AMD has announced a new hardware event for the end of August, where the company plans to unveil its next-generation PC products. The presentation will air on Monday, August 29 at 4 pm PT / 7 pm ET.

In a new press release, AMD notes that the presentation will focus on its upcoming Ryzen 7000 processors. AMD originally teased the Ryzen 7000 series during its keynote presentation at CES earlier this year, where the company confirmed the Ryzen 7000 line will support its new Zen 4 architecture built with TSMC's 5nm process.

Join us on Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. ET for “together we advance_PCs,” a livestream premiere to unveil the next generation AMD PC products.

• Read the press release: https://t.co/n76RbJDMz0
• Watch on the AMD YouTube Channel: https://t.co/wo5iHJ7sJy pic.twitter.com/mc7CjoFdvM

— AMD Ryzen (@AMDRyzen) August 16, 2022

The next-gen Ryzen chips are also confirmed to use a new AM5 socket and will support PCIe Gen 5 and DDR5 RAM. Important to note, that the next-gen Ryzen processors will only support DDR5, unlike Intel's Alder Lake CPUs, which support both DDR4 and DDR5 RAM.

At this year's Computex, AMD shared more info on the next-gen Ryzen CPUs, which included confirmation that the chiplets will have integrated RDNA 2 graphics. As a refresher, RDNA 2 is the graphical architecture that found in AMD's Radeon RX 6000 series graphics cards, in addition to the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and the Steam Deck.

With a Ryzen-focused hardware event scheduled for later this month, AMD will likely share more information on specs, pricing, and when these new chips will release. We know that the company previously said that the Ryzen 7000 line would launch sometime in the second half of 2022.

Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

Underwater snow on Earth could aid in the search for life beyond our planet by shedding light on the alien nature of Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa.

Europa’s vast subsurface ocean is considered to be one of the most promising locations in our Solar System when it comes to the hunt for extraterrestrial life. However, this salty, pitch-black realm is locked away beneath a dense shell of water ice that is estimated to be a staggering 10 - 15 miles thick.

Thankfully the world-spanning natural barrier has done little to dissuade NASA from planning an ambitious multi-billion dollar mission to visit the moon. Enter the Europa Clipper.

The cutting-edge spacecraft is slated to launch in October 2024 atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, and will then spend roughly five and a half years in interplanetary space before finally arriving at Jupiter in April 2030.

After rendezvousing with Jupiter, the spacecraft will carry out numerous close proximity flybys of Europa. During this time it will probe the moon with a suite of scientific instruments ranging from cameras and spectrometers to ice-penetrating radar, hunting for clues that Europa could be habitable.

The scientific community’s understanding of the makeup of Europa’s ice shell will make a significant difference in how they interpret the data collected by the future spacecraft.

In order to better understand Europa, a team of scientists led by Natalie Wolfenbarger of the University of Texas at Austin turned to one of the most alien environments on Earth — the frigid ocean beneath the ice shelves of Antarctica.

Underwater Snowrise

In this place — where the temperature, pressure and composition is thought to be similar to that of Europa’s ocean - researchers have observed snow forming underwater.

These flakes then drift upward to gather on the underneath of the shelf, where it adds to its already monumental mass and creates a strange upside down landscape of peaks of gorges.

The team behind the new research believe that a similar process may be at work in the subsurface ocean realm of Europa, and that, by examining it, they can gain a greater understanding of what the thick outer shell is made of.

The authors of the study — which was published in the scientific journal Astrobiology — analyzed two distinct methods by which liquid is known to transform into ice underwater. The first — known as frazil ice — sees flakes crystalize in a supercooled column of water. The second type of ice, known as congelation ice essentially grows directly from the bottom of the ice shelf.

Vitally, both of these processes create ice that has a lower salt content than seawater. If the same were true on Europa, this would mean that the gigantic crust is much purer than previously thought.

Speaking to IGN, Wolfenbarger explained that this is good news for scientists hoping to peer through the moon’s crust to observe the ocean-ice boundary using the instruments aboard the Europa Clipper.

Salt, when trapped in ice, can heighten the overall electrical conductivity of the material, making it harder for radar instruments to penetrate deep beneath the surface. The presence of salt also encourages the formation of brine, which would lower the signal strength of the radar.

