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Updated: 26 min 1 sec ago

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Had a Huge Weekend On Steam, And It May Get Even Bigger

Tue, 02/11/2025 - 03:25

Since it's only February, it might be too soon to say that the action-RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is going to be a game of the year contender. But this title's popularity is already exploding. After launching on Steam last week with 150,000 players concurrently, the game hit an even larger peak over the weekend.

SteamDB has shared a chart of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's performance, and it rose from 176,000 players on February 5 to 190,000 on February 7. During the weekend, the game reached its current record of 256,206 concurrent players before settling back down to 188,000 players today. Regardless, the upwards trajectory of this title is impressive and it appears to still have room to grow. The game is also available on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, so the Steam numbers may only represent a small part of the overall picture.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has also been highly rated on GameSpot's sister site, Metacritic, with an aggregate score of 88. GameSpot's review of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 gave it a 9/10.

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How Kendrick Lamar Turned His Super Bowl Halftime Show Into A Giant PlayStation Easter Egg

Tue, 02/11/2025 - 03:24

Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl LIX performance has generated a lot of online chatter, and surprisingly, not all of it has to do with Drake. When the Grammy-winning rapper took the stage for the halftime show, the stage itself took the form of a tic-tac-toe board--but X's and O's were accompanied by a triangle and a square, which were meant to evoke the aesthetic of a "PlayStation-style controller," according to the show's coordinators and set designers. The idea--which Lamar personally dreamed up--was meant to represent the rapper's life as though it were a video game.

"I think the [video game theme] was symbolic, his way to reach young people," art director Shelley Rodgers told Wired. "A lot of it is showing his journey, [showing him] traveling through the American dream."

Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show set was inspired by the PlayStation controller, show's art director says

"Each performance space was shaped like a button on a PlayStation-style controller, a performance intended to portray Lamar’s life as a video game."

Via: @WIRED pic.twitter.com/OhQZmjTWEM

— CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) February 10, 2025

Creative director Mike Carson added that Lamar and his production company, pgLang, are "really into keeping things clean and minimal."

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Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind Physical Edition Preorders Available At Amazon

Tue, 02/11/2025 - 02:45

Back in the '90s, nothing was better than sitting down in front of a TV to watch a color-coordinated group of teenagers with attitude beat the putty out of various monsters. Fast-forward to today, and Angel Grove's finest warriors are back in the spotlight with the co-op side-scrolling brawler Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind. The digital version of the game launched on consoles and PC back in December 2024, but publisher Atari is finally releasing physical PS5 and Nintendo Switch versions on May 30. A $35 Standard Edition and $50 Deluxe Edition will be available for both systems, and preorders for both are in stock at Amazon.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind Standard Edition $35 | Releases May 30

The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind standard edition includes the base game on either PS5 or Nintendo Switch. Preorders are available for $35 at Amazon.

Preorder at Amazon (PS5) Preorder at Amazon (Switch) Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind Deluxe Edition $50 | Releases May 30

The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind Deluxe Edition is available for PS5 and Nintendo Switch and comes with a bunch of collectibles. Here's everything included:

  • Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind base game
  • Green Ranger-themed steelbook case
  • Six collectible trading cards of each Ranger
  • Poster
  • Lenticular postcard
  • Collector's box

Note that the PS5 version has gone in and out of stock, and while both versions are available at the time of writing, it's worth preordering a copy soon in case they sell out again.

Preorder at Amazon (PS5) Preorder at Amazon (Switch)

Designed to look and play like an old-school '90s beat-'em-up, Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind is a charming retro throwback. It's not quite as good as similar games like Streets of Rage 4 or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge, but it's still an enjoyable and nostalgic romp if you can overlook a few annoying issues. "Rita's Rewind is a pretty good retro brawler throwback, but one with some of its own special charms--as well as its own frustrations," Steve Watts wrote in GameSpot's review.

