The Chinese tech press is abuzz with slides allegedly from Intel's pre-launch press-deck for the Core Ultra 2-series "Arrow Lake-S." The most sensational of these are Intel's first-party performance claims for the top Core Ultra 9 285K model. There's good news and bad news. Good news first—Intel claims to have made a big leap in energy efficiency with "Arrow Lake," and the 285K should offer gaming performance comparable to the current Core i9-14900K at around 80 W lower power draw for the processor. But then there in lies the bad news—despite claimed IPC gains for the "Lion Cove" P-core, and rumored clock speeds being on par with the "Raptor Cove" P-cores on the i9-14900K, the 285K is barely any faster than its predecessor in absolute terms.

In its first party testing, when averaged across 12 game tests, which we used Google optical translation to make out the titles of, Intel used performance numbers of the i9-14900K as the mean. The 285K beats the i9-14900K in only four games—Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2, Age of Mythology Retold, Civilization VI: Gathering Storm, and F1 23. It's on-par with the i9-14900K in Red Dead Redemption 2, Total War: Pharaoh, Metro Exodus, Cyberpunk 2077, Black Myth: Wukong, Rainbow Six Siege. It's slower than the i9-14900K in Far Cry 6, FF XIV, F1 24, Red Dead Redemption 2. Averaged across this bench, the Core Ultra 9 285K ends up roughly on par with the Core i9-14900K in gaming. Intel also compared the 285K to AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X, and interestingly, even the Ryzen 9 7950X3D.

The air is crisp, the pumpkins are waiting to be carved, and GFN Thursday is ready to deliver some gaming thrills. GeForce NOW is unleashing a monster mash of gaming goodness this October with 22 titles joining the cloud, with five available for members to stream this week. From pulse-pounding action to immersive role-playing games, members' cloud gaming cauldrons are about to bubble over with excitement. Plus, a new account portal update lets members take a look at their playtime details and history on GeForce NOW.

October Treats in Store
GeForce NOW is offering plenty of treats for members this month, starting with the launch of THRONE AND LIBERTY this week. THRONE AND LIBERTY is a free-to-play massively multiplayer online role-playing game that takes place in the vast open world of Solisium. Scale expansive mountain ranges for new vantage points, scan open skies, traverse sprawling plains and explore a land full of depth and opportunity. Adapt to survive and thrive through strategic decisions in player vs. player or player vs. environment combat modes while navigating evolving battlefields impacted by weather, time of day and other players. There's no single path to victory to defeat Kazar and claim the throne while keeping rival guilds at bay.

AMD today released a preview driver that provides optimization for a couple of new games, and fixes a few issues. Preview Driver version 24.20.11.01 adds optimization for "God of War: Ragnarök," "Frostpunk 2," and the DirectX 11 mode of "Sims 4." It also extends Radeon Boost support for "Final Fantasy XVI." HYPR-Tune support is extended to "Black Myth: Wukong," "God of War Ragnarök," and "Creatures of Ava." HYPR-Tune now autoconfigures Anti-Lag 2 in "Ghost of Tsushima Directors Cut."

The drivers also address intermittent driver crashes when playing "Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2," including crashes when loading maps on RX 5000 series GPUs. Driver crashes on "Final Fantasy XVI" have also been fixed. The bug that causes overly dark shadows in "Black Myth: Wukong" with medium-high global illumination settings, has been fixed. AV falling out of sync during AV1 codec playback has been fixed.

DOWNLOAD: AMD Software Adrenalin Preview Driver 24.20.11.01

Rise and shine - Capcom's latest action-adventure game, Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, heads to the cloud at launch next week. It's part of nine new titles joining the extensive GeForce NOW library.

