Games
• Winners of Marvel Rivals S5 Livestream Incentive Event have been published. • All winners will be contacted by email before Jan 15; prizes scheduled for distribution by Jan 30. • Eligibility required correct hashtags and official event registration; queries go to marvelrivalscreators@service.netease.com. • Marvel Rivals is a free-to-play team-based PVP
Games
* Key Takeaways: * IO Interactive has delayed James Bond game 007 First Light from March to May 27, 2026. * IOI says the game is playable end-to-end; the extra two months are for polish and quality. * The studio calls First Light its "most ambitious project to date" and confirms features
How-Tos
• Key Takeaways: * A native NVMe driver introduced in Windows Server 2025 can be enabled on Windows 11 via registry edits, producing large random I/O gains. * Tests on SK Hynix Platinum P41 and Crucial T705 drives showed notable random read/write improvements — one report saw up to 85% faster random
Gadgets
• Samsung unveils a 32-inch Odyssey 3D (G90XH) — the world’s first 6K (6,144 x 3,456) glasses-free 3D monitor with eye tracking. • Odyssey G6 (G60H) introduces a record 1,040Hz refresh via Dual Mode (native QHD up to 600Hz) for competitive esports. • Odyssey G8 family expands with 6K, 5K
Games
* Metacritic’s year-end rankings crown Hades 2 as the highest-rated PC release of 2025 (Metascore 94). * The list spans AAA ports, ambitious indies and remasters — Blue Prince (92), Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (91), and Hollow Knight: Silksong (90) among them. * Critics rewarded strong design, replayability, and bold storytelling across genres
Games
* Key Takeaways: * Obsidian’s Avowed is John Walker’s game of 2025 for its worldbuilding, companions, and lasting emotional impact. * Multiplayer extraction shooter Arc Raiders surprised Walker and earned second place despite initial reluctance to play online. * The year balanced big-budget standouts (Nintendo’s Donkey Kong Bananza) with breakout indies
Software
• Threads now supports short, in-feed podcast episode previews that play directly in users’ feeds. • Meta is hosting live podcast events to encourage creators and listeners to build communities on Threads. • Threads aims to shift podcast conversations from fan-run Facebook Groups to host-led interactions on its app. • The move pits Threads
Software
* Familiar Face library cleaned up to improve person identification accuracy. * Animal detection now distinguishes cats and dogs at distance and better preserves colors. * Home Brief descriptions for people are more accurate when faces aren’t visible. * Longer videos get richer AI-generated summaries to capture important events. What’s included in
AI
* Familiar Face filtering now prioritizes clear, complete images to reduce false matches and improve detection accuracy. * Improved animal detection distinguishes dogs and cats at a distance and better identifies color in low‑light scenes. * Home Brief descriptions are more useful for unidentified people and longer videos now get richer AI-generated
Gadgets
* Portable projector and collapsible monitor in one: Arovia’s Splay folds into a 4×4-inch case and weighs about 2.5 pounds. * Strength in projector mode: ultra-short-throw pico projector claims 285 lumens and up to an 80-inch image; integrated fabric screen removes the "right room" problem. * Weakness as
Games
• Key Takeaways: * Game developers across studios named wildly different 2025 favourites, from chaotic co-op (Peak) to tightly written narrative experiments (Type Help). * The list highlights recurring trends: retro-arcade revivals (Parking Garage Rally Circuit), inventive storytelling (The Alters, The Roottrees are Dead) and polished roguelike design (Hades 2). * Several picks are
Space
Key Takeaways: * A NASA safety advisory panel says agency leaders should have declared an in‑flight mishap or high‑visibility close call after Boeing’s CST‑100 Starliner experienced thruster failures and helium leaks in June 2024. * Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams remained on the ISS for nine months;
