News/Gaming
Open-source LLM project creates Pokémon-themed AI framework
Open-source LLM frameworks for gaming have gained significant traction, with the LLM Pokémon Scaffold representing a notable advancement in how AI systems can navigate complex game environments. This newly released GitHub project builds upon earlier research that tested powerful language models like Claude 3.7, Gemini 2.5 Pro, and o3 in Pokémon Red, incorporating several interface and prompt engineering improvements to enhance AI performance in game environments. The big picture: A cleaned-up, open-source version of the LLM Pokémon Scaffold has been released on GitHub, introducing significant improvements to help language models better navigate and complete objectives in the classic game Pokémon...
read Apr 25, 2025Hardcore hardware: Gigabyte unveils new GeForce RTX 5060 GPU lineup with 16GB option
Gigabyte launches its RTX 5060 and 5060 Ti GPU lineup based on NVIDIA's new Blackwell architecture, targeting gamers, creators, and AI developers who need reliable performance at 1080p and 2K resolutions. The series features six distinct design families, from the premium Aorus Elite with advanced cooling systems to the compact low-profile option for small form factor builds. These cards represent NVIDIA's latest push to make AI capabilities more accessible to mainstream users through NIM microservices support for building personalized AI assistants. The big picture: The new RTX 5060 series cards bridge the gap between gaming performance and everyday AI capabilities,...
read Apr 23, 2025Nintendo Switch meets Kindle: Gaming and reading unite
The Figment represents an innovative convergence of gaming and e-reader technology, offering a fresh approach to interactive fiction. This conceptual handheld prototype combines Nintendo Switch-like controls with E-Ink display technology to create a specialized device for text-based adventure games, potentially opening a new niche in the increasingly diverse gaming handheld market. By leveraging AI to expand storytelling possibilities while maintaining the power efficiency of E-Ink, this concept addresses both creative and practical concerns in portable gaming. The big picture: Tinkerer Pedro Porras Luraschi has developed the Figment, a conceptual gaming handheld that merges Nintendo Switch-inspired design with Kindle-like E-Ink display...
read Apr 23, 2025AI-powered ‘Baby Invasion’ game features unsettling infant faces
Harmony Korine's latest project "Baby Invasion" pushes the boundaries between film and video games, marking a significant evolution in his experimental multimedia approach. The FPS game/film hybrid, created through his EDGLRD design collective, represents a growing trend of filmmakers using gaming engines and AI technology to challenge traditional cinematic formats. The project's deliberately provocative aesthetic and disregard for audience expectations reinforces Korine's position as one of contemporary art's most divisive and boundary-pushing creators. The big picture: "Baby Invasion" premiered at the 2024 Venice Film Festival as an ultra-realistic multiplayer FPS experience featuring mercenaries who use baby-faced avatars to conceal their...
read Apr 21, 2025Switch 2 runs Cyberpunk 2077 with DLSS in gaming first
Nintendo's upcoming Switch 2 will leverage Nvidia's DLSS technology to run demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077, representing a significant technical achievement for the portable console. CD Projekt Red has officially confirmed that its blockbuster RPG will be the first Switch 2 title to utilize this AI-powered upscaling technology, allowing the game to run at respectable frame rates without sacrificing visual quality. This implementation demonstrates how machine learning is becoming essential for pushing graphical boundaries on hardware with inherent power limitations. How DLSS works: Deep Learning Super Sampling uses AI to intelligently upscale games from lower resolutions to higher ones without...
read Apr 19, 2025LG unveils 2025 OLED evo G5 and C5 AI TVs with pre-order deals
LG has launched its highly anticipated 2025 OLED evo TV lineup for pre-order, featuring significant upgrades in both the premium G5 and mid-tier C5 series. These new models represent the latest evolution in LG's OLED technology, offering enhanced brightness, advanced AI processing, and specialized gaming features that position them at the forefront of the high-end television market. The big picture: LG's new OLED evo models introduce substantial improvements over previous generations, with the G5 boasting a 45% brightness increase compared to last year's G4. Both series feature "Perfect Black" and "Perfect Color" Certifications, continuing OLED's reputation for exceptional contrast and...
