Home Blog Page 291

Why EVGA Should Start Manufacturing GPUs For Nvidia Again

Story Highlights
  • EVGA offered exceptional overclocking, where they hired experts and physically changed the GPUs to push their limits.
  • They offered the best customer service, and even offered to replace older cards with new ones free of cost. 
  • All of EVGA’s advances were of concern to Nvidia, as they were losing money and had plans to switch from native resolution to upscaling.  

EVGA’s departure from manufacturing GPUs for Nvidia was devastating for the PC community. EVGA was one of Nvidia’s most trusted AIB partners, which not only provided great quality but was also known for its incredible innovations. 

No More EVGA GPUs
End Of EVGA x Nvidia (Image Credits – Tom Hardware)

We Can’t Have EVGA’s Standards Ever Again

Now, its absence is deeply felt in the gaming community, especially with the release of the RTX 50 series, and it feels like a significant loss to the consumers who actively relied on their cards for performance and reliability.   

Since 1999, EVGA has introduced innovative ideas and offered great customer service, and its strong commitment to upholding high values sets a high standard for its competitors. 

Exceptional Overclocking 

EVGA was a leader in pushing the limits of graphics cards by overclocking. While many companies still offer OC variants for their GPUs, EVGA was different as they made true overclocks for their GPUs. 

Testing The EVGA GTX 980 Kingpin Back In 2016
Testing The EVGA GTX 980 Kingpin Back In 2016 (Image Credits – Tech4Gamers)

They wanted all cards to surpass their capabilities, and this could be achieved via overclocking. They even physically modified the card’s chipsets to achieve even better results when it comes to overclocking.

Their RTX 3090 was one example of how stupendously powerful graphic cards they used to make, which could be overclocked from 1695MHz to a whopping 2105MHz, something we don’t see today. 

Collaborating With Kingpin

Not only that, but they also hired the overclocking expert, Kingpin. Now, Kingpin and his team were like scientists who created one of the beefiest overclocking cards that you don’t normally find today.

EVGA GTX 1080TI Kingpin
EVGA GTX 1080 Ti Kingpin (Image Credits – Tech4gamers)

After the EVGA’s breakup from Nvidia, even Kingpin reveals that he won’t be working for Nvidia. This shows his loyalty towards EVGA, as he refuses to work with Nvidia without EVGA. 

However, when these cards became a bit too powerful, that’s when Nvidia began to become concerned. They wanted EVGA to tone down, while EVGA pushed back, insisting they want more room for overclocking.

Unmatched Customer Service

EVGA’s determination to have high overclocks was a reflection of how much they cared about the community. Not only were they great in overclocking, but they also had excellent customer service to this day.

EVGA's Exception Customer Service
Satisfied EVGA Customer (Image Credits – r/EVGA)

When EVGA was at the top, they took care of their community. They always went the extra mile, replacing the products for their customers without charging a dime extra. 

For instance, a person was scammed into buying an older GPU, and EVGA went ahead and replaced it with a new one at no cost. Even now, EVGA continues to handle warranties and even replace customers’ damaged hard drives.

Offered Affordable Upgrades

Even when looking at other AIB brands that Nvidia has right now, we can see the prices are sky high for the latest graphics cards. With EVGA, customers got a better deal almost every time.

EVGA's Step Up Program
EVGA’s Step Up Program (Image Credits – EVGA)

EVGA uses its own calculation to determine shipping, tax, and rebates, so you can afford to upgrade. It was a much more consumer-friendly system than anything else out there right now. 

Why EVGA Failed?

Then, as time passed, all the industry leaders such as Nvidia, AMD and Intel were ditching overclocking to transition to AI upscaling. This shift from high native resterization to DLSS put limits to overclocking, but it was still not dead. 

Wave Of AI Upscaling

It was clear that Nvidia was moving in a different direction with their RTX 40 & 50 series. Both parties had mismatched goals, and EVGA was determined to stick to its values. 

Nvidia DLSS 4 on vs off
DLSS 4 multi-frame gen on vs off (Image Credits: Nvidia)

Now, if we take a look at the RTX 50 series, these cards rely heavily on DLSS 4. Even Nvidia claims that over 90% of the users will be using DLSS with the RTX 50 Series cards. 

