If you like Japanese games, then the fourth week of the new year is for you, as we have no less than four new Japanese games being released this week, which almost has to be something of a record for simultaneous releases in a week. The AA title this week is one of the famous 3D fighting titles and if that's not your cup of matcha, then we have plenty of other games on offer for you. As for the rest of this week, we have some pirates, gates to other worlds, an open world co-op RPG and the aforementionedJapanese games.

Tekken 8 / This week's AA Title / Friday 26 January
Get ready for the next chapter in the legendary fighting game franchise, Tekken 8.
Completely redesigned character visuals. Elaborate, highly-detailed models built from the ground and high-fidelity graphics break the limits of new-generation hardware by adding a new weight and atmosphere to Tekken's signature battles. Vivid environments and destructible stages combine to create an overwhelming sense of immersion, creating the ultimate play experience.

ZOWIE, BenQ's professional eSports equipment brand, is pleased to announce the U2 wireless eSports mouse with an all-new shape, developed through cutting-edge sports science research and development to meet the demands of competitive gamers. The U2 boasts a distinctive inward-curved design on both sides, catering to claw grippers who prioritise agility during multi-angle movements. Additionally, the U2 features an enhanced receiver for superior wireless signal stability and offers plug-and-play convenience. Its newly redesigned mouse feet ensure a glide experience reminiscent of other ZOWIE wired mice.

Sports Science in ZOWIE Mouse Design
At ZOWIE, each new shape undergoes meticulous research. Thorough qualitative interviews and usability tests on prototypes are conducted prior to each product launch. By leveraging sports science experiments, the team can evaluate various design proposals more objectively. ZOWIE believes that designs rooted in both qualitative and quantitative data empower our players to achieve higher levels of performance.

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDM, a 34-inch ultrawide 800R curved 3440 x 1440 OLED gaming monitor featuring a 240 Hz refresh rate and a 0.03 ms gray-to-gray (GTG) response time. The PG34WCDM boasts a custom heatsink and improved airflow design to reduce internal temperatures to reduce the risk of panel burn-in. The monitor features 3rd generation ROG OLED technology with DisplayHDR True Black 400 compliance and 30% brighter imagery than its predecessor. It also features the Clear Pixel Edge algorithm and Extreme Low Motion Blur technology (ELMB) to reduce color fringing and enable crisp fast-paced visuals respectively. NVIDIA G-SYNC -compatibility ensures supersmooth, tear-free visuals with low latency. In addition, built-in ROG Smart KVM software allows users to control two devices with a keyboard and mouse, with USB 3.2 enabling superfast file transfers across two input sources. The PG34WCDM also offers multiple connectivity options including DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.1, and USB-C with 90 W power delivery.

Immersive gaming experiences
The ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDM pushes the boundaries of gaming innovation with its 34-inch ultrawide 800R curved panel and superfast 240 Hz refresh rate and 0.03 ms GTG response time. Inside, a custom heatsink and improved airflow design help reduce operating temperatures and minimize the potential for burn-in to ensure the display's longevity.

Today at CES 2024, Alienware is building on our legacy of display innovation with two new world's-first QD-OLED gaming monitors. Introducing the Alienware 32 4K QD-OLED Gaming Monitor (AW3225QF) and Alienware 27 360 Hz QD-OLED Gaming Monitor (AW2725DF) - two new, advanced gaming displays that expand our celebrated, award-winning QD-OLED family which first debuted at CES 2022.

These new models are the first of their kind. On the left, you're looking at the world's first 4K QD-OLED gaming monitor with Dolby Vision HDR designed for you to see every detail in astounding color and contrast. On the right, beauty and speed come together in the world's first 360 Hz QD-OLED gaming monitor, providing you with 360 Hz refresh rate and QD-OLED infinite contrast in QHD resolution (2560x1440). All these features combined into a single package helps position any gamers with a clear competitive advantage. (For a quick refresher on QD-OLED technology, click here.) No matter whether you are playing racing games where speed is of the essence, or simulation and action-adventure games where sharp visual fidelity is key, there is now an Alienware QD-OLED gaming monitor perfect for you.

