Gaming - Page 89

Battlefield 6 has been released, and with hundreds of thousands of players jumping into the action, some are reporting aiming difficulty. Here are the settings you need to change to significantly improve your aim, ensuring that you get that kill, or multiple, during crazy firefights.

It seems that PC players are experiencing what could be Battlefield itself messing with their aim mid-fight, as Battlefield 6 content creator @TorbisXD discovered a few settings that, when changed, can improve aim, enabling more shots to be hit, and ultimately, kills secured. The settings that were discovered disable the automatic aim sensitivity adjustment, which Battlefield has left on by default.

The first setting is Uniform Infantry Aiming, which maintains a consistent aiming sensitivity regardless of whether you are aiming from the hip or down the sights. Head to Mouse and Keyboard settings, then Controls sub settings, which is located under the Infantry section. Once here, switch Uniform Infantry Aiming off, then head down to the Zoom section and turn Zoom Transition Sensitivity Smoothing to zero. Once that is done, head back up to Uniform Infantry Aiming and reenable it.

We're getting to the point where advancing graphics in games isn't a meaningful pursuit, or that's a fresh assertion from an ex-PlayStation executive.

Shuhei Yoshida, who was President of Sony Interactive Worldwide Studios (and later Head of PlayStation Indies, before retiring earlier this year), expressed this point of view in an interview with Skill Up on YouTube (see above) as flagged by GamesRadar.

Yoshida observed: "Graphics (have) almost hit the level that even I cannot tell the difference between some of the (graphical capabilities) like ray traced or not ray traced, unless it's side by side, or higher frame rate."

The MSI MPG CORELIQUID P13 360 all-in-one liquid cooler for CPUs includes a 2.1-inch LCD screen with a 480 x 480 resolution IPS panel on the pump. It's not the first AIO liquid cooler to put a display on the pump. Still, in addition to being the sort of screen that can display images, video, and real-time system information like CPU and GPU temperatures, it can also be configured within MSI's Dragon Center software to act as a secondary or extended Windows 11 display.

This means that, technically, it can be used like any other dedicated monitor or display - albeit one that is limited to a 480 x 480 resolution with a circular shape. And with that, there's a PC gamer out there who decided to use MSI MPG CORELIQUID P13's display to play some Battlefield 6. Is this the ideal way to play EA and Battlefield Studios' popular multiplayer shooter? Of course not, but it works.

Granted, the low resolution, shape, and size would make it pretty hard to aim, read the environment, and even spot enemies, not to mention the additional latency that comes from a USB display not designed for gaming. So, as fun as this is, as one of those "can it run" experiments that PC gamers love, you do have to feel a little sorry for this gamer's squad, wondering why their teammate is behaving like this is their first time playing a Battlefield game.

When the price was finally revealed for the new flagship ROG Xbox Ally X gaming handheld collaboration, $1,000 USD, there was understandably some controversy for what was being marketed as the first Xbox gaming handheld. Naturally, for those who are familiar with the device, it's PC-first, with a custom Xbox-optimized version of Windows 11 designed to improve both performance and usability with access to a deep library of games on a variety of services and platforms.

One of the reasons for the handheld's high price, which is notably more expensive than an Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 Pro console, is its use of the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme, which includes 16 RDNA 3.5 Compute Units alongside custom AI hardware. With Microsoft and the Xbox team seemingly spearheading the announcement and marketing for the ROG Xbox Ally X (and the more affordable and less powerful baseline ROG Xbox Ally model), the assumption is that Microsoft set the price point for the handheld.

And with that, the high $999.99 price tag, much like the recent price hikes for dedicated Xbox console hardware, was the direct result of current market and economic conditions. Well, turns out that was not the case, with Xbox president Sarah Bond (via Variety) saying that when it came to setting the price, "it really was ASUS, because this is their hardware."

Hearthstone and Warcraft Rumble devs have voted to organize under the Communication Workers of America (CWA) labor union, joining five other sister groups in Microsoft's growing unionized workforce.

Two years after the $68 billion merger with Microsoft, and subsequent layoffs of thousands of workers, nearly 2,000 Blizzard employees have voted to unionize for better worker protections and bargaining rights.

