mouse Pad: Kojima Productions

$70 | Releases February 4

Preorder at Best Buy

Asus is teaming up with Kojima Productions to launch of trio of themed peripherals on February 4. Revealed during CES 2026 (and accidentally leaked early by Best Buy), the lineup includes the ROG Delta II Wireless Headset, ROG Keris II Origin Wireless Gaming Mouse, and ROG Scabbard II Gaming Mouse Pad. The special-edition designs were hand-drawn by Yoji Shinkawa, the art director for the Death Stranding duology. All three Asus x Kojima Productions accessories are available to preorder at Best Buy.

Asus ROG Delta II Wireless Gaming Headset: Kojima Productions $270 | Releases February 4

The Kojima Productions Edition of the ROG Delta II Wireless Gaming Headset features a minimalist design, with muted whites and black consuming most of the device. The exterior of the earcups are accented with RGB lights and the iconic Ludens mascot--along with a bit of text noting that this headset is an "Extra-Vehicular Creative Activity" device.

At $270, the Kojima Productions Edition is priced $10 higher than the standard white and black models of the Delta II. It's worth noting, however, that the standard edition is on sale for only $160 at Amazon and Best Buy.

The ROG Delta II is a universal wireless headset with support for PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch consoles as well as PC and mobile devices. Depending on the device, the headset can connect via 2.4GHz and/or Bluetooth. The Delta II supports simultaneous audio streams, so the headset can be synced to your phone via Bluetooth and your console/PC via 2.4GHz. You can also use it as wired headset with the detachable 3.5mm audio cable.

The 50mm titanium-plated drivers produce 24-bit/96kHz high-resolution audio. The headset supports 7.1 surround sound and is compatible with console-specific features such as the PS5's Tempest 3D Audio. For game chat, the Delta II has a detachable 10mm boom microphone.

The plush D-shaped earcups and headband are wrapped in leatherette and have memory foam cushions. The headset has a lightweight but sturdy frame and weighs only 318g (0.70lbs) overall.

The ROG Delta II offers incredible battery life of up to 110 hours over 2.4GHz and up to 140 hours with Bluetooth. Just keep in mind battery life drops to roughly 27 hours if the RGB lighting effects are active. With fast-charging support, you can get 11 hours of playback from a 15-minute charge.

Preorder at Best Buy Asus ROG Keris II Origin Ultralight Wireless Gaming Mouse: Kojima Productions $170 | Releases February 4

The ROG Keris II boasts the same design cues as the Delta II, including a black and white color palette and striking Ludens icon. Beyond the unique look, the Origin Ultralight is practically identical to the standard edition Keris II Origin (available in white and black), which is on sale for only $90 (was $150) for a limited time at Amazon. The Kojima Productions Edition is 63 grams, while the standard versions are 65 grams.

The Keris Origin II has a 42K DPI AimPoint Pro optical sensor, five buttons--including two microswitch side buttons--three-zone RGB lighting effects, and customizable onboard controls that can be activated with various button input combinations. The microswitches are graded to withstand 100 million clicks.

The ROG Keris II connects wirelessly to PC/Mac with the included 2.4GHz USB adapter as well as Bluetooth. Polling rates vary depending on connection type, but the Keris II Origin offers up to 8,000Hz polling rates.

The lightweight ROG paracord USB-C cable can be used for a wired connection. Along with the adapter and charging cable, the mouse comes with a wireless receiver extender, microswitch clip, and four pieces of mouse grip tape.

Preorder at Best Buy Asus ROG Scabbard II Gaming Mouse Pad: Kojima Productions $70 | Releases February 4

Rounding out the trio of Asus x Kojima Productions accessories is the Scabbard Gaming Mouse Pad (XXL). The oversized desk mat is 35 x 15 inches, so it offers plenty of room for your keyboard, mouse, and other accessories.

The Scabbard II's surface is crafted from a soft cloth material to ensure smooth mouse movements, and it's also resistant to water, oil, and dust. The edges are stitched to prevent fraying, and the entire thing is graced by an image of Ludens alongside the text "For Ludens Who Dare." While it would pair nicely with the Keris II, a gaming mat like this is typically a great choice for any mouse.

The standard ROG Scabbard II can be had for just $35 at Amazon.

