Gaming - Page 61

Sony didn't develop or publish the new MMORPG based on the Horizon franchise, Horizon: Steel Frontiers.

Today, South Korean developer NC Soft revealed Horizon: Steel Frontiers, a new free-to-play MMORPG set in PlayStation's best-selling Horizon game series. The game has proven to be significantly controversial because Steel Frontiers is skipping PS5, instead releasing on mobile and PC.

It further turns out that Sony didn't actually make the game. Sony did license the Horizon series to NC Soft, and Guerrilla Games did coordinate with the South Korean developer, but PlayStation did not actually make the project--nor did they publish it. And, of course, Sony signed the partnership deal, so they knew Steel Frontiers wasn't coming to PS5 at launch.

Following the unveiling of the Steam Machine, the new Steam Controller, and the Steam Frame, hope for Valve's highly anticipated - and at this point mythological - Half-Life 3 has reached new heights, especially since an unannounced Valve title has been discovered.

The evidence of an unannounced Valve game in the works comes from its own website, Steam, where users can simply search for any Valve game, click the company's name, then navigate to the company's "Upcoming Releases". From here, you can notice the column to the left states there are five upcoming products, but there are only four listings within the category, suggesting Valve is still sitting on the announcement.

Given that Valve just updated its store with marketing materials for the newly announced Valve hardware, it seems unlikely that a typo on its homepage was accidental, but these things do happen. Regardless of its legitimacy, the mysterious "5" has fuelled Half-Life 3 rumors, which follow previous speculation that Valve would unveil Half-Life 3 as a system-seller for the newly announced Steam Machine. Furthermore, rumors from industry insiders stated Half-Life 3 optimization is trucking along nicely.

Red Dead Redemption has been officially rated by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S|X, and the Nintendo Switch 2, sparking a new fire under the rumors of a remastered version of the iconic game.

Unsurprisingly, the ESRB rated Red Dead Redemption an M for Mature 17+, writing in its description that the title contains blood, gore, intense violence, nudity, strong language, strong sexual content, and the use of drugs. Additionally, the description states that players assume the role of a reformed criminal who combats a "zombie plague," which means the ESRB has also rated the Undead Nightmare expansion.

As for what this rating is for, rumors have been kicked around for quite some time about an official remaster for the original Red Dead Redemption game, which will include full optimizations for the current-gen consoles. Notably, Red Dead Redemption is available to play on the PlayStation 5, but it's the PS4 version.

Valve has unveiled the Steam Machine, a new dedicated PC system that looks and behaves like a console. Valve's announcement showcased a wide selection of features, along with a target release window, but didn't mention pricing.

However, Valve's Hardware Engineer, Yazan Aldehayyat, spoke to IGN about the upcoming PC/console hybrid and touched on what Valve is considering with price. According to the engineer, Valve believes this is the right time to release the Steam Machine, given how much it would cost someone to build a PC with similar performance and features to the hybrid device, and at the heart of the design is affordability.

Aldehayyat said that affordability is a factor Valve considers heavily every time it introduces a new piece of hardware. When it comes to the Steam Machine, it's planning to make it as affordable as possible.

One of the most iconic Valve series is undoubtedly Portal, and in an effort to pay homage to the franchise, Dbrand is releasing a skin for the newly announced Steam Machine. Introducing the Steam Machine Companion Cube.

Dbrand has announced with a new website listing the "Steam Machine Companion Cube," a new skin that is set to launch sometime in 2026 that buyers of the Valve Steam Machine can put onto their new Steam Machine.

The details for the upcoming Dbrand product are quite scarce, as the website doesn't reveal if the Companion Cube is going to be a skin or a shell. However, judging by the design, it appears to be a shell, as the above image shows two deep holes for the USB ports located on the front of the PC/console hybrid.

Valve has announced the Steam Machine, a new dedicated PC gaming rig that takes the form of a compact console and targets 4K 60FPS in most games. But how many games will this new device actually be able to play?

