Facebook Linkedin Twitter Youtube
Home Blog Page 517

Tomb Raider Development Progressing Well, Confirms Amazon

Story Highlight
  • The next entry in the Tomb Raider franchise has been in development for a while.
  • Amazon Games recently shared a small update, confirming that development is moving forward smoothly.
  • It also revealed that Crystal Dynamics is not being impacted by the ongoing layoffs at Embracer Group.

The last mainline entry in the Tomb Raider franchise was released nearly six years ago, and while the developers announced the latest entry two years ago, not much has been shared about it.

Fans have been worried about the title, as Crystal Dynamics has been quiet for a really long time. However, the Amazon Games studio head has stated that Tomb Raider is progressing well.

Why it matters: Embarcer Group, which owns Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics, laid off around 8,000 workers in the last 12 months and cancelled many games, which led to worries about the IP’s future.

Rise of the Tomb Raider
Tomb Raider Will Utilize Unreal Engine 5 For Jaw-Dropping Visuals

During a recent interview with IGN, Amazon Games studio head Christoph Hartmann finally shared more information about Tomb Raider, which has been in development for around two years.

Hartmann also talked about the recent layoffs at Embracer Group. He reveals that Crystal Dynamics is fairly sheltered from everything that’s going on at Embracer Group; therefore, fans dont have to worry much about it.

People obviously look at what the parent company is doing, but it never impacted on resources, so they’re fine.

-Christoph Hartmann

He admitted that working on a Tomb Raider game is a huge task. The bar is set so high that the longer you take on the development, the higher the expectations become. Still, he confirms that things are progressing well.

Lara Croft Tomb Raider Unreal Engine 5
Fans Have Been Waiting For Tomb Raider’s Return For A While

Hartmann stated that they have some really good ideas for the next title. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to share anything for now. Still, it’s still great to know that the development of the next Tomb Raider is progressing well.

Latest Updates

Despite Crystal Dynamics’ silence, recent reports suggest that the first look at the title is expected soon. Since the title is based on Unreal Engine 5, everyone is looking forward to seeing the next generation evolution of this beloved classic.

Avowed Is Xbox’s 4th Major First-Party Release To Target 30FPS On Consoles

Story Highlight
  • Xbox previously released Hellblade 2, Starfield, and Redfall at 30FPS on consoles.
  • Obsidian Entertainment has confirmed that Avowed is also set to launch with this limitation.
  • The studio states that this decision allowed the team to focus on enhancing the visuals.

Over the course of this generation, Xbox has constantly struggled to produce games that meet the high standards of audiences. Whether it be Redfall’s technical hitches or Starfield’s 30FPS cap, Xbox has disappointed on more than one occasion.

Earlier this year, Hellblade 2 also launched with a 30FPS cap on consoles. While it was somewhat justifiable in this instance, another first-party studio is gearing up to follow suit. According to an interview, Avowed will run at 30FPS on consoles.

Why it matters: 60FPS is the new norm for console gaming, and very few titles target 30FPS exclusively today.

During a recent interview, the production and art directors behind Avowed were asked about their frame target for the RPG.

The developers confirmed that Obsidian Entertainment is set on a 30FPS target since the team found this a suitable baseline to work with. According to the directors, 60FPS isn’t needed for the type of single-player experience Obsidian Entertainment is going for.

We are targeting 30FPS bare minimum. That’s the expectation.

The director also confirmed that this target would allow the team to enhance the visuals and effects for a more immersive experience. Since the question specifically outlined the Xbox Series X, both consoles will be locked to this frame rate.

What’s interesting here is that much of the previous Avowed footage was running at 60FPS. Fans have called out this decision, stating that Xbox set the wrong expectations for everyone.

Avowed FT
Avowed Arrives Next Year

Since Xbox’s first-party releases have previously fallen into a pattern of launching 60FPS modes after release, the same could happen for Avowed. In the past, Bethesda did the same for Starfield, and Redfall also received a 60FPS mode several months after launch.