The salty study could also alter the scientific community’s understanding of some of the key characteristics of the icy moon, including the nature of the tectonic activity that deforms the icy crust, and the manner by which heat transfers throughout the enormous structure.

Anthony Wood is a Freelance science writer for IGN.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SETI Institute

Underwater snow on Earth could aid in the search for life beyond our planet by shedding light on the alien nature of Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa.

Europa’s vast subsurface ocean is considered to be one of the most promising locations in our Solar System when it comes to the hunt for extraterrestrial life. However, this salty, pitch-black realm is locked away beneath a dense shell of water ice that is estimated to be a staggering 10 - 15 miles thick.

Thankfully the world-spanning natural barrier has done little to dissuade NASA from planning an ambitious multi-billion dollar mission to visit the moon. Enter the Europa Clipper.

The cutting-edge spacecraft is slated to launch in October 2024 atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, and will then spend roughly five and a half years in interplanetary space before finally arriving at Jupiter in April 2030.

After rendezvousing with Jupiter, the spacecraft will carry out numerous close proximity flybys of Europa. During this time it will probe the moon with a suite of scientific instruments ranging from cameras and spectrometers to ice-penetrating radar, hunting for clues that Europa could be habitable.

The scientific community’s understanding of the makeup of Europa’s ice shell will make a significant difference in how they interpret the data collected by the future spacecraft.

In order to better understand Europa, a team of scientists led by Natalie Wolfenbarger of the University of Texas at Austin turned to one of the most alien environments on Earth — the frigid ocean beneath the ice shelves of Antarctica.

Underwater Snowrise

In this place — where the temperature, pressure and composition is thought to be similar to that of Europa’s ocean - researchers have observed snow forming underwater.

These flakes then drift upward to gather on the underneath of the shelf, where it adds to its already monumental mass and creates a strange upside down landscape of peaks of gorges.

The team behind the new research believe that a similar process may be at work in the subsurface ocean realm of Europa, and that, by examining it, they can gain a greater understanding of what the thick outer shell is made of.

The authors of the study — which was published in the scientific journal Astrobiology — analyzed two distinct methods by which liquid is known to transform into ice underwater. The first — known as frazil ice — sees flakes crystalize in a supercooled column of water. The second type of ice, known as congelation ice essentially grows directly from the bottom of the ice shelf.

Vitally, both of these processes create ice that has a lower salt content than seawater. If the same were true on Europa, this would mean that the gigantic crust is much purer than previously thought.

Speaking to IGN, Wolfenbarger explained that this is good news for scientists hoping to peer through the moon’s crust to observe the ocean-ice boundary using the instruments aboard the Europa Clipper.

Salt, when trapped in ice, can heighten the overall electrical conductivity of the material, making it harder for radar instruments to penetrate deep beneath the surface. The presence of salt also encourages the formation of brine, which would lower the signal strength of the radar.

The salty study could also alter the scientific community’s understanding of some of the key characteristics of the icy moon, including the nature of the tectonic activity that deforms the icy crust, and the manner by which heat transfers throughout the enormous structure.

Anthony Wood is a Freelance science writer for IGN.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SETI Institute

Overwatch 2 will include cross-progression across all formats. Starting today, you'll be able to merge console and PC accounts from the original game, carrying all your collected progression with you to the new version.

Overwatch 2 will essentially replace the original Overwatch when the game is launched on October 4, 2022. The game will feature cross-progrssion across all formats, and Activision Blizzard has announced that you will be able to merge multiple accounts to bring across your existing Overwatch progression into the sequel.

“With the launch of cross-progression, players can merge multiple Overwatch accounts to carry progression and in-game cosmetics into Overwatch 2 on a single profile,” said an official statement. “Starting August 16, every player with a linked console account will be prompted at login to identify, select, and confirm the accounts you want to merge. Once you approve, we will prepare your accounts to be merged during the release of Overwatch 2.”

Overwatch 2 requires all players to have a Battle.net account, even on consoles. Essentially, progress from your linked console accounts will be stored on your Battle.net account which allows Overwatch 2 to share cosmetics and unlocks across the various linked accounts.

However, be warned – there’s only one opportunity to merge your console accounts, so make sure you double-check the accounts you want to merge before you accept.

