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505 Games Announces Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement - Sets 2026 Release Window

The news we've been waiting to share with you all is here! Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement is coming in 2026. Helmed by Creative Director SHUTARO and produced by IGA. Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement is an entirely new 2.5D side-scrolling RPG that will introduce exciting new lore, characters, gameplay and features to the Bloodstained franchise.

THE STORY
16th-century England drowns in the shadow of the Ethereal Castle and its deadly inhabitants. All attempts to fight this evil have been met with failure and death. In a desperate, final attempt, two heroes rise together against the Demon Lord Elias' reign of terror: Leonard Brandon and Alexander Kyteler. Leo is a young fighter with the Church's Black Wolves clan. Alex is a knight of the kingdom's White Stags and the lone survivor of an earlier expedition to fight Elias.

Kuroutoshikou Reveals Familiar Dual-fan Radeon RX 9060 XT Card Design

Kuroutoshikou has updated its custom AMD graphics card portfolio with brand-new Radeon RX 9060 XT 16 GB and 8 GB options. As covered in the recent past, this Japanese brand seems to source card designs from better known manufacturers—namely PowerColor/PC Partner and GALAX. Their latest offerings are unstickered black Reaper cards, albeit not in overclocked form—Kuroutoshikou has opted for Team Red's reference settings. A stamped PowerColor logo is still present on the largely featureless design's I/O shield.

When looking through Kuroutoshikou's catalog, several familiar current and past-gen unbadged Hellhound, Fighter and Low Profile models are present and accounted for. A minimalist aesthetic extends to retail packaging; the brand's tasteful signature box sports a mostly brushed gold-effect theme. Their Blade and Soul NEO crossover signalled a break from the norm—boringly, character illustrations were not applied to shroud or backplate pieces. Unsurprisingly, Kuroutoshikou products are exclusive to the Japanese PC hardware market. Fortunately, comprehensive distribution of nigh-identical PowerColor IPs is in effect across most of the globe.

Square Enix Announces FINAL FANTASY TACTICS - The Ivalice Chronicles

One of the greatest games in the entire FINAL FANTASY series is back! FINAL FANTASY TACTICS - The Ivalice Chronicles releases September 30th for PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. This enhanced version has been created by a team composed of both original team members and new developers, and features everything that made the 1997 PlayStation original so acclaimed. That includes the epic story, the satisfyingly strategic battles and the flexible job system—but it also adds new content and features that make the game even more fun to play. We'll go into those new additions shortly, but first, for those new to the game…

What is FINAL FANTASY TACTICS - The Ivalice Chronicles?
FINAL FANTASY TACTICS - The Ivalice Chronicles is a tactical RPG that tells the true history of a troubled land. Following the death of the king, a mere boy of two ascends the throne. That means whoever is named regent essentially rules the land. Two dukes vie for the position—Goltanna the Black Lion and Larg the White Lion. These powerful figures are destined to clash, and the resulting conflict would become known as the War of the Lions.

Jensen Huang on Switch 2's Custom NVIDIA SoC: "Unlike Anything We've Ever Built Before"

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

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

ELDEN RING Nightreign Attracts 3.5+ Million Nightfarers, Bandai Namco Teases "Duo Expeditions" Update

On the dawn of the fifth day, 3.5 million Nightfarers took up arms against the Night in ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN. We are ever grateful for your passion. But the Night is far from over. In addition to the DLC releasing later this year, new additions will be gradually implemented, including enhanced fights against existing Nightlords starting this month, as well as Duo Expeditions at a later date.Thank you for your support.

Nightfarers, Thank you for playing ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN. Patch 1.01.1 is out; it includes several bug fixes as well as improvements for solo expeditions. The following improvements for solo expeditions are added to the game:
  • The effect "Automatic Revival Upon Defeat", which allows revival once per night boss battle, will be added to solo expeditions.
  • The number of runes gained will be increased.

TSMC Confirms No Middle East Expansion and Anticipates Higher Wafer Costs

TSMC has declared that it has no immediate plans to build fabrication plants in the Middle East, reinforcing its strategy to focus on regions where customer demand is strong. Last week's rumors that TSMC might establish a gigafab in the United Arab Emirates have been dismissed by company executives as baseless. CEO CC Wei explained that an expansion into the Gulf does not fit with TSMC's model of locating factories near its largest clients. With ongoing investments in the US, Japan, and Germany, the company aims to serve technology leaders and automotive manufacturers more effectively. Wei added that, without a solid local customer base, building in the Middle East would be impractical. At the same time, TSMC indicated it is reviewing wafer pricing. Fluctuations in the Taiwanese dollar and changing global tariffs were cited as factors under consideration.

