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The MSI Mag Pano 1130R PZ series case with internal screen, lit up in blue
Product Reviews

Computex has made me finally care about PC cases and it’s not just because of rig envy

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Screens, cases, collaborations. These were the three most prominent things I took note of at this year’s Computex. Okay, really, it’s screens first, then the other two, but still, I spent the last week looking at multiple excellent gaming rigs every single day, and it all made me realize my case is kind of boring.

First, let’s start with why exactly I’ve never really spent much time exploring the wonderful land of PC cases. Frankly, the idea of caring about the look of yet another part of my gaming setup feels like quite a lot of work.

I like a cute keyboard (looking at you, Ducky One 3 Matcha), but cases involve more work. You have to figure out if the parts you get actually fit, and swapping a case takes more effort than just grabbing a new peripheral.


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My PC tends to get tucked away under my desk so that I don’t need to find room higher up to store it, and putting in all this effort for a thing I can’t see feels a bit unnecessary.

I still get the glare of the RGB lighting on the front fans and find some joy in it, but my eyes are usually on the screen (and maybe the keyboard if it has particularly great lighting). However, I’ve come to the realisation that a good gaming PC is sort of like a gorgeous guitar. Maybe I’m a little more ready to boot the ‘ol thing up if it looks nice as it whirs up.

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(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)

Half the reason I practice guitar is just to get the chance to hold it in my hands, and though I don’t plan on picking my rig up, swapping out that case for something a bit prettier might actually encourage me to do the cable management I’ve been holding off for some time.

Taking pride in hardware is a surefire way to ensure I don’t let it get dusty, and my current rig has picked up a layer at the back that I really should have cleaned last week.

Seeing all these builders and manufacturers showing off all their tech at Computex makes me realize what my rig could look like, as obvious as that may sound. It is, of course, a PC case seller’s job to, well, sell cases, and I’d like to think I’m a little less prone to marketing than I actually am.

Though the looks of these rigs may have melted my heart, it’s the potential utility of PC cases that made it grow three sizes.

There are two main cases from Computex that really changed my mind. The first is a Corsair Frame case with a built-in DAC/amp at the bottom.

This not only means the PC has a dedicated external sound card, but it also means I can plug in an instrument and record some music without having to dig out my audio interface, with all the wires and troubleshooting that comes with it.

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(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)

The Corsair Frame 4000D built-in DAC

A built-in DAC also saves space, as it means I don’t need some sort of table to pop my Focusrite 2i2 on. I think part of the reason I liked PCs in the first place is the Tetris-like game of stacking all those bits in, and the thought of slapping a DAC onto my case intrigues me for the same reason. Just think of the efficiency.

The second case that really got my attention is Noctua’s Antec collaboration chassis. Not only does it look lovely, with sleek black metal, walnut wood inlays, and dark brown grating, but it comes with a whole host of Noctua Fans that are said to “substantially reduce noise”.

Now, combining impressive looks with a genuine use case (get it?) and you have me. At least this way, I can tell myself I’ve picked up the more expensive case because it actually serves some sort of purpose.

Computex 2025

(Image credit: Jacob Ridley)

Catch up with Computex 2025: We’re stalking the halls of Taiwan’s biggest tech show once again to see what Nvidia, AMD, Intel, Asus, Gigabyte, MSI and more have to offer.

Okay, I definitely don’t need a Monster Hunter Wilds custom PC where the sword is an RTX 5070 Ti or a PC case that kind of looks like a coffee cup. However, it has got me thinking that maybe there’s a nicer way to display all that hardware I cram into my daily driver. Maybe tucking it away under a desk for its RGB fans to shine into nothing is a little bit of a waste, and maybe I should actually take some pride in my rig.

Or maybe I’m just a bit of a cheapskate when it comes to cases and really just need to get my head around the cost. Either way, Computex has turned my head, and I’ll be keeping an eye out for a good deal now.



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Blue Prince's Game Breaking PS5 Save Bug Finally Gets Fixed
Game Reviews

Blue Prince’s Game Breaking PS5 Save Bug Finally Gets Fixed

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Blue Prince is the second highest-reviewed game of 2025 and now players on PlayStation 5 can finally plumb the depths of its deepest secrets without worrying about a gnarly game-breaking bug corrupting their save files. After weeks of tragically ensnaring some of the puzzle adventure’s biggest fans, a new patch fixes the issue alongside implementing a nerf for an infinite item exploit.

