Skullcandy is bringing a seismic shift to the gaming audio scene with the launch of the Crusher PLYR 720—the first gaming headset to feature Skullcandy's patented Crusher multi-sensory bass technology and an open-back design for an unmatched immersive experience. The Crusher PLYR 720 fuses Skullcandy's fan-favorite multi-sensory bass, THX Spatial Audio, and open-back acoustics to deliver an entirely new way to experience your favorite games. Explosions rumble through your chest, engines growl with depth, you can hear a creeping enemy with pinpoint accuracy, and every impact shakes you.

The open-back acoustics and advanced positional tuning mean the audio creates a realistic, expansive soundstage. The signature dual Crusher drivers, acting as sensation drivers, provide the best immersive acoustics for gamers. The result gives gamers a heightened level of hearing and sensation that allows them to feel what is happening in the game before they see or hear it. Unlike haptic headphones on the market, Crusher PLYR 720's bass drivers fire directly into your head and ears—not just around them—delivering a more natural, visceral sound you can truly feel. It's less like controller rumble and more like adding an adjustable subwoofer to your gameplay.

Razer, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today announced the next evolution of mobile gaming: the Razer Kishi V3, Kishi V3 Pro, and Kishi V3 Pro XL. Designed for gamers who demand console-grade performance and elite control anywhere they play, the Kishi V3 lineup redefines what is possible in mobile gaming—for iPhone, Android, mini tablets, full-sized tablets, and even PC.

The Kishi V3 Pro and Kishi V3 Pro XL bring unmatched versatility, immersive Razer Sensa HD haptics, and advanced control layouts that elevate handheld gaming to god-tier status. Whether streaming AAA titles, dominating esports sessions, or exploring new worlds, the Kishi V3 series delivers an uncompromising experience.

Team Cherry first introduced Hollow Knight: Silksong back in February 2019, as a mainline sequel to the first entry (2017) in the series. Since then, the independent Australian development studio and publisher has produced a minimal amount of preview material. The last significant chunk was delivered during an Xbox 2022 presentation. Fast-forward to June (2025); many Metroidvania genre enthusiasts were hoping for some newer signs of life—potentially amid a flurry of special preview events. Pre-event SteamDB updates seemed to point to an imminent announcement of sorts. Days later, Sony's State of Play and Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest did not harbor any fresh Hollow Knight series updates.

Thankfully, yesterday's Xbox Games Showcase provided a hint of things to come. Sarah Bond (President of Xbox) discussed the status of Team Cherry's magnum opus during Microsoft's public unveiling of ASUS ROG's Xbox Ally and Ally X gaming handhelds: "the highly anticipated Hollow Knight: Silksong will be available at launch, and on Game Pass, when the Ally releases later this year." Unsurprisingly, Team Cherry did not launch a parallel promotion/hype campaign. Instead, Matthew Griffin—the team's resident PR and marketing expert—headed over to the official Hollow Knight Discord community channel, and disclosed some pleasing news: "I confirmed BEFORE Holiday—we are not tied to a console release." When pressed about a specific launch window, Griffin envisioned a pre-Christmas arrival.

Nintendo's Switch 2 hybrid console is due to arrive at retail tomorrow (June 5), and pre-launch marketing campaigns are in full swing. The Japanese gaming giant has called in a high profile partner—Jensen Huang—to add some surprisingly technical heft during hype festivities. At this stage in time, NVIDIA's Tegra "T239" chipset is a well known quantity—thanks to years of leaked "internal info," and disabled examples turning up for close analysis in China. Industry experts did not anticipate Nintendo's fairly frank discussions that covered Switch 2's hardware capabilities. The Nintendo "Creator's Voice" video series has featured a number of high-profile third-party software development buddies (including CD Projekt RED), but yesterday's Team Green CEO contribution received widespread press attention.

Jensen paid tribute to Satoru Iwata, a former and much missed Nintendo president. Their collaboration started during the era of OG Switch development: "he wanted to create something no one had seen before. A console powerful enough for big, cinematic games—but small enough to take anywhere. It sounded impossible. But that vision became the original Nintendo Switch. We lost Iwata-san before the launch, but his clarity, his purpose, it still inspires our work every day. Together, we poured everything into that system." As mentioned back in April, NVIDIA dedicated significant resources into making their latest "technical marvel."

