Days Gone isn't a PC success yet, but it's certainly starting off strong.

What you need to know

• Days Gone is the first game in a new IP from Sony Bend at PlayStation and sees players surviving a brutal zombie apocalypse.
• Days Gone is launching on PC today and has already rocketed to the top of the global Steam sales charts.
• It's too early to tell if Days Gone will be a massive success overall on PC, but it's certainly off to a strong start.
• Amidst weak critical reception but overall commercial success, Sony reportedly canceled plans for a Days Gone 2 to focus on lower-risk blockbuster games.

Days Gone was an exciting new IP from studio Sony Bend at PlayStation and launched as a PS4 exclusive. Days Gone is a third-person action survival horror game set during a zombie apocalypse, and makes its claim to fame with massive hordes of undead and environmental hazards players can use against them. Today, Days Gone is officially launching on PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store, and it's apparently off to a solid start. At the time of writing, Days Gone still tops the global sales chart for Steam on its launch day.

Days Gone just hit the #1 Global Top Selling game on Steam right at launch

Curious to see how it performs on PC overall. This is the 2nd major PlayStation 1st party PS4 game to launch on Steam after Horizon Zero Dawn last year. Rooting for it to do well as I loved the game pic.twitter.com/7OlsWLScl6

— Benji-Sales (@BenjiSales) May 18, 2021

It needs to be stated that this does not mean Days Gone is an overall runaway success for Sony PlayStation on PC because of the way Steam tracks its top sellers. However, it does mean Days Gone is already off to a great start for a long life on PC. It'll be interesting to see how Days Gone performs on PC over the coming weeks and months, and whether or not it can find the same dedicated audience on PC that Days Gone enjoys on PS4.

When Days Gone initially launched, it unfortunately suffered from relatively mediocre critical and media reception. However, Days Gone's unique gameplay and post-launch support helped the game find a passionate player base on PS4 despite mixed reviews, leading the game to become an irrefutable commercial success. This apparently wasn't enough for Sony, as plans for Days Gone 2 were reportedly canceled as PlayStation moves toward focusing more on lower-risk "AAA" blockbuster games from studios like Naughty Dog.

Hopefully, Days Gone is a massive success on PC for multiple reasons. PC players would love to see even more first-party Sony games head to PC like God of War, The Last of Us Part II, and more. Microsoft has already seen a ton of success on PC with their renewed support and commitment to bringing more Xbox games to PC day and date (like Halo Infinite.

Continued success for Days Gone may also encourage Sony to reconsider a potential sequel in the future, which would be awesome news for an industry that sometimes relies too much on established franchises and brands. Plenty of players have been vocal about their desire for Days Gone 2.

It's too early to tell if Days Gone can stand toe-to-toe with the competitive list of best PC games, but we certainly hope this zombie survival game can give its all and find success.

Fractal Design took the standard ATX case and added a mesh front panel to stay cool and stand out in the crowd.

Like Lian Li, Fractal Design was regarded as a premium chassis manufacturer that produced some of the best PC cases. The company still does just that but it has since expanded into the more affordable segment of the market. The Fractal Design Meshify C is a case that ditches the company's exceptional sound damping and aluminum parts for an all-steel construct that focuses on airflow.

This chassis follows the same design principles as most mid-tower ATX cases out there. You can configure it with or without a tempered glass panel, and that mesh front panel is a sure upgrade on competitor cases that restrict airflow using small side vents for style over functionality. On paper, the Fractal Design Meshify C should be the case for anyone wanting a good value PC chassis with expansion.

Fractal Design Meshify C

Bottom line: There's so much to love with the Fractal Design Meshify C. The meshed front panel allows plenty of air to be pulled in through a 360mm radiator, resulting in a cooler yet slightly noisy PC build.