Civilization VII’s Latest Update Finally Feels Like The Game Fans Were Promised

“This issue was caused by a duplication of save data causing new save information to time out and not be saved,” the game’s developer, Tonda Ros, posted on Steam. “This problem has now been addressed and players should have no issues progressing and saving the game past the point where the bug was initially encountered.”

Blue Prince is about exploring a mansion where, at the start of each new day, you choose which room comes next from a growing deck of cards as you seek to discover a missing 46th room. Solving puzzles and uncovering clues in this roguelite structure eventually gives way to some big mysteries and lots of backstory, with some players spending over a hundred hours navigating the deepest layers of its esoteric labyrinth.

But on PS5, some of those players were hitting a save bug long before their time in the mansion felt complete. The Blue Prince subreddit is littered with horror stories of people who fell down the rabbit hole only to see all of their progress erased. Most players were hit somewhere between day 90 and 150.

“I play this wonder of a game on PS5, and after 117 days, I had the horror of discovering my save is locked on day 117, I keep playing for hours and saving but when I leave the game, I am back to that day 117,” one wrote. “I have finally reached the true ps5 endgame,” wrote another. “Save file bug.”

The good news is that those save files should now work, assuming players didn’t restart or delete them. “We have worked tirelessly with Sony to avoid any save files being lost once the game patches,” Ros wrote. “However, content that was not saved during the Rollback Issue has unfortunately been lost. Players should be able to return to Mount Holly at the point where they encountered the bug.”

It’s still a major bummer for everyone who was affected, especially since Blue Prince is not the best game for returning to weeks later after you’ve entered a completely different headspace. Today’s patch makes a fair number of other changes as well, most of which are redacted for spoiler reasons.

Two things players have also noticed, however, are fixes to the Guest Bedroom exploit which players could use to load up on items, and to the Nurse Station buff players were manipulating to gain extra steps. It turns out even Blue Prince isn’t immune to busted builds getting nerfed.

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It's taken years, but Dune Awakening is finally getting an end-game info dump next week, so we'll finally know how the rest of the game plays
Game Reviews

It’s taken years, but Dune Awakening is finally getting an end-game info dump next week, so we’ll finally know how the rest of the game plays

by admin


Finally, Dune Awakening fans can expect a dedicated live stream to show off the real meat of any MMO: the endgame. This event will cover what players will be up to once they’ve progressed through the story and prepped themselves for the Deep Desert, something that has remained a bit mysterious upo until now.

The stream, which will go live on official Funcom platforms such as the studio’s Twitch page, is set to go live on May 28, at 12PM ET / 6PM CEST / 5PM GMT / 9AM PT. It’s titled the “Beyond the Beta: A Glimpse of Mid-to-Endgame livestream”, so expect to see a bit more than the usual early game zones we’ve seen plenty of courtesy of previews and the recent weekend beta.

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Here’s what we know about the mid-to-end game so far. We know that players will have to pick between the Atredies and Harkkonen, and that player-run guilds can battle for faction supremacy via the Lansrad system. We know winning the Landsrad provides powerful buffs to the winning faction, and that the major push in the endgame is to win that every cycle. In terms of actual gameplay, players will be heading out into the Deep Desert, where they can harvest spice in vast open PvP regions of the world.

But here’s what we don’t know. We don’t really know what players will be using that spice for. One assumes to make loads of money, but what do you spend it on? Shiny gear, better vehicles for future spice runs, a cooler house one assumes, but what else? Will there be some typical live service weekly mission model, encouraging folks to engage with different parts of the game? What about unlockable customisation? How does one differentiate a fresh character who’s just made it to the end game, and a powerful spice baron with loads of dosh?

All this, hopefully, will be revealed in this upcoming live stream. It’s one worth tuning in to if you’re eager to check out Dune Awakening when it launches next month!

What do you think will be shown off in the stream? Let us know below, as well as your biggest unanswered questions!



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Fortnite finally back on Apple devices in US and Europe
Game Reviews

Fortnite finally back on Apple devices in US and Europe

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Fortnite is finally back on iOS devices in the US and Europe, after a five-year legal battle between Epic and Apple.

Despite a “peace proposal” being offered by Epic at the start of the month, Apple later blocked the return of Fortnite in the US. When Epic returned to the judge of the legal case to review its Fortnite submission, the judge responded Apple is “fully capable of resolving this issue without further briefing or a hearing” and warned the official who is “personally responsible for ensuring compliance” would have to return for a hearing (thanks TheVerge).

