AYANEO has paused its Kickstarter campaign for the Pocket Play smartphone as part of its "Service Improvement Plan" to address community complaints about unfulfilled orders and delays.
Hytale has officially launched into early access, with developers at Hypixel planning to shape the game's future based on player feedback. The Hytale roadmap is flexible, and key features are in early development. Early updates will be delivered quickly, addressing a backlog of enhancements. The development team consists of 50 members, and funding for the next two years comes solely from pre-orders. The team anticipates attracting over 1 million players. Their philosophy emphasizes quality, stating, “No sacrifices, no Hytale.”
CES showcased significant advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) integrated into the Windows ecosystem, with various companies unveiling new products. Acer introduced the Copilot+ PCs, including the Swift 16 AI laptop with a haptic touchpad and Predator Helios Neo 16S AI gaming laptop. ASUS launched the Zenbook DUO, featuring dual OLED touchscreens, and the ROG Zephyrus Duo, a dual-screen gaming laptop. Dell refreshed its XPS brand with new laptops and monitors, while HP presented the EliteBook X G2 Series and the EliteBoard G1a Next Gen AI PC. Lenovo revealed several new Copilot+ PCs, and Samsung introduced the Galaxy Book6 series. AMD and Intel announced new processor lines, with AMD's Ryzen AI 400 Mobile Series and Intel's Core Ultra Series 3 processors. Qualcomm launched the Snapdragon X2 Plus for enhanced AI experiences in PCs.
Hytale has officially launched after nearly eight years since its initial announcement in 2018. The game, developed by Hypixel Studios and acquired by Riot Games in 2020, faced a temporary cancellation in June 2025 but was later revived when CEO Simon Collins-Laflamme regained control of the studio. Hytale has garnered 344,000 viewers on Twitch, surpassing all other games. The developers expressed excitement about the launch, emphasizing that it marks the beginning of the game's journey. Early player feedback has been positive, and pre-orders are expected to fund the next two years of development.
Hytale is set to launch on January 13, 2026, and is expected to attract over one million players on its early access release day, according to Simon Collins-Laflamme, founder of Hypixel Studios. The game's development has been ongoing for over a decade, and its financial backing for the next two years has been secured through pre-sales. After Riot Games discontinued its involvement, Collins-Laflamme resumed development with a focus on community collaboration. He announced that pre-orders have ensured a solid foundation for the project, expressing optimism about Hytale's future.
Valve is set to launch the Steam Machine in early 2026, potentially up to April 2026, though delays may occur due to a RAM crisis affecting component prices. Pre-orders are currently unavailable, but customers can add it to their Steam wishlist for notifications. The Steam Machine is a PC-hybrid console, running SteamOS, and offers a desktop environment for flexibility. It has performance specifications between the Xbox Series S and PlayStation 5, with 16GB of system memory and 8GB of video memory. Key specifications include a semi-custom AMD Zen 4 CPU, semi-custom AMD RDNA3 GPU, and storage options of 512GB or 2TB NVMe SSD. The Steam Machine will come with a Steam Controller, featuring standard controls and enhanced precision through dual trackpads and a gyroscope.
LEGO 21589 Mini Biomes is set to release on January 1, 2026, with a retail price of .99 and comprising 797 pieces. The set features five distinct micro-scale dioramas representing different Minecraft biomes, including a mountain landscape, forest, mushroom field, desert temple, and savanna. Each biome includes unique elements and microfigures, such as a Steve, creeper, mooshroom, husk, and pillager. The set is designed primarily from 1×1 tiles and offers a backing plate for a pixelated skybox that can be displayed in day or night mode. Pre-orders are available on LEGO.com.
Hytale's early access is set for January 13, 2026, priced at .99. The game has drawn comparisons to Minecraft and has a modding community preparing unique modifications, including a pixelated resolution resource pack by 'Hatsuya.' Hytale was originally announced seven years ago and later acquired by Riot Games. Despite development challenges, the community remains hopeful for the game's evolution. Pre-purchasing options are available, but some technical issues have arisen, such as account creation problems.
CD Projekt’s GOG is supporting the indie horror game Horses after it was banned from Steam. The game is set to launch on December 2 across multiple platforms, including Epic Games Store, GOG, Itch.io, and Humble Store, but not on Steam due to Valve's decision. Valve reviewed the game earlier in 2023 and cited concerns regarding its content as the reason for the ban. GOG has launched pre-orders for Horses and is actively promoting it, emphasizing player choice and creativity. Santa Ragione, the game's developer, has called for greater transparency from Steam and improved conditions for developers in the industry.
The horror adventure game Horses was rejected by Steam in 2023 due to concerns about depicting sexual conduct involving a minor. The developer, Santa Ragione, argued that the scene was not sexual and has since changed it to feature an adult character, but Valve has not reconsidered the game's status. Horses will launch on other platforms, including the Epic Games Store and the Humble Store, and GOG has expressed support for the game, encouraging pre-orders. This support has sparked controversy, with users comparing it to the treatment of the game Devotion, which was removed from Steam after backlash over a controversial joke about Chinese President Xi Jinping. Despite its removal from major storefronts, Devotion is still available for purchase directly from its developer, Red Candle Games, which has also released the game Nine Sols on Steam.
