Corsair Overhauls Prebuilt, 3-Chamber Airflow Case, & Transparent PSUJune 5, 2025Last Updated: 2025-06-05We take a look at Corsair’s upcoming i600 pre-built PC, Air 5400 case, Frame 4000D prototype, and moreThe HighlightsCorsair’s i600 pre-built PC is a new revision on the company’s i500 and overhauls its GPU cooler and CPU radiatorThe Corsair Air 5400 is an airflow-targeted case that has air ducts on the top and bottom of its chassisCorsair has partnered with Singularity to develop the Frame 4000D prototype, which has an interesting power board that handles cable managementTable of ContentsAutoTOC Grab a GN Tear-Down Toolkit to support our AD-FREE reviews and IN-DEPTH testing while also getting a high-quality, highly portable 10-piece toolkit that was custom designed for use with video cards for repasting and water block installation. Includes a portable roll bag, hook hangers for pegboards, a storage compartment, and instructional GPU disassembly cards.IntroWe visited Corsair’s suite at Computex 2025 and liked some of the stuff the company had to show. Editor's note: This was originally published on May 21, 2025 as a video. This content has been adapted to written format for this article and is unchanged from the original publication.CreditsHostSteve BurkeCamera, Video EditingMike GaglioneVitalii MakhnovetsWriting, Web EditingJimmy ThangCorsair Air 5400Corsair will release its Air 5400, which is an airflow-targeted case. On the back side of the case is a giant hole, which couples with a front-mounted radiator that will allow the case to shove air straight out of it. This design allows it to focus air flow for the GPU entirely from its own set of fans at the bottom of the case. This is probably the most interesting case from Corsair we saw at Computex this year. It should be around $220, though that’s dependent on the everchanging tariff situation. Internally, the Air 5400 has a duct at the bottom where the case has 3x120mm fans (the entire case is actually set up to support all 120mm fans, which simplifies things). The duct is there to guide air into the GPU. Corsair claims that the case is getting about a 1-2 degree improvement with the duct in a like-for-like test. If you do end up with a front radiator, then a potential area that gets abandoned in terms of airflow might be around the VRM area and some of the board components like system memory.  There are mounts for fans up on top of the case along with an additional duct. Looking at the back of the case, there are 2 holes on the back, which is surprising for a 120mm fan. The spacing doesn’t look like it would fit a 120mm fan, but Corsair’s plan is to include a bracket that would adapt a 120mm fan here and would actually cut out into the glass area on the back, which would make you lose about 40% of the fan. This should help but raises some questions about whether it may cause acoustic issues when you partially blast air into a glass wall. Speaking of glass, the Air 5400’s glass is laminated. A couple companies are doing this now. Corsair says this helps the glass stay more put together to prevent shattering. Looking at the back side panel, there’s a big acrylic sheet coupled with an area where air can escape. Opening up the back panel, there’s a huge amount of cable-management depth. You can also see that the motherboard tray is punctured all of the way through. This causes concerns around structural rigidity, but Corsair is using a .8mm thick steel, which helps a little bit here. The company has also strengthened the case’s top panel compared to Corsair’s 4000D case, which received negative feedback in that area. The Air 5400 is set to be priced at $220 with 3x120mm fans included. i600 Grab a GN15 Large Anti-Static Modmat to celebrate our 15th Anniversary and for a high-quality PC building work surface. The Modmat features useful PC building diagrams and is anti-static conductive. Purchases directly fund our work! (or consider a direct donation or a Patreon contribution!)Corsair is updating its i500 pre-built PC, which we hated, with its upcoming i600, and the company has improved it a lot. The i500’s GPU cooling solution had basically no contact with any of the power components. The i600, on the other hand, has massive overhauls here. The case itself has only slightly changed, but the changes made accommodate larger radiators. The block for the video card, including the power components, is totally different in a way that looks promising. The stuff that jumped out to us right away about the i600 is the fin stacks for the VRM, which is connected to a shared copper nickel-plated base plate for the GPU and memory. Everything is connected to the same base plate, which is connected to the liquid cooler. This means all of the heat gets dumped into the liquid cooler. There’s pros and cons to this design. The pro is that all of the other components get cooled better. The downside is that the GPU itself is sharing the heat dissipation capacity with all of the other components in the cooler. This means you typically see some increase in the GPU temperature as a result. There’s ups and downs to this approach. It doesn’t necessarily mean one solution is better than the other as long as it’s all cooled. The i600 has copper bars, which contact the MOSFETs. Otherwise, it’s very similar to the i500. Corsair has also modified its CPU cooler radiator, where the company has moved its tanks off to the side. The tubes are also running in a different direction. Corsair is also moving to 25mm thick fans, where previously they had the slimmer 15mm fans. That extra 10mm will help with pressure and performance a lot. We plan on doing a review of the PC as soon as we buy one.Corsair Frame 4000DWe saw a prototype of Corsair’s Frame 4000D, where the company changed a few things. Corsair partnered with Singularity for its powerboard. It’s somewhat similar to Elmore’s BENCHLAB, with the exception of it not logging power. With the case, you basically run all of the power cables into the power board and then route them to their final locations. We count 10 fan headers here along with a bunch of RGB headers. There’s a lot of possibilities with this. Currently, it’s mostly being used as a cable-management tool, but you could, in theory, expand this to include more switches, like fan-control switches. We would really like to see current monitoring. It would make it more expensive but that could be a potentially useful direction to go in where you could monitor on the 12VHPWR, for instance, which would become a great marketing point for Corsair and would be very useful for end users. The front panel is also different as it has a die-cut edge now.  The power supply setup is also different here with Corsair doing an acrylic wall for the PSU instead of steel. The challenge here is that plastic is an incredibly good insulator. This could raise some ESD (electrostatic discharge) concerns and may cause the PSU to lose some of the shielding that steel provides. As a part of this design, Corsair has customized the caps and PCBs so that they get nice color matching. It looks pretty nice. 3D PrintingCorsair was telling us how for its upcoming 4000D and its Frame series cases, it was getting into 3D printable panels and pieces. They showed us how one Corsair employee 3D printed a shroud-like duct, which takes air in through the bottom and shoves it up into where the pump and reservoir are in the image above. These 3D print files are available on Corsair’s account on Printables.  Corsair 5000DWe didn’t care too much about it but Corsair also showed off its new 5000D that has a screen on it, which is a thing companies are doing now. They also had a 5000D case without the screen, which is a larger variant of the Frame 4000D case. Corsair says that it should be priced around $180, but that’s in flux with the tariffs situation.  Corsair Open Concept Visit our Patreon page to contribute a few dollars toward this website's operation (or consider a direct donation or buying something from our GN Store!) Additionally, when you purchase through links to retailers on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission.Corsair’s open concept at Computex is using some of the same Frame components, where the company is trying to make the Frame series modular and represents an open frame. There’s also an option for fan mounts as well. The company showed a gigantic radiator tower at the show, which is pretty cool to see.

