Virtualization News and Articles

RPCS3 just got a lot faster on Arm, after months of low-level optimization

PlayStation 3 Emulator RPCS3 is rolling out a major Arm64 upgrade, delivering up to 60% faster performance and 25% lower power draw on supported hardware. Demonstrated on an Ayn Odin 2 handheld, the optimizations make previously unplayable titles like Ninja Gaiden 3 run smoothly and extend across Arm64 builds on Linux, macOS, and Windows, from Apple Silicon to Snapdragon X laptops and handhelds.

By Ivan Franco, August 7, 2026, 11:54 AM

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VMware Workstation Pro 26H1 brings architectural upgrades and expanded OS support

VMware Workstation Pro 26H1 is the latest version of the go-to desktop hypervisor for developers and power users. Now fully free for commercial and personal use, it runs Windows, Linux, and BSD virtual machines side-by-side on a single PC – no rebooting, no repartitioning.

By Julio Franco, August 4, 2026, 11:10 AM

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VMware Workstation Pro 26H1 brings broader Linux support and quality-of-life upgrades

VMware Workstation Pro 26H1 adds broader Linux support, full 64-bit Windows components, and direct connections to remote ESXi Arm hosts. The update also introduces several quality-of-life fixes requested since Broadcom made Workstation free. For developers, tinkerers, and anyone juggling Linux distros or Windows test environments, Workstation Pro remains one of the easiest ways to run reliable virtual machines on a PC.

By Julio Franco, May 18, 2026, 9:16 AM

Security Gaming

Denuvo may have reached the end as every protected PC game is now crackable

The takeaway: The PC piracy scene appears to have reached a milestone many once thought unlikely: Denuvo, long regarded as one of the most formidable DRM and anti-tamper systems in gaming, has effectively been defeated. With hypervisor bypasses emerging as the latest breakthrough, there is now no known PC game protected by Denuvo that cannot be obtained for free through either a crack or a functional bypass.

Full story By Alfonso Maruccia, April 27, 2026, 3:52 PM 59 comments

Gaming Security

Hypervisor-based cracks are breaking Denuvo protections in hours

The PC game piracy world will never be the same...

By Alfonso Maruccia, April 1, 2026, 7:23 AM 16 comments

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VMware Workstation Pro 25H2 expands hardware and OS support

VMware Workstation Pro 25H2 focuses on platform updates, adding USB 3.2 support, newer virtual hardware, improved Hyper-V detection, and compatibility with recent Linux releases like Debian 13, Fedora 42, and RHEL 10, plus a new dictTool utility for working with configuration files.

By Ivan Franco, February 8, 2026, 11:33 AM

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PCSX2 lets you play your entire PS2 library on Windows, macOS and Linux

The latest version brings major performance gains, HDR texture optimizations, and a new "Align to Native with Texture Offset" upscaling mode. With 98.44% of the PS2 library now playable, PCSX2 remains the best way to revisit classic titles with modern enhancements.

By Ivan Franco, November 10, 2025, 11:33 AM

Software Tech Culture

Stripped-down Windows 7 fits in 69MB download, with some caveats

It boots, but most apps fail to run unless you download omitted files

By Alfonso Maruccia, November 4, 2025, 2:08 PM 11 comments

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VMware Workstation 25H2 brings USB 3.2 support, new tools, and broader CPU compatibility

VMware Workstation 25H2 delivers a solid set of upgrades for power users and developers, adding USB 3.2 support, improved suspend behavior, UI tweaks, and a new dictTool for editing VM config files. The update also expands support for the latest CPUs and Linux distros, including RHEL 10, Debian 13, Fedora 42, and SUSE 16.

By Erik Orejuela, October 17, 2025, 10:36 AM

Mobile Gaming

Every iPod clickwheel game has been saved from digital oblivion, thanks to a dedicated preservation project

All available on the Internet Archive

By Alfonso Maruccia, September 9, 2025, 12:04 PM

Software Microsoft

Windows Server users have a new tool to convert VMware virtual machines to Hyper-V instances

While preparing for a cloud-only future, on-premise setups can live on in virtualized form

By Alfonso Maruccia, August 26, 2025, 11:28 AM

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VirtualBox is a free and powerful tool for running multiple operating systems

VirtualBox is open-source virtualization software that enables you to run multiple OS on a single machine. Whether you need to test software, use legacy systems, or create isolated environments, VirtualBox supports Windows, Linux, macOS, and other platforms as both host and guest systems.

By Ivan Franco, July 21, 2025, 1:36 PM

Security Microsoft

Microsoft strengthens Windows 365 Cloud PCs with virtualization-based protection

New default settings disable file redirections and enable advanced security features

By Alfonso Maruccia, June 19, 2025, 3:47 PM

Apple Software

Apple introduces ASIF disk image format in macOS 26 Tahoe for faster virtual storage

The ASIF format delivers near-native SSD speeds for Disk images on Apple silicon

By Skye Jacobs, June 15, 2025, 8:33 AM

Software Microsoft

Windows 11 security update leaves virtual machines unable to boot

Another Windows update, another problem: KB5058405 causes startup failures

By Skye Jacobs, May 31, 2025, 10:26 AM

Software Industry

Broadcom could face EU antitrust fines over 'punitive' VMware contract terms

Report slams Broadcom's unlawful practices after acquiring VMware

By Alfonso Maruccia, May 23, 2025, 1:01 PM 9 comments

Software Industry

Broadcom pressures VMware customers with cease-and-desist letters over perpetual licenses

Reaching a new low in the never-ending quest for converting everyone to a subscription

By Alfonso Maruccia, May 8, 2025, 3:41 PM 11 comments

Security Microsoft

Microsoft deprecates "revolutionary" virtualization-based security feature in older Windows 11 versions

All things considered, the decision should not affect that many customers

By Alfonso Maruccia, April 18, 2025, 1:54 PM 8 comments

Software Industry

Broadcom is suing Siemens for allegedly using thousands of unlicensed VMware products

Post-acquisition lawsuits are piling up at VMware

By Alfonso Maruccia, March 27, 2025, 10:11 AM

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Wine 10.0 arrives with a performance and compatibility boost

Wine 10.0, the latest release of the compatibility layer for running Windows applications on Linux, brings improved 64-bit x86 emulation, full ARM64EC support, and revamped high-DPI scaling, as well as an initial revision of a Bluetooth driver.

By Ivan Franco, January 22, 2025, 10:25 AM

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VMware Workstation and Fusion now free for all, including commercial users

Starting today, VMware Workstation and VMware Fusion are available for free on both personal and commercial environments. This shift means VMware has discontinued its paid Pro versions, and the free applications now include all the features previously available in the Pro versions.

By Ivan Franco, January 12, 2025, 12:51 PM