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Xbox Console Availability Shrinking As Microsoft Ignores Various Regions

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  • Microsoft has announced brand new consoles, including a 2TB variant of the Xbox Series X.
  • These consoles will be sold in all the usual regions in which Xbox operates, with various exceptions, like Argentina, Israel, UAE, Turkey, and more.
  • This is yet another example of Microsoft’s dwindling focus on the console market.

While Sony continues to see great results with the PS5, Microsoft’s console sales haven’t been the best recently. The Xbox Series S|X have recently received new models, but previous earnings releases confirm that hardware revenue is dropping with each new quarter.

According to Xbox’s latest announcement, the gaming giant also seems to be ignoring more markets than ever despite its current influence across the globe.

Why it matters: Previously, Xbox has increased prices in regions like Brazil. The gaming giant also confirmed that its marketing budget was quite limited outside of countries like the US.

Xbox
Source: Xbox

Xbox has announced its all-new digital-only Xbox Series X along with two other consoles. All of these are now available for preorder.

However, the disappointing part is that the console is not available for purchase in many important regions such as Argentina, Brazil, and others. Since Xbox is already struggling with console sales, the limited release of the new models is a surprise.

Following Microsoft’s limited marketing efforts, cutting console availability in several regions is an alarming sign. Previous reports also suggested that consoles yield just 15 percent of the annual Xbox revenue. Such moves could lead to a further decline in the hardware revenue. 

Xbox
Xbox Is Falling Behind In The Hardware Market

It is also important to note that Microsoft will continue to sell the original models in these countries. Perhaps the gaming giant has taken this decision to ensure there is enough stock for the new models in the major regions.

Latest Updates

Xbox is also expected to take various steps to offer distinct hardware for the next generation. In addition to another powerful console, a gaming handheld is expected from the gaming giant.

BioWare Spent 200,000 Hours Testing Dragon Age: The Veilguard On PC

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  • Dragon Age: The Veilguard is finally launching later this year.
  • BioWare has just revealed that they spent over 200,000 hours testing the game on PC.
  • The team has spent a total of 600,000 hours testing the game for PC and consoles.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is just two months away from its launch, and as the release date approaches, the developers are sharing more information about the RPG with the fans.

BioWare has published a new blog post about the title’s PC features. The developers have confirmed spending as much as 200,000 hours testing Dragon Age: The Veilguard on PC.

Why it matters: Recent PC ports have been far from great, so it is encouraging to see BioWare carrying out extensive testing for its upcoming RPG.

Dragon Age The Veilguard
Dragon Age The Veilguard Is Finally Launching In Two Months

BioWare released a new journal for Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s PC features, stating that the franchise started on PC, so the developers wanted to ensure that the PC is a great platform for players to play.

Regarding PC development, the studio carried out extensive testing. The team further stated that getting the PC experience right was crucial to the team.

PCs made up 40% of our platform testing effort, with over 200,000 hours of performance and compatibility testing.

-BioWare Blog

The team stated that they spent 10,000 hours dedicated to keyboard and mouse user research testing and have also worked on the native support for PS5 DualSense controllers.

If you haven’t noticed yet, the team’s testing of over 200,000 hours suggests that it spent  22 years of testing just for the PC version. In total, it appears that the developers have spent over 600,000 hours testing Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

Another exciting news is the confirmation of Ultrawide support, which also extends to cutscenes. The team has confirmed that no matter the size of your monitor, players can adjust the size of the FOV through an FOV slider in the setting.

Latest Updates

Nonetheless, this is great news for fans. The developer has spent a massive amount of time working on testing the title for both PC and console versions to ensure the smoothest experience for everyone at release.

Black Myth: Wukong Drops As Low As 720p To Maintain 60FPS On PS5

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  • Black Myth: Wukong struggles to maintain consistent 60FPS on PS5, leading to resolution dropping to 720p.
  • The overall graphical quality seems lower than the PC version, even compared to lower PC settings.
  • It seems the action RPG was developed with PC in mind, and the deficiencies are certainly evident in the PS5 version.

