Gaming - Page 209

Microsoft's DirectSR, from the DirectX team, is a tool developed in partnership with AMD, Intel, and NVIDIA to help game developers integrate all of the various upscaling methods into their games.

With support for AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR), Intel XeSS, and NVIDIA DLSS Super Resolution, the technology breaks upscaling down to a standard set of inputs and outputs that can then be called upon by DLSS, FSR, and XeSS. Upscaling works, generally speaking, by using frame information broken down into pixels and motion vector data for moving objects to create a higher-resolution image.

Upscaling methods employ different algorithms and tech to achieve the same result - an impressive AI model on the NVIDIA DLSS side and an open-source algorithm on the AMD FSR side - but the inputs are the same.

The PlayStation 5 Pro, Sony's mid-generation refresh and beefed-up PS5 console is on track for a November 7 launch. With the release right around the corner, games are already starting to receive their 'PS5 Pro Enhanced' updates - including two of the biggest games from acclaimed first-party PlayStation Studio Naughty Dog.

Both The Last of Us Part 1 and The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered have received new updates, introducing a brand-new 'Pro' mode for each game. As outlined in the patch notes, both 'Pro' modes will be identical - they will render the game at 1440p, with PSSR upscaling increasing the resolution to 4K 'while maintaining a target of 60 FPS.'

The new 'Pro' mode joins the Performance and Fidelity modes as a third option. However, based on early reports, it's assumed that the Pro mode will be similar to the existing 30 FPS Fidelity mode on the base PS5, at 60 FPS.

The Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 development team at Treyarch has posted a lengthy article on the game's audio. The article covers the technology being used and how it enhances the 3D spatial sound in the game compared to previous entries. As highlighted in the piece, every weapon and sound in the game has been redesigned or re-captured - nothing is being reused.

With Black Ops 6, the audio team has focused on what it calls the 'adaptive battlefield,' where a changing environment and directional audio play an essential role in giving players the information they need without 'the clutter of extraneous noise.'

Part of this has come from collaborating with Microsoft's Project Acoustics to enhance and make sound propagation throughout an environment sound natural. "Gunshots and grenades will realistically fill the space around them," Expert Audio Engineer William Cornell said. "Footsteps will echo down long hallways, and the sound of rain and crickets chirping will come in through open windows and holes in the wall."

For the first time ever, a mainline Call of Duty game is launching natively within the cloud.

Tomorrow marks an important day for Xbox. The release of Black Ops 6 will be an interesting watershed moment for Microsoft's games division as the numbers will go lengths in proving whether or not Xbox Game Pass is a viable substitute for millions of game sales.

For months now we've known that Call of Duty Black Ops 6 will release day one on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. It's also been confirmed that Black Ops 6 can be streamed via both Xbox's game streaming service, Microsoft Cloud gaming, and NVIDIA's GeForce Now. The latter requires a full game purchase, though, whereas users don't have to buy the game in order to play it on Game Pass Ultimate.

Beyond Good and Evil 2 is still in active development, Ubisoft has officially told Eurogamer.

Recent reports from Insider Gaming have prompted Ubisoft to deliver a statement on specific games, including Beyond Good and Evil 2. Sources told IG that the Prince of Persia devteam has been disbanded, with multiple team members moving over to other projects, such as a new Rayman game.

One of these projects is also apparently Beyond Good and Evil 2, which has remained in development for quite some time; Ubisoft showed off BG&E2's first gameplay footage half a decade ago with a cinematic trailer also releasing in 2018. Now the French games-maker has once again commented on the sci-fi sequel.

Ubisoft is reportedly moving developers over to begin work on a Rayman Remake, according to a new report from Insider Gaming.

The news of a potential Rayman Remake comes only a day after another Insider Gaming report claimed Ubisoft had disbanded the Ubisoft Montpellier team following Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown failing to meet internal sales predictions. Yesterday's report stated that Ubisoft decided to disband the team only a few weeks after The Lost Crown launched. Insider Gaming states that at least some Montpellier team members have moved across to the Rayman project.