Along with these new PS5 and NintendoSwitch physical editions, Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind is also available digitally on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS4, and PC.

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Resident Evil 5 Rated For New Console, Fueling Remaster Speculation

Tue, 02/11/2025 - 01:57

Resident Evil 5 has received a new rating for Xbox Series X|S from the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB), prompting speculation that an enhanced version might be released soon. The ESRB listing follows a recent rating for Resident Evil 6, and Capcom does have a history of releasing its older Resident Evil games on newer consoles.

Capcom hasn't commented on this rating, although the ESRB M for Mature age restriction does mention instances of realistic gunfire, salty language, occasional dismemberment, and other instances of violence like being exposed to the nasty side of a chainsaw. Typical Resident Evil stuff, most fans would agree.

First released in 2009 for PS3, Xbox 360, and PC, Resident Evil 5 was later re-released in 2016 for PS4 and Xbox One. It is also currently playable on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S via backwards compatibility. The game was notably heavier on action when compared to its predecessors and it featured a co-op gameplay mechanic that was new to the series at the time. While its control scheme and allegations of racism did draw some criticism, it was still a well-received game overall and is one of Capcom's best-selling games of all time.

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Monster Hunter Wilds Open Beta Week Extended Due To PSN Outage

Tue, 02/11/2025 - 01:50

Capcom has announced that it is extending the second open beta test for Monster Hunter Wilds on all platforms as a result of PlayStation Network being down this past weekend.

In a statement, Capcom said, "Hunters, we're pleased to confirm that due to the PlayStation Network outage that occurred during the first week of OBT2, we're extending the second week of OBT2 by +24 hours on all platforms!"

The second weekend of the open beta test will start at the normal time, February 13 at 7 PM PT / 10 PM ET. However, the open beta's end time has been extended by a full 24 hours, meaning that it will now ends on February 18 at 6:59 PM PT / 9:59 PM ET.

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Dragon Quest 12: Series Creator Yuji Horii Offers A Small, But Important Update

Tue, 02/11/2025 - 01:24

Square Enix hasn't forgotten about Dragon Quest XII: The Flames of Fate. In fact, series creator Yuji Horii reportedly confirmed that the company is working hard on the RPG over the weekend, with the hope that more info will be dished out piece by piece.

Automaton states that Horii chatted about Dragon Quest XII with his radio show group KosoKoso Hōsō Kyoku on YouTube. That's when Horii reportedly made it clear his team has been toiling away at the RPG. Dragon Quest XII was revealed almost four years ago at this point, with minimal official updates since that time. For instance, no platforms have been announced.

However, in April 2024, producer Yu Miyake reportedly stepped down from working on Dragon Quest XII at Square Enix because of repeated delays for the RPG. This caused some public concerns about the development of the game.

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Nintendo Can't Fully Gauge Reaction To Switch 2 Because It's Shown So Little, Exec Says

Tue, 02/11/2025 - 00:26

Nintendo finally announced the Switch 2 during an event in January, and what was the reaction from fans? Many people thought it was a bit underwhelming. Nintendo's own president has said it's too early to gauge the reaction to the system because Nintendo has not shown much.

That will change in April during the big-time Switch 2 Nintendo Direct--and that might be a better time to analyze how fans think about the system, Shuntaro Furukawa said during Nintendo's latest earnings briefing.

"We are happy that many people all over the world watched the trailer. But because we only revealed the name and form factor, we will need to wait until more detailed information is released on April 2 to get a good sense of their reaction," Furukawa said. "There is currently a lot of interest, so we will first focus on the preparation for the April 2 announcement, and then offer opportunities for many people to get their hands on the hardware, so we can convey its appeal."

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Nintendo Talks Switch 2 Demand And Gives Small Update On Pricing

Tue, 02/11/2025 - 00:18

Some new details about Nintendo's plans for the Switch 2 launch have been revealed in the company's latest earnings briefing, with president Shuntaro Furukawa revealing that Nintendo is preparing for a high level of demand for the new console. The executive also discussed Nintendo's philosophy regarding pricing for the Switch 2 and confirmed there are no plans right now for a Switch price cut.