The Good

• Multiple water-cooling radiator support
• Plenty of dusty filters
• Excellent airflow thanks to mesh front panel
• Good cable management
• Solid build quality with optional tempered glass panel

The Bad

• Drive cage removal for 360mm front radiator
• Not the quietest PC case around
• Compact spacing for PSU
• Not designed with water cooling in mind
• Weak front panel I/O

$90 at Amazon

$90 at Newegg

Fractal Design Meshify C: Price and availability

The Fractal Design Meshify C has been out for many years now and it's easy to find the case available for $90 at various online retailers. Like other PC cases in this price bracket, you can be sure to see it go on sale for promotions like Prime Day. For what you're getting in terms of quality and features, even at full price, this is a good deal.

Fractal Design Meshify C: What's good

The Fractal Design Meshify C is an interesting PC case since it doesn't resemble much else in the company's catalog. You'd be hard-pressed to tell it was from Fractal Design if it weren't for the branding plaque on the front panel. Speaking of which, the main panel is the highlight of this case and is included in the name.

The Meshify C isn't your typical Fractal Design case, but it performs just as well as pricier chassis.

It's a mesh panel that has numerous perforated holes instead of a flab of plastic or tempered glass. Usually, you'd find the latter two materials here, but Fractal went all out with catering to large amounts of airflow. All that's required to achieve maximum results are three 120mm fans. On top of the front panel is the rather limited I/O, which consists of two USB-A 3.0 ports and a combined audio jack.

The Meshify C can be bought in a variety of models. There's the choice of black or white for color, then tempered glass or metal for the side panel. The tempered glass will allow for additional sounds to escape, so if you're going for absolute silence, it's best to pick the steel panel, which can also have some sound damping added to the interior side.

The top and far side panels are bare, so too is the rear aside from the 120mm adjustable fan mount, rear I/O for motherboard cutout, and seven expansion slots. The PSU, as usual with mid-tower cases is installed in the lower chamber, which is separated from the main area inside the chassis by a plastic PSU shroud.

This case supports up to an ATX motherboard, which is a little restricting since other mid-tower cases can take E-ATX boards. There are the usual seven PCI slots for expansion, as well as three 2.5-inch bays and a further two 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch bays with the removable bracket. Up to seven fans can be installed, allowing for one super-cooled PC.

For radiator support, Fractal Design allows for up to a 24mm radiator up top and a 360mm radiator on the front panel. The latter does require the HDD cage to be removed, however. Filters are available for the top, front, and bottom panels. Cable management is pretty good with grommets and routing behind the motherboard tray.

The front mesh panel allows for serious volumes of cool air to pass through this case.

Building inside the Meshify C is a breeze. There's plenty of room to work with and all panels remove easily using a few screws. The front panel is a challenge since it uses the old plastic clips to hold it onto the frame. I always prefer magnets here since these clips can (and often do) break with the amount of force required to pop them out.

Installing a large PSU like the be quiet! Dark Power 12 would be difficult since there's only a small amount of space beneath the shroud. It's possible but you will need to spend more time fiddling around with cable management to get everything just right. Removing the 3.5-inch drive tray to allow for a radiator is recommended since 2.5-inch SSDs are the way to go in 2021.

Like all other PC cases I've reviewed recently, I put together a test rig with an AMD Ryzen 9 5950X to see how the Fractal Design Meshify C would handle even the more power-hungry processors. This CPU pumps out plenty of heat, which the be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 will be more than happy to manage. To allow for convenient fan management, the NZXT N7 B550 was used as the foundation.

Through rigorous testing, the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X didn't go above 68C (154F) during synthetic benchmarks and gaming. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti also ran cool at around 56C (133F), which was also aided by the amount of air being pulled in through the front panel. Noise levels weren't too bad, measuring 40 dBA. It should be slightly quieter with the metal side panel and with some aftermarket sound damping.

Fractal Design Meshify C: What's not good

That mesh panel is a double-edged sword. While it's excellent having such unrestricted access to clean air upfront, this does mean sound from within the PC will be able to escape. Fans will be able to run slower, but you may notice a slight uptick in the volume of noise terminating from the case. It won't be anywhere close to unbearable but is worth bearing in mind if you're going for a silent build.