iOS 19—or is it iOS 26, as rumors suggest?—is nearly here. Apple will almost assuredly announce the latest version of the iPhone's OS next week at WWDC 2025. As such, rumors about iOS 26's features have been coming in fast, and only more so as we approach the big event. Although none of these rumors can be confirmed at the moment, they still give us a good idea about what Apple might be considering behind the scenes.Is Apple changing iOS' name?Seems that way. While we (logically) thought the next version of iOS would be called iOS 19, Apple reportedly has other plans in place. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, iOS 19 will be iOS 26, taking the name of the following year. Apple is reportedly doing this with all of its OS titles, including iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, and visionOS 26. A fresh look for iOS 26While iOS has changed considerably in recent years, the overall design language still follows the last big UI overhaul: 2013's iOS 7. It's been nearly 12 years since Apple has mixed things up, leaving users to design their own Lock Screens and app icons. According to Gurman, however, that might change with iOS 26, as well as iPadOS 26 and macOS 26. The details are scarce, but Gurman reports sources within Apple say the company wants to better align the design languages across its various products, without merging those OSes entirely, while also simplifying the way you interact with these devices. That means iOS 26 could adopt the design of visionOS, which uses circles instead of squares for app icons, translucent window elements, and the adoption of 3D—though that latter element may be difficult to translate on a 2D display.You can see those elements on display in this concept video from Jon Prosser. If the rumors are correct, we could be looking at "one of the most dramatic software overhauls in the company’s history." In addition to a new look, iOS may be getting a little less buggy. Gurman says that stability is a big priority for Apple this year, which is music to my ears.Live translation for AirPodsGurman also says that Apple is working on a live translation feature for certain AirPods models. If you're having a conversation with someone who is speaking a language you don't know, your AirPods will translate and dictate those words in your target language automatically. When you speak, your words will be translated and dictated by your iPhone, via the Translate app. This feature isn't groundbreaking—Google's Pixel Buds have offered it for years. But it'd be a great addition to iOS 26, and to AirPods users. Accessibility featuresApple doesn't reveal much about its upcoming updates before officially announcing them, but accessibility features are an exception. Last month, the company unveiled a list of accessibility features coming to devices "later this year." While they don't name iOS 26 and other "26" updates, it's pretty obvious those are the updates we'll see them in. There's a new Accessibility Reader feature that makes text easier to read across iOS; Magnifier is coming to Mac; you'll see "Accessibility nutrition" labels on the App Store, to denote how accessible an app is; Apple Watch is getting Live Captions, and Vehicle Motion Cues are coming to the Mac. 'Desktop' modeRumor has it that Apple is working on a "Stage Manager-like" desktop mode for USB-C iPhones with iOS 26. The feature would let you plug your iPhone into an external monitor, so you can extend your iPhone's screen to the larger display.This might not be a true "desktop mode" experience, like Samsung DeX, in that you might not be able to use your iPhone as a portable computer this way. But it could make it easier to share your iPhone's display when you want to connect to a larger screen. You only need to sign into public wifi networks onceIf you use multiple devices on public wifi networks, it's a pain to connect each one manually. That might be changing with Apple's upcoming updates: Gurman says that once updated, you'll only need to log into the wifi with one Apple device (your iPhone, iPad, or Mac) and the rest will automatically connect.Battery upgradesHere's a great use for AI: optimizing battery life. Rumor has it iOS 26 will analyze your usage habits and determine the right times to lower performance in the name of preserving battery life. Extending the amount of time between charges is something we can all get behind. In addition, the company may add a charging indicator to the lock screen, so you know how long your battery has left to charge. This small feature has been sorely missing on iPhones for years. Apple offers it on MacBooks, but only in Activity Monitor. I hope its brings it back to the menu bar in a future update. Your iPhone will (probably) run iOS 26With any luck, your current iPhone should be compatible with iOS 26, assuming you're currently running the latest software. Citing a source within Apple, French website iPhoneSoft.fr reports that any phone that runs iOS 18 should be compatible with iOS 26 as well. However, the iPad 7 will supposedly not be so lucky, as the website says it will not be included in the iPadOS 26 update.However, a MacRumors source says that Apple plans to drop the iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max this year. We'll have to wait and see what Apple announces on Monday to find out which phones will still be supported.A new gaming appAccording to Gurman, Apple is working on a dedicated gaming app for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and tvOS, meant to replace the existing Game Center. The app will both let you launch titles, as well as check leader boards, chat with friends, and see your achievements. If true, it'll be interesting timing, considering the announcement will come four days after the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2. I have my doubts that such an app could compete with a gaming titan like Nintendo, or that this will really expand beyond the traditional short and sweet mobile game experience, but who knows. Maybe Apple is about to become a serious gaming company. (I doubt it.)Shortcuts get Apple Intelligence integrationThe Shortcuts app lets you set up "shortcuts," which you can use to automate tasks across your Apple devices. Gurman says with iOS 26, Apple is integrating Apple Intelligence into the Shortcuts app, which might let you create shortcuts with natural language—or, in other words, describe the shortcuts you want and have the AI build them for you. Small updatesAccording to 9to5Mac, Apple has plans to add a new feature or two to a handful of apps. That includes:Messages: Automatic translation for incoming and outgoing messages, as well as polls.Music: Full-screen animated artwork on the lock screenNotes: Markdown support, a huge plus for pro-notes usersCarPlay: A redesigned UI to compliment iOS 26The merging of Siri and Apple IntelligenceAccording to Gurman, Apple plans to merge Siri with Apple Intelligence sometime during the iOS 26 patch cycle. Yes, the assistant is currently listed as being part of Apple Intelligence, but behind the scenes, it supposedly has a new LLM in the works that would unify its currently split architecture and allow it to more frequently handle complex requests. As of now, its AI features are much more limited, and most of Siri doesn't use this type of AI at all.Gurman says he expects the merger to be completed by spring of 2026 with the launch of iOS 26.4. His report states that, originally, Apple's plan was to launch a more conversational Siri in the same update, but that's been delayed and is not expected to be unveiled at WWDC 2025.Gurman also indicates that because Apple has not yet completed last year's Apple Intelligence feature rollout, any unannounced features shouldn't be expected for a while.

With Google expected to push out its next major Android update to its own Pixel phones sometime next month, Samsung is catching up: Its top-end phones got updates to One UI 7 (based on Android 15) this year, and now the beta version of One UI 8 (based on Android 16) is available if you own a Galaxy S25 phone and live in the U.S., UK, Germany, or South Korea.While there aren't any revolutionary new features here—at least, not so far—Samsung is promising "a new era of software intelligence" and "a true multimodal AI agent" (which as far as I can tell, means a few tweaks to the Now Bar and the Now Brief). Look inside the Members app for the beta invite. Credit: Lifehacker If you're in an eligible country and have an eligible device, then you can join the One UI 8 beta now. The usual caveats about beta software apply: Bugs are to be expected, and you shouldn't run betas on devices that you rely on (you may notice certain apps crash or don't work properly).How to join the One UI 8 betaOpen up the Samsung Members app on your phone (you can redownload it if you've previously uninstalled the app), and sign in using your Samsung account details. Scroll down the Discover tab, and somewhere on it you should see a Beta Program panel you can tap on.From there, tap One UI 8 S25 Beta, read through the information provided, and tap Join. After a few moments, you'll get confirmation that you're in, and you'll see a screen where you can Check for software updates. Once the software is ready, you'll be prompted to reboot your phone to install it. It takes a few seconds to sign up. Credit: Lifehacker As yet, Samsung hasn't said anything yet about which other phones might be able to join the beta, but considering One UI 8 is expected to launch in full around July time—with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7, most probably—the program might not be extended much further beyond Galaxy S25 handsets.You can leave the One UI 8 beta at any time by tapping Beta Program > One UI 8 S25 Beta in the Members app, then the three dots (top right), then Leave One UI 8 S25 Beta.What's new in One UI 8There's official information from Samsung about what's new in One UI 8, plus features that users have already spotted during testing. Bear in mind that features can come and go during testing, so none of these changes are guaranteed to still be in place once One UI 8 is ready for mass adoption.There's a Bluetooth upgrade with Auracast, for sharing audio streams to multiple devices, as well as improved Quick Share capabilities: full screens for sending and receiving files, and QR code transfer support. You can get to Quick Share through a single tap on the button in Quick Settings. The Weather app in One UI 7 (left) and One UI 8 (right). Credit: Lifehacker Some apps are getting visual overhauls. They include Weather, which adopts a less cartoony aesthetic with more translucent elements, and Files, which adds a recently edited row and shifts some elements around. Reminders also gets a bit of an overhaul, with the introduction of suggested reminders and more category filters at the top (like Completed and Place).You'll notice a revamped menu in the Samsung Internet app too, if you tap on the three horizontal lines in the lower right corner. Shortcuts can be customized and pages can be shared more easily, and—like One UI 8 in general—the overall interface feels a little more modern and fresh.Samsung says it's added more resolution options for Samsung DeX, and there are more preset routines to choose from in Modes and Routines on the Settings menu. There are improvements to the Secure Folder as well: Apps can now be moved there and hidden from the app drawer, and the Secure Folder can also be completely hidden. The Reminders app in One UI 7 (left) and One UI 8 (right). Credit: Lifehacker Users are spotting all kinds of other changes: Earbud controls on the lock screen, more customization for home screen widgets, extra options for split-screen mode, and a bunch of other minor tweaks. No doubt more of these will emerge as the beta testing continues.As for Galaxy AI, I can't see too much that's changed. It appears that the Now Bar is able to show calls and Do Not Disturb modes now, but that's about it. It may be there's more to come here: Hidden code suggests you'll soon be able to get your Now Brief read out to you, but the feature hasn't gone live yet.

