Gaming - Page 31

The Nintendo Switch 2 has sold nearly 20 million units, beating the company's internal estimates...but the milestone comes at a steeper cost than the company was used to paying throughout the previous Switch 1 lifecycle.

The Switch 2 generation is proving to be much more expensive to maintain than its predecessor's. The ongoing RAM shortage continues shrinking supply and driving up prices, and Nintendo has held off for as long as possible, but the price hike was inevitable--the Switch 2 will cost $50 more starting September 1. It doesn't help that Nintendo's new console, the Switch 2, is less profitable on a unit sale level than the smaller, more affordable Switch 1.

Normally, the Switch 2's sales update--19.86 million sold in 9 months--would be a cause for celebration, but Nintendo is also facing a negative profit margin situation with its Japan-only Switch 2 models. This will be addressed starting in Q2'27 with the price hike, but Nintendo had already gone through multiple quarters of profit impacts through FY26.

AMD's new Dense Geometry Format (DGF) for modern PC game development is all about increasing geometric complexity for ray tracing, paving the way for improved performance when presenting detailed, complex, open-world environments. In a sense, it's similar to NVIDIA RTX Mega Geometry technology, with AMD's open solution breaking down an environment and compressing that data into geometry clusters.

AMD first introduced this new technology in a research paper it published back in July of 2024, and now it's matured to the point where it's available for developers to test and integrate into future games and engines, with support for Vulkan via an updated AMD DGF SDK. AMD has also confirmed that it has partnered with Samsung to bring DGF to "future mobile devices."

In addition to compressing geometric data for ray-tracing, this 30% reduction in storage costs opens the door to more detailed worlds. The compression also supports animated geometry, so it's all-encompassing. As an open-source solution, it's compatible with non-RDNA 4 or Radeon hardware, and the technology is also optimized for the next-generation RDNA 5 graphics that are set to hit PC and console markets.

Dusk is a project that longtime The Legend of Zelda fans will probably want to take note of, as it's an unofficial PC port of the classic The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, originally released on the Nintendo GameCube and Wii in 2006. This decompilation has been a passion project for the team, which began decompiling Twilight Princess back in August of 2020. In fact, the announcement of Dusk 1.0's release claims that it's the "largest decompilation project ever completed."

And it's a PC port that supports a wide range of platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and even iOS. It's even optimized to run well on the Steam Deck handheld. Being a PC port, you've got the option to play the game at frame rates higher than 30 or 60 FPS, with the team managing to achieve this using modern game development techniques to ensure that the game doesn't break when pushing higher frames than the original's 30 FPS target.

As for the legalities of this unofficial PC port, available via GitHub, it follows in the footsteps of other recent N64-based decompilation projects, where you'll need to provide your own North American (NTSC) or European (PAL) GameCube back-up of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess to play Dusk. For fans looking to jump back into this classic Zelda game with crisp 4K visuals and overhauled textures, it also arrives with several quality-of-life (QoL) improvements.

Hitman developer and publisher IO Interactive's big cinematic James Bond action-adventure 007 First Light is out later this month, and ahead of the game's launch, we've now got the official PC requirements and specifications for the game. And interestingly, even though the game is set to launch with native DLSS 4.5 Super Resolution and DLSS Dynamic Frame Generation for GeForce gamers, the game's impressive Path Tracing or Full Ray Tracing mode isn't expected until Summer 2026.

That said, the PC hardware requirements do point to a game that could be well-optimized on day one, with the minimum 1080p 30 FPS specification asking for a GeForce GTX 1660 or Radeon RX 5700, with a GeForce RTX 3060 Ti or a Radeon RX 6700 recommended for 1080p 60 FPS. For Enthusiast-class 1440p 60 FPS performance with 'High' graphics settings, the developer recommends a GeForce RTX 4070 or a Radeon RX 7800 XT.

Although the GPU specs targeting a card that is notably more powerful than the popular GeForce RTX 3060 is concerning, the good news is that IO Interactive's PC specifications for playing the game don't include DLSS or FSR Super Resolution, so gamers can expect to unlock a lot of extra performance when enabling these technologies.