Introducing the GameSir Nova 2 Lite wireless game controller—compatible with Switch, PC, Android, iOS and Steam via Bluetooth, wired, and wireless dongle connections. Co-designed with the fighting game champion and our brand ambassador, XiaoHai, the Nova 2 Lite delivers champion-grade quality—truly Champions for You. Whether you're exploring new ways to game or aiming to level up, the Nova 2 Lite offers a fresh take on competitive control—perfect for beginners and beyond. Now available for pre-order on gamesir.com.

Precise Execution. Instant Response.
GameSir Nova 2 Lite features ultra-low latency buttons and sticks, delivering pro-level input performance. Combined with a 1000 Hz polling rate, your commands are registered almost instantly, minimizing lag and giving you a competitive edge. What's more, it's equipped with a mechanical circular D-pad, expertly tuned by XiaoHai. Designed for quick reactions and accuracy in every direction, this D-pad elevates your gaming experience with superior responsiveness.

GeForce NOW is supercharging Valve's Steam Deck with a new native app—delivering the high-quality GeForce RTX-powered gameplay members are used to on a portable handheld device. It's perfect to pair with the six new games available this week, including Tokyo Xtreme Racing from Japanese game developer Genki.

Stream Deck
At the CES trade show in January, GeForce NOW announced a native app for the Steam Deck, unlocking the full potential of Valve's handheld device for cloud gaming. The app is now available, and gamers can stream titles on the Steam Deck at up to 4K 60 frames per second—connected to a TV—with HDR10, NVIDIA DLSS 4 and Reflex technologies on supported titles. Plus, members can run these games at settings and performance levels that aren't possible natively on the Steam Deck. To top it off, Steam Deck users can enjoy up to 50% longer battery life when streaming from an RTX gaming rig in the cloud.

Late last week, tech news headlines were generated by a curious Qualcomm/NUVIA job advertisement. The presence of Xbox-related activities—at the US firm's Redmond, Washington office—has set off watchdog alarm bells. Microsoft's HQ is also located in this Seattle Metropolitan Area business hub. The job description outlined a sales director position—including interesting tidbits: "support sell-in activities for the next generation of Surface and Xbox products built on Snapdragon solutions" and "help define the next generation Surface and Xbox portfolios." Older leaks have suggested Microsoft's weighing up of ARM64 processor architecture, with next-gen Xbox designs in mind. Since the publication of widespread reportage, Qualcomm has edited out any mention of Xbox from the offending job ad. Given the latest evidence, fresh speculation has emerged from online media outlets. In theory, the company's hardware engineers could be formulating a next-gen Arm-based handheld—not directly related to "Project Kennan."

Jez Corden, executive editor of Windows Central, has dismissed many next-gen "handheld" or "home console" projections. Insiders believe that in-progress first-party development centers around AMD (x86) solutions. Similarly, Sony is reportedly collaborating with Team Red. The speculated PlayStation 6 (and a handheld offshoot) has been linked to Zen 6 and UDNA/RDNA 5 IPs. In response to initial claims, Corden reached out to shadowy industry figures. As disclosed in his opinion piece: "sources confirmed to me this morning that the next Xbox systems are not based on Qualcomm chips. There might be some third-party "Designed for Xbox" Arm-based offerings, like the Logitech G Cloud. But, the main plan from Microsoft, at least for now, is for the next-gen Xbox systems to have as much compatibility with your current library as possible. The overheads required to emulate games built for Microsoft's AMD-based systems are beyond what the Snapdragon line up is currently capable of." Today, Digital Foundry pointed out that Microsoft's "Xbox Play Anywhere" marketing campaign has created a looser categorization of related hardware. Thus providing extra scope for adjacent and supplemental devices (in the near future).

Not long after Nintendo's comprehensive Switch 2 showcase, official product descriptions were edited. The removal of Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) support for TVs (in docked mode) from official websites proved to be highly confusing. At the time (around mid-April), the company did not release any explanatory material. Industry watchdogs anticipated a future firmware update, that would eventually restore docked mode VRR capabilities (over HDMI). In the meantime, the hybrid console's surprisingly capable integrated display would provide the only gateway into VRR-elevated gaming experiences—courtesy of NVIDIA G-SYNC tech. Late last week, Nintendo Life shared an official update—sourced from a company spokesperson: "Nintendo Switch 2 supports VRR in handheld mode only. The incorrect information was initially published on the Nintendo Switch 2 website, and we apologize for the error."