In less than two weeks, on June 9, Apple will kick off its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), in which it will showcase the next versions of the operating systems that power its myriad devices. The centerpiece of that event will be iOS 26, the soon-to-be renumbered operating system that powers the company’s flagship product, the iPhone. Yet, despite artificial intelligence being all the rage in the tech industry right now, reports say that with iOS 26 (formerly referred to as iOS 19—see below), Apple will promote something visual instead of artificial. While some new AI features may be baked into the newly renumbered OS, the key feature of iOS 26 will be its complete visual redesign. In other words, your iPhone’s software is about to look strikingly different. Here’s how. Welcome to the solarium—and iOS 26 Two big changes are coming to the next iOS. The first is a naming rebrand. Historically, iOS versions were numbered sequentially, starting with “iPhone OS 1” for the original iPhone in 2007. With the iPhone’s 2010 operating system—its fourth version—Apple shortened the name to “iOS 4.” However, Bloomberg reports that starting with the new iOS Apple will debut on June 9, the company will drop the sequential numbering of the operating system, and go with the year it will spill over into, just like carmakers do with vehicles. So, despite being the 19th version, the upcoming iOS will no longer be called “iOS 19” and will instead be called “iOS 26.” This change will be carried over to the numbering system on all of Apple’s other operating systems, too, and is reportedly being done to provide a more uniform numbering scheme for its various software products (currently numbered macOS 16, iPadOS 18, and visionOS 2, etc), and make it easier for consumers to identify if they are running the latest device software. However, the rebranded iOS naming scheme is a relatively minor change compared to what else Apple has in store for iOS 19—sorry, iOS 26. That change is a radical visual redesign of the operating system. Most of what is currently known about iOS 26’s visual overhaul comes from two sources: Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and Jon Prosser, host of the Front Page Tech YouTube channel. Both have reported on iOS 26’s major redesign, and their reports largely align, suggesting that they are, at least in part, accurate. So what will iOS 26 look like? Its internal codename—something Apple assigns to every software product in development—gives us a big clue. That name is “solarium,” Bloomberg reported. If you’re wondering what a solarium is, know that you’ve probably stood in one if you’ve ever been to an interior garden. It’s a room fitted with glass walls and ceilings, designed to let as much sunlight as possible filter in. Apple presumably chose the “solarium” codename for iOS 26 because the entire operating system will have a glass-like appearance. By “glass-like,” think of an operating system with elements like menus and toolbars that are partially transparent—you can see through them, and the colors and shapes of content behind them will show through, just like light shows through a solarium’s glass walls. If this sounds vaguely familiar to you, it’s because Apple has actually used similar transparency in one of its operating systems before—visionOS, the software that powers the Apple Vision Pro. Indeed, reports suggest that iOS 19’s design is inspired by visionOS. But visionOS powers a spatial computing device—one that melds the physical world with the digital. That 3D interface relies heavily on digital drop shadows and other visual tricks to re-create the feeling of physical depth. However, an iPhone’s operating system runs on a 2D screen, so don’t expect iOS 26 to feature heavy digital dropshadows.  If you want to see how Apple will handle transparent elements on a 2D device, you don’t have to wait until June 9. Instead, simply check out Apple’s new Invites app, which it launched in February. You can see a screenshot of it above. See how different the UI looks in the app from the UI of iOS 18 currently? Those glassy panes in the app give the best visual hint of what to expect system-wide in iOS 26. Another reported feature of the redesign is reflective buttons and other elements that shimmer when you move your phone. This shimmering isn’t caused by real light hitting your iPhone’s screen. Rather, the software can tell, thanks to your iPhone’s gyroscope, when the device is moving and tilting in your hand, and will thus generate a reflective light effect across buttons to give the translucent objects more depth and form. It will probably be very similar to how the home screen icons in tvOS, the operating system that powers the Apple TV, appear to shimmer when you gently swipe them with your thumb using the Siri Remote’s touchpad. iOS 26 is also expected to gain other major visual changes, including floating pill-shaped toolbars (replacing the fixed toolbars used at the bottom of iPhone apps now), thinner buttons, a glass-like keyboard, and potentially even rounder app icons. What’s behind the iOS 26 visual shakeup? Those who have reportedly seen builds of iOS 26 say the redesign that Apple is set to unveil in less than two weeks represents the most significant visual overhaul to the iPhone’s operating system since iOS 7 in 2013—a design that has largely persisted through and to the current iOS 18. Indeed, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has called the redesign transformative, stating that it is “one of the most dramatic software overhauls in the company’s history” while noting that it “will fundamentally change” the look of iOS. But here’s one thing about change: most people hate it—or are at least apprehensive about it. And Apple has a lot of people to contend with. It has more than two billion active devices around the world, used by hundreds of millions of users, and the switch isn’t coming to just the iPhone’s operating system, but to the operating systems of all of Apple’s devices this fall, including the iPad’s iPadOS, the Mac’s macOS, the Apple Watch’s watchOS, the Apple TV’s tvOS, and the Vision Pro’s visionOS (all renumbered to “26,” too). But Apple reportedly feels it needs to deliver something this year with iOS and its other operating systems that is, quite literally, eye-catching. It needs something special to help reinvigorate device sales, particularly after the flagship feature of iOS 18, Apple Intelligence, has largely been met with indifference by the average consumer and disappointment by AI aficionados. In January, respected TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo stated that there was no evidence to suggest that Apple Intelligence was driving hardware upgrade cycles among consumers. In Apple’s most recent financial report, from its second quarter, iPhone revenue rose about 2% from the same period a year earlier, to $46.8 billion, but that growth may have been driven by U.S. consumers snapping up the device before Trump’s tariffs make iPhones more costly, notes Sherwood. Putting a new digital coat of paint on iOS 26 and the company’s other new operating systems is an easy way to make its devices feel fresh again—and, if done right, it can go a long way to actually making the ever-increasingly complicated operating systems more straightforward to use and easier to navigate. By incorporating the same design language used in iOS 26 into its other products, the redesigned interface may make users feel more familiar with Apple’s other devices, which could help spur sales of Macs or Apple TVs to people who currently only own iPhones. The iOS 26 redesign may also help distract from the fact that Apple isn’t expected to make any significant announcements regarding its AI platform, Apple Intelligence, at WWDC. Despite the early reports about iOS 26’s visual changes, we won’t know anything for sure until Apple unveils a preview of the upcoming operating system at WWDC on June 9. Speaking of that event: Apple’s logo for WWDC25 may be teasing the iOS 26 redesign in plain sight. If you check out the animated logo here, you’ll notice that the ends of the transparent, glass-like rainbow seem to show colored light reflecting through its surface—just like you’d see at a solarium.

