Throughout the Spring season, Electronics Arts (EA) has reduced development team numbers across several of its international first-party game development studios. According to a fairly fresh IGN news report, another North American operation has been shutdown. Cliffhanger Games was working on a triple-A Black Panther intellectual property, with Marvel's full approval—as teased back in mid-2023. IGN's inside sources have leaked an email—allegedly authored by Laura Miele, EA Entertainment's president—that was addressed the latest round of layoffs at Cliffhanger Games, and unspecified "mobile and central teams." Apparently these adjustments are necessary; Miele (reportedly) believes that these changes will: "sharpen our focus and put our creative energy behind the most significant growth opportunities...These decisions are hard. They affect people we've worked with, learned from, and shared real moments with. We're doing everything we can to support them—including finding opportunities within EA, where we've had success helping people land in new roles." In recent times, company leadership had openly discussed a move away from licensed IP projects. Supposedly, Miele's email mentions a focus on core EA franchises going forward: The Sims, Skate, Battlefield, and Apex Legends.

eXtas1s, a somewhat unreliable source of inside track info has weighed in with related news. The Spanish leaker shared an offbeat claim: "I have learned that around 400 more layoffs are coming at EA, the total closure of Codemasters HQ, and that those developers will be integrated into EA Sports (F1), and a new Need For Speed that is already in development." Going back to late April, EA declared that an unspecified number of layoffs were underway at Codemasters. Earlier this month, the long-running British racing game specialist had stopped working on the popular WRC franchise. Since then, NACON—a French publication house—has picked up the FIA World Rally Championship license. Within the same time period, an official announcement outlined the cancelation of two unannounced projects at Respawn Entertainment. Prior to cessations, the Los Angeles, California-based outfit was working on two "early stage" titles—insider reports suggested that one of these mystery IPs was some sort of nascent Titanfall title. Interestingly, Respawn's leader—Vince Zampella—is steering the next Battlefield game. Several EA studios have been roped into a multipronged production approach.

WRC Promoter has confirmed that the publishing of games based on the FIA World Rally Championship will return to French publisher NACON. The agreement covers the development and publishing of the official WRC games and eSports competitions, granting NACON exclusive rights for PC and consoles for six seasons, from 2027 through 2032.

As part of this strategic partnership, NACON will begin development of an all-new WRC game series, aiming to deliver an immersive experience that faithfully reflects the reality of the championship and meets the expectations of both rally enthusiasts and new players. The games will feature the official rallies, vehicles, teams, drivers, and sponsors among the many anticipated content elements. This project represents a complete reboot of the franchise, based on an entirely fresh vision, and marks an ambitious new chapter in the brand's development.

Red Hat, the world's leading provider of open source solutions, and AMD today announced a strategic collaboration to propel AI capabilities and optimize virtualized infrastructure. With this deepened alliance, Red Hat and AMD will expand customer choice across the hybrid cloud, from deploying optimized, efficient AI models to more cost-effectively modernizing traditional virtual machines (VMs). As workload demand and diversity continue to rise with the introduction of AI, organizations must have the capacity and resources to meet these escalating requirements. The average datacenter, however, is dedicated primarily to traditional IT systems, leaving little room to support intensive workloads such as AI. To answer this need, Red Hat and AMD are bringing together the power of Red Hat's industry-leading open source solutions with the comprehensive portfolio of AMD high-performance computing architectures.

AMD and Red Hat: Driving to more efficient generative AI
Red Hat and AMD are combining the power of Red Hat AI with the AMD portfolio of x86-based processors and GPU architectures to support optimized, cost-efficient and production-ready environments for AI-enabled workloads. AMD Instinct GPUs are now fully enabled on Red Hat OpenShift AI, empowering customers with the high-performing processing power necessary for AI deployments across the hybrid cloud without extreme resource requirements. In addition, using AMD Instinct MI300X GPUs with Red Hat Enterprise Linux AI, Red Hat and AMD conducted testing on Microsoft Azure ND MI300X v5 to successfully demonstrate AI inferencing for scaling small language models (SLMs) as well as large language models (LLM) deployed across multiple GPUs on a single VM, reducing the need to deploy across multiple VMs and reducing performance costs.