Here’s the full process of merging your accounts:

• Log into Overwatch on your console account
• Follow on-screen prompts to scan a QR code on your phone
• Enter the code displayed on your console to link/create a Battle.net account
• Confirm your account on your next game login to merge.

That should be it – your console account will subsequently be merged with your Battle.net account. But once you’ve merged a console account with Battle.net you’ll be unable to add any other accounts from the same platform. Make sure you’re merging the correct account!

You can merge accounts from Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and PC but only one per platform. Account merging is currently the only way for console players to carry over their progress into Overwatch 2, but PC players should see their progress automatically carry over into the upcoming sequel.

Once merged, all the items in the Hero Gallery of all your linked platforms will appear in the Battle.net account – letting you access any cosmetics that you’ve unlocked across the various platforms.

The merge also carries over in-game stats, with playtime and number of wins made up as a sum of all your totals, while stats such as highest accuracy and kill streaks will take the highest value from all merged accounts.

Want to read more about Overwatch 2? Check out Overwatch 2’s content roadmap to see what’s coming up, as well as why Overwatch is ditching its loot boxes.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Overwatch 2 will include cross-progression across all formats. Starting today, you'll be able to merge console and PC accounts from the original game, carrying all your collected progression with you to the new version.

Overwatch 2 will essentially replace the original Overwatch when the game is launched on October 4, 2022. The game will feature cross-progrssion across all formats, and Activision Blizzard has announced that you will be able to merge multiple accounts to bring across your existing Overwatch progression into the sequel.

“With the launch of cross-progression, players can merge multiple Overwatch accounts to carry progression and in-game cosmetics into Overwatch 2 on a single profile,” said an official statement. “Starting August 16, every player with a linked console account will be prompted at login to identify, select, and confirm the accounts you want to merge. Once you approve, we will prepare your accounts to be merged during the release of Overwatch 2.”

Overwatch 2 requires all players to have a Battle.net account, even on consoles. Essentially, progress from your linked console accounts will be stored on your Battle.net account which allows Overwatch 2 to share cosmetics and unlocks across the various linked accounts.

However, be warned – there’s only one opportunity to merge your console accounts, so make sure you double-check the accounts you want to merge before you accept.

Here’s the full process of merging your accounts:

• Log into Overwatch on your console account
• Follow on-screen prompts to scan a QR code on your phone
• Enter the code displayed on your console to link/create a Battle.net account
• Confirm your account on your next game login to merge.

That should be it – your console account will subsequently be merged with your Battle.net account. But once you’ve merged a console account with Battle.net you’ll be unable to add any other accounts from the same platform. Make sure you’re merging the correct account!

You can merge accounts from Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and PC but only one per platform. Account merging is currently the only way for console players to carry over their progress into Overwatch 2, but PC players should see their progress automatically carry over into the upcoming sequel.

Once merged, all the items in the Hero Gallery of all your linked platforms will appear in the Battle.net account – letting you access any cosmetics that you’ve unlocked across the various platforms.

The merge also carries over in-game stats, with playtime and number of wins made up as a sum of all your totals, while stats such as highest accuracy and kill streaks will take the highest value from all merged accounts.

Want to read more about Overwatch 2? Check out Overwatch 2’s content roadmap to see what’s coming up, as well as why Overwatch is ditching its loot boxes.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Xbox has revealed the Game Pass lineup for August 2022, and it includes open-world adventures, indie darlings, and more.

First up, Coffee Talk is available today. The game is a talking simulator about listening to the stories of an alternative Seattle's citizens. The game is available on console, cloud, and PC today.

On August 30, Game Pass subscribers will have access to Ubisoft's Immortals Fenyx Rising, an open-world adventure that puts players in the shoes of Fenyx, a winged demigod on a quest to save the Greek gods. We awarded the game a 7 in our review, saying, "Its combat is satisfying, with plenty of choice in upgrades, while its central characters, comedic tone, and storytelling are a real highlight."

