Microsoft Copilot has changed a lot over the past month. Microsoft recently outlined its broader plan for a unified AI experience across Microsoft 365, but it also shipped several new Copilot features users can try right now.

Microsoft rounded up the changes in a recent blog post, highlighting updates across Copilot Chat, Teams, Word, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and OneDrive. The updates expand Copilot to more services and add new features across Microsoft's software suite:

• "New design and functionality for Copilot Chat
• Plugins, connectors, and Work IQ enhancements to the Copilot App
• Teams Phone agent for Copilot in Teams Phone
• Citations and image modifications for Copilot in Word
• Skills and connectors for Copilot in PowerPoint
• General availability for Copilot in SharePoint
• General availability for Copilot in OneDrive"

Microsoft outlined several new features, but one stood out to me: citations in Copilot responses.

Copilot can be a useful tool, but it has limits. If you've ever asked Copilot to handle a task that depends on current information, you've probably run into those limits. AI tools can also struggle when interpreting historical, legal, or highly specialized material.

Now, Microsoft Word can show its sources for specific Copilot answers. You can then click the source to confirm the information provided by Copilot.

"Citations in Copilot responses in Word let users see the sources behind Copilot’s answers. Users can view citations to relevant web and work content directly in the response," explains Microsoft.

"This provides greater transparency and helps users understand where Copilot’s information comes from."

Hallucinations are one problem, but AI tools can also misinterpret legitimate sources and present incorrect conclusions. In some cases, an AI tool can misread context and produce an incorrect response. I've had Copilot share the exact opposite of the truth before.

Citations with links allow you to check the source material and make sure Copilot understood the context of the source and extracted the correct information.

Windows Central take

I've found that Copilot (and other AI tools) can make up seemingly authentic sources of information. If you ever use the tool for meaningful work, you need to double-check original sources and assume Copilot will make mistakes.

Of course, that fact could be used to argue that you just should not use Copilot for work. But there's probably a middle ground where Copilot helps draft or gather information while a human verifies the final output.

In general chats with Copilot, you should ask for a source and press Copilot if it continues to speak in generalities. The new feature in Word simplifies that process and ensures that there's a verifiable source of content generated by Copilot.

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A lot is happening this week in the world of Windows and Surface. Today is the fifth anniversary of Windows 11, a milestone that snuck up on me and plenty of other users. Perhaps it's because I dragged my feet while making the move permanently from Windows 10.

On October 7, Microsoft is hosting a Surface event where it's expected that NVIDIA's RTX Spark chip and the Surface Laptop Ultra lineup will be further discussed (and hopefully better explained).

This collision of Microsoft-related software and hardware news got me thinking about a quote from the original architect of Microsoft's Surface lineup, Panos Panay:

The quote comes from an interview with TechCentral circa 2020, well before Panay departed Microsoft in 2023 to join Amazon's Devices and Services segment. The quote does a great job capturing the original reason why Surface exists at all.

Microsoft originally wanted hardware that showcased the best of Windows software, and it believed its goal could only be achieved with in-house development. Surface became the bridge between software and hardware that Panay alludes to with his quote, and it's had a (mostly) great run.

Where is Surface headed in 2026?

What has me most confused about the upcoming Surface event is that Microsoft already revealed its new Surface Pro 12-inch (Gen 2) and Surface Laptop 13-inch (Gen 2) devices.

They showed up on September 23 as part of Qualcomm's annual Snapdragon Summit, a full two weeks before the Surface event. Sure, it makes some sense due to the new Surface PCs using Snapdragon X2 chips inside, but why not save the juice for the main event?

My colleague Sean Endicott attempted to answer this question at the time of the Surface/Qualcomm reveal last month. As he stated, "we can now cross two more items off the list of potential things we will see at the Windows and Surface event," noting that the October 7 Surface event also "falls after many improvements have shipped to Windows 11 or entered testing with Windows Insiders."

So what is Microsoft planning to reveal at its Surface event? The Surface Laptop Ultra was already revealed at Computex 2026, but we should get more information. We might also get a glimpse of the Surface RTX Spark Dev Box, especially considering NVIDIA's CEO Jensen Huang is part of the show.

Barring the surprise reveal of more new Surface hardware — the Surface Laptop 8 and Surface Pro 12 with Snapdragon X2 chips launched this summer, so I'm not expecting anything new there — the October 7 Surface event is shaping up to be a tad lopsided.

Is Surface drifting without Panay's anchoring presence?

It's been six years since Panay dropped his famous Surface quote. It's been three years since he left Microsoft for Amazon. And since then, Surface really hasn't felt the same.

Rather than pushing OEMs to improve their own devices by providing a quality benchmark, Surface seems to be fairly stagnant, fragmented, and largely riding on its reputation.

For me, someone who agrees with Panay's sentiment, a successful Surface event should include software that really only makes sense on the Surface Laptop Ultra with RTX Spark. If it's just another laptop with the chip inside, well, I won't be very excited.

On that note, it'd be great to see some tuning choices that directly benefit Surface with RTX Spark. The hardware-software relationship often shows its cracks in this area, so some assurance will go a long way.

Ultimately, the upcoming Surface event should be a defining moment. Will Panay's original vision carry forward as partnerships become more complicated? Will the quote remain relevant?

Or will Surface become just another laptop brand alongside OEMs like Dell, HP, and Lenovo? Either way, you can tune in to the livestream on October 7 at 1 PM ET to check it out with the rest of us.

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Microsoft's Windows 11 and Surface event is only a couple of days away. At the event, we expect to hear a recap of improvements made to the operating system as part of the Windows K2 initiative. But why simply watch people talk about updates when you can test them out yourself?

Many of the biggest changes to Windows 11 have already shipped through Windows 11 version 26H2. But items that are still in the works are being tested among Windows Insiders. A flurry of five builds shipped recently.

👉Don’t miss Microsoft’s October 7 Windows & Surface keynote — here’s how to tune in and follow the biggest reveals

Many of the changes are rolling out to multiple builds, such as added support for Unicode 17.0. Below, I've outlined all the updates and improvements rolling out to Windows Insiders. Make sure to check the channels noted below to see what's on the way to your PC.

Unicode (Beta, Experimental)

• We've updated Windows text shaping support for Unicode 17.0, helping Windows correctly display and shape newly encoded characters and scripts. Unicode 17.0 added 4,803 characters, including support for four newly encoded scripts: Beria Erfe, Sidetic, Tai Yo, and Tolong Siki.
• These updates help keep Windows text support current as the Unicode Standard evolves and improve support for languages and writing systems used by people around the world.

Settings (Beta, Experimental)

• We're making performance improvements to the Settings home page, which should result in reduced loading times in certain scenarios.

Settings (Experimental (Future Platforms))

• Updated Settings > Apps > Installed apps to show the version number at the top level for packaged apps, as it already does for other apps.

Recovery (Beta, Experimental 

• We're adding a new entry point for Cloud Rebuild under Settings > System > Recovery, making it easier to access the feature from Settings.

Windows Recovery (Beta (26H1))

• We're introducing Cloud rebuild, a new recovery option that restores a Windows 11 PC to a clean, known-good state by performing a full OS reinstall, even when Windows won't boot. Unlike Reset this PC, Cloud rebuild downloads both the target Windows image and the device's drivers from Windows Update, so the device comes back fully functional without USB media, without a custom image, and without depending on the health of the currently installed OS.
• In this preview, you can try Cloud rebuild today:
  • Start it directly from the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) by selecting Troubleshoot > Recovery and uninstall > Cloud rebuild.
  • Connect over wired Ethernet or a Wi-Fi network from within WinRE.
  • Review the target Windows build, edition, and language, then confirm the data-loss warning before the rebuild begins.

File Explorer (Experimental)

• Address Bar now supports '~' , making it quicker to navigate directly to your user profile folder and subfolders (e.g., "~\AppData").

File Explorer (Experimental (Future Platforms))

• This update adjusts how the preview pane handles files downloaded from the web. For HTML files, a new Preview anyway button lets you acknowledge the warning and preview the file. Non-HTML files, such as PDFs, are now previewed automatically.
• Fixed an issue causing the previews in File Explorer to have an unexpected bar in the middle in recent flights.

File Explorer (Experimental (26H1))

• Customizations
  • Improved File Explorer to keep folder view customizations, such as sorting and icon size preferences, consistent across different access paths and apps.
• Address bar improvements
  • The address bar now supports paths containing double backslashes and quotation marks, for example, C:\Users\user or "C:\Users\user", improving compatibility with a wider range of inputs.
  • Improved reliability of the address bar suggestion dropdown so it now consistently closes after an item is selected.
• Refinements to the rename experience
  • Fixed an issue where text would be repeatedly selected while renaming items in folder views.
  • Fixed an issue where updated names with case-only changes weren't immediately reflected in folder views across local and cloud storage.

Windows Magnifier (Experimental (26H1), Beta (26H1))

• Magnifier now gives you more control over how you zoom. You can type an exact zoom percentage directly in the Magnifier toolbar to land on precisely the level you need.
• We've also added preset step increments (5%, 10%, 25%, 50%, 100%, 150%, 200%, and 400%) to the Settings dropdown, so you can jump to common levels in a single click. Whether you need a subtle boost or a dramatic close-up, Magnifier adapts to how you want to zoom.

Cloud rebuild (Experimental (26H1))

• We're updating Cloud rebuild, the recovery option that restores a Windows 11 PC to a clean, known-good state by performing a full OS reinstall, with two additions.
• Cloud rebuild can now sanitize the device's drives as part of the rebuild. When you start a rebuild in WinRE, choose Remove files if you're keeping the PC, or Remove & sanitize files before recycling, returning, or reassigning it. The sanitize option uses the storage hardware's erase capability to securely erase data before Windows is reinstalled and is irreversible.
• IT administrators can now configure and start a Cloud rebuild remotely through the Recovery CSP, using either the currently installed build or a target build you specify.

Windows Share (Experimental (Future Platforms))

• Added the ability to pin your favorite apps in the Windows share window.

Family Safety (Experimental (Future Platforms))

• Improved family safety messaging when applications are blocked because of age-restricted parental controls.

Taskbar (Experimental (Future Platforms))

• Fixed a few small visual polish issues when using the taskbar in alternate positions.

Audio (Experimental (Future Platforms))

• Fixed an issue affecting certain USB Audio Class 1.0 devices, including some multichannel audio headsets, that could prevent the device from working correctly after installing the latest updates.

Remote Desktop (Experimental (Future Platforms))

• Fixed an issue causing Remote Desktop to not use the correct window size after recent flights.

Other (Experimental (Future Platforms))

• Fixed an issue causing some Insiders to experience extreme lag over time after updating to the last two flights.

These changes aren't as substantial as the new features and upgrades in Windows 11 version 26H2, but they help create a smoother computing experience.

My favorite improvements are those rolling out to Windows Magnifier. Fine-tune controls make it much easier to create the best experience for your specific screen. The presets make it easy to jump incrementally, but I prefer entering the magnification manually.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

It looks like Microsoft is wrapping up its Windows and Surface efforts for 2026 to be able to focus on the future. Last week the company announced refreshes to the Surface Pro 12-inch and Surface Laptop 13-inch. This week, Microsoft rolled out Windows 11 version 26H2.

With a bunch of Surface announcements in the rearview mirror and another update to Windows 11 rolling out, Microsoft can point its followers to the future. The description of the Windows and Surface event next week says, "Join us live... for a look at what's next from Windows, Surface, and NVIDIA."

I hope Microsoft has some exciting news in store for its event. Windows and Surface have been far from exciting lately. It is possible to market boring products, of course, but they have to be reliable.

This week Microsoft announced Windows 11 version 26H2 and called it a "predictable and low-disruption update." If Microsoft wants to win back consumers, it needs to either be cutting edge or actually deliver predictable and low-disruption updates. It feels like for the last few years we've gotten neither.

Biggest News of the Week

Microsoft has had to release multiple out-of-band updates in 2026. Some bugs required multiple patches to fix. It's gotten so bad that most of our articles about Windows 11 updates are met with comments asking what will break this time.

Unfortunately, the commenters have been proven right several times. One serious bug made Outlook, OneDrive, Dropbox, and other cloud-backed apps inoperable. Another issue froze Remote Desktop and caused audio failures. At one point users couldn't even install a Windows 11 update, forcing Microsoft to pull that update.

If Microsoft is going to undercut its events and trim down its Surface lineup, it needs to double down on reliability. Next week, we should get some answers about Microsoft's plans.

Windows and Surface event

A boring but bug-free Windows 11 update may be a welcome change of pace, but it makes me curious about what Microsoft will discuss at its Windows and Surface event next week. Considering Windows 11 version 26H2 is already rolling out, the focus is likely the future of Windows.

Does Microsoft have something up its sleeve? Has the tech giant learned a lesson about how to build consumer hype? Or are we due for another on-stage announcement about AI and how new PCs can run models locally?

I'm sure there are developers interested in the potential of the Surface Laptop Ultra and RTX Spark for AI development, but there are hundreds of millions of Windows users who care very little about AI. Microsoft needs to at least throw some scraps our way to keep us interested.

Shopping with Sean

Amazon's October Prime Day is next week, but there are already some great deals live. Competing retailers are trying to beat Amazon to the punch, resulting in big savings.

A trio of laptops are the best deals of the week. I'm partial toward the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x because of its thin design but the Samsung Galaxy Book6 and Dell 14S are also great choices.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Acclaimed gaming journalist Destin Legarie recently spoke with the developers of Gears of War: E-Day about behind-the-scenes development, story elements, audience expectations, and more.

During this conversation, Destin asked the developers how they felt about Gears of War: E-Day being an Xbox console exclusive title.

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The developers responded by saying that they were "proud" to be one of Xbox's pillar titles, "We feel great that they feel great because Gears is like part of Xbox's DNA. It's woven into it. And at The Coalition, we feel honored to have Gears and be the ones bringing that legacy forward."

The developers mentioned they know Xbox means so much to a lot of people and that they're proud to be one of Xbox's main console-exclusive titles, filling that role again with Gears of War: E-Day.

RELATED: Gears of War: E-Day review

Of course, this isn't full exclusivity, as the game is still available on Steam for PC, as has been tradition for Xbox for many years now. As of writing, Gears of War: E-Day has achieved its highest franchise concurrency figures on Steam at around 20,000 users in the early access period, and has become the top-selling Steam game in the United States ahead of its official October 6, 2026 launch. The game is also of course available on Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass, where I suspect many will be opting to play over an out-right purchase.

Will Xbox exclusivity pay off for Gears of War: E-Day?

Personally, while I prefer games being available on any platform (especially these days when people can't afford to buy every console at once), I can't deny the power exclusivity brings to a console and a game series' brand.

For example, I bought a Nintendo Switch many years ago just to play Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate, simply because I knew it wasn't going to be made available on any other console.

So I'm guessing at least some will have the same sentiment for Gears of War: E-Day, which will ultimately be beneficial for Xbox in the long run. Having exclusives will give Xbox its own unique identity and entice console players to play their games not found anywhere else (besides Windows PC, which is also a part of the Xbox ecosystem).

But this is all speculation on my end. Only time will tell if this console-exclusivity strategy pays off financially for Gears of War: E-Day when it leaves early access and launches for the general public on October 6, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, and Windows PC (all with Xbox Play Anywhere support).

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After a day of interviews with Ubisoft and a win streak I had no business being on, March of Giants still had one game left in it. The team that built it — Siege veterans Xavier Marquis brought out of Amazon and back to Ubisoft Montreal — had already sold me on soldiers you can command, Battleworks you can drop on the map, and 4v4 matches that end when two Bastions fall. None of that prepared me for pickup against a stranger the other writers would not shut up about.

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After wrapping the interviews, we had about an hour left, so I walked back to my station for another game. Most of the players and developers were off doing their own interviews. I got relegated to bots.

A few minutes in, a dev pointed at me. “Want another game?”

“Of course, dude.”

In a few minutes we had slapped together whoever was left. Another writer and two developers on my side. The same setup across the table. Sitting across from me was one of the other writers. Her name escapes me, so for the sake of a name, Brit.

Brit could not stop mentioning how excited she was to play with Aaron. “Is this Aaron guy pretty good?” I asked. At this point, we were all buddy-buddy. “Oh, he’s some really good League of Legends pro,” she replied. “Like a Diamond?”

“I think he said Master?”

Master is the third-highest rank in League, the top 1 percent of the player base. I never confirmed it. By the end of the match, I needed less proof.

I picked my current favorite giant, Ossuary, whose ultimate raises an army of the dead. Basically, The Return of the King scene with way fewer steps. Everything else felt normal. I fell into the old MOBA trance: baiting people into reach abilities, ticking health until they had to back, even catching myself trying to drop a ward.

I got a kill, died once, picked up a few assists, and was already pacing behind my team. Then I ran into who I can only assume was Aaron and ate an ultimate.

Down, and my teammates were losing mid. I started blaming myself. That old sinking feeling crept in. I hadn’t lost all day. We were on a stupid win streak, and I had been having it. Facing a real challenge, I was getting dominated in-game and in my own head. It wasn’t that I stopped having fun. In competitive games, I always feel like the loss is on me.

Better decision, don’t go for the revive, don’t walk into that. Being the lowest level on the team doubles it. I needed to change something. It got worse first. While I pushed mid, top got blasted. I rotated as fast as I could. They took our Bastion anyway. We were squared up around 14k. Aaron was sitting on a comfortable 20k.

That’s when “Welcome to the Jungle” started playing in my head.

Jungle for the win

You see, MoG has its own mixture of jungling. You can take out enemy shops to earn Acolades that let players supercharge their abilities with more range, projectiles, damage, etc.

These are permanent buffs, so getting them when you can is pretty crucial. However, until then, we hadn’t been high enough level to take them out, let alone stay alive against this guy.

Jungle crawling around, I managed to grab an Acolade alongside some much-needed extra gold. I mean, at this point in the game, I might as well have been Smaug from The Hobbit (Alright, two Lord of the Rings references) with how much gold I was sitting on.

Still, I wasn’t quite near Aaron; I was still a decent amount behind him. That’s when the 26-minute mark hit, and we took our first Bastion, the bottom lane! Yes, this game was so back and forth that it doubled the length of any of my previous sessions.

Not only did we take the Bastion, but we also dropped two of their players, including A-A-Ron. We were back in it, and things were heating up. Now, I kept pace with the enemy, only a few thousand behind the other team; I was well over 4k above my next teammate as I ganked their low-level player for some easy experience.

However, only minutes later, we were battling for our very lives in mid lane. The entire enemy team brought down the hammer and managed to wipe two of us off the map. The two who went down? The writers.

The developers, backed against the digital wall, pulled off a miracle by fending off all four foes like heroes in a last stand. Dropping two with the added aura farming.

Barely two minutes later, the enemy surged down our bottom lane, but the devs dug in, defenders to the core, while my teammate and I slipped around the flank, pouncing. Three fell at our feet, including their Master Aaron!

