Gaming News - Page 80

All the latest gaming news, with everything related to PlayStation releases (PS4 & PS5), Xbox, PC Games, Nintendo Switch & plenty more - Page 80.

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Bethesda confirms Starfield is the biggest launch for the developer with a new player milestone

Jak Connor | Sep 20, 2023 11:36 AM CDT

Bethesda has taken to its social channels to announce Starfield reaching a new player milestone that has made the company reach its own milestone.

Bethesda confirms Starfield is the biggest launch for the developer with a new player milestone

Bethesda Games took to its X account to announce that Starfield has reached a staggering 10 million players across all platforms. This monumental achievement that took place just after two weeks of the title being out, as Bethesda released the highly anticipated title on September 19, with players that ordered the Premium Edition getting access on September 1. It was only after two days of being released Bethesda announced that more than 6 million people were playing the game.

The release of Starfield has gained it the title of the fastest-selling new IP of 2023, along with the biggest Xbox launch of this generation in Europe. At the moment its unclear what the split is in terms of platforms player count, and that is information we will likely never find as Microsoft stopped reporting its numbers quite some time ago.

Continue reading: Bethesda confirms Starfield is the biggest launch for the developer with a new player milestone (full post)

Leaked Nintendo Switch 2 specs reveal how powerful the next-gen console may be

Jak Connor | Sep 20, 2023 9:31 AM CDT

Nintendo Switch 2 rumors are swirling following the leak that developers were shown the next-generation console at Gamescom 2023, and now we are starting to hear more that back up previous predictions.

Leaked Nintendo Switch 2 specs reveal how powerful the next-gen console may be

Rumors started after select developers were shown The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild running near 4K at 60FPS on the next-generation console. The rumors indicated the Nintendo Switch 2 will be adopting an NVIDIA SoC that will bolster an Ampere-based GPU that will enable DLSS and make the Nintendo Switch 2 a much more powerful console compared to Microsoft and Sony's consoles. Leaked emails between Activision and Nintendo backed these theories up, as they stated the performance of the next-generation Switch would be closer to the PS4 / Xbox One.

Now, RedGamingTech has acquired exclusive information about the Nintendo Switch 2 specifications, and according to the YouTuber, Nintendo's next console will feature an Ampere-Lovelace hybrid chip that will be able to reach near Xbox Series S speeds (when docked). This leap in performance can be attributed to NVIDIA's DLSS, and when enabled, the Nintendo Switch 2 will come within 15% of the Xbox Series X performance. As for handheld mode, the console is expected to have performance similar to an ASUS ROG Ally handheld.

Continue reading: Leaked Nintendo Switch 2 specs reveal how powerful the next-gen console may be (full post)

Nintendo job listing confirms that the Switch 2 will feature custom NVIDIA DLSS support

Kosta Andreadis | Sep 19, 2023 7:56 PM CDT

It's been a very busy couple of weeks regarding the still-to-be-announced Nintendo Switch 2 gaming console, with rumors pointing to a 2024 release for Nintendo's next-generation hardware. First, several sources revealed that Nintendo showcased the new hardware at Gamescom to select developers with 4K DLSS-powered demos of The Legend of Zelda and Unreal Engine 5.

Nintendo job listing confirms that the Switch 2 will feature custom NVIDIA DLSS support

After that, we looked at the potential NVIDIA chip that will power the Switch 2, based on the company's Ampere architecture and advanced Samsung 8nm process - with hardware-accelerated ray-tracing and AI-powered DLSS rendering. From there, to temper expectations and remind us that Nintendo will always be Nintendo, leaks from Activision confirm that the performance target sits in the PS4 and Xbox One range - not the PS5 and Xbox Series generation.

But, with technology like DLSS (something that isn't possible on the current aging Switch hardware), the console can punch well above its weight class. And a new job listing at Nintendo America confirms DLSS is coming - and it could be a custom version.

