Gaming - Page 594

We all know the next-gen console wars later this year, and possibly in 2021 if the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X launches are postponed due to the havoc that coronavirus is having on the world, are going to be wild.

Well, now we have Crytek rendering engineer Ali Salehi being intervewed by Persian gaming website Vigiato, where he talked about the power differences between the next-gen consoles. Salehi said that developing for the PlayStation 5 was extremely simple, and that reaching the peak performance on the PS5 is much easier than on the Xbox Series X.

Salehi said: "The developers are saying PS5 is the easiest console they have ever coded on to reach its peak performance. Software-wise, coding for PS5 is extremely simple and has so many abilities that make the [developers] so free. In total, I can say PS5 is a better console".

Microsoft is holding an Inside Xbox showcase tomorrow, April 7, 2020 at 5PM EST, and we can expect new gameplay footage and light Xbox Series X discussion.

Tomorrow's Inside Xbox won't be special. Don't expect a big E3-level extravaganza with tons of hardware and game reveals. Instead, Team Green will dive into previously announced games like Obsidian's weird Honey I Shrunk the Kids-like game Grounded and Gears Tactics.

The real highlight should be the Xbox Series X tech discussion with Microsoft's Jason Ronald. The Xbox Wire is careful to say new console info won't be revealed at the event, though. Ronald will instead deliver more color around the Xbox Series X's new hardware, OS, and software functionalities and expand on how they create a true next-gen gaming ecosystem.

Games like off-roading racing sim Dirt Rally 2.0 and billion-dollar megahit Candy Crush are using in-game banners to promote global stay-at-home orders.

UK game devs like King and Codemasters are using in-game real estate in a unique way. These devs have replaced in-game ads that appear on signs, billboards, and banners with the coronavirus-combating mantra "stay at home, save lives." Dirt Rally 2.0 in particular has an opportunity to reach millions as part of this month's free PS Plus offering. It's refreshing to see these devs to their part in trying to convince consumers to stay in place and avoid transmitting or contracting the COVID-19 virus that's killing thousands.

"We came to realize that technology within our games, which enables the remote updating of banners within the virtual environment, could be repurposed to assist with the coronavirus communication effort," Codemasters told Forbes.

No Man's Sky has gone so far. Where can it go from here? How about zooming around planet surfaces with your own armored core suit?

Hello Games shows no signs of stopping with No Man's Sky updates. The game has already tremendously evolved with eight major updates, and now the ninth is on the way. It's called EXO, and it lets you build your own custom mech exosuits to roam around the wilds.

No Man's Sky's new EXO update has been leaked by German retailer JoyBuggy, confirming hulking mechsuits are coming to the game. At the time of writing, the video has been made private, but we saw snippets of it before it was locked. Exact details of the EXO update aren't known, but you'll be able to build your mech and roam around with friends on various planets.

More sources corroborate past reports of supernatural themes for Resident Evil 8, including werewolves and mind-warping hallucinations.

Resident Evil 8, which is apparently due out in 2021 for current- and next-gen systems, will be more cerebral and bizarre than past entries. It looks like Capcom is taking the more psychological horror route with its new mainline sequel. Rather than relying on shock Texas Chainsaw Massacre-style horror, Capcom is pushing the envelope even further than Resident Evil 7's demented Baker family.

Instead of sticking with zombies and horrifying mutated monstrosities amid a confusing, deep story arc, Resident Evil 8 will have a horror-fantasy theme. Sources tell VideoGameChronicle that RE8's monsters are lifted right out of folklore, with werewolves and other story-time terrors creeping into view.

A bit ago we reported on some unverified rumors that the PS5 is overheating due to big cooling issues, and that's the reason why Sony hasn't shown the console. But as many have suggested, this is extremely unlikely. The PlayStation 5 was built from the ground up with heat management in mind. There's a lot to cover here, so be forewarned: This is a big article.

Sony's PlayStation 5 should have a robust cooling solution that not only adequately manages heat, but also reduces fan noise. The reality is the PS5 has been built around proper heat dissipation from the get-go. The PS5's powerful 8-core Zen 2 CPU and 10.3TFLOP Navi 2X GPU SoC can belt out some serious performance, but they also require increased electrical power to hit their respective thresholds.

And with more power draw comes more heat. Sony recognized this issue from the start and literally re-designed how the CPU and GPU operate in the PlayStation 5 to ensure optimal heat management.

E3 2020 has been cancelled, and plans for an all-digital event replacing the convention have fallen through. But that hasn't stopped the ESA from laying out early plans for E3 2021.