While answering shareholders' questions about the launch, Furukawa revealed that Nintendo is anticipating a high level of demand for the new console. "As of now, we are taking the risk and proceeding with production to meet as large a demand as possible," Furukawa said, adding that Nintendo would be estimating the initial demand for the console based off the reaction to its April 4 Switch 2 Nintendo Direct, as well as the response to its hands-on Switch 2 Experience events.

Nintendo is also making preparations in case it needs to quickly ramp up production of the consoles, as was the case when the original Nintendo Switch experienced supply issues in 2020. "As was true with Nintendo Switch, we believe it will not be easy to rapidly increase production capacity," Furukawa said. "So based on our prior experience, we are making preparations to be able to respond as quickly as possible."

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Civilization VII VR Lets You Build Your Cities On A Virtual Reality Tabletop

Sun, 02/09/2025 - 05:00

2K and Firaxis Games are gearing up to add a whole new reality to the Civilization experience. Today, during the Civ World Summit livestream on the official Firaxis Games Twitch channel, the studios announced they will be bringing Sid Meier's Civilization VII--the latest installment in the strategy franchise--to virtual and mixed reality for the first time ever in Civilization VII VR for the Meta Quest 3 and 3S.

This new take on Civilization will position players above the playing area, which will be contained within a massive circular surface called the Command Table. Civ VII VR will support both single-player and online multiplayer modes, though online players will be limited to opponents also using a Meta Quest 3 or 3S.

The leaders seated around the Command Table.

Civilization VII VR will also support full virtual reality and mixed reality modes. With both options, players can give orders to their citizens from a far away, top-down perspective, or they can zoom in on the actions on the board by leaning forward while the little virtual citizens work on each project as instructed.

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PSN Still Down After 15 Hours: Here Is Sony's Response

Sun, 02/09/2025 - 01:46

Online services for popular networks go down or suffer intermittent issues from time to time, and that's exactly what's going on now for Sony's PlayStation Network. On Friday evening, players began reporting issues with PSN, and those issues are persisting some 12+ hours later.

The Ask PlayStation account acknowledged the issues, which are affecting pretty much ever major PSN service, including account management, the PlayStation Store, and the pretty important feature of launching and playing games. To sum up, this is a pretty significant outage, and as you might expect, people are letting Sony know by broadcasting their thoughts and opinions online.

Sony had this to say about the outage: "We are aware some users might be currently experiencing issues with PSN."

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Madden Super Bowl Predictions Over The Years: How Often Does EA Get It Right?

Sun, 02/09/2025 - 01:41

Super Bowl LIX takes place this Sunday, February 9, featuring the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles duking it out for the title. EA Sports historically simulates the Big Game and releases the results of the match-up, and that continued in 2025 with EA's simulation predicting the Eagles will beat the Chiefs by a score of 23-21. The simulation also predicted that Eagles QB will be named Super Bowl LIX MVP.

Here are some further predictions from EA's Madden simulation of Super Bowl LIX, as written by EA:

  • Final Score and MVP: The Eagles edged the Chiefs 23-21 in a close back-and-forth game that came down to the final drive. Eagles QB Jalen Hurts was named Super Bowl LIX MVP.
  • Early Game Dynamics: The Eagles started strong with Saquon Barkley using his exceptional juking abilities to score the first touchdown. The Chiefs responded with a touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes to Travis Kelce, but an interception by CJ Gardner-Johnson helped keep the game close.
  • Second Half Turnaround: After the Chiefs led 14-10 at halftime, the Eagles took the lead in the third quarter on a touchdown pass from Hurts to A.J. Brown. A crucial defensive stand by the Eagles' line, particularly Jalen Carter, prevented the Chiefs from scoring on a fourth-down attempt.
  • Clutch Moments: In the fourth quarter, Mahomes led a drive for a Chiefs touchdown, but the Eagles answered back with a field goal to regain the lead. The game came down to the wire with the Chiefs' final drive ending in a missed field goal, sealing the Eagles' victory.

