During GTC 2025, NVIDIA unveiled the professional (PRO) side of its "Blackwell" GPU line—headlined by a monstrous GDDR7 96 GB option, that unleashes the full potential of their GB202 die. Industry watchdogs anticipated sky-high pricing, as befits such a potent specification sheet/feature set. As reported by VideoCardz over the past weekend, a North American enterprise PC hardware store—Connection—has populated its webshop with several of Team Green's brand-new RTX PRO Blackwell Series SKUs. The publication received tip-offs from a portion of its readership; including some well-heeled individuals who have already claimed pre-orders. Starting off, the investigation highlighted upper crust offerings: "the flagship model, called the RTX PRO 6000 with 96 GB of VRAM, will launch at $8435 (bulk) to $8565 (box), and this price seemingly applies to both models: the Workstation Edition and a sub-variant called Max-Q. Both are equipped with the same specs, but the latter is capped at 300 W TDP while retaining 88% of the Al performance, claimed NVIDIA."

Connection has removed its RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell and RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Max-Q product pages, but the rest of Team Green's professional stack is still visible (see relevant screenshot below). The RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell 48 GB card is priced at $4569.24 (or $4439.50 for bulk). The cheapest offering is a $696.54 RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell 8 GB model. Officially, NVIDIA and its main professional series board partner—PNY—only revealed 4500, 5000 and 6000 product tiers. VideoCardz put a spotlight on some of these unannounced options, including: "the RTX 4000 non-SFF version, while this retailer has six listings for such SKUs (two SFF and two non-SFF, both in bulk and box variants). Presumably, this would suggest that NVIDIA may launch a non-SFF version later. However, the company didn't put 'SFF' in the official card's name, so perhaps this information is no longer valid, and there's only one model." According to a GDM/Hermitage AkiHabara Japan press release, a local reseller—Elsa—is preparing NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Workstation Edition and RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Max-Q Workstation Edition stock for scheduled release "in May 2025, while the other models are scheduled for release around summer." Additionally, another retailer (ASK Co., Ltd.): "has stated that the price and release date are subject to inquiry."

With games like Ghost of Tsushima, and Assassin's Creed Shadows more recently, being set in various periods across historical Japan, the developers of the games upped the realism by including real-world locations in each of the games. While this has the added benefit of grounding the game and sharing some of Japan's cultural heritage with the gaming world, it has apparently also caused some controversy due to incidents involving vandalism at those very same culturally significant sites across Japan. According to Automaton, the Watazumi shrine featured in Ghost of Tsushima was forced to close its doors to tourists after an "unforgivable act of disrespect" was perpetrated at the site. No additional information about the site was provided by Japanese authorities, but it is assumed that some act of vandalism took place at the religious site.

[Editor's note: Our in-depth review of [Assassin's Creed Shadows] is now live]

This isn't the first time the shrine has banned visitors from its gates, but this time around, the shrine's officials report having had to contact the police on numerous occasions relating to vandalism and verbal and physical abuse of the management staff by visitors. The day after Ubisoft launched Assassin's Creed Shadows, the developer issued a patch removing destructible assets from religious shrines as a result of concern relating to vandalism of the religious sites. IGN reports that this concern came from none other than Japanese Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, who issued a very serious statement clarifying that "Defacing a shrine is out of the question - it is an insult to the nation itself. When the Self-Defense Forces were deployed to Samawah, Iraq, we ensured they studied Islamic customs beforehand. Respecting the culture and religion of a country is fundamental, and we must make it clear that we will not simply accept acts that disregard them." He also suggested that these issues may require legal attention. The Assassin's Creed Shadows update removing destructible assets from shrines also made it so that civilians in and around sites of religious significance would not bleed when attacked by the player, reducing bloodshed in the shrines.

Bandai Namco Entertainment today announced the launch of BLEACH Rebirth of Souls, a new action game where players fight in iconic battles based on the legendary anime franchise and experience an original story created by Tite Kubo. The title is available now in Standard, Digital Deluxe, and Digital Ultimate Editions on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.