read Apr 18, 2025Gaming startup Operative led by Disney, Pandora alum blends AI with human storytelling
Operative Games is bringing a human-centered approach to AI-generated gaming narratives, emphasizing collaboration with professional writers and actors in interactive storytelling. Led by former Disney R&D head Jon Snoddy and Pandora co-founder Jon Kraft, the startup has secured funding from notable investors including Samsung Next as it seeks to differentiate itself in the growing AI gaming landscape by prioritizing narrative quality and fair compensation for creative talent. The big picture: Operative Games is positioning itself as a human-talent-first AI gaming company, integrating professional writers and actors into its development process rather than replacing them with generative technology. The company's leadership...
read Apr 13, 2025MSI Stealth 18 AI gaming laptop gets $800 price cut at Best Buy
The MSI Stealth 18 AI gaming laptop represents the intersection of premium hardware and significant savings, with Best Buy offering an $800 discount on this high-performance machine. This powerful rig combines top-tier components with a large, high-resolution display, making it suitable for demanding tasks from gaming to professional creative work without requiring external monitors. The big picture: Best Buy has slashed the price of the MSI Stealth 18 AI gaming laptop from $3,299.99 to $2,499.99, creating a compelling opportunity for gamers and creators seeking premium hardware. Key specs: The MSI Stealth 18 AI features an Intel Ultra 9 processor paired...
read Apr 9, 2025NVIDIA’s RTX Kit brings AI-powered neural rendering to transform gaming graphics
NVIDIA is revolutionizing computer graphics with the release of RTX Kit, a comprehensive suite of neural rendering technologies that integrates AI directly into the rendering process. By embedding neural networks within traditional graphics pipelines, this toolkit enables unprecedented advances in performance, image quality, and interactivity that promise to transform gaming experiences and computer-generated visuals. The newly available GitHub repository brings together five cutting-edge technologies that collectively represent the next evolution in real-time graphics rendering. The big picture: NVIDIA's RTX Kit combines five advanced neural rendering technologies to significantly enhance ray-tracing, geometry processing, and photorealistic character rendering. The toolkit is now...
read Apr 7, 2025DeepMine: Google’s AI teaches itself to play Minecraft and collect diamonds
Google DeepMind's AI system has demonstrated remarkable self-learning capabilities by mastering Minecraft without explicit instructions or rules. This breakthrough represents a significant advancement in autonomous learning systems that can understand their environment and independently improve over time—showcasing AI's growing ability to navigate complex tasks through experimentation rather than predefined programming. The big picture: Google DeepMind's AI system called Dreamer has successfully learned to play Minecraft entirely through trial and error, without being taught the game's rules or objectives. The AI eventually accomplished collecting a diamond in the game, a complex achievement requiring multiple sequential steps and understanding of the game's...
read Apr 7, 2025Microsoft’s AI-generated Quake II redefines game preservation without original code
Microsoft's AI-generated version of Quake II represents a significant shift in how classic games could be preserved and reimagined through artificial intelligence. By leveraging its Muse AI model to create a playable version that doesn't require the original code or hardware, Microsoft demonstrates both the creative potential of generative AI in gaming and raises important questions about the technology's impact on game developers and the industry's future. The big picture: Microsoft has launched a free browser-based version of '90s classic Quake II that's completely generated by AI rather than running on the original game engine. The game is powered by...
read Apr 3, 2025Microsoft’s Copilot for Gaming raises ethical questions about AI’s impact on human creators
Microsoft's new Copilot for Gaming aims to integrate AI as a gaming assistant, but raises complex questions about the future relationship between artificial intelligence and gaming content creation. The system promises to help players navigate games, recommend new experiences, and provide strategy assistance – all while potentially feeding on the very content ecosystem that human creators have built. This development represents a significant expansion of AI into interactive entertainment that could reshape how players engage with games. The big picture: Xbox has announced "Copilot for Gaming," positioning it as an AI sidekick that integrates with Xbox consoles and the broader...
