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Why Story-Driven Games Are More Popular Than Ever

Story Highlights

  • Story-driven games are becoming more popular and immersive due to new technology.
  • Players prefer emotional connections in games and for their choices to be meaningful.
  • Story-driven games are bridging the gap between film and gameplay.
  • Streaming platforms have significantly boosted the popularity of story-driven games.

Story-driven games are continually gaining popularity in the gaming world; But why is this so? While fast-paced shooter and online multiplayer games continue to thrive, story-driven titles are in high demand.

This is because gamers are seeking emotionally connecting experiences and immersive titles that rival even the best of cinema and literature. Players lately have been looking for gaming experiences that will linger with them for a long while. But what is driving this trend? Let’s dive right into it.

Immersion Like Never Before

One thing that comes to mind whenever thinking about story-driven games is the degree of immersion that they offer. With innovations in technology, developers are now able to create breathtakingly immersive, narrative-rich titles.

With the rise of new technological advancements in gaming engines such as Unreal Engine 5 Nanite and Lumen. Also, with Unity’s High-Definition Render Pipeline AAA games are becoming more immersive than ever.

The Last Of Us Part 2
The Last of Us Part 2 – Image Credits [Pinterest]
High-quality voice acting, motion capture and life-like animations paired with stunning graphics allow players to connect with in-game characters like never before. Games such as The Last of Us Part 2, Red Dead Redemption 2 and Cyberpunk 2077 showcase masterful storytelling in beautiful environments giving players a cinematic yet immersive experience.

A Shift in Player Preferences

Gamers these days crave more than just action; they seek meaningful choices and complex character arcs. The popularity of role-playing and choice-driven games such as Detroit: Become Human and Life is Strange; highlight the shift in gamer preferences.

Detroit: Become Human Markus Locating Jericho
Markus Locating Jericho in Detroit: Become Human – Image Credits [Steam]
Titles such as these allow players to shape their narrative by making different decisions where every decision has an impact. This makes players feel like every in-game decision that they make is meaningful and will affect the outcome of the game.

The Influence of Streaming and Social Media

Games such as these have been heavily influenced by streaming platforms such as Twitch and YouTube allowing them to rise to new heights. Gamers and influencers frequently stream walkthroughs of AAA immersive titles, attracting massive audiences that watch their streams as if they are watching a TV series or movie.

This new level of widespread visibility has introduced many new players to the genre making story-driven games a cultural phenomenon. 

Bridging the Gap Between Games and Film

With Hollywood embracing gaming culture, story-driven games are now bridging the gap between interactive and traditional storytelling. World-renowned directors, screenwriters and voice actors are now taking part in the process of game development.

AAA titles such as Death Stranding featuring performances by Norman Reedus and Mads Mikkelsen showcase how narrative-driven games are reaching cinematic heights. The use of motion capture and photorealistic visuals has allowed games to present characters and emotions in a way which was once only exclusive to movies.

The Witcher 4
The Witcher 4 – Image Credits [Steam]
Apart from this, cinematic techniques such as cutscenes, dynamic camera angles, and complex scripts have enhanced story-driven games even further. As a result of this video games are no longer just seen as entertainment but as a serious storytelling medium.

The Future of Narrative Gaming

The success of story-driven games indicates that their popularity will only continue to rise. As AI, Virtual reality and interactive story-driven techniques continue to advance the future for games such as these seems brighter than ever. 

As we peek into future games it’s quite obvious that they will deliver even more engaging and immersive gaming. Capitalizing on what we have so far mixed with future advancements will take narrative-driven games far and beyond.

Developers like to push the boundaries of what games can be making interactive narratives a staple in the gaming world. As gamers demand deeper, more meaningful experiences, story-driven games are said to dominate the landscape.

This will prove that great storytelling is not exclusive to movies and books but is the heart of the most memorable gaming experiences.

Vampire Survivors Vs Minecraft: 2025 Updates Strategies

Story Highlights
  • Vampire Survivors is moving to bigger, less frequent updates, focusing on features like online co-op and cross-save functionality in 2025.
  • Minecraft focuses on more frequent, smaller updates to keep the game dynamic and responsive to player feedback.
  • Both strategies aim to enhance player engagement, with Vampire Survivors focusing on quality and Minecraft on consistency.