In BLEACH Rebirth of Souls, players can engage in thrilling battles and experience their favorite characters as they relive the main story of BLEACH and immerse in the anime universe via multiple exciting game modes. The game's Story Mode features an epic journey spanning from Ichigo's rise as a Soul Reaper in the Substitute Soul Reaper Arc to the climactic battle against Sosuke Aizen in the Arrancar Arc. In Free Match, players can test their pride and skills in intense battles against other players worldwide. Versus mode enables local multiplayer battles with friends or offline CPU. Players can also unlock deeper insights into the characters of BLEACH with Secret Story Mode, revealing the moments that shaped their personalities.

Hunters! Join us on Tuesday March 25th at 7:00AM PDT / 14:00 GMT for a Monster Hunter Wilds Showcase stream, presented by Monster Hunter Wilds producer, Ryozo Tsujimoto! The stream will be approximately 15 minutes with news on the next free title update that we're looking forward to sharing with you! Please note that actual stream time is subject to change.

The unbridled force of nature runs wild and relentless, with environments transforming drastically from one moment to the next. This is a story of monsters and humans and their struggles to live in harmony in a world of duality. Fulfill your duty as a Hunter by tracking and defeating powerful monsters and forging strong new weapons and armor from the materials you harvest from your hunt as you uncover the connection between the people of the Forbidden Lands and the locales they inhabit. The ultimate hunting experience awaits you in Monster Hunter Wilds.

Last month, ASRock added two "brand-new" B650M Pro X3D motherboard models to its global website. The Taiwanese manufacturer did not release any press material at the time, so the low-key additions were only spotted by watchful PC hardware news outlets. At the time, ASRock signalled that the eventual launch of "Pro X3D" mainboards would be restricted to certain market regions. Roughly a month later, momomo_us has stumbled across fresh listings in Japan. Yodobashi and Dospara are ready to ship out the ASRock B650M Pro X3D WiFi SKU to local customers. Respective price points—including VAT—are 26,640 yen (~$179 USD), and 23,980 yen (~$161 USD).

Curiously, the B650M Pro X3D series registers as an almost perfect visual match when compared to ASRock's "slightly older" B850M Pro RS mainboard family. Dospara's current price for the B850M Pro RS WiFi SKU is 27,800 yen (~$186.61 USD). This "refreshed" B650M design is up-to-date enough with PCI-E 5.0 support for mounted graphics cards and SSDs. According to the brand's product description: "(our Pro X3D motherboard series) is optimized for AMD Ryzen (9000 and 7000) X3D processors, delivering superior stability, compatibility, and enhanced performance, making it ideal for gaming and creating." Due to apparent confusion between "Pro X3D" and the latest "Pro RS" aesthetic, ASRock is not expected to roll out of with a wide release (of the former).

Ken Kutaragi—the former chairman and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE)—met with retro PlayStation enthusiasts earlier this month. Almost three weeks later, news outlets have just familiarized themselves with Julian Domanski's happy (March 1) social media post. The Tokyo-based professional videographer/photographer spent some time with the "The Father of the PlayStation," as well as an extremely rare piece of console gaming history: "I never thought I'd see something so rare, but today I actually got to fondle a Nintendo PlayStation! The last one in existence was believed to have sold at auction for $300,000. Turns out the ex-CEO of Sony CEI has one in his closet. Ken Kutaragi, top bloke. Signed my PS1 too!" Back in the late 1980s, Sony and Nintendo started work on a CD-ROM version of the 16-bit Super Famicom (international SKU: SNES). Sony unveiled a prototype "Play Station" at the 1991 Consumer Electronics Show; apparently Nintendo's internal reference name was simply "SNES-CD."

Famously—a day later—the House of Mario broke away from this partnership and ended up working with Philips; resulting in the extremely underwhelming CD-i home entertainment system. Kutaragi and colleagues formed Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) in late 1993, and proceeded with the development of their first-gen proprietary 32-bit RISC-based console design. Ultimately, the PlayStation would far surpass Nintendo's N64 (expensive cartridge format) gaming platform in terms of sales by the late nineties. Since then, hardcore collectors have spent countless hours tracking down Nintendo PlayStation prototypes. Rumors had spread about only two-hundred units being produced back in the day. Domanski's mentioning of a $300K+ winning bid harkens back to another former SCEI executive; Ólafur Jóhann Ólafsson. As reported by VGC, the other example: "was once owned by the first CEO of Sony's games division." This BBC article does a good job of describing a bizarre chain of events; ending with Ólafsson's prototype being sold for $360,000, including a $60,000 buyer's premium fee. Kutaragi's variant seems to be in much better condition, and sports slightly different external markings—most notably; a strong blue PlayStation logo.