Knowing this was our chance, with enemies stuck behind the ever-haunting respawn timer screen, we pushed toward the middle. Victory, seconds away. I didn’t just cheer. I exploded out of my seat like a firework, as if the Vikings had finally clinched the Super Bowl, shouting “YES!” like it was the final thing I’d ever say. Super embarrassing to think about now.

The room erupted, a chorus of cheers from journalists and developers alike. Still riding the adrenaline wave, I walked to the other side of the room, searching for the legend I’d just managed to best, and asked:

“Who the hell is Aaron?”

March of Giants Pioneer playtest launches on October 7, 2026, and runs until October 18. The game will be available exclusively on Steam.

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Razer's Tartarus is one of the weirdest 'keyboards' I've ever seen, yet I can't help being drawn to its strangely alluring ergonomic design. I remember seeing the Nostromo and Orbweaver come and go over the years, acting as similarly odd keypads with a niche appeal I assumed only benefited MMORPG nuts. I don't play World of Warcraft. At best, I dip my toes into RuneScape.

So, why did I want to try the Tartarus V2 Pro after its surprise announcement earlier this September? There's just something about its wrist rest, combined with the curved shape, that appeals to my wrists, which spend most of the day attached to a low-profile productivity keyboard. If I'm playing half of my games on a keyboard, I might as well be as comfortable as possible.

Razer provided a sample but did not see, nor did it have any input on, the contents of my article before publishing.

How much does the Tartarus V2 Pro cost?

Razer sells the Tartarus V2 Pro for $199.99 MSRP at its official storefront, with a functionally identical variant available for £199.00 at Razer UK. Regional keyboard layouts don't apply to this unique keypad without traditional lettering glyphs, so US imports should work if you can't find one in your country.

As usual, Razer also lists the Tartarus V2 Pro for $199.99 on Amazon, and again, a model for Brits appears for some extra pennies at £199.99 on Amazon UK. At launch, availability seems better if you order directly from Razer itself or head to a physical RazerStore, should you have one nearby.

For comparison, the original Razer Tartarus launched in 2013 for $79.99, followed by the Chroma in 2015 for the same $79.99, then the V2 in 2017 for $99.99, and the Pro in 2019 for $129.99. Years later, we now have the V2 Pro in 2026 for $199.99, or you can still pick up the first Pro for $129.99 on Amazon.

What I like about the Tartarus V2 Pro

The Tartarus V2 Pro feels like Razer's high-end gaming keyboards, with each linear keypress matching the response of the analog optical switches I've seen in similarly premium examples like the Razer Huntsman V3 TKL 8KHz. That big cluster of 27 keys exhibits smooth travel and defaults to a traditional 'WASD' layout that mostly fits my muscle memory.

Two buttons on the wrist rest let me adjust its distance and angle, though I immediately felt quite comfortable with it at its default, shortest setup. It's significantly more comfortable than any other keyboard-and-wrist-rest arrangement I've used to date, and my fingers fall quite naturally on the textured, double-shot PBT keycaps (they'll never fade).

Similarly, decades of PC gaming mean my thumb naturally rests between the big, shiny 'HyperShift' button — which can trigger a second layer of commands, like a regular keyboard shift key — and the new, drift-proof TMR thumbstick. I can rebind that HyperShift button to any other command I like, and I'm already considering using it as a spacebar replacement. So far, so good.

On the right, a strip of LEDs lights up in sequence to show how far I've pressed a key, including its initial actuation point and maximum depth. That adjustable actuation is part of Razer's whole pitch for the Tartarus V2 Pro, meaning I can dictate exactly how sensitive the keys are. Beyond that, 'Snap Flex' lets me bind other inputs to trigger when I release specific keys.

Indeed, while it's obvious at first glance that this thing offers a lot of keys, it's not quite accurate. In reality, you get a sh—load of keys. Maybe more theoretical keys than I could ever use. Nevertheless, the first hours were quite exciting as I pondered potential keymap layouts for specific games, with space for 24 configurable keymaps across 3 profiles inside Razer's Synapse app.

The more I learned about analog optical switches, the more I like them, particularly because I can bind a controller trigger to a key for a gradual response. Yes, I know the Tartarus was made for MMORPGs first, but there's more fun to be had. For example, building a profile for Euro Truck Simulator 2 means I can bind the W key to an analog accelerator pedal and press it lightly to creep through low-speed areas. Clever.

Does the Tartarus V2 Pro have any issues?

The meat of my grievances relates more to Razer's Synapse software than to the Tartarus V2 Pro's design, but there are a couple of physical oddities worth noting as a first-time user who only saw photographs of its predecessors with a single key under their thumbstick. For most of my testing, it felt like there was nothing for my thumb to do.

Of course, Razer intends to match its high-end keyboard switches by offering the TMR thumbstick, but that doesn't gel with decades of spacebar-mashing habits that my thumb muscles expect. So, even though I mapped the big, round HyperSpeed button to the spacebar for that very reason, it still doesn't feel quite right during gameplay.

It's the clicky response of that HyperSpeed button — which feels more like the shoulder bumpers of your average Xbox controller — that clashes with the ultra-smooth linear action of the keypad. There's a tactile mismatch, and on top of that, I can't stop the Tartarus V2 Pro from switching off the RGB key lights when I press the HyperSpeed button, no matter what it's bound to.

The rest of my concerns with the V2 Pro are solvable through firmware updates and tweaks in Razer Synapse. Easier fixes would include a patch for a bugged 'switch off lighting' timeout function that leaves the keypad illuminated as long as I'm using my PC, because it still detects my primary keyboard in use. Unruly backlighting should be an easy thing to fix.

Most egregious of all, and one I hope Razer fixes as quickly as possible, is that I can't realign the inputs for the TMR thumbstick. Right now, if I stretch my thumb toward my monitor to mean 'forward,' the Tartarus V2 Pro thinks I'm moving right, so I have to move it literally, vertically upward to gesture 'forward.' It's bizarre, and something Valve's Steam Input can already solve.

Similarly, the thumbstick is strangely mapped to a controller's right stick by default. Since the Tartarus is built so purposefully around the left hand, traditionally reserved for in-game movement, it feels like a similarly odd decision. I found little use for the thumbstick unless a game offered a 'southpaw' option to switch the left and right sticks. Razer is working on it.

Is the Tartarus V2 Pro good for accessible gaming?

It wouldn't surprise anyone to hear that this alien-looking keypad, polling at 8KHz with custom-designed switches, was built first for hardcore PC gamers. However, the benefits of Razer's esports-centric tech, like Rapid Trigger and Snap Flex, coincidentally appeal to those with accessibility needs, including my wife and her overextendable joints.

She's a newfound World of Warcraft fan who mostly relied on the Xbox Adaptive Joystick for over a year, until Blizzard started improving controller support for WoW. That hasn't stopped her from eyeing up the Tartarus over the years, and after testing how adjustable the smooth analog optical switches are on the V2 Pro, I'm certain she'll find it comfortable.

On top of that, Rapid Trigger means she doesn't have to lift her finger entirely off a key in order to activate it again, and can reset an input with the slightest upward movement. Pair that with Snap Flex to bind commands at the point of a key release, and she'll barely have to move her hand at all. Snap Tap is useful, too, but mostly for me and my love/hate relationship with Counter-Strike 2.

Should you buy the Tartarus V2 Pro?

You should buy this if ...

✅ You play MMORPGs/MOBAs like World of Warcraft/League of Legends

✅ You want a combination joypad/keyboard gaming solution

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You already own a previous model of the Tartarus

My interpretation of the Tartarus V2 Pro is that it's almost immaculate, dulled only slightly by software-centric gripes that can be fixed with app patches, along with relatively small design changes that make me compare it so closely to its predecessors. If you're into games with a huge number of abilities and the rotation orders around them, you'll likely love it.

At launch, I'm puzzled by Razer's choice to make the TMR thumbstick default to acting as a right-side thumbstick for looking around in games, and its insistence on pointing the stick up to the sky to move forward is equally strange. Again, both should be solved with Synapse software updates, and by then I'd be more tempted to incorporate the otherwise excellent thumbstick into my own flow.

Ultimately, the analog optical switches powering the 27 keys are legitimately brilliant, and probably the first time I've genuinely cared about adjustable actuation in a keyboard. Basing it around a command center for your left hand makes the whole prospect far more appealing, though you might miss the lone key that used to sit below your thumb. Still, plenty of other keys remain.

Stepping into Ubisoft Montreal felt like wandering into a building of my past dreams. A place so storied, I half-expected the walls to hum with echoes of digital legends. Imposter syndrome clung to me like a cosmetic skin. Many of us have our own hallowed studios, the ones whose games have marked the calendar years of our lives, sometimes for decades.

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Ubisoft Montreal is that studio for me. Ever since I was 13 and played the first Splinter Cell game, the studio has gone on to make all the Tom Clancy Rainbow Six games, all the original Assassin’s Creed games (including Origins and Valhalla), and every mainline entry for Far Cry (other than 6).

And that’s merely scratching the surface. Their presence in the gaming world is nothing short of legendary. So when word reached me about March of Giants, the title itself seemed sculpted to honor the towering reputation this studio has built over nearly three decades.

A few years ago, Rainbow Six Siege director Xavier Marquis decided to take on a new challenge. He’d always been fascinated by the MOBA genre and decided the time was right.

Opening a studio under Amazon, Xavier and many veterans of the Siege franchise began work on March of Giants. Emilien Lomet (former Game Designer of Siege), Alexandre Parizeau (Former Managing Director and current Studio Head for March of Giants), and even Laure Guilbert, who was the Product Director for Siege and is now March of Giants.

Needless to say, competition is at the heart and soul of March of Giants.

One thing led to another, and Amazon, which couldn’t keep up with the pace of game development, let the studio go. However, before the studio closed, Ubisoft swooped in, saved the project, and brought people back home to the studio they could yet again call home.

After getting a chance to play March of Giants, I am more than happy Ubisoft did. But one final remark before diving into the game. I’m going to Quentin Tarantino this a bit and leave you with this for a while: “Who the hell is Aaron?”

So, what is March of Giants?

March of Giants blends MOBA and RTS, with the former leading the way. Think League of Legends, then imagine minions you can control and deploy, plus items you can build on the map. The game’s lore draws loosely from the trenches and turmoil of World War I, but with a fantastical twist.

Each side commands colossal giants, titans who loom above the battlefield as myths come to life. There are no strict historical allegiances here, no “Germany versus Europe.” Instead, the sides are purely invented, a stage for the gameplay to take its curtain call. March of Giants both adds to and takes away from the standard MOBA formula in ways I absolutely love.

RTS Elements in my MOBA? Taking on other MOBAs

When I spoke with Emilien Lomet, Senior Game Designer, I asked how they felt about taking on the Giants in the space, like League of Legends, Smite, and Dota. Did they believe they had enough to take some away and make them fans of March of Giants instead?

“We're very excited about the game. We have a team that loves multiplayer online competitive experiences. A lot of people that were on Siege and the Siege team drew inspiration from some MOBA mechanics when they built Siege as well. Xavi is a big fan of MOBAs and RTSs.”

Siege is one of the more complicated games in the industry in terms of mechanics. With a total of 77 operators, all using different weapons, gadgets, and their own unique abilities, it’s not a wild comparison to make at all!

Emelien continued, “We love MOBAs, and we want to bring innovation to the space. I'd say there are three main things that we feel are very distinctive. The number one is the soldier system. You have thousands of soldiers on the battlefield. You, as a giant, can get close to soldiers. They'll rally around you.”

Minions are the soldiers on the battlefield. Militia, tanks, and even cavalry. Your standard-issue riflemen make their way down lanes like in any MOBA, as do the tanks, but any soldiers under your influence can be commanded to charge toward and around units.

Players can send them after foes to tangle them up, or head off another player's set of soldiers. When coming toward turrets, the player even gains speed when making their way alongside their own men.

Even more beautiful is the ability to recall or divert your units. Send them around a barrier or wall, and you can redirect them toward another player or unit to take out.

You can even pick up resources like gold and supply crates, which grant players the necessary resources to deploy troops manually, or even better, build Battleworks.

Emilien added, “The other one we have is what we call Battleworks. We have a set of army reinforcement commands that you can use, and those are sort of light RTS elements. They allow you to modify the map or the battlefield. One of them is calling soldier reinforcement, one where you can build trenches to protect your soldiers and defend against other waves of soldiers. We have cannons that help you against units and soldiers, etc.”

Battleworks are March of Giants’ answer to the classic RTS building. Streamlined, yet brimming with tactical possibility. Forget the granular micromanagement of farms and villages; here, players carve trenches for their troops, drop Anti-Giant cannons like thunderbolts, and send cavalry charges booming across the map.

Battleworks also lets you manually call in soldiers or tanks to take Bastions. Basically, they’re freaking sweet, and somehow feel right at home in a MOBA.

“Then the third one, I think, is sort of like our universe. We have a sort of military fantasy universe that's inspired by the technology from, like, World War I a little bit, but with a bunch of stuff thrown in, a little bit of steampunk fantasy stuff in there. And I feel like that also gives our game a very distinct feel and aesthetic.”

I couldn’t agree more. Among March of Giants’ many charms, its aesthetic stands out. A visual identity that’s crisp and unmistakable, yet invitingly familiar. It sidesteps the uncanny valley of other live-service games, striking a balance between originality and comfort.

You get to play soon!

When asked about the possibility of expanding Battleworks, Lead Producer Alexandre Parizeau said these things start and end with player feedback, which players will have the opportunity to give in just a few days.

Alexandre started, “So it's a live game. We have a ton of ideas that we want to build and grow. Starting with our playtest, we have our 16 playable giants. We have the battleworks. We have our Warshell progression system. All those things and everything around it are things that we hope to be able to grow and scale with player feedback.”

“That's also why we're starting this sort of release plan with a Pioneer play test to get feedback and see what people use and like. And so we can observe that as well and sort of shape the game with player feedback and determine what needs to scale over time based on that.”

Starting on October 7, players will have their own chance to try out March of Giants during their Pioneer playtest. We will have — and I say 'we' because I’ll be playing too — until October 18, when the playtest ends.

What else separates March of Giants from other MOBA titles? Everything else is Lasifaire: standard equipment layouts, great abilities, and an Ultimate ability. But there’s one thing missing that I actually prefer: there’s no core!

That’s right, there’s no main core for the players to take out. Instead, the first team to destroy two Bastions is the winner, meaning most matches take just that much less time than other MOBAs. To top it off, rather than the standard 5v5 format, March of Giants is 4v4! This makes for smaller, tighter matches and shorter queue times!

Quick-fire matches and inventive spins on a beloved formula. This game was pure, unfiltered fun. Every round felt like a new chapter in a book I couldn’t put down.

Why was I having so much fun?

New MOBAs are rare, and most of the ones that show up feel like reskins. Deadlock, a hybrid shooter, is one of the few recent exceptions that stuck. Everyone else stays with League of Legends, Dota 2, and Smite 2.

Novelty is its own thrill, but March of Giants lingered after the screens went dark. Few playtests have left me with that itch: one more match, one more shot at glory. Every round I wanted to try someone new, and I was afraid I’d find a giant more fun than the one I was trying to master.

Near the end of our time, I thought back to Laure Guilbert, marketing director for MoG. At the close of every interview, I asked if there was one thing they wanted said about the game. Her answer matched the room.

“So we had some content creators with us the night before you came, and a bunch of them asked us to play our game until midnight. And it turned into a little LAN party in our studio. I got home at 1 a.m., and here I am this morning! And it felt like the second paycheck at the end of the day. It was absolutely incredible. And I think that's been the highlight of the three years I've been working on this project. It's like they just wanted to keep playing.”

“They wanted one more game. They played against the devs! We have yet to be defeated. And it was an amazing experience. And that's a testament to the hard work of this entire dev team, the vision of this project, the love and care. It's a game that I think is made by tremendous talent and that by far was the most incredible thing I've experienced in the last three years of games.”

“It felt like the old days of, like, you're sitting, you're ordering pizza, and you're doing a LAN party together, and you're just all playing together. Shout out to everybody that believes in our game.”

As someone in their 30s, I can’t tell you how much I miss those nights. Staying up until the crack of dawn with 16-year-old buddies, sweating over Call of Duty and Halo, slamming Monster.

The only thing that used to ruin those nights was cheaters. I have good news on that front, and it deserves its own piece right after this one. With the technology cheaters have today, they should be nonexistent here. Which leaves the other question I walked in with, and the match that answered it. Who the hell is Aaron?

Find out with the story of my more personalized final match, coming tomorrow.

March of Giants Pioneer playtest launches on October 7, 2026, and runs until October 18. The game will be available exclusively on Steam.

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Microsoft will hold a Windows and Surface event on October 7, 2026. We've known about the event for weeks, but Microsoft has now shared details about how to watch it live.

Microsoft posted a YouTube event titled "Something new is coming from Windows | October 7" recently. That means you can click the "Notify me" button to get pinged when the event starts.

The Surface Laptop Ultra and the NVIDIA RTX Spark are expected to be the focus of the event. The Surface RTX Spark Dev Box may also make an appearance.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Surface Chief Pavan Davuluri, and NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang will all be in attendance.

Microsoft has been tight-lipped about the event. We weren't even sure if it would be live-streamed until recently. The description of the live stream is similarly scarce on details:

"Join us live October 7th at 10:00 am PT for a look at what's next from Windows, Surface, and NVIDIA. See the latest, including RTX Spark and new experiences designed to unlock more possibilities for developers and builders."

Microsoft already announced the Surface Laptop Ultra and discussed RTX Spark, so seeing those on stage would hardly be shocking. Windows 11 just received an update, so there are few surprises about what's shipping to PCs this year. But Microsoft's description talks about "what's next," so the tech giant could tease future updates or discuss changes to how it makes its flagship software or hardware.

Based on our recent poll, Windows Central readers are excited about the Surface Laptop Ultra. So even if the device has already been announced, many people will appreciate details about the laptop.

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Microsoft's official X account was compromised this week in what appears to have been an attempt to promote a cryptocurrency token. The account followed another account and reposted a message asking how many likes would be needed to bring back Clippy.

An emphatic request to bring back Clippy is nothing new on social media, but the post by the since-suspended @clippymsftcto account was not a genuine plea to bring back the iconic assistant.

Normally, a story involving Clippy is lighthearted. Microsoft has playfully referenced the mascot over the years. Sadly, that's not the case here. On top of Microsoft being hacked, which is an issue in itself, the hack was apparently used to promote cryptocurrency.

Microsoft has since deleted its post on the situation, but the company apologized for the post about bringing Clippy back and emphasized that it does not endorse cryptocurrency. The Verge captured a screenshot of the post before it was removed.

The deleted post concludes with a somewhat ironic piece of advice to "rely only on Microsoft's official channels for information regarding our brands, products, securities, and intellectual properties."

Microsoft has deleted its post about the situation, but the tech giant confirmed that its account had been compromised. "We have confirmed unauthorized access to our account on X including posts that did not come from Microsoft," said a Microsoft spokesperson to The Verge. "The account has been secured and the unauthorized posts have been removed, and we are continuing to investigate the circumstances."

