Video gaming systems news and discussions

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7 Nintendo Switch 2 features we're especially excited about
By Abhimanyu Ghoshal
January 17, 2025

Nintendo has finally taken the wraps off its upcoming Switch 2 portable gaming console, and from what we can see in its playful trailer, its, um... awfully similar to the original that launched 8 years ago.

Nevertheless, the video actually teases several changes and additions. Here's everything we've spotted that should enhance your experience on the new console if you upgrade.

Before we kick off the list, here's the trailer in case you missed it:

https://newatlas.com/games/nintendo-swi ... s-roundup/

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Xbox Can Now Support External USB Drives Larger Than 16TB
You will need to reformat your drives first.
By Devesh Beri January 22, 2025

https://www.extremetech.com/gaming/xbox ... -than-16tb
Microsoft has announced that Xbox consoles will soon support external USB drives larger than 16TB. This new feature is currently being rolled out to Xbox Insiders in the Alpha Skip-Ahead ring as part of a system software update.

The update can give users more storage options for their games and apps. According to Microsoft,

"Newly formatted drives that are larger than 16TB will be formatted with multiple partitions to utilize all available space for games and apps. These will appear as multiple devices in the storage devices list".

Here are some system update details:

OS Version: XB_FLT_2502GE\26100.3336.250120-2200

Available: 6:00 p.m. PT – January 21, 2025

Mandatory: 3:00 a.m. PT – January 22, 2025

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Nintendo Switch 2 Expected to Launch in June, Focus on Nintendo-Made Games
Third-party games will roll out later in the year, according to the rumor.
By Adrianna Nine March 26, 2025

Nintendo is set to show off its long-awaited Switch 2 next week, but fans are already trying to work out what will come next. According to one rumor, the Switch successor could hit shelves as early as June, with a focus on first-party games for the first several months. Games developed outside of Nintendo will reportedly arrive later in the year.

The anticipated release schedule comes via Tom Henderson, owner of Insider Gaming. Attributing the rumor to people he spoke with at this year's Game Developers Conference (GDC), Henderson said the Switch 2 will officially launch in June, just two months after Nintendo's April 2 in-depth reveal. The showcase will finally offer fans the hardware details and pricing information they've been waiting for—with the help of popular "creators," according to Insider Gaming—though Nintendo is also said to be planning a surprise Direct for this week.

https://www.extremetech.com/gaming/nint ... made-games

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Nintendo Switch 2 Unveiled: Release Date, Official Specs, Games, and More
The long-awaited console features a 1080p display, a new game-sharing mechanism, and a host of new and upgraded titles.
By Adrianna Nine April 2, 2025
https://www.extremetech.com/gaming/nint ... s-and-more

Nintendo finally offered an in-depth look at the new Switch 2 Wednesday morning during its long-awaited Nintendo Direct. The console, which comes out June 5, features display upgrades, a storage boost, new control options, an exciting game-sharing mechanism, and a slew of fresh and updated titles. Buckle up—there's a lot to cover.

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First Xbox Handheld Images Appear Online With Asus Designs
Very similar to the next-generation Asus ROG Ally 2, also pictured.
By Jon Martindale May 7, 2025

The first photos of Microsoft's upcoming Xbox handheld gaming system have appeared online, showing a device that looks very similar to the next-generation Asus ROG Ally 2. That's no accident, either, as Asus is producing both devices, seemingly at the same time, as images of both upcoming handheld gaming systems appeared online together.

Microsoft has long been rumored to be working on a portable Xbox gaming system known as "Project Kennan," but specific details are thin on the ground. While Microsoft was likely waiting for a big announcement of this new system, it's been pipped at the post by an official FCC filing, which showed not only some raw specifications for the system, but clear, unfiltered images of it, too.

https://www.extremetech.com/gaming/firs ... us-designs

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The Xbox Ally Is Microsoft's Shot At Capturing the PC Handheld Market
Its specs are impressive, but questions remain over battery life and pricing.
By Jon Martindale June 9, 2025

Microsoft has announced the Xbox Ally X and Xbox Ally, two handheld gaming systems designed to run Windows games and Xbox games both natively and in the cloud, in a shot across the bow of major PC handheld makers like Valve and Lenovo. The hardware is certainly impressive, and early journalistic hands-on experiences have been positive, but some key details have yet to be revealed, and they face stiff competition in an already-established market.