Assassin's Creed Shadows is out now on Steam, inviting you on a journey with the stealthy shinobi Naoe and powerful samurai Yasuke as they explore Feudal Japan and discover a shared destiny. As you recruit allies, expand your Hideout, and use your network to gather knowledge about the world, Steam offers a number of additional ways to enjoy the game—let's take a look at what you need to know about playing Assassin's Creed Shadows on Steam.

Achievements
There are many Steam achievements available for Assassin's Creed Shadows and all of them can be earned in a single playthrough, regardless of story choices or difficulty level. They are earned not only by playing through the main story, but also by exploring the world, completing different activities, upgrading the Hideout, meeting allies, and more. Check the full list here.

When Lunar debuted in North America in 1993, it was a standout in the emerging Western market for Japanese RPGs. Lunar featured detailed, animated cinematic cutscenes, plenty of voice acting, high-quality music, and-most importantly-an endearing story packed with engaging and memorable characters. While it wasn't the first CD-ROM-based JRPG to hit the market, it was one that left a powerful impact on everyone who played it. A sequel, two PlayStation remakes, a PSP outing and more further broadened the audience for Lunar. More than 30 years after the series' debut, Lunar and Lunar 2 are coming back to the realm of PlayStation with the Lunar Remastered Collection. To give some insight into what makes the Lunar games special—and to stir fond memories among longtime fans—we talked to Matthias Pergams, producer over at GungHo Online Entertainment America.

Silver Standard
"LUNAR was one of the first JRPGs on the CD-ROM format, with animated cutscenes, in-game voice acting, and even an opening theme song," Pergams explains. "The series gained a dedicated following both within and outside Japan, paving the way for the genre as a whole. It's a work that has a unique historical significance." The original Lunar has been remade and re-released a few times for various platforms (along with Lunar 2, to a lesser degree), so we were curious as to why the PlayStation 'Complete' versions of the two games were chosen as the base for the remasters. "Each version is different and possesses unique merits, so we actually struggled quite a bit with this question. Ultimately, the choice came down to which version we felt represented the series best. For us, it was the PlayStation version."

Time to sharpen the blade. GeForce NOW brings a legendary addition to the cloud: Ubisoft's highly anticipated Assassin's Creed Shadows is now available for members to stream. Plus, dive into the updated version of the iconic Fable Anniversary—part of 11 games joining the cloud this week.

Silent as a Shadow
Explore 16th-century Japan, uncover conspiracies and shape the destiny of a nation—all from the cloud. Assassin's Creed Shadows unfolds in 1579, during the turbulent Azuchi-Momoyama period of feudal Japan, a time of civil war and cultural exchange. Step into the roles of Naoe, a fictional shinobi assassin and daughter of Fujibayashi Nagato, and Yasuke, a character based on the historical African samurai. Their stories intertwine as they find themselves on opposite sides of a conflict.

Square Enix's long-running Front Mission franchise was set to expand with an all-new entry—Front Mission 2089: Borderscape—first revealed back in April 2022. The Japanese multinational publisher announced BlackJack Studio as their chosen development partner on this fledgling project, destined for launch on mobile platforms (Android and iOS). Months later, this collaboration was terminated. Video game news outlets have picked up on a new-ish lawsuit; filed on March 13 in a Seattle, Washington court. Contained information indicates that Square Enix ended a licensing agreement and canceled development in October 2022. The 26-page legal document alleges that HK Ten Tree Limited (aka BlackJack Studio) had produced a "Front Mission-style" game that reuses assets from the shelved "2089: Borderscape" title.

