Gaming - Page 38

Full ray tracing or path tracing is still a relatively new frontier in gaming, with the realistic cinematic lighting mode opening the door to a new level of immersion in games like Cyberpunk 2077, Alan Wake 2, DOOM: The Dark Ages, and Resident Evil Requiem. It's incredibly demanding on hardware, significantly more so than single-use ray-tracing effects like reflections or shadows, and it's widely considered the future of AAA in-game visuals.

One of the most challenging elements of path tracing, as it covers all ray-traced lighting effects, is global illumination, with NVIDIA's latest technology to accelerate and improve fidelity and performance called ReSTIR (Spatiotemporal Importance Resampling PT). Without getting into the technical weeds, NVIDIA's Research team just released a paper on ReSTIR PT Enhanced, which "significantly" improves performance, produces fewer artifacts, and enhances visual fidelity.

Path tracing is so demanding that it requires additional help from DLSS Super Resolution, Ray Reconstruction, and Frame Generation to deliver smooth gameplay. Based on this new paper (which you can check out as a PDF here), ReSTIR PT Enhanced improves path-tracing performance by over 2X.

NVIDIA's latest path tracing breakthrough isn't just a performance upgrade; it's the next step in a years-long evolution that could finally make fully ray-traced games practical.

New research from NVIDIA showcases ReSTIR PT Enhanced, an upgraded version of its real-time path tracing technique that builds on earlier work dating back to SIGGRAPH 2022. At the core of this advancement is Generalized Resampled Importance Sampling (GRIS), a theoretical framework that addresses one of ReSTIR's biggest limitations: correctly reusing lighting samples across frames without sacrificing accuracy.

NVIDIA explains in a recent blog post that ReSTIR itself works by reusing lighting data from neighboring pixels and previous frames, dramatically reducing the number of rays that need to be traced. This approach allows complex lighting, such as light bouncing multiple times, reflections, and indirect illumination, to be approximated using just one path per pixel, a massive efficiency gain over traditional path tracing.

Ubisoft has finally pulled the trigger on what is commonly described as one of gaming's worst kept secrets, confirming that Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced will be officially showcased this week.

In an official Ubisoft post shared on X, the reveal showcase for the long-rumored remake of Assassin's Creed Black Flag will take place on April 23, 2026, with a global livestream scheduled for 4 PM UTC / 9 AM PDT. The publisher even acknowledged the flood of leaks leading up to the announcement, jokingly referring to the project as "gaming's worst kept secret."

The reveal caps off months of speculation, with leaks ranging from figurines and artbook references to a recently spotted (and quickly removed) Ubisoft launcher listing.

After nearly two decades of mouse-and-keyboard dominance, League of Legends has quietly taken a major step toward controller play, and it seems to be part of Riot Games' push to make the iconic multiplayer online battle arena more accessible to gamers.

As part of Riot's recent WASD movement update, it has announced native controller support for the first time in League of Legends history. The feature wasn't formally announced as a headline addition; it was buried within a broader developer update tied to WASD controls entering Ranked play.

The implementation works by linking controller input directly to the new WASD system. Once enabled, players can use a controller without third-party software, with default mappings assigning abilities like Q, W, E, and R to triggers and bumpers, while movement and cursor control are handled through the joysticks. This marks a significant shift for League of Legends, which has relied on point-and-click controls since its launch in October, 2009.

Ubisoft's long-rumored Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag remake may have just leaked again, and this time, it's a snippet from an upcoming trailer.

A series of screenshots and short video clips circulating on social media appear to show Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced in action, offering the clearest look yet at the project. The footage, shared by an X user, shows protagonist Edward Kenway aboard his ship, with noticeably upgraded visuals, lighting, and character detail, offering a preview of what the anticipated remake is meant to offer fans of the original game.

The clips are believed to be early trailer or showcase material, with one post suggesting a full reveal is imminent. The leaks line up with recent developments surrounding Ubisoft's upcoming release slate. A now-removed listing for Black Flag Resynced briefly appeared on Ubisoft's launcher, complete with promotional art and messaging encouraging players to "(Re)play this classic swashbuckling adventure."

Microsoft's next-gen Xbox is shaping up to be its most radical departure yet from the traditional console design, with new leaks suggesting the company is abandoning custom GPU hardware in favor of a more PC-like approach.

According to claims from known leaker KeplerL2 on NeoGAF, the upcoming Xbox, codenamed Project Helix, will feature zero GPU customization, marking a significant shift from previous Xbox consoles. Why is this a big deal? Traditional console designs relied on bespoke designs to differentiate performance and capabilities. This next-gen device is reportedly leaning on a more standardized RDNA 5-based architecture, closer to what is seen on desktop PCs.

The additional context from the same discussion clarifies that Microsoft isn't abandoning AI acceleration altogether; instead, it's taking a different approach. Rather than integrating custom "neural arrays" directly into the GPU, the system is said to rely on a separate NPU (Neural Processing Unit), typically associated with the CPU, for AI workloads.

Starfield's PS5 version has apparently been a big success insofar as gross sales revenue goes, and while Bethesda hasn't revealed specifics, the game was the #1 best-earning title in the US in the week of launch.