Right now E3 is endangered. Digital is on the cusp of completely taking over. Publishers and devs have teamed up with IGN for the new Summer of Games event, which essentially replaces E3. If this trend continues it could kill E3 once and for all. The ESA seems somewhat oblivious to E3's fate. The organization has just announced next year's E3 plans to its internal partners, promising a new re-imagined show for June 15-17, 2021, sources tell GamesIndustry.biz.

The ESA has yet to announce or confirm its plans for E3 2021, nor has it publicly stated its digital plans have been scrapped.

UPDATE: The ESA official confirms it won't be holding an online event for E3 2020.

"Given the disruption brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, we will not be presenting an online E3 2020 event in June. Instead we will be working with exhibitors to promote and showcase individual company announcements, including on www.E3expo.com, in the coming months," the ESA tells Gamespot.

The ESA won't be streaming an online-based digital E3 2020 event this year, sources tell games journalist Mike Futter.

GameStop stores in Massachusetts have been shut down state-wide for violating stay-at-home quarantine orders, The Boston Globe reports.

As thousands of businesses close to curb coronavirus transmission, GameStop defied state orders and operated like normal, arguing it was an essential business. Corporate failed to provide necessary cleaning supplies and gloves during this period. Employees were instead told to wrap plastic GameStop bags around their hands to protect against COVID-19. "Lightly tape a Game Stop plastic bag over your hand and arm. Do not open the door all the way--keep the glass between you and the guest's face--just reach out your arm," reads a leaked email to employees instructing them how to distribute games and take credit card payments.

Luckily states have stepped in to stop this circus. GameStop stores have been shuttered in various states including California and now Massachusetts. These stores had originally been offering curb-side pickup of games, accessories and hardware.

Doom Eternal's FOV options aren't ideal. But with our guide, you can use console commands to force a wider FOV to see everything. Plus we also show you how to adjust movement speeds, jump height and more.

After tinkering around with Doom Eternal's console, we found some interesting new commands that'll change how you play. Before you do anything though be sure to check out our helpful how-to Doom Eternal console commands tutorial guide for a run-down of everything you need, how to install it, and how to get started.

With console commands, we can actually manipulate the field of view with the p_forcefov console command, but don't go past 150. Things get really disorienting if you even go as high as 150.

CD Projekt Group is now the most valuable company in Poland, according to latest financials from Bloomberg.

Following the current economic crisis affecting banks and other financial institutions, Witcher developer CD Projekt Group is now the biggest breadwinner in its native country.

CD Projekt's current market capitalization sits at 27.6 billion zloty ($6.63 billion), exceeding the market cap of Poland's biggest bank, PKO Bank Polski, by 300 million zloty. At the time of writing, PKO Bank Polski's market cap sits at 27.3 billion zloty ($6.53 billion). CD Projekt Group is beating the bank by roughly 1.53%.

Amazon has a bold vision for its gaming aspirations: To unify broadcasting, cloud game streaming, and viewing in one cohesive monetizable ecosystem.

Today Amazon finally confirmed it's making a cloud game streaming service called Project Tempo. This service will beam games wirelessly from powerful servers to mobile phones, laptops, and desktops, allowing instant access to games without requiring gaming hardware. But Project Tempo is only one part of the bigger picture. It's just the delivery mechanism.

Amazon plans to conquer digital gaming with a new ecosystem that combines all of its forces together. Project Tempo, Twitch, and first-party Amazon games will be merged into one cohesive online-driven medium. The goal here is to monetize a new layered form of engagement via massive digital synergy.

The Last of Us II has a nifty mini-game that lets you create your own guitar riffs and tunes with the DualShock 4 controller.

The Last of Us II has been delayed indefinitely, but that hasn't stopped some gameplay footage from leaking out. A new one-minute video confirms you can pick up a guitar and jam out with Ellie in a surprisingly intricate guitar mini-game. You can strum a number of different chords and pick each string, effectively giving you all the tools to make your own post-apocalyptic music. Whether it's a somber dirge or a feel-good acoustic melody, the possibilities are nearly endless.

It's just another layer in Naughty Dog's massively realistic magnum opus. Playing guitar with Ellie is kind of intimate thing, an experience that lets you connect with her even more. It's always important to make that kind of human connection with characters especially in games with a human story--no matter how visceral, bloody, and chaotic it is. It's good to know Ellie has a hobby outside of massacring WLF members.

Although Microsoft still feels good about releasing Xbox Series X in 2020, the coronavirus could interrupt shipping, testing, and development plans and force a delay.

Coronavirus disruption has forced Xbox teams to take on a big challenge: Rigorously test and iterate on a brand new console while working from home. Despite the circumstances, though, Xbox boss Phil Spencer says the Xbox Series X is still on track for a 2020 release. Xbox devs are adapting and working hard on the console's intricately layered hardware and software level optimizations to ensure a Holiday 2020 release.