During CES 2024, Blacklyte, a new Canadian brand of gaming chairs, accessories, and desks, has unveiled an inaugural Athena gaming chair granting the user complete mastery over each meticulous stitch. The Athena chair features an exclusive pattern of intertwined threads inspired by fashion-forward footwear. With plushier and more breathable Skinsense fabric, the chair allows one to keep cool throughout the day. It also provides exceptional durability and smooth gliding on a reinforced base. The intricate details of the stitching patterns, high-end fabric, and sturdy construction position this as a premium, fashionable gaming chair built for comfort during extended periods of use. It also features adjustable arm rests and adjustable positions of tilting. The Athena chair comes with an MSRP of $499.99

Next, the new company has also displayed its Atlas gaming desk, which optimizes space utilization while providing flexibility and convenience. Its design includes an earphone hook and wire wrangler tray to neatly organize accessories without infringing on the desktop area. The desk also features electric height adjustment from 600 mm to 1250 mm for quick transitions between sitting and standing. Powered by a single concealed column through the leg, the built-in electrical socket can charge a few devices simultaneously. Advertised with its ability to "carry the world" of your electronics on its shoulders, Atlas is a sustainable desk built for adaptability and tidy cable management. The Atlas desk should be available soon with an unknown price tag.

MSI has unveiled a brand new gaming keyboard at CES 2024—the STRIKE PRO WIRELESS looks to be their next flagship peripheral. Its features include an aircraft-grade aluminium top plate, a premium memory foam-outfitted wrist wrest and MSI's snazzy looking Clearcaps. Interested buyers will be offered a choice of proprietary Sonic Series Mechanical Red switches (35 g actuation force, linear typing experience) or Blue switches (45 g actuation force, "smooth + clicky" typing experience). Tri-mode connectivity is present—via MSI's SWIFTSPEED 2.4 GHz receiver, traditional Bluetooth (pairing with a maximum of three devices), or an old fashioned wired USB connection. Dedicated media keys, a volume wheel and a triple-profile M-key setup complete this package.

MSI introduced the VIGOR GK50 Elite TKL model last autumn, with options for Kailh Blue (50 g—smooth + clicky), Red (50 g—linear) and Box White (45 g—crisp) switches. The Elite compact tenkeyless board has not reached every territory around the world, so it is not surprising to see it being exhibited to interested punters in Las Vegas. MSI has also chosen to introduce a new high-end gaming mouse and game controller at this year's CES—hopefully a TPU team member will drop by the booth again, and get familiar with these peripherals: Versa Pro Wireless 8K mouse and Force Pro Wireless gamepad.

TP-Link, a leading global provider of consumer and business networking products, and the first-to-market Wi-Fi 7 brand, is proud to announce its latest line of Wi-Fi 7 innovations at CES 2024. This exciting lineup features a more robust collection of Deco Mesh Wi-Fi systems, next-gen Archer routers, and the industry's most powerful gaming router, along with the debut of the world's first Wi-Fi 7 client adapter. TP-Link is committed to delivering an unparalleled connectivity experience for homes of any size and internet access type.

Wi-Fi 7 Whole Home Mesh All-Scenario Solution
Deco offers a seamlessly integrated and comprehensive mesh Wi-Fi solution, allowing users to effortlessly create a whole home mesh Wi-Fi system. Whether consumers have a small apartment or a spacious residence with expansive floor plans and outdoor requirements, Deco ensures a robust and reliable network with faster speeds, lower latency, and more capacity than ever before. At CES 2024, TP-Link will unveil an impressive end-to-end range of Deco solutions that fit any scenario, including the BE95, BE65 Pro, BE63, BE65-5G, BE65-PoE, BE25, BE25-Outdoor, and more.

ASUS and Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced an exciting lineup of displays for gaming, professional content creation, hybrid work, and entertainment at CES 2024. ROG continues to drive gaming display innovation with the introduction of the 39-inch ROG Swift OLED PG39WCDM 800R-curved monitor, the 32-inch PG32UCDP—the world's first dual-mode gaming monitor with a Frame Rate Boost feature that lets users switch between 4K 240 Hz and FHD 480 Hz modes - and the PG27AQDP, the world's fastest 27-inch OLED monitor. In addition, ROG also unveiled the award-winning ROG Aura Monitor Light Bar ALB01 and ROG Ergo Monitor Arm AAS01 to upgrade any gaming setup.

Content creators will appreciate the latest ProArt Display PA278CFRV, an eco-friendly QHD (2560 x 1440) IPS monitor featuring 95% DCI-P3 and USB-C with 96 W power delivery—perfect for Windows laptop and MacBook users. ASUS unveiled a trio of portable displays including ZenScreen Fold OLED MQ17QH—the world's first foldable OLED portable display—and the 21.5-inch, 100 Hz ZenScreen MB229CF with several versatile stand options, along with the 15.6-inch ZenScreen MB166CR featuring a 360° kickstand that doubles as a wall mount.