The two companies have since filed a joint notice stating they have “resolved all issues”.

Fortnite Galactic Battle Cinematic TrailerWatch on YouTube

As such, Fortnite has now returned to iOS devices, with Epic boss Tim Sweeney writing on social media “we back fam”.

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Though Fortnite had already returned to iOS devices in the European Union, Apple’s block of the game in the US delayed a regular update to the game, forcing all versions to be taken down.

Of course, the UK is no longer in the EU, meaning Fortnite is not yet available here on iOS. It’s expected in the second half of this year.

Back in 2020, Epic added a direct in-game payment option in Fortnite to circumvent Apple and Google’s official in-app purchase options, from which those companies take a 30 percent cut.

In retaliation, Apple pulled Fortnite from its App Store, sparking the five-year feud.

A verdict was finally reached earlier this month, when the US District Court of Northern California found Apple in “wilful violation” of the court’s previous injunction designed to prohibit the company’s “anticompetitive conduct and anticompetitive pricing”.

That injunction meant Apple had to allow purchases for apps from outside websites, to which it agreed but levied a 27 percent fee. The court stated this move “strains credulity” and that Apple’s goal “was to dissuade customer usage of alternative purchase opportunities and maintain its anticompetitive revenue stream”. The court verdict added: “In the end, Apple sought to maintain a revenue stream worth billions in direct defiance of this Court’s Injunction.”

Sweeney wrote on social media “Game over for the Apple Tax” and stated Fortnite would return to the iOS App store. Now, it finally has.

Writing on social media last night, Sweeney said: “Thanks to everyone who supported the effort to open up mobile competition and #FreeFortnite from the very beginning. And thanks to all of the folks who initially sided with Apple then later came around to the winning side, supporting app developer rights and consumer rights.”

Fortnite has immediately risen to the top free game on iOS in the US.

Epic has this week been in hot water due to the addition of AI Darth Vader to Fortnite, which was quickly used to spout bad language. A hot fix has since been issued, but actors’ union SAG-AFTRA has filed an unfair labour practice charge in retaliation for the use of AI.



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Fortnite is finally back on US iPhones
Gaming Gear

Fortnite is finally back on US iPhones

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Apple kicked Fortnite off the App Store nearly five years ago after Epic Games added its own in-app payment system to the game, which violated Apple’s rules. But after a major court ruling in Epic Games v. Apple that forced Apple to not take fees from purchases made outside of apps, the game is available to play on US iPhones once again.

Shortly after the big ruling hit, CEO Tim Sweeney said that Epic planned to bring back Fortnite to iOS in the US. He also made a “peace proposal:” “If Apple extends the court’s friction-free, Apple-tax-free framework worldwide, we’ll return Fortnite to the App Store worldwide and drop current and future litigation on the topic.“

Late last week, Epic said that Apple had blocked Fortnite’s return to the App Store, and the game also became unavailable on other alternative app stores in the EU. However, Apple said that it had “asked that Epic Sweden resubmit the app update without including the US storefront of the App Store so as not to impact Fortnite in other geographies” and that “we did not take any action to remove the live version of Fortnite from alternative distribution marketplaces.”

Epic asked the judge in the Epic v. Apple case to order Apple to review its Fortnite submission on May 16th. Yesterday, the judge said in a filing that Apple is “fully capable of resolving this issue without further briefing or a hearing,” and that if a resolution wasn’t reached, the Apple official who “is personally responsible for ensuring compliance” would have to appear at a hearing next Tuesday.

However, shortly after Fortnite returned to the App Store on Tuesday, Epic and Apple filed a joint notice saying that they have “resolved all issues” from Epic’s May 16th filing. Apple didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.

Epic also recently rolled out a new promotion to encourage players to use its payment systems: if you use Epic’s system in Fortnite, Rocket League, or Fall Guys on PC, iOS, Android, and the web, the company will give you 20 percent back in Epic Rewards that can be used for other purchases in its games or on the Epic Games Store.

In the iOS version of Fortnite that was released on Tuesday, the app shows you that 20 percent bonus when you pick which payment system you want to use to buy V-Bucks.

If you get the app from the App Store, it will be a small initial download, and after you actually open the app, it will download the rest of the game. For a colleague, that additional download was 12.95GB.

Update, May 20th: Added details of Epic and Apple’s joint notice.



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Fortnite is finally back on Apple's App Store ... sort of
Gaming Gear

Fortnite is finally back on Apple’s App Store … sort of

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After being unceremoniously booted off Apple’s App Store in 2020, Epic Games’ Fortnite is finally back.