Microsoft should bring back Clippy

Obviously a hack done to promote a cryptocurrency scam is an issue. Microsoft's first priority should be to secure its accounts. Somewhere down the line, the company's leaders should ask if bringing back Clippy is a good idea.

Clippy has an interesting history, but people's views about the assistant have trended positively over the years. The favorable view of Clippy is likely due to a combination of irony and nostalgia, but people often are excited to see official mentions of the paperclip.

Microsoft's public perception has taken a hit, and having a bit of fun with Clippy could lighten the mood. Imagine Microsoft teasing major news about Windows on stage at its event next month and then revealing Clippy Copilot.

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2025 saw the long-awaited return of official NASCAR video games, after years in the wilderness that came after some lacklustre efforts under a previous publisher.

NASCAR's video game is now handled by iRacing, a team that knows how to do things right. It's not a simple rip of the NASCAR aspect of the iRacing sim; it's a tailored, dedicated experience, built to be enjoyable on console and PC, and importantly, with a controller.

NASCAR 26 is the second attempt by iRacing, and as you would certainly hope, it's an improvement. The core remains, but with some new features that make the package that bit better.

The short version is that I wish all console racing games had what makes NASCAR 26 good. It combines the licensing with a healthy dose of NASCAR razzle-dazzle, real-world personalities, and the incredible iRacing tech underneath that gives it its realistic feel.

Even if you're not a particularly big NASCAR fan but you like good racing games, you should definitely give this one a try.

This review was produced using a copy of NASCAR 26 Gold Edition on Xbox Series X provided by iRacing. Nobody from the company had any input in nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.

NASCAR 26 looks as spectacular as the real thing

I am a big NASCAR fan. Watching it live from the UK takes serious commitment, but through hell or high water, I'm there (almost) every weekend in the small hours.

As much fun as I've had in past NASCAR games and on iRacing, it takes a complete package like NASCAR 26 to bring everything together. And it starts with the presentation.

For starters, you've got real-world NASCAR personalities playing a part in the game. When you fire up your first career mode season, you've got Dale Jr. securing you a contract. Former crew chief turned broadcaster Steve Letarte makes plenty of appearances, Jamie McMurray will help you learn the ropes, and TJ Majors is in your ear as the all-important spotter.

That real-world crossover applies to the cars and their drivers and all the circuits you'll visit behind the wheel. I've only one point of comparison I can make myself, that being Charlotte Motor Speedway, but that looks just as spectacular in-game.

NASCAR 26 does such a good job at capturing the atmosphere of the race tracks, as well as how good the cars look (until they inevitably get banged up).

Part of this is the new dynamic lighting, which for night races especially really does make it feel like you're racing at night. Not some kind of fake interpretation of night.

The NASCAR 26 career mode doesn't have any surprises, but it's thorough

I don't want to dwell too much on the career mode, because for the most part if you played NASCAR 25, it'll feel very familiar.

The trajectory is predictable; you start at the bottom and make your way up to the NASCAR Cup Series in hopes of winning the big prize. As in NASCAR 25, and a change from some older games, the ARCA series is where you begin, not on dirt.

You're responsible for performing well on the track, earning reputation, and getting points that will help your team's workshop keep ticking over. Prize money is important, too, as without it you can't hire better staff. It's straightforward enough. Build a better team, become a better driver, hire better people, and get more lucrative sponsorships.

If you prefer a shorter experience, you can jump into The Chase, a mode that mimics the returning format for the final 10 races of the real-world season. Even running short races and doing a complete career mode (and then enough seasons to unlock the achievements if you're going after that new Mythic unlock) will take a serious investment of time.

NASCAR 26 feels like a 'lite' sim racer you can actually play with a controller

Beyond just trust in iRacing to look after the NASCAR brand, the reason I was always most excited for the new games was the tech that would be underneath.

iRacing employs actual race engineers. It laser scans tracks. While NASCAR 26, as with its predecessor, isn't a simple copy and paste of the PC sim, I genuinely think that it has the best physics of any console racer. Compared to, say, Forza Motorsport, it just feels so good.

Cars behave how you'd expect them to behave. They bounce around and wobble at speed. When you leave pit road on cold tires, the rear will just snap around on you if you try and accelerate too quickly. Changes you make to the setup feel meaningful. If you dial in some changes because you're too tight, you'll feel it. You'll also feel it if you go too far in the wrong direction.

Drafting is essential at Daytona, Talladega, and Atlanta. As in the real thing, if you lose the draft, you're going nowhere. And on other ovals, you're rewarded for finding your own fastest line. Road courses are a riot, too, because a NASCAR racer is big and heavy, and it doesn't like turning on a dime. I can fly around Watkins Glen in other games, but in NASCAR 26, it suddenly feels challenging.

New for this year, too, is the fact that tracks will change. Through the course of a race, rubber will lay down on the surface, and just as in reality, that affects where you can go and how fast you can go when you're there. It's not just a visual change designed to make it look more realistic. Combined with tire degradation and fuel consumption, it provides a realistic experience, but the track changes still feel very subtle.

The AI drivers are also, mostly, some of the best I've come across in a track racing game. There are moments when it just descends into chaos, and sometimes the back of the pack behaves irregularly as you come to lap them. But when you're up front battling, it feels like you're actually battling.

Beating and banging is fair game; there's no iRacing-esque safety rating to worry about, but I'm amazed at how easy it is to actually race properly against the AI drivers and how much of a challenge it can be to get round them. In the old days of NASCAR Heat, you could pretty much just weave in and out and go from the back to the front in any race. You can't do that here.

I've had so much fun chasing down the AI drivers, having to experiment with different lines, sometimes even just fully sending it, and hoping I get clear. You're able to tweak the AI strength quite substantially, too, so as you get better, you can make the challenge harder.

All of this is perfectly achievable using a controller, too. The best experience will always be with a wheel, but NASCAR 26 doesn't feel overly twitchy or fake when using a controller, and the settings in the game allow you to customize your inputs to get it feeling just right for you.

The spotter also deserves highlighting. It's pretty good, which is useful because if you're driving in cockpit view, it is essential. Calls are clear and informative, and most of all, accurate. If he says you're three wide, you can believe it. If he calls a car inside but you can't see any hint of it, oh, it's there.

Other quick hits

• You have full crossplay in NASCAR 26. You can choose to just be console-only, full crossplay, or turn it off and only play on the same platform.
• Multiplayer is a mixed bag, but that's not necessarily the fault of the game. People race like clowns, and you're just going to have to deal with that. It would be nice to have online series and leaderboards to play as well.
• While the level of customization for your setup and your input devices is welcome, it can also be overwhelming.
• The career mode may be extensive, but outside of it there's not a whole lot to do if you're not a multiplayer fan. You can run endless quick races, but over time it gets repetitive. I'd like to see future incarnations of the NASCAR game think a little outside the box, perhaps with regular special challenges. I'm not suggesting full live service, but something fresh on a regular basis to keep us engaged.

NASCAR 26 is an iteration, but a good one, and a strong racer

I don't think any of us expected anything drastically different, and NASCAR 26 is a definite iteration. But it does make some meaningful improvements that are small in their own right but add up to a better overall package.

But the core experience is still one of the best track racers out there, whether you're a NASCAR fan or not. Cars feel alive and fun to drive, and when the AI works, it produces some of the most fun racing you can get.

I'd like to see more non-career mode content, and honestly, I'd like to see future games drop earlier in a season. We're a handful of races out from the 2026 NASCAR season ending, having spent most of it on last year's game with last year's cars.

Open-world racers like Forza Horizon 6 get most of the attention these days, but iRacing continues to prove that when done right, there's still room for good track action. NASCAR 26 is one of the best out there right now, and it certainly bodes well for next year's Indycar game.

NASCAR 26 launched on Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC via Steam on September 18, 2026.

One of my favorite things about the Xbox ecosystem has historically also been one of its most frustrating. Why? Primarily due to a "lack" of adoption.

Xbox Play Anywhere is by far and away my favorite thing about being an Xbox owner. As a heavy (figuratively and literally) Xbox gamer with hundreds upon hundreds of owned games, I'm always excited to see when one of my games supports Xbox Play Anywhere — a feature that allows me to take my game to Xbox Cloud Gaming or Windows PCs or gaming handhelds on the same license, with the same save file.

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However, in years past, adoption was pretty anemic. Xbox's first-party titles (mostly) came to the service, but third-party games generally turned their nose up at it. What's worse, the idea of older games getting support was almost unheard of. That changed in a big way in 2026.

Games both old and new are getting Xbox Play Anywhere support out of the blue

I will remember 2026 as the year Xbox Play Anywhere really saw a watershed moment.

Previously, it felt like AAA developers simply didn't care or want to work with Xbox Play Anywhere. I wrote an opinion piece complaining about Xbox Play Anywhere adoption back in January, but almost a year later, things have done an almost total 180.

Before, it felt like to expect Xbox Play Anywhere, Microsoft had to drop an Xbox Game Pass deal on the game in order to acquire the rights and convince the developers to play nice. But this year, we've seen a steady cadence of games both large and small hitting Xbox Play Anywhere without any form of Game Pass integration.

Yes, many AAA games still aren't arriving as part of Xbox Play Anywhere (notably ones from the "bigger" publishers like EA and Ubisoft), but it seems even they are coming around to the idea. A few weeks ago, Ubisoft began offering some of its games on Xbox PC "for free" if you own the Xbox console version, making them Xbox Play Anywhere in all but name. Now if we could just get Star Wars Zero Company too ... if you're listening, EA.

Other publishers have been sporadic. Capcom brought Onimusha: Way of the Sword to Xbox Play Anywhere, but not Resident Evil 9 or Pragmata, for example. Others have been fully on board, with Square-Enix pledging virtually every new release, including re-releases like the upcoming Kingdom Hearts remasters and Final Fantasy Resonance.

Indeed, one of the bigger issues with Xbox Play Anywhere revolves around gaps in the overall content line-up. It reminded me a bit of the Windows Phone app gap ... wherein developers didn't see enough users to justify the port, and users didn't see enough content to justify using the store. But somehow, Xbox seems to have overcome this issue with Xbox Play Anywhere.

Witcher 3 recently got retroactively updated with Xbox Play Anywhere support, for example. Today, Metro 2033 and Last Light were announced with HD refreshes, complete with Xbox Play Anywhere support. Baldur's Gate 3 too, also grabbed Xbox Play Anywhere support, with Larian remarking that it's just "a cool part of the ecosystem." Even some of the more obscure games like Tainted Grail: Fall of Avalon, a game I was secretly hoping would grab Xbox Play Anywhere, just randomly got certified today. I also had no idea other viral indie hits like TCG Card Shop Simulator were Xbox Play Anywhere until I checked what was available today.

What's going on here?!

There's been a huge, generalized sprint of solid Xbox Play Anywhere support recently. Blood of Dawnwalker, Control Resonant, Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, Aliens Fireteam Elite 2, Beast of Reincarnation, Dispatch, 007: First Light, Subnautica 2, Vampire Crawlers, RuneScape: Dragonwilds, Replaced, Monster Hunter Stories 3, Deep Dish Dungeon, Clive Barker's Hellraiser Revival, Demeo x Dungeons & Dragons, and many more — have all hit the service in recent months, or will in the near future.

There are tons more as well, on top of first-party titles which are all but guaranteed to hit Xbox Play Anywhere by default. Crucially, all of the games play incredibly well natively on Xbox Ally X, optimized for handhelds out of the box in most cases.

Microsoft hasn't been shy about its intentions to improve the Xbox back-end systems to facilitate these kinds of features. But I'm curious what is driving this increased adoption of late ... could it be the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X effect? Is it simply a no-brainer if you're also moving copies via Xbox Cloud Gaming? Is the Xbox PC store seeing more rapid adoption than people think?

Whatever the cause is, as an Xbox Ally X gamer, I'm loving it.

Now if you don't mind, I'm going to rock up with some more Deep Dish Dungeon for a bit while the WoW: Forever servers are in maintenance ...

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Gears of War: E-Day has finally launched on Xbox Series X|S and PC via early access for players who pre-ordered the Premium Edition.

While the rest of the world waits for its public release on October 6, 2026, players can look up whether Gears of War: E-Day is up their alley by checking the mountain of critic reviews now available online.

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Sure enough, critics are absolutely adoring this epic prequel to the iconic Gears of War series, as it's scoring high ratings of 88 on Metacritic and 87 on OpenCritic.

Here's what some of the top reviews had to say about this new entry in Xbox's flagship shooter franchise.

Note that all these reviews only cover the single-player campaign, as the multiplayer modes were unavailable to test during the review period.

Gears of War: E-Day Reviews

• IGN (9/10): "E-Day pulls off the tightrope act of giving us a heartfelt prequel with strong characters even when we know how it ends. On a more mechanical level, it also evolves the enemies, weapons, and combat you’d expect to deliver a Gears of War campaign that stands toe-to-toe with any of the others."
• GameSpot (7/10): "For better or worse, E-Day is distinctly Gears, and I had a good time with it, even if the story is disappointing and the open areas are fairly dull. But that’s all it is: a good game, propped up by combat that hasn’t changed all that much over the past 20 years. That’s enough to skate by, but I wish Gears of War would dig deeper."
• VGC (4/5): "Gears of War E-Day's campaign offers balls-to-the-wall action and rarely lets up, but that means the story takes more of a back seat than I'd like. It's good that time is given to the backstories of new protagonists Mags and Lucas, but given that the game is literally the playable Marcus and Dom backstory fans have been waiting decades to see, more time could have been spent on their relationship. In terms of pure gunplay, however, very little beats it this year."
• GamingBolt (9/10): "It stumbles sometimes with its story, but thanks to new and improved movement mechanics, Gears of War: E-Day ends up delivering some of the tightest combat and one of the series’ most excellently paced campaigns in a long, long time."
• Voxel (90/100): "Gears of War: E-Day hits the mark by getting the basics right: embracing its identity as a Gears of War game and elevating the strengths inherent to the series. The game doesn't revolutionize the genre, but it delivers a fun gameplay experience featuring a cinematic narrative and local multiplayer support."

Gears of War: E-Day returns to the series' roots while having some odd, out-of-place open-world elements.

Overall, it seems the general sentiment around Gears of War: E-Day is that it doesn't try to reinvent the wheel, but returns to the series' roots with a solid, harrowing war story while refining the core gameplay loop that made Gears of War the household name it is today to great effect.

However, our own Jez Corden was more critical in his review-in-progress article on Gears of War: E-Day. While Jez praised the game's gorgeous visuals, stunning performance, and solid gunplay, he felt like let down by the game's poorly designed open-world-lite elements that break the game's pacing and uninteresting, damage-spongy boss fights.

The real make-or-break point for Gears of War: E-Day, to me, will be its PvP Versus Modes and its much-anticipated PvE Horde Siege mode, where you will be pitted against dozens of Locust enemies and boss monsters at once with 12 players.

If The Coalition can nail the gameplay of its multiplayer modes and its post-launch content, people will be sticking around for Gears of War: E-Day long after they beat the campaign. I know I'll be playing Gears of War: E-Day's Horde Siege mode over Grand Theft Auto 6 any day.

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Last month, Windows Central exclusively covered a Signal65 report that showed Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme outperforming Intel and AMD in a premium laptop showdown.

Now, a new follow-up study by Signal65 just published suggests the more important story may involve the version most people are likely to buy (Qualcomm’s Extreme chip is basically in one laptop, albeit an awesome one).

The independent testing firm's latest research examined the standard 18-core Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-88-100 in Lenovo's Slim 7x, comparing it against Intel's Core Ultra X7 358H inside Dell's banger XPS 14 and AMD's Ryzen AI 7 445 in Lenovo's Yoga 7a 14.

This time, the focus shifted from large 16-inch flagship laptops to the increasingly important premium 14-inch category, where thermal constraints, battery life, and efficiency matter just as much as peak performance.

Luckily for Qualcomm, which commissioned the study, the results largely mirror the earlier Extreme-chip study. Qualcomm's platform led in CPU performance, AI workloads, productivity, and most battery-focused tests while also coming in significantly below the price of the Intel system evaluated.

However, that does not mean Qualcomm won everything. Intel continues to hold meaningful advantages in graphics performance (exemplified to perfection in MSI’s latest handheld gaming PC), and the XPS 14 remains one of the most premium Windows laptops available today. Still, the latest findings strengthen the argument that Snapdragon's lead is no longer limited to a halo product, nor a quirk of its Extreme chip.

Let's dive into the numbers, and then break down what it really means, as there is some nuance here.

Strong CPU results, even without the flagship chip

In Geekbench 7, the Snapdragon-powered Lenovo Slim 7x posted a multi-core score of 24,016, compared to 18,360 for the Intel-powered XPS 14. Single-core performance also favored Qualcomm, with a score of 3,237 against Intel's 2,602.

According to Signal65, that translates into leads of 31% and 24%, respectively, favoring Qualcomm.

Those numbers are especially notable because they are not solely the result of having more CPU cores. While Qualcomm's 18-core design certainly helps in heavily threaded workloads, the single-core advantage points to meaningful architectural gains from the second-generation Oryon design as well.

The company also maintained substantial leads in Cinebench 2026 rendering tests and across Microsoft's Office applications as measured by UL Procyon. In the productivity benchmark, Snapdragon led Intel by 10% in Best Performance mode and retained a smaller advantage in the default Balanced profile.

For buyers who spend most of their day in Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Edge, and Teams, those productivity-oriented results may matter more than synthetic benchmark scores.

Qualcomm's AI advantage continues

AI remains one of Qualcomm's strongest categories.

In UL Procyon AI Computer Vision, the Snapdragon system scored 4,360 compared to Intel's 2,302. Even in the newer AI CV 2.0 WinML benchmark, which routes through Microsoft's Windows ML framework rather than a vendor-specific path, Qualcomm maintained a lead of roughly 31% over Intel.

That distinction is important because it better reflects the way many Windows AI experiences are expected to work going forward. Basically, a benchmark that favors proprietary software optimizations is useful, but a benchmark that preserves the advantage through a common Windows layer is arguably more relevant.

Battery performance remains a major story

One of the headline findings from the earlier Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme study was that Qualcomm gave up remarkably little performance when running unplugged. Qualcomm has been touting this advantage since the first gen of Snapdragon X.

The trend continues here.

Across six benchmarks, the Snapdragon system retained an average of 97% of its plugged-in Balanced-mode performance. Intel retained 95%, while the AMD system retained 74%. According to Signal65, the Snapdragon-powered laptop led every CPU, productivity, and AI benchmark tested on battery.

Critically, we must remember that OEMs, especially on Intel and AMD systems, have leverage on AC/DC performance choices, meaning a company like Lenovo could have its AMD system perform worse on battery ... in order to get better battery life. Companies do this to find what they think is a balance for their intended customer, even if the explanation is opaque.

I wrote about this AMD-throttling issue back in 2021, because I found it frustrating, deceptive, and disappointing. Not much has changed in 2026, apparently.

The battery life data was also favorable for Qualcomm, particularly because the three laptops used nearly identical battery capacities.