Although still niche, one of the hottest growth industries for PC gaming in recent years has been in handhelds. Sparked by the launch of Valve's Steam Deck in 2022, we've seen Lenovo, MSI, Zotac, Ayaneo, and indeed, Asus, launch their own devices designed to make PC gaming more portable than gaming laptops ever could. The Steam Deck remains the most popular of these devices, making up the bulk of the 6 million units (or so) sold so far.

That's the market that Microsoft is hoping to make a major splash in with its new devices, offering what it hopes will be a winning combination of high-performance hardware and Xbox integration. Instead of it being just a Windows gaming device, it'll also loop in Xbox games via native play and console streaming, as well as cloud gaming for Xbox or PC. It's certainly a more comprehensive gaming offering than the PC-only competition, but SteamOS' Linux base has proved to be better for performance in PC gaming than Windows, which could give some gamers pause.

https://www.extremetech.com/gaming/the- ... eld-market

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Next Xbox and PS6 Will Use the Same AMD UDNA GPU Design: Leak
https://www.extremetech.com/computing/n ... esign-leak

Performance should jump 20% over RDNA4 for general rasterization, but up to 2x for AI and raytracing.

A leaker with a strong record of accuracy is claiming to know some key details of Microsoft's "Next Xbox" console, and the rumored PlayStation 6. Although they don't provide any proof for the claims, they suggest that the next-gen systems will both be based on AMD's next-generation UDNA architecture (the sequel to the latest RDNA4). They also claim that the new systems won't use AMD's 3D V-Cache technology on the CPU, but will offer a sizeable performance uplift over existing consoles.

With Microsoft's debut of its Xbox Ally X handheld device and suggestions that the next Xbox would essentially be a PC, we're starting to hear rumors about what a next-generation console might look like. Leaker KeplerL2 has been right on the money with leaks in the past, but these latest reveals on the NeoGaf forums make a lot of sense. UDNA is what AMD is working on for its next-generation graphics cards and is expected to debut toward the end of 2026—right around when next-generation Xbox and PlayStation consoles may well launch.

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Meta’s Quest 3S Xbox Edition Is a Great Value, but There’s Just One Big Tradeoff
It's also the only way to get a black Quest headset.

Microsoft wants everything to be an Xbox, but the problem with its ongoing ambition to rebrand every gaming-capable device as a pseudo gaming console is so few devices look like an Xbox. The next step on Microsoft’s wacky, winding road to regaining hardware supremacy is a $400 bundle that includes a Meta Quest headset with a unique colorway, an Xbox controller, and a few months of access to Game Pass Ultimate for game streaming. If you were looking to dip your toe into VR, the $300 Quest 3S is still your best option, and the bundle adds enough to make it worth the extra Benjamin. Just know that the Quest 3S’ displays don’t offer everything you truly want for a big picture VR gaming experience.

Meta first hinted at a Meta Quest 3 Xbox Edition in 2023, around the time it offered users a native Xbox app for Meta Quest to enable easier game streaming. The $400 Xbox Edition Quest 3S doesn’t let you play any of your Xbox games natively. All it truly provides is access to Microsoft’s streaming service, an extra Xbox controller, and the ergonomic Elite Strap that may help you game for longer without suffering a potential bout of neck strain.

https://gizmodo.com/metas-quest-3s-xbox ... 2000618336

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Microsoft's largest layoff in years hits Xbox, sales and other divisions

Source: AP

By MATT O’BRIEN
Updated 1:31 PM CDT, July 2, 2025

Microsoft is laying off thousands of workers, its second mass layoff in months and its largest in more than two years.

The tech giant began sending out layoff notices Wednesday that hit the company’s Xbox video game business and other divisions.

The company declined to say how many people would be laid off but said that it will comprise less than 4% of the workforce it had a year ago.

Microsoft said the cuts will affect multiple teams around the world, including its sales division.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/microsoft-la ... debe9fcc6b

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Sony Reveals FlexStrike, a New Wireless Joystick for PlayStation 5 and PC
The rechargeable controller supports both PlayStation Link and PlayStation Link Audio, making it possible to use multiple Sony accessories at once.
By Devesh Beri July 29, 2025
https://www.extremetech.com/gaming/sony ... n-5-and-pc

Sony has officially revealed its first fight stick for PlayStation 5 and PC. Called FlexStrike, the controller will launch in 2026 and will be shown publicly for the first time at the Fight Stick Museum and Arc System Works booth during EVO 2025, which takes place August 1-3 in Las Vegas.