There's also the case (pun not intended) that the HDD cage needs to be removed to allow for a 360mm radiator to be installed behind the front panel. Should you have an AIO cooler for the CPU with a larger radiator and some 3.5-inch drives to install, you may need to reconsider which is more important for the overall build.

This case simply wasn't designed with water-cooling in mind since you won't find any pump/reservoir mounts. It's also a little tight in the PSU department with a clearance of just 175mm. If you have a high-end PSU (that tends to be a little larger in size), you may find the installation a little too tight on free space for managing cables.

Fractal Design Meshify C: Competition

The mid-tower segment for PC cases is incredibly competitive since it's the sweet spot for most PC builds. If you're building a PC in 2021, there's a good chance you'll be using a mid-tower chassis. There are more companies than ever making cases now too — even Razer came out with the Razer Tomahawk ATX case that's really good even if you're not a company fan.

Fractal Design priced the Meshify C accordingly since the company cut a few premium features usually on the specification sheet. At $90, it's a solid deal even at full price. An equivalent case in the form of the NZXT H510 Elite runs a little hotter (and louder) and costs $150. Cases also come down to personal preference and judging on looks alone the Meshify C can look a little lost in a sea of glass and RGB lighting.

Fractal Design Meshify C: Should you buy it?

You should buy this if you ...

• Want a case with optimal airflow
• Need a chassis with good thermal performance
• Have a 240mm or 360mm AIO CPU cooler

You shouldn't buy this if you ...

• Want to build a custom water-cooling loop
• Desire the quietest PC case available
• Need to install HDDs and a 360mm AIO CPU cooler
• Have a large high-end PSU

The Meshify C was an interesting case for me to review since it's the first PC case from the manufacturer I've looked at in years. It's a departure from the premium feature set I'm used to with Fractal Design, but the company has done an excellent job at keeping cost low and ensuring there are enough reasons for someone to buy this case over everything else on the market.

This case is perfect if you want a case with optimal airflow. A 360mm radiator for a CPU AIO can be installed upfront and a single 120mm fan down below, with a further three 120mm blowers to handle exhausting all the heat. You'll be able to pack some considerable computing performance inside the Meshify C without encountering any thermal throttling.

Fractal Design had to cut corners with the case to keep the price down low. Because of this, you shouldn't buy one with the expectation of seeing plenty of audio damping. There's also a lack of support for water-cooling. While there's more than enough space inside for a small custom loop, Fractal Design has not provided any mounting options for pumps and reservoirs.

That doesn't negate the fact this is a killer mid-range case at a somewhat affordable price. There's far more to like than dislike about the Fractal Design Meshify C.

Fractal Design Meshify C

Bottom line: While Fractal Design is clearly targeting a different market here with the Meshify C compared to the usual premium high-end cases, there's plenty to like about this chassis. It's one of the better value cases out there.

$90 at Amazon

$90 at Newegg

Support for NVIDIA DLSS rolled out to nine more games this month, including two VR titles.

What you need to know

• Nine more games just gained support for NVIDIA DLSS.
• No Man's Sky is among the first two VR games to support DLSS.
• DLSS is now supported by 50 games.

NVIDIA announced the nine more games now support DLSS, which helps deliver improved visuals without dragging down system performance. DLSS is now supported on No Man's Sky, AMID EVIL, Aron's Adventure, Everspace 2, Redout: Space Assault, Scavengers, and Wrench. It's also available in virtual reality headsets for No Man's Sky, Into The Radius, and Wrench. This is the first time that virtual reality games support DLSS. With the nine newly-supported titles, a total of 50 games support DLSS.

DLSS, short for Deep Learning Super Sampling, is an AI-based technology that's less demanding on your GPU than normal supersampling. Despite using fewer system resources than traditional supersampling, it can result in a game that looks better and show more detail. We have a full piece breaking down what DLSS is if you'd like to know more.

The best graphics cards from NVIDIA feature Tensor Cores that power DLSS.

NVIDIA explains that DLSS support boosts performance of No Man's Sky up to 70% at 4K. As a result of DLSS support, No Man's Sky should see smoother and more responsive gameplay. In virtual reality mode, DLSS doubles VR performance at the Ultra graphics preset, according to NVIDIA. The game should be able to maintain 90 FPS on an Oculus Quest 2 when paired with a GeForce RTX 3080.

