Gaming - Page 298

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Bethesda's next Elder Scrolls RPG will skip PlayStation, new court documents from Microsoft indicate.

Microsoft apparently has no plans to release The Elder Scrolls VI on PlayStation consoles and may keep the massively-anticipated RPG exclusive to Xbox and PC. The latest evidence of TESVI's exclusivity is found in a recently uploaded court document in the FTC v Microsoft case (23-cv-02880).

In the document, Microsoft's legal counsel submits a table (PX0027-004) with upcoming first-party Xbox games. The table is meant to illustrate how Microsoft handled games on a post-acquisition basis and that the company did not instantly make specific titles exclusive to Xbox after buyouts. To prove a point, Microsoft's lawyers focus on ZeniMax games, and The Elder Scrolls VI is listed on the table with a "expected 2026 or later" release timing and an apparent confirmation that the upcoming RPG will not be on PlayStation.

The past couple of weeks we are starting to see rumors swirl about the Nintendo Switch 2, with many of these rumors pointing toward a massive performance upgrade.

The rumors came from select developers that were reportedly pulled into a private room by Nintendo employees and showcased the hardware that will be running the Nintendo Switch 2. The developers suggested that Nintendo's highly anticipated console will come with massive performance upgrades, which will put it much closer to the performance of Microsoft and Sony's consoles.

The jump in performance can be attributed to the rumored adoption of a NVIDIA Ampere GPU, which pushed select titles such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild to 4K at 60FPS. This wild purported leap in performance has now been backed up by internal Activision emails that have been made public by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Starfield is already getting attention from the modding community despite the game not having the official mod tools released.

Starfield has been out for a little over two weeks now, and despite the lack of official modding tools, modders are rolling out mods in various forms, with one being the implementation of Stormtroopers. Now, we are starting to see mods surface that fix some of the most annoying aspects in Starfield. For instance, players have always wanted to be able to create a ship without size limitations. Vanilla Starfield ship construction is limited to 40 meters long and wide, which isn't enough if a player wants to build any large ship from Star Wars.

Thanks to NexusMods user AccursedPrism, players can now enjoy Starfield ship creation without a size limit, as the new mod overrides the default limitation of 40 meters and adds the following options - 60 meters, 80 meters, and 4/5 kilometers. The sizes below 100 meters are considered to be "safe", which indicates minimal or hardly any performance issues or in-game bugs. However, 4/5 kilometers will likely have a massive impact on performance/cause bugs. Check out this mod here.

As with many large-scale AAA game releases, there's a very vocal contingent that looks at all aspects of a release to see if there's anything "woke" going on - elements that promote or otherwise cater to a diversity of players. With the release of Starfield earlier in the month, the Steam forums for the game were briefly overtaken by conversation and toxic commentary about the game including an option to select a pronoun for your character.

In what amounts to maybe 15 seconds of screen time (text) for a game with well over 200 hours of content, the decision to let players choose from He/Him, She/Her, or They/Them was too much to handle - or a bridge too far. This is for a game set hundreds of years in the future, where They/Them makes a lot of sense to include, simply from a setting perspective.

As the discourse on the wokeness of Starfield has died down, and that YouTuber rant on the subject has become a meme, one of the most popular modding sites on the planet - NexusMods - has decided to remove a mod that removed the option to select pronouns in the game.

The Unity controversy continues as the games company issues a new statement on its controversial new runtime fees.

Outside of the back-to-back hit game releases, 2023 has been a strange year for gaming. We've seen the United States government take on Microsoft's $68.7 billion Activision merger, the closure of Saints Row developer Volition, and we've also seen thousands of game developers being laid off despite companies reporting billion-dollar earnings. Now Unity has made one of the most controversial business decisions in the entire history of the industry and alienated practically its entire customer base.

In a quest to finally become profitable, Unity made a radical new policy: Game devs and distributors would be charged money on a per-install basis for specific popular games. The move was universally hated, and led to Unity issued several PR responses. The firm even evacuated its offices due to a death threat. While the heat is still very much on Unity, the company has now released another statement on the runtime fees.

NVIDIA's GeForce NOW is widely considered one of the best cloud gaming platforms in terms of latency, visual fidelity, and overall experience - it takes the games you own across platforms like Steam. It gives you the ability to stream them without the need for high-end PC hardware.