Dead Rising Coming Soon
Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster returns with modern graphics. More than just a remaster, this Deluxe Remaster is a full graphical overhaul of the first game in the zombie-slaughtering action series Dead Rising. The remaster has also been fully voiced, supports auto-saves and has various other quality-of-life features. One day, the peaceful town of Willamette, Colorado, found itself put under quarantine by the U.S. army. Frank West, a freelance journalist, smells a scoop and finds his way into the only shopping mall in town. Unfortunately, the mall has turned into a living hell, crawling with countless zombies. Help will arrive in 72 hours, so it's up to him to find out the truth behind this incident before it's too late. Witness the unmatched mayhem and freedom when Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster launches on Wednesday, Sept. 19. Stream it with a GeForce NOW Priority or Ultimate membership for longer gaming sessions and higher frame rates.

Intel over the weekend released the latest version of Arc GPU Graphics Drivers. Version 101.5989 Beta comes with Game-On optimization for "Arena Breakout: Infinite," "Deadlock," "NBA 2K25," "Test Drive: Unlimited Solar Crown," and "Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2." The drivers should prove especially important for "Deadlock," where Intel claims performance improvements of up to 17% at 1080p, and up to 13% at 1440p. In "Test Drive: Unlimited Solar Crown," you can expect up to 19% performance improvements in both the 1080p and 1440p resolutions. "Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2" players can expect up to 7% performance improvements at 1080p, and up to 8% improvements at 1440p. Intel hasn't included any fixes with this release, but identified a handful new issues. Grab the drivers from the link below.

DOWNLOAD: Intel Arc GPU Graphics Drivers 101.5989 Beta

Welcome to another week of September and more new game releases. This week, we have a massive AAA release, well, at least for those that are into hammers of war and marines in space. For those that are not, we still have a busy week of new releases that starts with a very different take on what a car is, a new version of an Atari classic, an RPG farming sim, a normal take on what a car is and finally some eldritch horrors, because it's Friday the 13th.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 / This week's AAA release / Monday 9 September
Embody the superhuman skill and brutality of a Space Marine. Unleash deadly abilities and devastating weaponry to obliterate the relentless Tyranid swarms. Defend the Imperium in spectacular third-person action in solo or multiplayer modes. Steam Link

AMD on Friday released an off-branch Preview driver that should interest those playing Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 this weekend. The Adrenalin 24.10.37.10 Preview Driver fixes intermittent driver timeout bugs facing the game during gameplay. The drivers also fix overly dark shadows or desaturated colors in "Black Myth: Wukong" when the Global Illumination setting is medium or higher. But these aren't the main payload of this driver release, it has to do with extending AMD Anti Lag 2 Vulkan API support for Counter-Strike 2. The technology works to reduce whole-system latency during gameplay, which should improve your responsiveness in online multiplayer gameplay.

DOWNLOAD: AMD Software Adrenalin 24.10.37.10 Preview Drivers

Fall will be here soon, so leaf it to GeForce NOW to bring the games, with 19 joining the cloud in September. Get started with the seven games available to stream this week, and a day one PC Game Pass title, Age of Mythology: Retold, from the creators of the award-winning Age of Empires franchise World's Edge, Forgotten Empires and Xbox Game Studios. The Open Beta for Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 runs Sept. 6-9, offering everyone a chance to experience game-changing innovations before the title officially launches on Oct. 25. Members can stream the Battle.net and Steam versions of the Open Beta instantly this week on GeForce NOW to jump right into the action.

Where Myths and Heroes Collide
Age of Mythology: Retold revitalizes the classic real-time strategy game by merging its beloved elements with modern visuals. Get immersed in a mythical universe, command legendary units and call upon the powers of various gods from the Atlantean, Greek, Egyptian and Norse pantheons. The single-player experience features a 50-mission campaign, including engaging battles and myth exploration in iconic locations like Troy and Midgard. Challenge friends in head-to-head matches or cooperate to take on advanced, AI-powered opponents. Call upon the gods from the cloud with an Ultimate and Priority membership and stream the game across devices. Games update automatically in the cloud, so members can dive into the action without having to wait.