It is not clear why it has taken over a month to provide clarification, but the online publication did send in a query. When asked about a possible post-release fix, the Nintendo representative replied with a curt answer: "we have nothing to announce on this topic." Last week, the Digital Foundry team surmised that the much-anticipated Switch successor would not launch with a previously advertised feature. Commenting on this missing spec point, Richard Leadbetter elaborated: "something that is important to clarify is that as far as Switch 2 developers are concerned, VRR is indeed a function of the internal display only and that there is no support at all right now for VRR over HDMI...The best theory we have for this is that the dock's DisplayPort to HDMI converter doesn't support standard HDMI VRR, but whatever is the cause, we would hope to see Nintendo provide some sort of solution in due course."

MSI's European spare parts website has listed a rear plate that can fit on its previous and current generation 7-inch handheld gaming PCs. Eagle-eyed investigators noted the presence of a third unannounced option within a compatible device list: "Claw 7 A2HM (MS-1T41)." In addition, observers noticed that the Japan Audio Society had granted certification back in February. These discoveries have fired up online debates once again; regarding a theorized AMD Ryzen Z2 APU-powered portable gaming device. An early 2025 leak suggested MSI's preparing of an unusual Claw model; apparently breaking away from their "traditional" selection of Intel SoCs. Last month, Haze2K1 reiterated their belief that the manufacturer would eventually release a new handheld with Ryzen Z2 Extreme silicon onboard. Given the complete lack of a "AI" tags/branding, MSI's speculated "Claw A2HM" SKU could arrive with a less potent NPU (or completely disabled). Current-gen marketing campaigns have hyped up the Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+'s Copilot+ credentials; driven by Team Blue's "Lunar Lake" Core Ultra 7 258V all-in-one processor.

Very recently, the Taiwanese tech firm introduced a "Polar Tempest Edition" 8-inch flagship spin-off—industry experts posit that MSI is attempting to elevate the Claw 8 AI+'s profile, following a reportedly stuttery early 2025 global rollout. Closer analysis of the "officially" leaked "A2HM" identifier points to a possible "Arrow Lake-H" visitation. As outlined by VideoCardz, this handheld could be based around some sort of Intel Core Ultra 200H chip. Elaborating on their thought process, the online publication commented: "this platform does not use Xe2 GPU cores but instead features Alchemist+ or Xe-LPG+, which is also said to deliver solid gaming performance thanks to XMX core support. Arrow Lake-H also lacks a powerful NPU, which means it doesn't meet the criteria for Copilot+ PC, so Core 200H makes sense." Three months ago, Team Blue's Robert Hallock revealed "big plans" involving futuristic "Arrow Lake-H" and "Panther Lake" portable gaming products. Given recent-ish certification to retail release timelines, handheld enthusiasts could be sizing up MSI's "Claw 7 A2HM" by late summer.

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.

Last December, MSI announced the launch of its Intel "Lunar Lake" APU-powered Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+ PC gaming handhelds. Almost two months later, international buyers were left puzzled by a seemingly staggered new product rollout. Despite proudly exhibiting finalized "Sandstorm-colored" units at CES 2025, North American buyers missed out on experiencing a (semi-promised) mid-January release. By March, the brand had fired up its new-gen Claw device marketing campaign again. It is not clear whether MSI shipped a lot of stock to international markets, but fresh news reports indicate an upcoming arrival of their "Polar Tempest Edition" 2 TB variant. As disclosed by Notebookcheck, this special model popped up momentarily earlier on last month.

Re-upped listings point to a potential mid-July launch; starting prices in the US are hovering around the $999 mark. Amazon Germany is accepting orders; €1107.21 (including VAT) grants access to MSI's slightly redecorated Core Ultra 7 258V-powered flagship. The manufacturer's dedicated product page states: "(our) Polar Tempest Edition features a new color scheme and MSI's custom-formulated polyurethane coating, evoking ice-blue crystals on a snow-white landscape." Despite Intel's recent boosting of "Lunar Lake" integrated graphics solution performance, the Claw 8 AI+ (and its 7-inch sibling) face strong "next-gen" competition. ASUS seems to be readying a ROG Ally sequel—according to leaks, this portable PC will make use of AMD's Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor. A distant "third-gen" MSI Claw design could be equipped with futuristic Intel gaming chipsets; in "Arrow Lake-H" or "Panther Lake" form.