The year 2025 promises many exciting games, like GTA VI, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, and many more. However, some previously well-played games also promised to redefine their gaming experience in 2025 with new content update strategies. Here’s a closer look at their approaches and what it means for players. 

Two beloved indie games, Vampire Survivors and Minecraft, have decided to enhance player engagement by adopting contrasting update strategies in 2025. While Vampire Survivors plans to focus on delivering larger, polished updates less frequently, Minecraft is shifting toward smaller, more regular content releases.

Vampire Survivors’ Approach To Updates 

Vampire survivors
Vampire Survivors Will Now Deliver Larger, Polished Updates Less Often.

According to reviews, Vampire Survivors has been celebrated for its addictive rogue-like gameplay mechanics since its 2021 release. Now, the developers have realized that they must redefine their content-releasing approach. In 2025, developer Poncle has plans to shift its update strategy, emphasizing quality over quantity in patch 1.13.

Poncle intends to deliver substantial updates with a longer development cycle, moving away from its previous model of frequent, smaller updates. This approach allows the team to focus on creating more polished, immersive content with enhanced features, refined mechanics, and engaging narratives.

Looking forward, Vampire Survivors has big plans for 2025, including introducing cross-save functionality across all platforms, allowing players to access their progress across all platforms. Another most anticipated feature, online co-op, is in development with Coherence and is slated for release in 2025.

Moreover, Poncle has planned to adopt the Vampire Survivors universe into a live-action movie and an animated TV show, expanding its reach beyond gaming.

Minecraft’s Approach To Updates

On the other side, another big indie hit, Minecraft, used to give bigger updates every summer. With the 2019 Village and Pillage update, the game became very popular. However, after that year, the game’s downfall started, and players started losing interest in Minecraft.

After 2020, the game added no significant updates. The Caves and Cliffs updates, which were divided into two parts in 2021, along with some extra promised features like fireflies and improved birch forests, were also missing, leading to disappointment. These fewer updates led to fans’ frustration, which grew even more after the 2023 Trails and Tales update.

Therefore, Minecraft, a game that has been well-played since its release in 2011, is now shifting to a more frequent, incremental update schedule. Now, with regular smaller updates, developers have a plan to keep the game environment fresh and continuously engaging.

This new change strategy, confirmed by 2024, allows Mojang to respond to player feedback quickly after each update. By promptly incorporating suggestions and addressing concerns, Minecraft aims to remain dynamic and adaptable.

The first major 2025 update exemplifies this new strategy, introducing six new gameplay features currently available in public testing. This early access allows players to engage with upcoming content, providing valuable feedback that can be incorporated before the official release.

Comparative Analysis 

While Minecraft emphasizes consistency with frequent updates, Vampire Survivors focuses on delivering highly polished, immersive content at a slower pace. Both strategies have distinct advantages and challenges, reflecting the developers’ priorities and goals.

Vampire Survivors’ developers might think larger updates allow for substantial content additions, enabling developers to introduce new features, storylines, and mechanics that feel impactful.

However, longer gaps between updates may frustrate players who crave consistent engagement. Additionally, if developers fail to deliver significant updates, it could lead to disappointment or player attrition.

Most Anticipated Games Of 2025

Conversely, Minecraft’s developers may think frequent updates keep the game dynamic, providing players with a constant stream of fresh content. Smaller updates also allow developers to address player feedback and make improvements quickly.

However, the downside of this strategy is that frequent but less impactful updates may feel underwhelming to players who prefer substantial additions. Additionally, constant updates might overwhelm those who struggle to keep up with new content.

However, both approaches aim to serve their communities and enhance player experiences. Their success will hinge on meeting player expectations and managing trade-offs. Whether through Minecraft’s steady updates or Vampire Survivors’ impactful releases, 2025 promises exciting developments for both games.

Microtransactions Are Killing Creativity In Games, Says Split Fiction Director

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  • Microtransactions have been a hot topic in the industry lately.
  • Split Fiction director believes that it is a huge problem for the gaming industry.
  • He further states that microtransactions are killing creativity in titles as developers are approaching ways to earn more money. 

Microtransactions have been a controversial topic in the gaming industry for years, as the majority of developers still believe that microtransactions don’t belong in AAA games.