Latest Updates

Avowed was recently delayed to 2025 due to Microsoft’s stacked first-party lineup. Indiana Jones seems to have taken the spot as the major late 2024 release, giving Obsidian Entertainment more time to flesh out this RPG.

Silent Hill 2 Remake Is Twice As Long As The Original, Says Dev

Story Highlight
  • Silent Hill 2 Remake is said to take around 16 hours to complete on average.
  • Bloober Team says that a playthrough can last up to 20 hours, depending on how the remake is approached.
  • Going by HowLongToBeat, the original game could be finished in around 8 hours.

Silent Hill 2 Remake has just received the first encouraging information in a long while. Following a well-received story trailer, the remake received positive feedback from the general public.

Bloober Team has thanked audiences for all the recent feedback, and the team has also commented on the game’s total playtime. According to a developer, the remake will be at least twice as long as the original release.

Why it matters: As per HowLongToBeat, Silent Hill 2 takes about 8 hours on average to beat. It seems Bloober Team has added quite a bit of content to ensure the experience is more extensive this time around.

When asked about the average length of Bloober Team’s remake, Creative Director Mateusz Lenart stated that players would find about 16-18 hours of content in the remake during their first run.

He also confirmed that a completionist run would be even longer, taking the total playtime to about 20+ hours. This would mean finding all the secrets and uncovering everything in the remake.

Moreover, the Creative Director stated that fans could extend the playtime further by going for multiple playthroughs to discover the various endings. All in all, the team seems to have doubled the amount of content compared to Konami’s original Silent Hill 2.

Silent Hill 2 Remake
Silent Hill 2 Remake Has Gone Through Various Changes Recently

Konami is gearing up for a launch in October, and more information is expected as the release date draws nearer. The team also recently confirmed a 60FPS mode for the game.

Latest Updates

Bloober Team’s decision to extend the playtime is certainly interesting. The remake is said to be faithful in many areas, but the team has likely made various changes with the additional content.

Whether this approach resonates with the fans remains to be seen. However, one thing is clear: the studio certainly has high ambitions.

AMD Delays B840 And B850 Chipsets In Favor Of X870/E Lineup

Story Highlight
  • AMD is launching the X870 and X870E chipsets this year for the Ryzen 9000 CPUs.
  • The more budget-friendly options have been delayed to 2025 to focus on the higher-end options.
  • All these motherboards come with various advantages, but the B450 lineup is best suited to budget gamers.

With Intel gearing up to launch its Intel Core Ultra 200K CPUs, AMD has also decided to go all out for its users to compete head-to-head with Intel. 

The budget-friendly B840 and B850 chipsets, which were going to launch this year, have reportedly been delayed to the next. Instead, the Red Team will launch X870 and X870E chipsets this year for its Ryzen 9000 series CPUs.

These chipsets were going to accompany the best motherboard models for AM5 and Zen 5. But the price of this set is the biggest setback, that’s where B840 and B850 steps in.

AMD Chipsets X870E and X870
AMD Presents Breakdown Of 800 Series Motherboards

As seen above, the B850 chipset provides nearly everything a gamer may require, including overclocking. The B840 is the best option for people who don’t need much more power than CPU performance and don’t mind losing 2% of GPU performance because of PCIe 3.0 x16.

This is essentially the same as what has been occurring with their predecessors. AMD claims that the X870 and X870E chipset motherboards will compete with Intel’s Z790 and have native PCI-E 5.0 capability.

However, as Zen 5 will compete with more recent Intel processors, the X870/E will likely face off against Z890 motherboards for Arrow Lake CPUs. The Z890 motherboards are scheduled to arrive on 17 October.

Latest Updates

We will learn about the performance of these CPUs when the comparisons arrive, but from what we have seen, it seems that they will be quite equal.

Black Myth: Wukong Rated 10/10 After 200K Steam Reviews

Story Highlight
  • Black Myth Wukong was released on August 20, and the game received fairly solid reviews from the critics.
  • After its release, audience reception has been even better, with an average rating of 10/10 on Steam.
  • This rating has stayed consistently high despite the action RPG boasting more than 200K reviews.