Today, the CWA announced that more of Blizzard's dev teams are joining, this time with the Hearthstone and Warcraft Rumble groups voting for representation. Both of these games are on the back burner for Blizzard, and Warcraft Rumble's development is currently on hiatus, prompting layoff anxieties.

Helldivers developer Arrowhead Game Studios is hiring for their next game, and it might not be Helldivers 3.

Arrowhead could be moving on from the Helldivers universe. A new job listing for a Senior System Designer says that Arrowhead is working on a new project, which is par for the course for game dev. What's interesting is that this new game is apparently set in a new IP and may not be related to Helldivers at all. Luckily, it'll still be a co-op game.

"Join our quest in making the world's best co-op action games! We're looking for a talented Senior Systems Designer to join our growing design department and help shape the foundation of a brand-new, unannounced project. This is your chance to be part of a co-op action game from the start. You'll be at the heart of building and tuning the core systems, progression loops, and combat feel like an Arrowhead Game," the listing reads.

The new DualSense V3 revision doesn't make any real major changes to the controller, and it doesn't have removable batteries like previous reports said that it might.

Sony has released yet another PS5 revision, this time an updated PS5 Pro model that also comes with a slightly tweaked DualSense controller. According to a new teardown from YouTuber Austin Evans, the adjustments are minor and oriented towards weight reduction and profit control--two very important parameters for Sony's games console business--and don't make dramatic changes.

The DualSense V3 CFI-ZCT2W, the new controller shipping with the refreshed PS5 Pro model, hasn't been upgraded when it comes to what's under the hood. The battery is the same capacity, but a different part, and features various tweaks like a different connector and extra fasteners to hold the battery in place. The biggest change is actually an omission and not an addition--Sony removed the second microphone that used to be on the back of the DualSense controllers.

Right as a new console generation looms, Microsoft will reportedly start to pull production of Xbox consoles out of China.

Microsoft has plans to pull most of its product manufacturing out of China throughout 2026, sources tell Nikkei Asia. This new strategy is said to include Xbox console hardware, although some parts of console production may remain in the region.

The news comes after Microsoft raised the price of its Xbox consoles two separate times throughout the year, increasing MSRP once in May and then again this month in October. The price hike was a move to counter international tariffs that hit Microsoft particularly hard, seeing as the company does not sell its systems at a profit and takes a calculated loss of each sale. As a result, Microsoft's flagship Xbox Series X console now retails for $650, more than a +30% increase in price since release.

Arc Raiders, the new extraction shooter that recently blew up over the weekend when developer Embark Studios dropped a free-to-play "server slam," is heading to launch on October 30, and now the design director for the title has revealed that the response to Bungie's Marathon gave the studio some guidance.

In a recent interview with PC Gamer, Arc Raiders design director Virgil Watkins said the Bungie's playtest of Marathon, which is also an extraction shooter, gave the studio information regarding how gamers felt about extraction shooters at the time, with the director saying it was a "very great A/B test for us, because obviously they made decisions that we didn't, and vice versa. So we could kind of compare and contrast how some of those things shook out."

Watkins said that it was "very coincidental that they had their test around the time we did," and to his knowledge, "I don't think any of us knew that was going to happen." For those who don't know what Watkins is referring to, Bungie held a closed alpha test in late April that generated a not-so-good response from participants, which led into stolen art allegations, and then finally, an indefinite delay from its September 23 release date.

In celebration of the launch of Ninja Gaiden 4, Xbox, Koei Tecmo, and Team Ninja have teamed up for a record-breaking stunt that involves two helicopters, one 200+ square-foot screen, and one player.

The stunt has been posted to the official Xbox YouTube channel and showcases two helicopters carrying a 26-foot wide screen above the city of Miami while Ninja Gaiden 4 plays. The stunt has set a new Guinness World Record for the largest video game display flown by a helicopter. What can be seen is Yakumo of the Raven ninja clan battling enemies on a screen suspended in the night sky, while the record "Flammable" by Swae Lee plays.

Xbox explains in its press release that the stunt was inspired by Ninja Gaiden 4's in-game lore, "The denizens of Tokyo have escaped the toxic floodwaters by building skyward. The skyscraper district towers above the ruined city below, a breathtaking vertical landscape that mirrors the high-flying action we brought to life."