Take note, though — it’ll only show up on iPhones and iPads for searches made within the U.S., at least for now. 

The return of Fortnite marks the end of a nearly five-year ban caused by Epic Games’ implementation of a direct payment system that bypassed Apple’s in-app purchase fees, an act that violated the tech giant’s App Store rules.

In a message posted on X on Tuesday, Epic Games’ founder and CEO Tim Sweeney said: “Thanks to everyone who supported the effort to open up mobile competition and #FreeFortnite from the very beginning.”

Sweeney added: “And thanks to all of the folks who initially sided with Apple then later came around to the winning side, supporting app developer rights and consumer rights.”

Epic Games has been battling away in the courts to get the popular title back on the App Store. It scored a big win at the end of last month when a U.S. court ruling forced Apple to allow apps to include external payment links without charging commissions on those transactions. 

After Epic Games recently submitted Fortnite for inclusion in the U.S. App Store, Apple has finally approved it, though not before some additional legal issues and delays just last week.

If you search for Fortnite on the App Store outside of the U.S., however, it still won’t show up as Apple continues to fight in other regions. But in the European Union, for example, the game continues to be accessible via alternative platforms such as the Epic Games Store and AltStore.

Fortnite was allowed back on the U.S. App Store after the recent court ruling found that Apple had violated a previous injunction in 2021 by continuing to restrict competition and prohibit alternative payment methods in its App Store. The judge ordered Apple to comply with the earlier order, forcing it to allow Fortnite’s return and to permit external payment links in apps.

Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers made several scathing comments about Apple in her ruling last month, criticizing the tech behemoth for deliberately undermining her 2021 injunction, saying that Apple aimed to “sustain a revenue stream worth billions in blatant violation of this court’s injunction.”

She even went so far as to refer an Apple executive to federal prosecutors for a criminal contempt investigation into their conduct in the case.

The Fortnite saga was essentially a landmark battle over digital marketplace power, one that shone a light on the struggle between app developers and platform owners like Apple in areas of control, competition, and the right to offer alternative payment options outside walled-garden ecosystems.





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Jonesy looking sad
Esports

Fortnite finally returns to App Store after Apple’s delay

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As of May 20, 2025, Fortnite has officially returned to the US iOS App Store worldwide following a public back-and-forth between Epic Games and Apple.

It’s no secret Epic and Apple have been at arms for the past half-decade. It was August, 2020 when the game publisher pulled its massively popular Battle Royale from the iOS App Store in effort to take a stand against Apple’s commissions on in-app purchases like V-Bucks.

After a lengthy legal process, it was only on May 1, 2025 that Epic won out. Apple was ordered to stop imposing commissions on in-app purchases via web links. Though the public scuffle didn’t stop when the judge’s hammer fell.

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Despite promising Fortnite would return to the App Store within a week, Apple’s review process saw that didn’t happen. Though now, after even more back and forth in the public eye, peace has come to pass. Fortnite is indeed once again available on the App Store in the U.S.

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Fortnite finally returns on iOS App Store in the US

At the tail end of court proceedings, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers found Apple to have “outright lied under oath.” As such, the company was not only ordered to forego its commission on in-app purchases across the board, but Apple was even considered for criminal contempt.

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“Apple’s 15-30% junk fees are now just as dead here in the US as they are in Europe. Unlawful here, unlawful there,” Epic Games founder and CEO Tim Sweeney said on X (formerly Twitter), declaring victory at the time.

Sweeney also assured Fortnite would return to the App Store within a week of the decision being announced. However, it didn’t all go according to plan.

Although Apple’s review process claims “90% of submissions are reviewed in less than 24 hours,” that wasn’t the case for Epic’s new submission of Fortnite. Nearly 120 hours passed before Epic was informed its resubmission had actually been blocked.

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“We cannot release to the US App Store or to the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union. Now, sadly, Fortnite on iOS will be offline worldwide until Apple unblocks it,” the official Fortnite account shared on social media.

For context, Epic removed all versions of Fortnite from review as the game had recently been met with a new update, changing seasonal content and the like. As Epic insists on all platforms having the exact same version of the game, it means having to resubmit a new version of the application for review by Apple.

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Apple fired back, claiming it asked Epic Sweden to resubmit the app update without including the US storefront so as to not impact Fortnite in other geographies. What ensued was another public tirade.