Game Science delivered an action RPG that has been met with unanimous acclaim in 2024. Black Myth: Wukong stands tall as this year’s biggest release, and the results speak for themselves.

While critic reviews are already quite telling, the audience reception is perhaps Game Science’s biggest achievement. Black Myth: Wukong currently boasts a 10/10 rating on Steam.

Why it matters: Game Science has successfully appealed to both Chinese gamers and Western audiences. The studio’s action RPG is naturally designed for people from China, but it does this without sacrificing Western appeal.

Black Myth: Wukong
Black Myth: Wukong Reviews via Steam

Black Myth Wukong was released on Steam on August 20, and it has been doing very well since then, impressing everyone and breaking records.

However, the interesting part here is that the action RPG gathered over 200K Steam reviews in just two days. Generally, most games take months to reach this many reviews. Furthermore, after such a high number of reviews, the average can often take a hit.

For Black Myth: Wukong, however, this does not seem to be an issue. With more than 96% of the reviews being positive, the average score rounds off to a 10/10. Looking at the reviews, Steam users have praised the combat and boss battles.

Many have also noted that Game Science surprised them since they came in with cautious optimism. The breathtaking visuals have been another highlight, further reinforcing the positive thoughts.

Black Myth Wukong FT
Black Myth: Wukong Depicts Next-Gen Visuals

The action RPG is now being considered an inspiration for developers who hope to create experiences that make no compromises. This is the biggest secret behind Game Science’s success.

Whether it be gameplay, visuals, or narrative, the title delivers on all fronts.

Latest Updates

Black Myth: Wukong is also constantly breaking its own concurrent player count records.

After it broke Palworld’s record, the title achieved new records for two consecutive days. Having reached over 2.4 million players on Steam today, it has led to speculations about a potential all-time peak beyond 3 million concurrent players during the weekend.

Uncharted Franchise Officially Ended With Lost Legacy 7 Years Ago

Story Highlight
  • Uncharted: The Lost Legacy was released on this day seven years ago.
  • It marked the end of the series, becoming the last release from Naughty Dog before it moved on.
  • The game was well-received since it focused on familiar characters like Chloe Frazer and introduced more open exploration elements.

The Uncharted franchise was around for a whole decade, pioneering genre-defining third-person action games on PlayStation. With witty characters, heart-pumping action, and memorable stories, this franchise always brought something unique to the table.

However, Naughty Dog concluded the series with Uncharted 4. The studio offered one last send-off with Uncharted: The Lost Legacy in 2017, bidding the series farewell forever.

Why it matters: The Uncharted series put Naughty Dog on the map, making the studio famous as one of the industry’s most talented teams in terms of cinematic offerings. This success was later continued with The Last of Us.

Uncharted 4 already ended on a high note after setting an exceptional bar for story-telling, visuals, and gameplay in the genre.

The Lost Legacy mostly offered more of the same without changing the core formula. However, this was hardly anything to complain about since fans already enjoyed Naughty Dog’s work on the last entry.

It is also important to note that Uncharted: The Lost Legacy came as a bit of a surprise. Following Uncharted 4, fans thought the series would be put to rest, but Naughty Dog had one last adventure as a treat for its audience.

This standalone release came with the same cinematic flair and well-written characters that everyone expected. However, it also expanded on the previous game’s open sections, allowing players more room to explore between the more focused narrative moments.

Familiar characters like Chloe Frazer and Sam Drake returned, while fans got to see another side of antagonist Nadine Ross. These characters were given more time to grow and develop, giving their adventure purpose and meaning.

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy Was Great Despite The Lack of Nathan Drake

Suffice it to say, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy carried the same strengths as its predecessor, serving as a solid last release.

Latest Updates

Seven years later, the demand for a franchise revival is high. Naughty Dog also seems to be stuck in a vicious cycle of launching re-release after re-release, so fans hope to see the studio returning to the thrilling treasure hunts of Uncharted once again.

