Home Blog Page 286

Xbox Game Prices To Reach Up To $80 Later This Year After Latest Price Hikes

Story Highlight
  • Microsoft has announced new price hikes across its Xbox ecosystem, confirming that some of its first-party titles will cost $80.
  • The price bump will take effect from the upcoming holiday season later this year.
  • Prices for the next mainline Call of Duty, Gears of War: E-Day, Fable, and more could reach $80. 

Due to the global economic downturn, the gaming industry has been impacted by multiple hardware price increases. A new development now confirms that first-party games are also getting an updated pricing standard to meet changing market conditions. 

Microsoft has announced that some of its Xbox first-party titles will reach a price tag of up to $80 later this year. From this holiday season, we can expect Xbox to charge $79.99 for some of its upcoming entries, instead of the usual $69.99 pricing. 

Why it matters: Nintendo and Xbox’s recent moves suggest the $69.99 standard for first-party games may no longer be sustainable.

Gears of War E-Day
Gears of War: E-Day will likely now cost $80 due to the latest price hike.

The new statement on the Xbox support page explains that Xbox consoles, accessories, and games are subject to a price increase. These price increases for consoles and accessories take effect on May 1; however, game prices remain at $69 until the holidays.

We also expect to adjust the pricing of some of our new, first-party games starting this holiday season to $79.99.

Many of the upcoming Xbox titles, such as the Fable and Perfect Dark reboots, Gears of War: E-Day, Clockwork Revolution, State of Decay 3, and others, will likely now cost $80. However, gamers are upset with these price hikes affecting their anticipated games.

PlayStation Xbox $70 Games
The $80 price tag could become the new pricing standard for AAA games. 

Additionally, Sony is expected to update the pricing standard of its AAA offerings soon after Xbox and Nintendo have already made their moves

Do you think that Xbox first-party games costing as much as $80 will have a negative impact on their sales and player reception? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.

Xbox Series X Officially Costs More Than PS5 Following Global Price Hikes

Story Highlight
  • Xbox has increased the prices of its consoles and controllers starting today. 
  • The next first-party games it plans to release later this year will now cost $80.
  • Due to the price hike, the Xbox Series X now costs more than a PlayStation 5.

Fans dislike price hikes; regardless of the category or niche, there will be a commotion. In the gaming market, price hikes have been relatively common, causing frustration and anger among fans. 

Sony has increased the prices of its subscription services on multiple occasions. The gaming giant has also increased the prices of its console, and Xbox has followed suit. Due to the price hike, Xbox Series X is now expensive than the PlayStation 5.

Why it matters: It is no wonder that the PlayStation 5 is preferred over the Xbox Series X. Now, due to the price hike, the latter, which costs more, will likely harm Microsoft’s sales and may deter some fans who were considering buying an Xbox from opting for the PS5.

Xbox Series S
Both Xbox consoles’ prices Have Been Increased Due To The Unstable Economy.

Xbox has recently confirmed that it is making changes to the pricing system

As of May 1, we have adjusted recommended retailer pricing for our consoles and controllers worldwide. 

From now on, anyone who wants to buy an Xbox console or controllers will have to pay more. Not only that, but the prices for the upcoming first-party games starting this holiday season will increase to $79.99.

The Xbox Series X now costs $599.99 in the US, with the Xbox Series S priced at $429.99. In Europe, the former will cost €599.99, and the latter will cost €329.99. In the UK, the Xbox Series S will cost £349.99, and the Series X will cost £499.99.

Xbox PlayStation
Xbox Series X Now Costs More Than The PlayStation 5.

In Australia, the former is now priced at $599.00 and the latter at $849.00. This price increase is brutal and will hurt only consumers. That said, the increase isn’t random. The global economy has suffered a setback due to new tariffs and other factors. Therefore, companies are compelled to raise their prices. 