As of May 19, 2025, the judge said in a filing that Apple is “fully capable of resolving this issue without further briefing or a hearing.” Should that not have been the case, whoever at Apple was “responsible for ensuring compliance” would have been asked to attend another court hearing.

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Clearly, this legal threat worked out as Fortnite has indeed passed its resubmission and is now available on the US’ iOS App Store once again.

Epic GamesAs seen in the new version of Fortnite on iOS devices, players are incentivized to buy V-Bucks directly through Epic.

Furthermore, now that Fortnite is available on iOS devices, Epic is pushing players towards in-app purchases through its own means, rather than through Apple’s services. When looking to purchase V-Bucks in the game, fans can earn 20% back in Epic Rewards credit if they buy through Epic’s own method.

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Fortnite is finally back in the US App Store
Gaming Gear

Fortnite is finally back in the US App Store

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Fortnite is back in the US App Store. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney announced that he intended to relaunch the game in late April, following a court order that demanded Apple stop collecting a 27 percent fee on app transactions that happen outside of its in-app purchase system. The company finally amending its rules to remove that additional commission is why Epic moved forward with the relaunch.

The origins of this conflict can be traced all the way back to 2020, when Epic added its own method for collecting payments for in-game items in Fortnite and encouraged players to circumvent Apple’s system. Fortnite was removed from the App Store (and the Google Play Store for that matter), Epic sued and the rest is history.

Epic didn’t win its entire case against Apple, but it did secure a permanent injunction allowing developers to include in-app text that makes users aware of payment options other than the App Store. According to the latest court order, Apple allowed that text, but was still demanding developers pay it a fee for those non-App Store transactions. That prompted the judge overseeing the companies’ case to demand Apple stop and remove even more obstacles from the payment process.

It was anticipated that Fortnite would return far earlier than it actually did. Companies like Spotify swiftly updated their apps to take advantage of Apple’s rule change, with approved applications showing up in early May. In fact, Spotify managed to get a second update focused on Audiobooks approved before Epic was able to get Fortnite in the App Store. Today’s news comes in the wake of a Judge ordering Apple on May 19 to either resolve the matter or have the “Apple official who is personally responsible” show up in court next week to explain why.

Fortnite has technically been available on Apple devices in other ways for a while now, whether its through the Epic Game Store in the European Union, or game streaming services like Xbox Cloud Gaming and NVIDIA GeForce Now in the US. Returning to the App Store is a symbolic victory. The real prize are the court orders that came from Epic v. Apple.

Assuming they survive Apple’s appeal, they could dramatically reshape Apple’s business and the way apps work on the iPhone.

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The Criterion Collection of video games is finally here
Gaming Gear

The Criterion Collection of video games is finally here

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Video game design studio Lost in Cult announced a new physical game label called Editions. The label will release “prestige” editions of beloved games that include original box art, 40-page booklets, and other extras.

Lost in Cult is best known for releasing books on video game through its Design Works series, as well as vinyl records featuring game soundtracks. Editions is an extension of that work, continuing the design company’s focus on game preservation and curated content. Think of the project as a Criterion Collection for video games, preserving prestigious titles and bundling them with additional context that underlines their importance to the medium.

Three games have been announced for the first wave of releases: Immortality, Thank Goodness You’re Here, and The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow. All three are critically acclaimed indies from this decade (Immortality was Digital Trends’ runner-up choice for game of the year in 2022, narrowly losing to Elden Ring). Each comes with a poster, art cards, a booklet featuring essays and interviews, and more physical extras.

Lost in Cult

All three are available to order now and will retail for £60. Lost in Cult will ship Editions worldwide and says that they will ship within six months, though it is targeting a three month turnaround.

At launch, Editions will only get PS5 and Nintendo Switch releases. Thank Goodness You’re Here will be available on both platforms, Immortality is getting a PS5-only release, and The Excavation of Hobb’s Barrow will be for Switch. There will be a limited number of copies to order for each platform, though Lost in Cult says that it will release standard edition versions of the game at retailers too.

Lost in Cult confirms that Nintendo Switch 2 Editions (not to be confused with … Nintendo Switch 2 Editions) are planned for the future and those will always be “full editions” rather than Game-Key Cards.

More titles are coming soon. While Lost in Cult will skip June, it plans to release its next Edition in July for Nintendo Switch and PS5. It teases that it’s an “artful” game. Future release are planned through 2026.

The first three Editions are available to order now via Lost in Cult.





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