Most gamers would prefer to maximise the performance of a card and then utilise DLSS as an add-on, rather than relying heavily on it. But this won’t be profitable for Nvidia, which wants us to upgrade our cards more frequently.  

Nvidia Can’t Afford To Lose

Imagine how much money Nvidia would be losing if people stuck to an incredibly powerful 40-Series card that would outperform most of the 50-Series cards. Nvidia can’t afford to lose, especially after losing $600 billion in shares

Nvidia Stock Declines
Nvidia Stock Declines (Image Credits – Visual Capitalist)

Additionally, Nvidia can’t avoid jumping on the latest technological advancements and has to keep on making sales, which seemed to be the case for the rushed RTX 50-Series. 

Verdict

With EVGA’s exit, Nvidia’s dominance in the market has only grown and shows no signs of stopping. While we believe EVGA won’t be returning to Nvidia, we hope that other AIB brands will strive to follow EVGA’s footsteps. 


Why The CS2 Snap Tap Ban Divided Pro Players

Story Highlight
  • Razer Snap Tap proved to be a controversial addition to CS2 and was eventually banned by Valve.
  • Not every professional CS2 player was happy with this move, leaving the community divided.
  • Future innovations, such as Snap Tap, might lead to a similar situation again.

CS2 has one of the most active communities in gaming. Being one of the most popular games on PC’s largest storefront, CS2 has also established a thriving community of professional players, many of whom have been avid fans of the series for multiple decades.

These players are skilled, dedicated, and very adaptive to new technologies. This is perhaps why many were quick to speak in favor of Razor’s Snap Tap, but Valve eventually banned the technology. This decision left the community divided, with plenty of pro players arguing in favor of and against the ban.

Why it matters: CS2 is one of the world’s most popular competitive games, so Valve is very careful when a technology like Razer Snap Tap poses a threat to the delicate balance of the series’ competitive integrity.

Pro Settings And Gear

Professional players typically make use of any and every advantage possible. Their setup ranges from high-refresh-rate monitors to low-latency mice, and some players even use mechanical keyboards with customizable actuation points.

Because of their documented settings and preferences, aspiring CS2 players and fans can find a full breakdown to learn about CS2 pros settings online for additional details.

As for Snap Tap, it led to the game prioritizing the last directional key, eliminating input conflicts that would stop movement mid-game. This meant that professional players were able to better counter-strafe and transition more effectively in high-level matches.

Valve’s Argument

The developer has argued that Snap Tap contradicts the core purpose of preserving skill and reaction time. As per the company, this feature blurred the line between player skill and technology assistance.

Valve even went after other automated inputs, such as jump-throw bounds for grenades. The company was quite firm in its decision and even went so far as to ban the use of SnapTap on official servers.

As expected, not everyone was on board with this decision, and the pros found themselves divided by the announcement.

A Split In The Community

CS2 Pro Players
CS2 Pros Are Very Dedicated To The Game 

Players like Robin “Roz” Kool were among those in favor of the ban, stating that Snap Tap ruined CS2’s core focus on skill-based gameplay.

However, others were not so happy. A player like jL stated that he used snap tap by mistake, and many were upset that their time spent practicing grenade lineups with jump-throw bounds had gone to waste.

Some players also argued that professional players never needed a technology like Snap Tap in the first place. Ultimately, the CS2 community had more than a few opinions on Valve’s decision.

Evolving Gaming Hardware

Optical magnetic keyboard
Gaming Hardware is Constantly Changing

Despite its controversial nature, Snap Tap encouraged others, such as Wooting and SteelSeries, to follow suit. The technology also highlighted the need for more complex control schemes and inputs in modern peripherals.

Although companies like Valve will continue to monitor new introductions like Snap Tap carefully moving forward, there is still a debate to be had about the legitimacy of using assist-like tools in competitive gameplay.