Nintendo's Switch 2 hybrid console is set to arrive early next month (June 5), complete with promised launch prices. Early last month, the company's basic cost of entry for next-gen access—$450 (US)—seemed to be on tenuous ground. Nintendo and its retail partners decided to postpone their opening of pre-orders—affecting excited customers in the United States, then (days later) in Canada. Thanks to political posturing, a number of big industry players had to restrategize. Late last week, Microsoft announced their implementation of global Xbox Series price increases. In April, Sony revealed similar changes for PlayStation 5; restricted to select market territories. Nintendo has allowed a re-opening of Switch 2 pre-orders; gamers can secure core hardware at original MSRPs. Unfortunately, a compromise was made—first-party Switch 2 accessories will be more expensive, on launch day and beyond.

During a recent call with investors, Nintendo's president—Shuntaro Furukawa—confirmed that their core hardware pricing is subject to change. Launch price tags are safe (for the moment); the company will need to radiate some goodwill during their next-gen design's salad days. Commenting on a shifting political landscape, Furukawa-san stated: "at this time, the top priority is to quickly popularize the Switch 2 hardware...If the assumptions regarding tariffs change significantly, we would like to consider what price adjustments we should make, and implement them after considering various factors." Industry analysis has produced a scary projection; worst case scenarios could send tech prices up by roughly 70%. Considering the vintage of Switch 2's alleged internals, gaming hardware enthusiasts have questioned the value offered by this $450 hybrid handheld.

Razer, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, is revolutionizing mobile gaming with the launch of the Razer Basilisk Mobile and the Razer Joro. Designed to meet the needs of gamers on the go, these compact and feature-rich devices set a new benchmark for portable gaming gear without compromising on performance.

Sized for convenience, the Razer Basilisk Mobile and Razer Joro are lightweight devices that combine a sleek design with robust functionality and gaming-grade performance. Whether battling it out in an online arena or exploring vast virtual worlds, gamers can now enjoy the same quality gaming experience on the road as they do at home.

Late last month, Kurnal (@Kurnalsalts) shared a partial die shot of a supposed Nintendo Switch 2 chipset—this teaser image seemed to verify previous leaked claims about the forthcoming next-gen hybrid gaming console being powered by a custom NVIDIA "T239" SoC design. Two weeks after the fact, Kurnal has boasted about delivering an alleged "world's first Nintendo Switch 2 die shot." Their social media post included a couple of key specification data points: "Samsung 8N (8 nm), eight Cortex-A78C cores, (shared) 4 MB L2 cache, and 1536 CUDA/6TPC 'Ampere' GPU." Another leaker—Geekerwan—said that they acquired a "Switch 2 motherboard" via Xianyu. This Chinese equivalent to eBay seems to be a veritable treasure trove of tech curiosities.

Earlier on in 2025, black market sellers were attempting to offload complete pre-launch Switch 2 packages for big money. As reported by VideoCardz, recent acquisitions only involved the securing of non-functional motherboard + SoC units—Kurnal disclosed a 1000 RMB (~$138 USD) price point. Digital Foundry's Richard Leadbetter is a very visible advocate of the Switch 2 chipset being based on a mature 8 nm Samsung node process. His personal belief was aimed at certain critics; these opposers predicted 5 nm manufacturing origins. Older leaks suggested a larger than expected die footprint—relative to Switch 1's internal setup; almost twice the size—leading to Leadbetter's conclusion. Comparison charts—produced by Kurnal and Geekerwan—propose an occupied area of 207 mm².

Digital Foundry's Oliver Mackenzie and a member of the Resetera video game discussion forum have alerted the wider community to a small change within the text on several of Nintendo's Switch 2 product web presences. Mackenzie's social media post included a comparative screenshot; showing before and after conditions; Digital Foundry's Canadian correspondent provided comment: "some weird stuff going on at Nintendo. Looks like they've changed their US website to no longer mention VRR support for TV play? Only HDR and 120 Hz support get a call-out." Additional press coverage has put spotlights on Nintendo's Japan and Canada websites; both regional offices have scrubbed "VRR" (variable refresh rate) from Switch 2 promotional material. At the time of writing, Nintendo of Europe and UK's hardware feature sections still showcase an unadulterated description: "bring games to life with a larger 1080p screen—or connect to a TV and play in up to 4K resolution. Support for HDR, VRR, and frame rates up to 120 FPS let you enjoy brilliant colour, clarity, and smooth gameplay."