In advance of and coinciding with today's launch of ID Software's DOOM: The Dark Ages, an impressive number of partner companies have revealed licensed hardware and accessories. Surprisingly, NVIDIA has joined in on the fun—with a fan favorite franchise-themed flagship Founders Edition (FE) card. This lone contribution is only available through an online competition; as outlined by the firm's GeForce social media account. This afternoon's announcement stated: "Stand and Fight for a chance to win. We're giving away a DOOM: The Dark Ages custom wrapped NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 (FE) to celebrate its official release with native ray tracing, NVIDIA DLSS 4 + Reflex." Hopeful entrants are tasked with contributing "thumbs ups," and writing in with comments.

Team Green's ($1999 MSRP) extremely special DOOM-themed card is decorated with highly expensive custom livery. According to official estimates, this level of custom wrapping adds about $600 to the flagship "Blackwell" card's base price. Despite this giveaway being open to worldwide participants, (small print) terms and conditions seem to excluded. As reported by Wccftech, these territories include: "Australia, the Province of Quebec, and a few more. The Middle East region and some Asian countries are also" shut out. Paying customers can consider alternative "step down" options from ASUS and (maybe Asia-only) COLORFUL. The Republic of Gamers (ROG) Astral RTX 5080 DOOM OC Edition is limited to a devilishly low number of units: 666. The Bethesda webshop is running short with available stock, but they offer all manner of extra bundled-in digital and physical tchotchkes (on top of a $1999.99 baseline).

The new Designed for Xbox collection has arrived. Introducing the Floral Collection, designed for players who seek accessories that blend beauty with performance. Each piece in this collection is adorned with unique intricate floral patterns, bringing a touch of elegance to your game time.

Night Blossom: PowerA Advantage Plus Wired Controller
Take your game and style to new limits with the officially licensed PowerA Advantage Plus Wired Controller for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows 10/11, featuring the stunning Night Blossom design. With our patented Quick-Twist Thumbsticks, you can easily adjust the thumbsticks to three different height settings with a simple twist. Enjoy a smoother, pro-level feel thanks to Hall Effect Modules that utilize contact-free magnetic sensors in the thumbsticks to help with precision and longevity. Plus, two Mappable Advanced Gaming Buttons, Dual Rumble Motors, and more. Available today for $42.99 USD ERP.

If you've ever wanted to raid ancient tombs or explore Croft Manor—but with pinballs flying everywhere - you're in for something special. Tomb Raider Pinball arrives in Pinball FX on PC and consoles—on June 19, including two awesome new tables: Adventures of Lara Croft and Secrets of Croft Manor. But why is this an amazing crossover, you may ask? At their core, both Tomb Raider and pinball are about quick reflexes, careful planning, and that rush you get when you finally pull off the impossible. Whether you're dodging traps in a crumbling tomb or trying to save a ball rolling toward the drain, it's that same exciting mix of precision and chaos. But there's more to pinball than just keeping that silver ball alive. Each table tells a story that makes it unique. Let's see what lies behind the ramps and rails of these two beauties!

Adventures of Lara Croft is all about Lara's classic expeditions—from Peru's jungles to Egypt's pyramids, from the Great Wall to the frozen caves of Tibet. Along the way, you'll face off against familiar foes like Mark Willard, Werner Von Croy, or Natla and the Atlanteans. While exploring these remarkable locations and fighting your way through your enemies, you can even play a special third-person shooting mode with Lara's iconic dual pistols. There's a lot to discover while you explore this world, choosing your missions from the globe pictured above: massive Tomb Multiballs, tricky trap ramps, dangerous pits, and finally, the Survivor Wizard Mode that pulls moments from the Survivor Trilogy for one final showdown. It's pure, distilled Tomb Raider adventure mixed with the excitement of pinball.

