Gaming - Page 173

A former Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 developer has said he expects Grand Theft Auto 6 to fall short of 60FPS on both consoles.

The former developer is GTA 6 and RDR2 animator Mike York who spoke on Kiwi Talkz and said he expects Rockstar will be aiming for 30FPS on both Xbox Series consoles and PlayStation 5. York said he doesn't know if Rockstar will be able to "pull off 60FPS," and instead, Rockstar will likely opt for locked 30FPS, meaning the game will never dip below that figure -- and if it does it will only be a few frames at most.

For those wanting 60FPS, York said, "But it can be bumped up to 40, 41, 52, whatever, and I bet you, like, later, once it's on PC, it'll probably get super optimized and changed and new graphics cards that come out, and you'll be able to run it at 60fps probably at that time." For comparison's sake, GTA 5 is currently running at 60FPS on PS5, but let's not forget that game released in 2013 and has had many years of optimization-focussed updates stabilizing its performance.

The release date for the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6 is one of, if not the most sought-after date in the gaming industry, and now an online retailer has seemingly revealed it.

The online retailer is a Spanish store called XUruguay, which listed Grand Theft Auto 6's release for September 17, 2025. As you can probably imagine, gamers were quick to dissect the legitimacy of this "leak," with some suggesting it could be real, considering September lines up with Rockstar and publisher Take-Two Interactive's confirmed release window of Fall 2025.

Further conversation was sparked when the online retailer promptly removed the date from its website, and when queried about how it obtained the release date, the retailer said it works "directly with PlayStation, they let us know which products we can sell and on what dates."

At CES, we got to go hands-on with Indiana Jones and the Great Circle with Full Ray Tracing running in 5K on the new GeForce RTX 50 Series. From developer

MachineGames, the immersive first-person stealth, exploration, and adventure game, is not only one of the best-looking games for a high-end PC but also one of the best games of 2024.

Launching in December, it still feels new, and the build we played at CES 2025 implemented several DLSS 4 features, including the new Transformer model for Super Resolution, Ray Reconstruction, and Multi Frame Generation. The current build of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle on PC doesn't include Ray Reconstruction for its ray tracing options, so the jump to DLSS 4 is pretty mind-blowing in what it brings to the overall image quality.

Call of Duty Black Ops 6 helped Xbox hit a new all-time revenue high for Game Pass subscriptions, and it's possible this growth could've helped Game Pass make more than Xbox hardware during the Holiday 2024 period.

Things are on the up and up for Xbox, at least when it comes leadership comments. The latest holiday 2024 earnings results show a $500 million+ decline in total Xbox platform earnings, but the downward pull was mostly due to hardware. And since hardware is sold at a loss, reductions in actual Xbox console shipments/sales can actually boost Xbox's total profits.

While we didn't refreshed Xbox Game Pass subscriber numbers, we did get a vital snippet if info from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. The subscription actually made record-breaking revenues throughout the Q2'FY25 / Holiday 2024 period, driven by Black Op 6's megaton launch on Xbox Game Pass.

Spider-Man 2 spins its web onto the PC in less than 24 hours, and now we have PC system requirements, and PC-specific enhancements that have been unveiled. Here's the trailer:

Spider-Man 2 has been tweaked by the team at Nixxes, with the game developed by Insomniac and until now, a PlayStation exclusive, a "technological and graphical showcase utilizing tools like ray tracing to bring the city of Marvel's New York to life". However, on the PC there are new ray tracing options, NVIDIA DLSS, and so much more.

NVIDIA DLSS 3.5 will launch with Spider-Man 2 on the PC, as well as NVIDIA DLSS Ray Reconstruction technology, improving ray tracing performance if you've got the right hardware. There's also ultrawide monitor support, with Nixxes providing support for 21:9, 32:9, and even 48:9 aspect ratios on triple-monitor gaming PCs. Nixxes' team of engineers and artists "worked hard ensuring all cinematics in Marvel's Spider-Man 2 are adapted to be fully viewable in aspect ratios up to 32:9".

