Gaming
- Gaming1 hour ago
Steam Frame Update Boosts Battery Life, Improves Streaming Quality & More
Valve just released a new update for Steam Frame that improves battery lifetime, steaming quality, connectivity issues, and more. Steam Frame launched last month, bringing with it the ability for users to not only stream PC and PC VR games to the headset, but also play those games locally, albeit at a lower quality since content is rendered on the standalone headset’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 mobile chipset. Now, the SteamOS 0.4 update is available for all Frame users, bringing with it some of the most crucial features. One of the biggest complaints about Steam Frame is its middling battery life; now Valve says it’s bumped power efficiency and battery lifetime during both streaming and local gameplay, with gains of up to 12%. Steam Frame’s optics | Road to VR Before the update, users could expect around 1 and 1.5 hours of battery life with mixed use. Check out our review of Steam Frame to learn more. Steaming quality has also improved with SteamOS 0.4, including Improved color clarity during VR streaming, and a fix to VR streaming reliability that reduces ‘Error 17’, which indicates an incompatible protocol settings or connection issue during PC VR streaming between the headset and the host PC. Additionally, Valve says it’s fixed Wireless Adapter connectivity issues that affected users in some countries; manual configuration also now shows the correct list of Wi-Fi channels in all regions. You can check out the full SteamOS 0.4 changelog here . Notably, Valve has also now made Steam Frame CAD files and electrical interface information available for non-commercial use, allowing users to more easily create hardware mods. The post Steam Frame Update Boosts Battery Life, Improves Streaming Quality & More appeared first on Road to VR .
- Gaming1 hour ago
PS2 emulation on Android just got a big upgrade on older Pixels as well as MediaTek devices
Credit: Hadlee Simons / Android Authority TL;DR The team behind ARMSX2 on Android has released the MaliSX2 GPU driver for the PS2 emulator. This driver should deliver better performance in many games if you’ve got a device with a Mali GPU. This is good news if you want to play PS2 games on your older Pixel, or on another device with Mali graphics. There are many advanced emulators on Android , and Snapdragon-powered devices are usually the best way to run these apps. A big reason for this is that custom Turnip drivers are exclusive to Snapdragon-toting devices, bringing performance and stability gains over the default GPU driver. Now, there’s good news if you have a non-Snapdragon phone or handheld and want improved performance for PS2 games. ARMSX2 v2.8.3 has been released on GitHub, and the latest version of the popular PS2 emulator for Android also includes the so-called MaliSX2 GPU driver. MaliSX2 is a Vulkan driver for devices with Arm Mali GPUs. MaliSX2 can be found in the GPU driver list under Settings > Renderer .
- Gaming1 hour ago
Gemini Live’s mobile UI might start looking different very soon
Credit: Megan Ellis / Android Authority TL;DR Google is testing an updated interface for Gemini Live featuring a redesigned waveform animation at the bottom of the screen. The company is also testing a new speaker icon near the top-right corner, which will likely let users silence Gemini’s voice output without lowering the global system volume. The new interface is currently a work in progress and thus lacks features such as video and screen sharing. Google has been working on a bunch of upgrades for Gemini Live, such as an ephemeral video mode and keyboard input . There’s more in store, as Google could also bless Gemini Live with a redesigned interface alongside these changes, streamlining how Gemini’s voice-centric sessions look and behave on mobile. You’re reading an Authority Insights story. Authority Insights brings you all the latest exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage from the Android Authority team that you won’t find anywhere else.
- Gaming2 hours ago
33 Years Later, Tom Cruise's Near-Perfect Legal Thriller Is Officially on Streaming
Tom Cruise has built a career playing men who find themselves in increasingly dangerous situations, whether by choice or by sheer bad luck. From dangling off a skyscraper in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol to running for his life in War of the Worlds to navigating the increasingly bizarre events of Eyes Wide Shut , Cruise is always at his best when the stakes are high and the people around him can’t be trusted. His latest, Digger , is another reminder that there’s rarely a dull moment when Cruise is in the lead.