Among my many endeavors as a teenager, from learning to drive and how to play guitar, one stood alone on a mountain of impossibilities: landing an Ollie. It would come in time after a lot of practice and many bumps and scrapes. From there I'd move on to landing Shov Its, pulling off the occasional Manual, landing an Ollie down some stairs, and grind on a few curbs. The kick-flip, though, remains elusive to this day. Among the many things skateboarding taught me, like perseverance and how to "walk it off," it also taught me how to look at the world around me, in a different way. Where someone would just see an empty parking lot, I would see endless possibilities of curb grinds. Stairs? I bet I could Ollie down them. That rail? Not a chance.

This is what the Tony Hawk games dialed up to 11, creating elaborate levels loosely inspired by real-world locations, encouraging you to examine its surroundings and assemble your own "run" while pulling off tricks you could only dream of. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4, launching July 11 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox PC, Steam, PlayStation 4|5, Nintendo Switch 1|2, and day one with Game Pass, brings us back to this world with some of the most elaborate levels the series has ever put out, now with a significant boost in overall quality and playability—the game has never felt more fun.

Keep the supplies moving with the latest piece of hardware for Porters heading out on a new journey - we're excited to reveal the new DualSense wireless controller - Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Limited Edition. We worked closely with Kojima Productions on the controller design, customized with the insignia and motto of Drawbridge in vibrant orange. The DualSense wireless controller—Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Limited Edition will be available in limited quantities for a recommended retail price of $84.99 / €84.99 / £74.99 / ¥12,480. Pre-orders start on May 22, 2025, at 10am local time at direct.playstation.com (where available), as well as participating retailers. The exact launch date and availability for the controller may vary by country/region.

The new controller launches on June 26, 2025 on PS5 alongside Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, where players can join Sam and his companions on a mission to save humanity from extinction. Pre-order the Collector's Edition or Digital Deluxe Edition for Early Access from June 24, 2025.

The Trump administration is preparing to roll back significant portions of the Biden-era rules that govern global chip exports and AI technology transfers. According to Bloomberg's sources familiar with the matter, the so-called "AI diffusion" framework, due to take effect on May 15, will be scrapped in favor of simpler, bilateral licensing agreements. Under the current plan, rather than sorting about 120 countries into three tiers with differing volume caps, the US will negotiate individual contracts with partners like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Even with these changes, restrictions on China's access to advanced chips will stay firmly in place, and may even be reinforced. The proposed regulations are expected to maintain the outright ban on shipments to China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, while adding stricter oversight for nations that have previously rerouted US-origin semiconductors toward Beijing's AI and military programs. US officials are also considering lowering the notification threshold for smaller shipments, from 1,700 NVIDIA H100 equivalent units down to around 500, to close loopholes used by alleged smuggling networks.

Industry reaction has been mixed but largely positive. Chipmakers saw their share prices climb when news of the repeal broke, citing hopes for clearer rules and fewer compliance headaches. Governments in Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe are watching closely and urging Washington to provide detailed guidance during the transition to avoid market disruptions. The AI diffusion rule was introduced in January 2025 with the goal of drawing countries such as India, Malaysia, and Poland into a more stringent export regime. Critics have argued that its complex, tiered system stifled innovation and diplomatic flexibility. The incoming framework will instead rely on targeted, outcome-driven accords that tie access to strategic investments and broader trade incentives. An official announcement could come as soon as Thursday, just before President Trump's trip to the Middle East. Final details are expected to be released in the coming weeks, marking a new chapter in US semiconductor diplomacy.

HYTE, a leading manufacturer of cutting-edge PC components and peripherals, announced today its continued partnership with ATLUS for its latest HYTE Collection with Metaphor: ReFantazio. Starting today, fans can pre-order a Y70 computer case themed after the game, accompanying keycaps, desk pads, and more—all with an aesthetic that is fit for aspirant royalty! To learn more, and to pre-order these items, head over here. As part of this latest project, HYTE worked closely with the Metaphor: ReFantazio team on the case, keycaps, and desk pad's design to ensure a high-quality product that is authentic to the game's environment and themes. The Metaphor: ReFantazio Y70 case lovingly displays the game's incredible artwork on its glass panels. Fans can also expect in-game elements thoughtfully integrated across the Y70's metal paneling, a custom metal plate that calls back to the game, and a deep mahogany colorway made for this collaboration.