The Slim 7x (Qualcomm) lasted 16.1 hours in local video playback compared to 14.4 hours for the XPS 14 (Intel). In a Chrome browsing rundown, the Snapdragon laptop reached 11.2 hours versus 8.6 hours for Intel's machine.

There was one significant exception. Intel won the sustained Procyon Office battery test, posting 17.4 hours compared to Qualcomm's 14.3 hours. Signal65 argues that Snapdragon completed more work during that test, making the outcome more nuanced than a simple battery-life loss, but the result remains one of Intel's clearest victories in the report.

The XPS 14 deserves context

This is where I think the conversation becomes more interesting than benchmark charts.

The Snapdragon machine tested was a $1,999 Lenovo Slim 7x. The Intel competitor was a $2,749 Dell XPS 14. That $750 difference looms over nearly every chart in the report.

At the same time, it is difficult to discuss the XPS 14 purely as a processor comparison.

Dell's laptop is widely regarded as one of the most premium Windows notebooks on the market, with exceptional build quality, materials, industrial design, and one of the best displays available in the category. The Signal65 report acknowledges that these are comparisons of complete retail systems rather than isolated silicon measurements.

That matters because buyers are not choosing between just processors. They are choosing between laptops, aka the full package.

The display difference is particularly worth mentioning. Signal65 did not evaluate screen quality, but Dell's OLED-equipped XPS 14 has generally been considered one of the standout displays in the Windows ecosystem. Some buyers may reasonably decide that premium construction, display quality, and graphics performance justify paying more.

Others may look at a $750 premium and conclude that Intel's advantages are simply not large enough, which is fair, too. After all, we reviewed the Yoga Slim 7x back in May and gave it very high marks.

It's also worth pointing out that Dell's display is a VRR 120Hz at 2880 x 1800, while the Slim 7x is just 1920 x 1200 at 60Hz (both are OLED). Anyone worth their salt in comparing laptops and battery life knows the display is, by far, the number one draw on power, so while I do believe Qualcomm's chip here is better, a pinch of salt is needed for battery life results.

Intel still has a meaningful win: GPU

The strongest argument for Intel remains graphics, something the company has been working very hard at in recent years.

In 3DMark Steel Nomad Light, Intel's Arc B390 outperformed Qualcomm's Adreno X2-90 GPU by roughly 23% in both DirectX 12 and Vulkan testing. That's the same GPU powering the beastly MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ gaming handheld, which crushes AMD in the same space.

For users who prioritize integrated graphics performance, gaming, or creative workloads that benefit from stronger GPU hardware, Intel still has a compelling case.

That advantage becomes harder to defend when price enters the discussion, which is why Signal65 ultimately concludes that Snapdragon delivers better performance per dollar across the tested systems. According to the study, Qualcomm's laptop delivered roughly 2.15 times Intel's value when normalized across selected CPU, rendering, and AI benchmarks.

Final thoughts

As with the previous report, this study was commissioned by Qualcomm, a fact readers should keep in mind. Signal65 remains an independent testing organization, but commissioned research naturally benefits from additional scrutiny.

Even with that caveat, the broader pattern is becoming difficult to ignore. I also trust the results.

The earlier Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme report established that Qualcomm's flagship laptop chip could outperform competing Intel and AMD systems. This latest study suggests those advantages extend well beyond the top, hard-to-find SKU.

That may be the more consequential finding.

Flagship products are important for headlines, but the laptops that shape a market tend to be the mainstream premium systems people actually purchase. If Qualcomm can deliver strong CPU performance, class-leading AI results, competitive battery life, and lower pricing with a standard 18-core Snapdragon X2 Elite, the company has moved beyond proving a point and started building a sustainable competitive position in the Windows laptop market.

From my experience with both systems, I prefer Qualcomm since they usually run cooler and quieter, and my overall Windows 11 experience feels faster and smoother. That said, I have to admit Intel’s Core Ultra 3 series has really closed the gap — they’re genuinely impressive chips.

If anything, the bigger subtext with this story is just how far AMD has fallen out of this space. We recently covered how no modern Surface PCs opt for AMD, and it's not because of "not enough product" as Microsoft claims. It's because Microsoft knows they're not as good as what Intel and Qualcomm offer, full stop.

The bigger takeaway from these results is not that Qualcomm won another benchmark comparison. It's that Qualcomm appears to have successfully scaled its advantages beyond a halo product. Intel now faces a more difficult reality: competing not only against Snapdragon's fastest chip, but against the one that is likely to ship in far more laptops.

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Today's the day: Gears of War: E-Day, the most anticipated Xbox exclusive in years, has launched in early access for players who pre-ordered the Premium Edition of the game. Earlier, Jez Corden called it "gorgeous but undeniably messy" in our review-in-progress, looking forward to future content additions.

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Still, to celebrate this momentous occasion, Gears of War: E-Day's developers, The Coalition, have released an extensive blog post detailing their plans for updating the game's multiplayer content, balance changes, and more.

Here's what you can expect from Gears of War: E-Day's post-launch updates.

Gears of War: E-Day Season 1

First off, The Coalition states that Season 1 of Gears of War: E-Day's multiplayer content, titled Season 1: Emergence, will be running from today all the way up to December 1, 2026.

Season 1 will include all the game's launch maps, games, cosmetics, and three limited-time events called Halloween, 20 Years of Gears, and Thanksgibbing. Each event will last for two weeks and will feature a Versus Event mode, a Horde Siege Event mission, and exclusive, limited-time rewards.

Additionally, Season 1 will include:

• Ranked: Versus Ranked will officially launch one week after launch on October 13, giving players crucial time to get up-to-speed with all our maps, modes and sandbox before jumping into competitive.  
• Weekly Challenges: The weekly challenges Premium Edition owners receive on October 1 are the same challenges all players will receive at launch on October 6, weekly challenges will then refresh on October 13.
• Shop: Shop offers will rotate every Tuesday. Be sure to check every week for free featured gifts.
• Never Fight Alone Charity Bundle: 100% of net revenue of the Never Fight Alone Year 5 bundle, which includes an exclusive skin and weapon skin set, and the Never Fight Alone Legacy set, goes to our partner Crisis Text Line in our mission to prevent suicide.
• Promotional Items: Cosmetic items available exclusively through limited time partnerships will become available in the Barracks for Coins and Iron after the partnership exclusivity term lapses. 
• Gears of War: Reloaded Rewards: To celebrate the release of the original Gears of War 20 years ago, we’re offering exclusive rewards to commemorate players’ engagement with Gears of War: Reloaded. 
• Fire and Fenix Pose: Complete the “Prison Breakout” XBOX Achievement in Gears of War: Reloaded.
• Old Guard Medal & “Locked n’ Reloaded” Title: Complete the “Re-Up” XBOX Achievement in Gears of War: Reloaded.

Gears of War: E-Day Season 2 and beyond

Season 2: Legacy will begin at a later date after Season 1 and will feature content themed around the Gears of War franchise's 20th anniversary. The Coalition has also prepared a birthday gift for players to open on November 7, the day when the original Gears of War launched two decades ago.

Additionally, The Coalition has announced that Season 2 will include a Dead Serious Achievement. Any players who obtain it will be rewarded with exclusive cosmetics like a Medal, a Player Title, a Banner, an Emblem, an Icon, and a Legendary Character skin.

Lastly, Gears of War: E-Day has been confirmed to receive at least five post-launch seasons. The names of future seasons after Season 2 are:

• Season 3: Infiltration
• Season 4: Pendulum
• Season 5: Devotion

Gears of War: E-Day Multiplayer Balance changes

Moving on from seasonal content, The Coalition then lays out its plan for updating Gears of War: E-Day's gameplay based on feedback from the multiplayer betas.

Their first move is to change the Gnasher, Gears of War's iconic shotgun that is regarded as one of the best weapons to use in PvP and PvE content throughout the whole franchise.

The developers noticed that during Gears 2 to 5, firing the Gnasher from the hip has often resulted in some shots missing when they clearly should've hit the target. So, The Coalition has decided to finally fix that by introducing a new hybrid muzzle and camera-oriented shooting mechanic.

This means that when you fire the Gnasher, the game will check both the camera and muzzle shots and apply whichever angle is better suited for the shot, which should (hopefully) result in more accurate hits.

Next up, The Coalition states that iconic gameplay features from past Gears of War titles, like Meat Shields, Chainsaw Duels, select fan-favorite weapons, Private Lobbies, and Leaderboards, are being considered to be added to Gears of War: E-Day in post-launch updates or the next game.

Right now, the developers are focusing on making sure Gears of War: E-Day has the most stable launch experience possible.

Finally, The Coalition has laid out a series of patch notes for Gears of War: E-Day's early access launch, which include bug fixes, balance adjustments, Quality-of-life improvements, and more:

• Tuning:
  • Weapon Tuning: 
    • Adjusted Prototype Lancer damage to a value in-between Beta weekend 1 and 2
    • Reduced Lancer Mk1 damage
    • Reduced Vulcan damage
    • Increased Hammerburst damage 
    • Increased damage of the Gnasher while ADS at range
    • Improved Gnasher hipfire consistency
    • Reduced rate of fire for the Snub
    • Reduced the Gut-Puncher spare ammo amount
  • Movement & Cover Tuning: 
    • Improved strafe movement responsiveness
    • Adjustments to cover enter speed and distance of cover-enter cancel
    • Reduced Cover Slip speed
    • Reduced Slide distance
  • Horde Siege Tuning:
    • Adjustment of brightness and opacity of Energy icons
    • Adjusted the difficulty of Repair objectives 
    • Decreased the health threshold at which a Boomer, Flayer, or Grinder can be executed with a Prototype Lancer
    • Reduced Weapon Part Rewards for participation in invasions
    • Reduced Weapon Part Rewards for Weapon Part Stockpiles
    • Increased the difficulty of all Invasions
    • Increased the difficulty of Commander and Allfather difficulties
    • Adjusted the Medic’s stim duration
    • Increased equipment costs
    • Reduced the impact of some Squad Perks
    • Increased the Energy cost of Squad Perks
  • Versus Tuning: 
    • Reduced the wave respawn time
    • Reduced frequency of trading to feel more fair and consistent
    • Adjusted Scoring in Demolition 
    • Adjusted Scoring in Crucible
• Bug Fixes: 
  • Across PC, XBOX and handhelds, we made numerous improvements to stability, performance and optimization across applicable hardware configurations
  • On PC, we addressed a bug causing graphics settings to reset between launches
  • Made adjustments to prevent macro abuse of semi-automatic weapons
  • On PC, we addressed an issue causing missing VFX on explosions when set to Low quality settings
  • On “Legacy” control settings, fixed an issue causing an inconsistent Sprint release delay
  • On PC, fixed an issue causing additional input delay when playing on mouse and keyboard
  • On PC, fixed an issue causing mouse & keyboard lighting effects to not display properly
  • In Horde Siege, fixed an issue causing Tickers not to be properly flung when kicked
  • In Horde Siege, fixed an issue causing blast charges delivered during the Corpser Invasion Event to not register
  • Fixed an issue allowing players to shoot enemies not in front of their barrel when aiming down sights
  • Fixed an issue causing versus ranked or social players to get stuck at the “Waiting for Other Players” screen
  • Fixed an issue causing destructible assets to ‘stick’ to players
  • Fixed an issue where Marksman UAV visual effect might persist
  • Improved the reliability of starting objectives in Horde Siege
  • Improved the reliability of switching which squadmate you are spectating when cog tagged in Horde Siege
  • Fixed an issue where Tickers were immune to Gorehooks
  • Fixed an issue allowing more than four squad members in Versus
  • Fixed an issue where abandoned turrets could not be interacted with
  • Fixed visual issues with ranking up from Onyx 3
  • Fixed an issue where boss health bars and locators could scale incorrectly
  • Fixed multiple issues where specific enemies may not be able to path at certain objectives
  • Fixed multiple issues that would prevent objectives from completing in Horde Siege
  • Fixed multiple inconsistencies and interaction errors in the Horde Siege lobby and Barracks
  • Fixed multiple scoring inconsistencies and errors
  • Fixed multiple matchmaking errors and timeouts
  • Fixed an issue where Mortar strike vfx could appear without cause
  • Fixed an issue where TDM matches would end too early
• QoL & Feedback: 
  • On all platforms, we added an FOV slider 
  • On all platforms, we improved HDR calibration, made UI paper-white adjustment independent
  • On all platforms, we added the ability to disable Chromatic Aberration
  • On all platforms, we added the ability to disable Film Grain 
  • On PC, Max FPS can be set to 30, 60, 90, 120, 144, 240, or Unlimited 
  • On PC, setting Max FPS to “Unlimited” will not cap your framerate
  • On PC, multi frame generation is now optionally supported
  • On PC, we added a setting to allow players to enable or disable Lamp device support for mouse and keyboard lighting  
  • On XBOX, “The Lucky Ones Died on E-Day” achievement has been removed in order to support the upcoming Mythic Achievements feature. Players will still earn the “I AM A GEAR” Player Title upon completing all other achievements and the achievement remains on Steam
  • In multiplayer, adjusted Player XP to better align the rate of progression across Horde Siege and Versus
  • Made improvement to Backfill AI bot behavior 
• Advanced Shader Delivery (ASD): 
  • On PC, Advanced Shader Delivery (ASD) is a new feature that significantly reduces the time spent compiling shaders across different PC hardware configurations. It benefits Gears of War: E-Day and other supported games across the Xbox PC app
  • For launch, ASD will be supported on AMD hardware, with NVIDIA support coming later in October
  • Playing E-Day outside the Xbox PC app? You may still benefit from ASD if the Xbox PC app is installed on your Windows 11 PC, allowing the required shaders to be pre-installed
• LAUNCH KNOWN ISSUES:
  • Playing through the entire length of the game without reloading checkpoints or restarting may cause memory issues. Please reload a checkpoint if you get blocked at an encounter or objective
  • Performance Overlay in Benchmark mode does not include generated frames, and can report a lower than accurate FPS 
  • Game process may continue to run after closing, can be viewed and shut down from task manager 
  • New clients joining a lobby working through an existing save will receive all prior secondary objective and hardcase progress in the War Journal and all relevant Forge rewards 
  • On PC, offline play is unavailable until October 6

Are you ready for Gears of War: E-Day?

If you're a fan of Gears of War or third-person shooters, then you won't want to miss out on Gears of War: E-Day when it leaves early access and launches for the general public on October 6, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S and PC.

It's turning out to be one of the best games in the series just from the campaign alone, and judging from these long-term plans for its exciting multiplayer modes, Gears of War: E-Day is going to satiate your craving for video game violence for a long time.

Before heading off to buy a copy, I'd recommend upgrading your Xbox Series X's storage to fit Gears of War: E-Day, as the base game's 115GB install requirement is going to take a huge chunk out of it long before its post-launch updates arrive.

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As I write this, I just wrapped up my run-through of Gears of War: E-Day, start to finish. Although, I have yet to experience the full actual game.

For the review build, Gears of War: E-Day's new siege mode is disabled, as is versus multiplayer. It felt odd to me to score a game I haven't fully played yet; as such, this will be a review-in-progress pending the launch state of versus and siege mode, which I presume goes live with the game itself on October 6, 2026.

Gears of War: E-Day is something of an important game for Xbox. It carries the flag for Microsoft's return to exclusive Xbox Series X|S games, and likely has some oversized pressure upon it to deliver. We're not here to review that aspect of the product, though — only what is here sitting in front of me.

And my feelings are a bit mixed.

Gears of War: E-Day has some of the most stunning visuals I've ever seen committed to the medium, with absolutely immaculate lighting treatment, immense and meticulous city detailing, and gorgeous character work. The gunplay is also fantastic, smoothing off some of the series' rough edges with boosted mobility, without sacrificing the Gears feel.

But the overall gameplay structure does the overall game a pretty sizeable disservice in my view, preventing it from reaching its full potential.

Gears of War: E-Day review — Story, Art, and Tech

Gears of War: E-Day takes place over a decade before Gears of War 1, offering us a front-row seat to the brutal and genocidal opening to the Locust's attack on humanity.

The city of Kalona serves as ground zero for that invasion. Kalona is known as a city of science and technological progress, and was instrumental in developing the COG's weapons tech and industrial war economy during the civil war against the UIR. E-Day takes place six weeks after the UIR surrenders, and Dominic Santiago and Marcus Fenix are picking up the pieces and mourning lost friends and family.

The character work on offer in E-Day is absolutely top-shelf. The trauma of loss and the shock of the Locust invasion comes through incredibly well in every single aspect of the game's delivery. The cityscape is immaculately detailed, with interiors fully rendered with a lived-in feel, complemented by some of the best lighting I've ever seen in a video game. Well and truly, Gears of War: E-Day is at the absolute apex of Unreal Engine technological prowess, and the game deserves awards on that basis alone, most likely.

Rendering the city in so much detail really helps serve the story. Gears of War's more recent games take place in a ruined world, where the Locust have effectively already won and decimated humanity and most of its cities. For E-Day, The Coalition had to show a city that was still thriving and populated, and the horrors therein.

From the very first cutscene, The Coalition pulls no punches: this is a horror story, a war story, and a tale of survival and desperation. The COG army is decimated and blindsided, besieged by an unknown threat that they immediately underestimate as monsters without a plan, only to discover later just how smart and organized the Locust actually are.

Civilian NPCs litter the city, sometimes fleeing, sometimes in dismembered puddles on the ground. The reactions from the characters and their development throughout the game really help to elevate that sense of loss and fear — they're not the battle-hardened survivors of the original Gears trilogy. They're young, war-weary from fighting the UIR, and in some cases wholly traumatized already.

I don't want to give too much away about the story, but this very much felt like the first game in a new planned trilogy ... there were aspects of the delivery that suffered as a result. Some plot threads felt designed to be resolved in future games (or DLC?), leaving me wanting somewhat. But the fact that I am eager to learn more about this Emergence Day story arc is probably a plus. It would be far worse if I didn't care, and I find myself caring a lot about the new characters, their struggles, their past lives, and what will ultimately end up happening to them ... given that some clearly aren't present in future installments.

Gears of War: E-Day's setting, visuals, and story delivery represent its best aspects. The game's performance on Xbox Series X is top-tier, with slowdown only occurring during some particularly heavy sequences towards the end. I didn't experience a single crash, and it's great to see a modern game offer split-screen co-op in the modern age as an option.

The new characters are interesting and engaging, and finding out new layers of existing characters is also rewarding as a long-time fan. I think Gears of War: E-Day could've benefitted from leaning more into civilian-oriented side stories potentially ... but as I'm going to explain in the gameplay section, Gears of War: E-Day is let down a fair bit by its gameplay structure all up.

Gears of War: E-Day review — Campaign Gameplay

Let's get the good stuff out of the way first: this is still very much Gears of War. Everything you've loved previously about Gears is still here, and in most cases, elevated to the 11th degree.

E-Day boosts the player character's mobility by a huge amount. Sprint is now more instantaneous and on the left stick like a standard modern shooter. Cover is far more dynamic than it was previously, with the ability to take cover in lower spaces than before, making environments feel more varied and natural. You can now also climb and vault, allowing The Coalition to build on the game's verticality. Given that Kalona is a city-state with large buildings and urban environments, having these features serves the game incredibly well.

