Author - Jerry Paxton

8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard European Layouts Shipping Now

2025/02/04

Game Outlet Europe®, an independent distributor of video games and gaming accessories and part of Embracer Freemode®, has announced the shipping of new European layouts for the 8BitDo® Retro Mechanical Keyboard

A love letter to the days of classic gaming, the 8BitDo® Retro Mechanical Keyboard

The new QWERTZ, AZERTY, ES, and NORD layouts are available in nostalgic retro grey and red colours, known simply as the ‘N’ design, while the UK layout comes in a Commodore-inspired colour scheme with the ‘C64’ design. With 80’s inspired fonts and a separate oversized 8BitDo Dual Super Button Unit, European gamers will feel instantly at home with a mechanical keyboard that’s both practical, familiar, and designed to be noticed.

8BitDo® Retro Mechanical Keyboard European Layouts

8BitDo Mechanical Keyboard – N Ed. (German QWERTZ Layout)
8BitDo Mechanical Keyboard – N Ed. (French AZERTY Layout)
8BitDo Mechanical Keyboard – N Ed. (Spanish ES Layout)
8BitDo Mechanical Keyboard – N Ed. (Nordic NORD Layout)
8BitDo Mechanical Keyboard – C64 Ed. (British UK Layout)

“8BitDo began shipping the Retro Mechanical Keyboard

About the 8BitDo® Retro Mechanical Keyboard

The 8BitDo® Retro Mechanical Keyboard

8BitDo have ensured that each and every key press is met with extreme accuracy. An 87-button key bed, with top mounted styling and mechanical Kailh Box switches feature on the keyboard, with dye-sublimation PBT keycaps with MDA-like height. Known for their incredible accuracy and durability, the mechanical keys are ideal for gamers demanding the highest levels of precision.

The separate 8BitDo Dual Super Button Unit, which comes included with the keyboard, features two oversized action buttons which can also be programmed to activate user chosen commands or shortcuts.

The 8BitDo® Retro Mechanical Keyboard

For more information on the 8BitDo® Retro Mechanical Keyboard, please visit:

The 52nd Saturn Awards Full Winners List Announced

2025/02/04

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Industry News, Movie News, News

The 52nd Saturn Awards show was filled with excitement last night as A-list celebrities arrived to celebrate the very best in genre entertainment, an event commemorated only by The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror since its inception in 1972. Hosted for the third consecutive year by actor and comedian Joel McHale (Animal Control, Community, The Bear), the event was well attended by Hollywood stars who came out to celebrate and honor the exceptional body of work and talent in these often-overlooked entertainment categories. Additionally, in light of the devastating fires and the urgent need for community support, the Academy utilized this year’s platform to provide viewers nationwide and attendees with information on how to donate and aid in the rebuilding efforts in Los Angeles.

The 52nd Annual Saturn Awards took place last night (February 2, 2025) at the spacious Hilton Universal City Hotel. Fans were able to watch LIVE on The Roku Channel and ElectricNOW, the premium OTT app and FAST channel from Dean Devlin’s Electric Entertainment.

William Shatner, legendary pop icon and beloved figure of sci-fi fans and beyond, was presented with the Saturn’s Lifetime Achievement Award by actor and son in-law, Joel Gretsch. The second annual Lance Reddick Legacy Award was bestowed upon one of the most respected actors in the industry, Laurence Fishburne by Emmy® and Grammy® Award-winning actor, director and producer LeVar Burton. Two-time Emmy® and Golden Globe® Award-winning actor and star of the Disney series “Shōgun,” Hiroyuki Sanada was presented with The Robert Forster Artist’s Award by writer/director/producer Jonathan Nolan.

Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, and writer-producer Bob Gale of “Back to the Future” were in attendance to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the all-time classic time- travel adventure and to receive The George Pal Memorial Award for its filmmakers and stars. Comedians Dana Gould and Bobcat Goldthwait presented the Award to all three.

The Amazon series “Fallout,” which invites new sci-fi fans into its post-apocalyptic adventure, received The Spotlight Award, presented to its cast and creators by Golden Globe® winner Ron Perlman. Clark Kent himself, actor Tyler Hoechlin, and the writers of the WBTV show “Superman & Lois,” Brent Fletcher and Todd Helbing, were awarded the Dan Curtis Legacy Award by well-respected actor George Newbern as the show celebrates its four-year, four-season run.

Other notable attendees included Colin Farrell, Denis Villeneuve, Nicolas Cage, Mark Hamill, Juliet Lewis, Antony Starr, Peter Weller, Nancy Allen, among many, many others. All attended to collect and present Saturn Awards, in addition to supporting this very special community.