Fans can also pre-order the Metaphor: ReFantazio Keycap Set, which comes with 152 individual keycaps that are fully compatible with ANSI / ISO / JIS WW keyboards. Like with the Y70, in-game elements, typography, and design inspired by the game, along with the deep mahogany colorway, have also been integrated into the keycaps. As part of this lineup, HYTE is also launching three 900 mm x 400 mm Desk Pads, a 60 cm x 45 cm Wall Scroll, and a Metaphor: ReFantazio keychain with a special glowing effect that lets natural backlight shine through - all of which feature the game's impeccable artwork in stunning detail.

While we initially set out to self-publish Battle Train, our goal is to make the best game possible. We've had many opportunities cross our paths, and one such opportunity felt too good to pass up. That said, we're proud to announce that we're now working with Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. to bring Battle Train to more folks in a couple of exciting ways. You've probably heard of Bandai Namco Entertainment. They've been around about as long as our entire industry and are known as the publishers behind everything from PAC-MAN to Elden Ring to Katamari Damacy (AKA, the silliest game with the best game soundtrack ever made).

Look, we know Battle Train is good. Our friends and family know Battle Train is good. But getting word to the general gaming community has been an uphill battle for us, so having Bandai Namco Entertainment on board to help increase our visibility is awesome… but while marketing is crucial, this news is about more than just marketing. With Bandai Namco Entertainment's support, we were able to extend development and add more to the game, polish the heck out of it, and really make this game sing. We're really pleased with the results. We've added extra cards, extra trains, extra trinkets, and extra time making sure Battle Train is an amazing gaming experience. ALSO, we're not just releasing on PC!!! We'll be bringing the ludicrous action of Battle Train to the Nintendo Switch as well! Surprise!!!

Dear Rally Community, every great journey eventually finds its finish line, and today, we announce that we've reached the end of the road working on WRC. After releasing EA SPORTS WRC in 2023, the 2024 season, including the recently released Hard Chargers Content pack, will be our last expansion. For now, we are pausing development plans on future rally titles. Rest assured, EA SPORTS WRC will continue to be available for existing and new players. We hope it remains a source of joy, excitement, and the thrill of rally racing. We've poured our hearts into making it for fans, and we know you'll keep the passion alive.

Our WRC partnership was a culmination of sorts for our Codemasters journey with off-road racing, spanning decades through titles like Colin McRae Rally, and DiRT. We've provided a home for every rally enthusiast, striving tirelessly to push the boundaries and deliver the exhilarating thrill of driving on the ragged edge. We've brought together incredibly talented racing developers, worked with some of the sport's icons, and had the opportunity to share our love of rallying. Thank you to all the fans who have and continue to be part of our rally journey.

• The Codemasters WRC Team

The Trump administration is preparing substantial changes to the Biden-era Framework for AI Diffusion controlling advanced semiconductor exports. Sources close to the Reuters indicate officials will replace the current three-tier country classification with a unified government-to-government licensing system requiring bilateral approval for US chip acquisitions. The existing framework, implemented in January 2025, permits unrestricted exports to 17 allied nations plus Taiwan, imposes volume caps on roughly 120 countries and blocks shipments to China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Current regulations exempt orders below 1,700 NVIDIA H100 equivalent units from full licensing requirements, needing only a notification.

Former Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, acting as an informal adviser, verified that bilateral government agreements are under review. Officials are also considering reducing the notification threshold from 1,700 to approximately 500 H100 equivalents to address circumvention concerns. The proposal has drawn criticism from industry figures, including Oracle Executive VP Ken Glueck and a coalition of seven Republican senators who have urged Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to withdraw the existing framework entirely. The administration faces pressure to finalize regulations before the May 15 compliance deadline, balancing security objectives with trade considerations. An announcement is expected before the month's end.