BlackJack's Mecharashi IP is advertised on Steam as a: "mecha-themed tactical turn-based game. The game adopts a Front Mission-style combat system, where you can assemble mechas however you want, equip a wide selection of weapons, and choose your favorite pilots to engage in battle." According to the latest reports, Mecharashi/Metal Storm has already launched in China and Japan—a Western release is "coming soon." Square Enix seems intent on preventing the game from reaching a wider audience. According to Polygon, the Japanese video game giant has: "sent multiple DMCA takedown notices to get the game removed from storefronts; it was removed from Steam, but is back after a counter-claim was submitted. Square Enix said it also filed a lawsuit in Japanese court." Additionally, Square is seeking "maximum statutory damages of $150,000 for each copyright infringed." The Front Mission IP lives on in the shape of remakes—under license, Forever Entertainment S. A. developed and published Front Mission 1st: Remake (2022). Front Mission 2: Remake arrived roughly a year later, with Storm Trident S.A. taking care of development duties. Front Mission 3: Remake was unveiled last year at the Tokyo Game Show 2024.

Assassin's Creed Shadows, launching on March 20, will continue the series' tradition of bringing players closer to history with a section of its database titled "Cultural Discovery." As part of the in-game Codex, this feature offers players carefully selected encyclopedic entries on the history, art, and culture of the Azuchi-Momoyama period. This cultural encyclopedia was written by historians and includes images from museums and institutions. Similar to the History of Baghdad feature in Assassin's Creed Mirage, Cultural Discovery will be integrated into the main game of Assassin's Creed Shadows, and is tied to player progression. Cultural Discovery contains almost two times as many entries as the History of Baghdad, with more than 125 entries at launch, and more to come.

As players visit sites that provide a historical and cultural exploration of 16th-century Japan, they will unlock articles on the economy, castles, military affairs, daily life, historical figures, and events. One notable cultural codex entry, shown above, features an exclusive replica of a Kabuto, or Japanese war helmet, that symbolizes the first contact between Japan and Spain. The original Kabuto is part of one of the oldest collections of Japanese armor in Europe, and is kept at the Royal Armory in Madrid. This Kabuto had been almost entirely damaged during the fire suffered by the Royal Armory on July 10, 1884. Ubisoft, Patrimonio Nacional, and Spanish company Factum Arte joined forces to recover what was left of this Feudal Japan relic, create a faithful physical reconstruction of it, and make it accessible to people around the world through its inclusion in Assassin's Creed Shadows. The physical replica from Factum Arte will become part of the Royal Armory of Madrid's collection.

Bleach Rebirth of Souls is an upcoming fighting action game based on the legendary anime franchise, delivering an immersive Bleach experience. Engage in thrilling one-on-one sword combat with your favorite characters and unlock powerful forms to overturn the tide of battle - the more desperate the situation, the more powerful you become! Of course, a Bleach game would be nothing without protagonist Ichigo Kurosaki—and we have some news on the classic character. Ahead of the game's release on March 21, we're excited to reveal Ichigo Kurosaki's most powerful form, Final Getsugatensho and its unique playstyle—as well as his two other forms, Bankai and base.

Through the Story Mode, re-live iconic battles and moments from the Bleach storyline and experience the growth of Ichigo Kurosaki as he discovers his new powers and unlocks powerful transformations. In the game, this will be represented by three different forms, each as a separate playable character, which will come with different combat styles to best suit his stage of growth in the Story Mode. Let us run you through each one.

We're so excited to show you the teeniest bit of what we've been working on! Having Giles Goddard as our founder (of Chuhai Labs), we've wanted to make something that pays tribute to his amazing career making legendary games for a while now. With Wild Blue we are making that dream a reality! We can't wait to share more about this love letter to '90s on-rails aerial adventures soon!

Wild Blue reimagines the classic on-rail adventures of the 1990s. Join Bowie Stray and the Blue Bombers as they soar through the skies on a mission to save the world in this action-packed, nostalgic journey! Soar over oceans, desert ridges, and perilous caves, battling waves of enemies and pushing back the Baron's forces. With the help of allies, you'll fight to restore peace while experiencing the thrill of classic arcade flight-combat! Easy-to-learn controls make Wild Blue accessible for newcomers and genre veterans alike, while the game's stunning visuals immerse you in a hand-crafted, anime-style universe. With its compelling gameplay loop, branching paths, and thrilling missions, every flight is an adventure!