Menu Home News Hardware Gaming Mobile Finance Deals Reviews How To Wccftech MobileSoftware tvOS and watchOS To Receive Major Redesign At WWDC 2025 Featuring Transparent UI, visionOS-Inspired Elements, And A Unified Design Language Across Apple Platforms Ali Salman • May 25, 2025 at 09:10am EDT Screenshot Apple's WWDC event is mere days away and the company is gearing up to announce a plethora of front-facing features and changes. Even though the company has reached stagnancy when it comes to design and innovation, it will make certain changes that will break the spell. A new report claims that Apple's watchOS and tvOS operating systems for the Apple Watch and Apple TV will see a major redesign across various aspects, alongside iOS 19. Apple is preparing to transform tvOS and watchOS with modern visuals and seamless cross-platform design integration iOS 19 was previously slated to be a bigger update than anticipated, as the company is planning to redesign different aspects of the Home Screen. We have been hearing details on circular app icons and Apple Intelligence upgrades for the iPhone and it only goes on to show that the company is on a roll to offer more than users had expected. It appears that the company's ambitions are greater than what we previously perceived. Mark Gurman states in his latest Power On newsletter that watchOS 12 and tvOS 19 will also bring a handful of major visual design changes for the Apple TV and Apple Watch. Other than this, visionOS is also expected to get some minor touch-ups. Today's report is an indication that Apple is planning to redesign all of its software platforms for its entire product line. Apple has been working to unify the design aspects of the operating systems of its devices and the upcoming updates will add to the company's ambitions. We have previously reported that the company has taken design inspiration from visionOS with its glass-like transparent effects and we could possibly see the same change applied to the entire line of operating systems. Other than the transparent effects, we could also see changes to navigation hierarchies within apps, new icons, and a lot more. Apple's WWDC 2025 artwork also highlights the same transparent elements, which is a clever portrayal of what is coming in the next two weeks. While iOS, watchOS, and macOS have received their due share of visual overhauls in the past few years, tvOS has remained the same. This time around, the company is planning to change that by offering a handful of variations for an entirely new experience on the Apple TV. At this point, the tvOS user interface seems a bit outdated compared to the rest of the software updates and a design overhaul could elevate the user experience. If we are lucky, Apple could streamline the look of iOS and tvOS, but it remains to be seen if the company will take this route or keep the two versions apart. According to Gurman, the UI 'adjustments' will revolve around a design inspired by visionOS, which means that the transparent effects will come into play at WWDC for tvOS as well as the rest of the operating systems. Subscribe to get an everyday digest of the latest technology news in your inbox Follow us on Topics Sections Company Some posts on wccftech.com may contain affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com © 2025 WCCF TECH INC. 700 - 401 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Bad To The Bravil “What if I was the bad guy?” Oblivion Remastered’s best new faction quests so far exist because a modder was doing evil stuff, and they’re now teasing “a secret project” Also, it’ll take some work for the remaster’s modding scene to get to the next level without Bethesda helping "grease the wheels". Image credit: Bethesda/VG247 Article by Mark Warren Senior Staff Writer Published on May 23, 2025 If there’s one thing us folks who love a good RPG can never have enough of, it’s quests. Oblivion Remastered has plenty in its base form - The Elder Scrolls 4 not being short on stuff to do - but of course modders were always going to add to that. We’re still at a pretty early stage in terms of folks digging underneath the Unreal Engine second skin Virtuos has cocooned the classic game in and seeing what they can accomplish by pushing the boundaries. However, there’ve been plenty of mods that have already come out and had everyone going full Uriel Septim ‘I’ve seen you in my dreams’ mode. To see this content please enable targeting cookies. The latest of these, in my case, had been modder ColdTyrant’s “Infinitum” series, a bunch of mods released in rapid succession that overhaul Oblivion’s already pretty stellar faction questlines by adding in new infinitely accessible radiant quests and systems. They offer nice rewards in return for your character doing more of the job they signed up for - be it assassin, warrior, thief, gladiator, or mage - in a way that’s perfect for roleplaying. So, having also been intrigued by his earliest works that made it possible to join the Mythic Dawn and become a necromancer in Oblivion Remastered, I decided earlier this week to reach out to ColdTyrant. We chatted about how the quest mods he's created so far came together, what the next steps in Oblivion Remastered modding might require, and what his future modding plans are. Here’s that conversation: VG247: What drew you to modding Oblivion Remastered, and has your previous modding experience come in handy when getting up to speed with it? ColdTyrant: I've been playing Oblivion since I was a kid, in 2007 on the PS3. At that age I was absolutely astounded that I could do whatever I wanted, go wherever I wanted, fight, kill, or help whoever I wanted - the game absolutely blew me away and had a fundamental effect on myself and my creativity. I've been modding Bethesda games ever since my dad first let me play on his PC, and I was able to download the Construction Set for Oblivion and start poking around to see how things work and what I could make. I had been following the rumors of an 'Oblivion Remake' since January of this year leading up to its eventual shadow drop, and was absolutely floored by the incredible visuals and gameplay overhauls made by the extremely talented team at Virtuos. They breathed new life into one of my all-time favorite video games, and it's been so exciting to see everyone playing and talking about Oblivion again just like when I was a kid. Naturally, after I'd already sunken about 100 or so hours into Remaster, I started feeling that itch to get back into the Construction Set. People were (and still are) pumping out mods, tweaks, and tools for Oblivion Remastered like crazy, and I really wanted to sort of get on that wave and see if I could contribute my own content to help enrich players' experiences further. Being back in Cyrodiil can do that to a guy. | Image credit: Bethesda/VG247 VG247: How did you go about creating your first couple of quest/faction expansion mods, Mythic Dawn Rising and Dark Path of The Necromancer? Was it a case of wanting more evil options and finding out what was possible, or did you go in with a set vision? ColdTyrant: When I decided it was time to start modding Remastered, I really wasn't sure where to start. I've always been fascinated with the villains Bethesda has created, and I know many players (including myself) have a desire to explore the idea - what if *I* was the bad guy? I started re-learning Oblivion's scripting and quest system, and ultimately decided I wanted to create an alternate path to the Main Quest, where the player could decide to explore what it would be like to actually be a member of Mehrunes Dagon's Mythic Dawn cult. This mod was sort of a test of what I could get away with mechanically - a proof of concept to myself, and it's a bit light on content and needs a big update (I'm working on this!). After I released Mythic Dawn Rising, I just kept playing around with scripts and variables and seeing what could be done. When I discovered the different types of systems I'd be able to create with what I'd discovered, my ideas really began to run wild. Dark Path of the Necromancer started as just a mod that would add an alternative way for players to create Black Soul Gems, but as I'd finish one feature I'd think of another, then get to work on it - then another, then another. It quickly sort of snowballed into this big project with multiple necromantic-centered systems, and I really love how it turned out. Sort of accidentally, I'd wound up creating another mod that allowed the player to explore membership with another previously forbidden faction. Who wouldn't want to join a group of folks who can cast armour illusions this cool? | Image credit: Bethesda/VG247 VG247: I’ve noticed that in both of those mods’ descriptions you note that you’re hoping to add more to them once more advanced Oblivion Remastered modding tools are out there. What kinds of tools are you most keen to see emerge going forwards and can you paint me a picture of what the ‘ideal versions’ of those mods might look like? ColdTyrant: So, with modding the original Oblivion, it's a lot simpler - anything you put into the game world will just be there when you load up the mod. No requirements, no difficult installation instructions, just plug and play. If I dropped a new NPC named Bob the Mage into Anvil, he'd just be there! Oblivion Remastered is a bit more complicated. Virtuos has created an incredibly remarkable hybrid engine that combines both Gamebryo (an earlier version of Creation Engine) and Unreal Engine 5. Gamebryo handles the scripts, quests, and gameplay mechanics, while Unreal Engine 5 handles all rendering - meshes, textures, menus, lighting, shadows, effects, lines of text, pretty much anything and everything the player sees on their screen. What this means in layman's terms is that if I dropped Bob the Mage into Anvil in Remastered using the Gamebryo Oblivion Construction Set, well... that's not enough to make him show up. At best, a visit to Anvil will result in him being completely invisible, and at worst, a game crash. This is because Gamebryo no longer handles rendering. Unreal Engine needs to be told by Gamebryo via strings what actually exists and what to render into the game. Everything needs a table string entry that connects back to Unreal, or you'll have problems. Fortunately, some incredibly talented modders (I like referring to them as engineers) have created tools like TesSyncMapInjector or the Fix & Port Script for xEdit that do this job for us - so Bob the Mage can exist in Oblivion Remastered. Ok, so this particular mage isn't called Bob, but you get the picture. | Image credit: Bethesda/VG247 However, this means players