Mercer
@mercer-gh.bsky.social
Pseudonymous writer at GameHazards.
Writes about game tech, hardware, and industry problems that most websites ignore.
Link - gamehazards.com
Writes about game tech, hardware, and industry problems that most websites ignore.
Link - gamehazards.com
Pinned
Games don’t get worse by accident.
They get worse by spreadsheets.
I write about the decisions behind the decline.
Pseudonymous writer at
gamehazards.com
They get worse by spreadsheets.
I write about the decisions behind the decline.
Pseudonymous writer at
gamehazards.com
Reposted by Mercer
It just shows none of these companies has any moat, and they're terrified when investors will realize this and value them at the (more appropriate) tens of billions, rather than hundreds of billions.
Everyone has the same (stolen) data, the same algos, the same chips. Same disrespect for humans.
Everyone has the same (stolen) data, the same algos, the same chips. Same disrespect for humans.
January 13, 2026 at 5:56 AM
It just shows none of these companies has any moat, and they're terrified when investors will realize this and value them at the (more appropriate) tens of billions, rather than hundreds of billions.
Everyone has the same (stolen) data, the same algos, the same chips. Same disrespect for humans.
Everyone has the same (stolen) data, the same algos, the same chips. Same disrespect for humans.
If car companies, fridges, and vacuum cleaners can work without user data, why is it being collected to control markets through lock in, subscriptions, upsells, ads, and profiling instead of focusing on performance and building better machines?
January 13, 2026 at 4:29 AM
If car companies, fridges, and vacuum cleaners can work without user data, why is it being collected to control markets through lock in, subscriptions, upsells, ads, and profiling instead of focusing on performance and building better machines?
Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme feels like real progress for Windows-on-ARM, but it’s not a magic switch. Performance and AI look solid, efficiency is impressive, and gaming is improving, yet app support and drivers still decide the real experience. Promising, not proven.
January 12, 2026 at 3:15 PM
Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme feels like real progress for Windows-on-ARM, but it’s not a magic switch. Performance and AI look solid, efficiency is impressive, and gaming is improving, yet app support and drivers still decide the real experience. Promising, not proven.
Ubisoft’s next fiscal year runs Apr 2026–Mar 2027. If GTA 6 blocks a fall launch, AC Hexe can still land in March 2027 and count for FY27. That’s after AC Shadows Y2 and Black Flag Resynced Y1 support end, and ~4 months post-GTA 6. Clean window.
January 12, 2026 at 3:07 PM
Ubisoft’s next fiscal year runs Apr 2026–Mar 2027. If GTA 6 blocks a fall launch, AC Hexe can still land in March 2027 and count for FY27. That’s after AC Shadows Y2 and Black Flag Resynced Y1 support end, and ~4 months post-GTA 6. Clean window.
Finally wrote the CES piece—for my two loyal readers. CES 2026 was loud, expensive, and mostly empty. Lots of AI talk, very little real hardware. Prices climbed, progress stalled, and everyone pretended this was fine. It wasn’t.
Read here - gamehazards.com/article/ces-...
Read here - gamehazards.com/article/ces-...
CES 2026: AI Hype Everywhere, Actual Gaming Hardware Nowhere
CES 2026 happened January 5-8 in Las Vegas. Nvidia announced no new GPUs. AMD spent 90% of their keynote on AI laptops. Intel might've done something interesting. Here's the recap.
gamehazards.com
January 12, 2026 at 8:53 AM
Finally wrote the CES piece—for my two loyal readers. CES 2026 was loud, expensive, and mostly empty. Lots of AI talk, very little real hardware. Prices climbed, progress stalled, and everyone pretended this was fine. It wasn’t.
Read here - gamehazards.com/article/ces-...
Read here - gamehazards.com/article/ces-...
Rockstar is kind of a genius, just not in a good way. Every shady practice leaves breadcrumbs, but none lead anywhere. Worker issues, union talk, rumors everywhere… yet everything hits a wall. No proof. No conclusions. Just fog.
January 12, 2026 at 8:39 AM
Rockstar is kind of a genius, just not in a good way. Every shady practice leaves breadcrumbs, but none lead anywhere. Worker issues, union talk, rumors everywhere… yet everything hits a wall. No proof. No conclusions. Just fog.
Funny how every Rockstar Games worker issue follows the same script: some reports, a lot of noise, then radio silence. No proper follow-ups, “inconclusive” investigations, and zero long-term accountability. Patterns don’t lies,they’re just ignored.