Similar boosts in performance appear in all of the newly-supported games. AMID EVIL sees a boost of up to 2.7X at 4K with settings maxed out. Aron's Adventure sees a 60% FPS boost with DLSS support.

While it isn't part of this update from NVIDIA, Metro Exodus launched earlier this month with PC enhancements, including DLSS support. It's an excellent example of the difference that DLSS support can make. Our Jared Eden extensively breaks down Metro Exodus PC Enhancement and shares several screenshots that show off DLSS support.

Minecraft Dungeons approaches the end of its first year with five expansions under its belt.

What you need to know

• Minecraft Dungeons is an excellent co-op action RPG from Mojang Studios and Double Eleven.
• The game is nearing its very first anniversary, and Mojang Studios wants to celebrate with its players.
• From May 26 to June 8, 2021, Minecraft Dungeons players can participate in the Anniversary Event alongside the Hidden Depths DLC release.
• The Anniversary Event will include unique trials and challenges, which can be completed for exclusive in-game rewards like a new cape.

It certainly doesn't feel like it's only been a year, but Minecraft Dungeons is officially nearing its very first anniversary. To celebrate, Mojang Studios and Double Eleven are hosting an Anniversary Event in Minecraft Dungeons. Players can participate in the Anniversary Event by completing unique challenges and seasonal trials for unique in-game rewards. Not all of the rewards are being unveiled right away (you'll have to participate in the Event to find them!), but we do know it includes a special cake armor and an event-exclusive cosmetic cape.

The Anniversary Event is running until May 26 to June 8, 2021 on every platform Minecraft Dungeons is available on, and players can take a crack at completing the challenges at any point during that time frame. Of course, some of you may have realized that May 26 is already a big day for Minecraft Dungeons: the release date of the major Hidden Depths DLC expansion for Minecraft Dungeons.

Alongside the Anniversary Event, players will also gain a free content update and a new premium expansion on May 26. If you're a Minecraft Dungeons fan, you'll definitely want to mark your calendar to ensure you don't miss it! Finally, remember that Minecraft Dungeons recently added cross-save support, so you can now move your progression and characters from platform to platform!

Minecraft Dungeons is currently available for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S as an Optimized title, Xbox One, PC, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Cloud Gaming through Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. You can also play Minecraft Dungeons on Xbox and PC through Xbox Game Pass, although you'll want to consider the Minecraft Dungeons Season Pass if you want to experience everything Minecraft Dungeons has to offer, including the upcoming Hidden Depths DLC.

Almost one year after its launch, Minecraft Dungeons has proved with consistent support that it's one of the best Xbox games around.

The next era of Dungeons

Minecraft Dungeons: Season Pass

$20 at Microsoft (Xbox) $20 at Microsoft (Windows) $20 at Amazon (Switch)

Explore new worlds in Minecraft Dungeons.

It's been a busy first year for Minecraft Dungeons, and now the ARPG dungeon-crawling Minecraft spin-off is looking ahead towards its future, with four new expansions planned. The first two, Howling Peaks and Flames of the Nether, are available right now, but players can also grab the new Season Pass to gain immediate access to all four expansions as soon as they launch.

A catalog of games

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

From $1/month at Microsoft $45 at Amazon (3-month subscription) $15 at Amazon (1-month subscription)

All your gaming needs, in one subscription.

Is the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate the best value in all of gaming? It's possible. Ultimate bundles your Xbox Live Gold subscription, an Xbox Game Pass subscription for both Xbox consoles and Windows PCs, and Xbox Cloud Gaming for on-the-go. That means access to hundreds of games, with more added all the time, for a single monthly subscription cost.

The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 is a remarkably flexible hybrid laptop. It will perform excellently, but if you want to use it with a monitor like a desktop PC, you're going to want to get yourself a laptop dock. These docks will give you the additional ports you might need and more options for connecting your Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 to monitors. Here are some of the best laptop docking stations money can buy.