Sony is likely to follow suit and increase the prices too; at least it will increase the game’s prices. That is mainly triggered by Nintendo’s initial move

What do you think about the new prices of Xbox Series S|X in the different regions? Do you think this price hike is fair? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or join the discussion at the official Tech4Gamers forums

Bloober Team FY24 Profits Up By 680%, Thanks To Silent Hill 2’s Success

Story Highlight
  • Bloober Team’s FY 2024 results reveal revenue of $23.6M and profits of $ 5.59 M.
  • The net profits are up 680% year-over-year, thanks to the success of Silent Hill 2.
  • The studio is gearing up for the release of Cronos: The New Dawn this year.

Konami’s revival of the Silent Hill series began strongly with the remake of Silent Hill 2, developed by Bloober Team. The developer studio had a rough time period before finally finding its footing with Horror games as its forte.

That said, Silent Hill 2 did great numbers for both Konami and Bloober Team. The developer studio recently published its earnings for FY 2024, revealing a massive 680% year-over-year increase in net profit.

Why it matters: Bloober Team’s growth spurt is impressive, and the studio is continuing to expand, with more profits and projects on the horizon. 

bloober team fy 2024 results
Bloober Team Published Its FY 2024 Results.

The developer studio recorded revenue of $23.6M with profits of $5.59M. This success was largely attributed to Silent Hill 2, which sold 2 million copies in just 3 months. Moreover, the game’s success also boosted Konami’s numbers, increasing its stock by 96% last year.

With a great 2024 behind them, the developer studio is fully focused on its next project. Cronos: The New Dawn will feature an 1980s apocalyptic setting with horror elements similar to Silent Hill 2 Remake, but this time featuring alien enemies. 

The game looks impressive from the revealed gameplay details and footage thus far, and is set for a 2025 release.

lord of the rings horror
Silent Hill 2 Director Pitched A Horror Lords Of The Rings RPG.

Beyond Cronos: The New Dawn, Silent Hill 2’s success has already secured the Bloober Team a long-lasting partnership with Konami. Currently, they’re working on several projects, which may also be more Silent Hill games, but that remains to be seen. 

Additionally, this sudden rise in the developer’s success also caught Netflix’s attention, which has now assigned a new game dubbed ‘Project N‘ to Bloober Team. The studio will be quite busy for the next few years, handling all these different projects. 

What are your thoughts on the developer’s success? Let us know in the comments below or on the Tech4Gamers forum.

DOOM: The Dark Ages Hits 210 FPS at 4K with RTX 5090 & Full Path Tracing

Story Highlight
  • The Dark Ages will fully support new RTX technologies like path tracing, multi-frame generation, and DLSS 4.
  • The game runs at over 210 FPS on a GeForce RTX 5090 at 4K with Path Tracing.
  • Despite this being id Software’s first game with path tracing, they have a strong history of delivering highly optimized games that maintain 60+ FPS.

The PC version of DOOM: The Dark Ages is expected to fully utilize the newest RTX technologies, including multi-frame generation, path tracing, and support for DLSS 4.

Unlike other games, ray tracing in this game is utilised for precise hit detection, which enhances combat, as well as shadows, reflections, and lighting effects.

Why it matters: DOOM: The Dark Ages demonstrates how advanced tech like path tracing can still deliver smooth, playable experiences, raising expectations for future PC games.

Developers at id Software have shared the first comparison screenshot of DOOM: The Dark Ages running with path tracing, which achieves over 210 frames per second when using a GeForce RTX 5090 at 4K.

Source: Nvidia.

That said, this should give the RTX 5080 about 150 frames per second, based on the performance difference between the RTX 5080 and RTX 5090. However, please note that the game was captured while running multi-frame generation technology and does not accurately reflect real-world performance.

Fortunately, id Software has a great history of producing well-optimized games that operate at 60+ frames per second, although this is the first title from the developers to utilize path tracing.

Main Nier Automata Dev Team Possibly Working On Sequel

Story Highlight
  • The core Nier Automata team is currently working on an unannounced project.
  • Although Takahisa Taura has left PlatinumGames to form a new studio, the project remains unaffected.
  • Yoko Taro has also teased a major announcement related to the series in the coming years.