January 9, 2026 at 2:48 PM
Funny how every Rockstar Games worker issue follows the same script: some reports, a lot of noise, then radio silence. No proper follow-ups, “inconclusive” investigations, and zero long-term accountability. Patterns don’t lies,they’re just ignored.
Rockstar firing 34 devs over alleged GTA 6 leaks feels off.
Some “leaked” info was already expected/public, timelines don’t fully match, and this is happening amid union disputes.
NDAs matter,but so does worker protection.
Some “leaked” info was already expected/public, timelines don’t fully match, and this is happening amid union disputes.
NDAs matter,but so does worker protection.
January 8, 2026 at 12:45 PM
Rockstar firing 34 devs over alleged GTA 6 leaks feels off.
Some “leaked” info was already expected/public, timelines don’t fully match, and this is happening amid union disputes.
NDAs matter,but so does worker protection.
Some “leaked” info was already expected/public, timelines don’t fully match, and this is happening amid union disputes.
NDAs matter,but so does worker protection.
Reposted by Mercer
Six months fighting a union.
Twenty days after workers win, the studio is gone.
Ubisoft says it’s a coincidence.
Coincidences usually don’t come with lawyers.
Twenty days after workers win, the studio is gone.
Ubisoft says it’s a coincidence.
Coincidences usually don’t come with lawyers.
January 7, 2026 at 6:15 PM
Six months fighting a union.
Twenty days after workers win, the studio is gone.
Ubisoft says it’s a coincidence.
Coincidences usually don’t come with lawyers.
Twenty days after workers win, the studio is gone.
Ubisoft says it’s a coincidence.
Coincidences usually don’t come with lawyers.
Six months fighting a union.
Twenty days after workers win, the studio is gone.
Ubisoft says it’s a coincidence.
Coincidences usually don’t come with lawyers.
Twenty days after workers win, the studio is gone.
Ubisoft says it’s a coincidence.
Coincidences usually don’t come with lawyers.
January 7, 2026 at 6:15 PM
Six months fighting a union.
Twenty days after workers win, the studio is gone.
Ubisoft says it’s a coincidence.
Coincidences usually don’t come with lawyers.
Twenty days after workers win, the studio is gone.
Ubisoft says it’s a coincidence.
Coincidences usually don’t come with lawyers.
If Ubisoft decided to close Halifax before unionization, they can prove it.
Game Developer asked for the timeline.
Ubisoft refused.
Silence is also an answer.
gamehazards.com/article/ubis...
Game Developer asked for the timeline.
Ubisoft refused.
Silence is also an answer.
gamehazards.com/article/ubis...
Ubisoft Closes Halifax Studio 20 Days After Unionization: The Timeline They Won't Provide
On December 18, 2025, Ubisoft Halifax became the company's first North American union. Twenty days later, Ubisoft announced the studio's closure. When asked to prove the decision wasn't retaliation, U...
gamehazards.com
January 7, 2026 at 5:57 PM
If Ubisoft decided to close Halifax before unionization, they can prove it.
Game Developer asked for the timeline.
Ubisoft refused.
Silence is also an answer.
gamehazards.com/article/ubis...
Game Developer asked for the timeline.
Ubisoft refused.
Silence is also an answer.
gamehazards.com/article/ubis...
What do you expect from 2026? From gaming and tech? I know it's not the best year, but seriously, what do you hope 2026 should become?
January 7, 2026 at 2:21 PM
What do you expect from 2026? From gaming and tech? I know it's not the best year, but seriously, what do you hope 2026 should become?
Every app now has AI.
None of them can fix bugs they shipped last week.
None of them can fix bugs they shipped last week.
January 7, 2026 at 12:02 PM
Every app now has AI.
None of them can fix bugs they shipped last week.
None of them can fix bugs they shipped last week.
Jobs boom is real — but that’s not the whole picture.
Grid upgrades = high capex, higher maintenance, long delays, and rising costs passed to consumers.
Hiring more people doesn’t magically fix intermittency, storage gaps, or grid congestion.
This is a transition, not a victory lap.
Grid upgrades = high capex, higher maintenance, long delays, and rising costs passed to consumers.
Hiring more people doesn’t magically fix intermittency, storage gaps, or grid congestion.
This is a transition, not a victory lap.
Power grid jobs boom as UK energy shifts away from fossil fuels
One of 🇬🇧 ’s largest electricity network owners says it's hiring at fastest pace since the 1950s
Why?
⬆️ in activity across sector as part of the transition away from fossil fuels
www.ft.com/content/281...
One of 🇬🇧 ’s largest electricity network owners says it's hiring at fastest pace since the 1950s
Why?
