Gaming News - Page 94
No Man's Sky Echoes uses AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution to boost performance on Switch
Hello Games confirmed it is using AMD's FSR 2.0 tech to boost the visual quality of No Man's Sky on the Nintendo Switch.
Today Hello Games announced Echoes, the latest free expansion for their mega-successful space sim No Man's Sky. The new Echoes expansion packs in a ton of content, including a new alien language, pirate frigates, fresh settlements, new expeditions, and even a ceremonial staff you can use while exploring planets.
There's also some tech upgrades including foveated rendering on PlayStation VR2 to "boost resolution and detail at the center of your vision." Hello Games has also confirmed they are using AMD's FidelityFX Super Resolution 2.0 to enhance visuals on the lower-end Tegra X1-powered Nintendo Switch.
CMA opens investigation into new Microsoft-Activision merger
UK regulators at the Competition and Markets Authority have opened a separate new investigation into Microsoft's updated Activision merger proposal.
Days ago, the CMA officially blocked the original Microsoft-Activision merger under the existing terms. Microsoft's 10-year deals with NVIDIA and Boosteroid were not convincing enough, neither was the Cloud Remedy proposal nor the Call of Duty deal that Sony signed. The CMA still believes the original merger would have resulted in lessened competition in the cloud gaming market.
Microsoft anticipated this play and has now submitted a new restructured merger deal that makes some pretty big changes. UK regulators at the CMA have opened a separate investigation into the revised merger proposal--it's a new deal that has warranted its own Phase 1 investigation, which can take over a month.
Continue reading: CMA opens investigation into new Microsoft-Activision merger (full post)
Phil Spencer says it 'will take time' to get Activision games on Game Pass
Xbox's Phil Spencer tells gamers that Activision-Blizzard PC and console titles won't show up on Game Pass overnight.
Microsoft's desire to buy Activision Blizzard King centers around three main goals: Having a presence in mobile gaming, bolstering PC and consoles, and adding value to Xbox Game Pass. The inclusion of Call of Duty alone on Xbox Game Pass could tip the scales in Microsoft's favor when it comes to subscription services, not to mention other heavy hitters like Overwatch and Diablo IV.
If the merger goes through, Microsoft indeed plans to add a lot of Activision-Blizzard's PC and console games to Xbox Game Pass. After all, the subscription service is meant to transform and usher in a new digital-based future of the Xbox business, as Microsoft plans to make Xbox a $32 billion business by 2030 using models like Xbox Game Pass.
Baldur's Gate 3 on Xbox confirmed to launch in 2023 thanks to Phil Spencer's help
Baldur's Gate 3 will officially launch on Xbox in 2023, the boss of game developer Larian has re-confirmed.
Working closely with Xbox gaming CEO Phil Spencer, Larian has now found a way to ensure Baldur's Gate 3 meets its target and releases on Xbox platforms in 2023. The news was confirmed today by Larian Studios head Swen Vincke, who said:
"I'm super happy to confirm that after meeting Phil Spencer yesterday, we've found a solution that allows us to bring Baldur's Gate 3 to Xbox players this year still, something we've been working towards for quite some time," Vincke said on Twitter.
Microsoft offers creative Activision merger divestiture to persuade UK regulators
Microsoft plans to team up with unlikely ally Ubisoft in a bid to seek approval from UK regulators for its $68.7 billion merger with Activision.
Microsoft has taken creative and preemptive strategies to get the Activision merger approved. We've seen Microsoft make 10-year Call of Duty deals with Nintendo and Sony, and also sign deals with multiple cloud gaming providers in an effort to reduce concerns about content exclusivity. But Microsoft's latest gambit for merge approval is by far its largest yet.
Following multiple reports from unnamed sources, the tech giant is indeed planning to divest a significant portion of its cloud gaming business. Microsoft's divestiture doesn't involve an entire studio or business unit but instead distribution.
