video games

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.

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 veteran video game music composer has entered a race for the US Congress, framing his campaign around opposing 'woke' ideology. He discussed the bid in an interview with Fox News, describing his gaming industry background and his stance in the culture war as central to his candidacy. Further details about the race, his district, and his platform remain limited.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.