Assassin's Creed Shadows has had a bit of a rough time of late, with Ubisoft initially pulling out of the Tokyo Game Show entirely and delaying the launch of Shadows to February 2025, attributing its absence at the show to the buggy, incomplete nature of the 2025 entry into the Assassin's franchise. In the announcement confirming the launch delay and the Tokyo Game Show Absence, Ubisoft also communicated that it would be shaking up the Assassin's Creed launch and monetization strategy significantly. Apparently as part of that monetization switch-up, Ubisoft has also changed the price of the Assassin's Creed Shadows Collector's Edition, cutting it by a whopping $50.

Ubisoft confirmed the price change on Discord in an official Q&A, announcing that, due to dropping the three-day early access that Collector's Edition buyers would originally have received, the Collector's Edition would now cost $229.99 instead of the previous price of $279.99. Meanwhile, the Collector's Edition will still include all the other paraphernalia and real-world loot that it originally bundled. The aforementioned delay and changes to the monetization strategy not only saw the cancellation of the Season Pass model previously used by Ubisoft, but it also meant that all Assassin's Creed Shadows players would also get the game's first expansion for free along with the base game.

The wait is over! We're thrilled to unveil the Cipher Series for the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2, with Xbox Design Lab. This collection taps into the nostalgia of classic tech designs with six stunning transparent top cases, letting you relive the magic of seeing the inner workings of your favorite gadgets—while adding a modern twist. Alongside the Cipher Series, we're also introducing two vibrant chromatic D-pad and paddle designs in Sunset Chroma and Energy Chroma, bringing fresh style to the Elite Series 2 controller. And to elevate the retro-modern aesthetic, we're excited to announce the Xbox Wireless Controller Special Edition - Ghost Cipher, a follow-up to the fan-favorite Sky Cipher.

With its transparent casing and metallic silver details, the Cipher Series lets you look inside the controller, capturing the spirit of those iconic see-through devices that tech enthusiasts still fondly remember—now making a bold comeback for a new generation of players. Drawing inspiration from the iconic translucent tech of the '90s and early 2000s, the Cipher Series brings six stunning transparent top case designs to Xbox Design Lab. These vibrant, candy-colored top cases encapsulate the controller's metallic frame, showcasing both its external beauty and the advanced engineering within the Elite Series 2 controller.

Govee, a leader in the smart home lighting sector, is partnering with the legendary Japanese anime series Evangelion to release a groundbreaking line of gaming lights. This collaboration, Govee x Evangelion Gaming Lights, combines Evangelion's epic storytelling with Govee's advanced lighting technology to provide new hardware for gamers looking to embrace their own unique interest and connection to their gaming atmosphere.

At the core of this collaboration is a fusion of innovation and self-expression. Embodying the spirit of both brands, the products highlight personalized experiences with gaming and the Evangelion brand. The special edition gaming lights are more than just functional; they are an invitation for gamers to transform their ordinary spaces into vibrant battle stations.

It's a thrilling moment for all of us at Razer as we unveil a special tribute to one of the fighting game community and Street Fighter 6's most revered characters, the legend, Akuma. The Razer Kitsune Fighter's Edition: Akuma is set to ignite the spirit of competition with its unique design and top-tier functionality, making its debut exclusively at EVO Las Vegas 2024.

Akuma Descends on the Razer Kitsune
The Razer Kitsune Fighter's Edition: Akuma not only embodies the ferocity and mystique of Akuma but also elevates the gaming experience with its exceptional design details. This limited-edition Razer Kitsune features a fully dye-sublimated aluminium top plate showcasing Akuma in all his fearsome glory, set against a backdrop that captures the essence of his power and intensity. All this, packaged in a unique collectable box wrapped in synthetic leather. Limited to just 1000 units globally, this true collector's item is as exclusive as it is powerful, with a limited number of units making their premiere at EVO Las Vegas for sale exclusively from the Razer booth.

