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January 30
- Xbox Game Pass revenue could've beaten Xbox console sales in Holiday 2024
➀ Xbox Game Pass set a new quarterly revenue record in Holiday 2024, potentially exceeding $1 billion.
➁ Call of Duty Black Ops 6 contributed significantly to the increase in Game Pass subscriptions.
➂ Xbox Game Pass revenue surpassed Xbox hardware revenue during the Holiday 2024 period.
- AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT performance leaks: less than 10% slower than RTX 5080 in 4K gaming
➀ AMD's upcoming Radeon RX 9070 XT is expected to perform within 10% of the new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 in 4K gaming.
➁ The RX 9070 XT is priced between $599 and $649, challenging the RTX 5080 which starts at $999.
➂ The RX 9070 XT features 16GB of GDDR6 memory, while the RTX 5080 has 16GB of GDDR7.
- Spider-Man 2 needs RTX 4090 for 4K 60FPS with RT maxed out, game drops TOMORROW on the PC
➀ Spider-Man 2 is set to release on PC tomorrow with enhanced features such as NVIDIA DLSS 3.5 and Ray Reconstruction technology.
➁ The game requires high-end hardware, including an Intel Core i9-12900K or AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D, 32GB RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 for 4K 60FPS.
➂ It supports ultrawide monitor support and various upscaling technologies like NVIDIA DLSS 3, AMD FSR 3.1, and Intel XeSS.
- NVIDIA CEO says he can't trust Samsung's HBM products or engineers, won't do business with them
➀ NVIDIA is distancing itself from Samsung and its HBM memory due to trust issues, as stated by CEO Jensen Huang.
➁ Despite previous positive remarks, NVIDIA is working to certify Samsung's HBM3E memory for AI GPUs.
➂ If unsuccessful, NVIDIA may rely on SK hynix and Micron for HBM supply.
- Xbox hardware revenue down to second-lowest point in the last 10 years
➀ Xbox hardware revenue dropped to its second-lowest point in the last decade during the holiday 2024 period.
➁ Despite the drop, it is not necessarily bad news for Microsoft as Xbox hardware is sold at a loss.
➂ The reduced hardware sales could indicate a shift towards focusing more on content and services.
- Xbox is becoming more profitable despite $530 million earnings decrease
➀ Microsoft's Xbox division saw a 7% revenue drop but still had the second-highest holiday period in Xbox history.
➁ The shift towards high-margin businesses like Xbox Game Pass has contributed to increased profitability.
➂ Despite the revenue drop, gaming significantly contributed to Microsoft's More Personal Computing division's operating growth.
January 29
- Scientists admit to mistakenly identifying Elon Musk's car for an asteroid
➀ Researchers mistakenly identified Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster as a near-Earth asteroid.
➁ The error was corrected within a day after realizing the object's orbit matched the Falcon Heavy Upper stage with the Tesla Roadster attached.
➂ The incident highlights the need for accurate tracking of space objects and the challenges faced due to the lack of a centralized database.
- President Trump names the company currently in talks to save TikTok
➀ President Trump announced on Monday that discussions are underway about acquiring TikTok from the Chinese company ByteDance.
➁ TikTok faces a critical moment where it must either be sold to a US government-verified entity or face a ban from app stores and telecommunications services in the US.
➂ Multiple companies, including Microsoft and MrBeast, are in talks to acquire TikTok.
- Google Maps confirms its renaming the Gulf of Mexico, but for only some users
➀ Google has confirmed that it will rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America based on official government sources.
➁ The renaming is part of an executive order issued by President Trump, which includes a 30-day deadline for the change.
➂ Google will display the official local name and the new name to different user groups.
- Official Doomsday Clock moved to 89 seconds to midnight, closest it's ever been
➀ The Doomsday Clock has been set to 89 seconds to midnight, marking the closest point to global catastrophe since its creation in 1947.
➁ The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists updates the clock based on global risks, including arms control, misinformation, and biological threats.
➂ Experts warn that rogue actors and nations with advanced AI technology pose significant threats to global stability.
- OpenAI CEO Sam Altman responds to DeepSeek AI hype amid widespread stock value crash
➀ OpenAI CEO Sam Altman commented on the market hype around the new DeepSeek AI model.