read Mar 31, 2025Sony’s GT Sophy AI evolves from unbeatable champion to customizable racing opponent
Sony's GT Sophy AI has evolved from an unbeatable racing champion to a customizable opponent that makes Gran Turismo 7 more engaging for players of all skill levels. This transformation represents a significant shift in AI gaming applications, moving beyond pure dominance to create more nuanced, entertaining experiences that adapt to human players while still providing challenging competition. The big picture: Sony has refined its GT Sophy racing AI from a dominant competitor into a more accessible, enjoyable opponent in the latest Gran Turismo 7 update. The original GT Sophy, developed in 2022, soundly defeated the world's best human players...
read Mar 24, 2025Pokémon No-Go: Claude’s advanced AI struggles to navigate Pokémon Red despite 3.7 upgrade
Anthropic's advanced AI agent Claude 3.7 Sonnet is struggling to complete the decades-old children's game Pokémon Red, despite being one of the industry's most sophisticated AI models. This experiment highlights the significant gap between current AI capabilities and true autonomous agency, as Claude's difficulties with basic visual processing and navigation demonstrate that even advanced language models still face fundamental challenges when interacting with virtual environments. The big picture: Anthropic is livestreaming "Claude Plays Pokémon" as a demonstration of AI agent capabilities, but progress has been painfully slow and inconsistent. Claude has managed to obtain three Gym badges and reach Cerulean...
read Mar 20, 2025HP launches 80+ AI PCs with offline AI and enhanced security features
HP is supercharging its product lineup with over 80 new AI-enabled devices spanning business, consumer, and gaming categories. Unveiled at Amplify 2025, these next-generation PCs integrate enhanced security features and specialized AI software like HP AI Companion, which works offline for secure document analysis. The refreshed lineup features the latest hardware advancements, including Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processors and NVIDIA RTX 50 series GPUs, signaling HP's commitment to positioning itself at the forefront of the emerging AI PC market while addressing specific needs across enterprise, creative, and gaming segments. The big picture: HP's massive product launch includes specialized AI...
read Mar 20, 2025$1 million March Madness challenge pits AI predictive chops against human betting expertise
Artificial intelligence is entering the annual March Madness basketball frenzy, as a $1 million challenge pits machine predictions against human expertise in bracket selection. This high-stakes contest highlights AI's growing role in sports analytics while underscoring the persistent challenge of predicting outcomes in tournaments notorious for their unpredictability and dramatic upsets. The contest represents a fascinating intersection of cutting-edge technology and traditional sports gambling where human intuition has historically reigned supreme. The big picture: Alan Levy's platform, 4C Predictions, has launched a $1 million March Madness bracket challenge that directly compares AI-generated picks against those from professional sports bettor Sean...
read Mar 19, 2025Gaming execs push AI adoption despite layoffs and developer resistance
Gaming industry leaders are embracing AI technology despite industry-wide layoffs and developer concerns, with executives viewing AI integration as essential for future game development, marketing, and business efficiency. At the Game Developers Conference, Griffin Gaming Partners' Peter Levin emphasized that AI adoption in gaming is inevitable regardless of developer sentiment, positioning it as a critical component for both content creation and business operations in an industry already struggling with significant workforce reductions. The big picture: AI's role in gaming is rapidly expanding beyond traditional uses like NPC behavior and procedural generation to now encompass content creation, user-generated content, and marketing...
read Mar 19, 2025Razer enters the AI arena with Wyvrn platform for game developers and players, QA testers worried
Razer's new Wyvrn platform marks a significant shift for the gaming hardware giant as it expands into AI-powered developer tools and services. This strategic move combines quality assurance automation, personalized gaming assistance, and enhanced sensory technologies, potentially transforming both game development workflows and player experiences while raising questions about the future of human QA testers in the industry. The big picture: Razer is entering the AI space with its new Wyvrn developer platform that combines game development tools, AI assistance, and enhanced sensory technologies under a single umbrella. Key components: The AI QA Copilot serves as Razer's flagship AI tool,...
read Mar 17, 2025Actor Ashly Burch literally gives voice to SAG-AFTRA strike against Sony and co.