This year’s show was dedicated to all those affected by the Los Angeles Wildfires and the true superheroes – the firemen and emergency responders whose bravery, dedication, and sacrifice helped protect lives and property in the face of devastating challenges.

Below is the full list of this year’s winners at the 52nd Annual Saturn Awards:

SPECIAL AWARDS:
Lifetime Achievement Award – William Shatner
Lance Reddick Legacy Award – Laurence Fishburne
George Pal Memorial Award – The 40th Anniversary of Back to the Future
Spotlight Award – Fallout
Robert Forster Artist’s Award – Hiroyuki Sanada
Dan Curtis Legacy Award – Superman & Lois

FILM
Best Science Fiction Film: Dune: Part Two
Best Fantasy Film: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Best Horror Film: Alien: Romulus
Best Action / Adventure Film: Deadpool & Wolverine
Best Thriller Film: Strange Darling
Best International Film: Godzilla Minus One
Best Animated Film: The Wild Robot
Best Independent Film: Late Night with the Devil
Best Actor in a Film: Nicolas Cage (Dream Scenario)
Best Actress in a Film: Demi Moore (The Substance)
Best Supporting Actor in a Film: Hugh Jackman (Deadpool & Wolverine)
Best Supporting Actress in a Film: Rebecca Ferguson (Dune: Part Two)
Best Younger Performer in a Film: Jenna Ortega (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice)
Best Film Direction: Denis Villeneuve (Dune: Part Two)
Best Film Writing (Screenplay): Osgood Perkins (Longlegs)
Best Film Music (Composer): Danny Elfman (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice)
Best Film Editing: Dean Zimmerman & Shane Reid (Deadpool & Wolverine)
Best Film Production Designer: Patrice Vermette (Deadpool & Wolverine)
Best Film Make-Up: The Substance (Pierre-Olivier Persin)
Best Film Costume: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (Colleen Atwood)
Best Film Visual / Special Effects: Dune: Part Two (Paul Lambert, Stephen James,
Rhys Salacombe, Gerd Nefzer)

TELEVISION:
Best Science Fiction Television Series: Fallout
Best Fantasy Television Series: House of the Dragon
Best Horror Television Series: From
Best Superhero Television Series: Agatha All Along
Best Action/Thriller Television Series: Cobra Kai
Best Adventure Television Series: Monarch: Legacy of Monsters
Best Animated Series: Star Wars: The Bad Batch
Best Television Presentation: The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live
Best Actor in a Television Series: Colin Farrell (The Penguin)
Best Actress in a Television Series: Rosario Dawson (Star Wars: Ahsoka)
Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series: Antony Starr (The Boys)
Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series: Cristin Milioti (The Penguin)
Best Younger Performer in a Television Series: Xolo Maridueña (Cobra Kai)
Best Guest-Star in a Television Series: Mark Hamill (The Fall of the House of
Usher)

Home Entertainment:
Best Classic Home Media Release: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (Kino/Lorber
Studio Classics)
Best Television Home Media Release: Star Wars: Andor – The Complete First
Season (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)
Best Film Home Media Collection: Batman 85th Anniversary Collection (Warner
Home Video)
Best 4k Home Media Release: Saw X (Lionsgate Home Video)

Elgato Wave Link 2.0 Software Unveiled

2025/02/04

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Hardware News, News, Tech News

Elgato is proud to unveil Wave Link 2.0, the latest evolution of its powerful audio management software, which introduces incredible new features and major quality-of-life improvements. Highlights include Voice Focus, an integrated tool that ensures crisp vocals in any space, and One-Click Audio Routing for easy setup and customization. Overall, Wave Link 2.0 redefines audio management by addressing several universal challenges content creators and digital professionals face.

Bring speech to the forefront

Voice Focus, a tool developed in collaboration with ai|coustics, brings cutting-edge vocal enhancements to Elgato Wave mic and audio interface users. By leveraging ai|coustics’ advanced machine learning technology, the tool removes unwanted noise, room reverb, and echo—while isolating the user’s voice and elevating it to professional quality standards. Designed for users who may not have the knowledge or patience to configure audio effects, Voice Focus delivers studio-grade results in seconds. Whether streaming, podcasting, or meeting, everyone sounds professional—even in spaces with poor acoustics.

Routing made simple

Wave Link’s revamped app routing setup makes managing multiple channels a breeze. One-Click Audio Routing allows users to instantly assign apps to channels, simplifying setup while maintaining flexibility. For better organization, App Grouping consolidates multiple apps under a single input channel, while Input Channel Renaming lets users personalize channel names for clarity. Channel Hiding keeps the interface clean by removing unused inputs. Together, these enhancements streamline workflows, enabling users to focus on their content rather than troubleshooting their setup.