There's plenty more on the way to Game Pass this month, including Immortality and Midnight Fight Express. Here's the full list of Xbox Game Pass games for August 2022:

Available Today

• Coffee Talk (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Coming Soon

• Midnight Fight Express (Cloud, Console, and PC) – August 23
• Exapunks (PC) – August 25
• Opus: Echo of Starsong – Full Bloom Edition (Console and PC) – August 25
• Commandos 3 – HD Remaster (Cloud, Console, and PC) – August 30
• Immortality (Cloud, PC, Xbox Series X|S) – August 30
• Immortals Fenyx Rising (Cloud, Console, and PC) – August 30
• Tinykin (Console and PC) – August 30

Beyond these full titles, DLC and updates for Naraka: Bladepoint and Sea of Thieves are also coming this month. Xbox has also added touch control support for 16 more games, including TMNT Shredder’s Revenge.

We also learned about a handful of games leaving the service on August 31, including IGN's 2020 Game of the Year Hades, and other indie hits like Spritfarer and What Remains of Edith Finch. You can check out the full list of what's leaving Game Pass this month below:

Leaving Game Pass on August 31

• Elite Dangerous (Cloud and Console)
• Hades (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Myst (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• NBA 2K22 (Cloud and Console)
• Signs of the Sojourner (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Spiritfarer (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Twelve Minutes (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Two Point Hospital (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• What Remains of Edith Finch (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• World War Z (Cloud, Console, and PC)

For more, check out July 2022's Game Pass lineup, which included As Dusk Falls, a handful of Yakuza games, Far Cry 5, and more.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Xbox has revealed the Game Pass lineup for August 2022, and it includes open-world adventures, indie darlings, and more.

First up, Coffee Talk is available today. The game is a talking simulator about listening to the stories of an alternative Seattle's citizens. The game is available on console, cloud, and PC today.

On August 30, Game Pass subscribers will have access to Ubisoft's Immortals Fenyx Rising, an open-world adventure that puts players in the shoes of Fenyx, a winged demigod on a quest to save the Greek gods. We awarded the game a 7 in our review, saying, "Its combat is satisfying, with plenty of choice in upgrades, while its central characters, comedic tone, and storytelling are a real highlight."

There's plenty more on the way to Game Pass this month, including Immortality and Midnight Fight Express. Here's the full list of Xbox Game Pass games for August 2022:

Available Today

• Coffee Talk (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Coming Soon

• Midnight Fight Express (Cloud, Console, and PC) – August 23
• Exapunks (PC) – August 25
• Opus: Echo of Starsong – Full Bloom Edition (Console and PC) – August 25
• Commandos 3 – HD Remaster (Cloud, Console, and PC) – August 30
• Immortality (Cloud, PC, Xbox Series X|S) – August 30
• Immortals Fenyx Rising (Cloud, Console, and PC) – August 30
• Tinykin (Console and PC) – August 30

Beyond these full titles, DLC and updates for Naraka: Bladepoint and Sea of Thieves are also coming this month. Xbox has also added touch control support for 16 more games, including TMNT Shredder’s Revenge.

We also learned about a handful of games leaving the service on August 31, including IGN's 2020 Game of the Year Hades, and other indie hits like Spritfarer and What Remains of Edith Finch. You can check out the full list of what's leaving Game Pass this month below:

Leaving Game Pass on August 31

• Elite Dangerous (Cloud and Console)
• Hades (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Myst (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• NBA 2K22 (Cloud and Console)
• Signs of the Sojourner (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Spiritfarer (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Twelve Minutes (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Two Point Hospital (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• What Remains of Edith Finch (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• World War Z (Cloud, Console, and PC)

For more, check out July 2022's Game Pass lineup, which included As Dusk Falls, a handful of Yakuza games, Far Cry 5, and more.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Buckle up, as you'll be able to watch Top Gun: Maverick from your own home beginning as soon as next week. The movie is coming to digital starting on August 23, with the physical 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray releases coming on November 1. (The AU dates are August 24 and November 2, respectively.)

As reported by Collider, the home release of the film will include nearly two hours of bonus content. These special features will include a look at the cast's intense flight training programs, Tom Cruise piloting his own vintage World War II P-51 Mustang, Cruise's Q&A at the Cannes Film Festival, and more.