If you don't like this prediction or simply want to run your own, you can download Madden NFL 25 on Game Pass today and simulate the game for yourself.

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Lord Of The Rings Collector's Edition Book Box Set Drops To $60 At Amazon

Sat, 02/08/2025 - 09:11

The recently released Lord of the Rings Collector's Edition Box Set is on sale for just $60 at Amazon. Released last November, this three-volume set contains gorgeous hardcover editions of the three volumes comprising J.R.R. Tolkien's classic fantasy novel. You can pair the box set. with matching editions of The Hobbit and The Silmarillion at nice discounts, too.

See Tolkien Collector's Editions at Amazon

After you're done reading about the new editions of Tolkien's books below, check out the upcoming Middle-earth 6-Film Box Set, which contains Peter Jackson's LOTR and The Hobbit Trilogies on 4K Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and digital. The collection releases March 18 and is available to preorder at Amazon for $206.

The Lord of the Rings Collector's Edition Box Set (2024) $60 (was $105)

The Lord of the Rings Collector's Edition Box Set contains hardcover editions of The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. The collection also includes an exclusive fold-out map of Middle-earth and a display box.

Each book has foil-stamped cover art and stained edges. The interior covers have detailed maps of Middle-earth, and you can mark your progress to Mordor with the built-in ribbon bookmarks.

Amazon's current deal on The Lord of the Rings Collector's Edition Box Set ($60.12) is priced almost exactly the same as the cost of buying all three volumes individually ($60.80).

See at Amazon See at Target ($62) The Fellowship of the Ring Collector's Edition (2024) $22.50 (was $35)

The Fellowship of the Ring Collector's Edition is available for only $22.50 at Amazon and Target.

See at Amazon See at Target The Two Towers Collector's Edition (2024) $20.80 (was $35)

The Two Towers, the second volume of The Lord of the Rings, is currently discounted to $20.80 at Amazon and Target.

See at Amazon See at Target The Return of the King Collector's Edition (2024) $17.50 (was $35)

The Return of the King Collector's Edition has the most substantial discount at the moment; you can purchase the final volume of LOTR for $17.50, a full 50% discount.

See at Amazon See at Target ($21) The Hobbit Collector's Edition (2024) $20.82 (was $35)

If you want to match your new Lord of the Rings Collector's Editions with the prelude to the series, you can get The Hobbit's 2024 Collector's Edition for $20.82 (was $35) at Amazon and Target.

For a different high-end edition of The Hobbit, check out the Tolkien Illustrated Edition, which includes 50-plus sketches, paintings, and other pictures created by Tolkien. The Deluxe Special Edition of The Hobbit Illustrated released in October and is on sale for a massive discount.

The Hobbit, Illustrated by J.R.R. Tolkien

See at Amazon See at Target The Silmarillion Collector's Edition (2024) $20.42 (was $35)

In addition to the three volumes of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, publisher William Morrow also released a matching hardcover Collector's Edition for The Silmarillion in 2024. It's available for $20.42 at Amazon and Target.

The Silmarillion is the most popular book about Middle-earth not named The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit.

It provides important background history on the First Age of Middle-earth, known as the Elder Days. The Silmarillion is one of the 12 volumes in exhaustive History of Middle-earth series. The series, which was compiled by Christopher Tolkien, was reissued in 2023-24 in a series of stunning hardcover box sets. All four History of Middle-earth Box Sets are on sale for steep discounts at Amazon.

Alternatively, you can purchase The Complete History of Middle-earth Box set--a mammoth three-volume, 5,440-page collection--for $137 (was $250) at Amazon.

