At Tech4Gamers, I contribute as a Senior News Reporter, combining my skills and gaming enthusiasm to keep our audience updated on the latest developments.
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Retail copies of Assassin’s Creed Shadows leaked recently, and players are beginning to share first impressions of the game.
It is said that the title feels polished and lives up to expectations.
Ubisoft’s work on the mocap has also been praised, creating more buzz for the upcoming release.
As Ubisoft gears up to release Assassin’s Creed Shadows next month, the team has confirmed that no more delays are planned. There has been plenty of doubt about the series’ first venture into Japan, but recent previews have given fans hope to cling to.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows also leaked to the public recently, and players are now sharing their own thoughts on the game. Interestingly, the first impressions paint a highly positive picture of the title.
Why it matters: These impressions could create the additional buzz that Ubisoft so desperately needs at the moment as it looks toward redeeming itself.
Naoe Relies On Stealth To Eliminate Foes From The Shadows
As shared on Reddit, a user has collected his experience with the first 10 hours of Assassin’s Creed Shadows. He states that the game has more than lived up to expectations, delivering on his expectations of Ghost of Tsushima’s gameplay with improved stealth mechanics.
Elsewhere, the player praised Ubisoft’s work on the cutscenes. Assassin’s Creed Shadows features 700 cutscenes, and the user notes that the first two to three hours are packed with mo-capped cutscenes.
In terms of polish, the user’s experience has been mostly positive so far. As per the post, the game has yet to display any major bug apart from one rare instance of an NPC walking through a wall.
However, not everything about the gameplay has been positive so far. According to the user, the dodging and parrying feel sluggish.
Yasuke Is Assassin’s Creed’s First Playable Character Based On A Historic Figure
It should be noted that Ubisoft will likely release a day-one patch for Assassin’s Creed Shadows at launch. The patch could address the problems existing in the leaked build, so things will only improve from here.
What are your thoughts on the gameplay impressions? Do you think Assassin’s Creed Shadows will be a major success? Let’s discuss this in the comments and on the Tech4Gamers Forums.
As Tech4Gamers’ Founder and Editor-in-Chief, I bring over 13 years of PC Hardware Reviewing and 8+ years of IT Project Management experience. Certified in Google IT Support , my focus is on providing honest product reviews and analysis and fostering a strong gaming community with 130k+ members in PPG.
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Reddit users have discovered that the RTX 5080 Founders Edition, like the RTX 5090 and RTX 5070 Ti, can have a defective GPU core with fewer ROPs, leading to reduced performance.
This defect results in an average 4% performance loss, but some users report losses as high as 11% or more, especially in overclocked models.
Affected users face delays in getting replacements, as NVIDIA needs time to provide them, but the GPUs are still usable.
Surprisingly, a Reddit user has revealed GeForce RTX 5080 Founders Edition with a faulty GPU Core. Like the rest of the series, the GeForce RTX 5080s graphics cards are also susceptible to having a chip with a lower ROP count than it should, which hurts gaming performance.
Officially, NVIDIA indicated that this issue affected the GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 5070 Ti graphics cards. But now we can confirm that the RTX 5080 is also affected. And just yesterday, after learning the performance of the affected GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, we asked how the RTX 5080 might have been the only GPU that had not been affected.
Confirming today that all GeForce RTX 50 Series are likely to arrive with a defective chip at the specification level. This results in a lower ROP count and lower performance compared to a GPU that meets the announced specifications.
GeForce RTX 5080 FE With 104 Active ROPs
The Affected RTX 5080 has 104 active ROPs instead of the 112 ROPs.
Thanks to GPU-Z, the number of ROPs can be verified. Knowing that this NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Founders Edition arrived with 104 ROPs active instead of 112 ROPs.
NVIDIA officially revealed that 0.5% of GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 5070 Ti GPUs that had already shipped were affected. But now it must be added that the GeForce RTX 5080 is also replicating this same problem. An issue that may now come to light more, as users will check if everything is fine with their GPU, or if they have to prepare to order a replacement.