CS2 players have certainly had more than a few things to say about Snap Tap and will likely continue doing so for any future technologies that change the competitive dynamic of their beloved game.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Hits 51K Concurrent Players on Steam at Launch

Story Highlight
  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 launches to over 51K concurrent players on Steam, with a 93% very positive rating.
  • This successful launch for a first-time developer suggests the game could be a contender for Game of the Year.
  • Priced at $49.99, many players believe the game offers good value, evidenced by the rapid sell-out of the Collector’s Edition.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a new turn-based RPG from French studio Sandfall Interactive, launched today and quickly reached a peak of 51,922 concurrent players on Steam. This is a strong debut for a first-time developer.

With thousands of players already invested and word-of-mouth growing fast, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 could be a strong contender for this year’s GOTY  award.

Why it matters: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a strong debut for Sandfall Interactive, showing that even small studios can be successful if they make fun games.

Clair Obscur Expedition 33 51K Concurrent Players
Clair Obscur Expedition 33 concurrent players on Steam. | Source: SteamDB

Expedition 33 takes place in a world inspired by France during the Belle Époque period. Players join a team called Expedition 33 as they work to stop a mysterious villain known as the Paintress, who makes people vanish depending on how old they are. The gameplay combines turn-based fights with real-time action.

The game’s look really stands out, using an oil painting style that’s both beautiful and full of character. The art style ties in with the story and the world. Everything, from the characters to their powers and enemies, has a hand-painted vibe, mixing bright colors with a slightly rough, artistic touch.

Critics love Clair Obscur, praising its beautiful visuals, captivating story, and fresh take on gameplay. CGMagazine awarded it a perfect score, describing it as a “master-crafted RPG”.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 features real-time turn-based combat.

Famous actors cerrtainly add to the game’s appeal. Andy Serkis, known for roles like Gollum and in Planet of the Apes, voices Renoir, while Charlie Cox from Daredevil also plays a significant part. Serkis said he was drawn to the project because of its strong emotional content and artistic vision, calling it “one of the most visually beautiful games” he has seen.

Furthermore, other talented actors, such as Jennifer English and Ben Starr (from Final Fantasy XVI), also contribute to bringing the story to life, which many reviewers consider one of the best in recent RPGs.

From a gameplay standpoint, the game features over 30 hours of main story content, and with side quests, gamers can enjoy a total playtime of more than 60 hours. At $49.99, many players feel it’s worth the price. The Collector’s Edition sold out fast, showing just how popular it is.

Have you tried out Clair Obscur yet? Drop your thoughts about the game in the comments, or join the conversation on the Tech4Gamers forum.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Is the Highest-Rated Game of 2025 So Far

Story Highlight
  • Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was released earlier today.
  • The title has received a score of 92 on Metacritic. 
  • It is currently the highest-rated game of the year, surpassing massive releases like Split Fiction, Monster Hunter: World, and Assassin’s Creed Shadows. 

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 appears to be one of the biggest releases of the year already, as the title recently received a massive 92 score on Metacritic.

The title was finally released earlier today, reaching over 51K players just soon after its launch on Steam. It has been noted that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is already the highest-rated game on Metacritic for 2025.

Why it matters: Since the title is Sandfall Interactive’s debut project, the studio should already be celebrating its success. 

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Metacritc
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Highest Rated Game of 2025 – Source: Metacritic

As seen above, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is currently the highest-rated game on Metacritic, scoring 92 out of 100, based on 55 critic reviews. 

Since the game has only been out for a few hours, the user score has yet to be determined. However, based on the reviews of the title, it’s likely that the game will receive a positive user score as well.

The title has managed to beat huge releases like Split Fiction, which currently has a score of 91 on Metacritic, Monster Hunter Wilds, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, and many more to be the highest-rated game of the year.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 launched to over 51K concurrent players on Steam.

It should also be noted that Oblivion Remastered was also shadow-dropped recently. It reached over 150K players on Steam in just six hours of its launch and could soon take the throne.

The remastered version has yet to receive ratings, but until then, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is leading the year’s race. This is a huge success for the studio, which has managed to release such a huge hit with its debut project.

Nonetheless, have you played Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 already? Did you like it? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments or join the Tech4Gamers forum.