The History of Middle-earth Box Sets:

The Silmarillion, Illustrated by J.R.R. Tolkien:

See at Amazon See at Target The Lord of the Rings Deluxe Illustrated Box Set (2024) $206 (was $325)

The Lord of the Rings Collector's Editions weren't the only premium hardcover editions of Tolkien's classic fantasy novel published in 2024. Last October, William Morrow published The Lord of the Rings Deluxe Illustrated Box Set with an eye-watering $325 price. Amazon currently has this beautiful collection for $206, which is still quite pricey, but over $100 less than list price.

Not to be confused with the series of Tolkien Illustrated Editions--which we'll link to below--this box set is a remastered version of the 1992 hardcover edition featuring artist Alan Lee's iconic artwork of Middle-earth.

The set includes over 50 new paintings and drawings. It's split into three volumes, one for each novel in the trilogy, and has a page count of 1,332. The hardcovers are made from cloth and leather and are adorned with silver typescript and stamped emblems. It also comes with a decorative slipcase, three art cards, and two fold-out maps drawn by Christopher Tolkien.

The Tolkien Illustrated Edition of The Lord of the Rings, on the other hand, features 30 full-color drawings and maps by the author. It's a wonderfully designed hardcover book with red-stained edges with decorative Elvish script, two fold-out maps, a ribbon bookmark, and gold-foil trim on the cover. Collectors may also want to check out the pricey Deluxe Special Edition of the Tolkien Illustrated Edition.

The Lord of the Rings, Illustrated by J.R.R. Tolkien

See at Amazon The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien Box Set (2024) $79.83 (was $125)

The 2024 Lord of the Rings Collector's Editions released alongside the first-ever publication of Tolkien's collected poems. This massive 1,728-page, three-book set contains work written across seven decades. Tolkien had a lifelong love of poetry, and he initially aspired to be a poet, not a fantasy novelist.

All told, there are 200 poems in the box set, some of which center on Middle-earth. Over 60 of these poems had never been published until now, so this is a rare opportunity to read previously unseen writing by Tolkien. The poems are accompanied by commentary from two leading Tolkien scholars about the poems and the author's life.

You can get the three-volume collection for $80 (was $125) at Amazon.

See at Amazon

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SteelSeries Valentine's Day Sale - Buy 1 Get 1 50% Off Gaming Accessories

Sat, 02/08/2025 - 08:49

Gaming peripheral manufacturer SteelSeries is running a limited-time Buy One Get One 50% Off deal for Valentine's Day at its official online store. All SteelSeries accessories are eligible for the deal, including the company's new Arctis GameBuds wireless gaming earphones, making now a great opportunity to upgrade your gaming setup for you and your partner. To get the B1G1 50% Off deal, you need to add two SteelSeries products to your cart, then use the promo code VALENTINE50 at check out, and you'll receive a 50% discount on the lowest-price item.

Shop all SteelSeries products:

If you're looking for some recommendations, we would start with the Arctis GameBuds mentioned above. The $160 GameBuds are the newest addition to SteelSeries' Arctis line of gaming headsets and audio devices. They're the company's first set of true wireless gaming earbuds, and this B1G1 50% Off deal is the first time they've been available at a discount. Granted, you have to pick them up with another SteelSeries accessory to unlock the deal, so you'll be paying more than you normally would for just the GameBuds by themselves, but you'll still save quite a bit on your order--especially if you pair it with a product that's already discounted. For example, you can grab the GameBuds and the Aerox 3 2022 Edition gaming mouse that's on sale for $40 (was $60). With the B1G1 50% off discount, you'll pay just $180 total for both items.

Some other worthwhile accessories to pick up in the sale include other Arctis audio devices like the stellar Nova Pro and Nova 7 wireless headsets. If you prefer a speaker setup, there's the SteelSeries Arena 7 Speakers. And if you need a new keyboard, there's the Apex Pro Mini Wireless that's just $190 (was $240).

