PANTHER LAKE IS FINE. NUDE HORSE DENIED. CABLES STILL REQUIRED.

Dusting Off the Relics: A Look at the State of Play - November 26th, 2025

Alright, settle in, young’uns. Grimbly31 here, and lemme tell ya, the digital world hasn’t slowed down one bit. Been watching the glow of screens since before you were a gleam in your parent's eye, and I’ve seen trends come and go. Right now? It’s all about squeezing every last drop of performance out of our rigs, and… well, Black Friday. Always Black Friday.

Honestly, the deals this year are… potent. Back in my day, “deals” meant finding a slightly dented box at the back of the electronics store. Now? Crucial SSDs at prices that make me question reality? The Hyte Y70 case in pastel? What is this, a fever dream? I remember building systems out of salvaged parts and praying the floppy drive wouldn't fail. These kids have it easy. Easy, I say! Though, that ROG keyboard at its lowest ever price is tempting. A man needs tactile feedback, even an old one.

Speaking of rigs, I’ve been keeping an eye on the chatter around Intel's Panther Lake processors. Geekbench scores are trickling in, and… honestly, it’s not the revolution some were hoping for. Don’t get me wrong, incremental improvements are always good, but we’re not talking about a leap into another dimension. It feels… sensible. A refinement, not a rebirth. That's fine. Give me stability over raw power any day.

And while we're talking under the hood, PCIe 5.0 SSDs are still looming on the horizon. Everyone’s asking when they'll be essential. My take? Patience. We’re still learning how to truly use the bandwidth. Wi-Fi 7 is starting to properly roll out, and that feels more immediately beneficial, especially if you’re one of those streamers I keep hearing about.

On the software front, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is out. Honestly, I’m more interested in what's happening with Embracer Group. Selling off Arc Games and Star Trek Online’s developer, Cryptic Studios? That’s… a move. They’re holding onto Remnant 2 though, which is a smart call. That game has legs. And speaking of sales, the Suikoden Remastered Collection is seeing a sweet price cut. Classic.

But the weirdest story this week? Valve rejecting a game about… well, nude horses. Yeah, you heard that right. Some indie dev put a lot of work into it, and Steam said "no." Apparently, even in this wild age of digital freedom, there are still lines. Makes you think, doesn’t it?

Finally, a little something for the mocap folks. It's good to see a bit of credit where it's due. That actor, Maxence Cazorla, thanking Charlie Cox for acknowledging his work on Clair Obscur? That's how it should be. These digital worlds don’t build themselves, and the people behind the pixels deserve respect.

So there you have it. A snapshot of the gaming world, as seen through the weary eyes of an old gamer. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go browse those Black Friday deals. A man can always use a new cable. Or maybe… just maybe… that pastel case. Don't tell anyone.