Gaming - Page 190

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.

Rise of the Ronin launches on the PC on March 11, packing some awesome PC features and technologies that will offer PC gamers a huge jump over the former PlayStation 5 exclusive. Check it out:

A new trailer was released by developer Team NINJA, with the open-world action RPG teased with some juicy PC-specific features that include ultra-wide resolution support, 8K resolution support, 120FPS support, NVIDIA DLSS, AMD FSR, Intel XeSS, frame generation, ray tracing, 3D audio, and more.

On the Rise of the Ronin Steam Store page, the minimum and recommend requirements for the PC include 1080p 30FPS and 1080p 60FPS, which you can check out below:

With the arrival of DLSS 4, all aspects of NVIDIA's AI game enhancement tools are being overhauled and upgraded. DLSS Super Resolution and Ray Reconstruction are now powered by a new cutting-edge 'Transformer' model (the same AI model used to train generative AI like ChatGPT) for improved image stability and fidelity.

Frame Generation, which debuted with the GeForce RTX 40 Series, is also changing thanks to new advances in AI that will improve performance by around 10% while reducing the tech's VRAM requirement by about 30%.

This optimized and overhauled AI-powered Frame Generation is why the GeForce RTX 50 Series gets Multi Frame Generation on day one. Thanks to how RTX Blackwell manages AI workloads and something called 'Flip Metering,' up to three additional frames can be rendered with a minimal impact on latency. The good news for GeForce RTX 30 series owners is that the new overhauled DLSS Frame Generation could soon hit Ampere.

AMD's RDNA 4 desktop gaming GPUs, led by the Radeon RX 9070 and Radeon RX 9070 XT combo, are on track for a March 2025 launch. Although specs, performance, and pricing are still TBC, one of the highlights from the CES announcement was that FSR 4 is on the way.

The latest version of AMD's FidelityFX Super Resolution is switching to a new AI method for upscaling, and it will be exclusive (at launch) for the new RDNA 4 generation. This is because it has been designed for RDNA 4's new "super-charged" AI hardware. The goal is to improve image quality and fidelity, bringing it closer to NVIDIA DLSS and Intel XeSS, which already use AI for their Super Resolution implementations.

For those who paid close attention to AMD's slide on FSR 4, it featured a footnote that confirmed that every game with FSR 3.1 integrated - will support FSR 4 on day one. According to industry insider @Kepler_L2 over on X, we could be looking at a similar situation to NVIDIA's new DLSS Override features for DLSS 4 - where enabling the latest tech is as easy as checking a box in the NVIDIA App. That's 51 games on day one.

PC development has skyrocketed this year according to GDC's new 2025 State of the Game Industry report, with more than 80% of the 3000 developers who responded to the survey saying they're making games for the PC right now.

The report suggests that this is a rather big upgrade for game development on the PC over 2024, where GDC's survey saw 66% of respondents said they were developing for the PC, and now that number is at 80%. This is more than double the percentage of developers working on the second-most popular platform -- the PlayStation 5 -- with 38% of developers working on PS5 games, and 34% of developers working on Xbox Series X/S games.

These numbers have been slowly increasing over the years, with prior GDC surveys seeing 56% of developers working on PC games in 2020, rising to 58% in 2021, 63% in 2022, and 65% in 2023, before reaching a lofty 80% of developers working on PC games in the new 80%. Not just that, but interest in developing for the PC is also up massively, with 74% of respondents to the GDC survey interested in the PC, up from 62% in 2024.

DOOM: The Dark Ages could be released on the Nintendo Switch 2 handheld, according to a leaker, while Xbox boss Phil Spencer talks about his excitement for the Nintendo Switch 2 as well as more multiplatform games coming in the future in a recent interview.

In a new leak from Spanish leaker 'eXtas1s' we're hearing that id Software is working on DOOM: The Dark Ages for the Nintendo Switch 2, with the announcement being restricted for now until Nintendo provides approval for any new game coming to the Nintendo Switch 2 (and not the original Nintendo Switch).

Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has had some new comments during a new Q&A video, stating we can expect more multiplatform games and is excited to see what Nintendo has been cooking with its next-gen Switch 2 gaming handheld.

Xbox CEO Phil Spencer has provided an update on Xoxb in a recent interview, with Microsoft's strategy on gaming, and where the Xbox is headed into the future.

In a new interview with Spencer on the OG gaming podcast Gamertag Radio, we have some new information on where the Xbox brand is going in 2025 and beyond. Parris Lily asked Spencer: "there is concern in the community that if you're putting games on other platforms, why would I still want an Xbox when I can get that experience on another platform?"

Spencer replied, saying: "I want people to pick hardware based on the capabilities of that hardware, and how that fits into the choices they want to make about where they want to play. We want our hardware to win based on the hardware capabilities that we have".

AGEMAGIC has just announced the upcoming pre-sale of its new F3A AI 370 Mini-PC by the end of January 2025, powered by AMD's latest Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 "Strix Point" APU.

This new high-performance Mini-PC combines some awesome power and the latest technology, with its 12-core, 24-thread Zen 5-based processor with a boost clock of up to 5.1GHz, we have exceptional multi-threaded performance and processing power. Inside, the Strix Point APU features the Ryzen AI NPU based on the XDNA 2 architecture with up to 50 TOPS of AI workload performance. However, combined with the CPU, GPU, and NPU we have up to 80 TOPS of AI performance.

AMD's new Strix Point APU features an integrated Radeon 890M GPU based on the newer RDNA 3.5 GPU architecture, supporting up to 8K resolutions, and multiple video outputs through HDMI 2.1, USB4 Type-C, and DisplayPort 2.0 allow for countless display configurations.