GIGABYTE certainly came to the CES 2024 show in force and big part of its showcase were existing and new monitors, including the 48-inch OLED AORUS FO48U and the 49-inch OLED AORUS CO49DQ gaming monitors. During the show, GIGABYTE revealed a bit more information about its current monitor lineups, including gaming oriented AORUS, as well as multimedia, and standard G- and GS-series gaming monitors.

The flagship offer and the star of the monitor show at GIGABYTE's CES 2024 event was certainly the AORUS OLED monitor lineup, including the CO49DQ, MO34WQC2, FO32U2P, and the FO48U. The big 34-inch AORUS MO34WQC2 OLED monitor with 3440x1440 WQHD resolution and 240 Hz refresh rate is certainly a sight to behold. It is AMD FreeSync Premium certified, has 0.03 ms GTG response time, has integrated KVM switch, and offers two DisplayPort 1.4 and two HDMI 2.1 inputs. The CO49DQ is also another one that peaked our interest, and although it does not include the KVM switch, this 49-inch 10-bit OLED monitor with 5120x1440 resolution offers impressive picture quality with 99% DCI-P3 but sticks with 144 Hz refresh rate. It is also AMD FreeSync Premium certified and has two DisplayPort 1.4 and two HDMI 2.1 inputs, but lacks integrated KVM switch.

Today at CES 2024, HP Inc. unveiled its most personalized gaming portfolio yet with innovations across its OMEN and HyperX brands. New laptops, accessories, and software are all designed to work together to create a seamless gaming ecosystem so gamers can focus on what they do best - play.

"Computing continues to become more personal, and this is especially true in the gaming community," said Josephine Tan, Senior Vice President & Division President of Personal Systems Gaming Solutions, HP Inc. "Whether it is your gaming laptop, monitor, or accessory, HP has developed a customizable and personalized solution that can be tailored to your need."

Acer today announced the extension of its SpatialLabs stereoscopic 3D lineup to the Aspire line of laptops and Predator gaming monitors.

The new Aspire 3D 15 SpatialLabs Edition laptop delivers captivating 3D content for entertainment and creation on its 15.6-inch UHD display; It also comes with a suite of AI-powered SpatialLabs applications for 3D viewing and content creation, without the need for specialized glasses, delighting users when watching their favorite content and empowering developers to see their designs in their real 3D forms. With Microsoft Copilot in Windows 11, users can experience upscaled creativity and productivity with AI-powered task assistance, while Acer's suite of AI-supported solutions in Acer PurifiedView and PurifiedVoice elevate conference calls on the 3D laptop.

Welcome to the second week of new game releases in 2024 and yet another week full of minor releases. Don't let that put you off though, as there are plenty of new games launching, some of which are not quite what you'd expect. As such, you can look forward to a week of RPG titles, a game where things go boom, a lot of beer, some bonesaws and repairing computers.

Archaelund / Monday 8 January
Explore a vast open world and crawl through dungeons in first person, then fight tactical turn-based battles from a top-down perspective. Guide your adventuring party through Archaelund, mankind's last frontier, and uncover its many secrets.

Samsung Electronics has announced details of the "Designed for Samsung Gaming Hub" program that will be showcased at CES 2024. The objective of the program is to work with leading gaming accessory companies to drive the next generation of best-in-class partner products for the Samsung Gaming Hub, Samsung's game streaming platform. In addition, the company announced its partnership with gaming accessory provider PDP (Performance Designed Products LLC), the first "Designed for Samsung Gaming Hub" controller.

"Samsung recognizes the indispensable role of accessories in elevating gaming experiences," said Jiho Ha, Head of Service Partnerships Group at Samsung Electronics. "Building on our already-high level of compatibility, the 'Designed for Samsung Gaming Hub' program will see us collaborating with trusted partners to craft accessories that further enhance the premier experience of the Samsung Gaming Hub."

MSI, the globally renowned gaming brand, has collaborated with the esteemed game developer CAPCOM to mark the 20th anniversary of the Monster Hunter game series by introducing a carefully curated line of limited-edition PC products. The unveiling of these highly anticipated products will take place at CES 2024, where MSI will showcase concept prototypes at an exclusive booth. The official debut of these products is scheduled to coincide with the 20th-anniversary celebration of Monster Hunter.