In this specific case, it is also striking that it is a Founders Edition. Until now, the RTX 5090 and RTX 5070 Ti affected by this problem were custom AIB variants.
Users Will Experience Around 4% Performance Loss As Per Nvidia
Along with disclosing the percentage of affected graphics cards, NVIDIA indicated that graphics cards like this GeForce RTX 5080, with 8 fewer ROPs, will lose an average of 4% in performance.
However, performance differences of up to 11% have been seen in specific cases. A difference that widens even further in custom models with factory overclocking. In this specific case, there is a performance loss of 12.68% in 3DMark Time Spy.
As with the RTX 5090 and RTX 5070 Ti, the problem here is that there are no replacement graphics cards. So users will have to wait a couple of weeks, or a little over a month, to be able to claim to replace their GPU.
Luckily, the affected GPUs are fully functional. So users can continue using them normally until they are replaced. The only problem is that they are slightly less powerful than the advertised performance. We will also have to wait for NVIDIA to make an official statement.
Currently serving as a News Reporter at Tech4Gamers, I have the privilege of combining my love for gaming with the art of storytelling. My role involves crafting engaging narratives that keep our audience abreast of the latest developments in the gaming world.
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Mecha Break has gained a lot of traction recently.
Inspired by Armored Core and Titanfall’s gameplay, the title peaked at 317K concurrent players on Steam.
While many praised its gameplay, the title has also seen its fair share of controversy, mainly due to invasive anti-cheat.
All the major successes we’ve seen within the multiplayer games are smaller AA titles. The latest one to join the club is Mecha Break, by Amazing Seasun Games, a Chinese video game developer.
Mecha Break has been turning heads in the gaming community with its open beta, hitting a peak of 317K concurrent players.
Why it matters: Mecha Break was largely unknown before its open beta, but it recently started gaining attention from gamers.
Mecha Break Hitting A Peak Of 317K Concurrent Players || Source: SteamDB
Mecha Break is a third-person sci-fi shooter inspired by the Armored Core and the Titanfall series. The game currently features three modes: 3v3 Deathmatch, 6v6 Hero Shooter, or PvPvE Extraction Shooter.
The game has received many positive responses from gamers regarding its gameplay, intro, and cinematics. Mecha Break heavily emphasizes mech combat gameplay, delivering tense combat that will keep you hooked for hours.
Armored Core Seemingly Had A Huge Influence On Mecha Break.
However, the game’s demo has also seen its fair share of controversy due to the over-the-top character customization. The developers have heavily monetized the game, and players suspect it may become a pay-to-win title in the near future.
Additionally, the anti-cheat in the game requires manual removal even after uninstalling the game, which players found annoying. Still, there is no denying that Mecha Break is an absolute treat for a free-to-play title.
Have you played Mecha Break yet? In the comments below, let us know your thoughts on the game, or head towards the official Tech4Gamers Forum.
At Tech4Gamers, I contribute as a Senior News Reporter, combining my skills and gaming enthusiasm to keep our audience updated on the latest developments.
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The former CEO of Activision Blizzard believes Microsoft is not cut out to be a gaming company.
He advised the company to quit the business shortly after Satya Nadella became the CEO.
Bobby Kotick also believes that Microsoft needed Activision to survive.
The Activision Blizzard acquisition saga is nearly two years old already. This deal saw Microsoft purchasing the Call of Duty publisher for nearly $70 billion after months of back-and-forth court hearings and arguments.
Since then, Bobby Kotick has also resigned from his position as the CEO of Activision Blizzard. He was largely in favor of the deal before his resignation, but a recent interview shows that Bobby Kotick was never too confident in Microsoft’s abilities as a gaming giant.
Why it matters: The former CEO understands the gaming industry better than most people since he was part of Activision Blizzard’s rise to fame, playing a major role in the establishment of titles like Call of Duty.
Speaking on a recent episode of the Grit podcast, Bobby Kotick recalled his first meeting with Satya Nadella after his appointment as the Microsoft CEO.