⬆️ in activity across sector as part of the transition away from fossil fuels
www.ft.com/content/281...
Power grid jobs boom as UK energy shifts away from fossil fuels
Electricity network owners are hiring at fastest pace since 1950s
www.ft.com
January 7, 2026 at 7:14 AM
Jobs boom is real — but that’s not the whole picture.
Grid upgrades = high capex, higher maintenance, long delays, and rising costs passed to consumers.
Hiring more people doesn’t magically fix intermittency, storage gaps, or grid congestion.
This is a transition, not a victory lap.
Grid upgrades = high capex, higher maintenance, long delays, and rising costs passed to consumers.
Hiring more people doesn’t magically fix intermittency, storage gaps, or grid congestion.
This is a transition, not a victory lap.
DLSS 4.5 nukes RTX 20/30 with 2× VRAM + 2× frame time, then runs fine on 40+.
That’s not “optimization” — that’s FP8-only tech shoved onto FP16 hardware.
Shipping this as universal DLSS is wild.
Someone let the dishwasher CEO write the label.
t.co/1LZoD0eYAQ
That’s not “optimization” — that’s FP8-only tech shoved onto FP16 hardware.
Shipping this as universal DLSS is wild.
Someone let the dishwasher CEO write the label.
t.co/1LZoD0eYAQ
https://github.com/NVIDIA/DLSS/blob/main/doc/DLSS_Programming_Guide_Release.pdf
t.co
January 7, 2026 at 5:26 AM
DLSS 4.5 nukes RTX 20/30 with 2× VRAM + 2× frame time, then runs fine on 40+.
That’s not “optimization” — that’s FP8-only tech shoved onto FP16 hardware.
Shipping this as universal DLSS is wild.
Someone let the dishwasher CEO write the label.
t.co/1LZoD0eYAQ
That’s not “optimization” — that’s FP8-only tech shoved onto FP16 hardware.
Shipping this as universal DLSS is wild.
Someone let the dishwasher CEO write the label.
t.co/1LZoD0eYAQ
Reposted by Mercer
In 2022–2023, a $700 laptop usually came with 16GB RAM + 512GB SSD.
In 2026, that same price gets you 8GB RAM + 256GB SSD — sometimes worse.
Prices didn’t fall. Specs did. Quietly.
Made an article about it----https://gamehazards.com/article/oem-laptop-spec-downgrade-2026
In 2026, that same price gets you 8GB RAM + 256GB SSD — sometimes worse.
Prices didn’t fall. Specs did. Quietly.
Made an article about it----https://gamehazards.com/article/oem-laptop-spec-downgrade-2026
January 6, 2026 at 4:50 PM
In 2022–2023, a $700 laptop usually came with 16GB RAM + 512GB SSD.
In 2026, that same price gets you 8GB RAM + 256GB SSD — sometimes worse.
Prices didn’t fall. Specs did. Quietly.
Made an article about it----https://gamehazards.com/article/oem-laptop-spec-downgrade-2026
In 2026, that same price gets you 8GB RAM + 256GB SSD — sometimes worse.
Prices didn’t fall. Specs did. Quietly.
Made an article about it----https://gamehazards.com/article/oem-laptop-spec-downgrade-2026
read about it here --- gamehazards.com/article/oem-...
January 6, 2026 at 4:52 PM
read about it here --- gamehazards.com/article/oem-...
In 2022–2023, a $700 laptop usually came with 16GB RAM + 512GB SSD.
In 2026, that same price gets you 8GB RAM + 256GB SSD — sometimes worse.
Prices didn’t fall. Specs did. Quietly.
Made an article about it----https://gamehazards.com/article/oem-laptop-spec-downgrade-2026
In 2026, that same price gets you 8GB RAM + 256GB SSD — sometimes worse.
Prices didn’t fall. Specs did. Quietly.
Made an article about it----https://gamehazards.com/article/oem-laptop-spec-downgrade-2026
January 6, 2026 at 4:50 PM
In 2022–2023, a $700 laptop usually came with 16GB RAM + 512GB SSD.
In 2026, that same price gets you 8GB RAM + 256GB SSD — sometimes worse.
Prices didn’t fall. Specs did. Quietly.
Made an article about it----https://gamehazards.com/article/oem-laptop-spec-downgrade-2026
In 2026, that same price gets you 8GB RAM + 256GB SSD — sometimes worse.
Prices didn’t fall. Specs did. Quietly.
Made an article about it----https://gamehazards.com/article/oem-laptop-spec-downgrade-2026
“Microsoft renaming Office to Copilot PC is hilarious. Same Word, Excel, PowerPoint, same clunky workflows, same random crashes — just sprinkled with AI buzzwords. This isn’t innovation, it’s a new way to scrap more data, push in to the AI word with this slop.