➁ The DeepSeek R1 model, created for $6 million using old NVIDIA GPUs, has raised questions about the billions of dollars invested in AI development.
➂ OpenAI CEO Sam Altman acknowledged the impressive nature of the DeepSeek R1 model and expressed excitement about continuing their research roadmap.
- NVIDIA breaks silence after biggest single-day loss of any company in history
➀ NVIDIA's stock price dropped 17% after Chinese startup DeepSeek launched its R1 model.
➁ The R1 model, developed in just two months and costing $6 million, rivals OpenAI's ChatGPT.
➂ NVIDIA responded to the development, emphasizing the importance of Test Time Scaling and the need for NVIDIA GPUs.
- PlayStation gets new CEO as Sony shuffles executives
➀ Sony Corp has appointed Hiroki Totoki as its new CEO and president, effective April.
➁ Hideaki Nishino will lead Sony Interactive Entertainment as CEO, focusing on the PlayStation segment.
➂ Hermen Hulst remains CEO of SIE's studios business group.
- MSI delays official US store availability of flagship GeForce RTX 5090 until February 6
➀ MSI announces that the GeForce RTX 5090 graphics cards will not be available in US retailers until February 6.
➁ Pre-orders for the RTX 5090 start on January 30, with shipping on February 6.
➂ Other retailers will have RTX 5090 stock, but the official US store will only have confirmed stock for pre-orders.
- Elon Musk says President Trump has asked SpaceX to bring astronauts stranded on ISS home ASAP
➀ Elon Musk announced that President Trump requested SpaceX to return two astronauts from the ISS due to concerns with Boeing's Starliner.
➁ NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have been stuck on the ISS since June 2024 after arriving on the Boeing Starliner spacecraft.
➂ NASA decided that they would come home on Dragon after uncertainties surrounding Starliner.
- GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 5090, RTX 5080 AORUS XTREME Waterforce GPUs confirmed with liquid metal
➀ GIGABYTE has confirmed that some of its new GeForce RTX 50 series GPUs will use liquid metal for cooling.
➁ These GPUs include the RTX 5090 Xtreme AORUS Waterforce, RTX 5080 AORUS Xtreme Waterforce, and RTX 5090D AORUS Xtreme Waterforce graphics cards.
➂ GIGABYTE ensures safety with automated processes and protective measures.
January 28
- President Trump plans tariffs on foreign semiconductors, says DeepSeek AI success 'a positive'
➀ President Trump plans to impose tariffs on foreign semiconductor production to boost U.S. manufacturing.
➁ He also commented on Chinese AI company DeepSeek, highlighting its impact on the AI industry and the need for U.S. competitiveness.
➂ DeepSeek's advancements have significantly affected the market, causing substantial financial shifts.
- Ubisoft announces new job cuts in effort to 'prioritize projects and reduce costs'
➀ Ubisoft is closing its Leamington studio, impacting 185 employees, as part of a broader strategy to prioritize projects and reduce costs.
➁ The closure is expected to save the company $206 million USD.
➂ This move aligns with ongoing restructuring efforts and potential buyout talks with Tencent, which holds a 10% stake in Ubisoft.
- Xbox head Phil Spencer suggests Bethesda's Starfield is coming to PlayStation 5
➀ Microsoft's Xbox strategy is shifting towards multi-platform releases following its $70 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard King.
➁ Xbox plans to release first-party titles on PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2, including DOOM: The Dark Ages and Indiana Jones.
➂ Xbox head Phil Spencer suggests Starfield may also reach PS5, reflecting a broader strategy to expand Xbox's game library across platforms.
- Sony's next God of War might explore Egyptian mythology
➀ Sony is reportedly developing a new God of War game set in Egyptian mythology.
➁ The casting of Middle Eastern actors suggests that the project is likely the next God of War game.
➂ This isn't the first time Egyptian mythology has been mentioned in connection with God of War.
- Activision/Blizzard President doubles down on DEI in leaked company-wide message
➀ Rob Kostich, the President of Activision Publishing, emphasizes the company's commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
➁ There is debate within the gaming industry about the role and impact of DEI in video games.