Satya Nadella asked Bobby Kotick for advice on the gaming business since Xbox was in a difficult position at the time. However, the then-Activision Blizzard CEO was quite blunt and stated that Microsoft did not belong in the industry.
You shouldn’t be in gaming. You’re not a creative company.
-Satya Nadella
Instead, Bobby Kotick believed buying SAP or Workday would be a better investment for Microsoft. He stated that the recent Activision Blizzard deal only cemented his opinions further, making it clear that Microsoft was in dire need of the purchase going through.
You need us because you’re not going to figure out gaming with what you have.
Activision Blizzard Is Now A First-Party Xbox Team
Following the announcement of Xbox Muse, Microsoft has garnered criticism from developers for potentially reducing creativity within the industry. In light of recent discussions, Bobby Kotick’s statement seems quite interesting.
What are your thoughts on the former Activision Blizzard CEO’s perspective? Do you agree with his judgment? Let’s discuss this in the comments and on the Tech4Gamers Forums.
At Tech4Gamers, I contribute as a Senior News Reporter, combining my skills and gaming enthusiasm to keep our audience updated on the latest developments.
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Peter Parker’s voice actor says Spider-Man 3 will not sideline the character.
Previous statements from Insomniac implied that Miles Morales would take the lead in the next title.
It appears both Spider-Men will be given similar importance, with Silk also joining the game as the third playable character.
Spider-Man 2 was a major milestone for Insomniac’s superhero franchise. Introducing two playable characters, instant loading, and Venom’s role in the story, the game juggled plenty of elements throughout its nearly twenty-hour runtime.
The conclusion of Spider-Man 2 also had interesting implications for the Web Slinger’s next adventure, with Insomniac previously hinting at Miles Morales taking over the lead role. However, a new statement reveals that Peter Parker will continue to be central to the next title.
Why it matters: Spider-Man 2 struggled to balance the stories of its two main characters, so it was expected that Insomniac would attempt to focus on Miles Morales in favor of Peter Parker moving forward. It seems this is not what the team plans to do.
Spider-Man 2 Recently Debuted On PC
Speaking to The Direct, voice actor Yuri Lowenthal discussed what the future holds for Peter Parker.
While the voice actor was unable to share any specific details about Spider-Man 3, he stated that fans would not see the series’ original lead being sidelined. Instead, he teased a central role for the character.
He will be a part of the next game and he won’t be relegated to the couch.
-Yuri Lowenthal
This statement is so important because Spider-Man 2’s ending saw Peter Parker taking a small break from his duties to focus more on his personal life.
At the same time, he passed the mantle on to Miles Morales, giving him the responsibility of protecting New York as the sole Spider-Man. Anyhow, Yuri Lowenthal’s statement highlights that Peter Parker won’t be gone too long.
Spider-Man 2 Was An Emotional Roller Coaster For Both Leads
Elsewhere, Spider-Man 3 is expected to introduce Silk as the series’ third main character. This introduction could see the game juggling three stories at once, making it interesting after Insomniac’s previous decision to tackle Miles Morales and Peter Parker in a single game.
Which Insomniac lead is your favorite? Are you looking forward to the team’s next Spider-Man title? Let us know in the comments, and follow this link for more discussions on the Tech4Gamers Forums.
Currently serving as a News Reporter at Tech4Gamers, I have the privilege of combining my love for gaming with the art of storytelling. My role involves crafting engaging narratives that keep our audience abreast of the latest developments in the gaming world.
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Assassin’s Creed Shadows leaked early, as physical copies are being sold online, and some fans are already playing the game.
A user confirmed the leak by sharing PS5 gameplay footage, suggesting a playable build is available on the PSN store.
He also claims it’s the best game since 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag.
After multiple delays, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is finally launching next month on 20th March. Ubisoft delayed the game because they wanted to polish its parkour further.
However, it seems that some players are getting early access to the game. Assassin’s Creed Shadows physical copies are now spotted on retailers, and one user claims to have bought the game, which is fully playable for them.