will be required to install these tools on their end to experience mods that add new items and systems to Oblivion Remastered, and it can be frustrating for new people that want to get into modding their games, but feel intimidated by all these requirements and specific installation instructions. So ideally, we'll get to a point where either Bethesda/Virtuos release official modding tools for the remaster or talented mod engineers are able to create tool(s) that make mods fully compatible with Unreal, without the end user needing to install extra requirements. For the ‘Oldblivion’ versions of my mods, they are all plug and play - no requirements. But for Remastered - for now - you'll always need UE4SS and TesSyncMapInjector. VG247: What inspired you to take on your Infinitum series, how was it putting together each of the radiant quest systems and deciding on the unique twists you were going to give each faction’s system? One of the things I found most interesting about the Dark Brotherhood one was the gacha-style Dark Token reward system, so how did the idea for that specifically come about? ColdTyrant: The ‘radiant quest system’ I've designed was actually initially a side feature in another currently unnamed mod project regarding the Blackwood Company, as my original intention was to continue the ‘join and play evil factions’ genre of mods I'd released so far. When I discovered during testing how much fun I was having just doing infinite quests, I thought to myself - I need to adapt this to the main factions. From there, once again, my ideas started to kind of run wild. I ‘extracted’ the radiant quest system from my Blackwood project, ported it into a new project, and reworked it for the Dark Brotherhood. I think a lot of people feel this way, but Oblivion's Dark Brotherhood is by far my favorite questline in the game, and I say that while really loving all of the major factions. I wanted to be able to take contracts to assassinate people forever, and I hoped others would too. In the end, Dark Brotherhood - Infinitum was born, and the series kicked off. Creeper, gacha master of the Dark Brotherhood. | Image credit: Bethesda/ColdTyrant As far as the ‘gacha reward system’, I wanted to create a unique way for the player to get random rewards, but also be able to choose what type of reward they're interested in. Creating a gacha that may or may not give the player something good for their Dark Tokens I thought would be a fantastic way to motivate the player to keep doing infinite contracts besides just the fun of sneak killing and gold. If the popularity of certain gacha games is any indicator, people really love being able to take their chances and roll for rewards, even if the odds are stacked against them. Fortunately, however, Creeper does NOT charge the player any real-world money! Some players complained that Creeper being in the Cheydinhal Sanctuary is not immersive (hence my 'No Creeper' optional version), and I totally get it - but I love Morrowind just as much as Oblivion and Skyrim, and I'm sure any Morrowind player is aware of the "meme" of selling Creeper hundreds of sets of Dark Brotherhood armor. Why wouldn't he show up? He wants more of that stuff! It was just a fun reference in the end, and I was hoping people would get a kick out of it! VG247: What are your personal plans and general hopes for Oblivion Remastered modding going forwards, especially when it comes to quest mods - are there any complex ideas you've not tried yet that you’re keen to give a go once the tech’s there and do you think there’s a high ceiling in terms of what people might eventually pull off? ColdTyrant: Similar to what I mentioned earlier, the ideal situation for Oblivion Remastered modding will be the release of official modding tools to ‘grease the wheels’ on the mod development process - but given the complexity of the hybrid engine, I'm not sure if this will happen. It would be really nice, though, so our friends playing on console can hop on the hype wave of Remastered modding too. As far as my plans - the next (and final, for the major factions) mod in the Infinitum series will be Mages Guild - Infinitum. This mod will feature an endless Creature Research system, a brand new Elixir-crafting system separate from regular Alchemy, and radiant quests to deliver those Elixirs to the various Mages Guild Halls. Additionally there will be an endlessly-available staff-crafting system. Since we had our chat, ColdTyrant's released his Mages Guild mod, so you can try it right after you're done reading. | Image credit: Bethesda/ColdTyrant Since the Mages Guild is a bit different, and focused more on scholarly endeavors and magical power, I'm hoping people really enjoy it! Once the main Infinitum Series is complete, I'll likely shift my focus to a big Mythic Dawn Rising update, and a secret project I've been writing up, that I think people will really love! As far as whether or not I've tried certain ideas due to current limitations (I consider Remastered modding to currently be in its infancy), there are certainly a few. I try not to lean *too* heavily into NPC dialogue, for example, since we can't use custom voice files yet, or have an elegant solution like ‘Elys Universal Silent Voice’ which exists for Oldblivion. I think there is a high ceiling for learning and getting into more complex scripting if you've never done it before, but really, the sky is the limit when it comes to Bethesda modding - there are hundreds and hundreds of mod authors far more talented than myself that have created incredible content for all of Bethesda's single-player masterpieces. As time marches on, I'm really excited to see the things people continue to pump out for Oblivion Remastered. It's really exciting to see what people can come up with!

Amazing sound for everything you listen to. FxSound corrects the limitations of your devices and compressed audio. FxSound is (technically) a 90's kid at heart. It's roots are in a program called DFX Audio Enhancer, born in 1999. This audio processor was a huge hit, and sold millions. As much as we dug all the crazy colorful skins and old-school sound, it was eventually time to move into the future of audio. With a few major overhauls and some polish, FxSound was born. We wanted to build on the pedigree and foundation of DFX, so we kept the best aspects while modernizing the sound and look. The result is the FxSound you see here today. Now, we made FxSound so that you can download it, turn it on, and just watch the cool bars bounce without touching the settings. Out of the box, it's got a great, all-around tone, with a good amount of volume and space added to your sound. But there is so much more under the hood, and with a little active effort FxSound can go from a nice audio quality booster to a fully customizable, powerful audio suite. Read on to learn more about how to use FxSound, and learn a little bit about your audio along the way. Video Games Surround sound to create full immersion into your virtual world. TV and Movies FxSound smooths and improves audio for your favorite shows and movies. Transcription FxSound boosts your clarity to save your sanity. Rewind less, get paid more. EQ Balanced your sound with our 9-band EQ with customizable center frequencies. Visualizer Feel your music in a new way. Effects Boosted bass and volume that will make your neighbors complain. Presets Presets professionally designed for music, gaming, movies, transcription, and more. How does FxSound work? Home stereo systems and PC's are built with a compromise: keep hardware affordable at the cost of quality. FxSound compensates for low quality hardware by targeting and processing sound's timbre, volume, spatial balance, and dynamics. What this means for you is clearer, louder, deeper, and balanced audio. Install our lightweight program, let it run quietly in the background, and enjoy your new audio experience. How does FxSound boost volume? FxSound is built to provide a dynamic yet controlled increase in volume. We prevent harmful peaking to make listening less fatiguing. Along with our equalized boost means you can increase your volume without distortion. (Unlike some other volume boosters out there). How does FxSound improve sound quality for music? Your music files, even ones labeled as "high quality", have some compromises. Some of the original data is removed to make the file a more manageable size. When you stream your music, even more 1's and 0's are cut out to make it fast to deliver. As such, your favorite songs become flat, dull, and lifeless. This is where FxSound comes in. FxSound helps by giving you the highest possible audio passthrough and output. Then, with targeted EQ, you can bring up those compressed areas and return your music to its proper form. How does FxSound help with gaming? Video games are one of the most acoustically rich, audio-saturated situations you'll encounter. Music, sound effects, ambient sounds, spatial processing, audio cues, warnings, indicators, and dialogue all crowd into your headphones or speakers. Unless you're dropping serious coin on a hi-fi gaming setup, you'll lose detail and miss important sounds. And if you're lucky enough to have that high-end gear, you can't always dial in global settings to fit your hearing profile. FxSound will pass your game's audio through at a higher bitrate than almost any other digital sound card. With EQ and effects, you can apply a smoother, richer, more clear experience to your favorite games. When looking to get that edge (and finally joining your high ELO friends), give FxSound a shot. What's New FxSound 1.1.33.0 Beta Changelog Volume normalization supported through RMS normalization Bugfix: Tray icon added back after explorer restart Context menu changes for playback device selection In mini mode, window will be always on top Ukrainian language support added Translation corrections in Arabic, Bosnian, Croatian, Dutch, Hungarian, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish FxSound 1.1.31.0 Changelog Fixed the unhandled exception and crash in the application after installation Notifications not displayed during output device change is fixed Correction in Swedish translation