Inspired by one of the series' most iconic monsters, the Rathalos, this collaboration aims to infuse the majestic aura and power of the Rathalos into a captivating range of limited-edition gaming peripherals. This includes gaming laptops, monitors, graphics cards, motherboards, cases, liquid coolers, and controllers. With these products, MSI invites gamers to embark on a journey into the captivating world of Monster Hunter, delivering a unique gaming experience that combines the superior craftsmanship of MSI with the classic gaming elements of CAPCOM.

LG Display, the world's leading innovator of display technologies, announced today that it has successfully completed the development of its 27-inch 480 Hz QHD Gaming OLED display and prepared an official showcase for CES 2024, opening a new era of OLEDs featuring ultra-high refresh rates.

LG Display's latest Gaming OLED display leverages the company's unique OLED technology, which allows each pixel to emit light independently without a backlight unit, to deliver an unprecedented 480 Hz refresh rate, immersive QHD (2,560 x 1,440) resolution, and the fastest response time (0.03 ms) of any panel on the market today, combining to realize the optimal gaming experience for avid gamers.

Samsung Electronics America today announced new Odyssey OLED gaming monitors debuting at CES 2024, the world's biggest tech event owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), in Las Vegas next week. The new OLED models deliver the performance and visual clarity gamers look for in their monitors, and include the Odyssey OLED G9 (Model Name: G95SD), Odyssey OLED G8 (Model Name: G80SD), and the Odyssey OLED G6 (Model Name: G60SD).

The Odyssey OLED G9 is a 49" curved ultra-wide gaming monitor with DQHD (5,120×1,440) resolution and a 32:9 aspect ratio and other upgraded features. The Odyssey OLED G8 is the first flat 32-inch Samsung OLED gaming monitor with 4K UHD (3,840×2,160) resolution and a 16:9 aspect ratio. Both monitors have a 240 Hz refresh rate and 0.03 ms GTG response time. The Odyssey OLED G6 is a 27" QHD (2,560×1,440) monitor which supports a 16:9 aspect ratio, 360 Hz refresh rate and 0.03 ms GTG response time.

Airdrop Gaming is excited to announce that their innovative Audio Radar is now in production and shipping. This groundbreaking product is set to enhance gaming for everyone, especially the deaf and hard of hearing community. Experience Audio Radar at CES 2024 at booth #60704, Eureka Park, Venetian.

Audio Radar is a unique accessory that transforms game sounds into visual signals. This allows players to 'see the sound', creating an inclusive gaming experience. It's ideal for deaf and hard of hearing gamers, visualizing key sounds like footsteps and alerts. Audio Radar works with Xbox, PlayStation, and PC, making games more accessible and enjoyable for all.

Experience the ultimate gaming performance with GravaStar's Mercury M1 Pro and M2 Gaming Mice, where cutting-edge technology, ergonomic yet unique hallowed-out design, and customizable features combine to elevate your gaming experience.

GravaStar proudly unveils its newest creations - the Mercury M1 Pro and Mercury M2 Gaming Mice. More than just standard peripherals, these mice embody GravaStar's dedication to blending avant-garde design with exceptional performance, setting a new standard in the realm of gaming technology.

Welcome to the first week of new games of 2024, although the first week of the year isn't exactly starting with a bang. In fact, there are so few new releases that we couldn't even get one per day, but luckily there were enough new games being released on other days for a full roundup. We got everything from bootleggers to tiny cars and a point and click adventure to keep you busy this coming week.

Bootlegger's Mafia Racing Story / Monday 1 January
Step back in time to the roaring 1930s and immerse yourself in the high-stakes world of bootlegging during America's Prohibition era. Get ready to join John Hamerton, a retired car engineer and mechanic, as he embarks on a daring journey to save his house and pay off his tax debt.

As we enter the last week of the year, as well as the Christmas and New Years period, we also have the slowest week of new game releases of the entire year. That said, there are still some new games being released, whether they're worth your Christmas money or not, is an entirely different story. Here's looking forward to many new, great game releases in 2024.

Sealed Gate / Monday 25 December
Sealed Gate is a medieval fantasy game where players are immersed in a huge and interesting world full of dangers and mysteries. The game has various systems such as combat system, crafting, professions, magic system, resource extraction system and much more. The combat system is based on dynamic real-time battles where players can choose between different fighting styles using weapons and magic in combination with each other. Crafting allows players to create various items using resources found during the exploration of the world, such as weapons, armor and tools.