Why It Matters: Any sort of media being leaked before its launch due to early physical shipping is catastrophic. The gameplay footage will spoil users who want to play the game when it launches.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Story Will Last Around 40 Hours
While many thought the listings were just a hoax, one user on social media came forward to confirm it was real, with gameplay footage as proof.
The said info is included in the Reddit post below.
The possibility of a copy existing is high since Ubisoft originally intended to release the game earlier. The added polishing touches usually come with a day-one patch for the game.
Nevertheless, each game must be updated through the PSN before it is playable. Apparently, an older build for the game is available on the PSN that the player accessed.
Yasuke’s Role Will Reportedly Be Scaled Back In The Final Product
The player added that Assassin’s Creed Shadows is the best game in the franchise since 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV Black Flag. There were other game details that we chose not to include, so players who want to avoid spoilers should steer clear of leaked content.
Ubisoft’s going all out with Assassin’s Creed Shadows since the French Publisher’s entire future lies with the game. The game is expected to sell 4 million units within the first month of its launch.
What are your thoughts on this situation? Let us know in the comments below or head towards the official Tech4Gamers Forum.
At Tech4Gamers, I began as a comparison writer, analyzing GPU and CPU performance. Now, I focus on writing reviews and contributing to the best-ofs section, sharing personal insights after hands-on testing.
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Games like Marvel’s Rivals and Infinity Nikki have made DirectX12 a mandatory requirement.
While some UE5 games, like Fortnite, support DX11, they run best with DX12 enabled.
According to Steam’s January 2025 Hardware Survey, the RTX 3060 is the most popular GPU and the GTX 1650 is the 3rd most popular GPU, making DirectX11 still relevant in 2025.
We’ve all had issues with recent games and their PC requirements. Take Starfield, for example. If you’re on an older PC, you’ll have serious problems with that game. Similarly, the RTX 5090 still can’t hit 60 FPS in Marvel’s Spiderman 2 at 4K with max settings. As such, some games are released exclusively with DX12. So, should game developers be making DirectX12 a mandatory requirement? Why not make them DX11-optimized? Allow me to take you through a rollercoaster ride.
Some Games Are Making DX12 A Mandatory Requirement
Marvel Rivals
This is where the issue arises. A few recent games, such as Marvel Rivals, have made DirectX12 a mandatory requirement. I wasn’t completely aware of the game’s specifications when I downloaded it some time ago (who looks at the DirectX requirements, right?). It was supposed to be a friend’s night out but ended up troubleshooting for one who was on older hardware.
For a game that doesn’t have out-of-the-world aesthetics, I can’t wrap my head around why it doesn’t support DirectX11. Even Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 supports DirectX11 (albeit with higher Shader Model requirements), showing games with higher graphical requirements can handle DirectX11. Of course, Marvel Rivals isn’t the only game to make it a mandatory requirement. We have Infinity Nikki and Frostpunk 2, for example, which also do not support DirectX11.
Unreal Engine 5 Works Best With DirectX12
RTX 5080
The main culprit for DX12-exclusive games is Unreal Engine 5. While the engine supports DX11, many ray tracing options, such as Lumen, Nanite, and Virtual Shadow Maps, are exclusive to DX12 Ultimate. Hence, many games using UE5 will lean more towards the DX12 technology (which supports DX12 Ultimate) and may provide support for DX11.
Fortnite is the first game to utilize UE5’s engine, and because of this, the system requirements skyrocketed. Even if you stay on DX11 and opt not to use ray tracing features, the game will still lag with an older system. Nevertheless, if you don’t have a system that supports DX12 and provides decent performance, at least you can still play the game without some eye candy.
Not Everyone Has Modern PCs
As much as it hurts the other person, not everyone is using a modern PC with a decent graphics card. According to Steam’s Hardware Survey for January 2025, the GTX 1650 is the 3rd most popular choice amongst gamers. The RTX 3060 is on top. As someone who’s using the latter, I’m beginning to face slight stutters in a few AAA-titled games.