While many developers like Ubisoft and Bandai Namco Studios continue to add microtransactions in their titles, the Split Fiction director recently stated that it’s not good for the industry as it is killing creativity in games. 

Why it matters: Not too long ago, Witcher franchise developers CDPR also stated that microtransactions don’t belong in single-player titles. So, it’s good to see more game developers pointing out this issue.

The Split Fiction director, Josef Fares, recently stated in a YouTube video that their studio games would never have microtransactions. Now, he’s elaborated a bit more on his statement, stating that he believes microtransactions are a huge problem for the industry.

I think it’s [microtransactions] a huge problem and it’s stopping our industry from a creative perspective.

-Split Fiction Director

Josef Fares believes that microtransactions negatively affect the development of the title as most of the decisions would be taken based on how developers could earn more money, and that is a huge problem as it impacts the design of the title and kills creativity.

Split Fiction Pod
Split Fiction Has Only Been Out For Two Days And It’s Reached 200K Concurrent Players.

Split Fiction was released recently to a decade-breaking score for EA as it achieved a 91 rating on Metacritic. It has also reached around 200K players on Steam within two days of its launch.

Therefore, it appears that the title is already doing great for the studio, and the developer’s approach to prefer creativity over earning money has been paying off.

Nonetheless, do you agree with the Split Fiction director? Has microtransaction been killing creativity in games? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or join the Tech4Gamers forum.

2025 PC Gaming: Growing Accessibility Despite Rising Costs

Story Highlights
  • PC gaming in 2025 is still accessible, with budget-friendly options making modern titles playable without overspending.
  • Upscaling technologies like DLSS and FSR boost performance, allowing smooth gameplay on mid-range and even entry-level hardware.
  • With ongoing advancements in hardware and software innovations, high-quality PC gaming experiences are becoming more affordable.

Entering the world of gaming in 2025 has become easier than ever for a wider audience despite the rising costs of achieving a premium experience. Graphics cards like RTX 5090 cost over $1,999, and power supplies delivering above 1,000 watts are becoming the norm for high-end performance, making top-tier gaming expensive.

However, cutting-edge hardware is no longer necessary for an immersive gaming experience. Innovations in hardware and software have made high-quality gameplay accessible and significantly lowered the entry barrier, allowing gamers on a modest budget to enjoy the latest titles without overspending.

The Changing Face Of PC Gaming Accessibility

Different Graphics Cards
A Line-up Of Powerhouse GPUs – Image Credit (Tech4Gamers)

When people think of PC gaming, high hardware costs often come to mind, leading many to view it as expensive. We all know that the industry has undergone a major shift in performance expectations, largely driven by powerful components, which, unsurprisingly, come at a cost.

For instance, Nvidia’s new generation of RTX graphics cards delivers an experience once thought impossible. But the reality is that nowadays, you don’t need these high-end graphics cards like RTX 4090 to enjoy modern games.

A few years ago, the minimum requirements for a gaming PC were much higher, and without sufficient hardware, most players found the game barely playable. Back then, gamers spent a lot on hardware for decent performance, but now they can enjoy better quality without spending excessively on hardware. 

A decade ago, the Nvidia GeForce GTX 760, a mid-range GPU, struggled to reach 35 fps at 1080p. In contrast, the RTX 4060, considered mid-range in 2025, delivers over 60 fps in even the most demanding games. This trend highlights how performance improvements have made PC gaming more affordable despite rising costs at the high end.

The Role Of Software Innovations

Nvidia DLSS 4 on vs off
With DLSS 4, High-end GPUs Are No Longer A Necessity For Gaming – Image Credits (Nvidia)

While hardware advancements contribute to accessibility, software innovations have played an equally significant role. In the past, upgrading hardware was the only way to improve performance. Now, software solutions bridge the gap between hardware limitations and gaming experiences.

Upscaling technologies like Nvidia’s DLSS 4 improve frame rates by rendering games at lower resolutions and upscaling them with minimal visual loss. These tools allow lower-end hardware to achieve playable frame rates, making high-quality gaming possible without expensive GPUs.

Some upscaling methods, like Nvidia’s DLSS 3, exclusive to RTX 40 series GPUs, are hardware-specific. However, AMD’s FSR is widely available across different systems. Additionally, driver-level upscaling from Nvidia and AMD and third-party tools like Lossless Scaling enable performance boosts on almost any setup.

