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Weekend Gamer: Summer of Gaming 2025

ROG Xbox Ally (Holiday 2025) Xbox Games Showcase (June 8, 2025) Summer Game Fest (June 6, 2025) Nintendo Switch 2 (June 5, 2025) Read More ROG Ally Now enter the ROG Ally from Asus. The ROG Ally will address all the things that I wanted in my Steam Deck: Windows, faster chip, better screen, higher resolution … Xbox The much-rumored Xbox Handheld, codename Keenan, is coming to us closer than you think (I first mentioned this in Nov 2024)! The details are exclusively from a report … Game Awards I normally don’t do live streams, but when I got home from work today, YouTube was heavily promoting the livestream of The Game Awards (happening at exactly the time I turned on my computer). … Nintendo Switch Everybody knew the Nintendo Switch 2 was coming… after all, it’s been eight years since the original Switch launched and in the last few years, the original Switch just …

As the resident Weekend Gamer, I am obligated to mention the craziness of this week in Summer Gaming! Traditionally, since most kids are outside during the summer, game sales are poor… so the gaming industry would announce games in the summer for games to be on sale this holiday or year end.

Right now, June 8th, there is Xbox Games Showcase 2025 … followed by The Outer Worlds 2 Direct.

This promises “the biggest Summer of Games”, as Microsoft Games show off their 2025-2026 lineup, through this interview and trailer livestream.

The first big announcement is that the ROG Xbox Ally (the official name) is coming Holiday 2025 and available in AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme variant or less powerful (and cheaper) Z2A version. Depending on its price (it needs to be under $700), I will likely buy the new ROG Xbox Ally.

After the showcase (which I’ll have to update after the event), there will be a direct with The Outer Worlds 2. Despite being excited about the first game, I bought it and have admitted that the first game is not good. I do not like The Outer Worlds, I felt that it was dumb and I did not appreciate the level-scaling in the game. I’m not sure if you can turn it off, but I wish the game didn’t have level-scaling. All this to say, that I do not care for The Outer Worlds 2, I’m sorry to say!

On Friday, June 6th, there was Summer Game Fest 2025, followed by Day of the Devs. I did not watch Day of the Devs, which obviously is a nod towards the classic zombie film Day of the Dead, because I wasn’t interested in indie gaming or how developers talked about their games.

I did watch Summer Game Fest, hosted by Geoff Keighley and Lucy James. There were some big games announced, most of them were exclusive to the platform. The biggest game revealed was Resident Evil Requiem, but I was kind of curious about Atomic Heart 2 (a shooter) and Mixtape (which has some great music from DEVO, Jesus and Mary Chain, Roxy Music, Lush, Portishead, The Smashing Pumpkins, Iggy Pop, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Joy Division, the Cure, and more).

Compare to Keighley’s The Game Awards, Summer Game Fest is less impressive, but it’s more focused in what it’s trying to deliver - which are games coming out soon-ish.

All this amidst the launch of the Switch 2, which landed in stores on June 5, 2025. Nintendo, not confident in their system, would not allow anyone to use the Switch 2 until launch day, as a giant patch was pending on day one. In order to play any game, you had to have an internet connection to download the patch. Some journalists, such as Destin tried to play a game offline and was visibly unhappy with the results. Even if you own the physical game, you’re not allowed to play the game.

I’ve seen other console disc collectors have sworn off on the digital apocalypse and they are not happy with the Switch 2. While there are some games, such as Cyberpunk 2077 that is available on a physical card, most games are digital only or as “Game-Key”. The Game-Key is basically a digital game, only it has restrictions. If you “insert” the Game-Key on a device, you cannot play that game on another device until you “eject it” and “insert” it in the second device. All the annoyance of a physical game, but none of the benefit!

I have already mentioned that I will not be buying the Switch 2, because I could not justify paying $80-$90 for their games… or do I want to pay a subscription to use GameChat or pay money to play online.

Instead of spending $500 on the Switch 2, I’m going to put that money towards the ROG Xbox Ally.