But Spencer warns that could change. There's no guarantees right now and no promises. The console's release this year is conditional on two things: The safety of the Xbox team, and whether or not the system is actually ready to launch. Spencer says he won't jeopardize either priority, but workers come first over the product.

Capcom today announced one of its Osaka-based employees has tested positive for coronavirus, and it could affect future games.

Right now the games industry is gearing up for a big delay season. The coronavirus is forcing countless dev teams to work at home, interrupting the normal flow of office-based iterative games development, and more importantly, the logistics of shipping physical games. Just yesterday Sony delayed The Last of Us 2 despite the game being almost finished.

Now Capcom could be facing these kinds of delays. The company just reported its first confirmed case of COVID-19 in its internal offices, but hasn't yet decided if it'll force developers to work at home. Many areas of Japan still don't have stay-at-home orders.

Hideo Kojima wants to make another horror game that not only is revolutionary, but it'll make you sh*t your pants. Yeah, seriously -- Kojima wants to make something so scary you will sh*t your pants.

During a chat with BAFTA during his induction into their fellowship program, Kojima said: "I would like to make another horror game someday. Something that uses a revolutionary method to create terror, that doesn't just make you pee your pants, but crap them. I already have ideas in mind".

Kojima talked about the horror phenomenon P.T. which eventually turned into Silent Hills, where he said P.T. succeeded in its own ways, and resonated so strongly because it played on different elements of the unknown. The entire game was a mystery, and no one knew that Kojima and his team even made the game.

Sony will most likely postpone the release of its next-gen PlayStation 5 console because of the massive issues coronavirus is wrecking on virtually all aspects of the market, but now we have some retail box concept art to show you.

Our good friends at LetsGoDigital have tapped their in-house Italian designer Giuseppe Spinelli AKA Snoreyn, to make a concept piece on the retail packaging of the PlayStation 5. I would actually really love Sony to use something along the lines of this, and I'm loving the '8K HDR' stamp in the top right hand corner.

The last thing that Snoreyn did was the DualShock 5 controller trailer, which looked oh-so-awesome. I wrote about it in detail right here, but the video above does it more than justice. The last PlayStation 5 renders still tease the awesome V-shaped design that I hope Sony goes with in final retail form.

Today Square Enix made a ridiculous slip-up by launching an update for Final Fantasy IX on PC that pretty much deleted most of the game's files.

The update went live earlier this morning on Steam. Anyone who downloaded it got a nasty surprise: Their on-disk files were pretty much wiped out. Gamers downloaded patch data that pretty much removed the data on their hard drives. This SteamDB patch notes catalog gives a rundown of what files were yanked.

At the time of writing the game has been fully restored so there's no worry about updating, but always be sure to back up your lengthy save files or just set auto-updates on pause. Losing hundreds of hours of Final Fantasy save data is a crippling blow--and the world is full of enough of those already.

In an attempt to re-invigorate the game's playerbase, Bethesda is giving away free copies of Fallout 76 on Steam to anyone who bought the PC version on Bethesda.net.

Anyone who's already played Fallout 76 on PC can also get a free copy on Steam. All you need to do is link your Bethesda.net account with your Steam account. Click here to see if you've already done that or not (if you've played Doom Eternal on Steam, you definitely already have). The promo ends on April 12 at 11:59PM, just a day before the game's official release.

Fallout 76's launch on Steam this month is a huge deal. It's a rare opportunity to capture lapsed players while simultaneously sparking sales by launching on a new platform. The game's massive new Wastelanders expansion, which adds actual human NPCs into the game, coincides with the launch too. Bethesda is aiming to turn around Fallout 76's negative image while attracting players new and old into the re-modeled world.

We've known for a while the Respawn is making another unannounced Star Wars game. It's an open secret in the industry that this game is Jedi: Fallen Order 2. But now a Respawn dev basically confirms a sequel is happening.

While scouting Twitter, I noticed an interesting post from Respawn 3D art director Ryan Lastimosa about Respawn's current job listings. Lastimosa tagged three games in the Tweet that indicate what Respawn is currently working on: Medal of Honor VR, Apex Legends, and Jedi: Fallen Order. It's not a big shocker, but it's still a confirmation of sorts. EA, who has cancelled three big Star Wars projects so far, sees Respawn's Star Wars games as safe bets. Jedi: Fallen Order was so successful it changed how EA sees singleplayer games.

Respawn has been hiring for a Star Wars game for some time now. At the time of writing, the developer has 8 positions open in the Star Wars team, including some higher-level jobs like a senior level designer, as well as a game writer and software engineer. This could indicate Jedi: Fallen Order 2 is still in early production phases of development.