Information about Microsoft’s new console leaks

The internet has been abuzz with the news that a new Xbox One variant, currently known as the Xbox One Slim, will be coming sometime within the next year or two. Few details have been released so far except that it’s more compact and roughly four times more powerful than the current iteration of the console.

Many speculate that the Xbox One Slim will make its debut at the 2016 E3 conference alongside another iteration of Microsoft’s $150 gaming controller, the Xbox One Elite, and be released sometime later in the year or early next. It’s anyone’s guess at this point, but this is likely an attempt by Microsoft to compete with Nintendo’s new console, currently codenamed the Nintendo NX, and Sony’s rumored new console iteration, rumored to be called the Playstation 4 “Neo.”

The Pac-12 announces plans to embrace eSports in the near future

To the shock of some and joy of others, the Pac-12, the collegiate athletic conference of the West Coast, has announced it will be moving into the world of competitive gaming.

After reviewing the growing interest of the competitive gaming world, the presidents and chancellors of the Pac-12 have decided that eSports would be a perfect fit for many of the more technology- and media-based universities in their conference. They’ve yet to announce what games they intend to host in their prospective tournaments, but they have stated they will be hosting head-to-head studio matches, organized tournaments, and even championship events.

The Pac-12’s interest in eSports stems from the growing culture and passionate fan base of the relatively young competitive scene. They also see it as an opportunity to get involved in more of the artistic and tech-based departments in the conference’s universities.

We can expect the new program to start sometime later this year and hopefully more information will be released before then.

HP has unveiled a new line of gaming hardware called OMEN.

The Hewlett-Packard company isn’t exactly the go-to computer vendor for new gaming hardware, but with the release of their new OMEN line of gaming-focused products, they might be making their way into a market they’ve been known to ignore.

HP tends to be the brunt of jokes when it comes to PC gaming. While they are known for providing affordable personal computers, their products have never been geared towards gaming. They plan to change that with a new line of gaming-specific laptop and desktop computers, each with a different price and level of performance.