The gunplay is also very polished. Chainsaw-ing dudes in half is more rewarding than ever, with almost embarrassingly satisfying sound treatment and chunky gore physics. Watching a severed torso flip onto the floor never gets old.

There's a variety of new weapons which are also instant classics. The Locust have been scavenging the battlefields of the Pendulum wars, adapting old UIR guns with horrifyingly inhumane enhancements. As such, that satisfying M1 Garand "ping" returns from the UIR Markza, repurposed into the axe-hilted Locust Breechshot rifle, for example.

The gunplay lets itself down a bit when it comes to fighting some of the game's bigger enemies, though. Drones, wretches, and some of the earlier enemies are by far the most satisfying to fight, reacting to your bullets and even having destructible armor that makes combat feel more dynamic and modern. I'm not sure why The Coalition didn't extend this gameplay style to some of its bigger enemies, which is where I would argue it'd be far more crucial.

Indeed, in Act 1, Gears of War: E-Day starts so strongly, and I was sitting there wondering if this was going to end up being the best game Xbox ever shipped, but over time, that feeling began to unravel.

Reavers, Brumaks, and other larger enemies barely react at all to gunfire, making them feel like robots or bullet sponges — something Gears 4 was heavily criticized for. You end up just watching the enemy's health bar in some cases for at least some semblance of reactivity, instead of the visuals The Coalition's art team painstakingly worked towards. Towards the end of the game, these types of enemies become more common too, robbing the game of some of its dynamism.

Another irritating aspect of Gears of War: E-Day pertains to its open-but-not-actually-open world design, which to me smacks of rushed or changing game design priorities throughout development.

Kalona is a fully realized 3D city, with a huge variety of urban exterior and interior locations. It's a great canvas that The Coalition can build upon when designing future content, potentially both for Siege and Versus mode. The problem is, it doesn't lend itself particularly well to the campaign mode.

Gears of War: E-Day starts incredibly strongly, with a linear cinematic segment that really sets the tone for the game. Then, it opens up into this odd semi-open world structure that seemed interesting in previews, but in practice, it doesn't really reach further than the glimpses we got over the summer.

There's a map that offers the illusion of large explorable spaces, but in practice, all the segments are very linear. Even the side objectives take place in a structured way, undermining the need or desire to really explore. It felt like The Coalition tried to shoehorn in more reasons to explore by spreading weapon mods and collectibles around, but I just found this aspect of the game to be irritating and pace-breaking.

There's dozens upon dozens of weapon mods to find in the field, but half the time it'll be for weapons you don't really want to use. The game pings you with an annoying pop-up every few seconds saying "hardcase nearby," which just served as a distraction given that the reward was mostly just junk items. Even the collectibles were annoying to find, given that you had to jump through several menus then go manually searching for the item you just found from a huge list. There were more mods to find than there was gameplay canvas upon which to place them ... E-Day really would've benefitted from some kind of vendor system instead here, allowing you to buy mods at your leisure, rather than feeling forced into boring hide-and-seek gameplay every 3 minutes.

These might seem like minor gripes, but given that there's not much else "new" here on offer across the general Gears formula, they stand out a bit like a sore thumb.

It doesn't help that, as a result of the game's structure, you end up revisiting the same locations multiple times as part of the story, which felt anticlimactic and choring, particularly towards the end of the game.

The campaign does have some incredibly epic, cinematic, and deeply emotional moments — don't get me wrong. There are some fantastic sequences spread throughout the game, showcasing Emergence in all of its reptilian, subterranean horror. I just wish they'd doubled up on these moments instead of trying this odd "open" world experiment, which seems ill-conceived and poorly executed, with features that detract rather than elevate the overall experience.

Gears of War: E-Day review — Conclusion (so far)

I thoroughly enjoyed Gears of War: E-Day overall, and am already enjoying my second playthrough on a higher difficulty, but I would be lying if I said the game didn't have large issues — particularly given how easily avoided many of them could've been.

Kalona is an immaculate canvas ripe for telling epic stories. The new, horror-laden tone is absolutely the right direction for Gears of War: E-Day. The existential dread oozes throughout every character delivery, and the city design is among the best the medium has ever seen.

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The gameplay structure placed on top of it becomes the problem, that could've used a lot more iteration and forethought. It felt a bit like E-Day was originally intended to be some form of open-world, but at some point, they retreated, leaving it feeling disjointed. The "open world" exploration aspects are unrewarding and more often than not simply frustrating, and a lot more work could've gone into making boss-level enemies more dynamic and interesting to fight.

If I were to score the game based on the campaign alone, I'd probably give it an 8/10 overall — it's still incredibly fun, and the downsides are frustrating but not game-breaking. In any case, we haven't experienced the full package Gears of War: E-Day represents. We still have Siege and Versus to talk about, and it remains to be seen how fun or even functional those will be at launch. Stay tuned.

Gears of War: E-Day launches October 6, 2026, exclusively on Xbox Series X|S on console with Xbox Play Anywhere for PC, it's also coming to Steam and Xbox Game Pass.

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September 29, 2026, saw the release of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered; to say it was met with a glowing reception would be an understatement.

It broke its lifetime concurrent Steam record with over 119,000 people playing at launch, and critics have been loving the changes the Remastered Edition made to the original game (including our own Jennifer Young giving it a perfect review score of 5/5 stars).

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Unfortunately, while everyone was too excited to replay the classic RPG, trouble was brewing for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered, especially on PC.

Players have started noticing massive technical problems, including game-breaking glitches, DLSS not functioning with Xbox Play Anywhere on PC, not being able to save their game progress, and more.

CD Projekt Red has been made aware of this situation and has just rolled out a quick hotfix for the Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC versions of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered to address some of these issues.

According to CD Projekt Red, this hotfix titled 'Patch 5.00b' has made the following changes:

• Fixed an issue where DLSS was unavailable in the Xbox Play Anywhere version of the game on PC.
• Made various lighting adjustments, including fixing some interiors that appeared too dark.
• Made various other adjustments to ensure parity with the PC version.

Additionally, CD Projekt Red is planning to add a hotfix to address the issue that's preventing people from saving their game files. If you have encountered any glitches or technical issues while playing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered, you can submit them to CD Projekt Red's Technical Support portal, and they'll work to fix them.

Casual reminder to never buy AAA games at launch before hotfixes settle in

Now, I like CD Projekt Red's games, but there's one uncomfortable fact I've come to accept about them: they've repeatedly been riddled with game-breaking bugs and issues at launch.

Cyberpunk 2077's infamous 2020 launch is the one most people remember, but I recall when I first tried The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt back in the 2010s on the Xbox One and got frustrated with non-stop crashes and glitches that wouldn't be addressed until the Hearts of Stone expansion came out.

Thankfully, CD Projekt Red isn't sitting idly by to fix the issues in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered, so we won't have to wait long before this exceptional remaster is playable at its very best, before the Songs of the Past expansion releases in 2027.

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The death of 343 Industries and Halo Studios, whether you view it as the right call or not, has brought an enormous amount of drama with it. We aren't going to dive into that mess today. Instead, I want to highlight something that has been somewhat buried in the noise: a community-driven effort has ported the original Halo: Combat Evolved to a host of devices.

We are talking about your web browser, Android, Linux, and yes, even the PS4 and PS5. All of these ports support full multiplayer and campaign modes. For the PlayStation crowd, you will of course need a jailbroken device, which has become a relatively straightforward process.

Beyond the basic ports, we are seeing other Halo mods emerge, a new Halo 3 port on PC, and new modes for Halo: CE that support up to 128 players. Is this effectively making Halo x Battlefield a reality? Maybe.

Of course, these projects are largely driven by AI-powered tools, or at least most are anyway. With Claude recently releasing Opus 5.5, the barrier to entry for this kind of work has dropped significantly, so make of that what you will.

Regarding Halo, Combat Evolved was also recently decompiled, again thanks to AI, which is also likely why we're seeing a surge in mods for the game.

The scope is genuinely wild. We even have Halo: CE running on a Nintendo 3DS, and unrelated to Halo, there's even a project showcasing Minecraft inside Elden Ring. Yes, that exists, and it is pretty crazy to see.

Personally, I am somewhat indifferent about these things. I find it rather cool that the community is pushing the boundaries of what is possible, but I do worry about the long-term implications of AI being able to transform games to this extent. It raises some interesting questions about what it might mean for multiplayer titles in the future, especially if AI can start reverse engineering games.

With all that said, do let me know your thoughts in the comments. Whether you agree with where I sit on this matter or disagree, both opinions are welcome!

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The long awaited Xbox x IKEA YXSTABY collection has officially hit stores today, so you can either head to your local branch or order the pieces online.

It's part of Xbox's 25th Anniversary celebrations this year (who knew they could do marketing) and is actually an impressive bunch of furniture and accessories combining Scandanavian minimilism and some more of the subtle Xbox branding that would work in most living rooms. I like that the collection doesn't look like it belongs in a teenagers bedroom like many other gaming adjecent furniture collections.

Here's the list of everything you can get and prices.

Everything in the Xbox x IKEA YXSTABY gaming collection

You can grab everything on the US Site later today, and for my UK friends, the collection is available right now.

Seating & Furniture

• YXSTABY Gaming Lounge Chair: $119.99 / £89
• YXSTABY Thumbstick Stool (Green or Black): $49.99 / £35
• YXSTABY Gaming TV Stand on Castors (White or Black): $149.99 / £99
• YXSTABY Gaming Side Table on Castors: $179.99 / £115

Desk Setup & Accessories

• YXSTABY Monitor Stand: $39.99 / £25
• YXSTABY Laptop Support with Storage: $34.99 / £19
• YXSTABY Controller Display Box (White or Black): $29.99 / £15
• YXSTABY D-Pad Cushion: $17.99 / £12
• YXSTABY Stainless Steel D-Pad Platter: $17.99 / £12

For those eyeing the YXSTABY Gaming Lounge Chair, I got to sit in it at Gamescom, and it's ridiculously comfortable despite its minimal look. One in the Xbox business booth saved my legs many a time!

It's an upgraded version of an IKEA chair I've owned before, but Xbox has improved this new iteration by adding handy built-in pockets perfect for stashing your controller or handheld.

The controller display boxes are probably my second favorite thing in the collection and I'm considering a couple for above my desk area to display those controllers that are just too pretty for me to actually use.

Everything is live on IKEA's site and in physical stores now. Are you planning to grab any of the thumbstick stools or storage pieces for your gaming corner?

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Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV, the long-awaited sequel to Warhammer 40,000's beloved real-time strategy series, has released a new trailer to whet players' appetites before its December 3, 2026 release on PC.

This cinematic showcases an epic battle between two playable factions of the game: the superhuman Space Marines and the mechanical, alien horrors known as Necrons.

Space Marines come in a variety of different armies called Chapters, and the one you play as in this game is the Blood Ravens, the mascots of the Dawn of War series.

In this trailer, the Blood Ravens, despite being genetically engineered super soldiers, are getting annihilated by the Necrons' never-ending armies of undying robot monsters and advanced technology.

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Then, when all hope seemed lost, the Blood Ravens get rescued by the Dark Angels, an iconic Space Marine chapter from the tabletop version of Warhammer 40,000, who are heavily themed after medieval knights.

The Dark Angels will be a playable sub-faction of the Space Marine with their unique units, strategies, and heroes separate from the Blood Ravens, including the video game debut of Lion El'Jonson, the Primarch of the Dark Angels.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV continues to march towards its release date

As a longtime fan of Warhammer, I have a special place in my heart for the Blood Ravens Chapter, as they were the first Space Marines I ever met when I played the original Dawn of War back in the early 2000s, so I can't wait to play as them again.

As for the Dark Angels, I will admit I'm not quite as familiar with these guys other than their knightly aesthetics, their obsession with interrogations and paranoia, and being playable in 2016's Space Hulk: Deathwing game.

So it will be interesting getting to know them as I play through the story campaign and see how they get along with the Blood Ravens.

But what about you? Are you excited to play as the Space Marines in Dawn of War IV, or are you planning to play one of the factions like the Orks, Necrons, or Adeptus Mechanicus?

If you have any thoughts on the matter, let us know in the comments section, poll, or on our Reddit page.

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For many years, people have wondered what it would be like if World of Warcraft, one of the most iconic MMORPGs in history, became playable on both PC and home consoles, like its biggest rival, Final Fantasy XIV.

Recently, those pipe dreams may have the potential to come true if the latest rumors surrounding the upcoming World of Warcraft: Forever turn out to be true.

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On September 29, 2026, Reddit user 'Rychillie' discovered that on the website for Brazil's Ministry of Justice, it stated that World of Warcraft: Forever was being classified for use on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, PC, and Mac.

However, another Redditor 'birizinho' in the comments did a quick check on the gov.br listing and discovered that these console classifications had been quickly taken down within a few hours.

Could WoW finally be coming to consoles?

Now, as with any rumor, this should be taken with a huge grain of salt. This is especially apparent considering this console classification list for World of Warcraft: Forever has the PlayStation 3 on it, a console that Sony is trying to kill off by closing down the PS3/PSVita PSN store and discontinuing future physical PlayStation games.

Plus, since World of Warcraft: Forever has only been confirmed for PC, it is 99% likely this was just a typing mistake on the Brazilian Ministry of Justice website's part.

However, there is a very unlikely chance that a console port of World of Warcraft: Forever could become real sometime in the far distant future, as this game features full Xbox controller support.

Personally, even if any version of World of Warcraft came to consoles, I'd stick with playing it on PC with my dedicated MMO mouse and keyboard combo, as that control scheme feels the most natural way for me to play MMORPGs.

I can't imagine how cumbersome it would be to target players and mobs during hardcore raid dungeons and boss fights, especially for healer classes.

But then again, if players are able to clear the hardest Raid content in Final Fantasy XIV (that being Ultimate Raids) using controllers, then I'm guessing the same could be possible for World of Warcraft players using controllers, provided they get enough practice and set up the right keybinds and macros.

Either way, we'll have to wait to see what the future holds after World of Warcraft: Forever releases on November 4, 2026, and if it can survive releasing in the same month as Grand Theft Auto 6.

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Gears of War: E Day arrives today on Xbox and PC if you are lucky enough to have Early Access. To celebrate the launch, 8BitDo has expanded its Xbox partnership accessory line to include this incredibly sexy limited-edition mechanical keyboard and mouse set.

Dripping with rugged Gears visual flair, this red-and-black set will be a must-have for Gears fans jumping into the campaign on PC. Unfortunately, it won't ship until October 30th, but pre-orders went live today at $119.99 for the keyboard and $59.99 for the mouse.

8BitDo has been really killing it with the Xbox accessories recently

I'm always impressed by 8BitDo's unusual and creative approach to designing Xbox-themed accessories.

Just last year they dropped the Xbox green translucent keyboard and mouse, which I'm actually the proud owner of (and really need to get my butt moving on the review, but it's fantastic).

The build quality and typing experience of their keyboards is some of the best on the market, and they are pretty reasonably priced when you compare to similar products from other brands.

The Retro, chunky aesthetic also pleases my aging millennial hands, and I've been enjoying the larger mouse a lot more than I expected.

This new E-Day run of the range has the exact same rock-solid engineering tailored specifically for Gears fans. I actually must prefer the design of these to the Xbox Gears Controller, which is a little "busy" looking for my tastes.

If you're gearing up (hehe) to play E-Day on PC, 8BitDo has knocked it out of the park yet again.

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The last couple of Xbox events I've attended, including BlizzCon, I noticed I was getting the same question from industry figures and fans alike: is Microsoft gearing up to sell Xbox?

Microsoft's vast layoffs across the summer have hit Xbox in their thousands, with studios like Ninja Theory on the path to being closed, and others like Double Fine being divested completely. Microsoft has effectively shut down Halo Studios itself and handed off the franchise to Call of Duty showrunners instead, as Xbox aggressively seeks to restructure for its next decade.

A decade that might not arrive, that is, if these "sell off" rumors turned out to be true. Many analysts and industry figures have opined that the cuts are designed to make Xbox "leaner" and more attractive to a potential buyer. When you dig down into it, these commentaries don't make a lot of sense; why would Xbox keep smaller franchises like Age of Empires even at a reduced clip, or try to rebuild Halo at all if it was indeed looking to sell?

Regardless, even senior industry figures like Shawn Layden of PlayStation fame described Xbox as being in its "Dreamcast phase" recently, referring to the time Sega exited the hardware business. A lot of these comments tend to emerge from industry figures who seem particularly aggrieved by Xbox, though, regardless of actually being a customer or not.

Indeed, actual Xbox customers have been generally optimistic about the way Xbox has been heading. Nobody (sane) revels in layoffs, but purely mathematically speaking, it was unclear how some of Xbox's 'niche' kind of games like Keeper, Kiln, or Hellblade 2 were going to be self-sustainable for the studios that produced them. There's a lot of valid criticism to be levied at the leadership figures that allowed for projects that were quite obviously going to be unsustainable.

Sharma has promised deeper investment in the very-long-dormant Fallout franchise, promised to restructure and rebuild Halo, and continues to promise Xbox Helix, the long-awaited next-gen console. Sharma has declared intent to invest in Xbox's biggest brands, leveraging TV shows, movies, and other transmedia opportunities to find new users. Despite this, there still runs the idea that Xbox could end up being divested from Microsoft itself, owing to a report from The Information earlier in the summer that Microsoft was exploring the idea.

The NYT interviewed (paywall) Sharma recently covering the Xbox layoffs generally. The outlet said that Asha "did not stall" in declaring Xbox not-for-sale.

"Xbox is not for sale. [...] We will do whatever it takes to set the company up for success, and we will look at the right partnerships, the right operating model and everything needed to achieve that. [...] We’ve got a long way to go with Microsoft and we’re going to take the long-term view."

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is to blame for the lack of faith in the Xbox business from mainstream figures

The NYT quite patronizingly called the comment a "bob and weave" seemingly unwilling to let go of the idea of divestiture. It's great shareholder bait; Xbox has long been an aspirational type of product, and it has been a loss leader in some regards. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has remarked in the past about how, despite the fact Xbox isn't a huge profit generator, fandom of the brand has led to lucrative deals for Azure on the business side of things. Yet, shareholders would love nothing more than for Microsoft to quit the difficult and risky game industry to dive all-in on AI psychosis products instead.

Indeed, under Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, the company has seen a near total retreat from consumers in general. Surface is on its death bed, Windows Phone was killed off, all consumer hardware products were effectively shelved. Microsoft's retail stores were closed, customer support is anaemic to non-existent, and Windows itself has seen huge declines in popularity and trust. Even Microsoft Copilot has undergone a work-focused update, ditching their (admittedly terrible) consumer-oriented features.

Nadella is absolutely not consumer-savvy in general. Nadella's Microsoft strategy paints the Xbox business as a sore thumb on a very boring, cold, sad, and business-oriented IBM-style Microsoft — a Microsoft chasing cultural irrelevancy.