FlexStrike works with both PlayStation 5 and PC, connecting via USB-C or PlayStation Link, Sony's low-latency wireless technology. The device has mechanical switch buttons and includes tool-free swappable restrictor gates. You can choose from square, circle, and octagon shapes, which are stored in compartments built into the controller. A USB-C adapter is also included, as is a sling case for the controller and its accessories.

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Sony Plans to Grow PlayStation Across Other Platforms In Major Shift To Longtime Policy
Microsoft has already started bringing its Xbox titles to PlayStation and PC, and Sony has taken similar steps by releasing Helldivers 2 on Xbox.
By Devesh Beri August 11, 2025

Sony is reportedly making big changes to its gaming and entertainment strategy, changing its focus from console sales to building platforms and communities. Senior Vice President Sadahiko Hayakawa says the company is gradually moving from a hardware-focused business to one that grows and engages the PlayStation community across different devices and services. The company says this will help expand its reach and improve long-term business stabilit

y.

https://www.extremetech.com/gaming/sony ... r-shift-to

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Sony Reportedly Planning Switch-Killer Playstation 6 Portable
A new, incredibly detailed leak purports to show the full APU specs—and projected pricing, too.
By Graham Templeton August 28, 2025

Exciting news from the world of reliable-but-unconfirmed rumors: Sony is reportedly working on a new, high-powered handheld console that could be one of two final forms of the PlayStation 6.

The rumor comes from the YouTube channel Moore’s Law Is Dead, which has been known to release confirmed rumors before. This rumor is extremely detailed, demonstrating a degree of insight that is either completely made up or from a real insider.

Put simply, Sony seems to be looking to compete with the Nintendo Switch head-on. While the electronics giant is reportedly planning a regular home console, codenamed Orion, this rumor focuses on a portable version called Canis.

https://www.extremetech.com/gaming/sony ... 6-portable

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Xbox 'Magnus' Set to Outpower PS6 'Orion' With More Cores, Memory, and AI Hardware
Both are expected to hit shelves in 2027.
By Devesh Beri October 13, 2025
https://www.extremetech.com/gaming/xbox ... i-hardware

Sony's next PlayStation is expected to arrive in 2027, according to reliable hardware leaker KeplerL2. This insight dovetails with what Mark Cerny, the PlayStation's lead system architect, said last week about a "future console" being just a few years away. The timeline also follows Sony's typical seven-year cycle, as the PlayStation 4 launched in 2013 and the PlayStation 5 in 2020.

Meanwhile, Microsoft is still working on its console plans. Recently, Microsoft denied claims that it had given up on producing new consoles.

The YouTube channel Moore's Law Is Dead reported last week that a 2027 Xbox release is also forthcoming, though Microsoft is said to be unsure whether it will be a standard console or a hybrid PC system. The same source that revealed details of the PS5 Pro mentioned that the next Xbox may have more power than the presumed PlayStation 6, but could also be priced higher.

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The Next-Gen Xbox Will Be Costly
Xbox president Sarah Bond says the console will be a "very premium, very high-end curated experience."
By Devesh Beri October 23, 2025

Microsoft has confirmed that its next Xbox console is on the way, and from the sounds of it, it will be an expensive one. The company revealed it will partner with AMD to make the device with new performance levels, graphics, and compatibility.

In a recent interview with Mashable, Xbox president Sarah Bond offered a peek at Microsoft's aims for the future console. Fans can apparently expect hardware similar to that found in the $1,000 ROG Xbox Ally X.

"The next-gen console is going to be a very premium, very high-end curated experience," she said. "You're starting to see some of the thinking we have in this handheld, but I don't want to give it all away."

https://www.extremetech.com/gaming/the- ... -be-costly

At this point if it isn't capable of being played in VR, AR or on smart glasses that have AR then it probably should be on steam.

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Nintendo Switch 2 Sets New Launch Record With Over 10 Million Units Sold in 4 Months
Game sales have played a big role in the Switch 2’s early success.
By Devesh Beri November 6, 2025

https://www.extremetech.com/gaming/nint ... units-sold
The Nintendo Switch 2 has set a new console launch record, reaching 10.36 million units sold between June 5 and Sept. 30, 2025. Having raised its annual sales target due to strong demand, Nintendo now expects to sell 19 million units by the end of March 2026.

According to Nintendo’s latest figures, Switch 2 sales have more than doubled what the original Switch managed in its initial launch period. In 2017, the first Switch sold only 4.7 million units in its first six months. PlayStation 5, another big launch in recent years, reached 7.8 million units over two quarters, though PS5 sales faced supply limits associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.