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Destiny 2: How To Get Finality's Auger Exotic From The Sundered Doctrine Dungeon

Sat, 02/08/2025 - 08:47

Destiny 2's newest dungeon, Sundered Doctrine, has arrived and with it comes new loot, including an Exotic weapon, Finality's Auger, that awaits players brave enough to take on the mysteries of Rhulk's pyramid inside Savathun's Throne World. Episode Heresy brings with it a bunch of new weapons, but among the most exciting is Finality's Auger--a linear fusion rifle that behaves differently than you'd typically expect.

Finality's Auger is a distinct new weapon that has some interesting behaviors not seen in a weapon before, almost giving players a class ability to spawn a turret alongside them. Here's everything we know about Finality's Auger so far, including how to get it from the Sundered Doctrine dungeon and more--we will report back once we know more on how to unlock the weapon's Catalyst and other secrets surrounding this weapon.

Table of Contents [hide]How to get Finality's AugerThe Flower-Game Stamp ornament for Finality's Auger in Destiny 2

Finality's Auger is a reward that's only available in the Sundered Doctrine dungeon. That means you'll need access to the dungeon, which requires the Final Shape Dungeon Key. If you don't already own it from purchasing the last Destiny 2 expansion, you can buy it in-game for 2,000 Silver, Destiny 2's in-game currency. That amounts to about $20 and also gets you access to the Sundered Doctrine dungeon.

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GTA 6 Parent Company's Stock Reaches All-Time High, And This Could Be Why

Sat, 02/08/2025 - 07:09

Grand Theft Auto parent company Take-Two's stock price is soaring this week following the company's recent earnings report on February 6. Why is the share value surging? It's often hard to know what makes a stock price move in the market, but there are some strong signals for what might be causing it this time.

Starting with the numbers, Take-Two's stock price is currently trading above $210 per share, which is about $35 higher than where it was when markets closed on Thursday. That's a gigantic gain for a single day, and it helped propel Take-Two's stock price to the highest value in the company's history.

Take-Two's previous high of around $210 per share came in 2021 during the pandemic, when many entertainment companies saw huge gains due to stay-at-home orders. For a historical comparison, when GTA V was released in September 2013, Take-Two stock was trading at around $17 per share. Anyone who bought back then, or earlier, and still holds Take-Two shares today is doing quite well.

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Resistance 4 Was Pitched But Didn't Work Out, Says Former Insomniac Boss

Sat, 02/08/2025 - 07:02

According to former Insomniac Games boss Ted Price, a Resistance 4 game was pitched but ultimately wasn't made.

In an interview with Kinda Funny Games, Ted Price, said, "We did pitch that one. It was a wonderful concept, and in terms of timing and market opportunity, it didn't work out." When asked whether Resistance 3's poor sales at the time impacted the decision to move on from the series, Price didn't answer directly.

"Resistance 3 was intended to end that chapter of the Resistance franchise," he explained. "With the way we ended with [protagonist] Capelli and closed a lot of loops on various smaller story items...we wanted to do that so we could have more options in the future, whether we would go ahead with more Resistance games or taking another turn."

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Get This 24-Inch Asus Gaming Monitor For Only $79

Sat, 02/08/2025 - 06:03

Walmart has a fantastic deal on an entry-level Asus gaming monitor right now. While supplies last--and it has already sold out once--this Asus Tuf 23.8-inch gaming monitor is only $79. This particular model normally goes for $149, so you're getting quite the deal.

Asus TUF 23.8" 1080p Gaming Monitor $79 (was $149)

Specifications:

  • 23.8-inch IPS display
  • 1920 x 1080 resolution
  • 165Hz refresh rate
  • 1ms response time
  • AMD FreeSync
  • Asus Extreme Low Motion Blur
  • Built-in speakers
  • Ports: HDMI (x2), DisplayPort

If you're in the market for a gaming monitor with 1080p resolution, this 23.8-inch Asus TUF monitor has solid features for the price, especially since it's nearly 50% off at the moment.