The Steam Machine runs Linux-based SteamOS, and with that comes a slew of great features pulled right from the Steam Deck and now available in a device that can be comfortably played in a living room on a TV or a gaming monitor. However, with SteamOS, there are also some limitations, and, unfortunately, these limitations - while hopefully temporary - will prevent many mainstream titles from being played on the Steam Machine. That limitation is the mandatory kernel-level anti-cheat for modern multiplayer titles.

At the moment, only a few kernel-level anti-cheat systems support Linux, while many extremely popular or mainstream games can't run on Linux, meaning they won't work on the Steam Machine unless the user manually installs Windows.

Valve has shaken up the gaming market with the unveiling of the Steam Machine, a dedicated PC gaming rig that is also a console.

The performance value offering of the Steam Machine is targeting the 4K 60FPS mark with FSR, and while that is very good depending on the price, we have learned the future of the Steam Machine is perhaps even more exciting. Speaking to Oliver MacKenzie from Digital Foundry, Valve software engineer on SteamOS, Pierre-Loup Griffais, said in the future we may see third-party SteamOS boxes, like the Steam Machine from different vendors with different AMD hardware inside.

This means, Valve could spawn an entire ecosystem of Steam Machines for OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) to take advantage of for customization purposes. An example would be MSI or ASUS releasing their own version of the Steam Machine that would feature a different AMD hardware specification, likely beefier hardware such as an RDNA 4 GPU and 16GB of VRAM. If this is the case, the Steam Machine could well and truly become a 4K 120Hz+ gaming PC/console hybrid, especially if the third-party models swap out the HDMI 2.0 port for HDMI 2.1.

Valve has unveiled the Steam Machine, a new PC gaming and console hybrid device that is expected to be released early next year. Valve says the console is targeting 4K at 60FPS, but we have learned that it is capable of 4K at 120Hz over HDMI, albeit with some pretty big sacrifices.

Valve has marketed the Steam Machine as a device targeting 4K 60FPS, but diving into the specifications and reports surrounding the upcoming hybrid device we have learned the Steam Machine is actually capable of 4K 120Hz, whether it will actually hit 4K at 120FPS in mainstream games is another thing entirely, but at least when it comes to output, it is capable of 4K 120Hz.

Firstly, the Steam Machine comes with DisplayPort 1.4, which is capable of up to 4K 240Hz / 8K 60Hz. The Steam Machine plugged into a 4K 240Hz monitor will output at 4K 240Hz, but TVs don't have DisplayPort connectivity; they use HDMI ports. One of the biggest glaring issues with the Steam Machine is the HDMI being limited to the 2.0 specification, which means it's limited to 4K 60Hz output. This is particularly annoying considering the hardware within the Steam Machine, an AMD RDNA 3 GPU, is technically capable of 4K 120Hz output, and many modern TVs are now capable of 120Hz over HDMI 2.1.

DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation support for GeForce RTX graphics cards is coming to two PC game releases this week - Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Assetto Corsa Rally. The latest installment in the Call of Duty franchise is likely the biggest PC game launch this month, continuing its tradition of launching with support for the latest RTX technologies, including DLSS, Frame Generation, and NVIDIA Reflex, for low-latency performance.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is also optimized to run well on a wide range of GeForce RTX hardware, with the recommended GPU being the popular GeForce RTX 3060. Full DLSS 4 support is also coming to this week's Early Access launch of 505 Games and Supernova Games Studios' Assetto Corsa Rally. Built using the latest Unreal Engine 5 tech and sporting a realistic physics engine, this is a modern rally game for racing fans yearning to make a few "easy left into easy right and then hard left" turns.

The Early Access version of the game will arrive with 10 licensed cars, four real-world rally stages, and both offline and online game modes. As a realistic racing game, it's also built for racing rig setups with three screens, so having DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation support will be key for a lot of systems hitting over 60 FPS.

Valve has just shaken up the PC and console markets with the announcement of the Steam Machine, a dedicated PC gaming rig designed to look and feel like a console.

With the announcement of the Steam Machine and two other pieces of Steam hardware, it has been revealed that media were invited to Valve to get the rundown on the upcoming hardware and to gather more details about the device that wasn't explained in the above announcement video.