Xbox hardware revenue is down to its second-lowest point in the last 10 years...but this isn't actually bad news for Microsoft right now.

Microsoft's latest Q2FY25 results have been posted, showing interesting results for Xbox. Based on the data provided, Xbox gaming earned $6.581 billion throughout the Holiday 2024 quarter, driven significantly by content and services (game sales, microtransactions, subscriptions, etc). Xbox hardware only accounted for 15% of total revenues, or about $1.01 billion.

These numbers mean that FY25 saw the second all-time low for Xbox hardware revenues in the last decade, second only to the $815 - $830 million earned in the Holiday 2019 quarter. Interestingly enough, this is actually a good thing for Microsoft...at least for the time being.

Microsoft's shift towards high-margin businesses like Xbox Game Pass may have helped make the games division more profitable throughout the holiday 2024 period.

Microsoft just reported its Q2FY25 results, giving us a status update on the Xbox brand. All-told, revenue was down around 7%, dropping from the all-time high of $7.111 billion earning in Q2FY24 down to $6.581 billion, representing a hefty half-billion dollar increase. Despite the drop, though, this is the second-highest holiday period in Xbox history (thanks in no small part to ABK's contributions).

Nestled in the earnings report is also mention of operating income. Remember that Xbox is part of Microsoft's More Personal Computing division, and it's not its own branch. That means we don't get operating income/profit info for Xbox (despite us being able to glean info from leaked documents).

On the heels of the comments from Xbox gaming CEO Phil Spencer, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella gives an update on the future trajectory of Xbox.

Xbox has one singular goal above all else: To meet (or ideally surpass) the profit margin goals that are set by Microsoft's CFO and board. The group has two ways to meet this goal: Cut costs and improve business margins.

We've heard Xbox talk about high-margin businesses in the past. Key examples include digital game sales and subscriptions like Xbox Game Pass. A big example of Microsoft executing on high-margin opportunities is launching Black Ops 6 onto Xbox Game Pass, although the exact business dynamics are blurry. Another example is how Xbox is breaking exclusivity to launch its games on PlayStation and Nintendo platforms.

Xbox reports its second-highest holiday quarter thanks to the help of Activision Blizzard King's billion-dollar contributions.

Today Microsoft revealed its earnings results for Q2 FY25, which runs from October - December 2024. The holidays are critical for games companies, and Xbox managed to pull in $6.581 million in total revenue throughout the 3-month period. Unsurprisingly, this is the second highest quarter of earnings in Xbox history, and the second-highest Q2 earnings behind Q2'FY24's all-time high of $7.111 billion.

"Gaming revenue increased $1.2 billion or 11% driven by growth in Xbox content and services, offset in part by a decline in Xbox hardware. Xbox content and services revenue increased 24% driven by the impact of the Activision Blizzard acquisition," reads Microsoft's earnings report.

Sony has relented to pressure from PC gamers, drops the unpopular PS Network login requirement for some singleplayer PlayStation games on Steam.

The PSN login controversy hit Sony at an extremely inopportune moment, and it was almost big enough to destabilize Helldiver II's breakout success. Back then, Sony originally wanted everyone to make a PSN account to play Helldivers II and gave an ultimatum to fans--make a PSN by Summer, or you'd be locked out of the game. Significant push-back caused Sony to change its policy and bend to its audience. Now Sony is making more concessions with its PSN login policy.

Sony today announced that it will not require PlayStation Network logins for select upcoming singleplayer games on PC. Instead, gamers will be able to choose whether or not they want to sign in with a PSN account. If you do sign in, you'll get bonuses like trophy support and extra in-game unlocks similar to Ubisoft Connect.

It looks like gamers are moving on from the PS4 at least with PS Plus freebies, and Sony is taking the hint.