Video Games Chronicle and a few other news sites have reached out to Nintendo for comment regarding this confusing situation. The Switch 2 maker is notorious for its guarded stance when discussing technical details—as evidenced recently, by a top employee deflecting responsibility in NVIDIA's general direction. Mackenzie reckons that VRR support—when paired with compatible televisions and monitors—could be added post-launch (June 5). It is possible that Nintendo's engineering department has removed this feature from its day one bag of tricks. Meanwhile, the Switch 2's surprisingly capable integrated display is expected to arrive without any technological compromises.

This month brings a variety of exciting updates across our gaming platforms, including easy and convenient purchasing within the Xbox app on mobile, the ability to stream your own game on Xbox consoles, recommended ways to free up storage space, and more. Read on below for more information on these features and others coming soon to your favorite devices.

Xbox App on Mobile
Buy games, Join Game Pass, and Redeem Perks Directly from the Xbox app. We're excited to announce that one of the most requested features from the Xbox community is coming to the Xbox app. Players will soon be able to buy games and add-on content, join Game Pass, and redeem Perks directly from the Xbox app on mobile. Be ready to play on day one by pre-ordering games like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 and then set it to pre-install on Xbox consoles from the app. Buy games like Assassin's Creed Shadows and MLB The Show 25. Players will also be able to join Game Pass directly from the Xbox app. Ultimate members can redeem Perks like the Sea of Thieves Seventh Serving Emote directly from the app. This experience will start to roll out to beta users on iOS and Android and will be available soon for everyone on the Google Play Store on Android devices and the Apple Store. If players already have a saved form of payment, the Xbox app will display a Buy button on game detail pages, allowing them to purchase games and add-on content with just two clicks.

Looking for the perfect entry-level mobile controller? Meet the GameSir X5 Lite—lightweight, widely compatible, and designed for all-day comfort. With Hall Effect sticks, cushioned triggers, and more, it delivers everything you need for a smoother, more comfortable mobile gaming experience. Now available for pre-order on the GameSir official website. Designed for flexibility, the X5 Lite supports both Android and iOS devices from 105 mm to 213 mm wide. Enjoy ultra-low latency gaming sessions with the GameSir movable Type-C port for a secure connection and lag-free play.

At just 135.4 grams, the X5 Lite is built for long sessions without fatigue. Its ergonomic design and laser-engraved textured grips ensure a comfortable, non-slip hold—whether you're gaming on the couch or on the go. Equipped with GameSir anti-drift Hall Effect sticks, the X5 Lite delivers pinpoint accuracy and 360° seamless control. Built for precision and longevity, these sticks are highly responsive and resistant to wear and drift—ensuring smooth, consistent input over time. It also features durable membrane triggers and buttons with cushioned feedback for a quieter, more comfortable gaming experience—perfect for long sessions without finger fatigue.

Sony and Microsoft seem to be involved in the development of handheld gaming consoles, but insiders reckon that respective next-generation offerings will not directly compete with each other. Xbox and ASUS have signalled some sort of collaborative ROG Alloy-esque device; potentially releasing later on in 2025. Whispers of a futuristic PlayStation portable model's chipset design emerged mid-way through March; courtesy of Kepler_L2. The notorious leaker has recent history of reporting inside track knowledge of AMD CPU and GPU architectures/technologies. They alleged that Sony and Team Red's collaborative PS6 APU design project had reached a finalized stage of development, possibly around late 2024/early 2025. Returning to March/April events; Kepler_L2 theorized that a "PS6 Portable" would not be capable of surpassing PlayStation 5 (home console) level performance upon launch in 2028.

The mysterious handheld is said to be powered by a "15 W SoC" manufactured on a non-specific 3 nm node process. Elaborating further, they posit that PlayStation's rumored handheld is capable of running PS5 generation games—bandwidth and power restrictions could reduce resolution and frame rates below that of Sony's current-gen system. Kepler_L2 pictures "PS6 Portable" gaming performance being somewhere in-between Xbox Series S and PlayStation 5 (non-Pro). According to rumors, the handheld's chipset is not related or derived from the PS6 home console's internal setup. Kepler_L2 envisioned a mobile SoC with fewer than 40 compute units (CUs)—several media outlets have added their interpretation of this data point; with a sub-36 count. PlayStation 5's GPU aspect consists of 36 CUs, while the Xbox Series S graphics solution makes do with 20 units. Sony's speculated return to portable territories will be welcomed by owners of older handheld models—namely the Vita and PSP. Famously, these portable products struggled to keep up with competing Nintendo devices.

