Category: Tater News

📰 New article from RetroRGB

ShaderBeam – CRT Beam Emulation Windows App

https://retrorgb.com/shaderbeam-crt-beam-emulation-windows-app.html

You ever miss the way old CRTs smudged motion like a watercolor brush? Meet ShaderBeam—the free, no-install app that turns your modern 120Hz monitor into a time machine for CRT motion clarity.

Developed by the genius behind ShaderGlass, ShaderBeam slaps Blur Buster’s legendary CRT beam emulation right onto your desktop. No fancy hardware needed—just a high-refresh screen and a spare GPU (yes, even your motherboard’s integrated one). Just extract the .zip, run it full-screen, and watch your 60Hz emulator games gain that sweet, smearable motion blur we all secretly loved (and pretended not to miss).

Here’s the kicker: you don’t even need to use it for gaming. Try it while scrolling Twitter or watching YouTube—suddenly, your 4K screen feels alive again. And yes, it’s open source, zero cost, and runs like a ghost app—no installer, no bloat. Just pure nostalgia in a .exe.

Pro tip: Enable your integrated GPU (even if nothing’s plugged into it) for best performance. No dual monitors? Still works. Just read the GitHub docs, tweak settings, and prepare to be weirdly emotional when your pixel-perfect SNES game glows like it’s 1998.

Go on. Download it. Your eyes will thank you.

👉 https://github.com/mausimus/ShaderBeam

📰 New article from TorrentFreak

Cloudflare Reports Surge in Streaming Piracy Takedowns, Removes 20k+ Storage Accounts

https://torrentfreak.com/cloudflare-reports-surge-in-streaming-piracy-takedowns-removes-20k-storage-accounts/

Here’s your punchy, newsletter-ready take:

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Cloudflare just went from “passive middleman” to piracy cop—by accident?

Remember when Cloudflare just shrugged and forwarded copyright complaints? Yeah, that’s over. In the first half of 2025 alone, they axed over 54,000 hosting takedowns—a 3,800% spike from last year. What changed? They gave copyright holders API access. Suddenly, studios and sports leagues could auto-blast takedown requests faster than a DVR can skip ads.

The result? Over 21,000 R2 storage accounts deleted—mostly automated. And it’s not just about deleting files. Cloudflare’s now geo-blocking pirate streams in France, and even voluntarily blocking UK piracy sites (with a polite 451 “This site is blocked by court order” sign). Smart. Targeted. Not the nuclear option.

But here’s the twist: They’re still refusing to block DNS—because breaking the internet’s backbone isn’t in their job description. And they’re calling out LaLiga for causing collateral damage, blocking thousands of unrelated sites just to stop a football stream. Oof.

Cloudflare’s new mantra? “We’ll help you clean up piracy—but we won’t become the internet’s firewall.”

Good luck, Hollywood. You’ve got a new gatekeeper—and he’s got an API.

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Word count: 198

📰 New article from RetroRGB

Sega Channel on MiSTer

https://retrorgb.com/sega-channel-on-mister.html

Remember when your console needed a phone line just to download games? Welcome back, ‘90s nostalgia.

Shane Lynch just dropped a MiSTer core that brings the Sega Channel—the 90s cable-based game service that made your Genesis feel like a tech demo from the future—to life. No more waiting for Saturday morning ads; now you can browse virtual game menus, watch trailers, and even snag demos like it’s 1996—all without dial-up screeching in your ear.

It works on MiSTer setups with 128MB SDRAM (so check your hardware first), and while save files aren’t supported yet, the experience is shockingly authentic. Just drop the ROMs into your MegaDrive folder, load the .rbf file, and suddenly you’re scrolling through pixelated game listings with that iconic chime playing in the background. Some ROMs launch straight to games; others give you the full Sega Channel interface—complete with “Upcoming Titles” and cheesy voiceovers.

And hey, if you’re not a MiSTer user? BillyTime! Games also offers Raspberry Pi images—and MAME’s now got it too. So whether you’re modding a console or just dusty-ing off your old cable box, the Sega Channel is officially back. And yes, it’s as gloriously clunky as you remember.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Retro Handhelds Deals of the Week

https://retrohandhelds.gg/retro-handhelds-deals-of-the-week/

Retro Handhelds Are on Fire This Week — And Your Wallet’s About to Thank You

Let’s be real: if you’ve been waiting for the perfect time to buy that Anbernic RG477V or a PowKiddy V90S… well, the universe just dropped a holiday-sized gift basket of deals.