According to sources "close to the situation" the new Rayman Remake is codenamed "Project Steambot" and is being developed mostly by a team at Ubisoft Milan. Furthermore, the publication states that Michel Ancel, the creator of Rayman, is on board with the project as a consultant, which has some fans of the franchise worried, considering the controversy he was in back in 2020. As for the developers of The Lost Crown, the publication writes that at least twelve of them have moved over to work on the Rayman Remake.

Fallout: London is a fan-made expansion-sized mod for Fallout 4 that shifts the action to post-apocalyptic London, England. With new locations, factions, weapons, and a fully-voiced campaign, it's a project we've been following alongside countless Fallout fans for some time.

Well, maybe not countless, as the ambitious mod and single-player game from Team FOLON has surpassed the 1 million player milestone, making it one of the most successful mod releases ever. Not only that, but due to the size and complexity of the mod, releasing it exclusively via GOG has also made it one of the platform's most successful releases in terms of reach.

Fallout: London is exclusive to PC, but its success highlights the franchise's popularity. There hasn't been a mainline single-player Fallout game since 2015, and with Bethesda focused on Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6, it could be several years before we see another official game in the franchise.

After the trailer leaked, Amazon officially unveiled the cast for its upcoming TV show "Secret Level," created by "Deadpool" and "L0ove, Death & Robots" director Tim Miller.

Following the leak, Amazon promptly issued DMCA takedown notices removing any easily accessible trace of the trailer. However, the names of the cast members attached to the project were still leaked, and Amazon has officially recognized the list in its own announcement. During a panel for the show at New York Comic-Con, it was revealed the voice cast for the upcoming anthology series will include Arnold Schwarzenegger ("The Terminator" Franchise), Kevin Hart ("Jumanji"), Keanu Reeves ("John Wick"), among others.

For those who don't know, Secret Level is a 15-episode anthology series that will incorporate legendary video game characters that have been pulled from popular franchises. Notably, the series will tell original stories set within the worlds of some of the characters, which will include adaptions from franchises such as PlayStation's God of War, Ghost of Tsushima, Dungeons and Dragons, Mega Man, Pac-Man, Concord, Unreal Tournament, Destiny 2, Titanfall 2, Halo and more. Secret Level is scheduled to be released on Amazon Prime Video on December 10.

With over 600 games and applications featuring RTX technologies like NVIDIA DLSS, Reflex, and ray-tracing, we can add some of the biggest holiday season game launches to this week's list. Alan Wake 2: The Lake House, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, No More Room In Hell 2, Dragon: Age: The Veilguard, The Axis Unseen, Industry Giant 4.0, Red Dead Redemption, and Wayfinder 1.0.

Let's kick things off with Alan Wake 2: The Lake House, a new expansion for the survival horror game from Remedy that features a story that takes place parallel to the main game. In it, players take on the role of FBC agent Kiran Estevez as they explore "an eerie new location on the shores of Cauldron Lake."

Like the base game, GeForce RTX 40 Series owners can experience Alan Wake 2: The Lake House with full path-traced visuals enhanced with DLSS 3.5 Ray Reconstruction, Frame Generation, and Reflex.

New reports are surfacing stating Ubisoft has disbanded the team behind the positively received Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. That team of developers is Ubisoft Montpellier.

French journalist Gautoz has reported the team Ubisoft Montpellier has been disbanded after disappointing sales of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. According to the journalist, Ubisoft decided to axe its efforts on the title only shortly after it was released in January 2024 due to it failing to reach internal sales expectations. The report states Ubisoft decided to end support for the game after releasing DLC and cosmetics for the game and that higher-ups at Ubisoft don't want a sequel as they believe it will cannibalize sales of the first game.

Gautoz's video alleges that the core team of members of The Lost Crown pitched a sequel to Ubisoft executives but were rejected. Following the pitch for the sequel the team pitched two expansions for the first game, one was approved and released, and the other was denied by Ubisoft officials in prioritization of other ongoing projects. Officially speaking, Ubisoft hasn't stated there won't be any sequel to Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, or if there is no longer a development team behind the project.