Preorder at Best Buy

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Fans digging into the files of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 have discovered explanations and sometimes even external links outlining the meaning behind the names of the RPG's various characters and enemies.

As spotted by Reddit user Responsible-Race-575, the game's asset files have detailed descriptions that explain why specific characters and enemies are named what they are, including genders, additional context behind the origin of their names, and sometimes even links to Wikipedia to help further explain related concepts.

Many are derived from French, the home country of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 developer Sandfall Interactive. For example, the Machinapieds enemy is simply "Machine with feet" in French, while the Licorne enemy is French for unicorn. Some enemies are a combination of French words or a wordplay on French phrases. Barbasucette is a combination of the French words for beard and lollipop, for example.

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Awesome Games Done Quick (AGDQ), a bi-annual charity livestream, kicked off this week with an assortment of speedrunners playing new and old games, from Jet Set Radio to Wuchang: Fallen Feathers. A wacky event that tends to attract all sorts of characters, someone made a surprise appearance during AGDQ on January 5: Pac-Man, who played Pac-Man World 2.

Well, it wasn't really Pac-Man. The day started with speedruns of games like Final Fantasy X, Mega Man Battle Network, Nuclear Throne, and Wolfenstein: The Old Blood. As the multi-hour livestream went on, the event's organizers booted up Pac-Man World 2 for Minecraft content creator DThaiPome to play. If the event raised $10,000, then Pac-Man--really, DThaiPome in a blow-up Pac-Man costume--would speedrun his own game. That fundraising goal was easily crushed, and DThaiPome, in a Pac-Man outfit, played some Pac-Man.

Playing a remastered version of the classic 2002 platformer, DThaiPome managed to beat Pac-Man World 2 in approximately 30 minutes, employing all kinds of skips and tricks to get to the end as quickly as possible.

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As GPU prices continue to skyrocket and stock becomes increasingly scarce, rumors are swirling that Nvidia might be about to resurrect a previously discontinued line of hardware.

According to Wccftech, Nvidia is reportedly on the verge of resuming production on its budget-friendly GeForce RTX 3060 GPUs to combat the ongoing shortage of RAM being caused by an uptick in development on AI technologies and the increasing prices of memory.

Wccftech's reporting on these rumors seems to stem from a credible leaker of Nvidia GPU production news on Twitter called @hongxing2020. According to a post they made early on January 5, Nvidia seems poised to bring back the RTX 3060 in the first quarter of 2026.

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Resident Evil 4 Remake's opening moments could have played out much differently if Capcom had not opted to cut an opening referred to as "Chapter 0," in which players would have controlled Ashley and witnessed her kidnapping at the hands of the Los Illuminados. At least, that's according to datamined files spotted by an eagle-eyed fan.

Using leftover pieces from "Chapter 0" found in the game's files, YouTuber Thekempy has pieced together what the game's lost opening might have looked like in a recent video. Players would have controlled Ashley alone in a forest at night as she encountered a Los Illuminados ritual, something which can actually be briefly seen in a story trailer for the game released in October 2022.

After witnessing the sacrifice, Ashley would have made her way to the center of the game's village, potentially having to use the light of her phone to navigate and sneak past deadly enemies like the Ganado. Her running would become more frantic as the chapter continued, eventually witnessing a Ganado kidnapping another character, Luis Serra.

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A new controller from 8BitDo has been announced for smartphones, and this add-on will make your phone resemble a next-gen Game Boy. At CES 2026, 8BitDo showed off the FlipPad, a gamepad that connects to a smartphone via its USB-C port. Details on the FlipPad are scarce for now, but 8BitDo says it will support both iOS and Android devices.

Where mobile play unfolds.
Introducing 8BitDo FlipPad — a flip-style gamepad designed for mobile gaming.
Compatible with iOS and Android devices. Officially supported by Apple.
Coming Summer 2026.
Experience it first at @CES 2026.
LVCC Central Hall · Booth #15641#FlipPad… pic.twitter.com/snddY5OaMx

— 8BitDo (@8BitDo) January 4, 2026

A closer look at the FlipPad reveals a few Nintendo-inspired design choices. The controller has a classic D-pad on the left and 12 face buttons, including the traditional four-button layout found on modern controllers. This could make the FlipPad ideal for retro-inspired games and emulators, and 8BitDo says it'll reveal more details ahead of its Summer 2026 release.