- Gaming2 hours ago
BAFTA awards over £270,000 to 112 recipients in UK and US to support career growth in games, film, and TV
BAFTA has awarded over £270,000 in grants to 112 recipients in the UK and North America under its 2026 Prince William BAFTA Bursary and scholarship programmes. Read more
- Gaming3 hours ago
No Pixel 11, no problem: This app brings Gboard’s Rambler mode to any Android phone without root
TL;DR PixelBoard is a modded Gboard app that unlocks Rambler voice typing and writing tools on any Android phone. It doesn’t require root access and can be easily installed from GitHub. The developer has also stated that the app will be updated regularly as new Gboard versions are released. Among Gboard’s many useful features, a few aren’t available to non-Pixel users. One of these exclusive features is the impressive Rambler voice typing mode that recently debuted on the Pixel 11 series . However, if you’ve been itching to try it out on your Android phone and SwiftKey’s AI voice mode isn’t scratching that itch, there’s some good news for you. Developer Akshay Kadam has managed to unlock Gboard’s Rambler mode and AI Writing Tools, bringing them to any Android device without root access. In a post on Reddit, Akshay explained that he used Jason Wu’s Gboard patch project as a starting point to build “PixelBoard.” This is a modded Gboard app with Rambler voice typing and writing tools enabled.
- Gaming3 hours ago
This phone runs Android, Linux, and Windows, but it’s just been delayed
Credit: Stephen Schenck / Android Authority TL;DR The team behind the NexPhone has delayed the phone’s release from November 2026 to March 2027. The company blamed the delay on antenna interference issues and associated hardware changes. This phone supports Android, Windows 11, and Debian Linux via Android. The NexPhone stood out back in January thanks to its official support for Android, Linux, and Windows 11. Unfortunately, there’s somewhat disappointing news if you were hoping to get your hands on the device before the end of the year. The NexPhone team has announced on their website that they’re now aiming for a March 2027 shipment date:
- Gaming4 hours ago
Gears Of War: E-Day DDoS Attacks Cause Widespread Server Issues
If you've been having trouble playing Gears of War: E-Day for the past few hours, you're not alone. The Xbox console exclusive has been suffering mass server outages and disruptions, with the nefarious reason behind the problem now confirmed to be the fault of a DDoS attack on the game.
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- Gaming4 hours ago
One Piece: 7 Pirates Who Could Surpass Kaido by the End of the Series
As a former Yonko, Kaido is highly regarded as one of the most powerful pirate captains in One Piece . Kaido's body is virtually indestructible, and he can use each type of Haki and its advanced applications. He can transform into a massive dragon that can destroy entire mountains, and his hybrid form can flatten almost anyone. That said, a few pirates could potentially surpass him by the end of the series.
- Gaming4 hours ago
Apple could launch its Nest Hub rival tomorrow, alongside two more smart home products
TL;DR Apple could launch the HomeView smart display tomorrow. HomeView is expected to come in two styles: countertop and wall-mounted. It could also launch a new HomePod mini and an improved Apple TV 4K. We’ve been hearing rumors of Apple launching a slew of smart home products to finally, properly compete against Google and Amazon. Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve seen reports of the long-awaited Apple smart display , and today we’re getting even more information about Apple’s plans for its second attempt at carving out a meaningful place in the smart home market. According to a report from Bloomberg , Apple is gearing up to launch at least three new devices on October 13. The primary focus of the online launch is expected to be the smart display, which could be called the “HomeView,” per the report. It’s likely to feature an A18 chip and come in two styles: a countertop version with a metal speaker base, and a wall-mounted version with a square base sitting between the display and the wall.
- Gaming4 hours ago
A new Google TV Streamer is reportedly coming, and it could be worth the wait
Credit: C. Scott Brown / Android Authority TL;DR Google is reportedly developing a new Google TV Streamer with built-in microphones, Presence Sensing, a faster processor, and more storage. The updated device could feature a slightly narrower design and a refreshed remote with two additional shortcut buttons. The report comes after Google raised the current Streamer’s US price by 50% to $149.99, while Apple is also reportedly developing a new Apple TV with built-in microphones and a remote with speakers. Google is reportedly developing a new Google TV Streamer with several hardware upgrades, including built-in microphones, “Presence Sensing,” a faster processor, and more storage. The device would succeed the current Google TV Streamer, which launched in August 2024 as a replacement for the Chromecast with Google TV 4K.