"In this game, the goal is to work with others to fully 'develop' a massive, expansive planet by utilizing creativity and farmed resources," Nintendo writes.

Earlier this month, Nintendo announced that it was conducting a closed beta-style Nintendo Switch Online playtest and was looking for people to participate. With around 10,000 people participating, information on what the playtest is all about has leaked. And it's for a new game that aims to "test the boundaries of mass multiplayer functionality and gameplay on [Nintendo] servers."

It's a massively multiplayer experience (an MMO) that sounds like the company's take on Minecraft and Roblox. In the unnamed game, players work together to develop and populate an entire planet with their creations. "As you progress across the planet, you'll discover new lands, enemies, and resources that will become essential to your journey," Nintendo explains.

It's become common place with AAA games that if you buy a physical copy of the game it more often than not require a day-one update that downloads the remainder of the game.

Why does this happen? One reason publishers choose to ship games like this is to reduce costs, as discs capable of higher capacities are more expensive. Choosing to have a portion of the game on a smaller capacity disc means cheaper discs can be purchased. However, this doesn't excuse games that still need to be activated via the internet upon installation and don't require excess storage capacity. PM Studios has announced via its X account it has partnered with developer Game Science to release a physical edition of Black Myth: Wukong, and all of the game's data will be on disc.

PM Studios is going back to the golden age of gaming when a game was purchased, installed, and then enjoyed without any updates. PM Studios further clarified in a follow up reply to its physical edition PS5 release, writing Black Myth: Wukong won't require an internet connection, "everything will be on disc". When is the physical release? According to reports the physical release for Black Myth: Wukong is imminent.

The massive Game Freak hack is still spilling onto the internet, and the latest leak has revealed a new Pokémon game that was under the codename Rodeo, and is now currently going by "Synapse".

The leak revealed details about what seems to be a co-op multiplayer game designed for both the Nintendo Switch and mobile devices, and that it drew major inspiration from the Nintendo series Splatoon. Judging from the leaked content which includes full videos and screenshots it appear the general objective of the game is to encounter, defeat, capture and ride Pokémon. According to Centro Leaks, the source of the leak, the game has been in development since 2019, which is longer than any recent mainline game.

Is this game still in development? According to Centro Leaks, there isn't any information about the current status of the title, but the hacker behind the leak did inform the account of a new game codenamed "Synapse," which fits the description of Pokémon Rodeo, even down to the inspiration for the title being Splatoon. Centro Leaks speculates that Pokémon Rodeo no longer exists, but the concept for it was later adopted into "Synapse," which appears to be under development.

The tech gurus at Digital Foundry have gone hands-on with the PlayStation 5 Pro's AI-powered PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) upscaling in the visually impressive first-party title Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart. And based on the results, it looks like PSSR will be the PS5 Pro's secret weapon and deliver an NVIDIA DLSS moment to console gamers.

With direct access to the game and hardware, we have an in-depth head-to-head breakdown of the visual differences between Sony's PSSR, AMD's FSR 3.1, and NVIDIA DLSS 3.7. Like all upscaling methods, PSSR takes a lower-resolution image to generate a 4K image to present overall image quality that is on par with or close to native rendering.

Digital Foundry went to great lengths to match graphics settings, internal rendering resolutions, and upscale quality settings to ensure a like-for-like comparison between PSSR, FSR, and DLSS was possible. You might be surprised by just how much improvement PSSR delivers compared to AMD's FSR.

Valve is launching the Steam Deck in Australia in a couple of weeks, and to celebrate the occasion, they set up shop at PAX Australia earlier this month to demonstrate and discuss the company's first foray into the world of PC gaming handhelds.

After its initial launch in 2022 in the US and the arrival of the Steam Deck OLED variant in holiday 2023, you might be surprised to learn that the company is in no rush to create a sequel and is treating the Deck in much the same way Nintendo or Sony might when it comes to a traditional console generation.