RoboCop: Rogue City Sequel Gets New Story Trailer; July 17 Release Date Announced

Story Highlight
  • A new story trailer has come out for the RoboCop: Rogue City sequel, confirming a final release date in the process. 
  • The standalone DLC is set to drop on July 17, 2025, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC.
  • The game will see RoboCop fight against droves of trained sci-fi mercenaries with cutting-edge weapons to the top of the Omnitower.

After radio silence for a while, publisher Nacon finally unveiled the RoboCop: Rogue City sequel earlier this year. The ‘Expand Alone’ DLC comes with improved visuals, enhanced gameplay, and even tougher enemies. Now, a new story trailer for it has just been released.

The new trailer showcases cinematic moments while explaining the story’s premise. Additionally, the developers confirmed that the sequel will be released in early summer on July 17, 2025, for Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC.

Why it matters: The reception to the first RoboCop game was overwhelmingly positive, with players appreciating the faithful adaptation and gory gunplay. Now, the fans have their eyes set on the upcoming standalone DLC.

After the defeat of the new guy in town, RoboCop now has to venture to the top of Omnitower while facing all sorts of trained mercenaries and machinery, including ‘flying drones to exploding bots, and anti-personnel turrets.’

Armed mercenaries have seized control of the OmniTower. Their goal is to take control of the power source at its core.

Every floor is full of traps and enemies waiting to be incinerated or shattered by terrifying weapons, such as a Cryo Cannon to freeze enemies. The sequel will also feature highly satisfying Mortal Kombat-level finishers to keep the gameplay loop satisfying.

RoboCop Rogue City
RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business will have you face elite mercenaries at the top of the Omnitower.

The first entry was an astounding success in the gaming scene, surpassing sales and player rating expectations. The new story trailer and release date reveal have also prompted everyone to commemorate the moment online.

Do you think the upcoming RoboCop: Rogue City standalone DLC will be even more successful than its predecessor? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.

Switch 2 Is Expected To Sell Between 6-9 Million Units Within The First Week of Its Launch

Story Highlight
  • Switch 2 is expected to sell 6.6 million globally in the first week.
  • Another analyst predicts a 9 million unit demand in the first week.
  • Overall, the Switch 2 is expected to sell 20 million units within its first year of release.

Pre-orders for the Switch 2 have finally started in the U.S, and they’re already causing mayhem. In Japan, where handheld devices are comparatively cheaper, pre-orders have surpassed 2.2 million units.

Now, an analyst has predicted the global sales for the console. The Nintendo Switch 2 is expected to sell between 6 and 9 million units within its first week of launch.

Why it matters: For a handheld console that costs a significant amount, pre-orders for it are overwhelming. Nintendo has successfully solidified its place as one of the biggest gaming giants.

Nintendo Switch 2
Each GameStop Store Will Receive Around 100 Switch 2 Units.

A new report from Bloomberg quotes Pelham Smithers’ statement on the Switch 2 sales.

As Japan accounts for a third of the global Switch installation base, it implies 6.6 million pre-orders globally.

Currently, the PlayStation 4 holds the record for the highest first-week sales, selling more than 4.5 million units. The Switch 2’s first-week sales are expected to break this record by a huge margin.

Additionally, another analyst has predicted that the 2.2 million first-week sales in Japan imply global demand of around 9 million units in the first week.

While both of these figures are conflicting, it’s just speculation from analysts, and it’s even unclear if Nintendo will be able to meet this much demand.

Nintendo Switch 2
Nintendo Switch 2 Accessories Price Increased To Combat Tariffs.

Previously, it was reported that a whopping 20 million Switch 2 units are expected to sell within the first year of its launch. However, with the tariffs accounting, it’s unknown if Nintendo will be able to produce this many units. 

Despite Nintendo’s efforts to restrict scalping, such practices won’t be stopped, and the consoles are already being sold at ridiculous prices on the internet.

Have you secured a pre-order for the Switch 2 yet? Let us know in the comments below or at the official Tech4Gamers Forums.

Atsu Was The Perfect Fit For Japanese Folklore, Says Ghost of Yotei Dev on Choosing A Female Lead

Story Highlight
  • The Ghost of Yotei creatives say they chose a female lead because it best aligned with a famous Japanese folklore.
  • Onryō refers to a type of vengeance tale told by females in Japanese folklore.
  • Additionally, the creatives wanted to tell a new story with a sequel, this time from the perspective of an underdog.