Sony wants the PS5 to beat the PS4 in every way possible--sales, profits, services, accessories, etc. So any time there's an opportunity to sunset Gen8 features, content, or delivery, Sony might take it. Something like that is now happening with PS Plus freebies.

SIE today announced that PS4 games will no longer be a "key benefit" of the PS Plus Monthly Games and Game Catalog. Starting January 1, 2026, PS4 games are no longer guaranteed as monthly content for PS Plus subscribers, and Sony will offer free PS5 games instead.

BioWare isn't ready to enter full production on the next Mass Effect game, so EA has moved core BioWare dev teams to other projects.

Now that Dragon Age: The Veilguard has shipped (and missed targets), BioWare is now focusing on its next big AAA project: Mass Effect 5. But the studio isn't quite ready to ramp up to full production just yet. ME5 starts out as all game do: with a small, tight-knit core team that outlines the vision in pre-production phases--in this case, the game is being led by series vets like Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, and Parrish Ley.

So what do the other BioWare devs do while the smaller team outlines the early framework for ME5? According to general manager Gary McKay, they can find new jobs/placement at other EA studios. It feels like BioWare is shedding extraneous teams to reduce costs while re-allocating resources for parent EA, who is assuredly disappointed with the performance of BioWare's most recent game.

Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer clearly outlines the future of Xbox as it pertains to exclusivity, re-affirming plans to expand games, content, and services to as many screens as possible.

Xbox exclusivity is now extinct. Microsoft wants to expand its business laterally and use its rival-competitors to sell more games. This means offering once-Xbox exclusives onto PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2, and following the powerhouse $74 billion buyout of Activision Blizzard King, Xbox has made a thorough transition into a service-driven company. This means embracing all platforms to maximize sales/microtransactions (also remember that Microsoft/Activision are contractually bound to keep shipping the $31 billion+ Call of Duty franchise on Sony and Nintendo platforms).

Now in a recent interview with Gamer Tag Radio, Xbox gaming CEO Phil Spencer dispels all confusion with Microsoft's plans going forward. All games, content, and services are fair game for other platforms, devices, and/or screens. In other words, Xbox wants to maximally expand its reach, especially on rival platforms.

Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has revealed during a recent podcast that gamers can expect Xbox titles making their way over to the Nintendo Switch 2.

Spencer appeared on the latest episode of Gamertag Radio, where he spoke with Danny Peña and Parris Lilly about several topics, and one hot topic that was brought up was the Nintendo Switch 2. Spencer was asked about his reaction to Nintendo's latest console unveiling, where he said that he's excited the successor to the Nintendo Switch will feature a bigger screen and that Xbox is "really looking forward to supporting them with the games that we have."

The Microsoft Gaming CEO goes on to applaud the efforts made by the Nintendo team in creating a new device category following the immense success of the Nintendo Switch. Moreover, Spencer touches on Xbox's long-time stance of having their titles on as many screens as possible, and not just the Xbox platform.

Sony Corp has chosen a new CEO for its main business and its PlayStation video games division.

Hiroki Totoki will become Sony Corp's new CEO and president in April, the company has announced in a new press release. The appointment comes after Totoki served multiple quarters as CFO, COO, director and president of Sony Corp.

The new structure also directly affects Sony Interactive Entertainment, which houses the $29 billion PlayStation games segment. PlayStation has a new lead with Hideaki Nishino taking the reigns as CEO. Nishino had previously been co-CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, spearheading the hardware business.

A quick Google of Ubisoft's stock price will paint a pretty bleak picture of the company, as multiple failed game releases have now resulted in the company now having to focus on what it really thinks will be successful for company.

Ubisoft has now confirmed that it's shutting Ubisoft Leamington, a support studio that contributed to titles such as Star Wars Outlaws and Far Cry 5. Leamington was acquired by Ubisoft in 2017, and according to a Ubisoft spokesperson who spoke to GameSpot, the decision to shut the studio is part of the company's goal to "prioritize projects and reduce costs" and its overarching plan to be "highly selective approach to investments." The studio's closure will impact 185 employees, and according to Ubisoft, the company expects to save $206 million USD as a result.