Following the publication of its full-year financial results, Nintendo has confirmed it will raise the price of its new Nintendo Switch 2 console. For gamers in the United States, Canada, and Europe, the new pricing will take effect on September 1, 2026, with the console's MSRP in the US increasing by $50, from $449.99 to $499.99. In Canada, it's set to increase from $629.99 to $679.99, and in Europe, the price will increase from €469.99 to €499.99. In the company's homeland, the price increase is set to kick in on May 25, 2026, alongside price increases for all original Nintendo Switch hardware.

This news follows recent rumors and reports that Nintendo was planning on raising the price of the Nintendo Switch 2 globally. The announcement cites "changes in market conditions" that are expected to "extend over the medium to long term" as the reason for the price increase, indicating that the current memory, chip, and storage crisis affecting the wider industry isn't expected to end anytime soon.

"We sincerely apologize for the impact these price revisions may have on our customers and other stakeholders, and we deeply appreciate your understanding," the statement reads. And although this news arrives after Nintendo's financial results showed the Nintendo Switch 2 console sold in record numbers, it's now forecasting a second-year decline in Switch 2 hardware sales.

In a recently released corporate strategy presentation, Hideaki Nishino, President and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, detailed the company's approach to using AI in game development. Nishino described AI as a "powerful tool" to support Sony's mission to become the best place to play and publish.

The presentation specifically mentions automating workflows, improving productivity, and accelerating tasks such as quality assurance, 3D modeling, and animation. One example highlighted is Mockingbird, an AI-powered tool that animates 3D facial models using performance capture data.

Nishino revealed that Sony's studios are already adopting this AI animation tool and have used it to remaster Horizon Zero Dawn. Real-world video footage of hairstyles was converted into detailed 3D models, significantly reducing the time required to build them by hand. The Last of Us developer Naughty Dog and San Diego Studio were among other PlayStation studios already using similar tools.

Fans of the franchise are evidently ecstatic about Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, as the response to the reveal has been overwhelmingly positive. Ubisoft seems to have taken the right approach in revitalizing the 2013 classic, staying true to its core tenets while modernizing it for 2026. However, it seems like there might be a bit of bad news on the horizon for fans who wanted to relive the beloved Assassin's Creed game in all its glory.

Apparently, one of the core mechanics of the original Assassin's Creed games, the Hidden Blade, is going to take a back seat in Black Flag Resynced. The blades will not be a selectable weapon in Resynced. Rather, Edward's main weapons will be his trusty dual swords, as confirmed by Creative Director Paul Fu on a Reddit AMA on the Assassin's Creed subreddit.

This news is a bit of a downer for many Assassin's Creed fans who turned away from the series once RPG elements were introduced and the Blades became less important. The Hidden Blades were a core part of Assassin's Creed combat in the earlier games. They were available to be equipped as separate weapons and were a lethal one-shot assassination tool for critical situations. It looks like that won't be the case with Resynced.

It's been over a month since the 5th iteration of Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) was introduced to the world. To say that the response to the new technology was polarizing would be an understatement. As a reminder, DLSS 5 was described by NVIDIA as the first real-time neural rendering technology that brings photorealism to games. When the sample photos and videos were dropped, the response from gamers was overwhelmingly negative.

Now, TechPowerUp has published a new poll asking readers to share their opinions on the technology. The premise was simple: there were four options, and readers could select one. The readers were to choose from "AI shouldn't be altering games", "Actually better than native," "Need to see real game results", and "Only if it boosts FPS." The poll gathered 20,000 answers, and the breakdown is rather interesting.

The largest answer by far was "AI shouldn't be altering games," with 58% of the votes. This is the expected winner, and the reasons behind it are pretty self-explanatory. However, perhaps more interestingly, the second-place winner was the "Need to see real game results" answer, with 28% of the votes. This is a sizable chunk of a rather tech-savvy audience waiting for real-world results before making a decision. The other two options received 6% and 8% of the votes, which doesn't significantly affect the ratio.

Xbox Mode on PC aims to provide a "no compromises" gaming experience, putting all of your games in front of a controller-friendly full-screen interface mimicking Steam Big Picture mode. However, there is one compromise that Windows gamers have discovered: Xbox Mode does not support multi-monitor PC setups. User "Kidsmoove" on X posted a video showing Xbox Mode working on just their main screen, with their secondary screen completely blacked out.