Ever since its unveiling, Ghost of Yotei has been the target of controversy among gamers due to its portrayal of a female lead. Fans expected a continuation of Jin’s story, but the developers delivered a completely new experience set 300 years after the first game.

With just a few months till launch, more details are beginning to surface. The creative team behind Ghost of Yotei recently discussed their decision to introduce a female lead, stating that it was the best approach for a story rooted in Japanese folklore.

Why it matters: Ghost of Yotei aims to authentically portray the rich history of Feudal Japan through perspectives and folklore rarely explored in games. With Atsu as the lead, the game will meaningfully delve deeper into these untold stories.

Ghost of Yotei
Ghost of Yotei Releases October 2nd, 2025.

In a new interview with Variety, Jason Connell and Nate Fox, co-creators behind Ghost of Yotei, responded to the common misconception that the sequel was headed into woke territory by choosing a female lead.

They said it was a creative decision, and they wanted to spotlight an underdog for the sequel, especially after the first game featured a Samurai protagonist from a noble family. The developers wanted to try new things, and it was only right for them to take a different approach with the sequel.

Ghost Of Yotei
Sucker Punch Studios Aim To Continue Innovating Rather Than Chasing Trends

They additionally stated that Atsu, the lead, will adopt the name “The Onryō” later in the game. Onryō translates to “vengeful spirit” in Japanese.

Japanese folklore typically refers to Onryō as revenge stories involving females, which is a fitting description for the Ghost of Yotei. Additionally, the creatives aimed to make the female lead powerful, a scenario that nobody would have expected within the game’s world.

In the future, gamers can expect similar new stories set within the Feudal Japan, with Sucker Punch exploring more origin stories similar to that of Atsu and Jin.

What are your thoughts on Atsu as Ghost of Yotei’s lead? Let us know in the comments below or on the Tech4Gamers forum.

The Best Budget Gaming PC I Think You Should Build In 2025

Story Highlight
  • Ensuing chaos in the PCMR realm will only ensure that prices rocket sky-high as time goes on, so if you’re wanting to build a gaming rig, I would suggest to get started right away.
  • The Intel Arc B580 is my preferred option for a value-oriented GPU that can handle seriously competitive 1080p gaming at high refresh rates.
  • The Ryzen 5 9600X paired with the ASRock B650 Pro RS makes for a killer combination when it comes to bang for the buck.

Welcome to Q2 of 2025 where President Trump has us bewilderingly confused with regards to the tariff chaos that’s essentially in effect.

Building a budget PC these days was bad enough on its own thanks to Nvidia completely botching up its launch of the RTX 50 Series GPUs which are pretty much impossible to find at this point in time. As far as CPUs are concerned, newer releases like the gaming-focused Ryzen 7 9800X3D are getting increasingly difficult to find in stock at MSRP.

So the question arises, what kind of budget gaming PC should value-oriented consumers like you and I build this year while keeping in mind the current supply chain inefficiency coupled with Trump’s administrational tariffs?

Hang on tight, I’ve got a killer spec sheet for you that won’t put an unreasonable dent in your wallet.

Why Is The GPU Market So Unpredictable These Days?

I wouldn’t blame you if the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of buying a high-performance GPU is the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090. However, you need to remember that we’re trying to build the best budget gaming PC, not the best bankrupting gaming PC.

Also, you don’t really need that kind of firepower for casual to mildly competitive gaming at relatively lower resolutions like 1080p & 1440p.

Plus, it’s pretty much next to impossible to find almost any of the Nvidia RTX 50 Series GPUs in stock at launch prices right now, including the latest RTX 5060.

ASRock RX 7600 Phantom Gaming 8GB OC
ASRock RX 7600 Phantom Gaming 8GB OC. (Image Credits – Tech4Gamers)

If we look towards the obvious alternative, AMD’s current generation GPUs like the budget-segmented RX 7600 8 GB and RX 7600 XT 16 GB trail behind the competing pack in terms of real-world performance, especially in games with heavy ray-tracing effects.