The Vessel Glass Balustrade in NY | © Benny Rotlevy via Unsplash Designing a modern home depends heavily on choosing the correct details. Architects, designers, and homeowners have shown a dramatic increase in their interest in glass balustrades. Glass balustrades are safe, stylish, and sleek, and they modernize any part of your home, whether inside or outside. If you aim to modernize your home’s appearance during renovations, the features and benefits of glass balustrades make them your prime consideration. Unmatched Visual Elegance Glass balustrades are the epitome of minimalist design. The transparency of the construction of glass balustrades allows for unrestricted views and, together with the feeling of freedom, outlines rooms as open and airy. In contrast to historic materials, including wood or metal, glass railings keep views clear and harmonize with the rest of the design scheme. If you have a staircase, balcony, or terrace, using a glass balustrade will update the room with a modern look. Maximized Natural Light High-quality, bright, natural light is highly prized in modern spaces, and glass balustrades are designed to allow it. Penetration of sunlight into the region helps reduce daytime artificial light and provides a pleasant, airy ambiance. Such a feature is handy in multi-level houses, as the enclosed balconies or staircases look very narrow and dim. Low Maintenance One of glass balustrades’ significant advantages is the simplicity of care they demand. Unlike wood or wrought iron, glass does not need sealing and staining to retain its looks. Taking care of glass is easy: Just use glass cleaner and a soft cloth to wipe it off. Because glass is not scratched or tinted, these balustrades will remain as pristine as possible after several years. Increased Property Value Glass Balustrade | © Quentin Basnier via Unsplash Details | © Gregoire Jeanneau via Unsplash A home that looks contemporary, offers plenty of space, and is brightly lit is sure to draw buyers’ attention and increase in worth. Using glass balustrades as a design feature is a luxury, as they can quickly give a home a contemporary feel. For homeowners, sellers, and renters alike, a glass balustrade is a worthwhile investment to increase curb appeal and marketability. Personalized Designs  Glass balustrades offer a wide range of configurations and styles. Choose either a frameless or semi-frameless style or framed alternatives to match your home’s style and privacy needs. Tinted or frosted glass also offers an extra touch of style and privacy considerations, along with the ability to use hardware finishes that will fit nicely with your home’s overall look. Ideal for Indoor and Outdoor Use Glass balustrades are adaptable and can fit in a range of spaces. Indoors, they work best on staircases, landings, and mezzanine levels. Externally, they also grace balconies, patios, decks, and pools. For homes Sydney residents looking to renovate, the use of glass complements contemporary and coastal aesthetics common in the region. If you’re going to spruce up your home, installing a glass balustrade can serve as both decoration and functionality. It fulfills all demands, such as a great look, guaranteed safety, versatility, and simple maintenance. Whether you want to make small changes or larger overhauls, the use of glass balustrades can add a dramatic impact to any environment. From luxury penthouses to coastal retreats, glass balustrades are redefining modern living one clear panel at a time. Glass by ArchEyes Team Leave a comment

Xbox Game Pass is, without question, one of the best deals in gaming. Whether you want to play the biggest new Xbox games the day they launch or dive into thousands of hours of content for one monthly fee, it is a goldmine for players looking to keep up to date with the latest and greatest releases without having to worry about the price tags attached to them.That being said, Game Pass is a huge service. Across PC and console, there are hundreds of games currently available, with more titles added pretty much every single month. So, for new subscribers wondering where to start, we've put together a list of some of our personal recommendations, so you can get cracking on some fantastic games and make the most out of your first few months.Xbox Game Pass TiersThe first thing to note about Game Pass is that it has a selection of different tiers depending on what platform you're using and how many games you want to be able to access. Let's quickly run you through the price structure so you know what you're getting before you buy.Xbox Game Pass Ultimate - As the name implies, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is the premium subscription tier. When buying, you'll get access to online multiplayer, Xbox Game Pass Standard, Xbox Game Pass PC, and Xbox Game Pass' cloud streaming services. You'll also get an EA Play membership and bonuses, discounts and in-game perks only available to members. In essence, it's essentially a combination of Xbox Game Pass Standard and Xbox Game Pass PC, plus a few extra benefits (like playing on a FireTV Stick). It costs $19.99 per month.Xbox Game Pass Standard - Xbox Game Pass standard is the base subscription available exclusively on Console. You'll be able to access the full library of Game Pass games available on Xbox consoles, as well as play online multiplayer and access perks and discounts only available to members. It costs $14.99 a month.Xbox Game Pass PC - Game Pass' PC-exclusive tier, Xbox Game Pass PC will provide access to the full PC Game Pass library. You'll also get an EA Play membership and perks and discounts only available for members. It costs $11.99 a month.Xbox Game Pass Core - The other console exclusive Game Pass tier, Xbox Game Pass Core offers a lower monthly cost for a significantly smaller library of "core" games available on consoles. Members will also get access to online multiplayer, as well as deals and discounts in the Xbox store. It costs $9.99 a month.Best New Games to Play on Xbox Game PassWant to get stuck into some brand new additions to the Xbox Game Pass catalog? The following titles are all recent additions that you should absolutely give a go.Clair Obscur: Expedition 33A symphonic blend of turn-based strategy and intense real-time combat, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is already being lorded as a potential game of the year contender, and it's pretty easy to see why. Expedition 33 is an emotional, visually stunning odyssey. Top that off with a bold reimagining of classic JRPG combat systems, which melds fast-paced action game mechanics and the tactical turn-based battles of games like Persona and Final Fantasy, and you have one of 2025's first unmissable experiences. If you want to try it out for yourself, you can get stuck in right now on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PC.Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is available on Game Pass Standard, Game Pass PC and Game Pass Ultimate.The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion RemasteredNineteen years after its original release, Bethesda surprised the world by announcing the return of one of its most beloved and widely revered games, unveiling The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered and then releasing it that very same day. With stunning new graphics, various overhauls, major UI changes, a fresh character creator and much more, it's never felt better to be accosted by a heavily armored, teleporting Legion Guard who labels you "criminal scum" for accidentally sitting on his horse. With over a hundred hours of quests to complete, demonic Oblivion gates to close and even two full DLCs to conquer, the return of Oblivion is an absolute must for those who missed it the first time around. If you want to discover what all the fuss is about or take a nostalgia tour around Cyrodiil all these years later, you can play Oblivion Remastered now on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PC.The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is available on Game Pass Standard, Game Pass PC and Game Pass Ultimate.Blue PrinceNot only recently added to the Xbox Game Pass library but also just a brand new release, Blue Prince is a critically acclaimed puzzler where you enter the shifting hallways of Mt. Holly, a mysterious manor hiding an array of secrets. You're tasked with searching that ever-changing mansion full of tricky puzzles to conquer, all the while uncovering a rich story through clues left behind by the former owners. Blue Prince has already garnered huge buzz since its release, with our own review saying, "If The Witness, Portal, and Myst are already emblazoned on the Mount Rushmore of first-person puzzle games, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Blue Prince carved alongside them soon enough." If you want to uncover the mystery for yourself, you can play it on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PC.Blue Prince is available on Game Pass Standard, Game Pass PC and Game Pass Ultimate.Best Games to Play on Xbox Game PassSearching through the broad catalog of Game Pass games? The selections below are some of our absolute favourites the library has to offer.Halo: The Master Chief CollectionWhere better to start your Game Pass journey than with a rundown of some of Xbox's greatest hits. Halo has forever been the face of Xbox, and its armour-clad, hulking space marine hero, Master Chief, has had some of the most iconic adventures in gaming history. If you want to experience the first four of his outings enhanced with better graphics and shooting bundled into one seamless package, then the Master Chief Collection is a surefire recommendation. Compiling Halo 1, 2, 3, and 4 together, it'll take you from Master Chief's original battle with the covenant all the way to his first showdown with the Forerunners. Better yet, you can install Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach as additional DLC. The Master Chief Collection can be played on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.Halo: The Master Chief Collection is available on Game Pass Standard, Game Pass PC and Game Pass Ultimate.MinecraftWhat's there to say about Minecraft that hasn't already been said? Among the most influential and universally loved video games of all time, the experience of jumping in, building your first home, digging for resources and exploring an endless open world has, for many, become a seminal gaming memory. But for those that haven't played in years or have yet to even try Mojang's block-based titan, Minecraft should definitely be on your list of Game Pass stops. Over the years, it's transformed into a hub of endless possibility, so whether you want to build a rollercoaster that runs on Redstone, gear up to face the might of the Ender Dragon or simply create a small riverside farm, you can do all that or more by finding the game on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S.Minecraft is available on Game Pass Standard, Game Pass PC and Game Pass Ultimate.Persona 3 ReloadA remake of one of the best JRPGs ever released, Persona 3 Reload