Digital Foundry's Oliver MacKenzie explained in a recent video posted to the Digital Foundry YouTube channel that the Steam Machine currently doesn't have media playback capabilities on par with current-gen consoles, as the device doesn't come with native media streaming apps such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, etc. Instead, users will access all of these streaming platforms through a web browser. MacKenzie reports the Steam Machine has HDR functionality through the web browser, but the quality of that experience may not be the greatest in comparison to natively built apps.

With Valve announcing a trio of new Steam-optimized hardware today, it's the upcoming Steam Machine set to launch in early 2026 that is garnering the most attention. The reason for this is simple: you're looking at a small, compact cube-sized console version of the Steam Deck that's six times more powerful and can easily slot underneath a modern 4K TV just like an Xbox or PlayStation.

In terms of hardware, the Steam Machine, like the Steam Deck, is powered by custom AMD hardware that includes a notably more powerful RDNA 3 GPU with 28 Compute Units (CUs) running at 2.45 GHz with a 110W TDP and 8GB of VRAM. From a spec-sheet perspective, this is the GPU equivalent of 87.5% of AMD's mainstream Radeon RX 7600 GPU from 2023, with a lower clock speed and power draw.

Valve states that with AMD FSR upscaling, the Steam Machine is capable of running every game on Steam in 4K at 60 FPS. For those who have experienced the Steam Machine firsthand, this translates to Cyberpunk 2077 running at a stable 4K60 with FSR, using Medium graphics settings, basic Ray Tracing, and upscaling from 1080p with FSR 3's Performance preset.

Xbox Gaming CEO Phil Spencer praises Valve's new Steam Machine hybrid console-PC, and what he has to say lends even more credence to a next-gen Xbox PC.

Today, Valve announced its new-and-improved Steam Machine, a hybrid device that packs in the power and utility of a PC with the plug-and-play convenience of a console. The Steam Machine runs SteamOS, plays Steam games at up to 4K 60FPS with FSR enabled, and is compatible with software and accessories just like a normal PC.

If you've been paying attention to the recent Xbox rumors, this might sound familiar. Microsoft is reportedly planning on doing something similar with the next-gen Xbox, merging the console and PC environments together using Windows 11. It just sounds like Valve beat Microsoft to the punch with the Steam Machine--Xbox has been following in Valve's wake for a while, first with its PC game sales ambitions, then with the Xbox Ally handhelds and now the Steam Machine hybrid PC-console.

Valve is entering the console market once more with its new Steam Machine PC-console hybrid.

Today, Valve announced its new hardware lineup including a revamp of its Steam Machines brand. The new Steam Machine is essentially a small form factor PC in a box that runs Steam games at console-level quality, complete with the plug-and-play convenience of a console. It also borrows major quality-of-life features from the Steam Deck, including suspend/resume and the features of the SteamOS environment.

The new Steam Machine is powered by a discrete semi-custom AMD GPU that Valve says can enable 4K 60FPS gaming with FSR enabled. The console PC is 6x more powerful than a Steam Deck, features an SD card slot, and also can run "whatever software you want, and works with all your favorite desktop accessories."

Arc Raiders has sold over 4 million copies and had the biggest launch in Nexon's history, the live service games giant has confirmed.

Embark's latest extraction shooter Arc Raiders is gaming's latest breakout hit with over 4 million copies sold and 700,000 concurrent players in less than two weeks. On a rough sales basis, that's around $160 million in gross revenue from Arc Raiders (which is less after Sony, Microsoft, Epic, and Steam take their cuts).

In a Q3 press release, Nexon president and CEO Junghun Lee says Arc Raiders did so well that it helped spike the company's revenue by +61%, and that it was the biggest game that Nexon has ever launched.

Grand Theft Auto 6 isn't the only news surrounding Rockstar Games as the UK studio abruptly fired thirty-one workers over what it described as gross misconduct, but if you asked those now former employees, many of whom are veteran Rockstar developers, the studio was merely union-busting.