Grand Theft Auto fans are getting desperate for news on Grand Theft Auto 6, and are now looking toward when Rockstar will release Trailer 3 for the title.

However, the spot they are looking seems to be in the same lane as a conspiracy theory, as the clue is the numbers located on Jason's watch as seen in the second trailer for the game. Yes, that is correct. The watch Jason is wearing is what this theory hinges on. Fans are saying the time on the watch, "11:08" is referencing November 8, which they have also combined with Rockstar's announcement about the studio releasing the first trailer for the game on November 8, 2023.

Trailer 2 for GTA 6 is now 5 months away, and while fans got quite a lot of information from that trailer along with a bunch of screenshots revealing environments, characters, and some story hints, it appears that well of information has dried up among the community, and now they are turning toward more desperate clues and hints for what Rockstar is planning on revealing.

Legendary game director Hideo Kojima has recently shared his thoughts on artificial intelligence and how it will play a role in the future of game development.

In a short Instagram reel posted by Wired Japan following the publication getting a tour of Kojima Productions in Tokyo, Hideo Kojima shared his thoughts on artificial intelligence and whether it will be used as a tool throughout the development of future projects at the studio. According to Kojima, AI is a "friend" that he will be using to maintain ahead of the pack of game development through efficiency.

Halo fans have been up in arms since the report surfaced about the developers behind the two new Halo games scheduled to release next year, "heavily" using generative AI throughout to create the games. However, that seems not to be the case, or at least for now.

The latest development in the story comes from Windows Central executive editor Jez Corden, who previously revealed the now-released Xbox Ally and Ally X ahead of launch, and is a known Microsoft insider. According to Corden, Halo development doesn't involve generative AI in its game development, which includes art assets. Moreover, Corden writes that Microsoft doesn't have a mandate in place that forces studios under its expansive umbrella to use generative AI throughout their game development.

However, Corden says that he is "sure" it's being used for emails and other menial stuff like that, but "they're not making a gen AI game here." Rebs Gaming, the original source that initially claimed gen AI was being used in the next Halo game responded to these comments by Corden with screenshots of a job listing for a Halo Studios senior AI engineer, which states in its description, "Design and implement scalable and efficient solutions that leverage generative AI and ML (Machine Learning) to augment in-game experiences and to improve how we make games."

Recent reports set the Halo fanbase ablaze when it was passed around that Microsoft will be using generative AI technology to make the two new games being developed.

The two new Halo games are a remake of the original Halo Combat Evolved, with an overhaul of mechanics that should bring it up to the expectations of games released in 2025, and a new multiplayer-focused title that is reportedly "like Fortnite" in terms of its approach to live-service. Both of these games are set to release sometime in 2026.

While that is exciting news for Halo fans, things took a turn when new reports sourced from YouTuber RebsGaming claimed the leaker heard from sources that Microsoft's generative AI was being used to develop both of the games. Automatically, that came with a negative connotation, given the general sentiment on AI-generated artwork. The source told RebsGaming that "Generative AI is apparently woven into every aspect of development, such as enemy AI and terrain generation."

Capcom is reportedly currently in development of a new Resident Evil remake, with a credible leaker saying no original actors will be reprising their roles.

The information comes from mp1st, which reports the new remake is under the codename Chamber, and that claims from leaker DuskGolem, a known Resident Evil leaker who claimed Resident Evil Code Veronica was getting a remake, are true. However, there is another remake in the works, and that is Resident Evil Zero, which is expected to be released in 2028. As for Code Veronica, that is expected to release in Q1 2027.

Mp1st shares some details on the casting for Zero, writing that Billy Coen, the game's second protagonist, will be played by Jon McLaren, who played Star Lord in the 2021 Guardians of the Galaxy game. McLaren currently has a title called Project Chamber in his resume, which is presumably the Resident Evil Zero remake.

The next-gen PS6 handheld is going to be a beast, with leaks suggesting it'll be close to 3x faster in docked mode than the new Nintendo Switch 2, and it'll blow the newly-released Xbox Ally X handheld out of the water.