Yours,

Weekend Gamer
[email protected]

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Weekend Gamer: Update (May 2025)

Galaga Arcade1Up Read More Arcade1Up So, I accidentally bought my second Arcade1Up, an Atari's Asteroids machine. Of all the cabinets that Arcade1Up released, this was my least desirable.…

Now that I’m starting to settle down in Jacksonville, I’ve been requesting shows in the area to get a better lay of the land. Right now, the only venues I’ve been to are Decca Live and Jack Rabbits. Jack Rabbits, based on the bands they are booking, is fast becoming my favorite venue in Jax.

Tonight, I’ll be heading out to Underbelly, or rather re-named/re-branded to Albatross. I know ‘underbelly’ sounds scummy and shady, but at least it’s a known name for the last decade. With the new name, I’m not sure what that is! Is it a bird?

Anyway, hopefully I’ll get to check out more music in the area.

As for the gaming, I finally got around to putting together my Galaga Arcade1Up. I’ve had this thing in the original box for more than a year, because I knew eventually, I had to move to Jacksonville, and it was just easier to leave things in its compact state. When I put it together, I soon realized I did not bring my Pac-Man and Street Fighter II console controllers… so instead of putting the Galaga side art, I prefer the bright yellowness of the Pac-Man side.

I seriously don’t really have the space for these cabinets. If you’re in the same boat, do yourself a favor and invest in a cab that has a ton of games on it, rather than a cab that only plays Galaga and Galaxian. That’s my biggest complaint about these first generation Arcade1Up machines. For about $300 (on sale), you can get a Pac-Man machine that has 14 other games on it, including Galaga.

My computer is all setup. I lost two computer monitors in the move (all my fault), but thankfully Alienware OLED monitor is in working order. I had the original Alienware box with all the protective cardboard that helped with the long move. I suggest, if you are planning on moving, to keep the original box, if you can.

I also kind of lost my Corsair keyboard, so I’m using my Asus Azoth keyboard, as my main driver, with a cheap (but very good) Inland 10-key. Both are wireless, but sometime I’ll plug them in to recharge the battery or have instant connection (to conserve battery when in Bluetooth mode, the devices often go to sleep).

I also lost my Razer Speakers (it just broke in the move!), so now I’ve reverted back to an old Sony Portable Bluetooth Speaker. This thing is built like a tank and just as heavy… but it still works after 11 years and it sounds great. I have other speakers in the house, but this one has the best sound (in my opinion).

In free video games news, Dead Island 2 is currently free on Epic Games. I bought this game when it first came out in 2023 on Steam. I got it on sale and never really played it… one day, maybe last year, I found out I got an automatic next-gen upgrade for Dead Island 2 for free. That’s the cool thing about PC gaming… unlike Nintendo or Sony that charges $10 for something like this.

If you have Amazon Prime (gaming.amazon.com), you can get Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus for FREE on Xbox/PC (Games Anywhere). The Xbox free games are great, I previously got Wolfenstein: Old Blood, Wolfenstein: Youngblood and Mindcraft Legends for Xbox. I love it, keep it up with the free Xbox games! At the rate we’re going, I feel like we’re going to get Doom next.

Yours,

Weekend Gamer
[email protected]

Weekend Gamer’s Keyboard

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The age of the $80 video games

Xbox Retail Prices as of May 1, 2025 Read More Xbox The much-rumored Xbox Handheld, codename Keenan, is coming to us closer than you think (I first mentioned this in Nov 2024)! The details are exclusively from a report …

The age of the $80 video games is here. It was first announced by Nintendo with its pricing for Mario Kart World.

Now, it is the norm, as Xbox announced their first-party games will now be increased to $80, starting this holiday season. I’m actually not surprise by this move, and I expect Sony will not be far behind in their own announcement of their PlayStation 5 games raising to $80 as well.

While this news is disappointing, I feel this was a strategic move on MicroSoft to drive sales to the best deal in video gaming Xbox Game Pass. This is basically the Netflix of video gaming, and I have previously commented that, “It doesn’t even make any sense how MicroSoft is even making money off Game Pass.”