The existence of Intel's upcoming Core i9-14900KS processor has been confirmed by a series of insider leaks and premature retail listings—an "alleged" example was photographed and appeared online right at the start of 2024. French e-tail listings produced evidence of two packages—a traditional retail box version, and a barebones tray option for OEM purposes. Earlier today, the I_Leak_VN social media account uploaded proof of a single "Special Edition" box sitting in an unnamed Vietnamese warehouse—it is not immediately clear whether units have reached retail facilities, or have just arrived on Southeast Asian shores. The embargo-busting post seemingly corroborates global insider information/whispers about distribution networks receiving stock—possibly in preparation for a rumored mid-March launch. VideoCardz believes that Vietnamese customers will be paying roughly $765 a pop—30% pricier than the current cost of 14th Gen Core flagship ownership.

A handful of Canadian online stores were a good source of pre-release "Raptor Lake Refresh" information in 2023—that tradition continues into the new year, with DirectDial publishing Intel Core i9-14900KS CPU specifications. This premature listing was highlighted by momomo_us, everyone's favorite PC hardware sleuth—prior to this week's discovery, they tracked down two Core i9-14900KS packages in France. The upcoming special edition flagship Raptor Lake Refresh SKU is expected to launch midway through next month—DirectDial's product page mentions that the item is a "New Arrival," with its status listed as "backordered." The BX8071514900KS part code also appeared on PC21 France's online store—confirming that both places will be offering Intel's retail packaged version. Canadian customers could be paying CA$1005 (~$740 USD) on launch day—the French leak outed a possible initial price of €768.34 (~$828 USD).

Intel's 14th Gen Core i9-14900KS is a "Tetracosa-core (24-Core) 3.20 GHz Processor" according to the DirectDial listing—basic specifications appeared online earlier in the month, so there are no big surprises here: 36 MB L3 Cache, 32 MB L2 Cache, 64-bit Processing, 6.2 GHz Overclocking Speed, Socket LGA-1700 and an Intel UHD 770 integrated graphics solution. The i9-14900KS's Thermal Design Power (TDP) max. spec is listed as 150 W, while its Thermal Specification is set at a maximum of 212°F (100°C). A mid-February HKEPC report put the spotlight on leaked OCCT results—the test unit was tracked with a 409 W maximum package power draw at stock speeds—the processor's PL2 power limit was unlocked via BIOS tweaks. High-end PC enthusiasts expected to Team Blue to unveil the selectively-binned special edition SKU at CES 2024—based on past traditions—but their Core i9-14900KS remained under wraps. We hope to see an official unveiling in March.

An MSI "Ruan Mei" special edition GeForce RTX 4090 SUPRIM X model has been teased by hongxing2020 on social media—it is not clear whether this is an intentional leak, given the formal office setting photographed in the background. Seemingly finalized retail packaging, heavily updated shroud plus backplate designs, and bundled poster and mousepad merchandise are emblazoned with a 5-star rated Honkai: Star Rail character. As noted by VideoCardz, the web link displayed on MSI's accompanying poster would indicate that the special green and gold special SUPRIM X model is destined for the Chinese PC hardware market—where miHoYo's Honkai games franchise is super popular.

The MSI GeForce RTX 4090 SUPRIM X "Ruan Mei" special edition's packaging does not make a distinction between the onboard GPU being a US sanction-compliant NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 D variant, or the original + uncompromised AD102-300-A1. Perhaps it is safe to assume that a first quarter 2024 launch model will sport ever so slightly downgraded internals—MSI has already prepared their standard silver range-topping GeForce RTX 4090 D SUPRIM X model for the region. A small batch of Ruan Mei limited editions could arrive at a later date, once the the standard card has cleared the way.

Celebrating its centennial, beyerdynamic—the preferred audio brand for musicians and studio professionals around the world—is embarking on a new chapter with the announcement of a limited-edition version of the classic DT 770 PRO. Handmade in Germany, the all-new DT 770 PRO X Limited Edition blends the reference-setting features of the DT 770 PRO with the dynamic STELLAR.45 driver system's flexibility and a detachable cable. Redefining studio gear for a new era, the DT 770 PRO X Limited Edition is now available for pre-order at Guitar Center and Sweetwater for $199, with wider availability to come later in the year.