In a new video from leaker Moore's Law is Dead, who does some quick "scratch math" on how the PS6 handheld will perform versus the Nintendo Switch 2 in both handheld and docked modes, as well as the new Xbox Ally X. MLID notes it's obviously very early on as the PS6 handheld is still a couple of years away, but by the time it releases, we'll see it (and the full PS6) using superior FSR 4 or even FSR 5 upscaling, versus the NVIDIA DLSS 3.1 (which is nerfed) on the Switch 2.

MLID says that the PS6 handheld doesn't downclock its APU anywhere near as much as the NVIDIA chip inside of the Nintendo Switch 2, with the new "Canis" APU fabbed on TSMC's new 3nm process node working out to an estimated 3x or more performance between handheld modes (PS6 handheld vs Switch 2).

Battlefield 6's launch, from a sales, reception, and player sentiment perspective, has been one of the most positive and most significant in the franchise's long history. Although the whole game is available to play across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox consoles, the game and series have always been synonymous with PC gaming. And on that note, Battlefield 6 has debuted in a polished and optimized state that runs smoothly on the most popular PC gaming hardware of 2025.

This includes GPUs like the GeForce RTX 3060 and RTX 4060, where it's possible to get a smooth 60+ FPS experience even during the game's most chaotic moments. Turns out, Battlefield 6 is also playable on old 4GB GPUs that you can pick up for less than the cost of the game, including the GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER and Radeon RX 570.

These GPUs, from 2019 and 2017, respectively, were mainstream or sub-$200 budget offerings when they debuted, so they're not exactly cutting-edge. And with 4GB of VRAM, you'd think that there would be no way to run one of the biggest and most visually impressive shooters of the year and get a playable experience. Well, it's possible thanks to a pair of new videos by YouTube creator and fan of old-school GPUs, RandomGaminginHD.

New documents give key insight into the production process of Sony's best-selling Horizon franchise, revealing some of the more taxing and expensive parts of the game's design.

PlayStation's first-party Horizon series is dazzling and eye-catching, matching up colorful meso-American style with sci-fi futurism. The game's vibrant world is anchored by seven tribes that give players more agency in the Horizon universe. According to Guerrilla Games art director Jan-Bart van Beek, putting the tribes together was actually one of the most difficult parts of making the game. Guerrilla spent a lot of time and money meticulously crafting each tribe, and that attention to detail permeates throughout the games--from clothing to architecture, the games are distinct and striking.

The info comes by way of a written declaration from van Beek in regards to Sony's active copyright infringement lawsuit against Tencent. The company behind PlayStation is suing Tencent, saying that Tencent's game Light of Motiram is essentially a blatant imitator of Sony's Horizon series.

Despite the current controversies around pricing, an unprofitable business model, and a weakening market presence, Microsoft won't step out of the hardware market any time soon.

Microsoft has no plans to stop making Xbox consoles, and is forging ahead on a new multi-year product roadmap with AMD. The common perception among enthusiast gamers is that Xbox is slowly pulling out of hardware so it can go all-in on software and services. This isn't the case, or at least not what Microsoft is publicly telegraphing, even if its marketing strategy is loudly reminding everyone that Xbox is a service and not just a console--that's why every platform is technically an Xbox.

In a recent interview with Variety, Xbox president Sarah Bond reaffirms Microsoft Gaming's plan for future systems. Bond reiterates Microsoft's roadmap with AMD on "next-gen hardware," a line of products that Microsoft has confirmed will consist of more than just Xbox consoles. The Xbox exec also confirms Microsoft is currently prototyping and designing the new lineup.

Sony and Tencent were exploring options for third-party licensing deals of key PlayStation franchises, including The Last of Us...before Sony sued Tencent for copyright infringement.

A new filing in the Sony vs Tencent copyright infringement case reveals an interesting development: At one point, Sony and Tencent were exploring ideas on a potential Last of Us collaboration.

In a written declaration, PlayStation's head of mobile Olivier Courtemanche recalls key events in the talks between Sony and Tencent, saying that at one point he met up with Tencent's in-house Aurora Studios to explore a potential Last of Us collaboration. Interestingly enough, Courtemanche says that Aurora Studios included assets from their Horizon imitator, Light of Motiram, in the presentation that he was shown. This presentation was supposed to include pitches and ideas for new games based on PlayStation IPs, including The Last of Us.