Black Myth: Wukong has been a successful launch on PC, and everyone is singing praises of its visuals. However, it’s a different story for PS5 users. Keeping a steady 60FPS experience on the PS5 has been difficult, resulting in noticeable drops in resolution.

Compared to a PC, the PS5 version offers graphical quality between Medium and High settings. It’s roughly at the third level on a scale from Low to Cinematic. Some textures might even look worse than the lowest PC settings.

Why it matters: Black Myth: Wukong on PS5 is playable but differs significantly from the PC version. The need to adjust the resolution and the lack of ray tracing highlight the difficulties developers face in optimizing games for different platforms.

To ensure smooth gameplay, the PS5 adjusts the resolution as needed in the performance mode. This option opts for dynamic resolution ranging between 720p and 1080p, ensuring 60 FPS.

While compromises on graphical detail are evident, the performance mode provides the smoothest gameplay experience. Using Unreal Engine 5 has led to mixed results for Black Myth: Wukong in PS5.

The engine creates stunning visuals and detailed environments, but it also causes performance problems like stuttering.

Black Myth: Wukong
Black Myth: Wukong has been very successful on launch day, selling 4.5 million units through pre-orders.

To keep the game running at 60FPS on consoles like the PS5, developers must use resolution scaling and other adjustments.

Despite the challenges on PS5, Black Myth: Wukong has been praised for its PC optimization. The addition of FSR and Frame Generation helps budget PC gamers enjoy a smooth experience.

Latest Updates

Regardless, the game runs smoothly on the PS5 in performance mode, which is impressive given the demands of Unreal Engine 5.

Phil Spencer Justifies Indiana Jones On PS5; Says We Run A Business

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  • Many Xbox fans are disappointed over the announcement of Indiana Jones and The Great Circle for PS5.
  • Phil Spencer has recently discussed the topic, stating that it was a necessary move to run the business.
  • He further stated that their recent strategy has been working, as they have seen the highest number of Xbox players this year.

Just yesterday, it was officially confirmed that Indiana Jones and The Great Circle would finally be coming later this year. The title has also joined the list of games that will be released for PS5.

While many Xbox fans are confused and disappointed over the recent decision, Phil Spencer believes it is justified to release franchises like Indiana Jones on PS5.

Why it matters: Many Xbox fans feel that this decision undermines the value of first-party releases since nothing is guaranteed to be exclusive to Xbox anymore.

Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer
Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer Has Discussed The Changing Gaming Landscape

Not too long ago, Phil Spencer stated that franchises like Indiana Jones and Starfield wouldn’t be released for PS5. While this statement has been shared without the actual context, Xbox fans aren’t happy with the recent announcement.

Xbox boss Phil Spencer was also asked about Indiana Jones’ recent announcement during the company’s latest marketing stream at Gamescom. Spencer said he had already confirmed during the showcase that more titles would be released for the PS5.

our player numbers are going up for the console platform, our franchises are as strong as they’ve ever been… and we run a business.

-pHIL sPENCER

He continued with the argument that Xbox’s franchises are getting stronger and bigger, and the number of console players this year has been at the highest it has ever been.

Spencer stated that this opened the opportunity to pursue further growth through the PS5 since Xbox is already doing so well. He said that they are looking for ways to grow in the gaming industry, and this strategy has done wonders for them.

He also discussed the pressure many are facing in the industry following recent layoffs.

Indiana Jones
Indiana Jones Is Coming To PS5 Next Year

Spencer stated that the industry has been growing for many years, and now everyone is looking for ways to sustain this growth, so there is pressure on the industry. He confirmed that fans will continue to see changes in the ways games are distributed.

There’s going to be more change in how games were built and distributed.

Latest Updates

Ultimately, Xbox still aims to provide the best experience possible for its players. 