FLEX MARKS THE SPOT.
In today's fluid landscape of music creation, having the flexibility to work with a variety of applications is paramount. The DT 770 PRO X Limited Edition features the convenience of a detachable Mini-XLR cable so you can move freely while you create. A recess in the headband padding also protects against the pressure-sensitive fontanelle, allowing you to wear the headphones for hours on end. With premium sound quality, replaceable parts, low impedance and high-wearing comfort, the DT 770 PRO X Limited Edition is tailor-made for studio professionals, artists, filmmakers, producers and more.

Aye Banisher!✨Focus Entertainment and DON'T NOD are excited to unveil this new emotionally charged story trailer for Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden. This narrative-driven action RPG immerses you in a world teeming with supernatural threats, challenging them to grapple with love, life, death, and sacrifice. Our new trailer (viewable below) will bring the deeply enthralling and poignant story to life, providing a glimpse into the intricate lore of Banishers and the key relationship between Antea Duarte and Red mac Raith. In Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden, you step into the shoes of Antea Duarte and Red mac Raith, experienced spirit hunters sent to New Eden on a harrowing mission to aid the settlers.

The stakes escalate dramatically when Antea is tragically killed during an ill-advised attack, becoming one of the very ghosts she once despised and trained her husband to destroy. This catastrophic turn of events leaves Red torn between upholding their oath to protect the living from malevolent spirits and the devastating reality of Antea's condition. The emotionally charged journey through Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden explores the complex interplay between love, sacrifice, and the struggle to reconcile one's own desires with a sense of duty.

The Eleventh Hour Games team is thrilled to showcase the launch trailer for Last Epoch 1.0: Echoes from the Void, and the opening of our updated Pre-Order Editions. Last Epoch combines time travel, exciting dungeon crawling, engrossing character customization and endless replayability to create an Action RPG for veterans and newcomers alike. Travel through the world of Eterra's past and face dark empires, wrathful gods and untouched wilds—to find a way to save time itself from The Void.

I'm thrilled to announce that Eleventh Hour Games is launching the long-awaited 1.0 version of Last Epoch on February 21st, 2024. After a journey that started with the dream of uniting genre enthusiasts to create the next great ARPG and forming an after-hours team through Reddit, to holding a successful Kickstarter 18 months later, and then building Last Epoch alongside our passionate community throughout Early Access…we're confident in saying that we've made something truly special.

Memory PC GmbH has unveiled an exclusive reskin of Sapphire Technology's standard PULSE RX 7800 XT graphics card—the German e-tailer is advertising this special edition model as a "world first," with a design that is both "unique and eye-catching." We reckon that there is some marketing spiel + exaggeration in effect here, although Memory PC's branding, messaging and extra swathes of red and white do add up to be a more visually appealing package. Sapphire's PULSE card designs tend to focus on function rather than fancy livery—the normal PULSE RX 7800 XT card is almost entirely black, save for some red line accents on its shroud and backplate, plus white text on the twin cooling fans.

This special model sports white PULSE fans with abbreviated Memory PC logo branding, while the shroud has red and white stealth-effect polygonal patterning. This effect adorns almost the entire stretch of backplate, a pixellated heart graphic and a "WE LOVE GAMING" statement sit within an island of black. The Memory PC + Sapphire Technology Navi 32 XT GPU collaboration is only available in pre-built PC systems—starting at €999, with an AMD Ryzen 7 5700X build.

OSIM, the Singapore-based maker of massage chairs and wellness products, unveiled two innovative new massage chairs at CES 2024—the uLove 3 Yellow and the uThrone V Yellow. The uLove 3 Yellow builds upon OSIM's popular uLove series, featuring 18 patented massage technologies for a customized and therapeutic experience. Key highlights include the V-Hand Plus system, which mimics a masseuse's techniques to target knots and tension, air pressure massage to relax the body, and foot reflexology rollers. With multiple auto and manual programs, uLove 3 provides a spa-like massage tailored to one's needs. Coming in bright yellow for the CES special edition, the uLove 3 chair is also available in black, brown, and red.