For as little as $12 a month for Game Pass for PC ($1 to join!), you can play all the $80 games you can manage. I have previously tested the waters with Starfield, Avowed, Oblivion Remastered, and others… I won’t touch games like Assassin’s Creed Shadows, because it’s not on Game Pass (and I refuse to pay full $70 price for it).

The only problem with Game Pass is that you don’t own the games, as soon as you cancel your subscription, you don’t have access to these games.

The other sad news is that Xbox also raised all their hardware and accessories in the US and Canada, starting today (May 1).

The base Series S is now $380, and the Series X is $550. All other hardware prices have had about a 20% increase on all their prices across the board.

While it’s not stated, most gamers understand this is due to President Donald Trump’s 145% tariffs on China and 49% on other Eastern Asian countries. Most electronic parts are put together from that part of the country, so naturally the companies bringing them into America will have to pay that extra tariff cost … and ultimately “passing the savings” to its consumers.

Like it or not, but gaming has never been more expensive.

This is to say that these $80 video games will price me out of the hobby. I’ve already said that the current $70 games are way too expensive. While Game Pass is a way to “rent” all the new and current games… it’s not a great solution for those who wants the ability to play their game offline (Game Pass requires online connection to verify that your subscription is active). As games are becoming more expensive to play, gamers will become pirates or find other means.

Yours,

Weekend Gamer
[email protected]

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Weekend Gamer: Oblivion Remastered Deluxe

Oblivion Remastered Deluxe Read More Weekend Gamer Bethesda and Xbox shadow dropped the new The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered yesterday (April 22, 2025). Prior to the release, there were a few leaks, showcasing the new Oblivion ....

This is just an update on the new The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered game that was released last week (April 22, 2025). The Remastered is doing really well, as the developer Bethesda announced that they have over 4 million players playing the game.

As you know, I hated the game when I bought it in 2006, because of the level scaling. It just sucked that when I’m level 20, everybody else is also at 20, so there was never a feeling of accomplishments. You can beat the game at level 1, basically (because the boss will be at level 1 also).

In an interview published yesterday (April 28) on Videogamer.com, the original Oblivion designer Bruce Nesmith said the “world levelling …. was a mistake.”

I agree, I hated this feature… and the same world scale also exists in the Remastered version. This just means that I’m probably not going to complete the game until they fix this problem. I’ve read that fans have made plugins to fix this leveling problem, but it seems like a lot of work to just make the game playable for me.

So, yes, I did dip into the game, via “the best deal in gaming” Xbox Game Pass, just to check it out. My god, the Remastered game looks amazing! I had to install the original 2006 version from GOG (on sale for $5), just for comparison. Comparing the game model for the emperor below, you can see a massive difference in fidelity and details.

The other very nice thing they added in the Remastered version is game controller support! I’ve been playing a lot of games on the Xbox controller, and it works better for me, because I like to lean back on my chair.

Plus, the game, at least on ‘medium’ setting for me, runs like a champ on my NVIDIA 3060 card. I should try and push it to ‘high’ to see if there is a noticeable difference. I don’t know how much more time I’ll sink into it due to the scaling leveling… but it sure does look very good.

It makes me very excited that the pending Fallout 3 Remastered… which is the next game that is on Bethesda’s schedule. Since they got Oblivion Remastered to work out so well, just imagine applying that same formula (new graphics, but with the logic and gameplay of the original game) on the old Fallout games! Let’s go!!!

Oblivion 2006 vs Oblivion Remastered (2025)

Yours,

Weekend Gamer
[email protected]

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Weekend Gamer: Oblivion Remastered

Oblivion Remastered Read More Video Games I would probably bet we’ll hear something new for the Elder Scrolls series… or even just mention that they’re working on a new single-player Fallout game. ....

Bethesda and Xbox shadow dropped the new The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered yesterday (April 22, 2025). Prior to the release, there were a few leaks, showcasing the new Oblivion vs the original from 2006.

First of all, calling this a Remastered is a bit of a misnomer, because I feel like this is basically a “Remake”, because the entire game was reproduced on the Unreal Engine 5… so everything looks much better, thanks to the modern engine and higher fidelity. Some audios were re-recorded, they reworked the leveling system … everything was basically re-done. This goes far and above a ‘remaster.’’