And it's the latter that has made the GeForce NOW Ultimate for USD 19.99 a month tier impressive because it gives you access to GeForce RTX 4080 hardware to stream and run games with DLSS 3 technology, NVIDIA Reflex, real-time ray-tracing, and all in 4K. The visual fidelity for cloud gaming doesn't get any better.

And with that, NVIDIA has confirmed that Starfield is available to play - as part of the service move to include Xbox Game Pass and first-party Xbox titles as part of its line-up of supported games. Starfield on GeForce NOW running on a GeForce RTX 4080 can push higher than 60fps performance using the Ultra spec with AMD's FSR 2 upscaling. And with free trials for both GeForce NOW and PC Game Pass available, you can jump in to try it out for yourself.

It might be hard to believe, but Grand Theft Auto V turns 10 years old today.

There's really nothing quite like Grand Theft Auto V. It really is a best-selling titan. Despite the fact that it was released at the tail-end of the Xbox 360 generation, the game still managed to sell over 11 million copies in 24 hours and make over $1 billion in sales within three days after launch. The game has gone on to make over 8x that in the last decade.

While Rockstar is celebrating GTA V's 10-year anniversary with new Grand Theft Auto Online content, we decided to take a look at the various milestones that Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive have achieved through GTA V's continued support.

After nearly 10 years and two best-selling Star Wars games under his belt, sources tell Bloomberg that game director Stig Asmussen has left Respawn Entertainment.

As game director of two Jedi games, Fallen Order and Survivor, Stig Asmussen helped change how EA treats the Star Wars franchise. Both games have been big hits, selling millions of copies and reaching tens of millions of people. The live service-driven publisher was shown that singleplayer games without microtransactions can still achieve explosive success.

Now after helping further the legacy of Star Wars media, Stig is apparently leaving Respawn, the developers behind the Star Wars duo. "After careful thought and consideration, Stig Asmussen has decided to leave Respawn to pursue other adventures, and we wish him the best of luck," an EA rep told Bloomberg's Jason Schreier.

Square Enix re-confirms that all of the new Final Fantasy 7 games are standalone experiences and clarifies what that means for player progress.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is on the horizon and gamers are eager to continue Cloud's new re-imagined journey. There's just one issue: Save files from Final Fantasy 7 Remake are not compatible with Rebirth. Square Enix actually has a good reason for this, saying that each individual game in the new FF7 trilogy are not only sold as standalone games, but they also have unique features and systems. For example, Rebirth uses a new synergy-based combat system.

Naoki Hamaguchi, the director of FF7 Rebirth, told the PlayStation Blog that progress like levels, items, abilities, etc. will not carry over between each individual game in the trilogy. So that means progress from Rebirth won't carry over into the next game, either.

Sony has effectively doubled the PlayStation 5's additional storage with a new update.

The latest PS5 update unlocks some great new features for the console. Users can now expand their PS5's M.2 SSD storage beyond 4TB with the beta firmware update boosting total max M.2 capacity to 8TB.

The standard SSD compatibility rules still apply after the update--any M.2 SSD you put into a PS5 needs to hit a speed threshold of 5.5GB/sec and at least 250GB in capacity. The good news is that the PS5 supports a bunch of M.2 form factors including 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280, and 22110. Our own PS5 temperature testing shows that consumers should consider adding a heatsink to their SSDs to help deal with the PS5's heat management. The PS5 can get a bit toasty when pushing 4K.

A LinkedIn page says Xbox Game Pass has 30 million subscribers, but the actual number could be a few millions more.

Microsoft has a habit of withholding key information about Xbox. It was one of the reasons the FTC v Microsoft trial was so interesting; we went from data scarcity to a deluge of numbers and percentages. Thanks to the Microsoft-Activision merger, we learned how much money Game Pass actually makes. Now there's more clues about one key bit of info that Microsoft rarely updates: total Game Pass subscribers.

The amount of subscribers is actually pretty important. Microsoft has staked the future of its video games business on the subscription and the amount of actual paying users is the first metric to really highlight the strength of the business. The last official Game Pass subscriber count is "over 25 million". This metric hasn't been updated officially since March 2022.