Phil Spencer Never Really Claimed That Indiana Jones Wouldn’t Come To PS5

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  • Indiana Jones and The Great Circle has recently been confirmed for PS5.
  • Soon after the announcement, an old clip of Phil Spencer stating that titles like Indiana Jones wouldn’t be released on the PS5 surfaced online.
  • However, the Green Team Boss meant Indiana Jones and Starfield would not be among the first four titles released on multiple platforms.

Many rumours suggested that Indiana Jones and The Great Circle would be released on PS5 as Xbox has changed its strategy and is releasing its first-party titles on multiple platforms.

Following many rumours, it was officially confirmed yesterday during the Gamescom 2024 that Indiana Jones and The Great Circle will be released on PS5. However, many fans are confused as Phil Spencer recently stated that the title won’t be released for PS5.

However, Xbox boss words have been shared without the proper context, as Phil Spencer stated that Indiana Jones and The Great Circle wouldn’t be among the first four titles released on multiple platforms.

Why it matters: recent leaks have suggested that Xbox’s most popular exclusive franchises, like Halo, might also be in development for PS5 following the recent shift to multiplatform releases.

Indiana Jones
Indiana Jones Is Coming Later This Year

Soon after the official announcement, many fans took to Twitter to share an old video of Phil Spencer from the Xbox podcast in February.

During the podcast, the Xbox boss claimed that Starfield, Indiana Jones and The Great Circle aren’t among the titles that are releasing for PS5. While this has confused fans, it’s only because it’s being shared without context.

Phil announced in February that they had decided to release four of their titles to other platforms, not changing much about their fundamental exclusive strategy. While discussing those four titles, he stated that they don’t include Starfield or Indiana Jones.

Just four games, not a change to our fundamental exclusive strategy.

-Phil Spencer

Therefore, Phil Spencer never claimed that Starfield, Indiana Jones, and The Great Circle would never be released on the PS5. He meant that it wasn’t among those four titles.

Hi-Fi Rush
Hi-Fi Rush Was Among The First Four Titles Released On PS5

The first four titles released as a multiplatform strategy were Grounded, Hi-Fi Rush, Pentiment, and Sea of Thieves. Now, Indiana Jones and The Great Circle has joined the titles coming to PS5.

Latest Updates

While many Xbox fans are disappointed by Phil Spencer’s recent clip, we believe that the Xbox boss never gave false hopes to the community, and his words made great sense if seen in their actual context.

Dying Light The Beast To Feature Linear Story Instead Of Choice-Based

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  • Dying Light 2 The Beast will take a different story route from Dying Light 2.
  • It will reportedly take a much more linear approach instead of the last one’s choice-based system.
  • The standalone title is set to release on all platforms with no release date yet.

Techland recently announced a brand new Dying Light game at Gamescom. Titled The Beast, the game plays mostly like Dying Light 2, but some subtle differences distinguish it.

Dying Light The Beast will offer a linear story instead of the usual choice-based approach.

Why Does It Matter? The company’s most recent game, Dying Light 2, heavily influenced the choice-based story system—however, the new game shifts from this strategy.

Dying Light 2
Dying Light 2 had a very choice-based story.

Insider Gaming has released a new report highlighting some significant points about Techland’s upcoming release. The game also marks the return of Kyle Crane, the original game’s protagonist.

While the first game also integrated some choice-based options, the main storyline was primarily linear. Like the original, The Beast will keep the storyline linear, but it will be different from the sequel.

More details have also been revealed regarding the setting and the gameplay. It will have multiple biomes, including a forest, an old town and an industrial area.

Dying Light The Beast will be an 18-hour-long standalone title

Kyle Crane also makes a comeback after over 10 years. He is being voiced once again by the legendary Roger Craig Smith, who has voiced massive roles like Ezio Auditore and Chris Redfield. Additionally, Dying Light The Beast is an 18-hour gameplay experience that does not necessarily act as the next mainline game. It is mainly like a half-sequel or a glorified DLC.