Second, I do not like Oblivion. I bought the game in 2006 and hated the way the game level-scale to your character… I was already in the ‘hell’ area going through one of the gates and all the enemies were my level. I hated this. It didn’t matter if I level up, all those enemies will also level up.

They said the Remastered actually fixed the levelling system, but I haven’t tried out the new game yet. The game is basically ‘free’ if you have Xbox Game Pass, so I’ll have to try out the game soon (as soon as I finish Last of Us Part II). If I decide to end my subscription, the game is reasonably priced at $50. If I am to buy the game, I would make sure to buy it via the MicroSoft App store to ensure getting the “Play Anywhere” feature.

It’s so weird to think about it, because although I hated Oblivion, I actually love the next game in the series: Skyrim. I have bought Skyrim again and again, on various platforms.

The only good news I have is that with the leaks for Oblivion Remastered turning out to be true… the same rumors were said for Fallout 3, for release in 2026. That is amazing news. Unlike Oblivion, I love Fallout 3 and am looking forward to this upcoming release.

Yours,

Weekend Gamer
[email protected]

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Weekend Gamer: Play Anywhere

Xbox Play Anywhere Details Buy once, play anywhere Games that support Xbox Play Anywhere play on PC and Xbox console at no additional cost. Progress goes with you Pick up where you left off on PC, Xbox console, or supported handhelds - bringing all your saves, game add-ons, and achievements with you. Xbox Play Anywhere badge 1,000 games and growing Games that support Xbox Play Anywhere have a badge in the Store on xbox.com, console, and PC. Read More Xbox The much-rumored Xbox Handheld, codename Keenan, is coming to us closer than you think (I first mentioned this in Nov 2024)! The details are exclusively from a report …

I’ve been a big fan of Xbox Play Anywhere (XPA) program for a few years now, and was happy to hear from the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in California, that Xbox announced over 1,000 titles (they’re also counting the future titles South of Midnight and Doom: The Dark Ages) are now Xbox Play Anywhere.

As you can see from the marketing, “Buy once, play across PC, Xbox consoles, and supported gaming handhelds.” That ‘handheld’ wording is probably referencing the ROG Ally or the future Xbox Handheld.

The announcement via xbox.com:

As we touched on earlier this week, there are now over 1,000 developers utilizing Xbox Play Anywhere (XPA) for their games, bringing their amazing experiences to players across a variety of devices they own.

If you’ve never heard of XPA before, let us give you a refresher: when you buy a digital game that supports XPA through the Xbox Store or the Windows Store, it’s available to play on your Xbox console, Windows 10/11 PC, and supported handheld gaming devices at no additional cost. Even better, your progression comes with you across all platforms.

Yes, lately the only titles I will buy are the ones with Play Anywhere, because it was basically a two-for-one-deal for me. I buy the game once on the PC and it will automatically show up on my Xbox. However, there are some problems with XPA, and I’ll address them below.

First of all, not all games are XPA compatible, as you can see from that 1,000 number (it was much, much lower prior to this announcement). This is due to the game developers needing to opt-in to the XBA terms of service. Also, I suppose some developers wants you to re-buy their game on the Xbox.

The other problem is I bought some games on the Xbox consoles, and they do not show up on my PC Xbox App. In order to take advantage of Play Anywhere, you must purchase the game on the PC using the Windows Store. I don’t know why it’s a one-way street, so now I will only buy Xbox games using the Windows store.

This brings me to the last problem with Xbox Play Anywhere – they rarely have any good or decent sales on the PC store. You see regular weekly sales on the Xbox consoles (and they’re often much cheaper) than the PC store. The last time I bought something on the Xbox App was during Black Friday, and the discount weren’t even that great.

Right now, I don’t have a large Xbox library, but as more titles are available as XPA, going forward, I would prefer to buy those titles on Xbox, vs Steam… although I hate to say it, but currently, but lately, my go-to launcher is the Epic Games app (I currently have 515 titles). I’m currently playing Vampire Survivors, thanks to getting the game for free last year.