Starfield's launch on PlayStation 5 has gone over well in the United States. According to the latest figures from Circana's Mat Piscatella, Starfield was the best-earning game in the week from April 5 - April 11 both digitally and physically in the US:

"Starfield was the best-selling video game of the week in tracked physical & digital US full game dollar sales during the week ending April 11th. It's the first time Starfield has led the weekly US best-selling titles chart since week ending Sept 2, 2023," the Circana director said on BlueSky.

Earlier in April 2026, Valve engineer Natalie Vlock introduced a new VRAM optimization for Linux. Rather than letting lower-priority workloads push game data into slower system memory, the optimization prioritizes the foreground game over background desktop apps when dedicated VRAM is low.

The fix is now undergoing its first round of testing on a 4GB GPU, and the results show notable performance improvements in select titles. After the patch surfaced earlier this month, YouTuber NJ Tech tested it on a Radeon RX 6500 XT running CatchyOS, where the feature can be enabled via the "Install GPU Boosters" option. The test rig paired the GPU with 16GB of DDR4 RAM and a Ryzen 5 5600X with a stock cooler.

Getting into the results, Alan Wake II saw the most notable performance boost from the tweak. The game was tested at 1080p on low settings with FSR set to Quality. With the VRAM optimization applied, average frame rates jumped from 14 FPS to 41 FPS, while 1% lows improved from 12 to 28 FPS.

Japanese games company Koei Tecmo has upwardly revised their operating profit targets due to the successful sales of its newest games.

Koei Tecmo is expecting substantial returns from two of its new titles, which have both turned out to be platinum hits. The company issued a press release today with a forecast adjustment that takes into account explosive sales of the new games.

The titles include Pokopia, which Koei Tecmo co-developed alongside Game Freak, achieved 2.2 million sales in 4 days; and NiOh 3, the other hit game, sold 1 million copies in 2 weeks.

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick talks about his thoughts and views on AI, saying that the technology can help supercharge the creative potential of artists by reducing mundane work.

AI adoption is on the rise as video game companies seek ways to reduce costs and speed up production schedules. The industry is more competitive than ever, and publishers are keen to chase the latest trends before consumer tastes shift to the next big thing. AI has been a contentious topic because these cost reductions are being used to justify layoffs while AI itself is simultaneously being used for more widespread tasks, potentially reducing the need for so many workers.

Even companies like Take-Two Interactive are utilizing AI in their own way, and despite this usage, company CEO Strauss Zelnick still has the same level-headed take on AI: it won't replace artists or creatives, instead empowering them to do higher-level work. AI can't replace artists because it can't replicate the magic required to make big hits, or the same kind of prowess that Rockstar Games flexes with GTA V and the upcoming GTA 6.

Epic Games is changing how players interact with characters in Fortnite. The company has released an experimental feature for the Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) called "Conversations," originally teased as the Persona device. Unlike traditional dialogue trees, Conversations uses real-time NPC conversations via your own microphone.

If it sounds familiar, it should. The technology is the same as that used in the AI-driven Darth Vader tech demo that led SAG-AFTRA to file an unfair labor practice charge against Epic. This time, the company is putting it in developers' hands to build AI-powered NPCs that players can actually talk to.

The tool runs on Google's Gemini 1.5 Flash-Lite model, which acts as the brain for these characters, handling audio input, text generation, and NPC reactions. ElevenLabs then converts that text output into spoken dialogue. For creators, the setup is surprisingly straightforward, requiring as few as 20 lines of basic prompt text to define a character's personality, knowledge base, and tone of voice.

PlayStation is preparing to lock key social features behind a new requirement, with players set to verify their age later this year to keep using common communication tools that are likely to be used throughout every gaming experience.

Sony Interactive Entertainment has begun notifying users that age verification will soon be mandatory for accessing PlayStation communication features, including messages and voice chat. The move is part of a broader push to create "safe, age-appropriate experiences" while giving players and parents greater control over their online interactions. The rollout is expected to apply globally, though no exact start date has been confirmed.

Importantly, the change won't impact access to core PlayStation services. Players who choose not to verify their age will still be able to play games, earn trophies, and access the PlayStation Store. However, communication features, arguably a core part of the modern multiplayer experience and likely regularly used by anyone who participates in multiplayer games, will be restricted until the verification check is complete.

Liquid Swords' debut game, Samson: A Tyndalston Story, proved to be riddled with performance issues and bugs at launch. The less-than-ideal start pushed the studio to release fixes as soon as possible, and over the past month, the developers have kept their word by pushing several updates to tackle these issues. Now, Liquid Swords has shared a new roadmap laying out its plans for the rest of April, May, June, and beyond.

The third major update, coming April 22nd, looks to be the most substantial so far. While the first two updates mainly addressed crashes and some progression-blocking bugs, the third update is expected to bring additional performance fixes, combat improvements, vehicle tuning, time-trial refinements, and more.

Update 4, launching a week after the third, will focus on greater stability, polishing gameplay, and addressing issues specifically reported by the community. Update 5 follows on May 6, though details are sparse, and Update 6 is similarly light on specifics, with no date confirmed yet.