Rumors about the recent cancelation of an unannounced Blade Runner project; following the alleged completion of a pre-production phase at Supermassive Games. Insider Gaming's "exclusive" article proposes that the UK-based computer game development studio had started work on a "character focused, cinematic, action adventure" around September 2024. An inside source disclosed a "Blade Runner: Time To Live" title, and a futuristic "New Zurich" setting—in 2065. The online publication has acquired "internal company documents" that apparently outlined a 10-12 hour single player campaign experience and a "compelling story blending the philosophical themes of Blade Runner, with kinetic action-adventure gameplay." Veteran members of Supermassive's "The Quarry" core dev team were reportedly involved in the IP's early-stage production cycle.

Insider Gaming outlined a surprising mix of internal details—sourced from their industry mole—suggesting that this project is/was not related to Alcon Interactive Group and Annapurna Interactive's still in-progress Blade Runner title. The report described some of Supermassive's key goals: "a full release was planned for September 2027 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and the 'Gen 10' Xbox and PlayStation systems. It was set to have a full development budget of roughly $45 million with $9 million of it being used for external performance capture and acting talent. What wasn't included in the budget, however, was original music production, image rights and usage fees for performers, QA and game testing, localization, and any future DLC. As with any budget, the amount was subject to change as development got underway and costs rose or fell." The British company is still working on Directive 8020, an original premise sci-fi interactive adventure—presumably, nearing the end of full-blown production within the coming months.

AMD revealed today that it anticipates charges of up to $800 million following the Trump administration's latest crackdown on exports of advanced processors to China. The company confirmed that these new rules affect its MI308 product line. The U.S. Commerce Department declared on Tuesday that it was putting in place new licensing requirements impacting several high-performance chips, including NVIDIA's H20, AMD's MI308, and similar products. This regulatory move comes at a high price for AMD, as China stands as its second-biggest market in 2024 with about $6.23 billion in revenue, over 24% of the company's total sales.

AMD's regulatory filing reveals that the company faces $800 million in charges due to inventory issues, purchase commitments, and needed reserves. AMD "expects to apply for licenses but there is no assurance that licenses will be granted,". This uncertainty grows when we consider what Jefferies analysts pointed out on Tuesday: the U.S. has never agreed on licenses for graphics processor unit shipments to China. This news comes right after NVIDIA's announcement that it would take $5.5 billion in charges because of the same export rules. As a result, AMD and NVIDIA stocks were dropping by more than 5%.

A consortium of over 50 Chinese companies, including names like Huawei, Hisense, and TCL, has unveiled a domestic alternative to HDMI that offers up to 192 Gbps bandwidth and 480 W of power delivery. This new standard, the General Purpose Media Interface (GPMI), supports next-generation multimedia devices, meeting the growing demands of 8K resolution, higher refresh rates, and simplified connectivity. There are two variants available: a smaller Type-C model providing 96 Gbps and 240 W and a larger Type-B model delivering the full 192 Gbps and 480 W. Developed as a third-generation audio and video interface, GPMI addresses the limitations of older standards such as DVI and VGA while vastly outperforming HDMI 2.1's 48 Gbps and DisplayPort 2.1's 80 Gbps in data throughput. Its design enables bidirectional communication, seamlessly transmitting video, audio, data, and power over a single cable.

The standard's architecture includes a primary data link that can be split into various configurations—such as 6+2 or 1+7 channels—to adapt to different usage scenarios. In addition to its high-bandwidth data channels, GPMI features auxiliary links for device management, cable information, and a limited USB 2.0 connection. The Type-C variant, which has received approval from the USB Association, ensures compatibility with the USB-C ecosystem, helping with the integration for smart TVs and other connected devices. Primarily developed for the domestic market, GPMI also aims to reduce China's dependence on Western-controlled standards and licensing regimes.

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.

TrendForce reveals that the combined revenue of the world's top 10 IC design houses reached approximately US$249.8 billion in 2024, marking a 49% YoY increase. The booming AI industry has fueled growth across the semiconductor sector, with NVIDIA leading the charge, posting an astonishing 125% revenue growth, widening its lead over competitors, and solidifying its dominance in the IC industry.

Looking ahead to 2025, advancements in semiconductor manufacturing will further enhance AI computing power, with LLMs continuing to emerge. Open-source models like DeepSeek could lower AI adoption costs, accelerating AI penetration from servers to personal devices. This shift positions edge AI devices as the next major growth driver for the semiconductor industry.