With these innovations, lower-end graphics cards, mid-tier processors, and affordable gaming laptops, newcomers to the PC gaming world can jump in without requiring a massive investment.

While high-end desktops and gaming laptops still offer superior cooling, screen size, and customization, the ability to play demanding titles on modest hardware marks a breakthrough in accessibility.

The Future Of Affordable PC Gaming

AMD Vs. Nvidia – Two Upscaling Giants

While premium gaming experiences may cost more than ever, the entry point for PC gaming is lower than in years. With software solutions, we don’t need top-of-the-line graphics cards to enjoy unforgettable experiences, making high-quality gaming experiences available on more affordable hardware.

Companies are designing hardware compatible with these software technologies to offer higher resolution and performance while keeping power consumption low. This focus on performance optimization across different hardware tiers means that PC gamers no longer need to worry about whether their system can handle the latest games.

Moreover, with DLSS Swapper, you can update to the latest DLSS, FSR, and XeSS versions. The DLSSTweaks mod allows custom scaling factors and locked presets to further enhance performance and image quality. 

Looking toward the future, advancements in both hardware and software will continue to reduce barriers to entry. Companies like Nvidia, AMD, and Intel are actively working to make their technologies more accessible to a broader audience. As these innovations progress, the cost of entry-level PC gaming may continue to decline.

Split Fiction Reaches Almost 200K Concurrent Players Within Just 2 Days of Its Release

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  • Split Fiction has taken the gaming world by storm, reaching nearly 200k concurrent players on Steam within 24 hours of launch.
  • Hazelight Studio continues its streak of outstanding co-op games with Split Fiction, blending multiple genres seamlessly to deliver an exceptional experience.
  • With the highest Metacritic rating for an EA game in 13 years, Split Fiction is redefining the co-op genre at a time when it seemed to be fading.

The momentum of excellent video game releases since February isn’t stopping, as March has started off strong with Split Fiction. Hazlelight Studio does what it does best with excellent casual co-op gameplay and blending every possible genre that the developer could think of.

The result was absolutely fantastic, and it was such a debut that no one was expecting. Split Fiction has now reached almost 200k concurrent players on Steam.

Why It Matters: It’s not common for a game that wasn’t marketed well and is paid to have garnered such a big audience at launch. Developer Hazlelight Studio has continued its streak of near-perfect games with Split Fiction.

split fiction steam chart
Split Fiction Hitting Almost 200k Concurrent Players On Steam || Source: SteamDB

The game currently has 193,243 users playing it, just under 48 hours from its launch, which is a massive achievement. The player count is speculated to rise even further in the coming days, especially on weekends.

It’s no surprise that the game has such a high player count, considering it’s the highest-rated EA game on Metacritic in 13 years. Moreover, for a AA game, it even outshines high-budget titles from the same publisher, like Dragon Age: Veilgard.

Split Fiction Redefines Co-op Genre

Split Fiction is a testament that the industry could use more co-op games. Hazlelight Studio has repeatedly pushed the genre and revitalized it with a fresh and compelling experience with every launch.

Have you played Split Fiction yet? If yes, then what are your thoughts on the game? Let us know in the comments below or head towards the official Tech4Gamers Forums.

RTX 5060 8GB To Be Announced Next Week For $299 And April Launch

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  • Reports point to an incoming RTX 5060 reveal within just 10 days.
  • The RTX 5060 is expected to come with 8GB of memory and a 128-bit bus, with 16GB of memory limited tot he RTX 5060 Ti.
  • Nvidia has also prepared a budget RTX 5050, and all three graphics cards will be released next month.

Following the recently released RTX 5070 and plenty of controversies related to missing ROPs, poor drivers, and more, Nvidia is gearing up to release the rest of the Blackwell gaming lineup.

Reports indicate that the RTX 5060 and 5060 Ti are just around the corner, and an official announcement will be made within 10 days.

Why it matters: The mid-range xx60 lineup from the gaming giant has proven to be the most popular. Currently, the RTX 4060 is also Steam’s most popular GPU, and this spot was previously held by the RTX 3060.

RTX 5060 Reveal
Details On Future Nvidia GPUs Are Coming Soon | Image via X

Reliable insider MegaSizeAPU states that the RTX 5060 family is right around the corner. The leaker seems to imply that an official reveal will arrive in just a few days, but Nvidia will launch the graphics cards a month later.