The map isn’t too big either,r as it is almost the size of just The Old Villedor from Dying Light 2. The parkour is mostly the same but has been stealthy, and the environment and atmosphere have seen a significant overhaul.

Latest Updates

Overall, the gameplay impressions seem quite positive as well. It will be available for all major platforms, and the release date is expected to be revealed later this year.

Concord Was In Development For 8 Years, Studio Confirmed

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  • PlayStation’s ambitious hero shooter Concord is releasing after a few days on August 23
  • New reports say the developers had spent eight years working hard on the game.
  • Yet the game appears to be joining this year’s live service failures, such as Suicide Squad and Skull and Bones.

While Sony released some successful exclusives this year, the expectations were also high for its next exclusive, Concord, a live-service hero shooter. However, apart from criticism, PlayStation has found nothing with the game until now.

Though the title has yet to be released, its pre-release state doesn’t look promising for a successful launch. A report suggests that Firewalk also spent an underwhelming eight years developing Concord.

Why it matters: Firewalk consists of veterans from many big studios, like Bungie and Activision, who have experience with live service games. Still, Concord’s current shape is terrible.

Concord
Concord Might Turn Out To Be A Failure

Firewalk is gearing up for one of Sony’s most important exclusives of the year, Concord, which will be released on August 23. The latest reports have confirmed the development cycle for the game, and it has been quite a long time.

Firewalk developers said they had spent eight years to achieve the current results. However, things have been going in the opposite direction. Several years haven’t yielded much for Sony because the early impressions of the game are subpar.

The review bombing of the game suggests poor character design, the same iteration of the typical shooter formula, and nothing innovative or exciting for fans. As such, people will likely be disappointed with the development timeline.

We have already seen developers working for a few years and offering decent games like Palworld, which has become the year’s 2nd biggest title. This leads to the point that giving time is not enough. Studios must be creative and innovative to make the years of hard work fruitful.

Palworld
Palworld Only Took a Few Years

In its current state, it can be easily assumed that Concord will not have a successful launch and might attract only a few thousand concurrent players, joining failures like Skull and Bones and Suicide Squad.

Latest Updates

However, as it’s a live service game, Sony has time to invest those years by releasing updates that can convince players to give the hero shooter another chance.

Almost 90% of Black Myth: Wukong Players Are From China

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  • Black Myth: Wukong was released, and it broke records at an instant speed.
  • The game reached a whopping 2.23 Million concurrent players shortly after launch.
  • The number of players is much higher, considering over 90% of players playing games are from China, and most use WeGame.

Yesterday, Black Myth: Wukong took the internet by storm. Many expected it to be a successful game, but no one expected to break records like this. The game reached over 2.2 million concurrent players yesterday.

This number will likely increase during weekends, so we might be in for another surprise. It is currently the second-biggest game on Steam and the biggest single-player game on Steam concurrently, which is an astonishing achievement. However, almost 90% of the player base seems to be from China.

Considering most Chinese players don’t use Steam and have to get it on WeGame, the 2.2 million concurrent players number is much higher in reality.

Why it matters: This is the first major AAA game from China, so the locals have contributed to helping the game leave a mark in the AAA gaming industry.

Black Myth Wukong 90% Player Base
The 90% Player Base of Black Myth Wukong Is From China.

Pirat-Nation on Twitter has highlighted that 88.1% of the game’s player base is from China. The game is based on ‘Journey to the West’, a Chinese novel published in the 16th century during the Ming dynasty, so many might have expected this activity to support local developers.

Black Myth: Wukong quickly claimed the rank to become the second biggest game. Yesterday, just after every few minutes, the game gained a lot of players, which was surprising given that Game Science has never worked on a AAA title before. Not to mention, the game has overwhelmingly positive reviews on Steam.