If we had to choose

All of these different laptop docks are great, and one of them is bound to offer whatever you're looking for in a dock to go with your Dell XPS 13 2-in-1. However, if we had to choose, we would go with the Dell D3100 Docking Station, as we think it offers the best overall balance between value and price. Most people won't need more than five USB ports for peripherals, and the ability to use three full displays with your laptop is incredible. Only one of them can be 4K, true, but three screens at once can and will give you some impressive flexibility for both work and recreational activities.

If you're looking for something elite, then it doesn't get any better than the CalDigit TS3 Plus. The combination of 15 different ports (including seven USB 3.1s) and dual 4K display connectivity is the definition of premium.

People looking for something on the smaller side size-wise, though, should go with the j5create Ultra Station, as at its affordable price and small form factor, two extra USB 3.0 ports, and the ability to connect to an HD monitor is an absolute steal.

For more awesome options, check out our roundup of the best laptop docking stations as well as the best Thunderbolt 3 docks.

There's almost not enough room in the picture for all the games coming to Xbox Game Pass.

What you need to know

• Xbox Game Pass is an innovative gaming subscription that gives you access to hundreds of games on Xbox and PC.
• Every month, Microsoft reveals the next wave of games heading to the service over the next few weeks.
• The second half of May is packed with new titles for Xbox Game Pass, including SnowRunner, Maneater, and Conan Exiles.
• Xbox Game Pass subscribers can also look forward to MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries, Fuzion Frenzy, and many more.

Players all over the world already feel like the weight of their games backlog is crushing them, but that isn't stopping Xbox Game Pass from dropping game after game onto the service. Xbox has just revealed the games heading to Xbox Game Pass in May, 2021, and the list is absolutely massive this time around. Players certainly aren't going to struggle to find something new to play with Xbox Game Pass in the next few weeks.

Some of the highlights of the new games coming to Xbox Game Pass include SnowRunner, Maneater, Conan Exiles, MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries and many more. There are also more games gaining touch control support for Xbox Cloud Gaming through Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and a handful of games (including some Kingdom Hearts titles) leaving the service at the end of May.

In case you missed it, The Ascent is also coming to Xbox Game Pass on day one, and launches on July 29, 2021.

The games on this list can head everywhere that Xbox Game Pass is available, including Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC, and Xbox Cloud Gaming. The best games on Xbox Game Pass already include some incredible titles, but this list of games makes a case for joining it. In any case, it might be necessary to think about investing in one of the best external SSDs for Xbox Series X|S to store all of these games. Finally, make sure you never lose track of Xbox Game Pass news by bookmarking our ultimate guide to everything coming to and leaving from Xbox Game Pass.

Coming soon

You can check out all the titles coming soon to Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Cloud gaming below:

SnowRunner (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, & Xbox Cloud Gaming) — Available now

SnowRunner puts you in the driver's seat of powerful vehicles as you conquer extreme open environments with the most advanced terrain simulation ever. Drive over 40 vehicles from brands such as Ford, Chevrolet, and Freightliner as you leave your mark on an untamed open world

Peggle 2 (Xbox Cloud Gaming) via EA Play — May 20

Peggle 2 is a magical game full of bouncing balls, magical pegs, and bricks made of pure compressed joy! Test your luck and skill by clearing pegs, bashing bricks, and timing your shots just right to achieve extreme fever!

Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville (Xbox Cloud Gaming) via EA Play — May 20

Ready the Juice Cannons and prepare for battle! Unearth 20 fully customizable character classes, tackle hilarious missions, defeat epic bosses, go all-out against friends and foes in six PvP modes, including Battle Arena, and more. Experience the unbeleafable thrills of combat today with EA Play!

Secret Neighbor (PC) — May 20

Secret Neighbor is a suspenseful multiplayer horror game where a group of kids try to rescue their friend from the Neighbor's creepy basement – the only problem is one of the kids is the Neighbor in disguise.

