Gaming - Page 626

CES 2020 - Sony reveals just how big its PlayStation 4 platform is with some gargantuan figures, including over 1 billion games sold to date.

Sony didn't drop the big PS5 reveal we wanted at CES 2020, but it did clarify the enormity of the PS4's current dominance over the games industry. Since the PS4's original launch in 2013, Sony has sold over 106 million consoles worldwide, putting it just 49 million away from usurping the PS2's long-standing reign.

Hardware isn't everything though (especially when you sell the hardware at a loss). Consoles are just the beginning and serve as the entry point to an ecosystem. The real money is in software sales, and the PS4's numbers are just outrageous. In 7 years, gamers have bought an incredible 1.15 billion PlayStation 4 games. Rough estimates show the average PS4 owner has 9 games.

Ex-Xbox VP Mike Ybarra won't be buying an Xbox Series X console. The reason? He can play all Xbox exclusives on PC.

Mike Ybarra's recent Twitter comment is brief but speaks volumes about Microsoft's service- and software-first gaming business. Ybarra says he'll buy a PlayStation 5 because he's already a PC gamer, hinting it'd be redundant to own both a gaming PC and Xbox console. Honestly it's pretty true. All first-party Xbox exclusives are coming to Windows 10 PCs day-and-date of release, and that goes with Game Pass too.

This isn't a new development though. As far back as 2016, I said Microsoft's cross-platform synergy basically talks a portion of consumers out of buying Xbox hardware--namely existing PC gamers. This is a point of strength for Microsoft simply because it no longer cares that much about Xbox console sales. It's no longer trying to win over PC gamers by fighting with them, and joining the two platforms and making Xbox into a service rather than a console has been tremendously beneficial.

Interactive 3D renders of the Xbox Series X give an extensive look at the console's current case design, complete with ventilation, ports, and dual-orientation setup.

On the heels of AMD's recent Xbox blunder, key sources recently clarified info on the Xbox SX. Yes, the Xbox Series X has back and bottom thermal vents, and no, it doesn't have two HDMI ports with HDMI pass-through (at least currently).

The info has now also been independently verified with Windows Central, who made a nifty 3D render you can actually rotate and zoom in on. From what we can see, the Xbox SX has a pretty robust vertical-optimized cooling solution that mirrors the thermal cooling found in cases like the Phanteks Evolve Shift X.

There is still a lot of Skyrim players out there, and I'm sure out of the current player-base, there are a few players who are using monitors that are above 60Hz.

Skyrim supports uncapped framerates, but unfortunately, the game locks players' refresh rates to 60Hz. So, even if you do have a monitor that is above 60Hz (75Hz, 100Hz, 120Hz, 144Hz etc), you are aren't using its full capabilities in Skyrim. This is where mods come into play.

Modder SlavicPotato has released a new mod that can unlock the in-game refresh rate from 60Hz to 300Hz, enabling those higher refresh panel gamer to feel that glorious smoothness. If you are wondering how the mod works, the plugin is passive, meaning that after it performs the patch, there is no need for any fiddling around with files, it's basically plug and play. A download for the mod can be found here.

One of the few issues that players had with Capcom's incredible Resident Evil 2 Remake was that the zombies' animation was only in 30FPS. That problem can now be solved with this mod.

PC gamers really hate low FPS, and to some PC gamers, 30FPS is just unbearable. Luckily, PC gamers are competent when it comes to fixing these problems and release mods that solve said issues. That is precisely the case for Resident Evil 2 on the PC, modders have released a fix for distant zombies' animations being locked at 30FPS, bringing it up to a smooth 60FPS.

If you are wondering how to install the mod, follow these steps: Download the framerate unlocker from here, open the file and install it. You might have to select your games .exe file, which can be found here "Steamsteamappscommon RESIDENT EVIL 2 BIOHAZARD RE2". I'd advise checking your framerate before and after installing the mod as enabling could hinder performance on some not-so-powerful PC's.

When an update drops for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, players' hearts have a sudden panic feeling as they are wondering if their main character has been nerfed (reduced in overall power). Luckily, today isn't one of those days.

Right off the bat, I can say that update 6.1.1 doesn't change any current fighter at all, meaning that no pro-player tier list will be altered. Update 6.1.1 is just an amiibo support update that has been rolled out to allow access to the new Dark Samus amiibo and Richter amiibo -- that's it!

How do I know this? Simply check out the patch notes on this link, as well as on your Nintendo Switch. At the moment, every current fighter now has their own amiibo, excluding the Fighter Pass DLC fighters -- Joker, Terry Bogard, Hero and Banjo-Kazooie. Nintendo is still yet to announce the final fighter for the Fighter Pass DLC, and if I were to speculate when they would do this, I'd say that they are most likely waiting for the next Nintendo Direct. So stay tuned.

CES 2020 - Razer decided it was time to turn the entire mobile gaming market on its head at CES 2020 with this announcement.