AMD Reportedly Pushed Back Ryzen 9000X3D Launch to CES 2025

Story Highlight
  • AMD has postponed the release of its Ryzen 9000 3D V-Cache CPUs to CES 2025 instead of the planned late 2024 launch.
  • The Ryzen 9000X3D CPUs will be AMD’s next major release on the AM5 platform.
  • AMD will reportedly launch the Ryzen 5 7600X3D for AM5 next month, with the Ryzen 5 5500X3D for AM4 expected later.

According to reports, AMD has postponed the release of its Ryzen 9000 3D V-Cache desktop CPUs, with CES 2025 now serving as the new reveal date. The next big release on the AM5 desktop platform from the Red Team will be AMD’s Ryzen 9000X3D CPUs with 3D V-Cache technology.

Why it matters: Originally, the new chips were to be unveiled in October, with the launch scheduled for late 2024. However, that appears to have changed. The launch window for AMD’s Ryzen 9000X3D CPUs was never officially announced, although all of the main motherboard vendors were informed about it.

AMD CES 2024
AMD Could Have A Huge Presence At CES 2025

CES 2025 is now the new release date, according to a second update that AMD has shared with motherboard partners. Gamers will now have to wait a little longer to experience faster gaming performance if they were hoping for AMD’s next-generation 3D V-Cache CPUs to be released.

Many gamers who expected the performance that AMD publicly demonstrated in its benchmarks may have been disappointed by the new AMD Ryzen 9000 series. As a result, gamers seeking to outperform their rivals in terms of gaming speed will have to wait for the AMD 9000X3D to launch.

With the recent unveiling of the X870E/X870 motherboards, Asus hinted at the Ryzen 9000X3D CPUs but later took it down. That being said, there will still be 3D V-cache action this year. For its AM4 and AM5 platforms, AMD is developing two whole new CPUs.

Latest Updates

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D will debut on the AM5 platform next month, and the AM4-based AMD Ryzen 5 5500X3D is anticipated to appear sometime in the future. However, currently, there is no information on when AMD is planning to launch the latter.

It would be exciting to see the performance advantage of the AMD Ryzen 9000X3D variant over the last generation.

Black Myth: Wukong Unlikely To Be On Xbox Anytime Soon

Story Highlights
  • New information on Black Myth: Wukong reveals the game might not be coming to Xbox anytime soon.
  • When asked about the action RPG, Xbox failed to provide an update.
  • The game is also poorly optimized for the PS5, suggesting that the Xbox Series S will be an even bigger issue.

There is bad news for players hoping to get their hands on Black Myth: Wukong on Xbox. A new report suggests that the port isn’t releasing any time soon.

Why it matters: It was previously claimed that Black Myth: Wukong’s delay on Xbox was caused due to a deal with PlayStation. This does not seem to be the case, but Xbox has kept its fans in the dark in regards to the situation.

Black Myth: Wukong
Black Myth: Wukong makes full use of Unreal Engine 5.

According to a post by Forbes, when Microsoft was asked about the reason for the delay, a spokesperson sent the same statement that had come out a few months ago. This implies that Xbox itself does not have much to share.

The gaming giant also pointed to a potential exclusivity deal, but Game Science previously confirmed no exclusivity agreement is in place. The main problem here appears to be the Xbox Series S.

What’s also interesting is the PS5 version of Black Myth: Wukong. Digital Foundry recently commented on the port and confirmed it has various problems. It makes sense, then, that the studio would find it troublesome to work with the Xbox Series S.

Another analysis also confirmed that the PS5 version drops as low as 720p to achieve 60FPS. This is typically the resolution the Xbox Series S runs at, so a further drop might be needed. However, that would lead to a subpar experience.

With Black Myth: Wukong becoming as big as it is, this is a huge missed opportunity for Xbox. The gaming giant’s budget-friendly console would have benefited from this popularity since the PS5 is said to have gone through a major sales surge in China.

Latest Updates

At this point, it seems Game Science will need more time to work on the Xbox Series S|X ports.

Hopefully, the team will have more to share soon, but this seems unlikely given the current problems of the PS5 version and the fact that the Xbox Series S would further exacerbate these issues.