The Wild at Heart (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, & PC) — May 20

Day one with Xbox Game Pass! The Wild at Heart is a whimsical story centered around two children that escape to a fantastical land filled with magical creatures to befriend and an oddball order of guardians who've lost their way. Explore a beautiful, handcrafted world full of charming puzzles and deep secrets. Welcome to the Deep Woods.

The Catch: Carp and Coarse Fishing (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, & Xbox Cloud Gaming) — May 21

With 35 species to hunt, you'll have to work up your strategy and tactics to catch every boss fish. To succeed you'll need to choose your angling spot, based on time of day, weather conditions and perfect equipment, before casting out to battle and catch these elusive creatures.

Knockout City (Xbox Series X|S Optimized, Xbox One, & PC) via EA Play — May 21

Day one with Xbox Game Pass for PC and Ultimate with EA Play!Calling all brawlers! Team up and duke it out in Knockout City, where epic dodgeball battlers settle the score in team-based multiplayer matches. Throw, catch, pass, dodge, and tackle your way to dodgeball dominance!

Maneater (Xbox Series X|S Optimized, Xbox One, PC, & Xbox Cloud Gaming) — May 25

Maneater is a single-player action RPG, set in the Gulf Coast's unforgiving waters. Fight to survive in the open ocean, swamps, and rivers with danger lurking at every depth. Your only tools are your wits, your jaws, and an uncanny ability to evolve as you feed.

Conan Exiles (Xbox Series X|S Optimized, Xbox One, & Xbox Cloud Gaming) — May 27

Alone and naked in a hostile land, your first task is simply to survive. Then you must build a stronghold and gather your allies. And from there, you can set out to dominate your enemies. Conan Exiles is a single and multiplayer survival game, set in a massive open-world sandbox with mythical beasts, perilous dungeons, and the freedom to play whichever way you like.

Fuzion Frenzy (Xbox Cloud Gaming) — May 27

The Xbox original Fuzion Frenzy combines the continuous, frenetic action of a futuristic street sport with the action-packed fun of mini-games set in a dynamic 3-D urban environment. Six arenas and more than 45 mini-games provide plenty of competitive fun for up to four players.

Joy Ride Turbo (Xbox Cloud Gaming) — May 27

Joy Ride Turbo is an arcade racer delivering precision handling, speed, and crazy stunt mayhem! In the Stunt Park, show off your skills or explore and find collectibles that unlock cars, giving you an edge for faster races and death-defying stunts.

MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries (Xbox Series X|S & Xbox One) — May 27

Welcome to the year 3015! It's a hell of a time to be alive. Humanity has colonized thousands of star systems, war is everywhere, and the battlefields of the future are dominated by hulking machines known as BattleMechs. It's dangerous work for the elite pilots of these metal monstrosities, but that's why a power-hungry MechWarrior like you came here, right? If you're looking to blast, wreck, stomp – and profit – step inside!

Slime Rancher (PC) — May 27

Slime Rancher is the tale of Beatrix LeBeau, a plucky, young rancher who sets out for a life a thousand light years away from Earth on the 'Far, Far Range' where she tries her hand at making a living wrangling slimes. With a can-do attitude, plenty of grit, and her trusty vacpack, Beatrix attempts to stake a claim, amass a fortune, and avoid the continual peril that looms from the rolling, jiggling avalanche of slimes around every corner!

Solasta: Crown of the Magister (PC) — May 27

Discover the shattered world of Solasta. Explore ruins and dungeons for legendary treasures, learn the truth of an age-old cataclysm, and stop it from happening again. Tailor your squad to your preferred strategy and maximize your party's abilities in classic tabletop RPG tradition. The choice is yours.

SpellForce 3: Soul Harvest (PC) — May 27

Make your mark in the chaotic world of Nortander in SpellForce 3: Soul Harvest. Explore and prosper, build and lead armies, develop your character, and defend the throne in this story of renegades and rebellion.