Every week I am adding a free title on Epic Games. This week the free game is Jurassic World Evolution 2, which originally came out in 2021 for full price. While I’m not really that interested in playing a dinosaur game… I still add the game to my library. Who knows, maybe in a few months or years, I will check it out when I’m bored.

Yours,

Weekend Gamer
[email protected]

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Weekend Gamer: Xbox Keenan

Codename: Keenan Read More Xbox One and a half month into Xbox Game Pass, I’m happy to report that it is an insane deal. It doesn’t even make any sense how MicroSoft is even making money off Game Pass… …

The much-rumored Xbox Handheld, codename Keenan, is coming to us closer than you think (I first mentioned this in Nov 2024)! The details are exclusively from a report via Windows Central. It’s set to be released this year (probably before Christmas to make for the maximum sale) and it is as much as I suspected: MicroSoft is just going to get a manufacturer to make their handheld. I think they are going to partner with Asus, who make the ROG Ally (my favorite handheld), to redesign an Xbox-branded ROG Ally. There will be some key difference, probably the branding and also that Xbox Button that you find on all their controller. The Xbox button would bring up a hotbar – similar to what you get when you’re playing on an Xbox Series X or S.

So why do I think MicroSoft is going with Asus? Simply because Lenovo has already partnered with Steam for their Steam-only device of their Legion Go S, which I mentioned in Jan 2025. On the same logic, perhaps it would also make sense that Lenovo will offer both a Steam Edition and Xbox Edition, with that custom Xbox Button for their Legion Go S.

Of course, maybe Xbox would just go with a fairly unknown company… for example, MSI (maker of The Claw) will do anything to stand out with a partnership with Xbox. To be perfectly honest, it’s probably Xbox’s best interests to just partner with everyone, so they can dominate the handheld landscape. If anything, I want MicroSoft to produce a lean, mean operating system specifically for video games for the handheld.

I’m in the process of moving, so I don’t want more stuff… but hearing about this Xbox handheld, I will break my rule and buy this – just to see what Xbox can bring to the table with their official handheld!

Yours,

Weekend Gamer
[email protected]

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Weekend Gamer: Pillars of Eternity

Pillars of Eternity: Collector’s Edition Details Play as any one of six races: Human, Aumaua, Dwarf, Elf, Godlike and Orlan. Utilize five core skills to overcome any situation: Stealth, Athletics, Lore, Mechanics and Survival. Deep character customization: Build a character as one of eleven classes such as Barbarian, Chanter, Cipher, Druid, Fighter, Monk, Paladin, Priest, Ranger, Rogue and Wizard. Sculpt your own story: Side with various factions using a reputation system, where your actions and choices have far reaching consequences. Explore a rich and diverse world: Beautiful pre-rendered environments laced with an engaging story and characters bring the world to life. Read More Pillars of Eternity I am loving the RPG game Pillars of Eternity, which just came out yesterday. Since I'm a big fan of Black Isle's Icewind Dale and Baldur's Gate, I felt right at home with Pillars. This game plays like ..…

Back in late October, I started re-playing the original Pillars of Eternity with the intention of beating it. I did technically “rolled credits”, but it wasn’t an ending that I wanted. So I restarted the game to beat it properly, because I was going to skip over Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Originally excited for the game, but after seeing all the negative reviews, I’ve decided to not play it at all.

To be fair, not all the reviews were negative. All the positive reviews are from people who weren’t fans or didn’t play previous Dragon Age games. All the original Dragon Age fans absolutely hated The Veilguard. They said it’s an OK game, but it’s doesn’t deserve the Dragon Age name.

Anyway, back to Pillars of Eternity, you might remember that I first bought the game in March 2015, and did put in some hours into the game. I got to the third (and final) act of the game, but for whatever reason, I never finished the game. I think, perhaps, I got stuck and didn’t know where to go next.

Continuing the game save that I started in 2015 was not possible, because I have very poor memory and didn’t know what was going on. So, I had to restart the game with a new character build.