is everything that made the original Persona 3 special repackaged with the stylish flourishes, gorgeous visuals, faster-paced combat and jaw-dropping UI that turned Persona 5 into such a hit. In short, it's a modernized Persona 3, and that means it's an absolute must-play. Whether you're trying to grow your friendships between exams or using your off hours to conquer the halls of Tartarus and the various demonic entities dwelling within it, this is just 100 hours of exceptional writing, free-flowing turn-based combat, creative boss encounters and some of the catchiest tunes humanly imaginable. And that's all without mentioning it centers around arguably the most emotional, hard-hitting story in the Persona franchise to date. If you want to uncover the mysteries of the Dark Hour, you can begin your adventure on Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S or PC.Persona 3 Reload is available on Game Pass Standard, Game Pass PC and Game Pass Ultimate.Resident Evil 2Although remakes are pretty prevalent in the current gaming landscape, few have had such big boots to fill as Capcom's return to Resident Evil 2. Reimagining such an iconic and beloved horror title is no small feat, but not only did Capcom succeed in making a loving ode to the iconic franchise's second entry; they made one that succeeds on its own merits. With a wonderfully cheesy B-movie-esque plot, tense survival horror gameplay, stunning visuals, immensely satisfying exploration and an endless supply of horrifying monstrosities waiting around every corner, Resident Evil 2 is an absolute must play for those that love a gory, shlocky zombie horror adventure. It can be played on Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PC.Resident Evil 2 is available on Game Pass Standard, Game Pass PC and Game Pass Ultimate.InscryptionThe latest release from developer Daniel Mullins, Inscryption is one of the most original and utterly unique horror games of the modern era, which is surprising considering it's a roguelike card game. Handed a deck of bizarre cards, you find yourself trapped in a small log cabin with an ominous stranger who forces you to keep playing a tabletop game with him while you try to stack the deck in your favor and solve puzzles. But the longer you play Inscryption, the deeper the rabbit hole goes, leading you to discover there's far more to its simple premise than meets the eye. It's hard to talk about why its so special without spoiling its best-kept secrets, so trust us and give it a go. We promise you won't regret it. You can get stuck into this deck-building nightmare on Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PC.Inscryption is available on Game Pass Standard, Game Pass PC and Game Pass Ultimate.Doom Eternalid Software's second entry in their Doom reboot series, Doom Eternal knows exactly what it is. It casts you as a terrifying angel of death wielding a steel-barrelled sword of justice, and you're job is to rip and tear your way through anything even vaguely demonic that gets in your way. Cut to 15 hours of non-stop, gloriously over-the-top violence, as you shoot, stab, burn and chainsaw your way through hordes of demons while being serenaded by a heavy metal soundtrack that feels pulled straight from the pits of hell. Doom Eternal is sheer first-person shooting perfection that effortlessly combines satisfying gunplay, exploration and impeccable design to make a must-play symphony of carnage. If you're ready to rip and tear, you can find it on Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PC.Doom Eternal is available on Game Pass Core, Game Pass Standard, Game Pass PC and Game Pass Ultimate.PentimentIt's easy to look at Pentiment's detailed, historically accurate 16th-century setting and assume it may not be for you. However, the absolute genius of Obsidian's small-scale, dialogue-heavy RPG is that it not only makes such a dense period of history deeply accessible; it makes it absolutely riveting. Between a scandalous murder mystery, strange gossip shared among the local townsfolk and long-hidden secrets that concern the ostensibly altruistic members of the nearby monastery, the small town of Tassing quickly becomes a location that demands to be investigated. And as you do, information, secrets and relationships become a core currency, creating a world where who you talk to and what you tell them comes with heavy consequences. It's Obsidian refining their talent for crafting phenomenal dialogue and designing challenging moral decisions to a sharp point, creating a deeply poignant tale where no issue is black or white and misinformation is deadlier than any weapon. Pentiment is an underappreciated masterpiece, so if you love compelling, layered storytelling, make sure to give it a go on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S.Pentiment is available on Game Pass Standard, Game Pass PC and Game Pass Ultimate.Dishonored and Dishonored 2Dishonored and its sequel, Dishonored 2, are front-to-back two of the best immersive sims ever made. From the moment you step foot in Dunwall and Karnaca, both worlds are filled to the brim with inventive ideas, both through their protagonists' varied skill sets and the way they can interact with the world itself. From offering you a range of shadowy supernatural powers to experiment with and combine to pull off creative kills, to the way each mission constantly reveals new routes to seek out your targets and execute the ultimate assassination, no one does it quite like Arkane, and these back-to-back stealth action masterpieces are truly their magnum opus. So, if you want to dive into two of the last generation's finest offerings, do yourself a favour and get both Dishonored 1 and 2 downloaded on Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S or PC.Dishonored: Definitive Edition is available on Game Pass Standard, Game Pass PC and Game Pass Ultimate. Dishonored 2 is available on Game Pass Core, Game Pass Standard, Game Pass PC and Game Pass Ultimate.Fallout: New VegasIf you're looking to dive into the wealth of Fallout games available on Game Pass, you can't go wrong starting with Fallout: New Vegas. Obsidian's spin-off takes everything that made Fallout 3 such an ambitious reimagining of the franchise and doubles down on it, throwing players into the seedy streets of post-apocalyptic Las Vegas and embroiling them in the power struggle between the various factions vying to control it. But where New Vegas exceeds is not by just being more Fallout 3. Obsidian uses their exceptional storytelling chops and talent for posing morally challenging decisions to create a world that operates purely in shades of grey. The end result is an RPG where every quest, no matter how big or small, has depth, and with four equally great DLCs to play too, it's sure to keep you invested well past the 100-hour mark. New Vegas can be played on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.Fallout: New Vegas is available on Game Pass Standard, Game Pass PC and Game Pass Ultimate.Psychonauts 2If you're looking for a top-notch platformer that's absolutely crammed to the brim with charm, humour and wacky worlds to uncover, Psychonauts 2 is bursting at the seams with creative ideas. Double Fine's sequel to its cult classic hit is just as gloriously wacky and irreverently silly as ever, with the studio managing to surpass the original's boldest concepts with world after world of strange ideas, novel mechanics and phenomenal characters. So, if the idea of going on an espionage mission in a spiralling hellscape built of teeth or being led on a psychedelic, musical journey by an eyeball voiced by Jack Black appeals to you, you can get stuck into Psychonauts 2 on Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X and PC.Psychonauts 2 is available on Game Pass Core, Game Pass Standard, Game Pass PC and Game Pass Ultimate.ControlA culmination of everything that makes Remedy Entertainment such a stand-out studio, Control is a sci-fi action horror game that revels in stretching the boundaries of all three of those genres. As you navigate its central setting of the Oldest House, you'll move between different universes, fight a variety of monstrous foes and uncover secrets about the strange building's most unsettling mysteries. But the true strength of Control is how willing it is to embrace its weirdness, whether that's through motel lobbies that let you move across time and space, mazes that you'll need to jam out to heavy rock to escape or the kind but bizarre janitor who appears to be an extradimensional being of extraordinary power. It's a world that begs to be explored, and considering you can do that while wielding an arsenal of mind-melding psychic powers, it's absolutely an easy recommendation. It can be played on Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PC.Control is avaliable on Game Pass Core, Game Pass Standard, Game Pass PC and Game Pass Ultimate.BalatroIf you didn't catch it last year, Balatro should be high up on your list of games to check out. Pitched as a roguelike Poker game, the concept is, initially, relatively simple. Moving through increasingly challenging blinds, you're dealt cards you need to combine to make poker hands, with each hand accumulating points. Earn enough points, and you beat the blind, allowing you to progress forward. Lose, and your run is over. But while Balatro may seem like a straightforward idea, its sheer creativity turns a mere poker game into an obsessive gauntlet. Whether it's specific buffs that task you with playing in unique ways, boss battles that completely stomp on your strategies and force you to think around them, or special power-ups that you need to employ in just the right way to win a brutal blind, it's not only one of the best card games you can play on a console, but one of the best roguelikes in years. It's constantly challenging you to think outside the box and experiment with its systems to pull off a hard-fought win, and once it's got its hooks in, you'll spend every waking moment thinking about how you'll do just that. Balatro can be played on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.Balatro is available on Game Pass Standard, Game Pass PC and Game Pass Ultimate.Mass Effect: Legendary EditionIf Bioware's seminal sci-fi space opera trilogy, Mass Effect, has somehow eluded you up until this point, we're jealous, because now you can play all three of these epic RPGs in the best way possible. Mass Effect: Legendary Edition repackages all three experiences with updated visuals and refined mechanics to deliver the definitive way to experience Commander Shephard's hard-hitting mission to save the galaxy from the