According to Wei, long-term agreements could include modest price increases, especially for advanced process nodes, where research and development costs and manufacturing challenges are rising. Looking ahead, TSMC confirmed that the upcoming A14 1.4 nm node wafers are expected to be priced around $45,000 each. This would represent a 50 percent increase over the current 2 nm wafers, which cost about $30,000 apiece. Production of the 1.4 nm node is projected to begin around 2028. Only TSMC's top-tier customers are likely to reserve capacity for this cutting-edge node in its early stages. As demand for advanced semiconductors rises, the company's approach to pricing and geographic focus will be key to maintaining its leadership in the global foundry market.

Acer Predator BiFrost RX 9070 OC 16 GB SKU Hits Retail Two+ Months After Official Unveiling

Acer was late with its contribution of custom RDNA 4 graphics card; introductory press material was issued after the fact, and potential buyers have waited a while for retail stock to reach end destinations. The Taiwanese manufacturer's opening salvo consisted of premium "Predator BiFrost" and sub-flagship "Nitro" overclocked Radeon RX 9070 XT models, but non-XT options did not launch at the same time. This morning, VideoCardz noted the availability of Predator BiFrost RX 9070 OC 16 GB cards in Japan. The company's regional office has opened its direct-to-customer order book; to the tune of 128,800 yen (including sales tax) per unit—converting to roughly ~$902 (USD).

Unlike XT equivalents, Acer's Predator BiFrost OC and Nitro OC RX 9070 models feature two 8-pin power connectors (instead of three units). Currently, the Geizhals/Skinflint price aggregator denotes stock—of both SKUs—being present at e-tailers in Germany and Austria. According to comparisons, the best Predator BiFrost RX 9070 OC deal comes in at €709 (inc. VAT), at GALAXUS. PLAYOX and Office-Partner.de offer the lowest Nitro RX 9070 OC price tags: €669 (inc. VAT), plus €4.99 processing fees. Acer has not publicly disclosed the reasons behind subsequent sluggish launches of its RDNA 4 portfolio. Curiously enough, Yeston—best known for dealing in eccentric card designs—foresaw a post-April stabilization of Radeon RX 9070 series shipments.

ASUS TUF Gaming Talks About Hatsune Miku Crossover Collection

The undisputed number one princess in the world, Hatsune Miku, has conquered hearts the world over. But her blue hair and blue tie don't have to stay hidden in your WiFi. With the TUF Gaming x Hatsune Miku collection, the world's most famous vocaloid can sing along with you through your gaming peripherals. Special Hatsune Miku editions of the TUF Gaming K3 Gen II gaming keyboard, TUF Gaming H1 Gen II gaming mouse, TUF Gaming Mini Wireless mouse, and TUF Gaming P1 gaming mouse pad bring a cybernetic fusion of Miku's signature blue-green and pink color scheme along with the mechanical-armor aesthetics of TUF Gaming.

Durable, compact, and stylish: The TUF Gaming K3 Gen II Hatsune Miku Edition keyboard
Finished in the Hatsune Miku color scheme, the TUF Gaming K3 Gen II Hatsune Miku Edition gaming keyboard makes a stunning first impression. Miku-themed touches abound across its surfaces, including specialized keycaps for the Enter keys, spacebar, Esc key, and more. Per-key RGB LED illumination with up to 16.8 million colors, customizable through ASUS Aura Sync, lets you personalize the look of the board. But can you truly say from the bottom of your heart that Miku is adorable if you stray too far from her signature colors?

ELDEN RING Nightreign Available Worldwide - Bandai Namco Celebrates 2+ Million Unit Sales Milestone

ELDEN RING Nightreign, the standalone multiplayer co-op action survival game by FromSoftware, Inc. and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc., is now available to players, having already surpassed the milestone of 2 million units. In the game, players must navigate the twists and turns and various challenges in the harsh and unforgiving world of Limveld—a new land to explore in the ELDEN RING universe.