On top of that, the RX 7600 & 7600 XT are selling for up to $100-$200 over their MSRPs of $270 and $330, which significantly affect their value-to-money proposition.

Which GPU Should I Buy?

My #1 recommendation would be to spring for the Intel Arc B580 that’s based on the redesigned ‘Battlemage’ architecture. 

The Arc B580 represents a massively improved successor to Intel’s A700 Series GPUs where the B580 sports 12 GB of GDDR6 VRAM along with 456 GB/s of memory bandwidth.

Sadly, the B580 is subject to the same scalping as other GPUs, so you’ll be hard pressed to find it anywhere for under $350 with the real-world price tag amounting to roughly $400.

How well the Intel Arc B580 shapes up against the competition. (Image Credits - Ars Technica)
How well the Intel Arc B580 shapes up against the competition. (Image Credits – Ars Technica)

Nevertheless, if we talk about performance, the Arc B580 outguns the RX 7600 and even the 16 GB RX 7600 XT, especially in games where taxing ray-tracing effects come into play with Intel’s GPU performing in a similar fashion to Nvidia’s GPUs. 

Furthermore, the 12 GB of GDDR6 VRAM means that the Arc B580 can easily push upwards of 60 FPS @1440p in a variety of newer titles. 

Intel ARC B580 Hogwarts Legacy 1080P
The Intel Arc B580 is second to none but the RTX 4060 in this specific instance

It can definitely drive your high refresh rate gaming monitors in 1080p with the settings turned all the way up to the max. 

But perhaps the most outstanding aspect of the Arc B580 is its spectacularly low TDP of 190W in comparison to the outgoing Intel A750 and A770 as well as all the AMD and Nvidia GPUs (except for the vanilla RTX 4060). 

What’s The Best Budget Gaming CPU In 2025?

The actual best gaming CPU, i.e., the Ryzen 7 9800X3D or arguably the Ryzen 9 9950X3D is being scalped for up to $100 to $200 over their MSRPs of $480 and $700, respectively speaking.

Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Ryzen 7 7800X3D picture from our review. (Image Credits – Tech4Gamers)

Well, I recommend the Ryzen 5 9600X for $215 that trails by only 10-15% on average while also being almost 15% more power efficient when pitted against the Ryzen 7 9800X3D in terms of 1080p gaming.

I’d recommend pairing the 9600X with one of the best B650 botherboards, i.e., the ASRock B650 Pro RS for $185.

Furthermore, choosing the Ryzen 5 9600X also has the added benefit of future-proofing since this processor’s built on the redesigned AM5 platform, which should be supported by AMD for the next 2-3 years at the very least. 

CPU Cooler, RAM, SSD, PSU, And Casing

For cooling, I’d recommend the ID-Cooling FROZN A720 that you can buy for only $70.

With respect to RAM, you can’t go wrong with the G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB’s 32 GB DDR5 RAM Kit that boasts a frequency of 6000 MHz, a CAS Latency of CL30, and a price tag that measures just under $130.

As far as your storage needs are concerned, I suppose the Teamgroup T-Force G50 1 TB PCIe Gen 4.0 SSD would comply with all of your requirements for less than $60 with speeds reaching up to 5000 MB/s.

Furthermore, for power, I’d recommend one of the best 850W PSUs like the XPG Core Reactor II VE, which is a fully modular, ATX 3.1 PSU that’s 80 PLUS Gold Rated and retails for just $80 with a 10-year warranty.

Last but not least, I’d suggest buying a spacious case with good cooling and build quality. Perhaps something like the Corsair 4000D RS Frame with 3x bundled 120mm Corsair RS PWM fans and a tempered glass side panel would fulfil this criteria for only $90.

Fans Demand A Skyrim Remaster In Unreal Engine 5 Similar To Oblivion

Story Highlight
  • After Oblivion Remastered, fans demand that Skyrim get the same treatment.
  • The RPG still has a fairly solid player base, and mods have kept it fresh to date.
  • Bethesda plans to remaster Fallout 3 next, so we may not be getting a Skyrim Remaster anytime soon.

Virtuos Games is receiving praise for its commendable work on the Oblivion Remaster, successfully preserving the original essence of the game while enhancing it with updated textures for a modern look.