Reapers. If you've yet to experience Mass Effect, it's front-to-back a masterclass in interactive storytelling, intense squad-based combat, and hyper-immersive sci-fi world-building, and absolutely worth the hundreds of hours you could spend conquering each of its three entries. Mass Effect: Legendary Edition can be played on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.Mass Effect Legendary Edition is available on Game Pass Ultimate and Game Pass PC via each tier's included EA Play Membership.Hollow Knight: Voidheart EditionEver wondered why "Silksong" trends every single time a publisher holds a game showcase? Well, it's because its predecessor Hollow Knight was so damn good. This action RPG casts you as a silent, sword-wielding bug venturing through a dark, forgotten kingdom on a quest to cleanse it of an infection that violently transformed its inhabitants. It's the set-up to a darkly beautiful masterclass in 2D Metroidvania design, as our small but mighty hero takes on fearsome foes in incredibly challenging combat encounters while exploring, growing stronger and learning exactly how this kingdom fell to ruin. If you want to join the agonizing wait to finally see Silksong hit shelves, get this downloaded and be prepared to lose all your free time until you hit the credits. You can delve into the depths of Hallownest on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.Hollow Knight: Voidheart Edition is avaliable on Game Pass Standard, Game Pass PC and Game Pass Ultimate.It Takes TwoIf you're looking for something a little more collaborative to jump into with your membership, Hazelight's game-of-the-year-winning co-op adventure, It Takes Two, is absolutely a must-play. Framed entirely around split-screen play, you and a partner embody Cody and May, a couple going through a complicated divorce that find themselves shrunk down and turned into toys. Committed to finding a way to return to their original bodies, they traverse an overgrown world of magic and mayhem, forced to work together to escape. It Takes Two is absolutely overflowing with creativity, and its greatest strength is how willing it is to experiment with fresh and novel mechanics so frequently that it never loses its breakneck pacing across its fourteen-hour runtime. And that's without mentioning that it's hugely accessible and downright fun to play with almost anybody. If you want to live out your ultimate Honey I Shrunk The Kids fantasy with a friend, you can download it on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.It Takes Two is avaliable on Game Pass Ultimate and Game Pass PC via each tier's included EA Play Membership.InsideIf you love an indie horror that's equal parts a haunting narrative adventure and a creative puzzler, Inside is a top-shelf pick. Throwing you into a dark world with no guidance, it absolutely excels in building a sinister mystery that will stick with you long after the credits roll, as you tangle with skin-crawling monsters, explore a factory full of bizarre, twisted experiments and are left to piece together who you are, why you're here and what exactly your ultimate goal is. It's a classic for a reason, and while it's mostly remembered for its jaw-dropping final moments, the journey leading up to its horrifying conclusion is equally as phenomenal. If you want to investigate the game's eerie facility for yourself, you'll find it on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.Inside is available on Game Pass Core, Game Pass Standard, Game Pass PC and Game Pass Ultimate.No Man's SkySince its slightly underwhelming release, No Man's Sky has had one of the biggest glow ups in video game history. Turning a relatively bare-bones, endless space exploration simulator into a vast, fully-fledged universe that can be explored in a multitude of different ways, Hello Games' stream of incredible updates have gradually made No Man's Sky a multiplayer experience like no other. Its sheer scope and freedom allow you to jet across the cosmos freely, exploring planets, building bases and teaming up with friends to create your own communities, make discoveries and chart a wealth of planets that only you have ever stepped foot on. So if you want to venture across the untamed stretches of the galaxy and join a passionate community of fellow adventurers, get stuck in on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.No Man's Sky is available on Game Pass Standard, Game Pass PC and Game Pass Ultimate.CelesteA deeply moving story that lets challenging and incredibly satisfying platforming act as the driving force of its plot, Celeste is one of the best of its generation. Telling the tale of Madeline, a girl climbing the mysterious slopes of Celeste Mountain in hopes of proving her worth to herself, this powerful platformer is a beautiful, heartfelt, emotional odyssey. But where it truly stands out is how it makes you feel that journey through the gameplay itself. While learning to climb the mountain's treacherous, icy terrain can, at times, be tough, Celeste always pushes you to persevere in the face of its various hazards and adversities, as Madeline, and by extension the player, comes to realise that only through failing can they learn to grow. It's a masterful experience that also happens to look gorgeous, is frequently funny and, for completionists, has a hearty supply of tough-as-nails optional challenges for you to spend hours trying to overcome. If you want to start your ascent, you can begin the climb on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S.Celeste is available on Game Pass Core, Game Pass Standard, Game Pass PC and Game Pass Ultimate.Dead SpaceThe original Dead Space is one of the most influential and deeply unnerving horror games ever made, and back in 2023, EA somehow found a way to make it even scarier. Bringing Isaac Clarke's journey through the USG Ishimura back for a full, from-the-ground-up remake, Dead Space's return is some of the best video game horror of the decade so far. With stunning graphics, impeccable sound design, tense, weighty gunplay and enemies that stalk your every move, it takes everything that works about the original and finds a way to make it twice as intense. So if you love a horror game that leaves you jumping at every sound for weeks after, Dead Space is absolutely for you. You can find it on PC, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.Dead Space is avaliable on Game Pass Ultimate and Game Pass PC via each tier's included EA Play Membership.What's Next For Xbox Game Pass?As for what you can look forward to next on Game Pass, the biggest release set to hit the marketplace this month is undoutedly Doom: The Dark Ages. A prequel to Doom and Doom Eternal, it'll once again have players strapping into the heavy boots of the Doomslayer, as he rips and tears his way through a fresh horde of demons using an arsenal of medieval weaponry. It'll hit Series X, Series S, and PC on May 15, and be avaliable on Game Pass the day it launches.Alongside that, you can expect to see Warhammer: Vermintide 2 on May 13, as well as Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo on May 16. We'll be sure to update this page with any new upcoming Game Pass additions as Xbox announces them, so be sure to check back soon for updates!Callum Williams is an IGN freelancer covering features and guides. When he's away from his desk, you can usually find him obsessing over the lore of the latest obscure indie horror game or bashing his head against a boss in the newest soulslike. You can catch him over on Twitter at @CaIIumWilliams.

A hot potato: Donald Trump and his administration are set to receive a luxurious $400 million new plane from Qatar that will be used as a temporary Air Force One for the president. The plane is a free gift, but the "flying palace" could end up costing taxpayers millions as it will need to be retrofitted to install the safety and security features required by a POTUS. Trump has expressed his displeasure at Boeing falling behind on a $3.8 billion project to replace the Air Force One fleet. The company initially aimed to deliver two new Air Force One planes by 2024, but Air Force acquisition official Darlene Costello told Congress last week that delivery could be around 2027, and only if Boeing and the government can come to agreements on certain requirements – the White House believes the planes might not be ready until 2029. But the Qatari Defense Ministry is gifting a Boeing 747-8 to the Pentagon to serve as a temporary Air Force one until the new planes arrive. Qatar's plane, once owned by the country's government, is adorned with gold-colored walls, luxury carpeting, leather couches, and other opulent features. Trump previously lamented the condition of Air Force one, calling it "much less impressive" than the planes in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar. "You know, we're the United States of America. I believe that we should have the most impressive plane," Trump said. Qatar says the plane is a gift to the US Department of Defense for successfully defending Qatar "for many years," according to a Truth Social post from Trump, who added that it would be "stupid" not to accept the aircraft. But while Qatar is gifting the $400 million plane, it will require a huge amount of taxpayer-funded work to turn it into a suitable Air Force One. The work includes upgrading the communications capabilities so the plane can be used as a situation room. Air Force One's air-to-ground, air-to-air, and satellite comms systems rival those of the White House. It also has a highly secure internal phone system alongside an open one. In addition to advanced, secure comms, Air Force One needs to carry weapon countermeasures in case of a missile attack. The electronics need to be shielded as much as possible to protect against an electromagnetic pulse following a nuclear explosion, and the hull and other areas need to be armored. Not to mention elements such a medical bay with a full suite of equipment. // Related Stories Something else that is going to take a lot of time and money is checking the plane for any hidden surveillance or tracking systems, including in the software and hardware, which may have to be replaced to ensure total security. Former Air Force acquisitions chief Andrew Hunter told Politico that retrofitting costs would likely fall "in the tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars." It would also take years to complete, with some estimating the plane wouldn't be ready until 2030, after Trump has left office and the official Boeing Air Force One fleet has arrived. Masthead: Sean Foster. images: Spotti Flight, AMAC Aerospace