I have to say that the game aged very well. It’s still a very good game, especially because the graphics look so good! I put in another 40 hours and now I’m starting Act III, about the same spot where I left off in my original game. This time, however, I also bought the two expansions: The Winter March I and II, so before I finish the game, I will start the Winter March.

Also, I wasn’t one of the Kickstarter that helped launch Pillars of Eternity, but I did end up buying a used copy of Collector’s Edition (this was only available to backers). The big box didn’t really have anything that amazing: a DVD of the game, a “cloth” map, an instruction manual, and an apology letter from the developers saying the DVD will be sent later. I did research and found out that I was missing a thank you postcard, a patch, a mousepad, and a guidebook. I didn’t really mind it, because I only paid $25 for the Collector’s Box. I might try and track down that guidebook later.

Anyway, I stopped playing Pillars when I came down to Jacksonville, simply because my save files are on my desktop computer in Minneapolis, because I was playing it on Xbox App. I’ve already put in 112 hours into the game, I feel like I’ve beaten the game, my character is God-like… I think I can put a pin in it and can rate the game highly recommended for fans of top-down role-playing games.

I will started playing Pillars of Eternity 2 soon-ish.

P.S. GOG, for some reason, is not tracking my achievements for Pillars of Eternity for the GOG version.

Yours,

Weekend Gamer
[email protected]

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Weekend Gamer: Go! Go! Zo!

      Weekend Gamer here.

      With CES (Consumer Electronics Show) coming up on January 7, I am hearing all these rumors about what to expect in the popular computer handheld market: Lenovo Legion Go S (two variants), Legion Go 2, Atari Gamestation Go, Zotac Zone 2. If true (or false), I will update this article with additional details after January 7.

Legion Go S Read More Lenovo Legion Go As you know, I recently purchased the Lenovo Legion Go, and I’ve been enjoying it. Of course, as soon as I bought it, there’s already rumors of a Legion Go 2, which may come out in 2025. The biggest feature will likely be a … Steam There’s no more waiting… You can now buy Steam Deck, right now, without reservation. According to steampowered, it’s been more than a year since it was first announced, but due to numerous supply chain issues and …

LEGION GO S
lenovo.com

      In my original rumor in November 2024, I mentioned that the we’re getting a “Legion Go Gen 2 and Legion Go Lite”. It would seem that not only are we getting two new Legion Go’s, but three.

      There will be two Legion Go S, a black one running SteamOS and a white one running Windows 11. As I previously mentioned, the S models are smaller, with no detachable controllers, and less powerful than the regular Legion Go… so I am not interested in this. The only way I would be interested in the S model is if the price is attractive. For example, I had no interests in the Xbox Series S model, but when I saw it on sale for $199, I bought one (even though I already had a Series X).

      I am also not interested in running SteamOS on the Legion Go S, because I want to GOG or Xbox Game Pass… however, I can see why people would want a better Steam handheld. The current Steam Decks are old, by technology’s standards, and from my understanding, Valve (the maker of Steam), will not release new Steam Deck 2 for another few years.

      What I am really interested in is the Legion Go 2 with a new AMD Z2 chip. I like the first one, but I want a bigger, faster, and kickass version. I hope Lenovo fix everything wrong in the new version. For example, maybe add a second fan or redesign the Legion Go for better cooling. Right now, my Legion Go overheats due to the SSD running too hot and the device’s inability to cool it with one fan.

Gamestation Go Read More Arcade1Up So, I accidentally bought my second Arcade1Up, an Atari's Asteroids machine. Of all the cabinets that Arcade1Up released, this was my least desirable.…

GAMESTATION GO
atari.com

      Atari will be heading into the crowded handheld market with their new Gamestation Go, announced via a twitter post.

      Look, I have absolutely NO INTEREST in this. Here is the reason why: the Gamestation Go is not going to be very powerful. It doesn’t have to be to run 50 year old games. Plus, I am assuming this thing can ONLY RUN Atari games. You know what else can run Atari games? The ROG Ally or Legion Go!!!