Capcom continues its sales success streak with the debut of its new intellectual property, Pragmata, which became a platinum seller right out of the gate.

Pragmata, Capcom's latest sci-fi action game set in a new IP, has established itself as a hit with 1 million copies sold in just 2 days.

"As a completely new IP, PRAGMATA represents a new challenge for Capcom, built from the ground up with an original world and gameplay concept. We are truly delighted that so many players around the world have enjoyed the game, enabling us to reach this milestone of one million units sold. Moving forward, we will continue making every effort to deliver the appeal of PRAGMATA to an even broader audience," the game's dev team said in a press release.

It's official: Bandai Namco's latest Dragon Ball game is indeed set in the deep future with a new cast of striking characters that are part of the Great Saiyan Squad, a group inspired by Gohan's heroics as the Great Saiyaman in Dragon Ball Z.

Xenoverse 3 is the next mainline Dragon Ball game, and it'll take place in the Age 1000 timeline, the same period used in the Dragon Ball Online MMORPG that's set hundreds of years after the events of DBZ. The new game is still somewhat mysterious, but we do see Bulma lending her Capsule Corp. technological wizardry to assist the characters, including Bret, a young aspiring hero.

The main hero, though, appears to be a hero sporting the pixie bob hairdo, and the reveal trailer didn't show it, but we know this character is a saiyan because we've seen them turn super saiyan in the original Xenoverse 3 announcement trailer from two months ago.

The new Elden Ring live action movie adaptation will premiere in early 2028, Bandai Namco and FromSoftware today announced.

New details about the upcoming Elden Ring film have been released, confirming that the horror-fantasy adaptation will be shot in the "Filmed for IMAX" spec, offering superior image quality, wider aspect ratios, and an overall higher-end finished product. Sony cameras are often used for this spec, and it's interesting to note that Sony also has part of a 30% stake in FromSoftware.

Production is set to begin quite soon as Bandai Namco notes this phase will start in "spring 2026," and the companies have released a full cast list for the adaptation...however, we still don't know which actors will play which roles. The project is also said to be in production "under the guidance" of FromSoft's macabre creator, Hidetaka Miyazaki.

Blizzard has finally brought down one of the most popular World of Warcraft private servers, with Turtle WoW officially shutting its doors after nearly a decade online.

Following a legal ruling in favor of Blizzard Entertainment, the team behind Turtle WoW confirmed via social media that the server will fully cease operations in May 2026, with donations disabled and community platforms being wound down. The ruling includes a permanent injunction preventing the developers from operating, promoting, or recreating the server, or anything similar. This marks a decisive victory for Blizzard in its extensive battle against private servers.

Turtle WoW had carved out a significant niche within the World of Warcraft community by offering what many players described as a "Classic+" experience. Built on the foundation of World of Warcraft Classic, the server introduced rebalanced classes, new dungeons, additional story content, and even playable races, effectively expanding on Blizzard's original design rather than simply recreating it.

Intel's next move in the handheld gaming space is starting to take shape, with new leaks pointing to Arc-powered chips designed to rival AMD's Ryzen Z-series.

According to a report from VideoCardz, Intel is preparing to unveil its Arc G3 and Arc G3 Extreme chips for gaming handhelds at Computex 2026, both based on the Panther Lake architecture. These chips are expected to feature a 25W base TDP with configurable power profiles, positioning them as direct competitors to AMD's current handheld-focused silicon.

The Arc G3 lineup is tipped to include two variants, with the primary difference being integrated graphics. The standard Arc G3 is rumored to feature Arc B360 graphics with 10 Xe cores, while the Arc G3 Extreme bumps things up with Arc B380 graphics and 12 Xe cores. Earlier naming confusion around "Core G3" appears to have been clarified, with insiders suggesting Intel is aligning these chips under its Arc branding to better reflect their gaming focus.

THQ Nordic is quietly stacking its lineup for Nintendo's next-gen platform, with new information revealing multiple unannounced projects already in development, and all of them are coming to the Nintendo Switch 2.

A recent update to THQ Nordic's official website has confirmed that the publisher is currently working on seven unannounced titles for the Nintendo Switch 2, as well as six additional unannounced projects for the original Nintendo Switch.

The discovery offers one of the clearest indications yet that third-party support for Nintendo's upcoming hardware is already well underway behind the scenes, which is likely relieving for some Nintendo Switch 2 owners who have been complaining about the lack of new Switch 2 titles.

Sony's rumored PlayStation 6 ray tracing performance uplift is under the microscope, with renowned leaker KeplerL2 sharing some performance insights.

A post circulating on NeoGAF breaks down claims that the PS6, powered by AMD's next-gen architecture, is slated to deliver up to 10x ray tracing (RT) performance over the PlayStation 5.

Using performance data from Assassin's Creed Shadows, KeplerL2 shared an image that isolates RT workloads and compares them to overall frame time, arguing that RT only accounts for a fraction of the total rendering cost, which showcases that ray tracing performance is only one part of the performance equation, and gains in RT performance don't equal proportionate in-game frame rate gains.