It has an IPS panel, supports refresh rates of up to 165Hz, and offers response times of 1ms thanks to Asus' motion blur technology.

Other notable features include built-in speakers and three connectivity ports: two HDMI and one DisplayPort.

It'd be a challenge to find a more capable monitor for less than $79 right now.

See at Walmart

Walmart has nice deals on a few other Asus gaming monitors right now, too. If you'd prefer a curved monitor, you can buy a 24-inch curved Asus monitor with similar specs for $100 (was $169).

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One Of The Most Famous Voice Actors Alive Speaks Out About AI

Sat, 02/08/2025 - 05:57

One of the most famous voice actors working today, Hank Azaria, has published an op-ed for The New York Times in which he discusses artificial intelligence, including his fears about the technology and his optimism for how it could be used in a positive way.

Azaria--known for voicing The Simpsons characters like Moe, Chief Wiggum, Lenny, Superintendent Chalmers, and Comic Book Guy--said AI-generated voices can have "enough little things askew" to convince people "there's something missing." He said it's similar to how AI-generated faces in video may look believable to a degree but aren't exactly perfect.

Hank Azaria voices Moe on The Simpsons, among many other characters.

Azaria said when he's recording lines for The Simpsons, he experiments with a few different things to find what works best. "I'll do a mad take, a glad take, a sad take, a deadpan take, one that's aggressive, one that's really in my feelings. It's hard to tell which one's going to work, but you can always tell in editing," he said.

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Call Of Duty Players Could Make “Great” Drone Pilots, Ukrainian Military Says

Sat, 02/08/2025 - 05:57

A member of the Ukrainian Special Forces UAV (uncrewed aerial vehicles) unit, Typhoon, says that gamers might be better-equipped to pilot drones in real-life conflict than you’d first think. The similarities between the likes of Call of Duty and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine are admittedly slim, but where one has the ability to instantly retry failed attempts, the other has serious and deadly consequences.

Drones are being used by Russian and Ukrainian forces, humming ominously across the skies. On the face of it, piloting an uncrewed system like a drone might seem to bear a lot of resemblance to video games with their headsets and joystick-like control systems, but it gets far more complicated when you’re forced to take into account potential sabotage such as signal-jamming or attacks on your drone. Typhoon operators also need to consider the terrain and the real-time battlefield situation, as well as communicate and coordinate with command.

Speaking to Business Insider, members of Typhoon have said that, despite the massively heightened stakes in conflict, gamers sometimes possess more transferable skills than you might assume. “People might think flying a military drone is like playing Call of Duty, until they realize there’s no restart option,” an operator says. In Call of Duty, players can equip the Breacher Drone, which is a pocket-sized drone that flies in a straight line until it either collides with something or detects an enemy and explodes.

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Final Fantasy XIV: Seekers Of Eternity Features New Dungeon, Raid, And Much More

Sat, 02/08/2025 - 05:44

Last year, Final Fantasy XIV players celebrated the release of Dawntrail, the game's first major expansion since 2021. And while a fresh expansion isn't on the immediate horizon, there is new content coming to the game in late March with the arrival of Patch 7.2, Seekers of Eternity.

Producer and Director Naoki "Yoshi P" Yoshida laid out the upcoming additions during a livestream in Japan, but Square Enix has helpfully shared the highlights. There will be additional main scenario quests, as well as a new dungeon called The Underkeep, a fresh raid called The Arcadion: Cruiserweight Tier, a new trail called Recollection--which can be played on normal or extreme--and Hells' Kier, an Unreal Trial that will pit players against one of the Four Lords: Suzaku.

Promotional art for Final Fantasy XIV: Seekers of Eternity.

From there, players can blast out into space in Cosmic Exploration as they discover uncharted stars to find new resources for crafting. Players also have the option of exploring a mysterious island called Occult Crescent, which is inhabited by residents who will do almost anything to protect its secrets.

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