Gaming

Unpacking a multitude of things from The Outer Worlds 2

Now set in another colony far, far away

Published

September 2, 2025

Gab Orlina

We waited six years for this to happen, and it can’t arrive soon enough. On October 29th, Obsidian Entertainment will take us through a new journey within another colony in alternate Earth and its own set of disasters to mitigate. As a sworn peacekeeper of the Earth and its colonies, you will partake in a grand mission filled with twists, turns, and all-out action into The Outer Worlds 2.

Right before that, though, they were gracious enough to give us a glimpse on the action and chaos to experience in The Outer Worlds 2. In the near 20-25 minutes worth of gameplay, here’s my initial two cents on the much awaited sequel:

Fight or flight, do or die

The Outer Worlds 2 returns to its 2019 roots in terms of how you play it — role-playing, NPC shooting, and witty dialoguing. In this game, you play as a member of the Earth Directorate whose main objective is to make sure nothing is amiss between Earth and its colonies. Your task at hand takes you another colony in the realm, Arcadia where you are not particularly welcomed, but a job has to be done.

Throughout the whole preview, it covered all the basic gameplay mechanics: overworld movement, combat, stealth, and inventory management, just to name a few. It didn’t feel any different from how the prequel did it, which is a good thing so as to avoid alienating long-time players too much. Plus, they retained the Tactical Time Dilation module to give you an opportunity to make decisions on the fly with precision.

Conversing with the different characters in the game is also still as dynamic and witty as they could be. Of course, they brought back the skill-based dialoguing in which you can respond to prompts differently depending on your expertise.

Even in the preview, this was a highlight as you can provide insightful observations or simply sweet-talk your way to turn things in your favor. Other skill-based overworld activities are present, so it’s important that players choose their skillsets and upgrades wisely.

More ways to identify yourself

After the opening sequence in the preview, the customization start screen appears and immediately, there are a lot of things to tinker with. Compared to the first game, adjusting every little feature on your character looks and feels more personal and true-to-scale. From facial features to even aging your character ever so slightly, it allows for a ton of creativity to the overall design that wasn’t present before.

Another thing they improved from its predecessor was assigning a background and, subsequently, traits and set of skills for your desired being. Similar to The Outer Worlds, you dictate your character’s background prior to joining the main faction or entity they represent and the buffs they get along with it.

However, not only did Obsidian expand the backgrounds to account for more potential career paths to get out of, but they made it completely agnostic to the traits you assign. I found that to be a nice touch so that you can’t get locked down to a specific set per career!

Speaking of those traits, you actually get to choose either one or two positive traits this time around. These positive traits heavily influence the skills you will get at the start, which as mentioned earlier is an integral part of the overworld gameplay.

Along with this, the game also introduced the choice of a negative trait to balance you out whenever you opt to have two positive traits. It’s just their way of reminding you that even in futuristic Earth, nobody’s perfect!

A glimpse of Arcadia

The whole preview takes place in a command outpost in Arcadia, another future Earth colony handled by megacorporations. From the tech rooms to the battle stations, Obsidian made sure to include just a big enough space to battle-test a lot of the mechanics in one go.

The only thing though is that it isn’t as open of a world just yet, especially as the first couple of scenes are held inside your carrier to Arcadia. However, that didn’t stop me from exploring the level as much as possible to find all sorts of ammo, useful items and information to use against the enemies.

While there really isn’t much to show just yet, the game showcases the dreary and techonlogical motifs quite nicely. They did a fantastic job bringing in the Unreal Engine 5 to improve on the overall aesthetic compared to its predecessor. You will also enjoy a ton of the combat sequences without so much as drastically affecting the background.

However, I would like to see more greenery, or at the very least different locations within Arcadia to fully appreciate the graphical work done.

So many features, and more to come?

Admittedly, The Outer Worlds 2 presents itself with the delicate balance of having a lot of features, old and new, intertwined with a faimiliar feel to the frontier you play in. While gameplay options were highly limited, it didn’t stray away too much from its predecessor. Also, customization right out of the box looks a lot more robust, while already making you be a lot more choiceful.