➂ Activision-Blizzard fully integrates DEI into its operations, while some developers argue against it.
- AMD says no, the Radeon RX 9070 XT will not cost $899 USD
➀ AMD denied the claim made by a Bulgarian retailer that the Radeon RX 9070 XT would cost $899.
➁ The retailer Gplay had previously suggested that the Radeon RX 9070 XT would launch at a high price, but Frank Azor, a representative from AMD, refuted this claim.
➂ The launch of RDNA 4 GPUs, including the Radeon RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT, has been delayed due to software readiness, particularly FSR 4.
- NVIDIA partner lists GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8GB and 16GB variants in new filing
➀ NVIDIA partner MaxSun plans to release GeForce RTX 5060 Ti graphics cards with both 8GB and 16GB models.
➁ The 16GB model is preferred for better 1440p gaming performance.
➂ NVIDIA is likely to launch the GeForce RTX 5060 Series in March 2025, following the pattern of the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti launch.
- PC gaming made 220% more revenue than consoles over the last 10 years says new report
➀ PC gaming has generated 220% more revenue than consoles over the past decade.
➁ The growth of PC gaming is attributed to its compounding advantages over consoles, including backward compatibility and performance control.
➂ Upcoming NVIDIA and AMD products are expected to further enhance PC gaming's appeal.
- AMD seems to have no plans for RDNA 4 gaming laptops, Radeon RX 9000 GPUs focused on desktop
➀ AMD has no plans to launch RDNA 4 GPUs for gaming laptops and will focus on the desktop market first.
➁ Brad Conrad, AMD's Director of Product Management for Premium Mobile Client, confirmed that RDNA 4 will initially target the desktop market.
➂ AMD's new RDNA 3.5-based Radeon 8060S integrated GPU is claimed to rival NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU.
- PC gamers are already camping out waiting to grab their new GeForce RTX 5090 graphics cards
➀ NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 graphics cards are set to launch soon with high demand and limited stock.
➁ PC gamers are camping outside Micro Center stores to get their hands on the new GPUs.
➂ Micro Center will use a voucher system to manage purchases on launch day.
- Rise of the Ronin on PC supports 8K, 120FPS, DLSS, FSR, XeSS, ray tracing, 3D audio, and more
➀ Rise of the Ronin will launch on PC on March 11 with support for 8K resolutions, 120FPS, NVIDIA DLSS, AMD FSR, Intel XeSS, ray tracing, and 3D audio.
➁ The minimum system requirements include an Intel i5-10400 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600, 16GB RAM, and a GTX 1060 or RX 5500 XT graphics card.
➂ Recommended specifications are higher, including an Intel Core i5-10600K or AMD Ryzen 5 5600X, and a RTX 2080 Super or RX 6700XT graphics card.
- AMD shows Strix Halo flagship APU beating NVIDIA RTX 4070 mobile GPU by up to 70% in PC games
➀ AMD claims that its Strix Halo flagship APU outperforms NVIDIA's RTX 4070 mobile GPU in various games, including Borderlands 3 and Hitman 3.
➁ The benchmarks show the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU beating the RTX 4070 by 68% in Borderlands 3 and 50% in Hitman 3.
➂ However, these results are based on AMD's own tests and the RTX 4070's performance is limited by its 65W configuration in the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 laptop.
January 27
- NVIDIA shares bleed $384 billion in value in a few hours after China's DeepSeek shocks AI world
➀ NVIDIA's stock dropped 11% in pre-market trading due to concerns over China's DeepSeek AI startup.
➁ DeepSeek's R1 model is significantly cheaper to train than competitors, leading to a reevaluation of AI GPU investments.
➂ Other major tech stocks, including AMD, Microsoft, and Meta, also experienced declines.
- NVIDIA teases DLSS Frame Generation for GeForce RTX 30 Series owners
➀ NVIDIA's DLSS 4 introduces a new 'Transformer' model for enhanced image stability and fidelity, improving AI game enhancement tools.
➁ Frame Generation, optimized for the RTX 50 Series, boosts performance and reduces VRAM needs.
➂ The RTX 30 Series may finally get access to DLSS Frame Generation, pending further optimization and testing.