Nier Automata celebrated its 8th anniversary recently, and fans yearn to see Square Enix develop a true sequel to the game. Following millions of sales, persisting popularity, and plenty of teasers from series creator Yoko Taro, fans have been left mostly in the dark regarding the future of the IP.

Fortunately, a new teaser suggests that work on the highly anticipated Nier Automata sequel is currently underway.

Why it matters: Nier Automata became an instant hit at release, earning praise for its action gameplay and storytelling.

Nier Automata Sequel
The Core Nier Automata Team Is Working On An Unannounced Project | Image via X

As reported by Genki, three prominent developers from the Nier Automata team have recently teamed up. This includes Yoko Taro, Keiichi Okabe, and Takahisa Taura, the latter of whom left PlatinumGames to form his own studio.

Interestingly, he stated that the three had been working on an unannounced project, which is still moving forward. Although he did not confirm what the project is, going by recent teasers and Yoko Taro’s cryptic statements, it would not be far-fetched to expect a Nier Automata sequel from the three developers.

Following this team-up, fans expect to see something by Nier Automata’s 10th anniversary at the latest. Yoko Taro also teased an announcement for this event, giving fans something to look forward to as they continue to wait for the series’ return.

Nier Automata Nier Replicant
Nier Automata Originally Launched In 2017

Takahisa Taura is one of the many developers who have recently left PlatinumGames to join a new studio.

The studio has recently shifted its focus to a more live-service-oriented future, and with other projects, such as Ninja Gaiden 4, currently in development at the studio, it seems unlikely that Yoko Taro will pursue a collaboration with PlatinumGames for the Nier Automata sequel.

What are your thoughts on the existence of a Nier Automata sequel? Let’s discuss in the comments and on the Tech4Gamers Forums.

Unreal Engine 6 Potentially Arriving In Next 2-3 Years, Teases Epic CEO

Story Highlight
  • Tim Sweeney has recently discussed Unreal Engine 6.
  • The CEO states that this version of the technology aims to unify the exclusive features of Unreal Editor for Fortnite with a mainstream release.
  • The engine could show up in preview builds as early as 2027.

Unreal Engine 5 offered multiple breakthroughs for the industry, quickly becoming the most widely adopted engine in the industry. Recent successes like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Oblivion Remastered make use of the same technology, and future AAA mammoths like The Witcher 4 will also rely on Unreal Engine 5.

However, Epic Games already has its sights set on the future. In fact, CEO Tim Sweeney has discussed what the future holds for Unreal Engine 6 in a new interview.

Why it matters: Unreal Engine should see further mainstream adoption by the time it progresses beyond the current iteration, making it pivotal for Epic Games to improve nearly everything about the technology in the coming years.

Speaking to Lex Fridman, Tim Sweeney described how Epic Games does not have a set timeline for Unreal Engine 6 at the moment. However, he estimates that a preview version of the engine will be available within the next two to three years.

Describing the primary goal of Unreal Engine 6, Tim Sweeney discussed Verse, Epic Games’ own programming language. Unreal Engine 5 currently supports this language, as well as various other standalone features available exclusively to Fortnite.

It’s a few years away. We could be seeing preview versions 2-3 years from now.

As the CEO describes, this feature set is separate from those available to large developers who intend to use Unreal Engine 5 for their separate projects. Epic Games is continually iterating on Verse and the Fortnite feature set, with the ultimate goal of merging the two.

Unreal Engine 6 should see these elements coming together, allowing for more freedom and developer expression through the technology. Moreover, Unreal Engine 6 is expected to ship with an open economy that will initially be tested in Fortnite.

Halo Unreal Engine 5
Halo Has Also Made The Jump To UE5

As mentioned before, Unreal Engine 5 is all the rage in the industry today, and many would argue the technology has yet to be pushed to its limits.