The game thrusts players into co-op multiplayer PVE combat against a harsh and unforgiving world. Teaming up in squads of three—or daring to go solo—they must outlast a three day-and-night cycle, making split decisions about combat and exploration across a changing map to become strong enough to take down terrifying bosses, including the occasional familiar foe from prior FromSofware games, at the end of each day. ELDEN RING Nightreign is available now in Standard and Deluxe edition as well as a physical Collector's Edition for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.

Client Interest in Samsung Foundry Reportedly Buoyed by Nintendo Switch 2 SoC Production Deal

The Nintendo Switch 2 hybrid console is due to launch globally next Wednesday (June 4). The highly anticipated next-gen handheld is powered by a custom NVIDIA processor. To the surprise of many industry watchdogs, both parties have semi-recently disclosed a couple of technical details regarding their fruitful hardware collaboration. Historically, Nintendo has guarded many aspects of its past generation hardware. Throughout the 2020s, data miners and leakers have unearthed plenty of pre-release information—leading to theories about the Switch 2 chipset's origins. During the Switch 1 era, TSMC was the chosen manufacturing partner. NVIDIA's off-the-shelf Tegra X1 mobile SoC powered the first wave of Nintendo Switch (2017) devices, in 20 nm form. A 2019 revision resulted in Switch Lite and (refreshed) Switch models being equipped with a more efficient 16 nm solution, also present within 2023's premium OLED variant.

Since then, Switch 2's alleged NVIDIA Tegra T239 SoC was linked to a Samsung 8 nm node process. Earlier this month, extremely brave Chinese leakers produced "full die shot" evidence of South Korean foundry origins. Bloomberg insider news articles have implied that Samsung Semi's mature 8 nm FinFET node is better suited—rather than an equivalent TSMC product—for the Switch 2's custom NVIDIA chipset. Unnamed sources have mentioned critical factors; namely stable production and process compatibility. Industry moles reckon that Samsung leadership is actively and aggressively pushing for a longer Switch 2 chipset production deal. Renewed terms could include a future die shrink; pre-launch analysis indicates a sizeable 207 mm² footprint. Beyond foundry biz negotiations, additional murmurs suggest company executives dangling an OLED panel supply agreement. Industry experts have viewed Samsung's key entry—into the gaming console chip market—as a seismic development. A DigiTimes article dives into a so-called "tripartite cooperation"—involving Nintendo, NVIDIA, and the South Korean semiconductor giant. The Samsung Foundry has floundered and struggled in recent times, but is keen to catch up with its arch rival. Fresh rumors have AMD and Sony considering Samsung's chip making channels; possibly with futuristic PlayStation hardware in mind.

Square Enix Explores the Legacy & Modernizations of their Dragon Quest Franchise

Dragon Quest is the beloved series that's widely credited for founding the entire JPRG (Japanese role-playing game) genre. Every year, fans around the world (usually) celebrate Dragon Quest Day on May 27-the release date of the very first game in 1986. And so: Happy (belated) Dragon Quest Day! Whether this is your first time hearing about the series or you're a longtime fan, it's the perfect day to step into the world of these amazing games! So, celebrate with us as we tell you all about the wonders of Dragon Quest.

Introducing Legendary Creators
The Dragon Quest franchise was brought to life by a trio of legendary creators. Yuji Horii is the visionary game designer and creator of the series and has shaped its direction since the original title's release in 1986. The distinctive character designs were crafted by the late Akira Toriyama, the world-renowned manga artist. Complementing visuals and storytelling is the iconic music composed by the late Koichi Sugiyama. Together, these three pioneers established a legacy that continues to inspire RPGs today, and each of their specific elements have become the defining traits of the Dragon Quest experience.

Intel Arc Xe2 B770 "Battlemage" dGPU Reportedly Lined Up for Q4'25 Launch

In the run-up to Computex 2025, Intel sent out mixed messages about the future of Arc Xe2 "Battlemage" desktop graphics cards. A combination of first-party teasers and "official leaks" (courtesy of AIBs) indicated an (eventual) introduction of professional B-series products. PC hardware enthusiasts were looking forward to a possible unveiling of higher-end gaming cards; the rumor mill has floated a "B770" option in recent times. Industry observers detected further encouraging pre-release signs; a "B750" identifier was discovered on Intel Japan's website—likely existing as placeholder material. Team Blue's social media account drummed up additional hype, prior to the commencement of last week's key trade event.