From $199 Anbernics to $34.99 retro clones that look like they were smuggled out of 2003, the deals are insane. The RG40XXV? Down to $57. The Miyoo Flip? Under $60. Even the legendary AYANEO Pocket DS is slashing prices like it’s Black Friday in July.

But wait — it gets better. x86 beasts like the Lenovo Legion Go S? Down to $479. SSDs? 1TB for under $130. And don’t sleep on the 8BitDo Pro 2 — now $63, with Hall Effect sticks that feel like magic in your palms.

Even the storage is on sale. Want a 2TB microSD card? Grab it for $173. Need a 4TB WD Black SSD? $499. Yes, you can now store every PS1 game ever made… and still have room for your 4K fan edits of Sonic.

Controllers, mini PCs, free games on Epic and Steam — this isn’t just a deal list. It’s a full-blown retro revolution with a 10% discount code and free shipping.

Your future self is already holding a handheld, smiling. Go ahead — treat yourself. The only thing cheaper than these deals… is regret.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

AYANEO Unveils Details on the Pocket Vert

https://retrohandhelds.gg/ayaneo-unveils-details-on-the-pocket-vert/

Meet the AYANEO Pocket Vert: a sleek, vertical handheld that’s less “powerhouse” and more “Game Boy luxury edition.”

It’s got a gorgeous 3.5″ 1600×1440 screen, diamond-cut shoulder buttons, and a full-metal body that screams “I’m expensive but also kinda cute.” But here’s the twist: it’s powered by a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1—weaker than its predecessor, the Pocket DMG. Huh? Turns out AYANEO isn’t trying to beat your Switch. They’re aiming for the Analogue Pocket crowd: retro purists who want a minimalist, premium-feeling device for GB/GBC gems. No sticks? Check. Touchpad instead? Yep. It’s basically a Game Boy with a $300 price tag and a crystal-textured finish.

Colors? Black, white, or Lava Red (the latter costs $20 extra—because why not?). Storage and RAM options are slim, accessories are classic (leather case? yes please), and the Indiegogo page is live. Launch? Probably January.

If you’re after a sleek, nostalgic pocket gem with zero bloat… this is your baby. If you want to run Switch emulators or indie AAA titles? Keep your Pocket DMG handy. This one’s for the purists—and the people who love a good design statement.

📰 New article from RetroRGB

Duckstation Adds GPU Revision Toggle

https://retrorgb.com/duckstation-adds-gpu-revision-toggle.html

Ever wonder why your favorite PS1 games almost looked different back in 1995? Turns out, Sony swapped out the GPU mid-run—and now, thanks to Duckstation, you can toggle between them with a single click.

Before this, proving the difference meant juggling two original PS1s, capturing video at mismatched resolutions, and probably crying into a controller. Now? Just open Duckstation, go to Settings > Graphics, check “Texture Modulation Cropping,” and bam—you’re time-traveling through hardware revisions.

The early GPU? Less accurate texture handling, softer visuals. The later one? Crisper, more consistent rendering. Some games like Final Fantasy VII or Metal Gear Solid might’ve looked slightly “off” on launch models. Now you can see it in real time—no soldering iron required.

It’s the kind of nerdy, hyper-specific feature only true retro lovers would geek out over… and honestly? We’re all a little bit in love with it.

Go try it. Play Tekken 3 on the old GPU. Then switch. Feel the difference? Good. You’re not just emulating a console—you’re archaeology-ing its soul. 🎮⏳

(Yes, we know it’s 2025. We’re still shocked this didn’t happen sooner.)

📰 New article from RetroRGB

The Untold Story of the Nintendo Entertainment System

https://retrorgb.com/the-untold-story-of-the-nintendo-entertainment-system.html

You know how the NES changed gaming forever? Turns out, it almost didn’t make it to U.S. shelves at all.

Frank Cifaldi’s new Video Game History Foundation deep-dive reveals the wild, almost-comical journey of how Nintendo’s Famicom became the NES. In 1983, America was buried under the video game crash. Retailers hated consoles. So Nintendo? They didn’t call it a “console.” They called it an “Entertainment System” and sold it like a fancy VCR with cartridges. No joysticks—just two buttons. The Zapper? A bonus toy, not the main event.