Future releases, such as Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, among other games, are expected to fully leverage the technology, so even with Unreal Engine 6 potentially making its debut by 2027 or 2028, developers will likely require additional time before becoming comfortable with the new version.

What are your thoughts on the future of gaming with Unreal Engine? Let’s discuss in the comments and on the Tech4Gamers Forums.

Xbox Dominated Pre-orders As Top Publisher on PlayStation Last Quarter

Story Highlight
  • Satya Nadella says Microsoft topped PlayStation as the most dominant publisher by pre-orders and pre-installs.
  • This was largely due to Indiana Jones and Forza Horizon 5, two major first-party releases.
  • Similar results were observed by Microsoft on Xbox itself.

Xbox’s latest financial reports are in, revealing various interesting figures about the business. Following a mostly positive financial outlook, CEO Satya Nadella also shared additional statistics regarding Microsoft’s gaming segment.

According to a direct statement, Xbox dominated the PlayStation charts as the biggest publisher last quarter.

Why it matters: Microsoft seems to be achieving exactly what it set out to do when it initially decided to become a multiplatform publisher. These results will only accelerate its push toward multiplatform gaming and may even tempt PlayStation into considering the same approach.

xbox games ps charts
Xbox Games Dominated The PlayStation Charts | Image via PS Store

According to Microsoft, the period from January to March was quite fruitful for the gaming business.

As seen above, both Indiana Jones and The Great Circle and Forza Horizon 5 sat at the top of PlayStation’s most pre-ordered titles in March. Both games were released on PS5 in April, around 10 days apart, and managed to dominate the PlayStation Store multiple weeks in advance.

Satya Nadella stated that Microsoft became the top publisher by pre-ordered games and pre-installs across both PlayStation and Xbox. PC Game Pass revenue also went up by 45% year-on-year during the same period.

Apart from the two aforementioned hits, Microsoft’s first-party teams released games like South of Midnight and Avowed for the Xbox Series S|X during the same period. Therefore, even with different titles across both Xbox and PlayStation, Microsoft found plenty of success.

It is also important to note that Microsoft still has big titles coming to PS5 this quarter. Doom: The Dark Ages is expected to be a fine addition to id Software’s lineup of first-person shooters and should prove to be a notable commercial hit.

Moreover, a game like Oblivion Remastered, which was a major hit on PS5 in its own right, should have a positive impact on next quarter’s report.

Xbox Games Lineup 2025
Xbox’s Strong First-Party Lineup Is Bringing Solid Results

Microsoft will then follow up with Call of Duty and various other releases on multiple platforms throughout the year. This should set the stage for the publisher to continue dominating across consoles and PC.

What are your thoughts on the multiplatform strategy and its results? Let’s discuss in the comments and on the Tech4Gamers Forums.

Xbox Reveals Record Earnings In FY25 Q3 But Hardware Revenue Continues To Decline

Story Highlight
  • Xbox’s overall revenue has increased by 5% YOY in FY25 Q3.
  • This increase comes from Activision Blizzard titles, Game Pass, and other services.
  • The hardware business continues to decline, reporting a 6% drop over the same quarter last year.

Xbox’s multi-platform approach and acquisitions have led to a rather interesting scenario. The gaming giant’s financial situation has improved considerably over the past years, but the hardware performance has not been the best in recent quarters.

Following multiple quarters of declining hardware earnings, Xbox’s latest financial report tells a similar story. Although gaming revenue has increased year-over-year, the hardware segment is still struggling due to the console’s declining popularity.

Why it matters: Xbox’s financials will shape the company’s future, and these reports show very clearly that the hardware business is not too lucrative for the gaming giant.

Xbox Handheld
The Company Must Do Something About The State of Its Hardware Business

According to the earnings report, FY25 Q3 saw gaming revenue increase by 5% year-over-year. Xbox’s content and services segment also experienced notable growth of 8% year-on-year, largely thanks to positive results from titles like Call of Duty.