However, OSIM has entered the arena of massage chairs for gamers and esports enthusiasts. The company presented the uThrone V Yellow massage gaming chair. Designed to promote healthy gameplay, it incorporates OSIM's intelligent V-Hand massage technology to relieve neck, shoulder, and back pain. Gamers can continue playing while the chair's rollers work along the neck and shoulders to relax muscles. With lumbar heat therapy, leg rest and an ergonomic seat, uThrone V aims to prevent strains from long hours of sitting, allowing gamers to relive a lot of sitting pain from long sessions. Besides the CES Yellow special edition, the uThrone V comes in black, orange, and purple accents. The CES attendees were able to experience OSIM's massaging chairs first-hand.

"Throne and Liberty" is Amazon's foray into big budget fantasy MMORPGs, and is being licensed to manufacturers of PC hardware and gaming peripherals. GIGABYTE unveiled two such pieces of hardware, the Z790 AORUS Elite X Throne and Liberty Edition; and the GeForce RTX 4070 WindForce OC Throne and Liberty Edition. Both products come in fancy Throne and Liberty co-branded boxes. The Z790 AORUS Elite X special edition gets Throne and Liberty decals on its large CPU VRM heatsinks. The RTX 4070 WindForce OC special edition gets such decals on its backplate, and has themed fan impeller hub stickers. The two products are otherwise identical to their originals. Throne and Liberty went live on December 7.

GALAX is a much older brand than it looks, dating back to 2003, when it did business as "Galaxy," selling custom-design GeForce 400 series graphics cards with its signature shade of deep blue for the PCB, and Zalman-sourced coolers. The company is celebrating its 20th anniversary, at least in its largest market of China, where it launched a special edition GeForce RTX 4070 Ada graphics card, called simply the 20th Anniversary Edition.

The card features an all-white look, and an interesting cooler airflow design. The card is no more than 2 slots thick, and features a slender aluminium fin-stack heatsink. Two of its three fans are located on the obverse side of the card. There is an intake where you'd expect the third fan to be, which is actually on the reverse side of the card, blowing outward (pulling air through the heatsink, much like NVIDIA's dual-axial flow-through cooler in some of its Founders Edition cards. The card uses a single 8-pin PCIe power connector, which has been tucked away behind a magnetic cover. The card offers factory overclocked speeds of 2610 MHz maximum boost, compared to 2475 MHz reference (+5.5%). The company didn't reveal pricing.

From the shadows, the Xbox Wireless Controller - Gold Shadow Special Edition is making its grand debut in the spotlight. A homage to Xbox One's fan-favorite Shadow series designs, this controller sports a sophisticated gold-to-black metallic finish on the top case. Aside from the top case and D-Pad, the rest of the controller is draped in carbon black, allowing the gold elements to shine. This controller is a statement piece, perfectly suited to be your new favorite, and the crowning gem of any collection.

This elegant piece comes with all the key features players love in our current generation of controllers. The metallic gold hybrid D-Pad provides a smooth touch for your thumb to expertly glide on. The rubberized black diamond patterned side grips and textured grip on the triggers, bumpers and back case provide that extra support needed to stay in control of high-pressure gaming moments.

It's time, Helldivers. This is Katherine from Arrowhead Game Studios bringing you the biggest announcement yet: Helldivers 2 launches on 8th February 2024! Pre-purchase for both the Standard Edition and the Super Citizen Edition of Helldivers 2 are now available—enlist today to fight for the liberty of Super Earth.

Be the hero of Super Earth, defender of Freedom, herald of Managed Democracy. Team-up with your fellow Helldivers and fight more than just bugs: now the Automaton faction has emerged to threaten our liberty. Descended from the Cyborgs, an old enemy familiar to our Helldivers community, these mechanized killing machines are determined to wipe out the Super Earth way of life. The bots are an intelligent and relentless foe, you and your squad will have to gather your most powerful weapons and strategize on how best to wipe them out.