The image shows a Pixel 3a XL slotted in between what Razer has called the Kishi Controller. So what's Kishi? It's what every mobile gamer is going to want to increase their in-game performance and in-hand comfort. Kishi plugs straight into your Android (USB-C) or iPhone and can also charge your phone with another charging port located at the bottom right side.

Since the controller plugs straight into your phone, it has minimal latency when it comes to inputs. If you are wondering if it will fit your phone, Razer says that Kishi has a "universal fit" for devices that have a USB-C/Lightning port. This controller will no doubt be a gamer changer for competitive mobile gamers, and I won't be surprised if other gaming manufacturers will attempt to replicate something similar.

CES 2020 - Phison and Enmotus announce their new MiDrive SSDs that combine low-cost QLC and high-speed SLC flash memory on the same drive.

The new MiDrive SSDs feature two types of memory on the same drive: quad-layer cell (QLC), which has higher capacities and is more cost-effective for OEMs, and speedier single-layer cell (SLC) flash on a single NVMe drive. Enmotus' unique machine-learning MiDrive technology automatically segregates most-used data and games and stores them on the faster SLC memory, whereas the bulk of the data is stored on the QLC portion.

"MiDrive blends high endurance, high performance static SLC plus QLC on a single controller architecture NVMe SSD," reads the announcement. Phison notes this solution will help maintain SSD endurance by reducing read/write frequency.

We've long said Nintendo needs some sort of on-demand streaming service for the Switch, and now Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter pontificates how such a service could tremendously benefit Nintendo.

The Switch is built on NVIDIA's Tegra X1 chip, the same SoC used in its Shield TV boxes, which are conduits to NVIDIA's GeForce Now servers that beam PC-grade access to your home. We originally predicted Nintendo could do something similar and launch its own service to bypass the Switch's lower-end hardware, or at least add an on-demand streaming-only service for recurring revenues over time. This ultimately manifested in Switch Online, a lukewarm Xbox LIVE/PS Plus infrastructure with a great retro library.

It might be high time for a streaming solution though. Analyst Michael Pachter says an Apple Arcade-like smartphone streaming service from Nintendo would be huge. Our thoughts are the same, but our predictions center around the Switch, not phones.

Current Xbox Series X devkits don't support HDMI pass-through and don't actually have USB Type-C ports, sources tell Thurrot.com's Brad Sams.

Last night AMD got into hot water by showing off an erroneous Xbox Series X render that showed two HDMI ports for HDMI pass-through and a bunch of USB-C ports. AMD later clarified the render wasn't actually from Microsoft and doesn't accurately represent the next-gen Xbox.

So what kind of ports does the Xbox SX have? According to multiple sources with access to Xbox Series X hardware, early versions of the system don't include dual HDMI ports and there's no USB Type-C connectivity.

CES 2020 - Alienware wants to bring the power of the PC to a Nintendo Switch handheld form factor.

Alienware is demoing Concept UFO, a new breakthrough PC handheld that's basically a beefier Windows 10-powered Switch. Concept UFO transforms just like the Switch, mimicking the signature detachable JoyCons that can snap together to form a full controller. The team says they've invested hundreds of hours in designing the controllers, too. It also has a beefy 8-inch 1900x1200 resolution screen for high-def gaming.

The idea here is simple: To deliver Switch-like portability without sacrificing power. Dell says Concept UFO features Intel's latest 10th-gen Comet Lake processors, strongly hinting at Intel Iris Plus integrated graphics.

PlatinumGames' vision is coming to fruition: The Bayonetta developer will soon be its own boss and self-publish wholly-owned IPs.

PlatinumGames today made good on its promises for a big 2020, confirming the studio will start self-publishing its own games throughout the year. The team is relying on a big investment from Tencent to achieve the.

"We would like to announce we have received a capital investment from Tencent Holdings Limited as a basis for partnership. This partnership has no effect on the independence of our company, and we will continue operations under our current corporate structure," PlatinumGames CEO Kenichi Sato said in a press release.

CES 2020 - During its CES 2020 keynote, Sony didn't reveal much PS5 info (apart from a logo they were pretty tight-lipped). But they did show some impressive data, and the numbers speak volumes about next-gen's backward compatibility potential.

I've said many times that the PlayStation 5 is built on preserving and building upon legacy. Backwards compatibility is the single most important feature of the PS5. All of that power won't matter if gamers can't bring their PS4 libraries with them, especially during the critical transitional phase when the PS4 and PS5 overlap and exist at the same time (which will last for years).

Sony's CES 2020 presentation underlines this point many times. At the show, Sony confirmed the PS4 has sold over 106 million units worldwide, making it the second best-selling console of all time. Those sales also come with over one billion game purchases. Sony didn't share these numbers willy-nilly, no, it's trying to make a statement about the PlayStation ecosystem. It's trying to tell us the PlayStation 4 isn't going anywhere, likely because the platform ecosystem will live on through the PlayStation 5 thanks to backward compatibility.