So, just think how it must be for those using the GTX 1650. Now, I’m not saying the GTX 1650 is a bad GPU; it just can’t keep up with the system requirements of newer games. Considering, that thousands, if not millions, of gamers, are still using older graphics cards, perhaps game developers should keep DX11 as a side condiment to preserve player count.
I’d rather have fewer games being released yearly, but they are well-optimized, with support for older systems. On the other hand, I also understand technological advancements are quicker than ever, so it only makes sense to keep up with the most demanding hardware. But in places where you can still fit compatibility for older hardware, why not go ahead with it?
Is DirectX12 The Future? Maybe, But Not For Everyone
In the end, DirectX12 is the future of gaming. There wasn’t any doubt from the start this would happen. However, this future is not for everyone to enjoy… At least not for now. Looking at the recent GPU price hikes and artificial shortages, there’s no telling when everything will be normalized again.
I recommend new games have support for DirectX11 to support older GPUs so that game developers can leverage from better player count, rather than leaving the less fortunate behind. Game optimization has almost vanished in recent games and it’s about time we changed that.
At times I like to quote the situation with Control. Upon release the game supported DirectX11 but it was later removed. When the player base showed discontent, the game developers had to bring back DX11 support for the game. So, my take is, that game developers should not be making DirectX12 a mandatory requirement in games.
At Tech4Gamers, I contribute as a Senior News Reporter, combining my skills and gaming enthusiasm to keep our audience updated on the latest developments.
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VPNs are important tools for all gamers today, and they matter even more for fans of competitive online experiences.
Those looking to reduce their ping and matchmaking times have much to gain from relying on such a service.
Hiding your IP address is also important when taking security into account.
VPNs have become an integral part of daily life today. With internet usage growing at an unprecedented rate and anonymity being a major concern on the modern web, virtual proxy networks serve to counter many of the problems associated with the internet today.
VPNs also hold plenty of value for gamers. Whether it be accessing region-locked content or benefiting from early releases in certain countries, the merits of enjoying games from a masked connection are undeniable. Relying on VPNs is equally important when playing multiplayer games since competitive titles require crisp connections for the best gameplay.
Why it matters: Because VPNs are so popular today, it is important to understand why millions gravitate toward the many options available in the modern age.
Improving Ping And Online Connections
The Online Connection Can Make or Break A Multiplayer Match
Every competitive gamer understands the painful experience of dealing with high ping and intense lag. What is supposed to be an exciting online match can quickly become a nightmare if the connection fails to meet expectations.
This is why ideal network connections are so important, and VPNs can be an important tool for achieving the lowest possible ping. Download a VPN, and you should see the game routing your connection to the closest servers.
This comes in handy for people struggling to find games closer to their physical location. Moreover, relying on a VPN can drastically reduce matchmaking times in such situations.
Enhanced Protection
Online Gaming Is Made Safer When Using A Great Virtual Proxy Network
It’s no secret that the added protection and privacy introduced by VPNs are among their biggest strengths. When considering wildly popular online games with millions of players like Marvel Rivals and Call of Duty, there are bound to be a few rough encounters.
Because competitive games can get so heated and intense, there’s no telling when someone will take the odd joke or argument too far. Imagine a scenario where a stranger tries to threaten you using your IP address or personal details, and you will quickly realize why it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
VPNs can completely eliminate such a fear, acting as a safety net against potential attacks. Such instances may be very rare, but VPNs bring so many other benefits to the table that it’s hard to deny an extra layer of security in today’s hyper-competitive online gaming environment.
Staying Ahead of The Curve
Call of Duty Fans Resort To Region Switching Every Year To Play New Beta Tests As Soon As Possible
When thinking about new content for a multiplayer game or the next Call of Duty beta, players typically hope to jump into the action as soon as possible.
The best players are typically the first to explore the new content, giving them a leg up over the competition. A VPN can be beneficial in such instances, particularly for players living in countries that receive the content later than the rest.
Being able to play for an additional day or two can be the difference between future wins and losses, making it essential for enthusiasts to stay ahead of the curve.