You'll recall that Cruise refused to allow Top Gun: Maverick to debut on streaming, saying this film was made specifically for audiences to watch on the big screen. And, the decision to release exclusively in theaters paid off, as Top Gun: Maverick has been an absolute smash at the box office since its release back on Memorial Day Weekend, earning well over $1 billion at the global box office.

In North America, the film has grossed more than the likes of Avengers and Titanic, en route to becoming Cruise's most successful movie ever. Even this past weekend, Top Gun still managed to secure 2nd place at the box office during a quieter release period.

We called the long-awaited sequel a "flight to remember" in our Top Gun: Maverick review, saying it's an, "out-of-bounds blast of afterburner fumes and thrillseeker highs that's sure to please audiences looking for a classic summer blockbuster."

For more, you can check out Miles Teller saying he's in talks with Cruise about a potential Top Gun 3. Or, read about how Maverick's practical effects were achieved.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Buckle up, as you'll be able to watch Top Gun: Maverick from your own home beginning as soon as next week. The movie is coming to digital starting on August 23, with the physical 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray releases coming on November 1.

As reported by Collider, the home release of the film will include nearly two hours of bonus content. These special features will include a look at the cast's intense flight training programs, Tom Cruise piloting his own vintage World War II P-51 Mustang, Cruise's Q&A at the Cannes Film Festival, and more.

You'll recall that Cruise refused to allow Top Gun: Maverick to debut on streaming, saying this film was made specifically for audiences to watch on the big screen. And, the decision to release exclusively in theaters paid off, as Top Gun: Maverick has been an absolute smash at the box office since its release back on Memorial Day Weekend, earning well over $1 billion at the global box office.

In North America, the film has grossed more than the likes of Avengers and Titanic, en route to becoming Cruise's most successful movie ever. Even this past weekend, Top Gun still managed to secure 2nd place at the box office during a quieter release period.

We called the long-awaited sequel a "flight to remember" in our Top Gun: Maverick review, saying it's an, "out-of-bounds blast of afterburner fumes and thrillseeker highs that's sure to please audiences looking for a classic summer blockbuster."

For more, you can check out Miles Teller saying he's in talks with Cruise about a potential Top Gun 3. Or, read about how Maverick's practical effects were achieved.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Youth creator Curt Pires has partnered with Comixology to release his latest comic book project, a futuristic political thriller dubbed New America.

Co-created with James Bond artist Luca Casalanguida, New America is set in a near-future landscape where a group of secessionists have broken away from the US and created the titular nation. They hope to build a true utopia, but a new outbreak of violence casts doubt on whether the ways of New America are any better than the old.

IGN can exclusively debut a preview of this digital comic book series, which is exclusive to the Comixology Originals program. Check it out in the slideshow gallery below:

The creative team on New America also includes

Here's Comixology's official summary of the series:

The old ways failed us. Our leaders failed us. The system failed us. So, a decision was made to start anew. To invest in the future, the foundation of something more, a New America.

With New America Pires continues to push boundaries with his evocative and of the moment storytelling. Ten years after the formation of the secessionist state within the United States of America, known as New America, former military man Wyatt is reunited with his brother, now President of New America, Corey Walker.

New America follows the trials and tribulations both personal and political of the people leading and living in the newly emergent territory as they strive for a utopia, while questioning if the new way is the better way as protests and violence continue.

“Inspired by classic Vertigo titles like Scalped and DMZ as well as films like Sicario this is a book that's raw and rough around the edges but also anchored in character drama and emotional conflict," Pires tells IGN. "The goal here was to tell this story—and explore these issues—without talking down to our audience or coming at them in a way that suggests a moral superiority or that we have all the answers. I believe we succeeded, and hope people will take the time to give our book a shot."

New America will span three issues in total, with the first chapter debuting on Tuesday, August 23. The series will be free to read for subscribers of Comixology Unlimited and Kindle Unlimited, and will also be available for individual purchase.

In addition, Comixology announced that Pires and Antonio Fuso's collaboration Lost Falls will be released as a trade paperback from Dark Horse Comics in 2023. There's no word yet on when New America might see print release.

For more on Pires' acclaimed body of work, check out our exclusive interview between Pires and The Black Ghost writer Alex Segura as the two creators reflect on the inspirations behind their respective stories. And be sure to brush up on all the big announcements at San Diego Comic-Con.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.