BattlEye Archives

AppWizard

July 4, 2026

Sand publisher celebrates 300,000 copies sold: ‘We getting a half hour of air conditioning tonight!’

Sand: Raiders of Sophie, a steampunk-mechs-in-the-desert game, sold 300,000 copies after its early access launch. An update released on July 2 caused connection issues, leading to a rollback of changes. The game ranks among the top 100 most played games. The second update on June 2 faced backlash due to connectivity problems but was quickly addressed. The update included fixes for server availability, enhanced BattlEye functionality, refined character movement, and various balance changes. Known issues include characters getting stuck on ladders and transparency issues in spectator mode.

AppWizard

June 24, 2026

Steam Machine: Hardly any cheaper gaming PCs, 8 GiByte is enough

PCGH and PC Games discussed the new Steam Machine with Valve's Lawrence Yang and Yazan Aldehayyat. The final cost of the Steam Machine exceeded initial expectations due to unforeseen supply chain challenges related to memory and storage. Aldehayyat expressed pride in the product's quality and performance, despite its higher price point potentially excluding some buyers. Yang mentioned that future price adjustments could be considered if market conditions allow. The SteamOS does not currently support dual booting, but users can set up dual boot systems using external media. Valve is collaborating with anti-cheat providers like Easy Anti-Cheat and BattlEye to implement solutions for Linux. The Steam Machine is equipped with 8 GB of VRAM, which Aldehayyat believes is sufficient for most games at 1080p resolution. A verification program for the Steam Machine will be implemented, similar to that of the Steam Deck, ensuring better performance for verified games.

Winsage

June 2, 2026

Microsoft, Nvidia launch RTX Spark Windows AI PC lineup

Microsoft and Nvidia have launched a new series of Windows PCs powered by the Nvidia RTX Spark platform, featuring devices from manufacturers like Surface, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and MSI. The RTX Spark platform delivers up to 1 petaflop of AI performance, with up to 20 Arm-based CPU cores, 6,144 Blackwell RTX cores, and 128GB of unified memory. Microsoft has optimized Windows for this architecture, enhancing scheduling, power management, and memory handling. The new workload profile scheduling feature optimizes task distribution across the cores, while the Microsoft Power and Thermal Framework improves performance, battery life, and heat management. Windows' support for unified memory has been enhanced, allowing for larger AI models and demanding creative tasks. Microsoft's Prism emulator for x86 applications has been optimized for RTX Spark systems, improving compatibility and speed. Creative applications like Blender, DaVinci Resolve, and Adobe Photoshop are supported, along with MATLAB for technical users. Gaming support includes native anti-cheat software and compatibility with popular titles such as League of Legends and Valorant. The new systems are categorized under Microsoft's Copilot+ PC line, which combines AI processing with enhanced graphics capabilities. Devices showcased include Microsoft's Surface Laptop Ultra and models from Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and MSI. Microsoft also plans to scale Windows to the Nvidia DGX Station for Windows, enabling larger AI models and workstation-class workloads. The initiative aims to unify AI workloads across consumer PCs, creator laptops, and workstations, allowing users to run larger models locally and integrate AI computing into their workflows.

AppWizard

June 1, 2026

Not just for AI agents: Nvidia’s RTX Spark means Arm-powered laptops for gamers, too, promising 100 fps at 1440p in the latest games

Nvidia has introduced the N1X CPU, integrated into the RTX Spark SoC, marking its entry into the laptop SoC market. The RTX Spark features up to 20 Grace CPU cores and 6144 RTX Blackwell GPU cores, supporting up to 128 GB of unified LPDDR5x memory. Major manufacturers like Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Microsoft, and MSI are expected to release over 30 laptops and around ten desktop models with this technology. Nvidia's Aevermann described the RTX Spark as "the most efficient PC chip ever built," designed for both computing and gaming. Nvidia plans to introduce mini PCs powered by the RTX Spark chip this autumn, with companies like Acer, Asus, and Gigabyte preparing systems. The RTX Spark's custom Arm architecture requires Windows-on-Arm, raising performance concerns due to reliance on Microsoft's Prism emulator. Nvidia is collaborating with game developers to ensure compatibility and performance, focusing on optimizing popular games and integrating anti-cheat software.

BetaBeacon

January 29, 2026

GameNative Adds Epic Games Support On Android

After installing the newest nightly build, users can integrate their Epic Games account with GameNative by signing in through a secure browser window, syncing their library, and picking games directly from Epic's servers. Multiplayer is currently disabled due to networking and anti-cheat issues. Performance on Android devices depends on hardware specifications, with modern flagship SoCs recommended for smooth gameplay. GameNative uses open-source tools to translate x86-64 CPU instructions and DirectX calls for Android play. Epic Games support on GameNative allows mobile gamers to access their free and purchased titles from the Epic store on their phones. The Epic integration is available in GameNative's nightly channel, with plans for future stable releases to include library filters and multiplayer support.