Now that we’ve received Oblivion Remastered, fans are now demanding that Bethesda give Skyrim the same treatment. Skyrim will be turning 14 this year, and it’s only right that it gets a modern look too.

Why it matters: The Elder Scrolls 6 may still be years away, and Bethesda is taking its sweet time with the next mainline entry. As such, a Skyrim Remastered will curb fans’ hunger for a new Elder Scrolls game after Oblivion Remastered.

We need a skyrim remaster in unreal 5 too
byu/Kenkenmu inskyrim

Skyrim is already one of the best-selling games of all time and still averages around 10-20k players daily. Over the years, the RPG has received several different editions, and its re-releases have become somewhat of a joke in the gaming industry.

Previously leaked documents revealed that Fallout 3 would be receiving a remaster, following the release of Oblivion. Reports also indicated that Fallout 3 Remaster is still years away, though.

 

Meanwhile, Oblivion Remastered would keep the franchise fresh for at least a few years until The Elder Scrolls 6 is released. Skyrim would most likely be getting a remaster, but such a treatment wouldn’t make sense now, especially with the original game not being that old.

Before Skyrim, earlier entries such as Morrowind deserve a Remaster. Daggerfall and the original Elder Scrolls are too outdated for a Remaster and need to be built from scratch. That said, a possibility for a Skyrim still isn’t ruled out completely.

Do you want a Skyrim Remastered? Please let us know in the comments below or on the official Tech4Gamers Forums.

Indie Publisher Says Shadowdrops Like Oblivion Remastered Buries Smaller Games

Story Highlight
  • An Indie publisher says that their games get overshadowed by shadowdrops like Oblivion. 
  • A lot of careful planning goes into the release, as they don’t have too many resources. 
  • The studio head says he loves Oblivion, but this isn’t right for the smaller studios. 

Bethesda recently shadowdropped the Oblivion Remastered to massive hype from the fans. The title has since reached over 190,000 concurrent players on Steam, with the number increasing steadily even further. However, everyone isn’t happy with it. 

An indie game publisher claims that shadowdropping titles like Oblivion remastered overshadow the other smaller games releasing around the same time, as they lack the budget or resources to market their own games. 

Why it matters: Indie games are launched with a lot of planning to avoid clashes with any major releases, which could overshadow them, so the shadowdrop isn’t a welcome move for them.

Indie publisher says massive AAA releases bury smaller games.

Indie publishers, Raw Fury behind the new PS2-inspired horror game, Post Trauma, aren’t too happy with Oblivion Remastered. The studio CEO, Jónas Antonsson, says releasing at the same time as a massive AAA game isn’t ideal for smaller teams. 

This is the problem with these sort of massive shadow drops. Everything more or less gets buried. We don’t have the cash or muscle to throw around, so everything is carefully planned.

Discussing Bethesda’s remaster, he says that he absolutely loved Oblivion when he was younger and is glad that a new generation will now be able to experience it. However, from the perspective of indie studios, its shadow drop is a problem. 

Oblivion Remastered
Bethesda recently shadowdropped Oblivion Remastered.

He says that this move buries everything that comes in its way, especially since smaller studios carefully plan their launches to garner maximum attention. They lack the muscle to compete against bigger releases. 

This is rather unfortunate for smaller studios that pour so much attention into their games only to get overshadowed. Nonetheless, indie titles are becoming increasingly better, and it’s a great idea to give them a try, given their high level of creativity at times. 

What are your thoughts on Indie games getting buried by shadowdropping Oblivion Remastered? Let us know your opinions in the comments or join the discussion at the official Tech4Gamers forum

Original Oblivion Designer Praises Oblivion Remastered, Says It Is More Than Just A Remaster

Story Highlight
  • A developer of the original game has praised Oblivion Remastered.
  • Bruce Nesmith stated that the RPG is not a simple remaster but rather Oblivion 2.0.
  • He also revealed that the remaster changes some of the mechanics in the original.

The shadow-dropping of Oblivion Remastered has taken over the gaming world, with fans and critics alike showering the game with praise for its faithfulness to the original. There has been some criticism of the remaster, but the lion’s share of opinions are on the positive end of the spectrum.