And here’s the kicker: Nintendo shipped 100,000 units to New York as a test run… with no marketing. No ads. Just word-of-mouth and sheer stubbornness. It worked. Kids saw it in toy stores, begged their parents, and boom—8-bit magic exploded.

The real heroes? The unsung Nintendo employees who fought to keep the project alive, even when bosses said “no.” Watch the panel video—there’s footage of prototypes, handwritten notes, and stories you won’t find in any textbook.

If you’ve ever held an NES controller and thought, “Man, this thing changed my life,” now you know: it almost never made it off the shelf.

(And yes, the audio podcast is great too—just don’t miss the pics.)

📰 New article from TorrentFreak

Legal Push to Unmask Minions 3 Leaker Targets YouTube and Reddit

https://torrentfreak.com/legal-push-to-unmask-minions-3-leaker-targets-youtube-and-reddit/

Here’s your punchy, newsletter-ready version:

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Minions 3 Leak? Meet DrChoclateBob — the guy who just won’t quit.

It started with a whisper: a leaked audio file of Minions 3 showing up on Reddit and YouTube. Not just once—again and again. Even after strikes, bans, and account terminations, “DrChoclateBob” kept re-uploading. Like a cartoon villain with a microphone and zero sense of timing.

NBCUniversal had enough. They didn’t just sigh and move on—they went full legal mode. A California judge signed off on DMCA subpoenas demanding everything: names, addresses, IPs, phone numbers. Basically, the digital equivalent of “We know it’s you.”

The goal? Not just to punish—but to prevent. With the movie still six months from release, Universal is treating this leak like a national security breach. (Spoiler: It’s not. But the stakes feel high when your billion-dollar franchise has talking yellow blobs.)

Bonus twist: The same docs also mention a Lorax pirate. Probably unrelated… unless DrChoclateBob moonlights as a children’s movie anarchist.

Bottom line? If you think “just one more upload” won’t get you tracked—you’re not thinking like a studio with lawyers and subpoenas on speed dial.

—

Stay legal. Stay yellow.

📰 New article from Retro Handhelds

Retroid Pocket 6: Real Pics Arrive as First Batch Nears Shipping

https://retrohandhelds.gg/retroid-pocket-6-real-pics-arrive-as-first-batch-nears-shipping/

Okay, picture this: it’s December 2025, and we’ve finally seen the Retroid Pocket 6 — not in pixels, but in real life. After months of render-only suspense, Retroid dropped some actual photos like a holiday gift wrapped in nostalgia. And wow — the Orange version? Pure cheese-core aesthetics. It’s like if a Miyoo Mini and PowKiddy RGB10MAX3 had a sun-kissed baby.

No major surprises in the design — it’s sleek, compact, and very “I’m here to play GBA games while ignoring my responsibilities.” But the real drama? The 16Bit colorway. It’s barely there in the pics. Is it a glitch? A secret drop? Or just a victim of poor photo ops? Probably the last one. Retroid’s got no reason to ghost us… yet.

First batch ships early January 2026. If you missed it? Don’t panic — second batch pre-orders open in March. And yes, if you’re torn between “cool gray” and “sunset snack,” just grab the Orange. It’s not a handheld. It’s a mood. 🍊🎮

📰 New article from TorrentFreak

‘Stranger Things’ Is The Most Pirated TV Show of 2025

https://torrentfreak.com/stranger-things-is-the-most-pirated-tv-show-of-2025/

Stranger Things just dropped its final season—and apparently, fans are still pirating it like it’s 2019.

Yep, Netflix’s nostalgic sci-fi horror saga is the most-pirated TV show of 2025, beating out heavyweights like Squid Game and The Last of Us. Why? Because even if you’ve got Netflix, you might not want to pay for another subscription just to binge Silo, Pluribus, or Andor. And let’s be real—some of us just love the thrill of a well-timed torrent before the official release.

Apple TV+ is having a quiet revolution: three shows in the top 10 (Severance, Silo, Pluribus), while Disney+—once the king of pirated content—is now down to just Andor. Meanwhile, Amazon’s Reacher and Netflix’s Wednesday are holding their own. The lesson? If it’s binge-worthy, someone will find a way to watch it for free—even if they already pay for five streaming services.

Also, note: this data only tracks BitTorrent. Most piracy now happens on shady streaming sites nobody talks about—so the real numbers? Probably way higher.

TL;DR: Piracy’s back. And it’s still obsessed with Stranger Things.