It’s still too early to tell, but there’s still a lot to be excited about the game in the coming weeks. Hopefully the full length version of it will continue the exhilerating action while touching on some hard-hitting social commentary like its predecessor.

The Outer Worlds 2 will be available on October 29, 2025 for the Playstation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on Steam.

Gaming

The Switch 2 is getting its first Joy-Con color variant

It’s not as showy as the first Switch’s Joy-Cons.

Published

January 9, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

When the Nintendo Switch 2 and its almost-all-black Joy-Cons launched, you might have wondered about how the dual controllers will rock other colors. After all, the original Switch’s ecosystem constantly tempted users with quirky color options. Because the Switch 2 uses a black shell, will future Joy-Cons look just as tempting? Now, we have our answer.

Today, Nintendo has announced its first color variant for the Switch 2 Joy-Con. We should have seen this coming, but the new variant will not have a completely redesigned shell. Instead, the controller will change the colors of the inner rails and the rings around the joysticks. This pair will rock light purple for the left Joy-Con and light green for the right one.

As you enjoy #MarioTennisFever, you’ll also have the opportunity to give your #NintendoSwitch2 a new look!

The first new colored Joy-Con 2 controllers—Light Purple and Light Green—also arrive Feb 12.

Pre-purchase now: https://t.co/xoK6jsePMp pic.twitter.com/JoE8r4oOQl

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) January 8, 2026

It’s a tad bit disappointing, especially when you’re comparing it to the previous model. It’s practically impossible to rep the new colors out in public because the inner rails are hidden by the Switch 2. It also doesn’t help that the console itself will still have its red and blue colors, clashing with the new variant.

That said, the Joy-Cons still look pretty cool when separated from the console. But it all depends on when the console gets more games that use only a single Joy-Con.

Thankfully, that’s coming soon. The color variant will launch alongside the upcoming Mario Tennis Fever, the perfect game for single Joy-Cons. Both will come out on February 12.

The new colors will sell for an eye-watering US$ 99.99.

CES 2026

Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable Concept was possible thanks to TCL CSOT

Also responsible behind the foldable display of the new motorola razr fold

Published

January 8, 2026

Vincenz

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

At this year’s CES 2026 in Las Vegas, TCL CSOT (China Star Optoelectronics Technology) and Lenovo have further proved their long-term partnership. The newest Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable Concept and the motorola razr fold are equipped with displays by TCL CSOT.

Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable Concept

The continuous collaboration of the two mighty Chinese companies bring out something that has been envisioned in laptops for quite a while now.

Ever imagined of a conventional laptop with standard 16:9 display that can instantly stretch into a 21:9 widescreen monitor? Well, the Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable Concept proves it’s more than possible.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Pioneering this partnership starts with TCL CSOT’s rollable display. Dubbed as the Lenovo PureSight OLED Gaming display. From a regular 16-inch 16:9 display, it completely transforms into an ultra-wide screen — stretching between 21.5 all the way to 24 inches.

For gamers and even e-sports athletes who seek visual flexibility (literally and figuratively), the display adapts to three (3) different training phases.

Focus Mode (16 inches) for honing reflexes
Tactical Mode (21.5 inches) for enhanced situational awareness
Arena Mode (24 inches) for full-scale competitive simulation

Behind that rollable display tech by TCL CSOT lies a dual-motor, tension-based system. This not only means that the rollable display can unroll smoothly, the expansion is not just controlled, its contraction also delivers minimal vibration and noise.

There’s also a dedicated tensioning mechanism that ensures consistent tautness across the OLED panel. Low-friction materials then secures durability throughout the rolling cycle.

motorola razr fold

Finally, after a long wait, motorola finally unveils their first-ever book-style foldable.

The motorola razr fold headlines TCL CSOT’s 8.1-inch 2K LTPO flexible inner display. And unlike most foldable offerings in the market today, it supports a stylus!