After more than two decades, a team of industry veterans has united to bring back one of gaming's most iconic brands. Acclaim, the legendary video game publisher known for its groundbreaking titles in the '80s and '90s, is officially returning with a bold vision aimed at revitalizing the gaming landscape.

Originally founded in 1987, the relaunch marks an exciting new chapter for the publisher, as it seeks to support indie developers and reignite classic franchises. Acclaim will provide much-needed resources such as funding, marketing and PR support, giving independent studios the opportunity to bring their creative visions to a broad audience.

VeriSilicon today announced the launch of its latest AI-based AI-NR and AI-SR series of image processing IPs, including the AINR1000 and AINR2000 for intelligent noise reduction, and the AISR1000 and AISR2000 for advanced super resolution. These series IPs provide cost-effective, highly efficient, and PPA (performance, power efficiency, area) optimized implementations with high flexibility and scalability, making them ideal for a wide range of applications, including automotive, surveillance, cloud gaming, consumer electronics, and more.

VeriSilicon's AI-NR and AI-SR series IPs leverage the company's proprietary AI pixel processing algorithms to deliver advanced image processing capabilities. The AINR1000 and AINR2000 IPs effectively suppress noise while preserving intricate details and color accuracy, delivering exceptional performance in low-light or complex lighting conditions. These IPs effectively reduce noise in both static and dynamic scenes, ensuring consistently clear and smooth visuals. The AINR1000 supports a resolution of 2560x1440 at 30 FPS, making it well-suited for low-resolution, cost-sensitive applications such as entry-level Internet Protocol Cameras (IPCs), while the AINR2000 delivers superior performance with a higher resolution of 5600x4208 at 60 FPS, catering to high-end applications such as advanced surveillance systems and sports cameras.

Cristiano Amon, Qualcomm's Chief Executive Officer, made a major announcement during a recent company earnings call. Since late last year, technology news outlets have kept a collective eye trained on legal wranglings involving the mobile processor specialist and Arm Holdings. Qualcomm won a partial victory in December—a Delaware jury unanimously found that the: "use of Oryon cores in its Snapdragon X processors for client PCs did not violate its licensing agreements with Arm." However, said jury did not deliver a unanimous verdict on the trial's other lines of query—soon after concluding, Arm filed a motion for a new session.

According to a relatively new Reuters follow-up report, Arm has terminated one of its pursuits. During Wednesday's (February 5) meeting with industry analysts, the Qualcomm boss declared: "Arm recently notified us that it was withdrawing its October 22, 2024 notice of breach, and indicated that it has no current plan to terminate the Qualcomm architecture license agreement." Amon and his colleagues are likely celebrating this development, as well as claimed "positive growth" for Snapdragon X Elite-powered devices. Industry watchdogs believe that Arm could file for a retrial in the near future. According to The Register, the two companies are due to face-off again—albeit under different circumstances: "Qualcomm continues to pursue another case against Arm, alleging the UK outfit didn't honor some of its contractual obligations. Arm reckons that matter will reach the courts in the first half of 2026."

According to a recent investigative report, UK-based Imagination Technologies faces allegations of transferring sensitive GPU intellectual property to Chinese companies with potential military connections. The UK-China Transparency organization claims that following its 2020 acquisition by China-controlled investment firm Canyon Bridge, Imagination provided complete access to its GPU IP to Chinese entities with military connections. The report suggests this included sharing detailed architectural documentation typically reserved for premier clients like Apple. At the center of the controversy are Chinese firms Moore Threads and Biren Technology, which have emerged as significant players in China's AI and GPU sectors. The report indicates Moore Threads maintains connections with military GPU suppliers, while Biren Technology has received partial Russian investment.