Focus Entertainment and DON'T NOD are thrilled to reveal an extensive overview of their upcoming title Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden. The immersive and poignant narrative driven Action-RPG where you hunt and battle supernatural threats to alter a tragic fate revealed itself in a detailed Gameplay Overview Trailer (watch it below). The title is coming November 7th to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, and pre-orders are now available on all platforms, with a Collector's Edition and the Red Echoes Edition exclusive to the Focus Store!

A journey between love, life, death and sacrifice
You play a couple of Banishers, Antea Duarte and Red Mac Raith, experienced spirit hunters, sent to New Eden to lift a mysterious curse and solve haunting cases. But after an ill-advised attack, Antea is killed and becomes one of the ghosts she loathes. Torn between their vows to protect the living from malicious spirits and the nightmare of Antea's condition, you must make hard decisions: Will you honor your Banisher oath or sacrifice the living in a desperate bid to bring your beloved back?

The Asian Games 2022 athletic event was originally set to take place last September—officials have rescheduled proceedings to later this month (opening September 23, closing October 8). Gunnir has prepared new versions of its existing Arc A770 & A750 Photon OC graphics cards in celebration of e-sports competitions being added to the roster at XIX Asian Games, Hangzhou. The Chinese hardware manufacturer has produced an extensive portfolio of Intel Alchemist-based discrete solutions, so it is not surprising to see slightly revised designs being issued to tie-in with a significant multi-sport tournament.

Gunnir's Photon OC White Edition shroud has been updated with the official Asian Games emblem as well as wavy graphic patterns—their retail packaging shares similar revisions, giving off some very calming vibes. According to product listings on JD.com, the A750 8 GB model currently sells for 1699 RMB (~$232), while the range-topping A770 16 GB variant is available to pre-order at 2399 RMB (~$328). The latest Intel and Gunnir collaboration is not likely to reach Western shores—Team Blue's Chinese operation announced (last month) that it was the official graphics processor supplier for this month's Hangzhou Asian Games. We expect only the most hardcore of GPU collectors to import these curiosities from Joybuy/Jingdong (JD).

EXP Review reported on Sapphire selling a new special edition Radeon RX 7600 8 GB graphics card on China's JD.com online store—the custom design sports a very loud orange shroud replete with cat, dog, crocodile, sloth and rabbit graphics. It appears to be a slight reworking of Sapphire's Pulse RX 7600 OC 8 GB card, albeit with a fancy paint job that looks to celebrate the upcoming launch (September 20) of "Party Animals," a physics-based brawler/party game.

The Party Animals edition card is retailing for 2199 RMB (~$301), which is 200 RMB (~$27) more expensive than the standard Pulse/Platinum version—with identical base, game and boost clock speeds. A digital copy of the game is bundled with each purchase, as well as an exclusive in-game "Rocket" skin for the Nemo dog character. Sapphire's colorful Radeon graphics card is currently not in stock—we are not certain whether this lack of availability is down to popularity or a supply shortage, since it is difficult to ascertain information from the JD.com listing. EXP Review acknowledges that Sapphire launched this special edition product with little fanfare in China, so it remains to be seen whether any examples will reach Western outlets.

We're excited to announce that Xbox Series X Console Wraps are launching this year, and pre-orders have already started. We know gamers want to be able to customize their consoles and show support for their favorite games, and we are delivering an option that's more affordable and more sustainable than purchasing a special edition or limited edition console. With the launch of Series X Console Wraps, you can customize the console you already have. There are three striking designs to choose from - complete your Starfield setup with a Starfield design that pairs perfectly with the recently released Starfield Controller and Headset, and we are also launching two camo colors to choose from, Arctic Camo and Mineral Camo.

The wraps were designed specifically for Series X and have a custom, precision fit. Every detail was taken into consideration to ensure your console performance is preserved- vents are all clear, and small feet were added to the bottom of the wraps to ensure air can flow freely through the console. Made with solid core panels that are layered with high-tech fabric finishes, the wraps are folded around your console and secured with a hook and loop enclosure. The interior of the wraps are printed with silicone designs that keep the wrap in place.