Microsoft did not officially confirm whether or not Xbox Mode would support multiple displays, but the concept of the full-screen gaming mode alone somewhat implies that multiple monitors would not be supported. Microsoft also added performance optimizations baked into Xbox Mode at startup that stop programs from starting automatically, further suggesting that the lack of multi-monitor support was a conscious decision by Microsoft and not an afterthought. Having multiple monitors active does steal away system resources from games, even if the displays are showing nothing but the desktop.

One of the perks of PC gaming is the fact that you can have multiple monitors at your disposal, even while you have a game running. Having a YouTube video, music, Discord, a web browser, and many other apps visible on other monitors can be handy while you're gaming.

Frame generation, hate it or not, has become a staple of PC gaming thanks to mainstream integration by NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel, as well as 3rd-party solutions such as Lossless Scaling. PC-like Frame generation technology has now begun to trickle down to Android devices through a new Vulkan-based iteration of Lossless Scaling's frame generation technology.

Right now, there are two ways to get Lossless Scaling frame generation installed on Android. One is to install the standalone version from the LSFG-Android GitHub page, and the other is to use GameHub, which comes with LSFG baked in. However, both implementations require you to buy Lossless Scaling, which is currently $6.99 on Steam. The standalone option is technically better as it allows you to apply frame generation to any game installed on your Android device.

The version of LSFG offered on Android comes with up to an 8x frame generation multiplier, performance mode, HDR mode, anti-artifact mode, and flow scale adjustment. Flow scale changes the resolution of the generated frames, improving performance or image quality depending on how aggressively the flow scale is adjusted.

Information is starting to surface about the much-anticipated Forza Horizon 6 ahead of its May 19th launch. Recently, Forza Horizon 6 went gold, and several other details regarding its map, city size, and Japan's density also leaked. Now, more information has come out regarding the upcoming game, but this time it requires a deeper discussion.

According to a blog post, Forza Horizon 6 is now available to preload ahead of its launch, revealing the game's size. Evidently, the file sizes of Forza Horizon 6 are absolutely gargantuan, and you may need to clear up some space on your drive for this game. The blog states that the game requires 135 GB of space on the Xbox Series X, 130 GB on the Xbox Series S, and a whopping 160 GB on PC.

The file sizes were further corroborated by a Reddit post on the Forza Horizon subreddit, which revealed the exact sizes via the Xbox phone app: 144.84 GB for the Xbox Series X|S and 156.65 GB on PC. Furthermore, the Forza blog says that an SSD is mandatory for this game, which could mean there's a potential performance dip if you run the game from a hard drive.

Valve's Steam Controller is returning to the hands of fans this Friday via a reservation system, according to an announcement.

After launching May 4 and flying off shelves, the device became a victim of its own popularity, leading to intense scalping. Now, Valve is rolling out a new reservation queue to curb reseller activity and give genuine customers a fair shot.

Reservations open Friday, May 8, at 10 a.m. Pacific, and each user is limited to one controller. Once you secure a spot, you'll have three days to complete your purchase. Valve also requires users to have made a Steam purchase before April 27 and maintain a good-standing account. Those who already own a controller won't be eligible for a second one in this batch.

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight has officially dropped its launch trailer, and it's already stirring excitement in the gaming community.

The trailer, unveiled at Gamescom, delivers a fresh look at the upcoming LEGO action-adventure title, showcasing Bruce Wayne's evolution into the Caped Crusader. With a bold new aesthetic and a deep narrative, the game promises to expand on the LEGO Batman legacy in a way that fans haven't seen in years.

The trailer teases a story that dives into the core of Batman's origin, with a strong focus on character development and iconic villains. TT Games, the studio behind the LEGO franchise, has crafted a visually vibrant world that blends humor with heart, a defining feature of the LEGO series since its inception.

GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen is now allegedly banned from eBay, just days after he proposed a $56 billion acquisition of the site, which would represent a 20% premium over eBay's current share price.