Capcom Confirms Plans To Revive More Classic IPs Amid Dino Crisis Demand

Story Highlight
  • Capcom has recently shown its intention to bring back more classic IPs after Dead Rising.
  • The studio currently wants to focus on working on and promoting the remaster.
  • Fans can expect the revival of their favourite IPs as a remake/remaster seems inevitable now.

Capcom has been working to appeal to its fandom lately. The developer outdid itself with the Resident Evil 4 remake and continues to meet expectations. While many other developers aim to stop selling physical games, Capcom has no plans to do so.

Following recent success with various re-releases and classic revivals, it is aiming to revive more classic IPs after Dead Rising.

Why it matters: Capcom has a wealth of IPs that haven’t seen much attention recently. Fan demand for revivals like Dino Crisis is also plentiful, making the publisher’s intentions quite encouraging.

Resident Evil 4 Remake Featured Image
Capcom Managed To Exceed Everyone’s Expectations With The Resident Evil 4 Remake

In an interview with IGN, Capcom made its intent clear to bring back the old IPs to life. IGN asked the developer whether fans should take the Deluxe remaster as a sign of more things to come in the future.

The studio was also asked if it aims to go back and remaster other Dead Rising games or make a completely new entry. Capcom had an encouraging response.

Capcom would like to continue to bring back many of its IPs.

Regarding the Dead Rising games, it hopes to expand the series in the future, but of course, that depends on the reception of this upcoming release. The developer would like to promote and share the remaster with the fans before jumping to any conclusions about the series.

Recently, fans have criticized the remaster, claiming the developer is tweaking it too much for the modern audience. That could become a problem down the line, but the studio is interested in looking at the responses before making future decisions.

As for old Capcom games that deserve the treatment, Dino Crisis is very high on the list. Fans also want to see the likes of Mega Man and Onimusha back, so there is a lot of potential to explore classic franchises.

Latest Updates

Also, the developer has recently been working with Microsoft to bring its old games to Xbox. So, Xbox fans should expect the iconic games to be on their preferred platform soon enough.

Monster Hunter Wilds Is Capcom’s 2nd Major 30FPS Game On PS5 & Xbox

Story Highlight
  • Monster Hunter Wilds is likely to be released by next year.
  • During Gamescom, many content creators got the chance to play a demo from Capcom.
  • The game seems to be running at a locked 30FPS on consoles, marking it the second Capcom title to skip 60FPS in recent memory.

Monster Hunter Wilds is the latest entry in Capcom’s iconic franchise. As the studio continues marketing efforts for this release, it recently gave content creators a chance to go hands-on with the game.

One of the creators who played the demo during Gamescom 2024 has now confirmed that Monster Hunter Wilds runs at 30FPS on PS5.

Why it matters: Not too long ago, Capcom released Dragon’s Dogma 2 with a 30FPS mode on the consoles; therefore, it appears the developer is following the same strategy with this release.

Monster Hunt Wilds Is The Most Ambitious Entry In The IP

Very recently, a content creator who played the demo of Monster Hunter Wilds during Gamescom 2024 shared his experience on Twitter.

Talking about the demo, he revealed that the game didn’t run at 60FPS but felt smooth. This demo was captured on the PS5, but it suggests that Capcom has skipped a performance mode across all consoles.

Demo was on a ps5, didnt run at 60fps but felt like a stable 30fps.

-MH_Canta

Since the game is still far away from release, there is a chance that the studio may be working on a 60FPS mode for consoles, as the 30FPS mode is currently quite stable. This was not the case with Dragon’s Dogma 2.

Even though it also skipped 60FPS on the PS5 and Xbox Series S|X, the 30FPS mode constantly faced hitches and problems. Many believe that Monster Hunter is a much bigger franchise for Capcom, and Dragon’s Dogma 2 was rushed, leading to the locked 30FPS for console players.

Dragon's Dogma 2
Dragon’s Dogma 2 Was Another 30FPS Locked Title From Capcom

Still, it’s best to wait for an official announcement in this regard, as nothing is officially confirmed yet for the title. For now, it seems both the PS5 and Xbox Series S|X will run at 30FPS.