This isn't the company's first dive into smartphone controllers; it currently sells the Xbox-licensed 8BitDdo Ultimate Mobile controller for Android and iOS. Similar to its Ultimate controllers for PC and console, these smartphone controller cradles are officially licensed and offer an impressive amount of features for their budget-friendly price.

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Red Dead Redemption 2 has been out since 2018, but Rockstar Games' blockbuster title apparently still has some secrets hidden away. RDR2 players have uncovered a pattern of web that only shows up on the map at a certain time of day, and the ultimate destination of this mystery hasn't been fully solved yet.

The Strange Man YouTube channel (via IGN) shared the first video guide to the webs, and credited the discovery to three players: goldenplaysterraria, pariah87, and u/FL4VA-01. Like the dreamcatchers quest in the game, players can shoot the webs and get them to release a feather. However, there's only a one-hour window in-game to find a web, and each web only appears at a specific time throughout the in-game night cycle.

In a follow-up video, Strange Man reveals the location of a ninth web in the middle of the spider puzzle, which leads to a telephone pole and more clues. The search is currently centered on a guitar symbol, and players are combing over Fort Wallace, since it's the closest location with guitars to the newly discovered symbol.

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If you've been noticing that recent matches of Arc Raiders are ending in a lot more PvP skirmishes than usual, there's a high likelihood that you might've had it coming.

In a recent interview with GamesBeat's Dean Takahashi, the CEO of Embark Studios, Patrick Söderlund, confirmed that the popular extraction shooter has recently been employing a kind of "aggression-based matchmaking" to group up more like-minded players.

During an inquiry about the studio's approach to matchmaking, Söderlund said, "Since a week ago or so, we introduced a system where we also matchmake based on how prone you are to PvP or PvE. So if your preference is to do PvE, and have less conflict with players, you'll get more matched up."

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Steam hit a major milestone already this year, setting a new record for concurrent users. According to SteamDB, the platform peaked at 41,816,052 users online at the same time actively playing games. Not only that, but a new record for actively gaming users was also set, with that figure reaching almost 13.4 million as compared to March's 13.2 million record.

The timing of the record is likely no coincidence. Steam's annual Winter Sale, which wraps up later today, offered steep discounts on a wide range of popular titles, along with more modest deals on newer releases. Sales events have long been a reliable driver of traffic on Steam, pulling in both longtime users and players returning to pick up games they missed throughout the year.

Steam's growth has been steady for well over a decade, but it has accelerated sharply in recent years. A notable spike occurred in early 2020, when COVID-19 lockdowns pushed concurrent users past 23 million, later climbing to 28 million just a couple of years later. The company even offered a bundle of games, which went to COVID relief at the time. Since then, the rise of live-service games and consistently strong seasonal sales have helped keep players logged in, especially during holidays. Games like Arc Riders continue to grow, hitting over 3 million concurrent players this week.

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Following a hack that happened over the Christmas weekend, Rainbow Six Siege players are finding themselves in the ban house thanks to yet another hack that references the nonsensical and popular 6-7 meme.

According to The Gamer, Ubisoft's tactical shooter is being hacked by some unknown force that's handing out bans for 67 days. Players are reportedly posting on social media that their accounts have been flagged for an unexplained "harassment offence," leading to their accounts being suspended from matchmaking.

Content creator VarsityGaming, who's been memeing the hack since it happened on January 4, corroborated the 67-day ban on their social media, suggesting that Siege may be down for two more days.

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The Last of Us Season 3 is on the way, but Neil Druckmann--who helped created the game's universe that the HBO show adapts--is not going to be part of it. He dropped out after Season 2, saying he wanted to focus on his work at Naughty Dog. Bella Ramsey, who plays Ellie on the show, has shared more insight into the series going ahead without one of its key creatives.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Ramsey said that while Druckmann has exited the hit HBO show, he's not really gone because his world will live on.

"I think he left us in such good stead. And he still will always be a part of the fabric of it--it's literally his creation; the whole world. He's still there, even though he is not. So I think it will be fine," Ramsey said.

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