Effects made easy

At the same time, Wave Link delivers professional-grade audio effects that empower creators and professionals alike to achieve exceptional sound quality. Elgato effects like Compressor, De-Esser, Equalizer, and ReverbFX allow for precise fine-tuning without hassle, while support for third-party VST2, VST3, and AU plugins unlock extensive possibilities for sonic customization. Users can also explore Elgato Marketplace, the go-to destination for creators looking to elevate their content. With a growing library of digital assets made by Elgato and an ever-expanding community of contributors, it offers a multitude of tools and presets by top creators like EposVox and Harris Heller. Once users have downloaded and adjusted their effects in Wave Link, a built-in Sound Check tool lets them preview their settings and make last-minute adjustments to ensure that their audio is polished before going live or joining a meeting.

The Stream Deck Advantage

Being part of the Elgato ecosystem, integration with Stream Deck is seamless and takes control to the next level. With one click, users can export Wave Link settings to Stream Deck, and their audio controls will automatically populate its interface to resemble that of a hardware mixer, eliminating the need to navigate software during critical moments, and keeping users’ focus where it matters most—on their message and audience.

“Our goal with Wave Link 2.0 was to introduce meaningful user experience improvements to an already powerful audio software,” said Julian Fest, General Manager of Elgato. “So we set out to simplify professional sound control, making advanced features much easier to use. This update isn’t just about adding functionality; it’s about transforming how users interact with their audio, and giving everyone the means to sound great.”

With Wave Link 2.0, managing audio has never been easier. Whether beginners need an easy way to sound professional, or pros seek to perfect every detail of their audio setup, Wave Link 2.0 provides the flexibility to do so with ease. More power, less effort—this update makes professional audio accessible to anyone.

EA Introduces Battlefield Labs

2025/02/03

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Industry News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

Today, the storied Battlefield franchise known for uncompromising all-out warfare and world-class gameplay for over two decades, announced the most ambitious community testing program in franchise history – Battlefield Labs. The work on the next Battlefield experience is entering a critical phase in development that will benefit from collaboration with the community like never before.

The first phase of Battlefield Labs testing will go live in the coming weeks, and sign up to players is available now at battlefield.com/labs. Initial tests will include an invited group of players and servers located in Europe and North America ahead of plans to expand invitees and server locations in the future.

“I’ve been playing Battlefield long before I joined the team,” says Vince Zampella, Head of Respawn & Group GM for EA Studios Organization. “This game has so much potential. To find that potential, with us being pre-alpha, now is the time to test the experiences our teams have been building for our upcoming launch. Battlefield Labs empowers our teams to do that.”

Players can stay up to date on the latest public testing information by keeping an eye on battlefield.com/labs. Our community will receive published updates from the team throughout testing, so that even those who are not selected for Battlefield Labs can still come along for the ride. All the feedback provided during Battlefield Labs tests will influence the development of the next Battlefield title and beyond.

Battlefield Labs plays a significant role in the development that Battlefield Studios is doing for the series. Battlefield Studios is comprised of DICE, creators of the Battlefield franchise; Ripple Effect, a studio led by franchise veterans working on an all-new experience for the series; Motive, the developers of the critically acclaimed Star Wars Squadrons and Dead Space; and Criterion, known for world-class racing franchises and playing a key role in several Battlefield entries.

You can stay tuned for updates at Battlefield.com or by joining our Discord.

Murder Mystery Game ‘It Was You’ Teaser Trailer

2025/02/03

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

Something sinister is afoot in Snowfall Games’ upcoming multiplayer murder mystery game, It Was You. Are you cunning enough to kill your friends and cover your tracks or perceptive enough to expose a carefully orchestrated murder? Find out when It Was You launches on Steam later this year.

It Was You invites 5-12 players to a murder mystery-themed Halloween party at the haunted Tylock Estate. Upon arrival, party attendees will be given a role—detective or killer—and tools to manipulate, uncover, or plant evidence of a murder.
Detectives have a range of tools at their disposal to uncover the truth—whether it’s using a magnifying glass to trace footprints, a blacklight to reveal hidden blood splatters, or even a lie detector to expose a suspect’s role. Meanwhile, killers rely on deception, using items like a spray bottle to erase their fingerprints or tape to plant someone else’s. They can even drag a body into a closet, hoping it remains undiscovered. At any moment, players can call for a discussion and vote to exile whoever they believe is guilty.