Latest Updates

Monster Hunter Wilds is also skipping the Nintendo Switch due to the hybrid console’s technical limitations. Perhaps it will be released for the Nintendo Switch 2 later, but Capcom has clarified that its upcoming release is highly ambitious and hardware intensive.

ASUS Reveals New X870E and X870 Motherboards Powered By NitroPath

[Press Release] During Gamescom 2024, Asus issued the date and has now delivered, showcasing the top motherboard variants for the AMD Ryzen 9000 series with X870E and X870 chipsets.

Furthermore, the business has made significant advancements in the RAM department, which is crucial for Ryzen chips. A major leap forward comes from the patented technique dubbed NitroPath, which holds great potential.

Asus has introduced nine motherboards in its AMD 800-series based on the X870E and X870 chipsets. The series will consist of four ROG Strix, one ROG Crosshair, One Pro Art, one TUF Gaming, and two Prime series offerings.

The top and bottom offerings are the same; we have the ROG CROSSHAIR X870E HERO at the top, which boasts premium metallic textures, nickel-plated surfaces, and the second generation of Polymo Lighting II.

The motherboard uses advanced AI for tasks such as overclocking or different board controls. It also has two PCIe 5.0 x16 GPU slots in case we want to place two for AI, five M.2 slots, of which three are PCIe 5.0, a SlimSAS connector, Wi-Fi 7, Dual Ethernet, several USB 4 ports (front with 60W USB-C Quick Charge 4+), and SupremeFX 7.1 Surround Sound audio.

The remaining motherboards go down in price and performance. The 4 ROG STRIX motherboard offerings consist of the ROG STRIX X870E-E WIFI, ROG STRIX X870-F GAMING WIFI, ROG STRIX X870-A GAMING WIFI, and the ROG STRIX X870-I GAMING WIFI Mini-ITX.

The X870E-Creator WIFI is part of the ProArt line. However, the X870-Plus WIFI is part of the TUF Gaming series.

The remaining X870-P WIFI and X870-P are part of the Prime line, which includes Asus’ least expensive X870 motherboards. Of the nine models that have been detailed and identified thus far, only two will be able to utilize the latest technology known as NitroPath.

The function of this new technology, NitroPath, is that it makes the IMC support higher RAM speeds. With this, the memory routing design for the CPU and its IMC has been greatly improved. However, the condition for this is that the motherboard should guarantee stability, control, and voltage.

Asus has not yet provided the prices of these motherboards. However, it has announced the official release date, which is 30 September.

AVerMedia Debuts GO Series With Versatile X’TRA GO Capture Dock

[Press Release] AverMedia has just announced the Go Series of products, which will be launched over the next few months.

First up in the lineup is the X’TRA GO(GC515). This capture dock has been designed specifically for USB-C mobile devices, with AverMedia aiming to provide a well-rounded experience for capture, mobility, and more.

With up to 4K30FPS and 1080p120FPS capture support, there’s no doubt about the X’TRA GO’s ability to deliver. According to AverMedia’s president, the first release of the GO Series highlights a commitment to seamless video capture and recording through compact devices.

AVerMedia XTRA GO GC515
The Capture Dock Is A Great Fit For Your Steam Deck Or ROG Ally

Thanks to Type-C ADP Alt mode support, the capture dock can also be used for more than just mobile phones. Elsewhere, 4K60 HDMI output ensures users receive an exceptional experience even when using an external display.

The X’TRA GO offers a PC-free mode for additional convenience, unlocking the ability to capture footage directly to a microSD card. All of these options make the capture dock a versatile device that can handle multiple tasks at once.

To wrap things up, the X’TRA GO can also act as a docking station for your handheld gaming console. This makes it a one-size-fits-all solution for content creators, professionals, and more.

Available in black and white for $199.99, the X’TRA GO is the first of many products planned for this lineup. AverMedia will eventually follow up with more options, such as a charging station, a microphone, and more.

For the latest updates on all these products and more, visit the official website through this link.

1...828384Page 517 of 84