RELATED: To save Xbox, Asha Sharma needs to defeat Microsoft itself

It's no wonder that mainstream media can't understand why Xbox could exist in this current incarnation of Microsoft, and it's through no fault of previous Xbox leaders, Asha Sharma or Xbox in general.

The one saving grace here is that Nadella has, for some reason, continued to allow Xbox to exist — likely against the wishes of shareholders and his generalized anti-consumer and anti-customer instincts. Nadella claimed in an internal meeting that Microsoft will "always" be in gaming, and will take a "long view" on its future. But it's really, really easy to understand why the trust isn't there. We wouldn't even have this commentary from Nadella if I hadn't literally leaked the meeting's audio myself.

The NYT noted that Nadella declined to participate in the interview. He really should have participated in my opinion, because this generalized lack of faith comes from his strategies and public-facing comments.

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Logitech just announced a pair of headphones that I'm sure will make my wife jealous. The new Zone Vibe Pro headphones promise all-day battery life, clear audio powered by AI voice isolation, and Adaptive Noise Cancellation. But what makes me wish I had a pair is the repairable nature of the headphones.

The Zone Vibe Pro headphones are far from the first headphones to have replaceable parts. But they caught my eye because the earpads of my wife's primary headphones just fell off the other day, and battery life is not what it used to be. Official earpads are available, but those are the only parts that can be replaced.

In contrast, Logitech will sell replacement earpads, head straps, and batteries for the Zone Vibe Pro through its Spare Parts Store.

While writing this article, I briefly mentioned to my wife how Logitech sells spare parts and she emphatically asked why we couldn't get parts the same way for our other accessories.

The most expensive parts of electronic devices are rarely the first parts to wear out. Wires, woofers, and most of the vital components are encased in plastic, metal, or some fancy material depending on what gadget you're dealing with. Considering the current economy and the way prices are trending, I'd rather spend a few dollars on replacement parts than buy a new device altogether.

The Zone Vibe Pro costs $259.99. That price is in line with similar headphones, but it's still quite a bit of money to invest. Being able to replace a worn-out part for a fraction of the total price of the headphones will help future-proof them.

The Zone Vibe Pro headphones have a boomless design that differentiates them from the less premium Zone Vibe (non-pro). Logitech says the headphones get up to 30 hours of listening or 18 hours of call time when ANC is enabled.

When the battery does run out, you can charge the headphones for five minutes to get an additional hour of call time.

If you are a business user, you can get the Zone Vibe Pro for Business which are certified for meeting apps like Microsoft Teams and support IT fleet management through Logitech Sync.

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I've reviewed a lot of chairs in my day, but as I've gotten older and more decrepit, demands on my fragile bones have only grown.

There was a time I could rock a gaming chair and gun for maximum style and recline, but as I spend more and more time at my desk hunched over and typing rather than reclined back and gaming, my needs have evolved.

Recently, a friend with similar back issues to me recommended this chair from FlexiSpot, dubbed the Heavy Duty C3 Ergonomic Chair to be precise. It's currently on sale for £199, down £50 from the typical asking price. I've reviewed chairs running all the way up to $700, so my expectations for this "cheaper" chair were pretty low.

How wrong I was. Well and truly, this is by far the best chair I've ever used at home, and a chair so nice I'm going to buy it twice for when I'm visiting family out of the country. It's that good.

Sometimes, basic is better

Forgive my photographs, it's hard to get a good angle in my tiny office/bedroom, but as you can see it's a pretty simple and unassuming set up here.

This is a seat designed for heavy and tall individuals but also just generally heavy use. It has an incredibly thick cushioned seat with an ergonomic W shape, which has become a popular seating configuration in recent years. I've often seen ads for seat cushions with this shape, the C3 built it right into the product.

It has a mesh back rest which offers maximum breathability for those heatwave months we had this year, and a wide base with very tall arm rests to align your elbows against your desk. The seat tilt also aligns with the back rest, which FlexiSpot research says promotes better posture health than separate tilt mechanisms.

Despite being on the "cheaper" side, every aspect of this seat feels premium to me. The materials and metals are incredibly thick with high quality welding. The whole frame is made from iron and certified for 227kg, meaning that the vast majority of users won't even come close to delivering wear and tear here.

The arm rests have 4D movement and positioning, and have a smooth-feel leatherette finish, complete with buttons and levers where you'd expect to find them for locking in your adjustments, both on the seat tilt and the gas-powered lift itself. There's also a lumbar rest at the base of the backrest, adjustable for different heights.

If you were looking for a chair with a headrest and upper back rest for maximum coziness and rest, this chair might not be for you. But, if you are like me who spends a lot of time at a desk, I would argue that ditching the upper back rest promotes better posture. It forces you to position your head and neck more naturally, which I will attest has directly alleviated a long run of general lower back pain.

I ditched a gaming chair for a similar mesh office chair at my partner's place for when I'm staying there recently, and found it to be a huge improvement on my general back health. This FlexiSpot chair is cheaper and better than the other one I purchased by a mile, and I think it's really the seat cushion that is the x-factor. This is just a fantastic, pleasant product.

Should you buy it?

You should definitely consider buying this chair if you have a gaming chair presently and find yourself in or approaching middle age-adjacent back problems. I spend more time at my PC than most, so having a high quality and ergonomic seating arrangement is absolutely crucial.

I long thought that it was just general bad health and lifestyle giving me back pain (and that is no doubt a factor here), but having a good chair that matches the height of my desk and eyeline of my monitor has given me a huge boost. Having reduced back issues has made me more active in general too, and it's hard to put a price on that.

Unless you want something with headrest and recline features you can get truly cozy in, the FlexiSpot C3 is by a mile the best chair I've ever used for desk-based work and play.

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ORIGINAL ARTICLE:

Microsoft's moves over Xbox Cloud Gaming in recent months have painted a picture of a company that isn't entirely sure of its long-term viability.

At one point, it seemed like Microsoft was all-in with Xbox Cloud Gaming, building up marketing campaigns like "This is an Xbox" that actively told consumers that Xbox consoles were stupid, and that in fact, devices like the Samsung Smart Fridge was a far better option for gaming instead. The landscape looks very different in 2026.

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Thanks to the RAMpocalypse and the apparent "demand" for data center space for AI tokens, it seems Microsoft has soured on cloud gaming in general as a viable option.

Microsoft has an Xbox Cloud Gaming controller in production according to leaks, and the next-gen Xbox controllers were also supposed to have direct-to-WiFi support to reduce latency. Microsoft has also put thousands upon thousands of games onto Xbox Cloud Gaming, allowing you to stream them to a variety of devices like phones, tablets, low-power PCs, and even smart TVs.

At the same time, Microsoft has also opted to limit Xbox Cloud Gaming to 15-hours a month at the highest tier, down from unlimited, with piecemeal hourly passes to be sold separately. And today, Microsoft announced quietly to some users that Xbox Cloud Gaming will vanish entirely from some devices.

In an email sent to myself earlier today, Microsoft says its first batch of third-party supported devices, 2020 Samsung Smart TVs, will lose access to Xbox Cloud Gaming from November 3rd.

Microsoft claims that its due to a compatibility issue, but I don't see how that's really possible given that it's literally a web app and a video feed. It would be like Netflix or Prime TV retiring on those Samsung smart televisions, which is obviously not going to happen any time soon.

Color me cynical as a 2020 Samsung TV owner, but it's hard not to wonder if it is in fact these devices that see the highest use out of all the third-party screens attaching to Xbox Cloud Gaming. Perhaps Microsoft has discovered a way to quickly and easily save bandwidth by screwing over thousands of existing users in the name of "compatibility," given that Xbox Cloud Gaming is reportedly simply unable to make money in the current business model.

RELATED: Xbox Cloud Gaming grabs hourly limits from November 3

For a while, the conspiracy theory was that Microsoft and other companies wanted to shift us all over to cloud gaming services to deprive us of any form of ownership. But ironically, it seems that providing these services in the RAMpocalypse era is too for Microsoft and NVIDIA to even run. Both Xbox Cloud Gaming and NVIDIA GeForce Now have pretty stringent restrictions upon them, and both platforms are exploring ads as a way to try and boost revenue.

First it was upgrade your console, now it's upgrade your TV? Maybe it's just going to end up being smarter to unsubscribe to Xbox Game Pass instead ...

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Panasonic's TOUGHBOOK lineup turns 30 this year (see my earlier coverage of the new TOUGHBOOK 55), and after attending the company's product briefing in a very rainy New York City, I'm convinced the future of rugged computing isn't just about surviving drops, rain, and extreme temperatures.

It's about becoming the intelligent edge computer that sits at the center of everything.

That might sound like marketing fluff until you see the demos. One station showed a military drone feeding reconnaissance data back to a TOUGHBOOK for local analysis. Another demonstrated how police fleets can connect vehicle diagnostics directly into a TOUGHBOOK-based management system, allowing departments to track everything from VINs and odometer readings to fuel levels, fault codes, and maintenance schedules.

In other words, Panasonic's new TOUGHBOOK 34 and TOUGHBOOK G3 are increasingly becoming mission-critical data hubs for the people who protect, rescue, repair, and support the rest of us.

And yes, they're still absurdly rugged.

Thirty years later, the mission remains the same

One theme came up repeatedly throughout Panasonic's presentation: purpose-built computing.

As Panasonic executives noted, their customers aren't buying laptops to answer email from a coffee shop. These systems are deployed in police cruisers, ambulances, utility trucks, military vehicles, warehouses, disaster zones, and industrial sites where failure is not an option.

As Panasonic put it during the briefing, "our devices are purpose-built," adding that workers are often operating in "extreme heat, extreme cold, vibration, water, dust" and environments where "lives are on the line."

That philosophy has helped TOUGHBOOK carve out a niche that practically nobody else occupies.

While consumer laptops compete over OLED displays and thinness, Panasonic spends its time figuring out how to keep a device communicating over private 5G networks during storm response operations.

Meet the TOUGHBOOK 34 and TOUGHBOOK G3

This launch introduces two new fully rugged 2-in-1 systems.

The TOUGHBOOK 34 serves as the successor to the long-running TOUGHBOOK 33 that I've reviewed, while the TOUGHBOOK G3 replaces the TOUGHBOOK G2 that I also previously reviewed and described as one of the most modular and rugged PCs on the market.

According to Mike Smola, Senior Director of Product Management at Panasonic Connect North America:

"No two workers, no two vehicles, and no two workflows are exactly alike. Some jobs call for a larger product with more workspace and more versatility."

That's really the story here.

The TOUGHBOOK 34 features a larger 12.4-inch display and is designed for users who spend significant time in vehicles, command centers, or managing information-dense workflows. The G3 uses a more compact 10.1-inch form factor that's easier to carry into the field.

As one Panasonic executive explained during the public safety discussion:

"Fire and EMS leverage both sizes: the larger TOUGHBOOK 34 for in-vehicle CAD and command control, and the compact G3 in the back of ambulances for patient care."

The biggest upgrade is AI

The headline feature across both devices is the move to Intel's latest Core Ultra platform.

Both systems now offer Intel Core Ultra 5 335H and Ultra X7 368H processors complete with onboard NPUs and AI acceleration capabilities. Panasonic is increasingly positioning these devices as AI-ready edge computers capable of processing information locally without relying on cloud connectivity.

That matters more than you might think.

During the federal customer panel, Panasonic highlighted a scenario that's becoming increasingly common in military and government environments.

As Panasonic's federal team explained:

"Deployed military personnel aboard ships or in tactical environments often operate without network connectivity due to operational security." AI-capable processing on TOUGHBOOK devices allows personnel to perform tactical, medical, and technical searches without depending on a remote connection."

For most consumers, AI means generating images or summarizing documents. But for military users, it can mean analyzing information locally while disconnected from networks entirely.

That's a very different use case.

From military drones to local AI analysis

The most interesting demonstration I saw involved a tactical drone setup.

Panasonic demonstrated how rugged computing platforms can work alongside systems such as the Teledyne FLIR ION-series tactical reconnaissance drones that are commonly used by military, government, and emergency-response organizations.

While separate physical controls handle flight operations, the TOUGHBOOK effectively becomes the intelligence terminal. Drone imagery and reconnaissance data can be brought onto the device, recorded, analyzed, and processed locally using onboard computing resources.

I didn't watch the drone take flight during the event, but seeing Panasonic position the TOUGHBOOK as the AI-capable analysis point for tactical aerial systems offered a very real glimpse into how these machines are used beyond traditional laptop duties.

That use case also aligns with Panasonic's announcement that both devices support unmanned systems control and UAV ground-control applications in federal environments

TOUGHBOOKs are becoming smarter police tools, too

The police vehicle demonstration may have been even more compelling.

Rather than focusing on dispatch software alone, Panasonic showed how TOUGHBOOK systems can act as fleet intelligence platforms.

Through Panasonic's TOUGHCommand ecosystem, agencies can connect vehicle systems and pull operational data directly into the computer. Information such as vehicle identification, odometer readings, fuel levels, speed data, maintenance information, and diagnostic information can all be surfaced through a centralized dashboard.

The really interesting layer sits on top of that data.

Panasonic's new Command Intelligence features allow IT teams and fleet managers to query those systems using AI and natural-language questions rather than digging through massive databases manually.

That turns the TOUGHBOOK into something closer to a command-and-control platform, instead of just a rugged laptop.

For organizations managing hundreds or thousands of vehicles, that could be a substantial value-add beyond the hardware itself.

The modularity advantage nobody else offers

Having reviewed the G2 and covered Panasonic's rugged lineup for years, the thing that continues to impress me isn't the drop testing or waterproofing.

It's the modularity.

The TOUGHBOOK 34 and G3 both feature Panasonic's xPAK ecosystem, allowing users to swap hardware modules as needs change. Options include barcode scanners, additional USB ports, serial ports, smart card readers, fingerprint readers, networking hardware, and more.

Panasonic's goal is simple: one device should adapt to many jobs.

A warehouse worker can add scanning capabilities. A utility technician can prioritize GPS and connectivity. An automotive technician can add legacy ports for vehicle diagnostics.

Instead of replacing the entire computer when requirements evolve, customers can reconfigure it. More importantly, this can be done locally without sending out the TOUGHBOOK back to Panasonic to be reconfigured. Not only is that time-consuming, but if the PC is used by the government and it has sensitive data on the drives, it limits who can even touch that laptop.

That's a surprisingly rare concept in modern computing.

Better displays, stronger connectivity, longer life

The hardware itself receives meaningful updates, too.

For the TOUGHBOOK 34, Panasonic increased the screen size from 12 inches to 12.4 inches while moving to a 3:2 aspect ratio that's better suited to productivity work. Executives noted that the revised resolution and scaling choices allow users to view more information with less scrolling.

The G3 retains its 10.1-inch format but benefits from updated display tuning, 2-to-1000-nit brightness control, and improved readability for outdoor work.

Panasonic also highlighted a new glove and rain touch experience on the TOUGHBOOK 34.

As the company explained:

"You don't want the end user to take off gloves to touch the screen." Users can switch between glove and standard touch modes using programmable controls.

I actually tried this myself, and while it's still a bit clunky to operate a touchscreen with heavy gloves on, it can be done through this technology.

Connectivity receives substantial improvements as well.

Compared to the older G2 generation, the G3 moves from 4G LTE options to modern 5G support, upgrades Wi‑Fi 6 to Wi‑Fi 7, and advances Bluetooth 5.1 to Bluetooth 5.4 while adding broader support for private cellular deployments.

For the people actually relying on these systems, those upgrades matter far more than benchmark scores.

A reminder that some PCs have jobs to do

The most fascinating thing about Panasonic's new TOUGHBOOKs isn't that they're rugged. We already knew that, but what's changing is their role.

Thirty years after the first TOUGHBOOK arrived, Panasonic increasingly views these systems as secure, connected, AI-capable edge computers that happen to survive conditions most laptops would never tolerate.

Whether they're helping analyze drone feeds, supporting first responders through FirstNet and private 5G networks, managing vehicle fleets, or keeping utility workers connected during outages, the TOUGHBOOK 34 and G3 demonstrate that laptops can still be specialized tools built for serious missions.

And after an afternoon spent getting hands-on with Panasonic's latest hardware, that may be the most interesting thing about them. Panasonic is building the computers that many of the people protecting, rescuing, and serving the rest of us depend on every day, and I still find that inspiring.

You can find out more about these devices from the Panasonic TOUGHBOOK website.

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Microsoft is yet to confirm plans for Windows 11 version 27H2, but that doesn't mean we don't yet know anything about it. Thanks to information supplied by Microsoft about Windows 11 version 26H1 and 26H2, we can read the tea leaves and begin to decipher what Microsoft's plans are for its OS in 2027.

First up, we must set the stage for Windows 11 currently. For the first time ever, Microsoft has split the Windows userbase in two. Most Windows 11 users will continue to receive OS updates that are based on the Germanium platform release, which powers version 24H2, version 25H2, and the new version 26H2.

Germanium has been in the market since 2024, and is what the majority of Windows 11 users are running today. That will no longer be the case with version 26H1, which is the first version of Windows 11 since 2024 to ship on a new version of the Windows platform. This new version is codenamed Bromine, and exists exclusively for Snapdragon X2 and RTX Spark devices.

That means version 26H1 and the newer Bromine platform release will not be made available to the existing Windows 11 userbase this year. Microsoft doesn't say why, but my sources tell me this is because Bromine only really exists because of timing convenience. These new Arm chips required extra kernel level work, and it was easier for Microsoft to build those into a new platform release than it was to retroactively fit the Germanium platform release with these additions.

Because of this, Microsoft hasn't made any optimizations to the Bromine platform release for existing PCs. While you can run Bromine on existing hardware if you want, there is no benefit in doing so. As a result, Microsoft chose to keep the majority of Windows users in the platform release that has been shipping since 2024, and split off the new Snapdragon X2 and RTX Spark PCs with their own platform release.

That does mean there's going to be some awkward fragmentation between version 26H1 and version 26H2 throughout 2026 and into 2027, however. Microsoft has confirmed that because version 26H1 is based on a newer platform release than version 26H2, those running 26H1 are not eligible for the version 26H2 release.

The company does say that this won't be the case forever, and that Windows 11 users running version 26H1 will be updated to something newer in the future. According to my sources, that will be version 27H2 in 2027, which will be the first platform release since 25H2 to be offered to the entire Windows 11 userbase.

Release date

As is almost always the case, Microsoft tends to ship new versions of Windows in the second half of the year. I anticipate this will remain the case for version 27H2, which will likely target a September or October release window.

Because version 27H2 is likely to introduce a new platform release, Microsoft will use a measured and phased rollout approach to its general availability. That means not all users will see the update right away once it's made available, as Microsoft will choose to roll it out in waves to ensure the update is installing as intended.

It will also be a full blown OS upgrade release, and not just an enablement package. That means it will replace the entire OS with a new version, while maintaining all your apps, files and settings. This takes a little longer than an enablement package release, which only updates a few OS files to enable the new version.

Windows 11 version 22H2 was a fill blown OS upgrade release over 21H2, as was version 24H2 over 23H2. So this wouldn't be the first time this has happened.