The shutting of the studio isn't surprising in the least as Ubisoft previously stated it's currently undergoing "targeted restructurings" of Ubisoft Dusseldorf, Ubisoft Stockholm, and Ubisoft Reflections. Moreover, the closure comes at a time when Ubisoft is in talks with Tencent for a potential buyout that will still have the Guillemot family maintain its control - its largest shareholder.

Microsoft's Xbox strategy has evolved in recent years, especially after it acquired Activision Blizzard King for nearly $70 billion - the largest acquisition in video game history. The concept of games being locked to a single platform has been fading for a while, thanks to everything eventually making its way to PC, but things are moving a lot faster for Microsoft and Xbox.

The company is now looking beyond Xbox consoles, the PC market, and cloud gaming for all of its first-party slate of games - which includes releasing games on PlayStation 5 and the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2. After playing it safe in deciding what games will end up multi-platform and testing the waters with titles like Sea of Thieves and Hi-Fi Rush, it looks like Xbox is about to open the floodgates.

In 2025, first-party titles DOOM: The Dark Ages and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle are both coming to PS5 - and in a recent interview with industry veteran Destin Legarie, Xbox head Phil Spencer didn't rule out Bethesda's Starfield making its way to Sony's console. He all but confirms that Starfield on PS5 is inevitable.

A new report has stated Sony is casting Middle Eastern actors for an upcoming project that is "likely" the next God of War game based on Egyptian mythology.

The new information comes from Daniel Richtman, a known leaker of insider information within the entertainment industry, and not particularly the games industry. However, it's common for these two industries to have some crossover, especially with casting calls for characters to be played. According to Richtman, Sony is currently casting Middle Eastern actors for an unknown AAA title, writing in a post on Patreon that the project is "likely to be the next God of War that explores Egyptian mythology."

It should be noted this isn't the first time Egyptian mythology and God of War have been said in the same sentence, as the 2018 "Making Of" God of War documentary features a segment where creative director Cory Barlog said the studio initially considered Egyptian mythology as the setting for the first God of War game, but ultimately the team decided to go with Norse mythology instead.

One of the many conversations happening in the gaming industry surrounds Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) becoming apparent in video games, which, for those that don't know, can be the perceived inclusion of allegedly under-represented races, sexual orientations, and genders.

It should be noted that DEI is a widely used buzzword that has a very loose definition and has been translated by some in the video game industry as "woke," or in the injection of "political agendas". Regardless of how the acronym is accurately defined, some publishers/developers have taken stands on either side of the DEI fence, with Helldivers 2 CEO Johan Pilestedt writing on Twitter earlier this month that developers, if the DEI content doesn't "add to the game experience, it detracts. And games should be a pure pursuit of amazing moments."

On the other side of the fence, Activision-Blizzard is embracing DEI across its entire company, with President of Activision Publishing, Rob Kostich, writing in a now leaked company-wide message, "To be clear, this work continue to be extremely important in everything that we do. Our Inclusive Growth Team as made great strides in helping us weave inclusivity into all aspects of business."

PC gaming continues to dominate, but it dominates more than most people seem to know. In a new report from Epyllion, we're seeing that PC gaming has made 220% more revenue than consoles over the last 10 years.

The data from Epyllion shows that both consoles and PCs have experienced exponential growth over the last few years, but PC gaming has absolutely exploded. In the last 10 years, PC gaming has delivered 220% higher revenue than consoles which is quite amazing, considering how much marketing and hype gets pumped into consoles versus the PC.

Epyllion reports that the growth of PC gaming is thanks to its "compounding advantages" over the consoles, and a more interactive environment... backward compatibility, more control over the gaming performance of the PC (through new CPUs, RAM, SSDs, and GPUs) and more. Consoles haven't been selling anywhere near as well as analysts thought, but PC gaming has continued to blast from success to success.