Leaving soon

You can check out all the titles leaving soon from Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Cloud Gaming below:

May 31

• Assetto Corsa (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, & Xbox Cloud Gaming)
• Broforce (PC)
• Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 Remix (Xbox Series X|S & Xbox One)
• Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue (Xbox Series X|S & Xbox One)
• Surviving Mars (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, & Xbox Cloud Gaming)
• Void Bastards (Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, & Xbox Cloud Gaming)

Xbox Cloud Gaming touch controls

You can check out all the titles gaining touch controls on Xbox Cloud Gaming below:

• Banjo-Tooie
• Call of the Sea
• Genesis Noir
• Narita Boy
• Nier: Automata Become As Gods Edition
• Rain on Your Parade
• Two Point Hospital

A catalog of games

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

From $1/month at Microsoft $45 at Amazon (3-month subscription) $15 at Amazon (1-month subscription)

All your gaming needs, in one subscription.

Is the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate the best value in all of gaming? It's possible. Ultimate bundles your Xbox Live Gold subscription, an Xbox Game Pass subscription for both Xbox consoles and Windows PCs, and Xbox Cloud Gaming for on-the-go. That means access to hundreds of games, with more added all the time, for a single monthly subscription cost.

NVIDIA's newly manufactured GeForce graphics cards will have half the hash rate of earlier models.

What you need to know

• NVIDIA is cutting the hash rate in half of newly-manufactured GeForce RTX 3080, 3070, and 3060 Ti graphics cards.
• The move is being made to help GeForce graphics cards get into the hands of gamers rather than crypto miners.
• Cards with limited hash rates will be marked with a "Lite Hash Rate" or "LHR" identifier.

NVIDIA continues its push to get GeForce GPUs into the hands of gamers rather than crypto miners. The company announced in a blog post that it will halve the hash rate of newly-manufactured GeForce RTX 3080, RTX 3070, and RTX 3060 Ti graphics cards. Any cards shipped from late May onward will have reduced hash rates. The move will affect several of the best mining GPUs.

Cards with limited hash rates will be marked with a "Lite Hash Rate" or "LHR" identifier. These identifiers should make it easy for shoppers to know if they're getting an old model without any limits or a new model with limits.

When NVIDIA announced a driver for the RTX 3060 that limited its hash rate, it mentioned that the limiter would be required for all products shipped after mid-May. The recent blog post confirms which products will be limited.

NVIDIA's blog post specifies that the hash rate limiter "only applies to newly manufactured cards with the LHR identifier and not to cards already purchased."

The company emphasizes that "GeForce is made for gaming" and explains that the motive behind this move is to get gaming GPUs into the hands of gamers, "We believe this additional step will get more GeForce cards at better prices into the hands of gamers everywhere."

Get ready for those next-gen (current-gen?) enhancements.

What you need to know

• Rockstar has revealed that GTA V is coming to Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S on November 11, 2021.
• The standalone version of GTA Online will release on the same day.
• This summer's GTA Online updates are set to include special benefits for players to incentivize them to purchase the enhanced versions on Xbox Series X and S.
• Rockstar has not fully detailed the enhancements and new features that GTA V will receive.

We knew GTA V was coming to Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S at some point, but now we finally have a date. Rockstar has revealed that it and GTA Online will come to Microsoft's newest consoles on November 11, 2021 with new features and enhancements in tow.

Rockstar hasn't detailed the exact enhancements that it will receive, but it did previously say (via Polygon) that it will feature "a range of technical improvements, visual upgrades and performance enhancements to take full advantage of the console's powerful new hardware, making the game more beautiful and more responsive than ever." Knowing what the Xbox Series X is capable of, GTA V should look absolutely stunning, and run just as well.

Unfortunately for Xbox players, only those on PS5 can access GTA Online for free during the first three months. PS Plus members on PS4 also get GTA$1,000,000 every month until its launch on PS5. No such offer is being made on Xbox.

The company also teased that it has some fun surprises in store for fans to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Grand Theft Auto III, and the weeks ahead will be filled with even more news and updates.

Initially released on the PS3 and Xbox 360, GTA V is one of the best-selling games of all-time, crossing 140 million sales as of February 2021. It's one of the best Xbox games to ever come out, and Rockstar clearly sees more potential in it.