Just like LG and HP, ASUS is gearing up to launch a dual mode 4K 240 Hz / 1080p 480 Hz OLED monitor and the company has released a little teaser ahead of the official CES 2024 reveal of the monitor. The display will unsurprisingly fall under ASUS' ROG brand and will be known as the ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDP and spec wise it appears to use the same OLED panel as LG's 32GS95UE and possibly HP's Omen Transcend, since all three monitors should feature the dual mode option of 4K 240 Hz or 1080p 480 Hz. ASUS claims that the PG32UCDP is "the world's first dual-mode gaming monitor" which we've already seen isn't the case, but it's still the matter of who will be first to offer their displays in the retail market.

Interestingly, ASUS announced the similar ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM at Gamescom 2023, which was said to offer a QD-OLED display with a 4K resolution and a 240 Hz refresh rate. The PG32UCDM appears to lack the 1080p 480 Hz mode though, but with only one letter difference in the model name, potential buyers are going to have to pay close attention so they don't end up with the wrong display. We're going to have to wait for a release and review of the displays before we'll know which one is the better of the two ASUS models.

China, earlier today, brought into effect new online gaming and gambling regulations, which aim to curb down the time spent by gamers online, and remove all incentives to play daily, by regulating the way games reward gamers to play daily or often, causing them to spend more time and money online. The announcement sent shockwaves through the financial markets, causing investors to drain about $80 billion in value from two the leading online gaming stocks, Tencent and NetEase. The regulations essentially set spending limits for online games, by spelling out the exact ways in which game studios can monetize their online experiences and play reward systems. Tencent lost about 16% in share price, while that of NetEase crashed by 25%. Prosus, which owns a 26% stake in Tencent, slid by 14.2% in the markets. This is expected to have an effect on Western markets that open for trading in a bit.

Today, MSI - the premium laptop brand with luxurious aesthetic, extreme performance, and innovative technology, proudly announces that its brand-new flagship gaming laptop Titan 18 HX will be the world's first laptop featuring 18" 4K/120 Hz Mini LED display, which is also the most premium laptop display right now.

The 4K/120 Hz Mini LED display on Titan 18 is powered by AmLED technology from AUO, which promises super-bright backlighting, decent HDR performance and wide-enough color gamut. The peak brightness of the display is over 1000 nits, which is 2.5 times brighter compared to regular LCD and thanks to its Adaptive Control Technology, sharper image quality with less halo effect could be expected. The stunning peak brightness also brings exceptional HDR performance with 2M:1 contrast ratio. The Titan 18 has been certified as VESA DisplayHDR 1000 and guarantees immersive HDR experience in game or streaming.

ZOWIE is pleased to announce the XL2546X and XL2586X gaming monitors featuring Fast-TN panels and exclusive DyAc 2 technology with new dual backlight design for clear motion and precision gaming. The all-new minimalist design for the 240 Hz XL2546X and 540 Hz XL2586X also provides comfortable ergonomic adjustability and convenient automatic in-game color mode selection via XL Setting to Share.

Continuing the mission to develop professional esports equipment and enhance the gaming experience for players to perform at their best, ZOWIE pays close attention to gamer feedback. Since the introduction of XL Series monitors in 2010, we have continuously upgraded our panel technology for clearer visuals, improved software control for convenient setting optimization, and enhanced the user experience for complete comfort. Our goal is to deliver features and designs that directly benefits players in competitive gaming, avoiding unnecessarily flashy designs that do not contribute to competitiveness.

As we enter the second to last week of the year, we're entering one of the slowest periods of the year when it comes to new game releases. This week's major release is an Unreal Engine 5 first person shooter, of sorts. As for what else is coming out this month, there's a truly eclectic mix of games, ranging from being an engineer to building a penguin empire (yes, you read that correctly). Then we have yet another zombie survival game, a game where you get to play dictator and finally you have the chance to dive down the abyss old school style.

Railbreak / This week's major release / Friday 22 December
How do our heroes detox after a stressful week of surviving a zombie apocalypse? The stars of Dead Drop Studios' upcoming Outbreak: Shades of Horror, Lydia and Hank, enjoy an entertaining night out to test a hot new arcade game! What's better than slaughtering zombies day in and day out? Laying waste to bright pink ones with heavy artillery, of course!