The bizarre saga continues as Cohen shared a screenshot on X claiming his account had been suspended, though his listings remain live and bidding is ongoing. Cohen's eBay venture began with a viral stunt: he listed items, including a $14,000 pair of socks.

But now, the CEO says the platform suspended him, just hours after he began selling. The sale of these items was in response to criticism that Cohen would not be able to afford the acquisition of eBay.

Halo Studios is actively developing the next mainline Halo campaign, codenamed "Halo Next," and the project is already generating major speculation about its direction.

According to Rebs Gaming's latest report, the sequel is in active development at Halo Studios, with fresh details emerging about the story's potential focus and key returning elements.

The project was initially led by Joseph Staten before the 2023 layoffs, with plans centered on the mysterious race known as the Endless, introduced in Halo Infinite. Staten had reportedly ruled out the Flood for the sequel, but the recent job listing for a Narrative Design Director and Halo: Edge of Dawn suggest the studio might be shifting course, at least in part.

Grand Theft Auto 6 players could be hit with a $1,000 console price tag, according to a new warning from gaming industry analyst Mat Piscatella.

As current-gen consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series continue to see price hikes due to rising component costs and economic instability, Piscatella expects sticker shock for those who wait until launch to pick up a system just to play GTA 6.

Piscatella, speaking with The Game Business, said the rising cost of RAM and other volatile market conditions have already driven the price of a standard PS5 to $649 and the PS5 Pro to $900. Piscatella expects these increases won't slow before the release of GTA 6, and warned potential buyers who aren't closely tracking the market could be blindsided by a $1,000 console at launch. "A $1,000 console!" Piscatella said, adding, "There's going to be a price shock for a lot of people."

A mad modder has somehow managed to run the entirety of *The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind* inside the Pip-Boy of Fallout 4, and it's one of the most absurdly creative PC mod feats we've seen in years.

The mod, created by YouTuber RPGKing117, streams a custom build of OpenMW into the Pip-Boy display in real time, allowing players to navigate the 2002 RPG from within the 2015 post-apocalyptic title.

RPGKing117 posted a demo on YouTube showing Morrowind running on both a computer terminal and the in-game Pip-Boy itself. The mod requires both Fallout 4 and Morrowind (Steam versions), plus the Fallout 4 Script Extender.

Since Asha Sharma took over as the new CEO of Xbox, there has been an overhaul of the Xbox brand, with Sharma stating that Xbox is getting back to its roots and reestablishing itself as a gaming brand.

This overhaul of Xbox comes after the tragic "This Is An Xbox" marketing campaign, which Sharma axed upon her entry, leaving Xbox in the confused state it is in right now. The marketing campaign essentially suggested that anything could be an Xbox, even a PlayStation, as Xbox is currently moving toward dropping exclusivity entirely.

Xbox fans, in response to that message, began to ask why they would even buy an Xbox console at all if their favorite Xbox games were available on PlayStation. That's valid reasoning, especially if you don't have a PC to play Xbox games.

It was back in July, 2025, when we reported that FromSoftware, the creators of the Dark Souls franchise, were working on a new project codenamed "FMC" and that it was targeting a release sometime in 2026. A new leak has now given us an indication of what FromSoftware will be calling this title.

FromSoftware is reportedly set to reveal its next unannounced single-player title at the Summer Game Fest in just one month. According to the latest leaks, the title will be self-published and launch as early as August, beating The Duskbloods to the finish line.

The game, purportedly titled Cerulean Onslaught, is described as a dark action RPG centered around open-world ocean exploration, with players sailing between islands and using their ship as a central hub. Reddit and 4chan leaks point to a potential Souls-like structure, and with FromSoftware already deep into production, a 2026 launch seems likely unless there are setbacks.

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has admitted he's "deeply disappointed" that a new BioShock game hasn't launched in over a decade.

Despite the franchise's strong legacy and gamer demand, the next entry in the series has proven difficult to deliver, with Zelnick blaming the lack of a new BioShock game on the difficulty of finding the "right creative purchase" as the root cause.

Zelnick explained in a recent interview that the company spent years exploring creative avenues that ultimately failed to pan out, wasting both time and money.