ASUS is readying a wider range of Evangelion-themed ROG product line, building on the collaboration the company built with the popular Japanese action anime in 2022. The 2023 lineup is comprehensive, and includes a special Evangelion edition of the ROG Maximus Z790 Hero motherboard, special edition variants of GeForce RTX 40-series ROG Strix graphics cards (could be anything from the RTX 4070 thru RTX 4090), a special edition ROG Hyperion GR701 case, themed ROG Ryujin II AIO CPU cooler, a themed ROG Thor ATX 3.0 power supply, and lastly, keycap and body panel sets for its various ROG gaming peripherals. ASUS is planning to showcase the 2023 Evangelion lineup at Bilibili World, later this month.

Today, Focus Entertainment and DON'T NOD are thrilled to announce that Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden will release on November 7. This poignant narrative action-RPG, in which you hunt and battle supernatural horrors to alter a tragic fate, is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Pre-orders are open in physical versions and on Steam, with a superb Collector's Edition available.

Prepare for impossible choices and dramatic consequences…
Experience a powerful and intimate narrative in Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden, where you play as Antea Duarte and Red mac Raith. You are lovers and Banishers—ghost-hunters who vowed to protect the living from the threat of lingering ghosts and specters. After Antea has tragically become one of the spirits she loathes, you take on a desperate search for a way to liberate her from her new plight.

Designed for Xbox premiered its first collection with a variety of gaming accessories in playful pastel tones last spring. This year, it's time to sparkle and shine for Designed for Xbox's second collection! The new Designed for Xbox Summer Collection 2023 will include 7 shimmery, glimmery accessories for every Xbox player wanting to outsparkle the competition. Designed especially for you and crafted by our amazing partners, each product brings a unique flare that will surely brighten up any gaming session.

PowerA Advantage Wired Controller for Xbox Series X|S - Sparkle
Add some stellar style and performance to your game with the PowerA Advantage Wired Controller for Xbox Series X|S in an all-new purple sparkle design. With glittering swirls of purple and gold, this one-of-a-kind controller looks like it was sent from a deep-space nebula. Licensed by Xbox, this controller features two mappable Advanced Gaming Buttons you can program on-the-fly, and 3-Way Trigger Locks for game-specific trigger depth. Works great on Windows 10/11 too. Quality backed with a 2-year limited warranty.

Introducing the EK-Quantum Momentum² ROG Maximus Z790 Extreme D-RGB - Special Edition, a premium Ultrablock-class product designed and produced by EK, the leading manufacturer of high-quality PC liquid cooling gear. This state-of-the-art product belongs to the Quantum Line and is specifically engineered for the ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Extreme motherboard, ensuring perfect compatibility.

Advanced Design
The EK-Quantum Momentum² ROG Maximus Z790 Extreme D-RGB - Special Edition is perfect for those who want to experience the very epitome of high-end liquid cooling technology. This exceptional monoblock represents the ultimate all-in-one solution, meticulously engineered to deliver outstanding cooling performance for a diverse range of CPUs, including the 13th Gen Intel Core and 12th Gen Intel Core processors. Exclusively designed for the LGA 1700 socket-based ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Extreme motherboard, the monoblock sets new standards across the water-cooling landscape.

We're incredibly excited to finally announce that Remnant 2 will be available on July 25th, 2023 for the PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S! Remnant 2 pits players against overwhelming odds alone or cooperatively with two friends as they scour dynamically built worlds with branching quest lines, unique loot, and terrifying enemies. Fans who digitally purchase the Remnant 2 Ultimate Edition will also receive early access to Remnant 2 on July 21st, 2023 three days before its official launch date. In addition, if players pre-order any digital edition, they will also get early access to the Gunslinger Archetype Class.

Unimaginable Worlds. Unrelenting Odds
Remnant II is the sequel to the best-selling game Remnant: From the Ashes that pits survivors of humanity against new deadly creatures and god-like bosses across terrifying worlds. Play solo or co-op with two other friends to explore the depths of the unknown to stop an evil from destroying reality itself. To succeed, players will need to rely on their own skills and those of their team to overcome the toughest challenges and to stave off humanity's extinction.