MediaTek today announced the Dimensity 9400+ SoC, the latest addition to MediaTek's Dimensity flagship chipset family. Providing exceptional Generative and agentic AI capabilities as well as other performance enhancements, the Dimensity 9400+ supports the latest Large Language Models (LLM) while sustaining a super power-efficient design. The Dimensity 9400+ features an All Big Core design, integrating one Arm Cortex-X925 core operating up to 3.73 GHz, combined with 3x Cortex-X4 and 4x Cortex-A720 cores. This powerful configuration accelerates single and multithreaded performance for top-tier Android UX experiences.

"The MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ will make it easier to deliver innovative, personalized AI experiences on-device, combined with enhanced overall performance to ensure your device can handle all tasks with ease," said JC Hsu, Corporate Senior Vice President at MediaTek. "We are working closely with developers and manufacturers to continue building a robust ecosystem of AI applications and other features that will bring a number of speed and privacy benefits to consumers."

Not too long after delivering its in-depth Switch 2 showcase, Nintendo of America and retail partners postponed pre-launch reservations for the forthcoming hybrid gaming console. An official announcement stated: "pre-orders for Nintendo Switch 2 in the U.S. will not start April 9, 2025 in order to assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions. Nintendo will update timing at a later date. The launch date of June 5, 2025 is unchanged." The vast majority of industry watchdogs reckon that company will be assessing an adjustment of launch day product MSRPs. Last week's North American presentation outlined price points of $449.99 and $499.99; for a standard package and a Mario Kart World Pack (respectively). Theorized adjustments could extend to physical copies of games, as well as accessories; e.g. the Switch 2 Pro Controller.

Gamers further north—in the neighboring nation of Canada—were relieved about last week's alert being non-applicable to their market region. Up until yesterday, pre-orders were on track at CA$629.99 (base console) and CA$699.99 (with Mario Kart World). Unfortunately, the House of Mario's Canuck branch has confirmed that recent events have had a knock-on effect for local customers. As disclosed in a statement to MobileSyrup, Nintendo of Canada explained: "pre-orders for Nintendo Switch 2 in Canada will not start on April 9, 2025 in order to align with the timing of pre-orders to be determined in the U.S....Nintendo will provide updated information at a later date. The launch date of June 5, 2025 is unchanged." MobileSyrup's report was updated yesterday evening; with links to social media bulletins posted by the regional arms of Walmart and GameStop. Both retail outlets repeated Nintendo of Canada's disappointing message.

Three months ago, AMD unveiled its Ryzen Z2 APU series at CES 2025—purpose made for deployment in next-gen handheld gaming PCs. The officially announced flagship—Ryzen Z2 Extreme "Strix Point," utilizing Zen 5 and RDNA 3.5 technologies—was previously alluded to by leakers in late 2024; albeit with some curious claims regarding an "odd 3+5 core configuration." Last week, Hoang Anh Phu (@AnhPhuH) presented an alleged expanded lineup of Ryzen Z2 processors—headlined by a mysterious "Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme" SKU.

PC hardware watchdogs believe that this speculative variant will eventually arrive with an enabled XDNA 2 NPU (a first for the series); likely readied to take on Intel's Core Ultra 200V "Lunar Lake" processor family. MSI's Core Ultra 7 258V-powered Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+ handhelds launched not too long ago, boasting all sorts of Microsoft Copilot+ capabilities. Mid-way through March, an Xbox executive introduced "Copilot for Gaming." Team Red and manufacturing partners are likely jumping onto this "AI gaming" bandwagon with the aforementioned "AI Ryzen Z2 Extreme" chip, as well as Phu's fanciful "Ryzen Z2 A" model. The latter could be a spin-off of AMD's vanilla Ryzen Z2 "Hawk Point" design, with a "switched on" XDNA NPU.

