Ars Technica Gaming

1. Valve's Steam Machine ships June 29 for $1,049, but you probably won't be able to buy one yet

   Valve says it's using a randomized purchase queue to make the experience "less frustrating and more fair."

2. Pokémon Go players unwittingly contributed to tech with military drone uses

   The repurposing of Pokémon Go data for AI training continues to draw scrutiny.

3. "This cannot continue": Xbox leaders lay out "hard truths" behind sagging brand

   Brutal self-assessment paints a picture of a Microsoft gaming division in crisis.

4. Valve kills its retail gift card program due to scammers

   Move also cuts off a massive market of legit users who buy cards with physical cash.

5. Review: AMD's Radeon RX 9070 GRE is a disappointing way to spend $549

   The superior RX 9070 also launched for $549 just over a year ago.

6. Why a Neo Geo port of Doom is functionally impossible

   Sprite-based graphics architecture makes first-person 3D a challenge.

7. AMD extends Socket AM5 support through at least 2029; AM4 refuses to die

   The 5800X3D returns at $349, while the 7700X3D debuts at $329.

8. ROG Xbox Ally X20 adds OLED screen, control upgrades

   But the hardware refresh is tethered to a bundle with pricey AR glasses.

9. Nvidia RTX Spark comes to Windows PCs with Arm CPU, RTX GPU, and unified memory

   Nvidia's new chips will power laptop workstations and mini desktop PCs at first.

10. A respectable port of Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition invades macOS

    The port seems solid, and all DLC is supported—but there's no crossplay, sadly.

11. Intel makes a bid for handheld gaming PCs with new Arc G3 processors

    Intel's Arc B390 integrated GPU has offered impressive performance in laptops.

12. Steam Deck sells out in North America within 24 hours of price hike

    Europe, Australia, and Asia can still get it while the getting's good.

13. Mina the Hollower is the best old-school action adventure I've played in a while

    Smooth movement, compelling combat, and tons of secrets make for an innovative throwback.

14. Valve's Steam Deck is back in stock after months, but you won't like it

    Four-year-old handheld is saddled with an unfortunately modern price tag.

15. Nvidia kills Windows XP-era Control Panel "after 20 years of dedicated service"

    Nvidia says the Control Panel's features have been migrated to the Nvidia app.

16. Windows' classic 3D Space Cadet pinball is getting a physical re-creation

    But there are some real-world constraints that virtual pinball could easily ignore.

17. I spent years forcing myself to finish The Witcher 3—don't repeat my mistake

    Consensus and genre labels aren't reliable predictors of what you'll enjoy.

18. The Steam Controller’s “drop-in” charger almost started a fire for this owner

    Keep the charging puck’s exposed pins far away from anything metal.

19. The era of 1,000 Hz gaming monitors has arrived, but why?

    LG's latest hits one frame per millisecond at a full 1080p resolution.

20. Civilization VII finally lets you build a civ that stands the test of time

    Civ 7’s devs talk walking back the game's most controversial decision.