When closed, its 6.6-inch external display delivers the familiarity of a candy-bar smartphone. Furthermore, its sleek, striking, and slim silhouette will feel comfortable in one’s hands.

Not much has been shared but more details will soon be unfolded by motorola.

The Co-Innovation Legacy

The steady legacy of TCL CSOT and Lenovo has already delivered consumer-ready products past the convention center show floor showcase.

Those include the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i with a flexible 4K OLED display unveiled at CES 2025. Even the motorola razr 60 series flip-style foldables launched last July 2025 was not missed.

And, with the introduction of the Legion Pro Rollable Concept and the motorola razr fold, both companies continue to turn advanced display research into practical, user-focused products — setting new standards for performance, comfort, and sustainability.

With past display innovations, these newer advancements offer a more immersive viewing experience, better eye comfort, and flexiblility across various user applications.

This continuous collaboration highlights the companies shared commitment to advancing display technology and elevating the visual experience for users worldwide.

TCL CSOT’s constant strive for innovation is mainly driven by their APEX values:

A-mazing Display Experience
P-rotective of Eye Health
E-co-Friendly to build and use; and
X-Unlimited Imaginative Potential

Jun Zhao, the Senior Vice President of TCL Technology and CEO of TCL CSOT, states that the company is dedicated in providing Lenovo high-quality displays and custom diplay solutions that turn advanced technology into something “We are dedicated to providing Lenovo with high-quality, custom display solutions that turn advanced technology into everyday excellence, and

He also says “they look forward to exploring new frontiers together.”

CES 2026

This Razer AI companion can tell you how much of a noob you are

The brand also unveiled an AI headset and an immersive gaming chair.

Published

January 7, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Whenever you’re playing a single-player game, do you miss the toxic banter of teammates telling you how bad you are? Sometimes, it feels impossible to play without another voice in your ear. For those moments, Razer reintroduced Project AVA, an AI desk companion designed to keep you company while gaming and for more.

Project AVA

Technically, Razer already introduced the AI companion during last year’s CES 2025. This year, however, the brand has added more functionalities to the upcoming product, turning the device from a mere esports coach into an actual companion.

Previously, the assistant can use your camera, eye-tracking, audio input, and the screen to tell you how to get better in your chosen game. Now, Razer has added the ability to help you with everyday tasks like organizing schedules and suggesting fits.

Additionally, users can choose between a variety of 5-inch animated holograms as avatars, such as Kira, Zane, and even Japan’s favorite salary woman SAO. Users can also pick personalities for them from sassy to friendly.

Since it’s still a concept, there’s no word on when Project AVA will be available as a finished product.

Project Motoko

Last month, we reviewed the BlackShark V3 Pro, one of the most comfortable gaming headsets we’ve tried. Not content with prioritizing comfort, Razer has now added AI to a headset.

Project Motoko showcases a headset that uses AI technology to anticipate your needs. Besides a flurry of microphones, the headset uses two cameras positioned at eye level to analyze your surroundings. Razer says it can even track how many reps you’ve done at the gym and summarize a document you’re looking at.

Because the software is specifically designed to detect your surroundings, it can reportedly heighten your senses and find things you might have missed from your peripheral vision. Additionally, it can heighten your hearing and amplify conversations and sounds you might find important.

Project Madison

To cap it all off, Razer also unveiled an immersive gaming chair. Project Madison is a chair that uses lighting, audio, and haptic feedback to deliver an immersive gaming experience.

First of all, the chair uses Razer’s iconic Chroma RGB to simulate your surroundings while playing a game. With 16.8 million colors, it makes you feel visually immersed in your game.

Secondly, the chair has THX Spatial Audio. On its own, the chair’s speakers can provide audio immersion. Further, if you pair it with front speakers, you can upgrade this to a 7.1 surround sound system.

Thirdly, Project Madison features Razer Sensa HD Haptics to deliver a tactile sensation that makes you feel every impact and explosion.