Living with a gamer who is vocal about their exploits or defeats can be extremely tough, especially if your residence is on the smaller side. To solve this problem, perhaps consider buying a human muzzle for your significant other/family member.

Lauren Morton, an Associate Editor at PC Gamer deals with this problem as she outlines in her recent review of the Metadox Ombra. her husband is quite vocal on Discord when he is playing Rainbow Six Siege. Morton explains she came across the Metadox Ombra, a soundproof mask specifically designed for gamers, and jokingly suggested he should try it. To her surprise, he agreed, saying, "Sure, I'll do it". Morton writes in the review the Ombra "really does dampen sound to the degree advertised," but the price and the guilt aren't worth it.

The Metadox Ombra is priced at $139 and comes in two sizes, small and large. It comes equipped with a microphone port, a pair of wired earbuds, a 3.5mm splitter, and a second microphone enclosure for compatibility with an existing headset. Morton writes there is basically no setup for this gaming muzzle, and Metadox claims it can reduce 10-15dB at low frequencies and 20dB to 30dB at mid and high frequencies. Morton's testing verified these claims by Metadox, as her husband's vocals were reduced by an average of 20dB during his Rainbow Six gaming sessions.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is the biggest and best game that developer id Software has ever made, something the team revealed during a recent roundtable Q&A session with id Software Executive Producer Marty Stratton and Game Director Hugo Martin.

DOOM: The Dark Ages acts as a prequel to DOOM released in 2016, with id Software saying this will be the perfect point in the series for newcomers to the franchise. This is because of the increased focus on accessibility through newly added sliders, letting users ramp up (or down) the difficulty as they see fit. These modifiers will include damage to the player, demons, enemy aggression and projectile speed, parry window, daze duration, game speed, and resource values.

During the Q&A roundtable, the id Software execs said that if DOOM Eternal made players feel like they were controlling a fighter jet, DOOM: The Dark Ages will make you feel like an iron tank. The developers said that they wanted to provide a more grounded combat system, with the Slayer still being fast, but now he's heavy and strong with his moves, providing power over acrobatics of DOOM Eternal.

AYANEO 3 is the "world's first modular handheld" offering some bloody good specs, features, functionality and more inside. Check it out:

The new AYANEO 3 gaming handheld features dual USB4 ports as well as OCulink connectivity, with new RGB-ringed Hall effect joysticks that are modular, allowing for gamers to completely tweak their handheld. There's also IPS and OLED display options, and two different AMD APUs used with the flagship AYANEO 3 featuring up to AMD's new Ryzen 9 AI HX 370 "Strix Point" APU.

Pricing ranges between $699 and $1799 in early bird pricing, while retail pricing will be between $899 and $2099: all depending on the APU you choose -- the AMD Ryzen 7 8840U or AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 APUs -- and the RAM + SSD configurations. The new AYANEO 3 handheld starts with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage, while at the top end you can enjoy a beefy 64GB of RAM and 4TB of SSD storage.

SEGA has an interesting new game plan that should revitalize a slew of classic IPs like Crazy Taxi and Jet Set Radio in new, inventive ways.

Over the past few years, SEGA has been gearing up its business for a new ambitious multi-year endeavor called Super Games. Basically, SEGA wants to create its own unique and irreverent take on globally-connected live service games. Now SEGA has made the first step towards this interconnected framework with the first-ever SEGA Account (sign up here).

This is essentially SEGA's own combination of the Nintendo Account with Ubisoft Connect Rewards. Gamers can sign up, link their Xbox, PlayStation, Steam, and Nintendo accounts, and receive little in-game extras along the way. The first bonus is a special outfit for Kazama Kiryu in the upcoming Like a Dragon Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii game.

WB Interactive Entertainment president David Haddad is leaving the company after 12 years, sources have told Variety. The news comes after a prolonged 2-year period of agonizing cuts and layoffs in the games sector.

What's going on with WB Games? While largely successful with games like Batman, Mortal Kombat, and the mega-million-selling Hogwarts Legacy, the pendulum has also swung the other with disastrous miscalculations like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and Gotham Knights. These misses came at the worst possible time for WB Games. In the last 9 months, WB has accounted $335 million in game contents impairments; basically, WB reduced the perceived value of its games by that amount. Suicide Squad was a big part of this charge.

WB management has set a $3 billion revenue target for its games division which it hopes will help offset these lowered-valued assets. In a bid to boost profitability, WBD CEO David Zaslav says it's possible that certain IPs and franchises would be licensed out to third-party partners, similar to how Marvel handles its games business. Unlike WB Games, Marvel doesn't produce its own games in-house and instead leans on already-established teams to do the heavy lifting--like, say, the Chinese monetization masters NetEase with Marvel Rivals.

Doom the Dark Ages takes inspiration from Frank Miller's iconic The Dark Knight and 300 graphic novels, and Doom Slayer is based around a larger-than-life mythical representation of Spartan fortitude during the Battle of Thermopylae.

If Doom Eternal was id's homage to Unreal-like movement schemes and verticality, then Doom the Dark Ages is more like Mech Warrior. Platforming is gone, and you'll no longer be flinging and zinging all over the map like you did in Eternal. In the Dark Ages, you're a walking wall of destruction and mayhem--a tank with an arsenal of raw destruction.

On the heels of yesterday's big Doom the Dark Ages gameplay reveal, id has been divulging new info on the game to give us a better idea of what to expect. According to id Software's Hugo Martin, the Dark Ages took direct inspiration from specific scenes in Zack Snyder's film 300.