AMD's new 26.10.1 graphics driver enables FSR 4.1 machine-learning upscaling natively on Radeon RX 6000 desktop GPUs, Ryzen AI Max APUs, and laptops with Ryzen AI 9 chips, without requiring mods like Optiscaler. Handhelds using Ryzen Z2 Extreme, Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme, and Z2 A chips will also get support, though only once their manufacturers release compatible drivers. AMD says Xbox Series console support is coming soon, but did not mention the Steam Deck despite its shared RDNA 2 architecture.
techspot.com
· 2026-10-21
A Fortune profile of Xbox CEO Asha Sharma reveals new details on Project Helix, Microsoft's next-gen gaming hardware line. A handheld device is expected for holiday 2027, with a full console following in 2028, currently projected to cost between $1,200 and $1,800 unless Microsoft subsidizes it. The report also mentions a possible shift to a la carte Game Pass pricing and more layoffs expected this month and in November.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-20
Fortune reports that Microsoft's internal projections put the price of its 2028 holiday-season Project Helix console between $1,200 and $1,800, with a separate next-gen handheld planned by the end of next year. Fortune also reports internal disputes at Microsoft over whether the handheld should run a trimmed version of Windows or a custom operating system built by the Xbox team, with one executive reportedly threatening to cancel the device if forced to use Windows.
arstechnica.com
· 2026-10-20
AMD is rolling out its FSR 4.1 upscaling technology beyond the Radeon RX 9000 series, bringing it to Radeon RX 6000-series cards, Strix Halo and Gorgon Halo-based devices via new Adrenalin 26.10.1 drivers available now. Xbox Series X/S consoles and Xbox Ally handhelds will get the feature later, with Xbox CTO Scott Van Vliet saying AMD worked closely with the company to optimize the technology for developers.
games.slashdot.org
· 2026-10-20
Microsoft is adding the indie horror title Mouthwashing and Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade to Xbox Game Pass starting October 29, available to Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass and Game Pass Premium subscribers. Mouthwashing, a 2024 release, casts players as crew members on a failing spaceship facing dwindling supplies, while Intergrade offers an updated version of part of the classic Final Fantasy 7 story.
cnet.com
· 2026-10-20
Microsoft confirmed that Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade, the first chapter in Square Enix's FF7 Remake trilogy, will be added to Xbox Game Pass on Oct. 29. The addition is part of a wider October lineup that also includes the detective game The Seance of Blake Manor, arriving Oct. 27 for Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass and Game Pass Premium subscribers.
cnet.com
· 2026-10-20
According to a Fortune profile of Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, Microsoft's next-generation console, codenamed Helix, is now targeted for the 2028 holiday season rather than 2027, with internal pricing estimates ranging from $1,200 to $1,800 unless subsidized. A separate Xbox-branded handheld capable of running digital console games could still arrive in 2027. Sharma is also reportedly planning to restructure Game Pass into an à la carte model with optional add-ons.
techspot.com
· 2026-10-20
AMD announced its FSR 4.1 upscaling technology will expand to Xbox Series X/S consoles and the Ally, Ally X, Ally X20 and Ally S handhelds. The feature uses machine learning to boost performance by rendering games at lower resolutions then sharpening the image. AMD is also bringing FSR 4.1 to older RX 6000-series graphics cards and Ryzen AI 9-powered laptops, having already enabled it on 7000-series cards.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-20
Microsoft is promoting a trade-in offer encouraging Xbox Series X owners to exchange their consoles, reportedly in the lead-up to a new device referred to as Project Helix. The push suggests the incentive is tied to generating interest or offsetting costs for the upcoming hardware.
gizmodo.com
· 2026-10-20
AMD announced that FSR 4.1 upscaling, previously limited to RX 9000 and RX 7000 graphics cards, is now available on Radeon RX 6000-series GPUs, Xbox Series X and S consoles, Ryzen Z-series handhelds, and systems with Ryzen AI Max and AI 9 processors. AMD adapted the neural network to run on INT8 shader hardware rather than the FP8 matrix hardware found in newer cards, with a further-shrunk version for handhelds. The update also brings improved frame pacing for Frame Generation, upcoming Vulkan API support, and wider rollout of Ray Regeneration.
tomshardware.com
· 2026-10-20
According to Fortune, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma is planning additional rounds of job cuts in November, this month, and January. The cuts would follow a July announcement of a broader
theverge.com
· 2026-10-20
Microsoft is reportedly planning an Xbox handheld device for holiday 2027, followed by a next-generation console codenamed Project Helix in holiday 2028, according to Fortune. The console is said to be internally projected to cost between $1,200 and $1,800 unless Microsoft subsidizes the hardware, and Fortune reports internal disagreement between Microsoft's Windows and Xbox teams over which software will run the system.
theverge.com
· 2026-10-20
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