Those fired employees are now protesting outside Rockstar North in the UK, with many voicing their opinions on why the studio let them go, stating that Rockstar didn't provide any evidence of their alleged gross misconduct and that they were fired without due process or proper representation. According to Rockstar, the now former employees were leaking confidential information on a public forum, but the employees who were fired said they had never been shown any evidence of such leaks.

The employees and the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) allege Rockstar simply wanted to break up the union that was forming, with the employees pointing to each of the fired employees being union members and the UK currently preparing to pass the Employment Rights Bill, which will provide elevated security for workers at the beginning of next year.

FromSoftware caps off Sony's latest State of Play stream by revealing Elden Ring Nightreign's first expansion, The Forsaken Hollows.

Just days ago, FromSoftware's owner confirmed that Elden Ring Nightreign would get DLC soon. Now it's official: The Forsaken Hollows is coming to all platforms on December 4 for $15, and it'll include two new playable classes, two new bosses, and a new shifting earth called The Great Hollow.

Anyone who purchased the deluxe or collector's edition of Elden Ring Nightreign will get The Forsaken Hollows for free, and those that pre-purchase the expansion now will get access to a digital artbook and a mini soundtrack via a special app.

The reports were right: Sony is indeed introducing a lower-cost, region-locked PS5 for the Japanese market.

Sony's latest business move should help spark PS5 adoption in Japan. The company today announced that it will offer a cheaper digital PS5 bundle that retails for 55,000 yen, or about $350. The console is region-locked, meaning it can't be played by users outside of Japan, and sees Sony directly challenging the Nintendo Switch 2's grasp on its home turf market.

"We are doing something very special for the Japan market. We are introducing a PS5 for players that can be exclusively enjoyed in the Japanese language. This PS5 Digital Edition provides strong value--its suggested retail price is 55,000 yen including tax," Sony's Hideaki Nishino said during the State of Play presentation.

Sony says that the PlayStation 5 will maintain its current sales profitability throughout FY2025, but that period ends quite soon in March, and after that period it's possible the PS5--and potentially the PS5 Pro--will be sold for less profit than it is now.

Hardware profitability is crucial for Sony and Nintendo (Microsoft never sold an Xbox at a profit, and that could be why they're now merging Xbox consoles with Windows). Right now, Sony is able to produce and sell each PS5 console at a profit, but that may change in the future due to rising storage memory costs.

Diminished hardware profitability will drag the company's margins and put more stress on software and services. This is something Sony is potentially planning for as it is now focusing on "monetizing the PS5's installed base"rather than expanding that said installed base.

Sony's new PS5 game Ghost of Yōtei was a success insofar as first-party sales, and the company has recognized Sucker Punch's latest samurai slasher as a "major hit."

PlayStation's new first-party release Ghost of Yōtei has resonated with PS5 owners. Sony has confirmed that Ghost of Yōtei has sold 3.3 million copies in the 32-day period from launch until November 2, indicating a strong level of sales penetration for a first-party game despite the higher $69.99 price tag. Given Sony's latest PS5 sales numbers of 84.2 million, Ghost of Yōtei had a nearly 4% attach rate on the platform. Yōtei's forebear, Ghost of Tsushima, sold 2.4 million copies in 3 days.

"In the single-player AAA title space, following the release of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach in June, we released Ghost of Yōtei in October. Ghost of Yōtei surpassed 3.3 million units sold globally as of November 2nd, becoming a major hit like its predecessor," Sony said in its Q2'25 earnings report.

Sony could support the PlayStation 5 with a 10-year lifecycle, and it's possible the system could last until 2030.

Five years after launch, Sony has officially acknowledged the PS5 is in the middle of its lifecycle. The company is embracing a longer lifecycle for its 9th generation of PlayStation consoles, primarily due to macro-economic forces like tariffs and rising component costs. That's not to say the PS6 won't release before Sony is done supporting the PS5--we expect there to be an overlap cycle with the PS6 generation.

In today's Q2'25 earnings Q&A with media, Sony Chief Financial Officer Lin Tao commented on how the company is framing the PS5's current livelihood, saying that each console generation is lasting longer and longer--including the PS5.