Assassin's Creed Shadows is launching March 20 on Steam, but you can pre-load the game as early as March 17 at 9:00AM PST (4:00PM UCT). Check out the exact time you can start the game on March 20, wherever you are in the world—with our "Global Release Timings" chart (below).

Don't forget to wishlist or pre-purchase Assassin's Creed Shadows today so you can pre-load on March 17 and dive in as soon as the game is live on March 20. Those who pre-purchase Assassin's Creed Shadows will receive at no additional cost the Thrown to the Dogs bonus quest at launch, as well as the Claws of Awaji expansion when it launches later this year.

According to Akira Amari, a Japanese politician and semiconductor industry expert, it's unlikely that the US will ever reach self-sufficiency when it comes to semiconductor production. This has nothing to do with foundries, as the US might manage to be self-sufficient in terms or raw chip production needs, but the country is said to be unlikely to be able to reach a complete supply chain of everything else needed to produce the chips. Countries like Japan, Taiwan, the Netherlands, Belgium, South Korea and more are heavily invested in supplying not only components needed to produce semiconductors, but also machinery and chemicals.

Amari is suggesting that these countries should form a co-operative alliance to help strengthen their supply chains at home, rather than putting all eggs in one basket to try and appease the US. This statement comes after TSMC promised to invest an additional US$100 billion over an unspecified time frame in the US. Time will tell if he's right or not, but it's unlikely that any country will ever be self-sufficient when it comes to making semiconductors, regardless of how big they are or what natural resources they have access to locally.

Konami Digital Entertainment, B.V. today revealed new information about the latest entry in the legendary SILENT HILL franchise: SILENT HILL f. Set in the 1960s Japan, this chilling new installment immerses players in an eerie and haunting world where horror and psychological tension intertwine in an unforgettable narrative experience to find beauty in terror.

A New Story Set in 1960s Japan
In the remote mountain town of Ebisugaoka, teenager Shimizu Hinako leads an unremarkable life—until a thick fog descends, transforming her once-familiar home into a desolate and terrifying place. With the town seemingly abandoned and an unknown, creeping menace lurking in the mist, Hinako must navigate the spectral remnants of her past, solve intricate puzzles, and battle horrifying entities to survive.

Nintendo seems to readying a speculated mid-2025 launch of the much-anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 hybrid games console, according to industry watchdogs. International preview events are scheduled to happen throughout April, so online theories have settled on potential May or June release windows. Members of Famiboards—a Nintendo discussion forum—have kept tabs on a wide variety of pre-launch information outlets, going back to 2021. Their latest tracking activities—with eyes firmly trained on shipping manifests—have produced compelling evidence of Switch 2 materials turning up on North American shores in the recent past. A Famiboards detective detailed their discoveries: "so, it finally happened. HVBG exported 383,000 units of the completed console set between January 17th and January 22nd. They were all shipped to the US, and all were of the USZ (US/Canada) region code. 41,598 units of the charging grip were also shipped to the US, confirming that HGU0620 is the charging grip with a product code of BEE-A-ESSKA, which matches the Switch 1 charging grip's HAC-A-ESSKA."

Nintendo's mid-January unveiling of Switch 2 served as a refreshing break from the norm; the Japanese gaming giant operates under very secretive conditions. Their early 2025 teaser showcased a device that seemed to recycle its predecessor's feature set, but the CGI trailer implied mouse-like functionality. Patent leaks have provided further insight into the design of Nintendo's next-gen Joy-Con. Last month, Shuntaro Furukawa—the company's president—disclosed that his team was taking "all possible measures" to provide sufficient stock for Switch 2's launch window. This week's insider investigation paints a promising picture, at least for potential North American buyers: "383k is a decent-sized shipment, but I wouldn't be surprised if the numbers increase. HVBG had received 1.2 million units of one-per-system parts like the SoC and screen as of December, and 1.7 million as of January, and we can expect 100% of those to end up in units shipped to the US. One thing we can learn from the shipments is that the console set is not a bundle."