The gaming industry faces a growing tension between technological innovation and the rights of voice actors as AI voice replication capabilities advance. Ashly Burch, whose performance as Aloy has been central to the PlayStation "Horizon" franchise's success, is raising ethical concerns about an unauthorized AI replication of her character, highlighting broader questions about consent, compensation, and artistic integrity within the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike against game developers. The controversy: Ashly Burch, voice of Aloy in the "Horizon" PlayStation games, expressed alarm over an internal Sony tech demo featuring an AI imitation of her character. The leaked footage showed an AI-puppeted version...
read Mar 14, 2025WeWillWrite tool turns student writing into competitive games to boost literacy skills
The word of the day is "Gamification." Artificial intelligence is reshaping classroom literacy instruction with WeWillWrite, a new EdTech tool that transforms writing practice into engaging, anonymous competitions. Amid concerning literacy statistics showing 70% of U.S. students lack reading proficiency, this Norwegian-developed platform offers a novel approach to improving student writing through real-time feedback, AI-powered analysis, and gamification. Following successful pilot programs and extensive beta testing with over 1 million students, WeWillWrite represents a significant innovation in addressing the persistent challenge of student literacy in American education. How it works: WeWillWrite creates fast-paced writing competitions where students respond to AI-generated...
read Mar 13, 2025NVIDIA’s RTX Remix launches with AI tools that transform classic PC games
NVIDIA's RTX Remix exits beta with a full launch, bringing advanced AI-powered modding capabilities to classic PC games. This platform leverages the latest neural rendering technology from the GeForce RTX 50 Series to transform aging titles with ray tracing and AI-enhanced textures. The technology addresses the massive modding community—which downloads over 5 billion mods annually—by providing tools that both simplify and dramatically improve the modding process through artificial intelligence. The big picture: RTX Remix has evolved from experimental beta to full release with significant adoption across the modding ecosystem. Over 30,000 modders have already experimented with the platform, creating ray-traced...
read Mar 11, 2025Long shot or slam dunk? FanDuel launches AceAI, first generative AI assistant for sports betting
FanDuel's introduction of AceAI marks a significant milestone in sports betting technology, bringing the power of generative AI to the wagering experience for the first time in the industry. As sports betting continues to grow in popularity and complexity, this innovation represents a strategic move by the market leader to leverage its vast data resources to enhance user experience while simultaneously addressing responsible gambling concerns. The big picture: FanDuel has launched AceAI, the first generative AI sports betting chat experience in the gambling industry, integrated directly into their Sportsbook app. The platform serves as both an educational resource and betting...
read Mar 5, 2025“Divergent” producer launches AI-powered studio to disrupt Hollywood with over 30 projects
An AI-powered film, television, and gaming studio emerges at the intersection of Hollywood's traditional production model and artificial intelligence innovation. Staircase Studios AI, founded by "Divergent" franchise producer Pouya Shahbazian, aims to disrupt entertainment production by leveraging AI workflows to create content more efficiently, backed by notable media investors and targeting projects with budgets under $500,000. The big picture: Staircase Studios AI plans to produce more than 30 projects in the next 3-4 years using AI-driven production methods. The venture is backed by influential media figures including Kenneth Lerer, co-founder of The Huffington Post, and Aryeh Bourkoff, CEO of Liontree....
read Feb 25, 2025MediaTek unveils AI-powered chips for midrange 5G gaming phones
It's probably anything but "mid," if you're an avid mobile gamer. MediaTek, a leading semiconductor company, has expanded its mobile processor lineup with three new chips designed for midrange smartphones. The announcement comes as smartphone manufacturers seek to balance performance and power efficiency in their 2025 device releases. Product specifications and capabilities: The Dimensity 7400 and 7400X represent MediaTek's latest 4-nanometer technology advancement, offering significant improvements in processing power and energy efficiency. Both chips feature an 8-core CPU configuration with four high-performance Arm Cortex-A78 cores running at up to 2.6GHz and four efficiency-focused Cortex-A55 cores at up to 2.0GHz The...
read