5 – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
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PC Gaming

The PC is one of the most popular gaming platforms in the world, and one that’s constantly changing. Here at The Verge we cover every aspect, including the latest hardware developments from companies like Nvidia and Logitech, massively popular games like Fortnite and Overwatch, and hugely influential digital platforms like Steam and itch.io.

Antonio G. Di Benedetto
Antonio G. Di Benedetto
The Steam Machine wasn’t at CES, but accessory makers are getting ready.

There were a couple Steam Machine mockups at Jsaux’s CES booth, but they were just shells showing off the company’s cheesy looking stickers. The front display concept wasn’t there.

Jsaux seems thirsty to build a Steam Machine accessory ecosystem like it did with the Steam Deck, where it found success, but the real ideas will require actual hardware.

1/4Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge
Sean Hollister
Sean Hollister
I guess ‘eGPU’ wasn’t sexy enough so they’re ‘AI boxes’ now.

External GPUs are rad but many need work — maybe they’ll take off now we’re throwing AI dollars at them? Gigabyte, Plugable, and newcomer Ugreen aren’t even calling them “eGPUs” anymore here at CES. Guess I can’t complain unless AI companies buy them all up.

From Gigabyte’s Aorus brand.
Plugable.
Ugreen.
A smaller Gigabyte Aorus one.
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From Gigabyte’s Aorus brand.
Antonio G. Di Benedetto
Antonio G. Di Benedetto
Did Asus just make a sleeper gaming laptop with a monster iGPU?

AMD’s Strix Halo is a big, pricey chip with the best integrated graphics we’ve ever seen. The Asus TUF is the brand’s budget-friendly gaming line. So how “affordable” will Asus’s new TUF Gaming A14 laptop with Strix Halo be? We don’t know yet, because Asus hasn’t finalized pricing. But I look forward to testing this TUF.

<em>Strix Halo in-hand.</em>
<em>Decently thin for a TUF.</em>
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Strix Halo in-hand.
Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge
Jess Weatherbed
Jess Weatherbed
I’m goin’ down to Fortnite.

Cartman, Kenny, Stan, Kyle, and Butters are coming to the island tomorrow for Fortnite’s crossover with South Park, allowing players to explore Cartmanland and try the new Quints 5-person playlist. This event is available until February 5th, and yes — The Simpsons did it first.

Richard Lawler
Richard Lawler
Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo, take two.

But this time, it’s added extra space that could make its two-screen laptop setup worthwhile. Here’s Antonio with a closer look at the new Duo.

Stevie Bonifield
Stevie Bonifield
Linux usage on Steam peaks again for the third month in a row.

GamingOnLinux points out that while Valve’s December 2025 Steam hardware survey originally showed a slight drop in Linux users to 3.19 percent, the data has now been amended.

The updated results put Linux usage at 3.58 percent, yet another record high for the third consecutive month. Could 2026 finally be the year of Linux?

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The best laptop deals you can get right nowThe best laptop deals you can get right now
Cameron Faulkner and Sheena Vasani
Tom Warren
Tom Warren
The first Xbox Game Pass drop of 2026 is here.

Microsoft is adding Star Wars Outlaws to Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on January 13th, followed by Resident Evil Village for Ultimate, Premium, and PC Game Pass subscribers a week later on January 20th. Other titles coming to Game Pass this month include Brews & Bastards, Little Nightmares Enhanced Edition, Final Fantasy, My Little Pony: A Zephyr Heights Mystery, and Mio: Memories in Orbit.

Antonio G. Di Benedetto
Antonio G. Di Benedetto
Acer’s new entry-level 16-inch Nitro V gaming laptop gets AMD’s latest chip.

Acer is announcing a new Nitro V 16 AI entry-level gaming laptop with AMD’s new Gorgon Point chips. Announced at CES with a handful of other Acer laptops, the Nitro is meant to offer a budget-friendly-ish price for AMD’s new chip and Nvidia GPUs — from the RTX 5050 to RTX 5070. It’s expected in Q2, but pricing isn’t finalized.

<em>The Acer Nitro V 16 AI gaming laptop.</em>
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The Acer Nitro V 16 AI gaming laptop.
Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge
Stevie Bonifield
Stevie Bonifield
The Asus ROG G1000 takes RGB lighting to a new level with a holographic case.

Asus’ latest gaming PC, unveiled at CES today, glimmers with the new ROG AniMe Holo, a full-color holographic display that projects 340 x 340 animated images on the PC’s chassis.

It also boasts top-tier components, including up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D, and 64GB of DDR5 RAM.

The Asus ROG G100 desktop gaming PC on a white table with an ROG logo hologram on the side panel
The Asus ROG G1000 gaming PC on a white table with ROG logo holograms on the front and side panels
The Asus ROG G1000 gaming PC on a white table with its side panel open showing the ROG AniMe Holo projector
1/3Photo by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge
Tom Warren
Tom Warren
Nvidia teases GeForce announcements for later today.

Nvidia won’t be announcing its rumored RTX 50 Super GPUs at CES today, but it still has some “features, games, apps, and partner products” to unveil. A GeForce On Twitch stream will start at 9PM PT / 12AM ET tonight, and if leaks are anything to go by it sounds like DLSS 4.5 could be on the menu.

Stevie Bonifield
Stevie Bonifield
AMD is breathing down Intel’s neck on the latest Steam hardware survey.

The number of Windows users with AMD CPUs spiked 4.6 percent in December, putting AMD less than 10 percent away from overtaking Intel.

AMD has been steadily chipping away at Intel’s lead for a while now — over the past year, its share of Steam’s Windows users rose from 38.7 percent to 47.2 percent.

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Nick Statt
Nick Statt
Decoder will be live at CES 2026 with Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan.

The event takes place starting at 12PM PT / 3PM ET at Brooklyn Bowl in Las Vegas on Wednesday, January 7th. Nilay will be taking the stage with Min at 12:30PM to talk AI, the state of gaming, and everything Razer is announcing at the show, followed by a live Vergecast taping at 3:30PM PT.

If you’ll be in Vegas for the show, you can RSVP at the link below for free tickets. Otherwise, stay tuned for the Decoder Live recording to hit our pod feed and YouTube channel later in the month.