Of course, this is far from everything that VPNs have to offer. A masked connection is generally recommended for all types of people today, even for those gamers limiting themselves to single-player content.
Currently serving as a News Reporter at Tech4Gamers, I have the privilege of combining my love for gaming with the art of storytelling. My role involves crafting engaging narratives that keep our audience abreast of the latest developments in the gaming world.
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Ubisoft says Assassin’s Creed Shadows is purely fictional inspired by history.
Therefore, they aim to make people interested in history through the game.
Said that interested people should go visit museums to learn actual history.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows has by far become the most controversial release of the franchise and this decade. Media and fans have complained about Ubisoft’s inaccurate portrayal of Feudal Japan.
Ubisoft has now addressed this situation, saying that Assassin’s Creed Shadows is purely fiction based on history.
Why it matters: Certain inaccuracies in the early gameplay footage of Assassin’s Creed Shadows led to hate speech and a boycott from fans. However, it’s important for people to realize that Ubisoft’s work is, at the end of the day, just fiction, not meant to portray actual history.
Parkour Completely Revamped In Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Talking with 4Gamer, Ubisoft’s creative director and executive producers were asked what they meant by saying “true to the history.”
We want people to learn about the historical background and general events through the game, and then become interested and go to museums and other places to learn about the real history.
-Ubisoft
The developers said they want people to learn the historical background and general events through the game. Interested people should later visit museums to learn about the actual history.
Moreover, the developers also stated that the series has been purely fictional since they released the first game in 2007. Their touch of dramatization is necessary to make the game a fun and interesting world.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows Features Over 700 Cutscenes
The devs also said they learned much about Japanese culture while developing the game. However, they still haven’t learned enough after all these years of development.
What are your thoughts on Assassin’s Creed Shadows and the controversy that follows the game? Will you buy it when it releases on March 20th next month? Let us know in the comments below or join the discussion at the Tech4Gamers Forums.
I’ve previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, I love to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games and breaking exclusive stories. Besides my passion for gaming journalism, I love spending my leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited my articles.
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A new EA patent wants to completely automate playtesting in games using AI agents that can exhibit many playstyles.
The studio argues that game designers can use these AI agents to replace manual and costly playtesting in games.
EA has been exploring this idea for a few years now, causing concerns across the gaming industry about an AI takeover.
We have found a new patent by EA that wants to automate one of the most crucial aspects of game development, QA and playtesting, using AI. These AI agents are capable of adopting various playstyles for efficient testing.
The recently published patent describes employing AI agents with multiple models, each exhibiting a different persona and playstyle to replace manual human testers.
It is of great interest for game designers to be able to model playstyles used during gameplay. By incorporating different personas in playtesting, game designers can better test how players can interact with one or more aspects of a game.
Why it matters: EA wants to automate playtesting in games, citing concerns about costly manual QA and playtesting processes during game development. This suggests EA may replace playtesters with AI bots in the future.
The image shows an example of an AI agent being conditioned on personal data to do certain actions.
The patent, ‘Generating Personas with Multi-modal Adversarial Imitation Learning,’ discusses evolving the playtesting scene by automating it with AI. EA argues that manual playtesting is costly and requires extensive management for AAA-sized projects.
Playtesting can consume about half a year for AAA titles. Developers can easily mitigate these concerns by using AI agents to speed up that process. These AI agents are also much cheaper than human testers.
Manual playtesting […] is both expensive and time-consuming, especially for large and intricate games. […] Game creators can easily and intuitively configure agents for automated playtesting.
The flow diagram shows an example of training an AI model for selecting actions for an agent in a game.
We could see EA potentially replacing human QA and playtesting in the near future with these AI agents. The gamers are concerned because the studio has been exploring automating playtesting in the last few years through some of its other similar patents.
EA has also patented many other innovative ideas over the years, including a new system to provide a personalized guidance system for players to help them become pros in games and another one to automate the animation of in-game characters.
Do you think EA’s patent to automate the playtesting and quality assurance phases in game development will lead to humans being replaced by AI? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.