      Before I dismiss it, I will confess that the reasons why people will want the Gamestation Go is that there are controls unique to old Atari games. Such as a trak-ball, padding, and the 10-key numpad that you see in the image. Most modern handhelds won’t have those unusual controllers, so if you are hardcore serious about your old Centipede or Breakout games… yeah it makes sense that you would want a Gamestation Go. Me? I’m going to hard pass on this.

Zotac Zone 2 Read More Nitro Blaze 7 In other PC handheld news, Acer has also entered the crowded handheld market with the announcement of the Acer Nitro Blaze 7, via their website. There’s nothing really new or interesting here …

ZOTAC ZONE 2
zotac.com

      The Zotac Zone came out last year. The only thing that sets it apart is the AMOLED screen and control dials and two trackpads and webcam. This thing is truly a mini-laptop… and comes at a cost of nearly $800. Even if you wanted one, you currently can’t even buy it. I’ve looked online, it’s just not available to buy as of this writing (January 2025).

      Despite not being able to buy it, Video Cardz is reporting that we are already getting a Zotac Zone 2 with an upgraded Ryzen AI 300 chip and upgraded RAM and SSD.

      The thing is, how do you know you have the Version 2 vs the first version? Does it come in white or have some sort of distinguishing look to set it apart?

      Like all these new PC handhelds entering the market in 2024 and 2025 (such as the Acer Nitro Blaze 7 which was announced last year), I feel like it’s already too late. By now, every gamer who wanted a handheld already put their money in a device. I mean, I, as the Weekend Gamer, have already purchased a Steam Deck, a ROG Ally, and a Lenovo Legion Go. I don’t really need another handheld… unless you’re going to offer me some insane deals or have a feature that really stands out.

      I will add that I get why these PC manufacturers want to get into the handheld action. If you make gaming laptops, it just makes sense to reuse or design it in a way to fit in a handheld device. Just because I don’t need a gaming laptop, there is always someone out there that needs a laptop. The same can be said for a gaming handheld. Also, you know what they say, the more the merrier. In this case, if that means cheaper prices with more competition, I am all for it.

      There’s no rumors of ROG Ally 2 appearing at CES… but who knows? Maybe we might get an announcement. Based on the release of the ROG Ally X in May 2024, we may start seeing a new ROG Ally release every year on the anniversary of the ROG Ally. That means we probably won’t see the ROG Ally 2 until June 2025.

     

Yours,

Weekend Gamer
[email protected]

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TekTok: Candy Con and Standard Notes

Read more Technology.

Candy Con Features Wireless: Wireless freedom with Bluetooth 5.0 delivering lag-free connectivity up to 25ft. 10 Hr Battery: Long-lasting power with a built-in 600mAH battery offering up to 10 hours of uninterrupted playtime. Triggers/Buttons: Take your gameplay to the next level with precision Linear Triggers, Turbo options and 2 x Programmable Back Buttons. Rumble: Dual Rumble with 3 levels of vibration. Motion Controls: Gyroscopic Motion Controls Your Controller: Personalize your controller with a full line of swappable faceplates, d-pads and thumb sticks – sold separately. NOTE: CANDY CON controllers are compatible with Switch and PC. Hall Effect Thumb Grips as Standard: Hall effect joystick adopts magnetic induction principle, close to 0 wear and tear under normal use, effectively prolonging the life of the joystick. Drift resistant, 5 million service life. High smoothness paired with joystick algorithm. Read More Xbox These custom Xbox Design Lab Controllers can get very expensive. If you want metallic triggers, that’s an extra $10. If you want rubber grips, that’s extra… You can go all out and spend about $200 on a controller. …

Candy Con
candyconlab.com

This may be a Gamestop exclusive, as I cannot find this Candy Con for sale anywhere, including Amazon, which will only show you candy corn.

First of all, I own a lot of controllers. May over a dozen controllers, mostly Xbox and Switch controllers. Why do I have so many? Most of them are because of the art and design. For example, I own at least three Fallout controllers, including the recent limited edition Xbox Design Lab Controllers.

Anyway, recently, I made an impulse purchase of the Candy Con when I saw the Transformers Soundwave Combo Pack. This is a pre-designed set that you can use with the base Candy Con controllers. The base unit, which comes in black or white, will cost $35, and with the Transformers faceplates (held in place with magnets), it’ll cost you another $17, for a total of a little over $50.