Platform changes

We know that the version 27H2 release will need to be based on a newer platform release than Germanium to support upgrading both 26H2 and 26H1 users. What we don't yet know is what platform release this will be. It's possible that Microsoft could use the Bromine platform release for 27H2, though I think this is unlikely.

I think Microsoft will issue a platform release that's newer than Bromine. Given the timing, I suspect it may be the Windows Strontium platform release, which is expected to be finalized sometime in the first half of 2027. This would align with Microsoft's previous development schedules.

For example, Germanium was finalized in the first half of 2024, and ended up shipping as version 24H2 in the second half of that year. With Strontium expected to be finalized in the first half of 2027, I would wager the same will happen then for version 27H2.

Microsoft has announced that the next version of Windows will drop support for the Snapdragon 850 SoC. While not confirmation on its own, it's a strong hint that version 27H2 will be powered by a newer platform release than Bromine, given the Snapdragon 850 can still run Bromine-based builds.

New features?

Because of Microsoft's "Continuous Innovation" effort, the company no longer ties new features to version updates. These days, Windows 11 receives new features whenever the company deems them ready to ship, meaning there's no features in active development that are expected to be exclusive to version 27H2 currently, though that could change in the future.

In fact, most mainline feature development still takes places on the Germanium codebase, then is forward integrated into newer codebases when ready. This is why new features often arrive on version 25H2 and 26H2 first, and then come to 26H1 later, as 26H1 is built on a newer Windows platform.

Windows 12?

Of course, the age old question is whether or not the next version of Windows will be dubbed Windows 12. The answer is we don't know, and likely won't know until much closer to the time.

Even if Microsoft does debut Windows 12 next year, that doesn't mean Windows 11 version 27H2 wouldn't also exist. When Windows 11 version 21H2 debuted, Windows 10 still received its own 21H2 version that same year.

With all that in mind, I don't think we're going to see Windows 12 in 2026. Given the current versions of Windows 11 are split between two platform releases, it would be irresponsible and complex from a support perspective to leave the userbase in that state.

It would make the upgrade path from Windows 11 to Windows 12 more complex, and Microsoft would need to account for multiple in-market platform releases and versions. I would think it's better to get everyone back onto the same platform version under Windows 11 first, before trying to push forward with Windows 12.

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Henry Cavill is famous for quite a few reasons. He's played iconic characters such as Superman and Geralt from the Witcher. He wowed Tom Cruise by "reloading" his fists in a Mission Impossible film. But around these parts and among many gamers, Cavill is best known for his genuine nerdiness.

Cavill famously built a gaming PC and shared a video of it on social media, proving that you can be considered both a conventionally handsome man and a PC gamer. But the star has found a new computing passion: Googlebooks.

Android is officially partnering with Cavill by having him test a Googlebook. The actor is shown using an HP Googlebook in a promotional post on X.

A Google blog post details Cavill's plans to use a Googlebook. "After being hands on and spending some time with their team, I believe this has the potential to be the start of something rather special," said Cavill.

There's always a chance that Cavill still loves gaming on a desktop PC and that he uses a Googlebook when he's on the go or doing light work. Of course, there's also a chance Cavill doesn't use a Googlebook at all.

Cavill would not be the first Justice League star accused of endorsing a product while using a competing device. Gal Gadot infamously posted on social media how much she loves Huawei from an iPhone. Gadot denied doing so, but her post clearly indicated that it was made from an iPhone.

Marques Brownlee was the first to notice Gadot's gaffe. That post was later deleted and reposted from an Android phone. I believe Brownlee is still blocked on X by Gadot.

The tactic of hiring a person well-known for advertising or endorsing a competing device is not new. Paul Marcarelli, also known as "Verizon's 'Can you hear me now' guy, was hired to advertise for Sprint. Marcarelli has since joined Buzz Aldrin in an ad for Verizon. Justin Long, the "I'm a Mac" guy, did an ad campaign for Intel.

Comedian Dave Chapelle once joked that he's done ads for both Coca-Cola and Pepsi and that he just hypes whichever company paid him most recently.

Google alluded to Cavill's "maker" fame it its announcement:

"To kick off our partnership, we couldn’t resist the chance to tap Henry's inner maker. This November, Henry is teaming up with Google to build a video game using Googlebook."

We'll have to wait to see what type of game Cavill creates on his Googlebook. I'd love to see a tie-in to Warhammer 40,000, but I doubt that will happen.

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There are plenty of USB microphones aimed at gamers these days, but few come from a company with the audio credentials of Shure. For more than 100 years, Shure has built microphones for musicians, broadcasters, performers, and recording professionals, with products like the SM58 and SM7 becoming industry standards along the way. During a recent briefing with me, Shure described the new MV6 lineup as part of its effort to bring that expertise to creators who want professional-quality audio without the cost and complexity that often comes with traditional XLR gear.

That's what immediately appealed to me about the new MV6 Gen 2 ($169). I've spent the last 15 years using microphones for the Windows Central Podcast, livestreams, media appearances, and interviews. I've used plenty of microphones from Razer, HyperX, Blue, and others, but somehow this was my first extended experience with a Shure. After several weeks of testing, including an appearance on TWiT Episode 1101 where I received compliments on the audio quality afterward, I can see why the company has such a strong reputation among podcasters and broadcasters.

The MV6 Gen 2 may be marketed as a gaming microphone, but after using it, that label feels a little too narrow. This is a microphone for anyone who wants better voice quality without needing an audio interface, mixer, XLR cables, or a degree in audio engineering.

Shure had no input, nor did it see the contents of this review, prior to publication.

What's new with the Shure MV6 USB Gaming Microphone Gen 2?

I didn't review the original MV6, but most reviews of the first-generation model praised its strong audio quality, easy setup, and excellent value while noting that customization was relatively limited compared to some competitors.

Shure appears to have taken that feedback seriously.

The second-generation MV6 focuses primarily on expanding user control through software and onboard DSP processing rather than reinventing the hardware itself. The microphone still ships with Shure's "sounds great out of the box" philosophy, but users now have significantly more flexibility if they want to fine-tune their audio.

New features include:

• Adjustable Auto Level controls with configurable target levels
• New Adaptation Rate settings that determine how quickly gain recovers after volume spikes
• Adjustable Real-Time Denoiser intensity
• New Speech, Singing, and Instrument presets
• A full 5-band EQ for advanced tuning
• White and black color options
• A longer included USB-C cable
• The ability to disable the microphone's touch-sensitive mute button
• Enhanced DSP processing and customization through the MOTIV Mix software suite

Perhaps most importantly, Shure accomplished this without turning the MV6 into a microphone that demands constant tweaking.

During my briefing, product manager T Banks repeatedly emphasized that users shouldn't need to understand gain staging, EQ curves, or audio engineering to get excellent results. The advanced controls are there if you want them, but the microphone is designed to sound great from the moment it's plugged in.

Shure MV6 USB Gaming Microphone Gen 2: Price and specifications

At $169, the MV6 Gen 2 lands squarely in one of the most competitive segments of the USB microphone market.

That's a price bracket occupied by products like the Razer Seiren V3 Chroma 32-bit and HyperX QuadCast 2 S, both of which offer feature-rich experiences and recognizable gaming branding. The Shure takes a different approach. Instead of trying to out-RGB the competition, it leans heavily on audio quality, DSP processing, and the company's professional heritage.

On paper, the specifications are solid:

• Dynamic cardioid microphone
• USB-C connectivity
• 24-bit / 48 kHz audio
• Adjustable Auto Level processing
• Real-Time Denoiser
• Digital Popper Stopper
• High-pass filter
• 5-band EQ
• 3.5mm monitoring jack
• Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android support

Basically, these are all the things I want and need in a mic, and none of the extra stuff that I don't.

Shure MV6 USB Gaming Microphone Gen 2: Design and setup

The MV6 Gen 2 won't be mistaken for a gaming centerpiece.

Compared to the RGB-heavy HyperX QuadCast 2 S or the eye-catching Razer Seiren V3 Chroma, the Shure looks almost understated. The cylindrical design, compact desktop stand, and minimal branding prioritize functionality over personality.

Personally, I like that approach, but I also like glowy things.

The MV6 disappears into the background during video calls and recordings rather than demanding attention. It feels more like a professional tool than a gaming accessory.

Setup is about as painless as USB microphones get. Connect the included USB-C cable, select the device in Windows, and start talking.

One of the more interesting insights from my conversation with Shure involved the company's decision to omit XLR entirely. Shure believes many creators are paying extra for XLR connectivity (like the $249 Razer Seiren V3 Pro) they never actually use. By focusing exclusively on USB and investing heavily in onboard DSP, the company was able to keep costs lower while delivering audio quality that approaches much more complex setups.

Having owned mixers and used XLR microphones myself, I completely understand that reasoning. For most people, this approach makes more sense.

Shure MV6 USB Gaming Microphone Gen 2: MOTIV Mix software

The MOTIV Mix software is where many of the Gen 2 improvements come to life.

My first impression was admittedly amusing. The installer feels surprisingly old-school, almost like a utility from an earlier Windows era. Once installed, however, the application is refreshingly straightforward.

That's a good thing.

Companies often fall into the trap of treating audio software like a cockpit. MOTIV Mix feels more like a well-organized control panel.

One of my favorite additions is the ability to disable the microphone's touch-sensitive mute button on the side. The mute function works extremely well, maybe a little too well. I accidentally triggered it more than once while adjusting the microphone, so being able to disable it entirely turned out to be an unexpectedly useful feature.

Auto Level and Adaptation Rate

Auto Level is enabled by default and serves as Shure's answer to automatic gain control.

The new system allows users to set different output targets while also adjusting how quickly the microphone responds after loud volume spikes. According to Shure, this feature was added after feedback from gamers who found the first-generation microphone could take too long to recover after sudden loud reactions.

For streamers, podcasters, and excitable gamers, it's a genuinely useful improvement.

Monitor Mix

Monitor Mix lets users balance their own voice against system audio heard through connected headphones.

Anyone who records podcasts, livestreams, or interviews will appreciate having direct control over that monitoring experience without needing external hardware.

Tone and Advanced EQ

The Tone section illustrates Shure's overall philosophy particularly well.

Users who don't want to learn EQ can simply slide between Dark, Natural, and Bright tonal profiles. Those who want deeper control can switch to a five-band EQ and manually adjust key frequencies.

It's an elegant balance between simplicity and flexibility.

Real-Time Denoiser

One of the standout Gen 2 upgrades.

The original MV6 offered denoising, but Gen 2 allows users to adjust its intensity. Whether you're recording in a quiet office or trying to overcome computer fans, HVAC systems, or general background noise, the Denoiser provides meaningful control over how aggressively the microphone cleans up your environment.

Popper Stopper and High Pass Filter

The Digital Popper Stopper is designed to reduce plosive sounds caused by hard "P" and "B" consonants. During testing, it worked well enough that I never felt compelled to add an external pop filter.

The High Pass Filter can be set to 75Hz or 150Hz, helping reduce low-frequency rumble from HVAC systems, vibrations, and other environmental noise. Combined with the denoiser, it's surprisingly effective.

Shure MV6 USB Gaming Microphone Gen 2: Audio quality

This is where the MV6 Gen 2 earns its asking price.

Throughout my testing, voices consistently sounded warm, natural, and broadcast-ready with remarkably little effort. The microphone's dynamic capsule does an excellent job focusing on the speaker while minimizing distractions from the surrounding room.

(You can listen to how it sounds above during my 3+ hour guest appearance on This Week in Tech a few weeks ago.)

More importantly, it sounds good before you open the software.

That might sound obvious, but it's becoming surprisingly rare. Many gaming microphones feel like they require software processing to reach their full potential. The MV6 Gen 2 starts from an already excellent baseline and simply gives you tools to refine it further.

That philosophy came up repeatedly during my conversation with Shure. I compared its audio approach to brands like Bose, where tuning and DSP should complement the product rather than compensate for its shortcomings. The expectation is that users plug it in and immediately sound better.

In my experience, that's exactly what happens.

Against the Razer Seiren V3 Chroma 32-bit, I generally preferred Shure's warmer, more natural vocal presentation for podcasting and spoken-word content. The Razer offers more visual flair and creator-focused effects (and the auto-tuning setup in Synapse is great), but the MV6 sounded more like a broadcast microphone.

Compared to the HyperX QuadCast 2 S, the Shure again prioritizes voice quality over spectacle. The HyperX remains one of the best-looking microphones on the market, while the MV6 feels more focused on delivering clean, professional audio.

Neither comparison is a knock against Razer or HyperX. Instead, it highlights how different Shure's priorities are. This feels like an audio company that happens to be making a gaming microphone rather than a gaming company trying to make an audio product.

Shure MV6 USB Gaming Microphone Gen 2: Competition

The biggest competition comes from the Razer Seiren V3 Chroma 32-bit and HyperX QuadCast 2 S, both of which we've reviewed and given high praise.

If RGB lighting, aesthetics, and streamer-focused visual features are top priorities, either competitor may be the better fit.

If audio quality is the top priority, the MV6 Gen 2 presents an extremely compelling argument.

Shure's competitive advantage isn't lighting, software effects, or gaming branding. It's more than 100 years of microphone experience combined with DSP technology that originated from the company's broader professional audio business.

That heritage is difficult to replicate.

Should you buy it?

✅You should buy this if ...

• You want excellent audio without needing XLR hardware
• You podcast, stream, create videos, or appear in meetings regularly
• You value audio quality more than RGB lighting
• You want useful DSP features that work automatically

❌You should not buy this if ...

• RGB lighting and visual customization are important to you
• You want a microphone with multiple polar patterns
• You prefer software ecosystems as polished as Synapse or NGENUITY

Final thoughts

The Shure MV6 USB Gaming Microphone Gen 2 feels less like a gaming microphone and more like a professional USB microphone that happens to be affordable enough for gamers (or anyone who just needs a good mic that's not XLR-level).

For a first-time Shure user, that's probably the biggest compliment I can give it. After years of seeing Shure microphones dominate podcasts and broadcasts, I finally understand why so many creators trust the brand. The sound quality is excellent, the setup is effortless, the DSP features are genuinely useful, and the software gives you just enough control without becoming overwhelming.

My only real criticism is that MOTIV Mix lacks some of the visual polish and ecosystem refinement found in competing software suites. Beyond that, there isn't much to complain about.

At $169, the MV6 Gen 2 delivers exactly what Shure set out to achieve: professional-grade audio that simply works.

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Microsoft has announced that the just released Windows 11 version 26H2 will be the last version to support Qualcomm's second-generation Windows 10 on Arm SoC, the Snapdragon 850 from 2018.

The news was published on the Windows 11 Lifecycle Policy page, where a notice now says "Windows 11, version 26H2 is the last version that will support devices with Snapdragon 850 processors."

The Snapdragon 850 is notable as being the first "built-for-Windows" chip from Qualcomm. The Snapdragon 835 that powered Windows PCs first was a recycled smartphone chip.

Windows 11 had already dropped support for the Snapdragon 835 a while ago, and now it seems the Snapdragon 850 is next on the chopping block. Windows PCs with the Snapdragon 850 under the hood are eligible to install the latest version update, but will not get version 27H2 next year.

Windows 11 version 26H2 will be supported for 24 months, meaning devices with the Snapdragon 850 inside have two years of security updates remaining before they'll be left behind in an insecure state.

It's unclear why Microsoft is dropping support for this SoC. This likely implies that the 27H2 release next fall will be based on a new version of the Windows platform, and not an enablement-package like 26H2 is.

It's also unclear whether or not this limitation will be artificial in nature. Just because an SoC is no longer supported doesn't mean it can't run newer versions by bypassing system requirements. Many people have enjoyed running Windows 11 on unsupported chips for many years.

Either way, we know that officially, the Snapdragon 850 will no longer be supported on future versions of Windows. Windows 11 version 26H2 is the last version that is officially supported.

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For a month, players in the Xbox Insiders program (including our own Jez Corden) got an early look at Xbox's intriguing new Xbox Disc-to-Digital feature. This program lets players gain digital entitlement rights to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One games if they own their physical disc copies.

Now the general public will get to test this feature for themselves, as yesterday, September 29, 2026, Microsoft rolled out the Xbox Disc-to-Digital feature for all players to use on Xbox Series X|S.

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For those who need a refresher, the Xbox Disc-to-Digital program takes an Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One disc and creates a digital license for it as if it were bought on the digital Xbox Storefront.

Once the digital license is made, you can install and play a game without needing the disc inside the Xbox Series X|S.

What's more, the digital license will allow you to play the game on any platform within the Xbox ecosystem, stream it via Xbox Cloud Gaming, or even play it on compatible handhelds like the Xbox Ally with Xbox Play Anywhere support.

Do note that if you sell an Xbox game disc or lend it to someone else, they will claim the digital license for that game after installing it. Your digital rights for that game will be revoked until you get the disc back or re-buy it.

Also, not every Xbox game is eligible for this Xbox Disc-To-Digital program. However, Microsoft has stated on its website that this may change over time due to "technical, licensing, publishing, manufacturing, and other factors."

Will Xbox's Disc-to-Digital improve game preservation?

I'm not going to lie, my faith in digital media has taken multiple stabs to the heart this year, with Sony discontinuing physical PlayStation games, then deleting hundreds of movies from people's accounts, along with Microsoft blocking people's game libraries if their accounts got hacked, and Xbox suffering an outage so bad it stopped physical Xbox games from working.

With that said, I see some potential within this Xbox Disc-to-Digital feature when it comes to helping improve digital game preservation and ownership.

For example, games that have been delisted years ago from the Xbox Digital Store, like Deadpool, Transformers: Devastation, and Minecraft: Story Mode, have become playable digitally again thanks to this program, so long as you have their physical disc copies.

Plus, recently, Sega is adding its games to the Xbox Disc-to-Digital program, following Ubisoft's support for it. With this combined with Xbox's library, the XCT.live Community Disc-to-Digital Database website has confirmed that 1,578 Xbox games are fully compatible with Xbox Disc-to-Digital.

Personally, if this program means I can play Transformers: War for Cybertron and Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (two of my most requested Xbox backwards-compatible titles) again on modern Xbox consoles, then I hope this Xbox Disc-to-Digital ends up being successful and that Microsoft will support it for years to come, and possibly carry it over to whatever Project Helix ends up being.

But what do you think of the Xbox Disc-to-Digital program? Do you think it will help improve digital game preservation and ownership? Are there any Xbox games you want to see added to this program?

If you have any thoughts on the matter, let us know on our Reddit page, in the comments section, or in the poll.

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Developers can now jump into their workflows faster on Windows 11. Microsoft has made WSL Containers generally available, reducing the setup and management required to run Linux containers through the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).

Containers are packages that include an application and the dependencies required to run it. Developers use them to ensure software behaves consistently across different systems.

WSL Containers brings built-in Linux container support to Windows through WSL. Until now, developers typically relied on third-party tools such as Docker Desktop to run Linux containers on Windows. With WSL Containers, Microsoft is providing a built-in alternative through WSL.

Microsoft announced WSL Containers at Build 2026 and has tested the feature since then. The platform is now generally available.

