video games

Qualcomm has announced two new flagship smartphone processors: the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and, for the first time alongside it, an 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6. The company describes both as flagship chips, with the differences between them relatively minor, mainly improved AI processing, video capture and gaming performance. Tech watchers are comparing the two tiers and what the changes mean for upcoming flagship phones.

A reinforcement learning bot trained through self-play has beaten a strong human player at StarCraft: Brood War, one of the most mechanically demanding competitive strategy games. The result is drawing attention among AI researchers and gamers, as Brood War's complexity and action-per-minute requirements have long made it a tougher benchmark than more modern strategy titles.

Games should carry higher price tags, saying Grand Theft Auto 6 had a real opportunity to raise prices industry-wide but did not take it. The comments add fuel to an ongoing debate among players and developers about rising game prices, inflation, and whether blockbuster releases should set a new pricing standard for the medium.

A veteran video game music composer is running for Congress and is framing his campaign around fighting what he calls 'woke' ideology, according to Fox News. The move puts a gaming industry figure into electoral politics, tying cultural debates in entertainment to a congressional campaign. Details about which district he is running in and his platform beyond this theme remain limited in initial coverage.

Companies facing a lawsuit over video game addiction cannot compel the case into arbitration, according to a ruling reported by Law360. The decision means the addiction claims can proceed in court rather than in private arbitration, a potentially significant setback for the game industry defendants and a notable development for families pursuing such claims.

An opinion piece in the Albuquerque Journal argues that age verification requirements in video gaming raise significant privacy concerns for players. The commentary adds to a wider debate over identity checks required by gaming and online platforms, which critics say collect sensitive personal data and create risks of breaches or misuse.

A Chicago Tribune column reports that a major gaming company is unhappy with betting odds tied to video game or esports wagering, arguing the odds are unfavorable or misleading for players. The piece critiques how the betting market prices these wagers and what that means for consumers.

A new review is out for T. Kingfisher's novel based on the video game Baldur's Gate 3, focusing on the vampire companion character Astarion. The book is part of a growing wave of official fiction tied to the hit role-playing game. Readers and fans of the game are discussing whether the author's signature dark, whimsical style suits the beloved character.

A retrospective looks back at the 1990s console wars between Nintendo, Sega and Sony, tracing how fierce competition over hardware, marketing and exclusive games shaped the modern video game industry. The piece argues that the rivalry of that decade drove innovation in graphics, game design and home entertainment, leaving a lasting legacy on how consoles are made and sold today.

The National Videogame Museum in the UK has launched a nationwide survey on game preservation, aiming to gather input on how video games should be archived and protected for the future. The initiative, reported by GamesIndustry.biz, invites the public and industry to contribute views on preserving gaming history.

Lego is retiring 34 video game-themed sets at the end of the year, among them sets based on Animal Crossing, Horizon and Sonic the Hedgehog. Once retired, the sets will no longer be produced, making them attractive to collectors while stocks last. Fans of gaming-inspired Lego are expected to rush to buy their favourites before they disappear from shelves permanently.

The U.S. government is producing video games that address political issues, according to a CBC Kids News story. The piece examines why federal agencies are turning to games as a medium for engaging young people on civic and policy topics, and what that says about how institutions communicate with younger audiences.

Overwolf has introduced a media briefing offering that maps audience data across 5,000 video games, giving advertisers and media planners a way to understand and reach gaming communities at scale. The move positions the gaming platform as a bridge between in-game creators and the advertising industry, at a time when brands are increasingly looking to spend inside and around games.

Russian watchmaker Konstantin Chaykin has created a new piece inspired by the Left and Right Twins, the robotic ballerina characters from the video game Atomic Heart. The project translates the game's retro-futuristic robot design into a horological object, drawing attention from both watch collectors and gaming fans interested in crossovers between the two worlds.

Naughty Dog and PlayStation have teased new Last of Us sequel projects, but signals suggest they may not take the form of video games. The news has stirred speculation among fans about whether the franchise could expand further into other media, following the success of the HBO television adaptation of the series.

Match highlights of the 11th game between China and Saudi Arabia in their 2026 cricket series are drawing attention among cricket followers. The fixture pits two emerging cricketing nations against each other, with viewers watching the highlights package to follow how the contest unfolded between the two sides.

A technical university in Zagreb is set to launch Croatia's first degree programme in video game development. The course would give students formal training in game design and production in a country whose gaming industry has so far developed without a dedicated university-level qualification. Details on the curriculum and start date have not been widely reported yet.

ESPN has announced that Watch ESPN, its streaming platform, is now the home of MLB.TV videos, giving baseball fans a central place to stream out-of-market games and related content through the service. The move consolidates Major League Baseball's streaming coverage within ESPN's app as the league continues shifting toward digital distribution.

A previously unknown Family Guy video game has surfaced, developed by the team behind Disney Universe but never released. The discovery has drawn attention from Family Guy fans and gaming preservationists, who are sharing details about the cancelled project and speculating on why it never made it to store shelves.

Rapper The Game has released a new music video for 'The Life', a track from his album 'The Documentary 3'. The video drop follows the album's release and gives fans a visual for one of its songs. Coverage so far has been limited to music news outlets reporting the release.

The number of video game publishers operating in Russia is growing at an accelerating pace, according to a report from industry tracker wnhub.io. The finding points to an expanding domestic games sector, with more companies entering the publishing business despite international studios having scaled back or exited the Russian market in recent years.

Some old video games are now valuable collector's items, potentially worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars. According to WFTV, certain retro titles have appreciated significantly, meaning games gathering dust in attics could fetch serious money from collectors and resellers.