Acoustic proximity voice chat introduces lifelike reverberation and occlusion, causing voices to echo in the long corridors of the Tylock Estate. When a player enters a room and shuts the door, conversations from outside are naturally muffled, adding an unprecedented degree of immersion. To execute the perfect murder, killers must ensure the door is closed and no one is around —or risk detectives overhearing the victim’s scream echoing through the halls.
Every party feels alive with the addition of non-player guests. Killers must eliminate these NPCs first, creating a buffer that allows real players to investigate and participate in the narrative of every game before they risk becoming victims.

“We’re huge fans of social deduction games and think the appetite for it is only growing, with Jubensha, the real-life role-playing rendition of murder mysteries, being the third highest grossing form of entertainment in China, earning $3.4 billion across 10 million players,” said Jaden Holladay, Co-Founder and Engineering Director at Snowfall Games. “While we’ve loved social deduction games like Among Us, Town of Salem, and First Class Trouble, we felt there was more we could bring to the genre by adding new tools to play with, such as acoustic proximity voice chat, first-person perspective, and an array of tools to investigate a crime scene– resulting in a more realistic and complex murder mystery experience!”

Cobra Kai: Season 6 Part 3 Final Trailer

2025/02/03

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Movie News, News, Trailers / Videos

After a shocking result in the Sekai Taikai, Miyagi-Do and Cobra Kai must reckon with their pasts while facing an uncertain future both on and off the mat. Almost 40 years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament, it’s all been leading to this.

ABOUT COBRA KAI:

The Finale Event / Part 3 Premiere Date: February 13, 2025

Part 3 Synopsis: After a shocking result in the Sekai Taikai, Miyagi-Do and Cobra Kai must reckon with their pasts while facing an uncertain future both on and off the mat. Almost 40 years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament, it’s all been leading to this.

Series Synopsis: COBRA KAI takes place over 30 years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament with the continuation of the inescapable conflict between Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka). The first five seasons are now streaming with the series set to return for a sixth and final season.

Squid Game Season 3 premieres on June 27 on Netflix

2025/02/03

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Movie News, News

Netflix announced the return of its global phenomenon, Squid Game, for a third and final season — premiering June 27, 2025. The news arrives alongside exclusive first-look images offering a tantalizing glimpse into the fate of the surviving players in addition to key art that delivers a chilling visual punch: a pink guard drags a bloodied contestant toward a coffin wrapped in a pink ribbon. Gone is the rainbow-hued track of Season 2’s six-legged pentathlon; in its place, a vivid swirling flower-pattern floor ominously foreshadows the cutthroat finale to come. The sinister silhouettes of Young-hee and her companion Cheol-su — first hinted at in last season’s post-credit scene — suggest that even more brutal games lie ahead.

Picking up where the second season left off, Season 3 explores the choices Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) will make amidst overwhelming despair. As the Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) plots his next move, the surviving players find their decisions leading to increasingly dire consequences with each round of the deadly games. This season promises to push the limits of suspense and drama, keeping viewers glued to the action.

Squid Game Season 2 became the third most-watched season on Netflix ever, garnering an impressive 68 million views upon its debut — breaking records for the most views in a premiere week — and ranking #1 in the Top 10 TV Series (Non-English) list across 92 countries. As the ultimate chapter unfolds, Season 3 promises to deliver a grand and unforgettable finale.

CORSAIR Launches GeForce RTX 50 Series VENGEANCE Gaming PCs

2025/02/03

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Hardware News, News, Tech News, Windows PC News

CORSAIR® (Nasdaq: CRSR) today launched the new edition of its celebrated VENGEANCE Gaming PCs, featuring NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 Series graphics cards paired with Intel® Core™ Ultra or AMD Ryzen™ 9000 Series processors. Powered by NVIDIA Blackwell, GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs bring game-changing capabilities to gamers and creators. Equipped with massive level of AI horsepower, the RTX 50 Series enables new experiences and next-level graphics fidelity with full ray tracing, further reduces latency with Reflex 2 technology, multiplies performance with NVIDIA DLSS, generates images at unprecedented speed, and unleashes your creativity with NVIDIA Studio.

VENGEANCE PCs with GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs are NVIDIA NIM-ready RTX AI PCs, supporting the latest NIM microservices—optimized AI models for language, speech, vision, content generation, and more. These systems enable enthusiasts and developers to build AI assistants, productivity plug-ins, and innovative content creation workflows with peak performance.

With the increasing power demands of GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs, high-quality, reliable components are essential to maximize performance and unlock the full potential of your PC. CORSAIR power supplies are expertly engineered to meet these demands head-on, delivering ample power for optimal performance. Built with high-quality components, our PSUs ensure the reliability, efficiency, and longevity of every VENGEANCE PC.