ASUS has introduced a new limited edition graphics card: the Radeon RX 7900 XTX Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine 2 Edition. The company will produce only 20 units of this specially designed card, making it one of the rarest graphics cards on the market. The new card is based on the Radeon RX 7900 XTX, which uses AMD's RDNA 3 architecture. It maintains the same technical specifications as the standard model, including its gaming capabilities. The primary difference lies in its aesthetic design, which features artwork and elements inspired by the Warhammer 40,000 franchise, specifically referencing the Space Marines from the upcoming game Space Marine 2. ASUS developed this product in partnership with the developers of Space Marine 2. Each card will be individually numbered, potentially increasing its value for collectors. Despite its unique appearance, the card is expected to perform similarly to the standard RX 7900 XTX in terms of gaming performance.

Distribution of these graphics cards will not occur through typical retail channels. Instead, ASUS plans to organize a giveaway contest on August 23. The company has yet to release full details about how interested parties can enter the contest, and that information will be available through their official communication channels shortly. While the card offers no performance improvements over the standard model, its scarcity and unique design may appeal to enthusiasts of both computer hardware and the Warhammer franchise. Potential contestants should note that, as with any limited edition product, demand is likely to far exceed the available supply. ASUS has not indicated whether similar collaborations or limited editions might be planned for the future.

Today, Focus Entertainment and Saber Interactive premiered a new trailer for their highly-anticipated third-person action game Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2.

The trailer reveals a whole new PvE experience and the return of the beloved PvP mode from the first game. Unveiled during the Warhammer Skulls Festival live stream, this trailer also marks the opening of digital pre-orders on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Steam and Epic Games Store ahead of the release on September 9, in addition to the already-available retail pre-orders.(Video below)

Today, Focus Entertainment and Saber Interactive, in partnership with Games Workshop, are thrilled to unveil the most extensive look at Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2's gameplay to date. In this 10-minute Extended Gameplay trailer, the explosive third-person action game shows Lieutenant Titus and his battle brothers Chairon and Gadriel taking on swarms of Tyranids on the Planet Avarax. The game will release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC with digital and physical versions, and a prestigious Collector's Edition which is currently open for pre-orders.

Continue the story of legendary Space Marine Lieutenant Titus - voiced by Vikings and Taken star Clive Standen - and drive back the everlasting night in Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2's epic new campaign whether solo with AI or in 3-player co-op! Unleash a deadly arsenal and embody the unwavering brutality of the Emperor's greatest warriors to protect humanity from the untold horrors of the galaxy, including the dark forces of Chaos! First teased at Summer Game Fest, the sorcerous Thousand Sons - Chaos Space Marines in thrall to the Chaos God of fate and mutation are now confirmed to appear in the game!

Today, Focus Entertainment and Saber Interactive, in partnership with Games Workshop, are thrilled to showcase the co-op mode for Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, the explosive third-person action game that brings another level of spectacle and bombast to Games Workshop's franchise. The teams debuted a new trailer showcasing spectacular action gameplay and breathtaking cinematic footage at this year's Summer Game Fest Live Showcase. Focus and Saber can also confirm highly-anticipated sequel will launch this winter on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Physical versions are open for pre-orders, alongside a prestigious Collector's Edition.

A bombastic action-packed campaign to experience solo or in co-op
As showcased in the Co-Op Campaign Reveal Trailer (below), Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 features a gripping narrative that follows fan-favorite Lieutenant Titus—powerfully portrayed by actor Clive Standen. Embody the superhuman skill and brutality of the Emperor's greatest warriors by unleashing deadly abilities and an arsenal of devastating weaponry, and obliterate the relentless Tyranid hordes, solo or cooperatively with friends or AI in the 3-player co-op mode.

Following Games Workshop's Skulls Showcase earlier today, Focus Entertainment and Saber Interactive are thrilled to showcase brand new glimpses of gameplay for their upcoming action-packed blockbuster Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, coming soon to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Hosted by Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun's lead actor and Warhammer superfan Rahul Kohli, the event has given players their very first look at the Tyranid onslaught they will be facing at release. Watch today's video (below) and discover it for yourself!

Play as the greatest warriors of the Imperium
Embody a Space Marine of the Ultramarines Chapter, a superhuman warrior who protects humanity from untold horrors, in brutally efficient third-person action powered by the distinctively fast and fluid gameplay experience from best-in-class studio Saber Interactive, the team and engine behind World War Z.