As a News Reporter at Tech4Gamers, I bring the latest findings from the tech industry to our readers. Specializing in processors, graphics cards, and more, I strive to deliver detailed insights that keep our audience well-informed and engaged. Periodically, I also delve into the vibrant world of gaming to share captivating stories.
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The GeForce RTX 50 series no longer supports 32-bit CUDA, which means it doesn’t support PhysX acceleration.
Games like Mirrors Edge show a drastic performance drop on the RTX 5090 compared to older GPUs like the GTX 980 Ti.
A Reddit user paired an RTX 3050 with a 5090 to enable PhysX acceleration, significantly boosting performance in older games.
A few days ago, the RTX 50 series removed support for 32-bit CUDA, which meant that PhysX games would no longer be supported. Although you may still play some games, the performance is significantly below what you expect.
Why it matters: The removal of PhysX support in the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 series directly impacts gamers who enjoy older titles that rely on this technology.
There used to be PhysX acceleration cards. However, NVIDIA bought this company and incorporated PhysX technology into their GeForce lineup. That said, the absence of PhysX on graphics cards, such as the GeForce RTX 5090, is a significant issue.
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Since its launch in early 2015, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti has outperformed the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090. Mirrors Edge provides one such example: when physics kicks in, the RTX 5090 suffers greatly.
In rasterization, the GeForce RTX 5090 provides nearly twice the performance of the GeForce GTX 980 Ti. However, when the glass cracks and physics kicks in, we can observe that Mirrors Edge is essentially unplayable, with the GeForce RTX 5090 achieving 6 FPS compared to 120 FPS on the GTX 980 Ti.
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A Reddit user named jerubedo claims that he bought a GeForce RTX 3050 to pair with his GeForce RTX 5090 and speed up PhysX. The goal was to observe what would happen if older games were played using the PhysX physics acceleration technology.
As expected, the combo has significantly boosted performance. With the RTX 3050 installed, the Mafia 2 Classic ran at 157.1 FPS instead of 28.8 FPS with the RTX 5090. Batman Arkham Asylum went from running at 61 FPS to 390 FPS.
This makes it obvious that the RTX 50 series is a major step backward if you want to play older games that require PhysX.
At T4G, my task is to cover the latest news around the gaming globe ASAP and with the utmost precision. I adore all the games and respect all the devs behind the amazing games that we get all year. So, whether it’s a PC or a Console game, I got it all covered.
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Despite so many years since its launch, the RTX 3060 is still the most popular choice on Steam.
Other popular choices include the RTX 4060, GTX 1650, and RTX 3060 ti.
The primary screen resolution for over 50% of the players is still 1080p.
It’s been almost 4 years since Nvidia released the GeForce RTX 3000 series. The whole lineup was a huge step from the previous generation, introducing improved DLSS and ray tracing capabilities.
Since the prices have come down so much, and the GPUs are still performing well, it’s no surprise that even after so many years, the GeForce RTX 3060 is still the most popular choice for gamers on Steam.
Why it matters: The RTX 3060 still performs well for AAA gaming at 1080p 60 FPS and is especially effective for FPS and most other competitive titles at higher frame rates.
Nvidia Geforce RTX 3060 is still the most popular GPU on Steam
According to Steam’s latest hardware survey for 2025, the RTX 3060 keeps its place as the undisputed king of GPUs on Steam. Over 5% of the users are still on the card. The RTX 4060 mobile and desktop versions are joining second and third place, respectively.
While on paper, the RTX 4060 doesn’t feel like the best of GPUs, it does use the newer iteration of DLSS combined with frame generation for a decent experience. However, these GPUs are more than enough since the primary resolution is still 1080p.
1080p is still the primary resolution for over 50% of gamers.
Nvidia recently launched the much-anticipated RTX 5000 series, but considering their prices and availability, the older RTX 3000 and 4000 series will still make a lot of sense for most users.
What are your thoughts on RTX 3060 still holding its ground as the most popular Steam GPU? What graphics card are you currently using? Let us know in the comments or join the discussion at the official Tech4Gamers Forum.