The gaming giant’s Activision merger is clearly bringing fruitful results each quarter, and the multiplatform releases of various high-profile exclusives are also making meaningful contributions to the overall figures.

On the other hand, hardware revenue for the gaming business fell 6% year-on-year. This drop off is significant since Microsoft already saw a 51% dip in the hardware segment last year, and things have only worsened in 2025.

xbox-feat
Xbox’s Content Pipeline Is Helping The Company Quite A Lot

Although the report does not bode well for the future of Xbox consoles, Microsoft has yet to give up on the segment. The gaming giant hopes to combat the declining revenue with an innovative approach to hardware, particularly with future gaming handhelds.

What are your thoughts on Xbox’s financial report? Let’s discuss in the comments and on the Tech4Gamers Forums.

Capcom Needs To Revive Asura’s Wrath After Okami And Onimusha

Story Highlight
  • Asura’s Wrath was originally released in 2012, but the game is still relevant over a decade later.
  • It delivered cinematic action that was ahead of its time, and a sequel would push things even further.
  • Revivals like Okami and Onimusha have given Asura’s Wrath fans some hope to cling to.

Capcom is currently on a roll, going through various legacy IPs. Not too long ago, the gaming giant confirmed active development of new Okami and Onimusha titles, marking two major announcements that nobody, myself included, really saw coming.

If this wasn’t enough to generate excitement, Capcom also reiterated its commitment to revisiting legacy IPs. Many assumed that the publisher would mainly focus on highly popular franchises like Dino Crisis and Marvel vs. Capcom, but Okami’s revival has sparked hope for fans of the more niche franchises under the publisher’s umbrella.

One such game is Asura’s Wrath, a cinematic blockbuster production from CyberConnect 2 that was quickly lost to time after being deemed a commercial flop. Because Capcom has shown a clear willingness to give many of its older IPs a second chance, regardless of commercial success and modern relevance, perhaps the studio can finally bring back Asura’s Wrath.

Why it matters: The core Asura’s Wrath experience would be very different to that of most modern AAA releases, giving the IP a chance to shine in today’s gaming landscape.

Asura’s Wrath Has Not Been Forgotten

Asura’s Wrath is unique because it somehow defies the typical trend of games losing relevance over time. In this manner, the game is almost comparable to iconic titles like Metal Gear Rising Revengeance, which experienced major bursts of popularity long after their initial release, whether it be through modern meme culture or niche, dedicated communities centered around these titles.

Asura’s Wrath largely flew under the radar when it launched in 2012, and its status as a PS3/Xbox 360 console exclusive did little to help. At release, the game was also bogged down by poor performance and a divisive gameplay style that was often critiqued for being more movie than game.

Fast forward to 2025, and Asura’s Wrath has still somehow stayed relevant. Much like Asura himself, the franchise simply refuses to die. A quick Google or YouTube search should be more than enough to prove this point, with Asura being among the latest characters to be featured on the highly popular versus series from Death Battle.

Asura went head-to-head against Kratos of all characters on Death Battle, a major feat when considering how much more popular and active the God of War franchise is. Perhaps Asura’s status as a mystical being with potential enough to rival the likes of Kratos is one reason his popularity has yet to fade away, as fans continue to debate how the deity would fare against various other powerful fictional beings.

Asura's Wrath
Asura’s Wrath Still Frequently Pops Up In Social Media Discussions | Image via X

Elsewhere, the character has been modded into Marvel vs. Capcom 3, and famous YouTubers like Maximillian Dood continue to sing praises of the IP at every chance possible, introducing it to mainstream gaming audiences. Capcom even went as far as adding an official Asura costume to Street Fighter 5 long after the series was in its prime.

Asura’s Wrath also remains one of the most popular titles on RPCS3, the famous PS3 emulator. In many ways, the game is considered a showcase for what the emulator can do, pushing an underrated gem like Asura’s Wrath to 4K 60FPS in all its cinematic glory.