CES 2020 - Sony didn't reveal the PlayStation 5 at CES 2020 (it was always doubtful they would), but we did get the ultimate tease: The PS5 logo.

Yeah, it's not much. Sony mostly re-iterated info we already know about the PS5, talking up the new haptic controller tech, potent AMD Zen 2 and Navi SoC, the new custom ultra-fast SSD, and some seriously strong hints at total PS4 backward compatibility. But alas we didn't get to see the console, we didn't get a price, we didn't get exact specs. And we didn't get an actual PlayStation 5 reveal date announcement. All we got is a logo. Reports say the PlayStation Meeting is on schedule for February.

Even with the PlayStation 5 on the way, Sony's Jim Ryan discussed how important the PlayStation still is for the company. The console will live alongside the PS5 for years after the next-gen system's release, and the PS4's current software and services ecosystem will carry forward.

Note: This story has been updated.

CES 2020 - AMD came out firing during their CES 2020 keynote unveiling the new Ryzen 4000 series mobile CPUs, competing against Intel desktop CPUs inside of new laptops, the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X with 64C/128T for $3990, and the new Radeon RX 5600 XT.

But it was a very quick shot of a rotating image of the Xbox Series X console that gives me the tingles, with a quick shot of the rear ports on Microsoft's new console. On the back of the current Xbox Series X (I'm saying 'current' because I believe these ports can and will change) we have a slew of ports including 2 x USB Type-C and 2 x HDMI ports.

Nintendo is preparing to mass-produce a new Switch model as soon as Q1 2020, sources tell DigiTimes.

The next-gen Switch reports are heating up again. Sources close to manufacturing supply chains tell DigiTimes that a new Switch model is on the way, and that facilities are prepping for wide scale production for the new device. This aligns with what sources told The Wall Street Journal earlier in 2019. But is it a slight revision or a the rumored Switch Pro with 4K support?

Nintendo already revised the Switch twice in 2019. First the base Switch console hybrid was refreshed on NVIDIA's new 16nm Tegra X1, raising battery life but keeping specs exactly the same. Then the Switch Lite released with handheld-only functionality, delivering similar performance on the 16nm Tegra.

CES 2020 - Origin PC's crazy console-PC hybrid build is now on sale, packing in a PlayStation 4 Pro or Xbox One along with PC gaming components.

The Big O is built on one simple premise: Converging PC and console gaming hardware in one box. Consumers can actually buy the Big O right now, but it's a watered down version of the insane every-console-in-a-PC-box build shown off in July.

The current Big O offers either a PS4 Pro or an Xbox One S All-Digital Edition, not both, and neither the Nintendo Switch or Xbox One X are available. Both consoles are liquid-cooled though, and the consoles can be used independently of the PC. They have separate power connections and HDMI outputs which is a nifty plus.

New fan-made PlayStation 5 mock-up renders show a new chassis that's wildly impractical.

We've seen all kinds of PS5 renditions pop up over the last few months. Some renders of the PS5 devkit look pretty neat, others look like printers with a scalene triangle shape. This new batch is rather...well...confusing.

The latest PS5 renders show a trapezoidal chassis design that's eye-catching but massively inconvenient. How do you pick the damn thing up? Its all curves and contours on the sides and the stingray-shaped V-molded exhaust port in the back. Picking this thing up would be like trying to pick up a penny with chubby fingers. It just doesn't work and is an expensive disaster waiting to happen.

If you were thinking of the next Call of Duty game featuring jetpacks, I wouldn't hold your breath as the Treyarch studio design director is asking you to remember what happened the last time jetpacks were in Call of Duty.

Treyarch Studio Design Director, David "Vahn" Vonderhaar has spoken out on Twitter regarding jetpacks possibly being in the next Call of Duty game. A fan said to Vonderhaar "you butter (better) have jetpacks in the next COD". Vonderhaar responded to the fan by simply saying, "NO".

Another fan chimed into the Twitter feed and said, "jetpacks will revive COD!". Vonderhaar then jumped back in and said, "Such short-term memories. You hung me from the highest branch. No. NO. I have PTSD." There isn't much to know about the next Call of Duty game, but at least we can confirm that it won't be featuring any short of jetpack. Do you agree with this decision, or would you like to see Call of Duty feature a jetpack again?

Raise your hands to the sky and give your energy to Bandai Namco because the release of Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is almost upon us.

The release of Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is almost here, and to get fans excited for its debut Bandai Namco has released a new trailer, but this time its in the style of the TV or anime show. The trailer shows fans what they can expect from the game in just over a minute and a half, recapping or teasing what is about to drop in the following week.

The trailer shows off classic characters such as Goku, Vegeta, Android 18, Frieza, Cell, Krillin, Raditz Gohan, Piccolo, Android 16, Trunks, Buu, and more. Dragon Ball fans will no doubt be shaking in their boots with excitement as I am. Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is launching on the PS4, Xbox One, and PC on January 17th.