The organization argues that Canyon Bridge, which has ties to the state-owned China Reform enterprise, helped these technological transfers to benefit China's military-industrial complex. Imagination Technologies has defended its actions, maintaining that all licensing agreements comply with industry standards. The allegations have sparked renewed debate about foreign ownership of strategic technology assets and the effectiveness of current export controls. When Canyon Bridge acquired Imagination in 2020, security experts raised concerns about potential military applications of the firm's technology. UKCT plans to release additional findings, including information from legal disputes involving Imagination's previous management. Rising concerns over technology transfers have prompted governments to reassess export controls and corporate oversight in the semiconductor industry, as nations struggle to balance international commerce with national security priorities. We are yet to see official government response to this situation.

A high-stakes trial between technology giants Arm and Qualcomm has revealed deeper tensions in the semiconductor industry, as Arm seeks the destruction of chip designs from Qualcomm's $1.4 billion Nuvia acquisition. The case, being heard in Delaware federal court, centers on a licensing dispute that could impact the future of AI-powered Windows PCs. Arm CEO Rene Haas took the stand Monday, adding allegations that Qualcomm violated licensing agreements following its 2021 acquisition of chip startup Nuvia. The issue is whether Qualcomm should pay Nuvia's higher royalty rates for using Arm's intellectual property rather than its own lower rates. Internal documents revealed Nuvia's rates were "many multiples" higher than Qualcomm's, with the acquisition potentially reducing Arm's revenue by $50 million.

During cross-examination, Qualcomm's legal team challenged Arm's motives, suggesting the dispute is part of a broader strategy to confront a customer increasingly viewed as a competitor. When presented with documents outlining potential plans for Arm to design its own chips, Haas downplayed these ambitions, emphasizing that Arm has never entered chip manufacturing. Allegedly, Arm sent letters to Qualcomm's customers, including Samsung, warning about possible disruption if Nuvia's IP design before acquisition in 2021 must be destroyed. Haas defended these communications, citing frequent inquiries from industry partners.

RISC-V is an industry standard instruction set architecture (ISA) born in UC Berkeley. RISC-V is the fifth iteration in the lineage of historic RISC processors. The core value of the RISC-V ISA is the freedom of usage it offers. Any organization can leverage the ISA to design the best possible core for their specific needs, with no regional restrictions or licensing costs. It attracts a massive ecosystem of developers and companies building systems using the RISC-V ISA. To support these efforts and grow the ecosystem, the brains behind RISC decided to form RISC-V International—a non-profit foundation that governs the ISA and guides the ecosystem.

We had the privilege of talking with Andrea Gallo, Vice President of Technology at RISC-V International. Andrea oversees the technological advancement of RISC-V, collaborating with vendors and institutions to overcome challenges and expand its global presence. Andrea's career in technology spans several influential roles at major companies. Before joining RISC-V International, he worked at Linaro, where he pioneered Arm data center engineering initiatives, later overseeing diverse technological sectors as Vice President of Segment Groups, and ultimately managing crucial business development activities as executive Vice President. During his earlier tenure as a Fellow at ST-Ericsson, he focused on smartphone and application processor technology, and at STMicroelectronics he optimized hardware-software architectures and established international development teams.

According to Bloomberg, Arm Holding PLC, the holding company behind the Arm instruction set and Arm chip designs, just issued a 60-day notice period of license retirement to Qualcomm, its long-time partner. The UK-based ISA provider has notified Qualcomm that it will cancel the Arm ISA architectural license agreement after the contract-mandated 60-day notice. The issues between the two arose in 2022, just a year after Qualcomm acquired Nuvia and its IP. Arm filed a lawsuit claiming that the reason was "Qualcomm attempted to transfer Nuvia licenses without Arm's consent, which is a standard restriction under Arm's license agreements." To transfer Nuvia core licensing, Qualcomm would need to ask Arm first and create a new licensing deal.

The licensing reworking came just in time when Qualcomm experienced its biggest expansion. The new Snapdragon 8 Elite is being used in the mobile sector, the Snapdragon X Elite/Plus is being used in Copilot+ PCs, and the automotive sector is also getting the new Snapdragon Cockpit/Ride Elite chipsets. Most of that is centered around Nuvia Oryon core IP, a high-performance, low-power design. Arm's representatives declined to comment on this move for Bloomberg, while a Qualcomm spokesman noted that the British company was trying to "strong-arm a longtime partner."