Elsewhere, other details on the mid-range Nvidia lineup have surfaced online. The latest information points to the RTX 5060 using the PG162 SKU 25 PCB, in addition to coming with 8GB of VRAM.

This graphics card is expected to be rated at a 145W TBP for $299. On the other hand, the RTX 5060 Ti is expected to offer a choice between 8GB and 16GB of memory while using the same 128-bit bus as the RTX 5060.

Reports also state Nvidia is preparing an even cheaper RTX 5050 for the budget market. Although little is known about this particular GPU, it should cost between $200-250 and sport the same 8GB of memory as the other mid-range offerings.

Nvidia is expected to release all three graphics cards in April, so official details should be revealed soon enough. Meanwhile, AMD has just released the RX 9070 XT and is expected to share details on the more affordable RX 9060 lineup soon.

Respawn Unlikely To Work On A New Titanfall Game Anytime Soon, Claims Insider

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  • Insider Jeff Grub suggested Respawn won’t work on a new Titanfall game and are streamlining their focus to a handful of other games.
  • Moreover, the insider stated that the previous canceled project wasn’t a Titanfall game either.
  • With Apex Legends still thriving, Respawn is unlikely to shift attention to Titanfall, as both games exist within the same universe.

Apex Legends’ release has certainly increased Titanfall’s fan-following, giving it the recognition it never truly received. As such, fans have been demanding a threequel for years now.

However, insider Jeff Grub suggested in a podcast that developer Respawn is unlikely to work on a new Titanfall game anytime soon.

Why it matters: For such a core franchise and with huge fan demand, Titanfall deserves a new entry. Fans will disappointed to see that the developers don’t have a plan for the game anytime soon.

While discussing Respawn’s recently canceled FPS, the insider clarified that the title was not a Titanfall game. Moreover, he stated that the developers are currently working on a new title that is still in its prototype stage; however, even this new project is not a Titanfall game.

Moreover, he added that the developers are trying not to make other games and just streamline their focus on a handful of projects that would be “fewer lesser and bigger.” 

They Want To get out of like the business of trying to make a bunch of other games.

-Jeff Grubb

Currently, Respawn is working on a big new update for Apex Legends, a new rendition of the existing game that will shake things up for the declining Battle Royale.

apex legends season 24
Apex Legends’ Player Base Has Declined Massively Over The Last Few Months.

Aside from that, a new Star Wars Jedi game is being worked on, and the developers have also teamed up with Bit Reactor to work on a new Star Wars RTS project.

As long as Apex Legends is doing business for EA, it’s highly unlikely for Respawn to shift their focus towards a new Titanfall game since both titles take place in the same universe.

When do you think Respawn will finally work on a new Titanfall game? Let us know in the comments below or head towards the official Tech4Gamers Forum.

RoboCop: Rogue City Is Getting A Highly Anticipated Sequel In Summer 2025

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  • Nacon has revealed RoboCop: Rogue City—Unfinished Business, a new sequel for the popular first-person FPS.
  • The sequel will be a new standalone expansion for the first game, which will see global release in summer 2025.
  • It will be set in OmniTower and feature a myriad of high-tech enemies to allow for even more gory gameplay.

Nacon has announced a new ‘expand-alone’ sequel, a fancy name for a standalone sequel to the original game. It is dubbed RoboCop: Rogue City—Unfinished Business and is set in OmniTower. 

Why it matters: It appears that Nacon is capitalizing on all the hype that the RoboCop game generated in 2023 by releasing a new standalone sequel for fans who have been craving more from the well-received franchise. 

The RoboCop: Rogue City sequel’s Steam description reads that players will face ‘elite mercenaries’ as they climb to the top of the tower, a housing complex built by OCP. The trailer also showcases some of the gameplay moments that have further hyped the fans.

From flying drones to exploding bots and anti-personnel turrets, Every floor is riddled with deadly traps, and heavily armed elite troops.

As per the footage, RoboCop will have access to a motley of new weapons, including a Cryo Cannon to freeze enemies. Players can expect exhilarating Mortal-Kombat-level finishing moves to paint the walls red with enemies like we saw in the original release.

Expect to face minigun-toting armoured squads, special forces equipped with jet packs or even katana-wielding foes who look more machine than man.