Speaking with Reviews.org, Steam Deck designer Lawrence Yang noted that a proper Steam Deck 2 won't be a thing until a chip can provide "a generational leap in compute without sacrificing battery life."

Valve has been cooking up a next-generation gore system which should debut inside of Half-Life 3, and would be the star of the show in a hopefully eventual Left 4 Dead 3.

In a new video by YouTuber "Water CS2" it's discovered that Valve has been working on a new ragdoll and new gore system, discovered in a recent CS2 (Counter-Strike 2) update and its file changes.

This would allow gamers to shoot and disable individual parts of an enemy's body, with limbs killing an enemy if powerful enough: think of a shotgun, up close to the right arm, it'd be blown off (and disable the enemy from using a weapon against you).

Alan Wake 2 will make full use of the upgraded PlayStation 5 Pro hardware, but running in Performance Mode on the PS5 Pro will render the game at 864p and upscale it to 4K hitting 60FPS.

864p is just 1536 x 864 (a little over 720p and much less than 1080p) for the internal resolution, outputting a much higher 4K resolution image. Alan Wake 2 running on the new PS5 Pro in Performance Mode will offer a higher output resolution, and more visual detail than the base PS5 with improved image stability, fog, volumetric lighting, and shadow accuracy, all at 60FPS.

Remedy Entertainment has pumped out some comparison videos running Alan Wake 2 on the new PlayStation 5 Pro, with one above, and one below for you to check out.

Unreal Engine 5.4 delivers massive CPU and GPU performance improvements over the initial UE5.0 release, with The Matrix Awakens tech demo enjoying a healthy 40% upgrade in CPU performance when powered by UE5.4.

GPU performance running The Matrix Awakens under Unreal Engine 5.4 is also up by around 20% but the CPU performance increasing by 40% is a bigger eye-opener. MxBenchmarkPC did a fantastic comparison video of The Matrix Awakens on Unreal Engine 5.0 vs Unreal Engine 5.4 on NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 4080 graphics card.

The YouTuber noted that a proper comparison is impossible because Unreal Engine 5.4 has added a bunch of new features that weren't present in Unreal Engine 5.0, this includes proper support for Virtual Shadow Maps, Hit Lighting feature for Hardware Lumen, and more.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has only been out for over a month, but with 4.5 million sales, it's one of the year's biggest games. It's also the fastest-selling game developer Saber Interactive has ever worked on, with studio head and former id Sofware chief adding that the game has sold faster than all of the "Quake, DOOM, Wolfenstein, and RAGE" games he's worked on.

Space Marine 2's popularity is also due to the incredible word-of-mouth and timing of the release. Gamers were craving a no-fuss old-school co-op action shooter in the style of Gears of War. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 fills that void and continues to be listed on top seller lists on all platforms.

On PC, Space Marine 2 is a great-looking game that captures the feeling and awe of being a part of an epic large-scale war - however, there's some good news for those wanting it to look even better when playing in 4K. Saber Interactive has just dropped a free 4K Texture Pack for the game, but you'll need some serious SSD space and GPU hardware to take advantage of it.

Sony has finally confirmed when PC gamers can expect to play Marvel's Spider-Man 2. The Insomniac Games-developed PlayStation 5 hit will launch on January 30, 2025, via Steam and the Epic Games Store. Nixxes is once again developing the PC port, bringing the same level of magic to the sequel it brought to Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered and the Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales spin-off.

The announcement trailer includes footage captured from the game's PC version, and it looks fantastic. It highlights the upgraded visuals and detail seen in the sequel, which, unlike the original, was developed to take advantage of PlayStation 5 hardware.

With the PS5 version launching in late 2023, Marvel's Spider-Man 2's arrival on January 30, 2025, makes it the quickest PS5 to PC release for a blockbuster single-player PlayStation Studios game - at 15 months. The January 2025 timing makes us think it could be a next-gen GPU showcase for GeForce RTX and Radeon RX.