Windows Central

1. Don't build up Forza Horizon 6 Legend Island too much; here's what actually happens when you get there

   Legend Island is the only part of the Forza Horizon 6 map that's locked out of the gate. Here's how you get there and what happens when you do.

2. Forza Horizon 6 Barn Finds: All 12 locations and unlock Guide (spoiler-free)

   Forza Horizon 6 is back with another batch of 12 Barn Finds to hunt down, so here's how you unlock them and all the locations you need to go to.

3. Forza Horizon 6 is the "most confident, most refined, and most fun" yet — the best-looking racer on Xbox and PC

   Playground proves once again why they're the top dog when it comes to racing games.

4. Fast travel in Forza Horizon 6 has a big change over previous games; here's how you do it

   Forza Horizon 6 has made a pretty big change to its fast travel system, which still rewards exploration but reduces some of the tedium.

5. Forza Horizon 6 doesn't have the best voice acting, so here's how to turn off the audio dialogue

   You don't play Forza Horizon 6 for a compelling story and great voice acting, and so if it's getting on your nerves, here's how to make it go away.

6. Devolver snubs Xbox fans: "Grand finale" Talos Principle 3 will skip Xbox completely

   It's another example of Xbox's predicament, as publishers seem to begin snubbing Xbox at an increasing clip. Talos Principle 3 will skip Xbox, with PS5 and PC versions planned only.

7. The Xbox Ally gets special treatment in the UK as it gets a Britain-exclusive 26% discount — with this deal, it now has more value than the Steam Deck

   The ASUS Xbox Ally is one of the most popular gaming handhelds on the market for its performance, Xbox ecosystem compatibility, and value that's been vastly improved in the UK with this Britain-exclusive 26% discount.

8. The amazing Dark Souls 2 path tracing mod is now available to download — I'm shocked at how it makes the ugliest Dark Souls look like a modern game

   A long-awaited path tracing mod for Dark Souls 2 has been released publicly, and gives FromSoftware's ARPG a massive graphical glowup.

9. "The Geekom Mini IT13 is a fantastic choice for people who just need a basic computer:" it's one of the best mini-PCs that's worth every penny

   The Geekom IT13 still stands as one of the best mini-PCs we've tested for its reliable performance, large range of ports, and compact design that's currently enjoying a 30% discount sale

10. I hit the Windows 11 emoji picker bug that hides search and found a quick fix

    Windows 11’s emoji picker can randomly break and lose its search box, leaving the feature almost unusable. The issue appears to be tied to how the UI loads, and when it happens, the picker won’t show any way to filter or find emojis. Fortunately, a quick trick reliably restores the search bar without restarting the system or digging through settings.

11. "I just find AI to be creatively soulless": Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic director Casey Hudson won't use AI because he's "really unimpressed with it"

    Casey Hudson, director of the upcoming RPG Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic, has noted its devs have no plans to use AI while making the game.

12. Dell SupportAssist is crashing some Windows 11 PCs, causing them to enter reboot loops. Here's how to stop it.

    Dell SupportAssist is causing BSOD reboot loops on some Windows 11 PCs. Here’s how to disable or remove the crashing service.

13. “Dragging windows is finally easier”: I break down the Windows 11 tweak that quietly improves daily use

    PowerToys adds Grab And Move to Windows 11, letting you drag and resize windows from anywhere using simple shortcuts.

14. "A welcome change:" Xbox’s new update is making achievements feel meaningful again — thanks to Gamerscore badges

    Xbox’s latest Insider update introduces tiered Gamerscore badges, a new boot animation, and improved library filters as Microsoft continues refining the Xbox experience.

15. Start your engines, Xbox's Forza Horizon 6 release dates, launch times, and Early Access is upon us — here's when it comes out, and how to play early

    Forza Horizon 6 is releasing in under a week, and ahead of its arrival, Xbox and Playground Games have announced its official release dates and launch times.

16. Xbox mode got overshadowed by this awesome new addition to Windows 11 in the latest Patch Tuesday update

    Microsoft's latest Windows 11 update enables haptic "bumps" for compatible mice and adds a console-inspired Xbox mode for PC gamers.

17. I dug into how Microsoft is pushing Windows 11 toward fully native apps, and it could lead to major speed gains

    Microsoft is launching an AI agent and development templates to streamline native development on Windows 11.

18. Inside why Bill Gates expected Microsoft to burn $1B on OpenAI — and how the bet paid off far beyond that

    A new report by The Information revealed that Microsoft's partnership with OpenAI has generated approximately $30 billion in revenue for the former between 2023 and 2025.

19. “AI gets the blame”: I break down why Windows 11 update sizes are growing and what the real issues might be

    Windows 11 updates have ballooned up to 5GB and beyond, and many users assume that it's AI that's mainly contributing to the bloat. Here's what's actually causing sizes to increase.

20. I turned Windows 11 into my own version of Windows 12 and the results feel closer to Microsoft’s future than you’d expect

    You can transform Windows 11 into a Windows 12‑style desktop with Rainmeter's Windows 12 skin, which features a minimalist Start menu and a movable and resizable Taskbar.

21. Googlebooks are coming, but should Microsoft be scared? Windows 11's biggest threat could be Android PCs if things don't improve

    Microsoft's constant blunders with Windows 11 have opened the market up to major competition, and now Google is capitalizing.

22. AMD's Ryzen 7 9800X3D is still the best PC gaming CPU, and now it's dropped to a bargain price (with a free power supply!) [EXPIRED]

    Newegg is hosting a special bargain sale for the AMD Ryzen 9800X3D. By using a special promo code, you will be able to purchase this strong gaming CPU for a 16% discount and net a free Corsair CX750M power supply that's worth $64.99.

23. "The Razer Enki is very comfortable to use, so your backside is in good hands:" This gaming chair makes a great gift

    The Razer Enki Gaming Chair, which has received critical praise for its comfy ergonomics, superb lumbar support, and durability, is currently having a 34% discount sale for its pink variant and similar price drops for other variants.

24. "Project Saluki": A new Xbox Game Pass tier has been unearthed, alongside a curious "Positron" potential disc-to-digital program — and it could be huge

    The newest Xbox Game Pass tiers appear to be specifically targeting the lucrative Chinese market, and is Microsoft also working on a disc-to-digital program?

25. Xbox's Forza Horizon 6 was the best-selling game on Steam last week, well ahead of launch — the game beating it now is another huge Xbox Game Pass title

    Xbox's Forza Horizon 6 is slated to be one of this year's biggest games, and ahead of its launch, it's become a top seller on the PC gaming store Steam.