Since it’s technically a sequel, the entry is expected to feature a much shorter story from the original. We can also expect upgrades in visuals and the general gameplay, as the trailer reveals.

Rogue City
RoboCop was well appreciated for featuring a highly satisfying gameplay loop.

RoboCop: Rogue City—Unfinished Business is set to release this summer for major consoles and PC.

Do you think the upcoming RoboCop sequel will meet everyone’s expectations and surpass its legacy, or will it be just another summer launch? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.

Former Xbox Boss Misses Console Wars; Says PlayStation vs. Xbox Was Healthy For Gaming

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  • Former Xbox head Peter Moore says he encouraged the console wars at one point.
  • He states that they were healthy for the industry, but times have changed significantly.
  • The former boss also understands why Microsoft shifted its strategy in recent years, noting that the Activision merger was a huge turning point.

The PlayStation and Xbox rivalry has existed ever since Microsoft made its debut in the console industry. Although the former has usually held the upper hand, Xbox never shied away from trying to compete and challenge the Japanese gaming giant.

Unfortunately, recent decisions from Microsoft, particularly related to its third-party approach, mean that this rivalry is weaker than ever. Commenting on the subject, former Xbox boss Peter Moore has also acknowledged that the console wars have lost their feistiness.

Why it matters: Competition in the industry is essential since it guarantees companies push for more innovations and avoid the trap of complacency.

 

Peter Moore recently appeared on the latest episode of Gamertag Radio and discussed the Xbox 360’s 20th anniversary.

The former Xbox boss was asked to share his thoughts on Microsoft’s commitment to third-party publishing while pursuing future console hardware, and he replied that the industry is in a very different place today.

He noted that Xbox grew during the old days, thanks to making the most of platforms like the now discontinued E3 and attempting to take away consumers from rivals through any means possible. However, recent moves like the Activision Blizzard acquisition mean that Microsoft’s decisions are based on bigger economic concerns.

Peter Moore believes that Microsoft would get rid of hardware in an instant if it had the choice, but streaming technology isn’t quite there yet. The former Xbox boss understands why console wars have lost their popularity, but he also believes that, in the process, the industry has lost a bit of its feistiness.

The console wars were healthy for the industry. I encouraged the battle (PlayStation vs. Xbox).

Has it (the industry) lost a bit of the feistiness that the industry grew upon? I think so.

-Peter Moore

Despite his exit from the industry, Peter Moore understands why gaming giants like Xbox are now more focused on game publishing.

The Console Wars Were At Their Peak During The PS3/Xbox 360 Era

He states that a phenomenon like the console wars was certainly important in setting the stage for the industry’s current position, but nobody is to really blame for shifting away from this trend.

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

Monster Hunter Wilds Hype Drives Japanese Gamers to PS5 Rental Subscriptions

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  • Monster Hunter Wilds has led to PS5 rental subscription booming in Japan. 
  • A Japanese retailer started the service on February 28, aligning with the Monster Hunter launch. 
  • The people who rented the console liked it so much that they ended up buying it. 

Monster Hunter Wilds became a huge hit the moment it launched. While the game still has ‘Mixed’ reviews on Steam, it is still averaging over 1 million players. The title is so popular in Japan that it has had a significant impact on PS5 rental subscriptions. 

A popular Japanese retailer recently started PS5 rental services, and it perfectly aligned with the Monster Hunter Wilds release leading to the service already being booked until mid-April. 

Why it matters: Monster Hunter Wilds quickly became the best-selling Capcom game in 3 days with over 8 million copies, now, the impact can be seen with the rental service and the increased sales.

PS5
PS5 rental service is booming thanks to Monster Hunter Wilds

GEO started the service on February 28 and it instantly boomed in popularity. Automation reports that the retailer has now stopped taking bookings till mid-April across all parts of Japan and hasn’t given a date on when they’ll be back in stock. 

Unfortunately, we don’t have an exact idea of how many units are present, but considering over 400 stores are offering it, there could be a huge number. The service is also quite cheap, with the 8-day plan at around $6.56 and the 15-day at $12 USD.

Monster Hunter Wilds
Monster Hunter Wilds is the fastest-selling title in Capcom’s history

Interestingly, this also led to PS5 sales, as those people who rented the console loved it so much that they decided to buy it. All in all, this sounds like a great initiative and we would hope that more retailers in different countries offer similar services as well. 