The TechPowerUp crew and other media outlets did not stumble upon any Intel Arc Xe2 B750 or B770 specimens at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center. According to a mid-visit Tweakers.net article, several unnamed figures (likely board partner company representatives) divulged inside track knowledge during Computex 2025. The online publication outlined a smattering of details: "sources close to Intel confirm the existence of the Arc B770 video card. According to them, the introduction is planned for the second half of this year. The card is expected to appear in the fourth quarter, although the planning can of course still change. Intel is working on an Arc B770 video card based on the 'Battlemage' architecture. Tweakers was able to confirm this with multiple sources during Computex. So far, Intel has only released lower-positioned B570 and B580 video cards with this architecture." Now defunct product roadmaps had the "Battlemage" series wrapped up by 2024, but delays and other factors have allegedly caused major timeline slippages. An industry expert claimed that a larger "BMG-G31" GPU development project was closed down at some point late last year, but fresher production activities have generated renewed beliefs that the "Battlemage" gaming line will expand beyond "cheaper" tiers.

Sapphire Teases "Radeon RX 9060 XT" Lineup - Placeholders On Display at Computex

Earlier today, the Sapphire Japan social media account shared an intriguing teaser photo. As expected, the Hong Kong-based manufacturer has (representative) feet on the ground in Taipei, Taiwan. Currently, their Computex booth's main purpose is to show off already launched custom AMD RDNA 4 products—namely Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 cards. According to Team Red's official schedule, new items will be debuted on-stage tomorrow—insiders believe that the oft-leaked Radeon RX 9060 XT model will be unveiled by Jack Huynh, and board partners.

The Japanese Sapphire office commented on pre-game conditions: "I received a very interesting image from the site. Um...It says something like "tomorrow, the 21st, from 12:01pm (1:01pm in Japan?)" I wonder what it could be." Their photo upload shows five placeholder placards; two with longer profiles—suggesting triple-fan configurations. The three other options seem to be dual-fan in nature. Printed material outlines an imminent "21 May, 12:01 PM" reveal. Despite fairly strict conditions, other AIBs have already presented designs (online). Yesterday, industry watchers noticed Acer's previewing of a Nitro Radeon RX 9060 XT OC 16 GB SKU. Given the total number of "temporary" wall-mounted items on display, Sapphire could be readying various mid-range (PURE) and budget (PULSE) models.

Nintendo Confirms that Switch 2 Will Not Support VRR in Docked TV Mode

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

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

FANTASY LIFE i: The Girl Who Steals Time Global Launch Times Revealed

The release of Fantasy Life i is just around the corner! We hope you guys are as excited as we are. Make sure to check when exactly the game launches in your timezone (see chart below). Are you ready to start your new Life in this Fantasy World? Step into this Slow-Life RPG where you can freely switch between 14 unique jobs, so-called "Lives," and enjoy a carefree life in a fantasy world. Fish, cook, shape the island to your liking, or team up with friends to battle monsters across the vast world.

LEVEL5 has announced that "Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time" is available for Early / Advanced Access on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S and PC/Steam—as of May 18 (yesterday). The full game is playable ahead of the scheduled general release on May 21.

Heron QPU-powered IBM Quantum System One Will Bolster UTokyo's Miyabi Supercomputer

The University of Tokyo (UTokyo) and IBM have announced plans to deploy the latest 156-qubit IBM Heron quantum processing unit (QPU), which will be operational in the IBM Quantum System One administered by UTokyo for the members of the Quantum Innovation Initiative (QII) Consortium. The IBM Heron QPU, which features a tunable-coupler architecture, delivers a significantly higher performance than the processor previously installed in 2023.

This is the second update of the IBM Quantum System One as part of the collaboration between UTokyo and IBM. It was first deployed with a 27-qubit IBM Falcon QPU, before being updated to a 127-qubit IBM Eagle QPU in 2023. It is now transitioning to the latest generation highly performant IBM Heron later this year. IBM has deployed four Heron-based systems worldwide and their performance shows significant improvement over the previous Eagle QPU, with a 3-4x improvement in two-qubit error rates; an order of magnitude improvement in device-wide performance benchmarked by errors across 100-qubit long layers; continued improvement in speed, with a 60 percent increase in CLOPS expected; and a system uptime of more than 95%. The latest IBM Heron processor has continued to demonstrate immense value in orchestrating utility-level workloads, to date, with multiple published studies leveraging these systems' capability of achieving more than 5,000 gate operations.