Continue reading: Nintendo job listing confirms that the Switch 2 will feature custom NVIDIA DLSS support (full post)

Assassin's Creed Mirage PC requirements revealed, will only support Intel's XeSS Super Sampling

Kosta Andreadis | Sep 19, 2023 7:32 PM CDT

The next installment in Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed franchise, due for release on October 5, will see the series return to its roots by focusing on stealth, investigations, and assassinations in a single detailed location - Baghdad in the year 861. And with the release right around the corner, Ubisoft has outlined what to expect with the PC version and what you'll need to run the game in 4K.

Assassin's Creed Mirage PC requirements revealed, will only support Intel's XeSS Super Sampling

Compared to some of the recent high-profile PC releases, Assassin's Creed Mirage looks to be less intensive on hardware - with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070, AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT, and Intel Arc A770 able to hit 1440p 60fps using the 'High' detail mode. All three of these cards only feature 8GB of VRAM, too, so it doesn't look all that taxing.

Ubisoft's announcement for the PC features, which includes support for uncapped frame rates, ultrawide and multi-monitor displays, and keyboard and mouse controls, also reinforces that it has partnered with Intel for the game's release. This means no DLSS or AMD FSR support, just Intel's XeSS Super Sampling.

Continue reading: Assassin's Creed Mirage PC requirements revealed, will only support Intel's XeSS Super Sampling (full post)

FTC not involved in Xbox leak, agency says it's not to blame for biggest leak in game history

Derek Strickland | Sep 19, 2023 4:00 PM CDT

Microsoft is responsible for accidentally leaking incredibly sensitive information about its Xbox games business, not the FTC, the Commission says.

FTC not involved in Xbox leak, agency says it's not to blame for biggest leak in game history

On September 15, a wave of documents and files were uploaded to the FTC v Microsoft court exhibits list. These files included information about Xbox and Microsoft's post-merger plans. Accidentally included in the dearth of files was a series of highly sensitive PDFs and slides that revealed Microsoft's plans, including new consoles, how much Xbox pays to include titles day one on Game Pass, expected subscriber growth rates as a result of the ZeniMax buyout, an upcoming games list, and more.

This is the largest leak in video games history, and it gives consumers, investors, analysts, and competitors a clear look at Microsoft's gaming strategy through 2030. Contrary to popular belief, it wasn't the Federal Trade Commission who uploaded the files, but Microsoft themselves.

Continue reading: FTC not involved in Xbox leak, agency says it's not to blame for biggest leak in game history (full post)

Mortal Kombat 1 on the Nintendo Switch looks very different to the PS5 and Xbox versions

Kosta Andreadis | Sep 19, 2023 7:34 AM CDT

Mortal Kombat 1 is the latest entry in the long-running fighting game franchise, and it's available to play on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch. A reboot and sequel, it brings back classic characters and a rich cinematic story to experience alongside the over-the-top violence and gore.

Mortal Kombat 1 on the Nintendo Switch looks very different to the PS5 and Xbox versions

And with players getting Early Access to the game ahead of its official launch this week, all eyes have been on the Nintendo Switch version of the game - and not for a good reason. With the Switch version commanding the same premium price tag as the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions of the game, visually (to borrow a term from the game), it's a realm apart.

No one was expecting the Nintendo Switch version of Mortal Kombat 1 to look on par with the PS5 release, but this goes beyond running the game at the Switch's native resolution of 720p and dialing down a few settings. It looks like the aftermath of one of the in-game Fatalities - a mess.

Continue reading: Mortal Kombat 1 on the Nintendo Switch looks very different to the PS5 and Xbox versions (full post)

Microsoft plans to integrate ads into PC and mobile games following Activision buyout

Derek Strickland | Sep 18, 2023 8:13 PM CDT

New public court documents included in the FTC v Microsoft trial exhibit list given an idea of what Xbox plans to do after it acquires Activision.