Assassin's Creed Shadows is just around the corner, launching on March 20 for Steam. To celebrate, the team released a new CGI trailer teasing Naoe and Yasuke's motivations on their journey through feudal Japan. Check it out below. Wishlist Assassin's Creed Shadows or pre-purchase it today! Everyone who pre-purchases the game will receive free bonus content, including the Thrown to the Dogs quest at launch, and the Claws of Awaji expansion when it releases later this year. You can also check all our recent Steam news, including more details about the Steam achievements and badges + trading cards available day one!

ENTER FEUDAL JAPAN
Explore the captivating open world of feudal Japan, from spectacular castle towns and bustling ports to peaceful shrines and war-ravaged landscapes. Adventure through unpredictable weather, changing seasons, and reactive environments. Become Naoe, a shinobi Assassin, and Yasuke, a legendary samurai, as you experience their riveting stories and master their complementary playstyles. As Naoe, use stealth to avoid detection and agility to confound your enemies. As Yasuke, strike your foes with lethal precision and power.

We're excited to share this 1st look at the English voice cast for Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter! Starting with our energetic protagonist Estelle Bright, reprised by Stephanie Sheh! Our intelligent and level-headed protagonist, Joshua Bright, will be reprised by Johnny Yong Bosch! The seasoned mentor known as "The Silver Flash", Scherazard Harvey, will be voiced again by Michelle Ruff! Give it up for the insightful yet carefree traveling bard, Olivier Lenheim, with Matthew Mercer returning to the role! Kloe Rinz, beloved for her gentle and kind nature, will be reprised by Cristina Vee!

Though he can be harsh at times, the undeniably skilled "Heavy Blade" Agate Crosner will be voiced once again by Ben Pronsky! Everyone give some love to the ever-sweet Tita Russell, with Brianna Knickerbocker reprising her role! A martial artist from the Calvard Republic, "The Immovable" Zin Vathek will be reprised by Vic Chao! Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter reimagines the first chapter of a beloved series, infusing it with enhanced visuals and refined gameplay. Join Estelle and Joshua, partners bound by fate, as they unravel dark conspiracies threatening the peace of the Liberl Kingdom.

With the release of the fighting action game BLEACH Rebirth of Souls nearing, it is almost time for players to grip their sword and reverse their fate! In a new cinematic trailer, BLEACH Rebirth of Souls offers an immersive look into the game adapted from Tite Kubo's legendary franchise, taking players deeper into the world of soul reapers where they will be able to impersonate iconic characters such as Ichigo Kurosaki, Rukia Kuchiki, Sosuke Aizen and more. This cinematic brings the Bleach universe to life with its dark, foreboding atmosphere that sets the stage for epic sword fights.

BLEACH Rebirth of Souls will launch on 21 March 2025 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4 and PC—it is available for pre-order across three editions: Standard, Deluxe and Ultimate. Both the Deluxe and Ultimate Editions include the Season Pass, a 7-day early access to DLC characters, Soul Crystals and Thousand-Year Blood War playable characters. Any player pre-ordering the game will receive the Toshiro and Yoruichi Thousand-Year Blood War costume set as a bonus.

Around late January, concerned owners of high-end ASUS motherboards uploaded photo and video evidence of alleged physical damage caused by the manufacturer's PCIe "Q-Release Slim" system. Social media and forum posts showed worrying scraping and scratching on graphics card interfaces. The North American branch of ASUS responded to reports with a public service announcement: "in our internal testing and evaluation of the extremely small number of cases reported, we found no damage to the motherboard or graphics card that would affect functionality and/or performance....However, it is important to emphasize that any type of PCIe add-in card will exhibit signs of usage and wear marking after 60 continuous insertions and removals." Rival brands have kept tabs on this sorry situation; many offer similar motherboard-mounted GPU quick release systems. Yesterday, GIGABYTE's Japanese office posted a very "on the nose" demonstration of their EZ Latch Plus design.