In addition to our industry-leading power supplies, high-quality, each VENGEANCE PC features CORSAIR’s innovative AIO Liquid CPU cooler, delivering high-performance, ultra-quiet cooling with optimized thermal performance, and dynamic RGB lighting. Push your system to new heights with the latest DDR5 memory, offering faster frequencies, greater capacities, and better performance.

Built in a full range of high-performance cases—2500X, 3500X, and 5000T—VENGEANCE PCs are designed to deliver exceptional airflow and cooling. These systems are equipped with cutting-edge fans featuring CORSAIR’s AirGuide technology for optimized airflow and magnetic dome bearings that ensure quiet operation and long-lasting performance—ideal for high-performance, visually striking pre-built PCs.

With game-changing performance, innovative cooling, and dependable components, VENGEANCE PCs are built to deliver an exceptional gaming and creative experience. Whether you’re experiencing next-level graphics fidelity, exploring creative workflows, or pushing boundaries with AI, VENGEANCE PCs provide the power and reliability to step up your game.

Availability, Warranty, and Pricing

The CORSAIR VENGEANCE Gaming PCs with the NVIDIA® GeForce RTX® 50 Series GPUs, assembled in the USA, are available now from the CORSAIR webstore in North America and the CORSAIR North America network of authorized retailers and distributors.

The CORSAIR VENGEANCE Gaming PC is backed by a two-year warranty, alongside the CORSAIR worldwide customer service and technical support network.

For up-to-date pricing of the CORSAIR VENGEANCE Gaming PC, please refer to the CORSAIR website or contact your local CORSAIR sales or PR representative.

Web Pages

To learn more about the CORSAIR VENGEANCE Gaming PC, please visit: https://www.corsair.com/us/en/c/gaming-computers/vengeance

For a complete list of all CORSAIR systems, please visit: https://www.corsair.com/c/gaming-computers

The House of Da Vinci VR Announced for PlayStation VR2

2025/02/03

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, PlayStation 5 News, Trailers / Videos

Blue Brain Games, creators of the acclaimed puzzle adventure series The House of Da Vinci, today announced that their critically celebrated VR adaptation is coming soon to PlayStation®VR2. Players can now add the game to their wishlist on the PlayStation Store to be notified when the Renaissance adventure becomes available.

Following its successful launch on Meta Quest and Steam VR platforms, where it has been praised as “one of the best puzzle games on Quest,” The House of Da Vinci VR will bring its historically authentic world to PS VR2 players. As Leonardo da Vinci’s most promising apprentice, players will step into 16th-century Florence to unravel the mystery of their master’s sudden disappearance.

“The PlayStation®VR2’s advanced features will allow players to experience the intricate details of Leonardo’s workshop with unprecedented immersion,” said Peter Kubek co-founder and Creative Director at Blue Brain Games. “Every mechanical puzzle and invention has been carefully optimised to take full advantage of the PS VR2’s enhanced haptic feedback and precise motion tracking.”

Key Features:

Touch and manipulate Da Vinci’s inventions with your own hands in an immersive recreation of Renaissance Italy
Solve intricate mechanical puzzles and riddles inspired by Da Vinci’s actual designs and manuscripts
Navigate through detailed workshop environments with intuitive controls
Challenge yourself with historically-inspired war machines, complex lockboxes, and escape room scenarios
Uncover hidden objects using unique detection abilities
Manipulate time with a mysterious gauntlet to witness past events and unravel the story

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 Dev Diary Delves into Advanced Combat

2025/02/03

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, PlayStation 5 News, Windows PC News, Xbox Series X News

Paradox Interactive and The Chinese Room discussed combat in Vampire: The Masquerade–Bloodlines 2. The dev diary covers how to brawl, use elixirs to your advantage, and combine different clan abilities for the ultimate experience against Kindred foe.

Read more from Senior Game Designer Max Bottomley, TCR Community Manager Josh Mathews, and Project Design Director Jey Hicks in the dev diary here.

Dev Diary #25: Advanced Combat and Weapons

Hello Kindred,

It’s been about a year since we last talked about combat in Dev Diary 7, so the team have put this article together to give you a deeper dive into the things you can do as you go bump in the night.

Brawling

When blades come out in BL2, unless you’ve taken extra care to isolate your prey, you’re going to be outnumbered. While several discipline abilities can help you escape or swiftly resolve a fight, you’ll need to do a bit of brawling when those options aren’t available. Spacing is key – your basic attacks can make short work of individuals but are risky when you’re getting sliced apart from all sides.

…