Microsoft plans to integrate ads into PC and mobile games following Activision buyout

Activision Blizzard King isn't just making its money from game sales and microtransactions, but advertisements from King's lucrative ad tech platform. Microsoft plans to take advantage of Activision's advertising platform and expertise on a post-merger basis, and has indicated it will incorporate advertisements in PC and mobile games.

The exhibit PX1763 filing may be one of the most important files in the entire list. It's a slide deck of the Project Denali valuation model that was used to help convince Microsoft's board of directors to greenlight the Activision buyout. In this document, Microsoft outlines three value drivers for the acquisition.

Continue reading: Microsoft plans to integrate ads into PC and mobile games following Activision buyout (full post)

Xbox Game Pass made $230 million revenue in one month, most users pay for full subscriptions

Derek Strickland | Sep 18, 2023 4:10 PM CDT

Microsoft reveals more details about how much money Xbox Game Pass actually makes.

Xbox Game Pass made $230 million revenue in one month, most users pay for full subscriptions

Over the last few years, we've pieced together a lot of information and data about Microsoft and its video games division. In October 2022, we uncovered that Xbox Game Pass on console made $2.9 billion in revenue in 2021, as per a regulatory document. Shortly after, Xbox gaming CEO Phil Spencer said Game Pass made around 10-15% of content and services revenues, leading to our own adjusted calculations.

Now Microsoft has delivered concrete data on Game Pass revenues. According to a newly published Xbox slide deck from the FTC v Microsoft federal case, Xbox Game Pass generated an average of $9.26 per subscription. We know that there were around ~25 million Xbox Game Pass subscribers as of January 2022, so Xbox Game Pass may have generated around $231.5 million in revenue for the month of April 2022.

Continue reading: Xbox Game Pass made $230 million revenue in one month, most users pay for full subscriptions (full post)

Microsoft reveals how much third-party developers make per hour on Xbox

Derek Strickland | Sep 18, 2023 3:04 PM CDT

New court documents in the FTC v Microsoft case reveal in-depth figures from Xbox's secretive data vault.

Microsoft reveals how much third-party developers make per hour on Xbox

Days ago, the Northern California District Court uploaded a series of new exhibits to the recent Microsoft-Activision merger federal trial. One of these documents has an eye-opening view of revenue metrics that the games division typically keeps under wraps.

Exhibit PX1240 is a slide deck of an internal gaming review from April 2022. While nearly all of the slides in the deck have been redacted and blacked out, two particular slides (pages 49 and 50) have been left untouched. In these slides, Microsoft reveals useful KPIs (key performance indicators) like MAUs (monthly active users), monetized users, and gaming hours. These numbers are much more important to Microsoft now that it has shifted towards a service-oriented and subscription-first business model.

Continue reading: Microsoft reveals how much third-party developers make per hour on Xbox (full post)

Xbox consulted with metaverse pioneer Matthew Ball to help guide Game Pass subscription

Derek Strickland | Sep 18, 2023 1:29 PM CDT

A newly-published email chain reveals that Microsoft consulted with Matthew Ball, a leading force behind the emerging metaverse trend, to help with its growing Game Pass subscription.

Xbox consulted with metaverse pioneer Matthew Ball to help guide Game Pass subscription

California district courts recently uploaded a new batch of exhibits, documents, and files from the FTC v Microsoft federal case. These documents have shown that The Elder Scrolls 6 will be exclusive to Xbox and PC, highlighted Microsoft's initial plans to propose an acquisition of SEGA, and some interesting tidbits about Game Pass.

According to exhibit PX1087, Microsoft hired metaverse pioneer and ex-Prime Video strategist Matthew Ball to help solidify plans and ideas around Xbox Game Pass. The email chain reveals that Ball wrote an expansive 13,000-word white paper for Microsoft that discusses subscription models in length.

Continue reading: Xbox consulted with metaverse pioneer Matthew Ball to help guide Game Pass subscription (full post)