What I like about this design is obviously you can mix and match the controller to your preference. Not feeling Soundwave today? You can change it up to Hotrod’s design, etc.

The other cool thing is that you can use this as a wired USB-C, or you can use it wireless using the PC dongle or Bluetooth. The advertisement on the box says for Nintendo Switch or PC, but if you use the wired USB-C to your Xbox, I’m sure it’ll work just fine as it uses the standard controller configuration (although I have not tested this out myself). There is a button on the back of the controller, default to PC, but you can move it to Switch.

Since the controller was designed as a Switch controller, it does come with Dual Rumble and Gyroscopic Motion Controls, which I personally don’t care for.

The triggers use Linear Triggers as well as Hall Effect Thumb Grips (this means no stick drift).

Overall, I think for the price, this is a good product, especially for the customization. My only complaint is that wireless dongle is very large and I wish there was a way to store the dongle on the controller, when I’m not using it. I just know I will lose the dongle.

The other thing I didn’t care for but the select and menu button are tiny buttons at the bottom of the controller with a “-“ and “+” icon. There is also middle button is not label; I have no idea what this button does. I am assuming this is the share button (screen capture or video recording).

I have never used the back macro buttons, but I like the fact that it’s there. The way I use my controllers, I never feel the need to create a custom function.

Standard Notes About Standard Notes Standard Notes is a private and secure end-to-end encrypted notes app. It allows you to write and sync your notes across all your devices, including your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and web browser. Private means your notes are end-to-end encrypted, so only you can read your notes. Even we can't read the contents of your notes. Simple means it does one job and does it well. Standard Notes is a safe and lasting place for your life's work. Our focus is making it easy to write notes wherever you are and syncing them with encryption to all your devices. Our users love us for: • Personal Notes • Tasks & Todos • Passwords & Keys • Code & Technical Procedures • Private Journal • Meeting Notes • Cross-platform Scratchpad • Books, Recipes, & Movies • Health & Fitness Log Read More Google Keep I also like the mousepad, but it doesn’t always work with all the applications. For example, it doesn’t seem to work with Google’s Keep. I am assuming it will work better with native Apple Applications, such as Safari or their iOS Mail App. …

Standard Notes
standardnotes.com

Ever since I said goodbye to Google (because they were demanding $50 a month for their services), I have been searching for a Google Keep alternative. What I like about Google Keep was that it was non-formatted text and I can sync and access my notes on my phone to my desktop PC. I used to use Apple’s Notes App, but since they updated to rich (formatted) text, it became unusable to me. I can’t use Microsoft’s One Note either because there’s no way to remove formatting.

The best plain text-only application I have found is called Standard Notes, available for free on iOS, MacOS, Android, and Windows. I love this software! I use it to take quick notes on my phone, and when I’m at home, I can access those notes on my computer. If you don’t want to install their application, you can sign in on their web interface, just as long as you remember the link or bookmark it.

Again, I’m only interested in the plain text aspect. I copy and paste things from the web and I do not want or care for the formatting, so Standard Notes is the perfect program for me.

Here’s my workflow. I will take quick notes on my iPhone at a concert. Maybe during the show, I might look up a lyric online. I’ll copy the title of the song and paste it in Standard Notes. You can understand why I do not care for any formatting, because I’m only interested in the text. Now that I have all my notes, I will access it on my desktop at home.

This is how I use Standard Notes, so I am happy with the bare-bones features. However, if you wanted to use it as journaling book or edit and create formulas and rich formatting, you have two additional paid options: Productivity and Professional.

If you want to use rich text or 2FA authenticator services, offline file access, and other features, it’ll cost you $90 or $120 a year. The prices are competitive with, say Evernote, which is $129.99 a year for personal, and $169.99 a year for professional.

Right note, Standard Notes is running a Black Friday Sale, so the prices are half-off at $45 and $60, respectively.

I don’t need all the bells and whistles; the free plain text note syncing is exactly what I need.

Yours,

Weekend Gamer
[email protected]

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