- Gaming6 hours ago
Googlebooks finally work with Samsung phones thanks to fresh updates
TL;DR Google is finally rolling out Samsung phone support for Googlebook’s Better Together features, including Continue On, Cast My Apps, Quick Access, and Notification Sync. A Google Play Services update will simplify setup and fix an issue that sometimes leaves the setup QR code on the screen after pairing. The updates will roll out automatically over the next few days, but users need Android 17, compatible service versions, and the correct connectivity settings for the features to work. Google is rolling out updates for Googlebooks to fix some of the problems users have faced since launch. The updates intend to make initial setup easier and, more importantly, bring support for Samsung phones to the laptops’ Better Together features. Google community specialist Mishaal Rahman announced the changes in a Reddit post . The biggest change is obviously support for Samsung phones running One UI 9 based on Android 17. As we reported previously, Googlebooks launched without support for Samsung’s devices , leaving some buyers unable to use the cross-device features that are supposed to make these laptops work seamlessly with Android phones.
- Gaming6 hours ago
Orion Backgammon lets you check whether the dice really are playing fair
Anyone who has played backgammon online for long enough has accused the dice of something. Usually out loud, usually to nobody. Orion Backgammon has just arrived on iPhone and iPad after launching on Android in August, and the independent studio behind it, Arthea, has actually done something about it. Its dice are provably fair. Before a match starts, the seed that decides every roll is sealed away, and once it ends your own phone checks that nothing was swapped along the way. Think of it as writing your prediction on a card and putting it in an envelope before the match. ... [ MORE ]
- Gaming7 hours ago
66 Years Later, Alfred Hitchcock’s Most Perfect Thriller is Officially Streaming on Netflix
Sometimes, when you finally watch some great, important, landmark film for the very first time, the experience of actually sitting down to absorb it doesn’t quite live up to all the hype. Maybe you can appreciate its place in cinema history or whatever, but that doesn’t mean it’s actually all that entertaining (I kind of felt this way about Charlie Chaplin’s City Lights ). With the disadvantage of time and the advancement of modern pacing and filmmaking techniques, some classics just don’t hold up.
- Gaming7 hours ago
Torchlight: Infinite unveils first look at SS14 Tartarus and its Netherrealm prison
Elephants, lions, wolves and rats. Three of those I’d cross the road to avoid, and the fourth I’d probably still cross the road to avoid. All four of them will be part of Torchlight: Infinite’s next season, SS14 Tartarus, which starts on October 15th. The big addition is the Tartarus mode, where you end up running a prison in the Netherrealm. It plays out in three phases. First, you hunt down runaway prisoners and collect their nameplates. ... [ MORE ]
- Gaming7 hours ago
Doom 2016 Composer Mick Gordon Says "F##k AI"
Aussie composer Mick Gordon is highly regarded for his experimental approach to musical composition. For 2013's Killer Instinct he employed a kangling, a Tibetan instrument traditionally carved into a human femur or tibia, to build a theme for the skeletal Spinal character out of actual bones. For 2016's Doom he famously sampled real chainsaw noises to pull off the unique guitar riffs that elevated the game's soundtrack into a heavy metal masterpiece. However, when asked if he's considered incorporating any form of generative AI into his creative process, Gordon doesn't mince his words. To paraphrase the late Meatloaf, Gordon will do anything to create a great soundtrack, but he won't do that . "F##k AI," said Gordon, during an interview with IGN at PAX Australia 2026. Gordon can next be heard in Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 when it's released on October 14, since he's contributed another bone-shattering banger to score the first-person shooter's final boss fight (which you can get a taste of in the trailer below). He's also still hard at work on the soundtrack to Defect, the cyberpunk-themed squad-shooter that's being developed by a team composed of veterans of the Doom and Call of Duty games. Fans can rest assured that in both instances, Gordon's music is coming straight from the metal-loving maestro's mind (and fingers) rather than the result of a ChatGPT prompt. "Generative AI is always going to be behind where humans are because it's going to be inherently trained off stuff that humans have already created," explained Gordon. "It creates a large database of what [it's] been trained on, and then it draws a very logical conclusion on whatever that dataset is. It's always going to be limited by its dataset, though. It's never going to be in a state where it's going to predict the next thing, the new thing, whatever humans can come up with. It's always going to be be