As expected, Nintendo's lengthy Switch 2 presentation contained very little technical information—the upcoming hybrid console's feature set, software library and user experience were showcased extensively. A series of leaks and plenty of online speculation—going back to earlier in the decade—pointed to the highly-anticipated Switch successor being based on an NVIDIA hardware foundation. A mysterious "Tegra 239" chipset emerged as the "logical" choice for Nintendo's next-gen system, but company representatives will likely not comment on the exact nature of internal components. Several months after the launch of Wii U, independent analysis (by Chipworks) of the host console's "Latte" GPU core verified a Radeon 4650/4670-class design. To the surprise of many industry watchdogs, a Nintendo employee has officially confirmed Switch 2's support of NVIDIA graphics technologies.

As disclosed to IGN—during a press junket—Takuhiro Dohta (senior director of the firm's Planning & Development Division) stated: "we use DLSS upscaling technology and that's something that we need to use as we develop games. And when it comes to the hardware, it is able to output to a TV at a maximum of 4K. Whether the software developer is going to use that as a native resolution, or get it to upscale is something that the software developer can choose. I think it opens up a lot of options for the software developer to choose from. Yes, the GPU does support ray tracing. As with DLSS, I believe this provides yet another option for the software developers to use and a tool for them." When pressed about the exact origins of the console's beating heart, Dohta deflected responsibility in the direction of Team Green: "Nintendo doesn't share too much on the hardware spec...What we really like to focus on is the value that we can provide to our consumers. But I do believe that our partner—NVIDIA—will be sharing some information." As pointed out by VideoCardz, Nintendo's hardware technical manager only mentioned options for the development side of things, not end user features. Yesterday's Metroid Prime 4: Beyond preview segment indicated that the title's Switch 2 Edition will arrive with four profiles; VideoCardz theorizes that DLSS will be used for differing levels—quality/performance—in handheld or docked operation.

CRKD, the premium collectible gaming brand behind the award-winning Nitro Deck and NEO S collectible controllers, has announced an udderly incredible creative collaboration with Coffee Stain North, bringing the charm of the farm to the end of your arm with a new range of Goat Simulator-themed collectible controllers! The announcement came during Goat Simulator Direct, a presentation looking at the future of Goat Simulator, and reflecting on the last year of goat-tastic announcements in celebration of the franchise's 10-year anniversary.

Available exclusively from crkd.gg and for a limited time only, the new collectible controller collection is the collaboration ewe never knew you needed, and hooves that CRKD is delivering what gamers are bleating for. Easily the most popular goat-based video game released in modern times, Goat Simulator is a worldwide phenomenon hailing from the genius minds at Coffee Stain North. Celebrating ten years of farm-based fun, Goat Simulator 3 recently enjoyed a physical release on Nintendo Switch, ideal for pairing with one of CRKD's award-winning collectible controllers!

Surprise game alert! SaGa Frontier 2 Remastered is digitally available now for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Steam, iOS and Android! This excellent RPG is a real fan-favorite thanks to its unique storytelling, beautiful watercolor graphics, satisfying turn-based combat and character progression and top-tier soundtrack. This new remastered edition enhances the game further, with updated visuals and UI, new gameplay features, additional playable characters, new events and more.

Basically, it's one of the crown jewels of the franchise brought bang up to date… and available today. SaGa fans are no doubt frantically checking their respective storefronts to download the game, but for anyone unfamiliar with SaGa Frontier 2, read on and we'll explain everything you need to know about this epic history-spanning RPG, including what's new.

The power of Xbox is now in your hands—anywhere, anytime. The new Designed for Xbox: Backbone One Xbox Edition transforms your phone into the ultimate companion for gaming on mobile. Enjoy your games with an enhanced D-pad for precise control and magnetic adapters that secure your phone in place, even with your phone case on. Quickly access your Xbox dashboard with a single press of the Xbox button and jump straight into games like Halo Infinite and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. All this, with a look that captures the classic Xbox design, featuring a stunning translucent green inspired by the original Xbox.

Stream with cloud gaming and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, play natively, or use remote play from your Xbox console or PC—wherever you are. Designed for low-latency and responsive controls, Backbone One Xbox Edition keeps you in the game. The Backbone app unifies your gaming experience, connecting your favorite titles, streaming services, and social features into one intuitive hub. And to kickstart your adventure, each purchase includes one month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate at no cost (for new members only), unlocking hundreds of games ready to play on the go.