Forza Motorsport PC system requirements are announced - here's another game that needs an SSD
We now know the system requirements for Forza Motorsport, and it's another PC game to join an increasing trend these days, calling for an SSD as a compulsory component.
The other minimum requirements are not particularly taxing, but ruling out gamers with PCs that still run a hard disk may be painful for some folks.
As mentioned, there are more than a few games which have taken this SSD-only route in recent times, including Starfield which is now imminent.
PlayStation Portal does not support cloud game streaming, only Remote Play via PS5
Sony just announced a new PSP, but it's not the one you expected. Sony's new gaming handheld is called the PlayStation Portal and it's a very targeted product with a limited feature set.
With its $199 price tag and reduced functionality, the new PlayStation Portal might be a tough sell. The device has steep competition with the Nintendo Switch Lite matching the same price tag, but what sets the Portal apart isn't necessarily what it can do, but what it can't.
The PlayStation Portal is exclusively a Remote Play device, meaning it can't play games on its own and does not have game-ready internal hardware (and if it does, the functionality is being limited by proprietary software/firmware). We've known this for a while, but there was some fuzziness about the Portal supporting cloud game streaming. That's not the case.
Sony announces new PSP for $199, but it's not what you think
Sony's new PlayStation handheld gets an official announcement with pricing details.
Sony's first gaming handheld since the PlayStation Vita isn't what you'd expect. The so-called Project Q handheld has been officially revealed as the PlayStation Portal, and unlike the Vita, it does not play games on its own. The PlayStation Portal is described by Sony as a "remote player," and rightly so, because the handheld is meant to be an extension of the PS5.
The new PlayStation Portal handheld features basic functionality when compared to its peers and only streams PlayStation games, whereas other similarly-priced mobile handhelds offer access to Android apps and other services/games. At the same price of $199, consumers can opt for a Nintendo Switch handheld and play full dedicated titles. But that's not really who the PS Portal is for--Sony is aiming at the fan who is already entrenched in the ecosystem.
Continue reading: Sony announces new PSP for $199, but it's not what you think (full post)
Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty 'Update 2.0' looks incredible with DLSS 3.5 and full ray tracing
At Gamescom 2023, NVIDIA announced DLSS 3.5 for all GeForce RTX graphics cards coming this year, introducing AI-powered Ray Reconstruction to improve ray-tracing image quality. For support titles (and so far, NVIDIA has announced DLSS 3.5 is coming to Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, Portal with RTX, and Alan Wake 2), it will be a game-changer for 'how good' games will look with RT enabled.
It replaces hand-tuned denoisers, which are used to fill in pixel detail when tracing rays, with an AI solution that improves image quality and reduces things like ghosting. And with DLSS 3.5 coming to Cyberpunk 2077, NVIDIA provided a few screenshots of DLSS 3.5 in action, and we get to see ray-traced reflections look cleaner, sharper, and generally more impressive.
And with that, we've got a trailer for Cyberpunk: Phantom Liberty showcasing DLSS 3.5 in action, and the results are impressive, to say the least - making it one of the best-looking PC games in 2023. As nice as the fancy RT effect can be, CD Project Red has presented a new trailer for Cyberpunk: Phantom Liberty, showcasing how much it overhauls the game.
Diablo 4 Season 2 revealed and it's all about vampires and long-awaited quality of life updates
At Gamescom 2023, Blizzard lifted the lid on the upcoming second season of Diablo IV called 'Season of Blood', which is set to begin on October 17. Per the naming, the next season will feature a story all about a new "fanged threat" emerging from the shadows - vampires.
The brief story description hints at a "dark master" controlling an army of vampires unleashed on Sanctuary, which will unfold as part of a new questline, including obtaining new Vampiric Powers "to wield against their originators." Blizzard has released a trailer for the new season that introduces Erys, a vampire hunter voiced by actress and producer Gemma Chan.
In addition to bloodsuckers, five new endgame bosses will be arriving, with players finally able to target specific Unique and Uber Unique items as a drop.