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- Gaming7 hours ago
Steam Week in Review: The curious case of Wonder Boy in Monster Land's dubious PC debut
Wonder Boy in Monster Land released in Japanese arcades in 1987 and for the Sega Master System the following year. Its success led to numerous ports, including to ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and Atari ST. Oddly, it never received an official PC port, though that long absence appeared to have come to an end on September 28. Did fans rejoice? Not really. The Steam listing for Wonderboy in Monster Land raises one immediate red flag: note the rookie error of "Wonderboy" versus Wonder Boy. The developer and publisher is Retro Maniac, whose only other Steam game is Street Hoop, or Street Slam, an old Data East arcade game from 1994. To bring you up to speed: LAT Corp owns all IP and assets once belonging to Westone Bit Entertainment, the creators of the original Wonder Boy games. But at the same time Sega, confusingly, owns the Wonder Boy trademark. In other words: LAT Corp owns the games, Sega owns the name. Both parties would need to OK any Wonder Boy re-release bearing the Wonder Boy name. Box art for Wonder Boy in Monster Land on Master System (Image credit: Sega) While the "Wonderboy" misspelling is damning, a Wonder Boy game appearing on Steam without SEGA or LAT Corp prominently displayed isn't unusual. Wonder Boy Returns Remix, which is a "remake" of the original Wonder Boy, lists CFK Co., Ltd as developer and publisher. Not only was it officially licensed, but series creator Ryuichi Nishizawa was involved. Meanwhile, Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap is a thorough remake of the 1989 Master System original, developed by Lizardcube and published by Dotemu. It's also officially licensed. Each listing discloses as much in the Steam page fine print which appears under system requirements. There's also the wider confusion around the name Wonder Boy itself, which reared its head with the release of Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom in 2019. Since rights to Wonder Boy games are split between LAT Corp and Sega it's necessary to get an OK from both to publish a Wonder Boy game
- Gaming7 hours ago
How to Check Your Motherboard Model
If you're planning to upgrade your CPU, install more RAM, update your BIOS, or troubleshoot performance issues in your favorite games, the first thing you'll need to know is your motherboard model. Since the motherboard controls which components your system can support, identifying the model is often the first step before any hardware upgrade.
- Gaming7 hours ago
Star Wars Galactic Racer's devs tested its roguelite progression system by turning it into a board game
Years ago, I read that Jake Solomon prototyped the Firaxis reboot of XCOM by making a simple board game version. Something rudimentary that could be played in the office on scrap paper to get ideas across and figure out where the fun would be, without having to commit. But it's surprising to hear the same idea being used for a game as different from XCOM's turn-based tactics as Star Wars Galactic Racer. As Fuse Games' creative director Kieran Crimmins told Eurogamer , "You can't know if you can feel the system until you can play the system." And so the early prototype of this high-speed arcade racing game was indeed a board game. "You know, modern engines are so capable that you can do a lot of it in-software," CEO Matt Webster said, "but there's still something [about that which is] not as fast as getting a written idea down. From a board game perspective, you sort of decouple yourself from a particular prototype and you're talking about moment-to-moment." Specifically, the board game simulated Galactic Racer's progression system. Its rewards differ based on the event, but typically offer tuning points to spend on one of three random stats, and maybe a part for your speeder that will affect its abilities or grant a bonus related to a specific status effect. After several races you get to go shopping, and spend the credits you've earned on more upgrades and parts, or a whole new ability. It's a progression system right out of a roguelite, with new unlocks added to a pool so they might appear in future runs, and each run handing out tuning points that can be used for permanent upgrades that carry over between them. Not something you expect in a racing game, and a system that presumably needed a bit of road testing to find the fun. "There's a prototyping tool for every kind of system that you want to prototype," Crimmins said, "and the one that you pick should be the one that gets you there the quickest, and gets you to validate the emotion the quickest. So when it ca