What are your thoughts on the PS5 rental subscriptions? Would you like to see similar offers from your local retailers? Let us know your opinions in the comments or join the discussion at the official Tech4Gamers Forum.

Nvidia Laptop GeForce RTX 50 Series Notebook Also Affected By Missing ROPS

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  • Both desktop and laptop versions of NVIDIA’s RTX 50 series are missing ROP units, causing up to 14% performance loss.
  • NVIDIA is collaborating with manufacturers to fix the issue, affecting only 0.5% of GPUs, to ensure proper functioning.
  • Due to the missing ROPs issue, NVIDIA’s timeline for delivering these GPUs to customers has been pushed back from March to April.

Only a few weeks after we first reported missing ROPs on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 series “Blackwell” for desktop computers, it looks like the laptop versions of these GPUs may also be affected by the same problem.

Why it matters: Missing ROP units can lower GPU performance by up to 14%, affecting gaming and other tasks. Ensuring the GPUs work properly is important for a good user experience.

The German news outlet Heise Online reports that NVIDIA is collaborating with laptop manufacturers to examine any case of missing ROPs on its GeForce RTX 50 series cards. Nvidia claims these only impact 0.5% of the total supply.

Source: Heise Online

To prevent consumers from receiving GPUs that lack ROPs, NVIDIA is putting in extra effort with OEMs to ensure the GPUs are functioning properly and providing hardware that is in line with the official specifications.

Following the announcement of NVIDIA Blackwell laptop SKUs at CES and the February pre-order period, NVIDIA had planned to deliver these GPUs to customers via its partner laptop manufacturers in March. However, the current timeline is set for April, a full month later.

According to Heise Online, several notebook makers have informed them that they are currently putting in extra hours in the Far East in order to keep the situation from getting worse.

Furthermore, NVIDIA has given manufacturers instructions to check notebooks that are already equipped with the new mobile GeForce RTX 50 series graphics chips. GPUs with fewer active ROPs than those listed in the datasheet are currently the main focus.

The final VBIOS version was only recently delivered to manufacturers, delaying the start of mass production. These tests ought to assist in avoiding the shipping of models that perform worse.

Rise Of The Ronin Is Another PC Port Disaster, Early Reviews Suggest

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  • The upcoming Rise of the Ronin PC launch is looking grim, as early reviews suggest a plethora of performance issues on high-end rigs. 
  • The game has visual artefacts and a lot of stutters as it struggles to run smoothly.
  • The entry only averaged around 64 FPS at 4K with max settings and frame-gen enabled while using Ryzen 7 9800X3D and RTX 5090.

The PlayStation exclusive title, Rise of the Ronin by Team Ninja, was all the hype last year for delivering a fun open-world RPG venture set in a war-torn 19th-century Japan. So, PC gamers have waited over a year, but even those with the best rigs might be left disappointed.

A motley of early reviews for the Rise of the Ronin PC port suggests that it will be yet another PC port disaster. The game is full of visual and performance issues on high-end rigs and leaves much to be desired.

Why it matters: It appears that Koei Tecmo has once again failed to develop a smooth PC port, but the studio might fix the visual and optimization mishaps in Rise of the Ronin in future updates.

Rise of the Ronin only manages to hit a 64 FPS average while roaming around the city of Yokohama.| Source: Wccftech

The review by Wccftech highlights that Rise of the Ronin was only able to hit an average of 64 FPS at 4K with max settings and frame-gen enabled, and all this while using the powerful AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090.

The 60-something FPS wouldn’t be so bad if there were not many stutters and visual artefacts, making the gameplay feel like a jittery, unoptimized mess. Moreover, reviews by other gaming outlets have also spoken about the massive performance issues.

Reviews with similar or lower PC specs confirm it’s a poor port, making the game hard to recommend for players with those setups at launch.

Rise of the Ronin 2
Developers confirmed that Rise of the Ronin has sold faster than Nioh.

These performance and graphical woes might cause the Rise of the Ronin PC rating to plummet at launch, but Team Ninja will likely iron them out over time. The game is dropping on March 11, 2025, for Steam.

Do you think the PC port of Rise of the Ronin will disappoint and launch to abysmal reviews on Steam? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.