Another person who is on that bandwagon is Bruce Nesmith, a developer on the original The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion.

Why it matters: The developers of the original Oblivion praising the remaster showcases its faithfulness to the source material.

Elder Scrolls Oblivion Remastered
Elder Scrolls Oblivion Remastered has been a success on all fronts for Bethesda.

In a new interview with VideoGamer, the developer stated that calling Oblivion Remastered a simple remaster doesn’t do justice to the scale of the project, as it changes and improves various aspects of the 2006 RPG. 

He further praised the project and the work put into it, saying the team had revamped many mechanics from the original game, and Oblivion Remastered wasn’t just a simple graphical update. Nesmith termed the remaster “Oblivion 2.0,” as it falls somewhere between a complete remake and a remaster.

It’s a staggering amount of remastering. It almost needs its own world, quite frankly. I’m not sure remaster actually does it justice.

Even though the story is completely the same, Bethesda upscaled the graphics and mechanics of Oblivion Remastered using Unreal Engine 5, hence keeping the soul of the game intact while adding necessary adjustments to make it a 2025 RPG.

Consequently, the game has been topping charts, becoming a bestseller on Steam immediately after its release and debuting with a staggering 150,000 concurrent players on the platform. Furthermore, Oblivion Remastered also led to a surge in players for the original title, with the 2006 RPG experiencing an 85% increase in players on Xbox.

Oblivion Remastered Leaked
Oblivion Remastered took four years to develop at Bethesda.

With the game also rumored to launch on the Nintendo Switch 2, this commercial performance is only going to improve, and fans have even more to look forward to with Elder Scrolls 6 still in development.

Do you think The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered was necessary? Please share your thoughts in the comments below or visit the Tech4Gamers forum for further discussion.

An Unannounced Blade Runner Game Has Now Been Cancelled At Supermassive Games

Story Highlight
  • Supermassive Games has canceled a third-person action Blade Runner game set in 2065.
  • Blade Runner: Time to Live featured stealth and investigation elements, with a campaign lasting around 10-12 hours.
  • Reports indicate that the IP owner was responsible for the cancellation of the title.

The last few years have seen an unusually high number of video games get canceled mid-development. Adding to this title in a Blade Runner game that was reported to be in development at Supermassive Games.

Blade Runner: Time to Live was intended to be a third-person action-adventure game that would last approximately 10 to 12 hours. 

Why it matters: Blade Runner is arguably one of the well-known sci-fi IPs with great potential to be transitioned into an AAA video game.

blade runner game cancelled
Third-Person Blade Runner Title Cancelled At Supermassive Games || Source: X

Blade Runner: Time to Live would have taken place in 2065 and was said to be a character-focused, cinematic, action-adventure game featuring a vintage Nexus 6 model as the protagonist, named So-Lange, who would be living well beyond his lifespan.

The documents containing information on the game revealed this:

Compelling story blending the philosophical themes of Blade Runner with kinetic action-adventure gameplay

The story would follow So-Lange finding his way outside of New Zurich 2065 after being left for dead following a mission.

Regarding gameplay, Blade Runner: Time to Live was divided into four segments: stealth, combat, exploration, investigation, and dramatic character interaction. The game would feature multiple skills and focus heavily on investigative themes, utilizing past memories.

cyberpunk tokyo
Blade Runner: Time To Live Looks To Be Heavily Influenced By Cyberpunk 2077

Pre-production for the title began in September 2024, with the team that previously worked on 2022’s The Quarry. Pre-production was originally scheduled to conclude in March 2025, with prototyping planned for later this year, in September 2025.

The final product was scheduled for a 2027 release and would’ve been a cross-gen release for current and next-gen PlayStation and Xbox consoles. A budget of $45 million was allocated for the development, excluding post-production and testing costs.

According to the report, Alcon Entertainment, the owner of Blade Runner IP, was the reason for the project’s cancellation. While it’s unknown exactly why, it’s unfortunate that the project was shelved, especially given how appealing it sounds from the provided details.

Would you have loved Blade Runner: Time to Live? Let us know in the comments below or at the official Tech4Gamers Forums.