This Week in Gaming (Week 21)

Welcome to Computex week, oh, sorry, wrong topic—even though it's the week of what could be our favorite trades show—but this article is about new game releases. This week's major release lets you live out your childhood sandbox dreams, at least if you liked big construction vehicles as a kid. This is followed by some Japanese arcade side scrolling action, a classic adventure game, some drifting in Japan, a game that puts you in the shoes of a courier and finally yet another game related to Japan, just a bit further back in time than the previous two.

RoadCraft / This week's major release / Tuesday 20 May
As the leader of a company specialized in restoring sites devastated by natural disasters, use your construction machinery to restart the local industry. Clear debris and faulty equipment, rebuild roads and bridges damaged by weather, and much more. Steam link

Capcom Fighting Collection 2 Out Now on PC & Consoles

The fight continues in Capcom Fighting Collection 2, packed with 8 iconic fighting games from across Capcom's history! Get ready to battle now! From beloved crossovers to 3D fighters, 8 classics return to pack a real punch! Fight as one of many colorful characters from the Capcom vs SNK series, cross fists with the extensive roster of the final installment of Street Fighter Alpha, make the world your weapon in the Power Stone series, and experience the thrilling story and intense action of Project Justice and Plasma Sword: Nightmare of Bilstein.

All games will feature online play and rollback netcode! Get a great deal with Capcom Fighting Collection 1 & 2 Bundle available now (on Steam)! Featuring 18 iconic games including games from the Street Fighter and the Darkstalkers series, the fighting action is endless! To celebrate the launch of Capcom Fighting Collection 2 we're giving away free player profile cards as a gift! Use one of 18 designs and post it on Twitter/X with the hashtag #MyCFC2Card to find new friends to play with!

Sudokoo to Showcase Its Thermal Solutions at Computex 2025

Sudokoo offers world-class high performance PC hardware and thermal solutions from Singapore to the world. At Sudokoo, we're passionate about designing next-level thermal solutions that blend powerful performance with sleek aesthetics—and today, we're excited to introduce our PROTEUS Series AIO cooler, SK700/SK620 Series Air cooler and MACH120 Case Fans during COMPUTEX 2025!

SK700V: An AM5-designated digital air cooler with Full RAM Freedom
FLAGSHIP CPU AIR COOLERS- SK series offer 6/7 offset heat pipes air cooler, comes with digital display screen version and standard version. AM5-focused and delivering 220 W cooling power. Rail Lock Mount design for simple and elegant installation concept. Digital version available provides real-time monitoring of CPU temperature, usage, wattage, and frequency. Controlled via MasterCraft software.

Stellar Blade Coming to PC Platform on June 11 - Shift Up CTO Discusses Graphical Features

On June 11, the PC version of Stellar Blade will be released. The PC version of Stellar Blade will support several new features and introduce exciting additional content. This additional content will also be available on the PS5 console version, This additional content will also be available on the PS5 console version. PS5 users will receive the free update content through a patch download. It will deliver the best experience to everyone - both users who couldn't join Eve's mission due to platform limitations, and fans who have already witnessed the end of Eve's protocol. With this in mind, we are pleased to share detailed information about the Stellar Blade PC version.

NVIDIA DLSS 4 & AMD FSR 3 upscaling and unlocked frame rate
Blade, blood, and beauty. Eve is a ruthless executioner and an elegant liberator. The PC version of Stellar Blade supports NVIDIA DLSS 4 resolution scaling and frame generation, NVIDIA DLAA image enhancement, and NVIDIA Reflex latency reduction features. AMD FSR 3 is also supported. Additionally, it supports unlocking the frame rate, allowing you to maximize your PC's potential. With these enhancements, Eve's action will transcend its limits, becoming even more merciless and all the more mesmerizing.

Sony Leadership Contemplating Price Hikes & Potential US Production Line for PS5

A month ago, Sony increased its PlayStation 5 home console prices for EMEA and ANZ regions—affecting customers in Europe, Middle East, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. At the time, industry experts surmised that company leadership was considering a similar strategy for a primary market: North America. Instead of freshly implemented 25% upward hikes for certain products/packages, reports suggested a 30% climb—for the North American market. Weeks later, company leadership has discussed this hot topic. During yesterday's (projected) earnings call with investors, top brass confirmed their consideration of "passing along" additional costs to consumers—in response to a reported/anticipated 100 billion yen (~$680 million) impact from US tariffs. They outlined a stockpile of PS5 consoles; enough units have been accumulated for roughly three months of supply—unaffected by adjusted conditions, in the States.