Winsage

December 9, 2025

Windows PC gaming in 2025: Handheld innovation, Arm progress and DirectX advances

Windows has been a key platform for PC gaming, evolving significantly by 2025 with advancements in handheld gaming and performance. The ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X, powered by AMD Ryzen Z2 Series processors, were introduced, enhancing handheld gaming experiences. The Xbox Full Screen Experience (FSE) was launched for these devices, optimizing gaming interfaces. Advanced Shader Delivery (ASD) was implemented, reducing load times by over 80% for some titles. System-level performance improvements included tuned power management and lower CPU overhead. Windows also focused on Arm devices, enabling local game installations through the Xbox PC app and expanding compatibility with the Prism emulator. Native anti-cheat support was introduced for Arm devices, enhancing competitive gaming. DirectX 12 advancements included features that improved ray tracing performance by up to 2.3×. Bluetooth LE Audio support was added to enhance audio quality for gamers. Upcoming innovations include expanding FSE to more Windows devices, further ASD support, and a preview of Auto Super Resolution for improved visuals in games.

Winsage

November 20, 2025

Qualcomm Overhauls Windows on Arm Gaming with Downloadable GPU Drivers and AVX2 Support

Qualcomm has decoupled GPU updates from Microsoft's OS release cycle, allowing Snapdragon X Elite owners to download graphics drivers directly, which aligns the company with industry standards set by Nvidia and AMD. The company has transitioned to a direct "Upgradable Graphics Drivers" (UGD) model, enabling immediate access to driver updates through Qualcomm’s portal. The beta "Adreno Control Panel" has been rebranded to the "Snapdragon Control Panel," which now includes game-specific profiling and optimization features. Qualcomm has also integrated support for AVX and AVX2 instruction sets, addressing compatibility issues with games like God of War and Control. Kernel-level anti-cheat support has been introduced, making multiplayer gaming more accessible on Arm-based systems. The Snapdragon X2 Elite is set to launch in the first half of 2026, promising "Day 0" driver support and the ability to run 90% of top games, with performance expectations to outperform Intel’s Lunar Lake architecture.

Winsage

September 20, 2025

Microsoft Gaming Copilot hits Windows in public beta — in-game AI overlay goes live for PC players

Microsoft has begun the public beta rollout of its Gaming Copilot assistant for Windows users on September 19, following an earlier introduction to Xbox Insiders in August. The Gaming Copilot is integrated within the Xbox Game Bar overlay and utilizes AI for real-time support by analyzing screen content and Xbox account history. It assists players in finding achievements, strategizing builds, and navigating quests without needing external resources. Features include the ability to pin the Copilot as a widget and activate it with push-to-talk voice controls. Compatibility concerns exist regarding anti-cheat measures, as the Copilot's overlay may complicate protections for certain games. The Gaming Copilot is available to players aged 18 and older, except in mainland China.

AppWizard

August 15, 2025

Epic Games adds Easy Anti-Cheat for ARM devices — Feature unlocks support for Windows, Linux, and Switch 2

Epic Games has introduced ARM compatibility for its Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) system, as noted in the patch notes for EOS 1.17.1.3-CL44532354, benefiting both Windows and Linux-based ARM operating systems. Game developers are encouraged to update EAC to the latest version to utilize this compatibility. EAC's support for Linux ARM devices is significant, especially with Valve's integration of ARM support for Proton. Easy Anti-Cheat is now among the few anti-cheat solutions available for ARM versions of Windows 11, alongside Battleye, Denuvo, and Wellbia Uncheater. Additionally, the update includes official compatibility for the Nintendo Switch 2, allowing developers to adapt their existing EOS SDK for the new hardware with minimal changes. Microsoft is also enhancing the gaming experience on ARM PCs with improved anti-cheat support and the Prism x86 to ARM emulation tool, as well as introducing Auto SR for better performance.

AppWizard

March 5, 2025

GTA V Enhanced Makes the 12-Year-Old Game Look Great Again

Rockstar has released the Grand Theft Auto V PC update, named GTA V Enhanced, which replaces the previous version, now called GTA V Legacy. The update has higher system requirements, with minimum specifications including a 64-bit processor, Windows 10, Intel Core i7-4770 or AMD FX-9590, 8 GB RAM, and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630 or AMD Radeon RX 6400. Recommended specifications include Windows 11, Intel Core i5-9600K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600, 16 GB RAM, and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 or AMD Radeon RX 6600XT. Progress can only be transferred from the Legacy version once, affecting both Story Mode and GTA Online. New features in the update include ray tracing support, AMD FSR and NVIDIA DLSS upscaling, faster load times via DirectStorage, enhanced 3D audio with Dolby Atmos, and DualSense controller support. However, HDR display support is not yet implemented, and the NVIDIA App does not recognize the new version. The game runs smoothly at an average of 123 frames per second on high-end rigs without Frame Generation, which may be added in future updates. Players must use the Rockstar Games Launcher regardless of owning the game on Steam or Epic Games Store, complicating DLSS management. A mod is available to assist with DLSS file management during gameplay.