Microsoft has also added new features to WSL containers since testing began, including support for container health checks, real-time event streaming, expanded networking controls, configurable storage locations, and several new container management commands.

Microsoft is also adding more enterprise controls to WSL Containers, including Intune policies and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint support.

Tools such as Docker Desktop continue to be an option for developers, but WSL Containers requires less software to install and manage.

Microsoft's new wslc command-line tool uses commands that will feel familiar to developers who already work with containers, making the transition relatively seamless.

WSL Containers won't replace tools such as Docker Desktop for everyone, but they do give developers one less app to install. For many Windows 11 users, running Linux containers just became a built-in feature rather than something that requires extra software.

Most Windows 11 users will never run a container, so this update won't change their day-to-day experience. But making container support a built-in part of Windows removes a barrier for developers, which can speed up app development and testing.

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After decades of requests, Microsoft has finally announced (via Xbox Wire) that Mythic Achievements are rolling out for Xbox consoles and Windows PC.

It's currently available to Xbox Insiders and will be released to the general public at a later date.

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For those unaware, Mythic Achievements are a new special kind of Xbox Achievement rewarded to players who manage to obtain every single regular Xbox Achievement in an Xbox game.

It's worth noting that Achievements added through an Xbox game's paid DLC or free updates aren't required for the Mythic Achievement, only the base game's achievements. Once you gain a Mythic Achievement, it's yours to keep forever.

What's cool is that these Mythic Achievements don't just apply to current Xbox Series X|S titles; they apply to all eligible Xbox games from multiple console generations, including the Xbox 360.

To help players keep track of Mythic Achievements, a new Gaming Tab has been added to their Xbox profile.

Within it, Xbox players can see their Achievements, track Gamerscore milestone badge progress, revisit past games they've completed, and visit their friends' Gaming tabs to compare their Mythic Achievement collections.

Additionally, a new progress bar has been added to each game's Achievement list to show how close a player is to obtaining a Mythic Achievement, with an option to focus on Achievements required to obtain it.

Get out there and grab those Xbox Mythic Achievements

Now, while I've personally never been interested in Xbox Achievement hunting, I know plenty of my friends have wanted Xbox Mythic Achievements ever since the late 2000s.

It's a great way to challenge Xbox completionists, show how much they love particular Xbox games, and provide bragging rights for players to impress their friends online.

But what do you think? Are you happy Xbox Mythic Achievements are finally happening? Are there any Xbox games you've 100% completed in the past that have now retroactively granted you Mythic Status?

If you have any thoughts on the matter, let us know on our Reddit page, in the comments section, or in the poll.

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Right on schedule, Microsoft has announced the general availability of the Windows 11 2026 Update, also known as Windows 11 version 26H2. The company consistently releases a new version of the OS in the second half of the year, resetting the support clock and delivering new features and improvements.

The Windows 11 version 26H2 release builds upon the same platform release that powers Windows 11 version 25H2 and version 24H2. This means the update includes no new features on the surface that aren't also rolling out to those older releases, but it does act as a checkpoint that enables all the new features rolled out over the last 12 months.

So if you are still missing new features like the new Start menu or File Explorer improvements, updating to version 26H2 should enable them. "Windows 11, version 26H2 brings together all the Windows innovations, security improvements, and enhancements delivered over the past year to version 25H2," Microsoft says.

Additionally, Microsoft explains that version 26H2 is an enablement package update, which "is a lightweight update that activates new features already included in the operating system through previous monthly servicing updates. Because versions 26H2, 25H2, and 24H2 share a common servicing branch and underlying codebase, many of the components required for version 26H2 are already present on devices before the feature update becomes available."

That means the update will only take a few minutes to download and install, and is low-disruption and safe with no compatibility concerns or bugs to be aware of.

The 26H2 update also resets the support lifecycle clock, meaning users that install it will enjoy 24 months of security and feature updates on Home and Pro edition from today. Commercial editions will receive 36 months of support.

Microsoft is rolling Windows 11 version 26H2 out in waves, but users can get it sooner by ensuring the "Get the latest Windows updates when they're available" option is toggled in Windows Settings.

If you're running Windows 11 version 26H1, you will not be eligible to install Windows 11 version 26H2. Version 26H1 is based on a newer version of the Windows platform compared to version 26H2, and so there's no direct upgrade path currently.

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Most game developers have adjusted their release schedules, moved launch dates, or cleared entire launch windows just to avoid being anywhere near the new Grand Theft Auto release. But Coffee Stain North isn't most developers.

While everyone else has seemingly run for cover Goat Simulator 3 knows who the real GOATS of gaming are and they have announced today that the third major expansion for Goat Simulator 3, titled Ticket to Dizzyworld, is set to launch on November 19, 2026.

Yes, that's the exact same day Rockstar Games is set to launch Grand Theft Auto 6. And Coffee Stain couldn't care less; in fact, they have turned it into a marketing tactic all in itself.

"We launched Baadlands on November 19th last year, and we are releasing Dizzyworld on the same date this year. And we dare anyone to put a game out on the same day. You’ve been warned!"

— Santiago Ferrero, Creative Director at Coffee Stain North

Move over Lucia and Jason: Pilgor the Goat is back and bringing the carnival.

Welcome to Dizzyworld: Rollercoasters, river rapids and bumper cars

Following up on last year's post-apocalyptic Baadlands: Furry Road expansion, Ticket to Dizzyworld swaps the rusty sand-pocalypse for an unregulated theme-park sandbox playground.

The expansion drops players into a massive new map filled with amusement rides, carnival games, and new opportunities to torment unsuspecting NPCs. Some of the standout features coming in the DLC include:

• Custom rollercoaster construction: Create your own physics-defying, health-and-safety-violating rollercoasters for the ultimate theme park experiment.
• First-Goat perspective: Experience rollercoasters, river rapids, and bumper cars directly through Pilgor's eyes.
• New Goat Gears & collectibles: Packed with new physics-warping carnival gear to cause maximum havoc, alongside collectible Dizzy Tokens scattered across the park to redeem for rewards.

The real kid-friendly GTA

Now there's a genuine irony to this showdown of the titans: while my partner queues up his GTA 6 download, my son will be fighting for the TV screen because he wants to play this DLC as soon as he finishes school. He absolutely loves sandbox games, and Goat Simulator 3 is one of his favourites. He's logged hundreds of hours in the game on multiple platforms at this point.

In many ways, Goat Simulator is like Grand Theft Auto with more Goats and less gun crime, and watching Pilgor ride a bumper car in first-person view will beat a Vice City car chase in this house, hands down.

When and where can I get my hands on Goat Simulator 3: Dizzyworld?

Goat Simulator 3: Dizzyworld launches on November 19, 2026 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4 and PC (Steam, Epic Games Store, Microsoft Store) and Coffee Stain North has also announced that there are future plans to bring the game to Nintendo Switch 2.

Will Pilgor dethrone GTA 6? Probably not, but in this house it certainly will and I commend the nerve.

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People assigned to review Copilot prompts are being shown sexually explicit images and potentially illegal content, according to a report by 404 Media. The report cites Microsoft documents, threads with messages from contractors, and guidelines from a company called Prolific that hires the contractors assigned to review prompts given to Copilot.

Copilot prompts and image uploads can be reviewed by human contractors to improve the tool.

The fact that humans review Copilot conversations should not come as a surprise. Many companies rely on people to assess and audit AI responses. There are, however, some key differences between the recently uncovered situation and other reviews of AI responses.

The people who are looking at these queries are not being asked to flag inappropriate content or help reduce sexual conversations with Copilot. Instead, the contractors are being asked if Copilot did a good job responding to queries.

There are several negative consequences that come as a result of this setup. One is the fact that people are being inundated with sexual questions and images, often without warning.

404 Media saw the contents of an internal message board discussing reviews of Copilot prompts. The thread showed that people were asked to ensure a woman's skirt had been made short enough or if a woman's breasts had been adequately enlarged.

She-Hulk images come up a lot, according to the thread seen by 404 Media. Other content includes suggestive images of young girls and making an image of Ariana Grande with anorexia.

"Who is writing these prompts and who is deciding that basically generating porn is what Copilot is now focused on? It’s hard to take things seriously when my focus has to be what model generated the appropriate bust size or which middle aged woman was put in the appropriate sexually suggestive position," said one contractor in the thread.

Microsoft's guidance to contractors is to trust their intuition, according to documents seen by 404 Media. The company asks people to rely on their gut reaction to determine if an image meets the demands of a prompt.

In a vacuum, asking people to assess the realism of AI-generated images is fine. Humans have an uncanny ability to detect when an image feels off. But the contractors are not being asked to determine if an innocent image looks real.

Contractors are sometimes given tasks that turn out to include explicit, unsafe, or potentially illegal images, according to 404 Media. One contractor discussed being sent a collection of upskirt photos. While those types of images can be taken with consent, they often are taken without permission.

Other prompts reviewed by humans include a request to make fetish images of children's cartoon characters.

Microsoft provided a statement to 404 Media:

"Microsoft uses customer data as described in our terms of use, including to improve our products and enforce our code of conduct."

Prolific did not respond to a request for comment made by 404 Media.

404 Media breaks down the situation extensively, so I suggest reading through all of their coverage as well. The piece asks for prompt reviewers to reach out to 404 Media, so we may see more details emerge in the future.

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After years of trying to get people to embrace the Copilot+ PC brand, Microsoft decided to move away from the moniker entirely. The new Surface Pro 12-inch and Surface Laptop 13-inch aren't called Copilot+ PCs even though they meet all the technical requirements to be labeled as such.

That leaves some of us in a strange spot. Many purchased Copilot+ PCs because that was the only way to get a new model of certain laptops. People can enable or disable AI features as they'd like, but Copilot+ PCs feature a Copilot key that is useless to a lot of people.

There are non-Copilot+ PCs and keyboards that feature a Copilot key. But because of the recent change regarding Copilot+ PCs, people online have complained about their Copilot+ PCs having a Copilot key, so I made this guide.

So, what can you do if you spent hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars on a laptop to get the latest specs only to find a key on your keyboard wasted? Luckily, Microsoft considered this quandary and made it possible to remap the Copilot key.

Windows 11 allows you to customize what the Copilot key does, but the options are limited. You can set the key to open Search, open Copilot, or launch an app.

If you want more control over what the Copilot key does (pun intended), you can use PowerToys to remap the key.

You can also spend a few dollars to cover up the Copilot logo and replace it with whatever you'd like to remap that key to.

How to remap Copilot key in Windows 11

This is the easiest option, but it has serious limitations.

• Open the Settings app on Windows 11.
• Open Bluetooth & devices.
• Open Keyboard.
• Click the dropdown menu next to Customize Copilot key on keyboard.
• Select Search, Copilot, or Open an app.

The option to remap the Copilot key shipped to Windows 11 this year, so you need to make sure your PC is up to date to use the feature.

How to remap Copilot key with PowerToys

If you want to remap the Copilot key to do something other than launch Search, Copilot, or an app, you need to use a separate application. PowerToys includes a Keyboard Manager that does the trick.

Because the Copilot key is treated by Windows 11 as a shortcut and not as a single key, you need to use the option to remap a shortcut.

I found this process easier to complete using the classic Keyboard Manager within PowerToys. You can do this by toggling Try the new editor off.

• Install PowerToys.
• Open PowerToys.
• Open the Keyboard Manager tool.
• Make sure Keyboard Manager is enabled.
• Select Remap a shortcut.
• Select Add shortcut remapping.
• Set the shortcut to Windows + Shift + Ctrl + F23.
• Set the action to whatever you'd like (such as Ctrl (Right)).

Since few keyboards have an F23 key, I found it easier to use the classic editor in Keyboard Manager. Our colleagues at Tom's Hardware were the first to discover that the Copilot key is actually a shortcut using F23.

How to cover the Copilot key

Even if you remap the Copilot key, the logo will still appear on your keyboard. If you dislike keys mismatching what they input on your PC, you may want to cover up the Copilot key.

Unfortunately, how easy that will be depends on the color of your keyboard. It's very easy to find keyboard stickers in black or white. This listing on Amazon includes stickers in white, black, and in various languages.

If you have a Surface with a gray keyboard or a colorful Type Cover, you may struggle to find a sticker that matches the color of your keys. You may have better luck on eBay or Etsy, but since items there are often custom made, I won't recommend a specific set of stickers.

If you find stickers to replace the Copilot key on your PC and want to make sure other people know about them, comment below or reach out to me on social media and I'll update this piece.

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Given the absolutely astronomical hype of GTA 6, the headline here might read as crazy. Madness, INSANITY! ... But it's only crazy if you're living within a particularly specific social media bubble, in my humble opinion.

Last week, buddy o' mine Tom Warren made waves by mentioning nerves at Xbox HQ over the potential sales viability of Grand Theft Auto 6 on Xbox Series X|S. It led to Xbox CSO Matthew Ball coming in to deny the rumors, stating that GTA 6 is "creating records" for Xbox preorders.

Even if that's true, GTA 6 presents something of a headache for Xbox. Thanks to an astronomical marketing deal with PlayStation, Xbox isn't even allowed to formally mention the existence of GTA 6 on its Xbox Series X|S consoles. All of the GTA 6 marketing is flowing directly towards PlayStation 5, and there's no guarantee GTA 6 Online will feature cross-play either, much like its predecessor.

Whether it's the PlayStation's marketing deal or the simple lack of available Xbox Series X|S stock to sell through (due to the RAMpocalypse), GTA 6 is shaping up to be something of a missed opportunity for Xbox this autumn.

... But does it even matter?

Perhaps out of nowhere, an unexpected savior has emerged. A savior from our past ... a video game that may well and truly last forever.

World of Warcraft: Forever can beat GTA 6

The hype around GTA 6 has seen publishers desperately swerve to avoid the Vice City-shaped train about to plow through the games industry. I've been inundated with games to review between September and October, and there's simply no time at all to realistically play through all of them. Blood of Dawnwalker, Control Resonant, Gears: E-Day, Star Wars: Zero Company, Valor Mortis, Sinking City 2, Onimusha, Minecraft Dungeons 2 ... dozens of great indie games, and even more AA and AAA titles ... all swerving to avoid GTA 6.

Yet, there are two games from Xbox that are launching close to or even on top of GTA 6, in the form of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, and perhaps more importantly, World of Warcraft: Forever.

MW4 hype does seem muted this year, likely in part because of GTA 6 and maybe generalized franchise fatigue, but the same absolutely cannot be said for WoW: Forever. Even as an unashamed WoW fanboy, I've been utterly stunned by the popularity of the beta, which generally requires a purchase to even access. It doesn't come out until November, yet it seems to be breaking franchise records already for Blizzard, and by extension, Xbox.

Blizzard devs have said they haven't seen the game this busy in 17 years, and my own sources within Blizzard have echoed similar. Perhaps crucially, I've been told that WoW: Forever is not cannibalizing WoW: Retail either. These are all new or long-dormant returning players, buoyed by hype from massively influential streamers like Asmongold. The servers are struggling under the load, as players new and long-dormant return in their hundreds of thousands to march upon Azeroth once again.

WoW: Forever is basically a remaster/remix of the OG WoW from 23 years ago ... and it's going to take on GTA 6 in the same launch window, which isn't yet on PC. WoW: Forever will have a near-blank runway on PC as a result of multi-platform games swerving to avoid Grand Theft Auto 6.

For Xbox's quarterly projections, it couldn't have come at a better time from a corporate perspective. Asha Sharma has promised shareholders that Xbox will return to growth this year, and that was without factoring in their thoroughly unexpected projections for WoW: Forever.

Xbox is far, far bigger now than people seem to realize

Indeed, if you're in the Xbox discourse bubble, it's potentially easy to forget that World of Warcraft: Forever will feed that bottom line. Minecraft also announced a new dimension in "The Sift," coming to the game in 2027. I can see from Windows Central's traffic that this is also going to be a huge deal for the game, but also Xbox as a business unit.

So, even if GTA 6 was a flop on Xbox (and there's no evidence to suggest it would be, really), Xbox has a variety of backup plans on the docket. Some intentional, some not-so-intentional.

This is the thing about modern Xbox. A lot of the commentary tends to focus on console — it ignores mobile, it ignores PC service games like WoWF, and other revenue streams Xbox is setting up with TV and movie licensing. There's even the Minecraft theme park coming to the UK, which will be a test bed for broader expansion across the world in the coming years. Could we eventually see "Blizzard World" set up shop next door to Minecraft World? I mean, it's not entirely outside of the realm of possibility. There's even been internal chatter about an "XboxCon" in a similar vein to BlizzCon in the future ...

Yes, GTA 6 is important for Xbox ... but there's also a component crisis. PS5 and Xbox Series X|S are not overstocked. They're selling every box they can muster even without GTA 6. Perhaps if the RAMpocalypse wasn't ongoing, GTA 6 would be more crucial than it otherwise is. But Xbox is stronger than ever off Xbox Series X|S hardware right now.

Xbox CSO Matthew Ball said GTA 6 is breaking records for Xbox regardless, but even if that wasn't true ... the Xbox operation is so, so much bigger, and has so, so much more potential beyond the traditional box these days. This is before Xbox has even announced the console versions of World of Warcraft: Forever, which you just know are undoubtedly on the way. World of Warcraft has never been on console. WoW:F as a timed console exclusive would drive more sales to Xbox Series X|S than GTA 6 with PlayStation marketing ever could, in my humble opinion.

But I digress. The point is simple. GTA 6 is only the cherry on top for the modern Xbox business; it's not the entire cake.

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Amazon Prime's Big Deal Days event is just a week away, starting on October 7, 2026. However, Amazon's competition isn't waiting to host enticing counter deals for it by then, as some early competitor deals are already cropping up.

One such deal is this 44% discount for the Dell 14S laptop, which has taken its steep $1,599.99 listing price down to a more affordable $899.99 at Best Buy.

Why should you buy a Dell 14S laptop?

The Dell 14S laptop boasts a wide variety of tech that makes it a more-than-competent productivity companion for students and desk jockeys alike.

This configuration of the Dell 14S laptop features an Intel Core Ultra 7 355 CPU with 16GB RAM and 512GB storage. These enable it to run web browsers with multiple tabs open, edit photos in Photoshop, and even play 4K YouTube videos in the background, all at once without a significant drop in performance.

Additionally, it features a 14-inch 2K LED screen to display images and videos with sharp details and vibrant color gamuts, a premium-quality build to protect its vital components, a comfortable-to-use keyboard with a trackpad, and a powerful battery life that will last you over 20 hours before needing to recharge.

Finally, the Dell 14S is a Copilot+ PC (a name that's starting to disappear) with an NPU capable of 49 trillion operations per second (TOPS). This means that it can operate AI-empowered programs like Cocreator or Recall with ease, and use AI search engines to help you research information more quickly online.

So, if you're looking for a straightforward laptop that's purely focused on powering through light workflow tasks at school or work all day without a break, you can't go wrong with the Dell 14S.

Dell 14S's discounted $899.99 price tag at Best Buy is certainly cheaper right now than its more powerful yet more expensive Dell XPS 14 counterpart, which usually runs for a retail price of $2,249.99 at Dell.

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