Despite this provision, Hiroki Totoki—Sony's president/CEO—is open to exploring alternative production avenues, in the face of looming extra charges. When asked about this matter, he replied with: "hardware can of course be produced locally, I think that would be an efficient strategy. PS5 is being manufactured in many areas, whether it is going to be manufactured in the US or not—it needs to be considered going forward." In efforts to navigate a trying situation, Nintendo has juggled its geographic manufacturing footprint—recent-ish developments have shifted away from a complete reliance on Chinese facilities. Industry insiders reckon that the bulk of US-bound Switch 2 units will be Vietnamese-made. Like Sony, Nintendo's executive team has publicly disclosed thoughts about future price hikes—maybe following the launch of its much-anticipated "next-gen" hybrid console. Earlier this month, Microsoft upped modern Xbox portfolio price tags—affecting customers across the world.

Pioneer Has Ended Production of Computer Blu-ray Drives - Transfers PDDM Business to Shanxi Group

Pioneer has quietly confirmed that it has ended production of internal and external Blu-ray optical disc drives (ODDs), for computers. Rumors about the cessation of manufacturing activities emerged earlier this month; with a small number of Japanese news outlets publishing reports. Days later, an official company statement turned up in a low-key manner—via the brand's Japanese web portal. As of late April, shares of the Pioneer Digital Design and Manufacturing (PDDM) subsidiary were transferred to Shanxi Lightchain Technology Industrial Development Co., Ltd. Pioneer's optical disc-related businesses is now owned by the giant (Chinese) Shanxi Group. Commenting on shifting market conditions, a Pioneer Japan representative stated: "while we are moving forward with selection and concentration, centered on our car electronics business, we have come to the decision that it is preferable to advance the optical disc business with a new partner, rather than remaining within our group."

The Pioneer IT Japan webstore is due to close on May 30; as disclosed in a mid-April bulletin. In addition, NotebookCheck highlighted the complete lack of optical drive stock for North American webshop customers. At the time of writing, Pioneer's official Amazon.com presence still offers a small selection of portable slimline models. A chunkier external premium option—the BDR-X13U-S BDXL Blu-ray recorder—was launched only six months ago, so the firm's sudden change of heart is quite surprising. What Hi-Fi? noted that Pioneer's AV/home cinema division has not released any new 4K Blu-ray player products since 2019. Three months ago, Sony shuttered its last optical media factory, in Japan—signalling an end of an era. The vast majority of consumers have turned their backs on physical formats; instead favoring digital/streaming channels. In a refreshing (early 2025) PR piece, Verbatim and I-O DATA expressed their (joint) commitment to producing high-quality optical discs.

Labyrinth Of The Demon King Out Now on PC & Consoles

Hello everyone! It's finally time—the gates have opened to the Labyrinth Of The Demon King. The game is out now, and to celebrate we've debuted a brand-new launch trailer (see below). Labyrinth Of The Demon King has been an incredible labor of love by the developer—J. R. Hudepohl—and we've extremely excited to finally be able to share it with everyone. The game is out now on Steam, GOG, Switch, PS4 + PS5, and Xbox platforms—there's a 20% discount which will be active for the first 2 weeks.

We'd also like to thank PC Gamer for their glowing review of the game: 81/100! For a first time developer, this is a remarkable achievement. As a reminder, demo save data will not carry over to the main game. We've added a section on the main steam page as a reminder for this for new users as well. Thank you all for your tremendous support, and we hope you enjoy the game! If you do (and we certainly hope you do!) be sure to leave a review—it helps us and the developer a lot. You'll hear from us (Top Hat Studios) again soon—until then, enjoy all the Labyrinth Of The Demon King has to offer! Thank you all again for your support for during development; it feels unreal that the game is finally releasing.

Nintendo Will Contemplate Switch 2 Price Hikes - Dependent on Shifts in Tariff Conditions

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

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

PS5 DualSense Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Limited Edition Arriving on June 26

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

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