The AORUS Japan social media account's "Ultimate PCIe Scratch Test" video involved the repeated insertion and removal of a candidate card from a GIGABYTE Z890 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 ICE motherboard. An anonymous employee completed one hundred cycles. Upon the experiment's conclusion, the graphics card's interface displayed zero evidence of physical deterioration. The manufacturer's Japanese AORUS branch boasted (via machine translation): "start building your PC with confidence! GIGABYTE's renowned easy DIY and ultra-durable design ensures smooth, hassle-free builds and rock-solid reliability. No more worrying about peeling golden finger contacts or scratches from metal edges." Their sarcastic delivery seemingly pokes fun at ASUS and the "troubled" Q-Release Slim system; it should be noted that it is a relatively new design. As reported back in early February, ASUS China launched an extensive customer support/compensation program. According to user accounts, some very expensive custom GeForce RTX 50-series cards have suffered cosmetic damage on PCIe interfaces. GIGABYTE's Western web presences have joined in on the fun—the AORUS Official social media account delivered a slightly different spin on their overall message: "game on with confidence! With our renowned DIY-friendly and Ultra Durable design, you'll enjoy a smooth, hassle-free build with rock-solid reliability. No more worries about gold finger paint peeling or scratches from metal edges—our design provides complete protection for both your GPU and motherboard."

Today, KOEI TECMO and developer Team NINJA announced that their open-world action RPG, Rise of the Ronin, is now available digitally on Windows PC via Steam. Originally released for PlayStation 5, the epic Bakumatsu era tale takes players on a historic journey where a masterless warrior, a ronin, must fight to forge their own destiny through the chaos of war and political unrest. The Steam version supports various PC features, including ultra-wide monitor combatibility, 8K resolution, 120 FPS, 3D audio, and more.

In Rise of the Ronin, fans will play as a ronin in 1863 Japan in turmoil. With Japan's fate now in their hands, players will encounter various historical figures and factions with differing ideologies, and make significant decisions such as whether to confront or defend them. Players will also be able to form special relationships with some characters thanks to the "Veiled Vow" system, which will allow them to freely shape their own experience of the Bakumatsu period.

Hello, this is Akihiro Hino, CEO of LEVEL5. For LEVEL5, 2025 is both a year of challenges and a year of great strides forward: yes, we are set to release three major titles! I know that many of you may be wondering: "Will they really be released on time? Won't there be delays again?" To address these concerns, I wanted to create a space where we could regularly update players on the progress of our game development. Throughout this journey, there will be exciting breakthroughs, but also unexpected obstacles. I want to use this blog to share as much as possible about what's happening behind the scenes—both the good and the challenging. More importantly, I hope that by doing so, we can move forward together with our fans, step by step, toward the completion of all our games.

Of course, not everything can be shared publicly. That said, I still want to convey my thoughts and experiences from the process with everyone—even if only on a personal level. For moments like these, I plan to use this blog as a way to share updates from a more "unofficial" point of view. It might sound a bit strange for a company president to say "unofficial," but the reality is that my perspective as the CEO and my perspective as a creator can sometimes be very different. In such cases, I want to walk that fine line and share as much as I can with our players, making the lead-up to these games exciting rather than just a long wait. I appreciate your support, and I hope you enjoy following along!

Hideo Kojima took to the stage at SXSW yesterday and—joined by some special guests—discussed new details about Kojima Productions' Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. Those details included the reveal of the game's release date: June 26, 2025. To mark the announcement - and pre-orders going live March 17—attendees enjoyed a first look at a special Kojima-directed Pre-Order trailer, which you can watch in full below.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach will launch in a range of different versions. This includes a Collector's Edition, which will be available to pre-order directly from PlayStation and select retailers worldwide. Details on the different versions you can find here.

Assassin's Creed Shadows is coming to Steam on March 20, inviting players to experience feudal Japan as the shinobi Naoe or the samurai Yasuke, each of whom have their own unique set of weapons, abilities, and gameplay strengths. The Assassin's Creed team released a 20-minute gameplay video showing Naoe and Yasuke executing the same mission, with each character showing off their particular strengths in both stealth and combat.

In the video, Yasuke and Naoe are on a mission to assassinate Takahashi Shiro, a member of the Twisted Tree family currently holed up in the Nijo Palace. Naoe kicks things off in the shadows by taking on the mission at night, showing off her skills with the Hidden Blade to take out a Samurai Daisho, an elite enemy, and using her grappling hook to stay out of sight. To keep her stealthy approach hidden, she shows off the ability to extinguish lanterns and assassinate enemies through shoji doors, but when it's time to fight, you'll see she can hold her own with the legendary kusarigama, a long-range melee weapon.