January 6, 2026 at 4:43 PM
“Microsoft renaming Office to Copilot PC is hilarious. Same Word, Excel, PowerPoint, same clunky workflows, same random crashes — just sprinkled with AI buzzwords. This isn’t innovation, it’s a new way to scrap more data, push in to the AI word with this slop.
Reposted by Mercer
We’re entering the age of AI slop that people believe en masse.
This post is 100% fake and probably AI generated. All made up. Yet massive number of upvotes, views and shares.
Journalist @caseynewton.bsky.social got in touch with the “whistleblower.” The guy faked all “evidence” with AI…
This post is 100% fake and probably AI generated. All made up. Yet massive number of upvotes, views and shares.
Journalist @caseynewton.bsky.social got in touch with the “whistleblower.” The guy faked all “evidence” with AI…
January 6, 2026 at 8:03 AM
We’re entering the age of AI slop that people believe en masse.
This post is 100% fake and probably AI generated. All made up. Yet massive number of upvotes, views and shares.
Journalist @caseynewton.bsky.social got in touch with the “whistleblower.” The guy faked all “evidence” with AI…
This post is 100% fake and probably AI generated. All made up. Yet massive number of upvotes, views and shares.
Journalist @caseynewton.bsky.social got in touch with the “whistleblower.” The guy faked all “evidence” with AI…
A $2,000 GPU drifting toward $5,000 isn’t inflation or bad luck.
It’s the result of taxpayer-funded infrastructure, AI-first memory allocation, political stock trading, and Nvidia’s pricing power as a gatekeeper.
Full investigation → gamehazards.com/article/nvid...
It’s the result of taxpayer-funded infrastructure, AI-first memory allocation, political stock trading, and Nvidia’s pricing power as a gatekeeper.
Full investigation → gamehazards.com/article/nvid...
How Nvidia Built an AI-Fueled Monopoly — and Why GPU Prices Are Exploding
Reports suggest the RTX 5090 could hit $5,000 by end of 2026. Your first instinct is to blame supply chains. That's what Nvidia wants you to think. I spent three weeks tracking congressional trading d...
gamehazards.com
January 6, 2026 at 1:25 PM
A $2,000 GPU drifting toward $5,000 isn’t inflation or bad luck.
It’s the result of taxpayer-funded infrastructure, AI-first memory allocation, political stock trading, and Nvidia’s pricing power as a gatekeeper.
Full investigation → gamehazards.com/article/nvid...
It’s the result of taxpayer-funded infrastructure, AI-first memory allocation, political stock trading, and Nvidia’s pricing power as a gatekeeper.
Full investigation → gamehazards.com/article/nvid...
This didn’t just “happen.”
Xbox console sales collapsed after years of leadership decisions that deprioritized hardware, bet on unsustainable Game Pass economics, and shut down studios even after successful releases.
The long version → gamehazards.com/article/fall...
Xbox console sales collapsed after years of leadership decisions that deprioritized hardware, bet on unsustainable Game Pass economics, and shut down studios even after successful releases.
The long version → gamehazards.com/article/fall...
January 6, 2026 at 6:57 AM
This didn’t just “happen.”
Xbox console sales collapsed after years of leadership decisions that deprioritized hardware, bet on unsustainable Game Pass economics, and shut down studios even after successful releases.
The long version → gamehazards.com/article/fall...
Xbox console sales collapsed after years of leadership decisions that deprioritized hardware, bet on unsustainable Game Pass economics, and shut down studios even after successful releases.
The long version → gamehazards.com/article/fall...
Reposted by Mercer
2025 has been the worst year on record for Xbox console sales in the UK. https://bit.ly/4qCvImA
January 5, 2026 at 8:30 PM
2025 has been the worst year on record for Xbox console sales in the UK. https://bit.ly/4qCvImA
No new RTX GPU announcements from NVIDIA at CES.
Expect AI roadmap updates, GeForce software news, and partner devices — more iteration than introduction. Will be covering CES 2026.
Expect AI roadmap updates, GeForce software news, and partner devices — more iteration than introduction. Will be covering CES 2026.
January 5, 2026 at 5:47 PM
No new RTX GPU announcements from NVIDIA at CES.
Expect AI roadmap updates, GeForce software news, and partner devices — more iteration than introduction. Will be covering CES 2026.
Expect AI roadmap updates, GeForce software news, and partner devices — more iteration than introduction. Will be covering CES 2026.