CyberConnect 2’s Cinematic Masterclass

Asura's Wrath
The Title Still Impresses With Its Cinematics | Image via Tech4Gamers

CyberConnect 2 truly stands out in the industry when it comes to cinematics and explosive animations, and no game shows the studio’s caliber better than Asura’s Wrath. Even with all the drawbacks of the PS3 and Xbox 360, the game managed to depict larger-than-life battles, creating highlights like the epic showdown against Wyzen, which still puts many modern AAA titles to shame.

Even with the dwindling quality of the Naruto Storm games over the years, CyberConnect 2 never ceased to amaze on the animation front, so it would be reasonable to assume the team would bring its A-game if given the opportunity to work on the Capcom franchise again.

Between its recent work on Demon Slayer and Dragon Ball Z Kakarot, the studio has also gained additional experience working with different art styles, with the former’s animation being particularly impressive for capturing the anime’s unique blend of CG and 2D animation in gameplay cinematics.

All of this would more than likely translate to bolder, more stunning spectacles should CyberConnect 2 and Capcom return to the IP.

Room For Gameplay Improvement

Asura's Wrath
The Core Combat Could Use More Refinement | Image via Tech4Gamers

If Capcom’s recent efforts have shown anything, it’s that the studio does not shy away from improving a solid concept. In Asura’s Wrath’s case, the gameplay left a lot to be desired, but this is nothing a little collaboration between Capcom and CyberConnect 2 wouldn’t fix.

After all, both studios have extensive experience with action games. CyberConnect 2 has practically pioneered the modern 3D anime arena fighter on its own, and Capcom’s experienced developers have mastered character action game systems through critically acclaimed releases like Devil May Cry 3 and 5.

It’s also important to note that Capcom was very hands-off during the game’s development, so CyberConnect 2 primarily led the charge. I’m confident that even limited collaborations between the two would vastly improve the series’ core gameplay.

A bit more depth and refinement to the combat would go a long way in ensuring a potential sequel ends up being more than what many consider a “movie game” today, allowing the IP to fire on all cylinders.

Of course, the hope for a sequel is merely wishful thinking for now. There’s no telling what the future holds for Asura’s Wrath, but with the sudden revival of long-forgotten franchises like Ninja Gaiden, Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi, and more across the industry, I’m willing to keep my fingers crossed for Asura’s Wrath 2.

Clair Obscur’s Visual Quality Would Not Be Possible Without Unreal Engine 5, Says Analyst

Story Highlight
  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 rivals AAA visuals using Unreal Engine 5.
  • Thanks to technologies like Lumen and Nanite, it delivers stunning environments and shadows.
  • Analysis of the visuals concludes that this would not be possible without Unreal Engine 5.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been such a huge success for Sandfall Interactive that the game has created waves across the turn-based gaming genre. Physical copies of the RPG are now sold out, and DLC is also expected to be released in the future.

Among the highlights, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s visual quality stands out. Blending an exceptional art style with Unreal Engine 5’s strengths, the game delivers mesmerizing visuals that allow it to rival various AAA releases. According to analysts, this is only possible due to Unreal Engine 5.

Why it matters: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was made by a small team consisting of just 30 developers, making it much smaller in scope than other AAA titles.

Analysis from Digital Foundry highlights how Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 achieves an extremely well-rounded look across all platforms.

The game makes use of Unreal Engine 5 technologies like Lumen and Nanite for a distinct visual look. Sandfall Interactive has opted for a software-based Lumen solution, but the results are highly positive.

Nanite and Virtual Shadow Maps also enable highly detailed environments and shadows, making each level more impressive than the last. All of these techniques come together and are at their best when traversing through the highly dense foliage of the many levels of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Although elements like facial animations and lip syncing fall short of matching the same quality, the game rivals many AAA games when it comes to the overall presentation, partly due to the impeccable attack animations in com.

I doubt that would have been possible on any other commercially available engine except for UE5.

-Digital Foundry

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
The RPG Has Been A Major Success On Game Pass And Other Platforms

This is not the first time a smaller studio has achieved impressive results using the engine. Titles like RoboCop: Rogue City achieved similar praise for their visuals despite the smaller size of the development team.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 arguably takes things one step further, largely due to the stellar art direction and more mature Unreal Engine 5 technology.

What are your thoughts on the analysis? Let’s discuss in the comments and on the Tech4Gamers Forums.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s Failure Not Behind Respawn Layoffs And Game Cancellations, Insider Says

Story Highlight
  • EA has recently laid off a lot of Respawn developers and canceled multiple in-development projects, including a Titanfall game.  
  • An insider now clarifies that multiple EA IPs have underperformed, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard was not even a factor in comparison.
  • Apex Legends and EA Sports FC 25 have experienced a significant decline, which contributed significantly to the recent Respawn layoffs.

A notable industry insider clarifies that, despite Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s failure, EA’s other franchises, such as Apex Legends, are the main culprits that contributed to the recent Respawn layoffs and project cancellations.

Why it matters: Dragon Age: The Veilguard was a colossal failure for EA, and the RPG’s flopping also caused a ripple effect that hurt the studios under the company’s umbrella. However, the Respawn layoffs were mostly a result of other IPs underperforming.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard did not contribute to Respawn layoffs compared to Apex Legends and EA Sports FC 25.

Insider Jeff Grubb clarifies on Twitter that a ton of people are being laid off because Apex Legends and EA Sports FC 25 underperformed drastically last year. EA’s Immortals of Aveum also failed to get a positive reception and proved to be yet another disappointing IP.

As a result of multiple failures, over 300 to 400 developers are expected to lose their jobs, with nearly 100 of them from Respawn Entertainment. One of the canceled Respawn projects also included a Titanfall spin-off, which was rumored to be an extraction shooter. 

Respawn will now focus on its Star Wars Jedi series and the future of the Apex Legends franchise, dissatisfying many fans who were looking forward to the return of the sci-fi shooter IP.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard New Featured
Dragon Age: The Veilguard was a colossal failure for EA.

If EA’s franchises continue to underperform, further layoffs and cancellations could follow—unless upcoming games turn the tide.

Do you think Respawn will recover after having dozens of its developers abruptly laid off? Will the Titanfall franchise ever return? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Sells Out In Stores, Proving Gamers Still Value Physical Media

Story Highlight
  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is now sold out across physical retail stores.
  • The developers have apologised for the inconvenience, and that stock will be rejuvenated soon.
  • Selling out physical copies in 2025 is an impressive feat, and Clair Obscur is continuing to break several more.

The gaming industry is gradually transitioning towards a digital-only future, leaving behind any physical media. While gamers resist the change, physical media will eventually be left behind.

Contrary to what publishers may think, that physical media is outdated, gamers believe otherwise. The physical copies of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 are now sold out across retail stores, which is a testament to this argument.

Why it matters: Physical games are the best answer to video game preservation and questionable ownership. 

clair obscur sold out
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Physical Stock Ran Out || Source: X

Released around a week ago, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has secured multiple records and has now achieved an impressive feat of selling out physical discs across retail stores.

While fans previously complained about the game discs running out in stores, the official social media account of the game has confirmed this matter and apologised for the inconvenience.

Moreover, they also stated that the actual demand for the physical game turned out to be higher than expected. Restock for the game is expected soon.

Sandfall Interactive’s expectations were far exceeded with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, with the title now being one of the highest-rated critic games of 2025. Additionally, the user rating for the game is also near-perfect.

Dev Praises Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 As A Groundbreaking JRPG

This entire achievement serves as a wake-up call to publishers who don’t see a future in physical media. Major gaming giants have already minimised their physical disc departments in preparation for an all-digital future.

Previously, another report suggested that the market for physical games is still thriving, and people prefer to buy single-player games in physical form.

Have you managed to secure a physical copy of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33? Let us know in the comments below or at the official Tech4Gamers Forums.