Infact, China had never launched an AAA game that became this famous or was of a bigger scale before. So, the fandom was excited to play the game due to the hype built in the past four years.

First, this year, Palworld broke records; now, it is Black Myth: Wukong. The developer of the former has acknowledged this success and claimed that we might not see a similar record-breaking moment before the release of GTA 6.

Latest Updates

Even right now, well over 1.3 million players are playing the game. Nearly 96% of the reviews are positive, which speaks volumes—so seeing the fandom enjoying a new AAA right after launch is good.

It is a solid GOTY contender that offers 40 hours of gameplay if you only want to play the main story. 4.5 million players pre-ordered the game on all platforms, making it a massive hit.

Mafia The Old Country Announced; Set In Early 20th Century Sicily

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  • Mafia: The Old Country is a prequel to the original Mafia game set in early 20th-century Sicily.
  • Gameplay details are still limited, but this entry is said to take the series back to its roots.
  • More information about the game will be released in December 2024.

At Gamescom 2024, the big news was the official reveal of Mafia: The Old Country, the newest game in the popular series. Fans have been waiting for a new Mafia game, and this announcement lived up to the hype.

This entry will be a prequel to the original Mafia, diving into the origins of organized crime in Italy in the early 1900s.

Why it matters: Back in April, it was reported that a new Mafia entry would be revealed this year. Now, it’s finally been teased, and more information will be coming out in December.

Mafia: The Old Country takes players to Sicily, where they can explore the roots of the mafia. Unlike earlier games that focused on crime families in the US, this prequel is set in the mafia’s birthplace.

With the backdrop of a changing society, the game will give players a unique view into how the mafia began. The announcement trailer highlighted the game’s dark and intense atmosphere.

The stunning visuals vividly recreate early 20th-century Sicily. The trailer also teased a deep story with themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the tough realities of mafia life. 

While specific gameplay details are still under wraps, fans can expect several features based on job listings and other reports. As reported earlier this year, Mafia: The Old Country will reboot the franchise and return it to its roots.

Mafia 4
Mafia: The Old Country is expected to launch in 2025.

A recent job listing also hinted at stealth and multiplayer elements in the upcoming entry.

One of the most exciting parts is the setting. Early 20th-century Sicily is a fascinating time, and the game will probably explore the social and economic reasons behind the rise of the mafia.

Latest Updates

The Mafia series is known for its fascinating stories and rich historical settings, and Mafia: The Old Country aims to keep that tradition alive. As a prequel, it has the chance to expand the series’ background and offer a fresh look at the events leading up to the later games.

While the exact release date hasn’t been announced, fans can expect more details soon. The developers plan to share new information, including gameplay footage, character details, and story insights, in December 2024.

Indiana Jones Officially Confirmed For PS5; Coming Spring 2025

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  • Xbox and MachineGames have announced that Indiana Jones and The Great Circle will be released on December 9.
  • A new trailer has been launched that showcases more of the gameplay and visuals.
  • It has also been confirmed for the PlayStation 5 but will release in Spring 2025.

Xbox has finally revealed the release date for its much-anticipated game, Indiana Jones and The Great Circle. However, the release date was overshadowed by the fact that the game is also coming out for the PS5 next year.

Why it matters: After a not-so-successful 2024, even with releases like Hellblade 2, Microsoft will be hoping that Indiana Jones is the game that puts them back on track.

At Gamescom 2024, MachineGames debuted a brand new trailer for Indiana Jones. The trailer showcases more of the action-packed gameplay and graphics, and we are stoked about it. 

Amid reports about a potential delay to 2025, the release is still set for December 9. This makes the last half of 2024 a great time for gamers. We now have Black Ops 6, Silent Hill 2, and Indiana Jones coming later this year.

The trailer also showcases the game’s exploration. You’ll have access to your camera and other tools to analyze your surroundings. Your findings will help you with the puzzle-solving, which is a vital part of the gameplay.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Indiana Jones Will Launch Straight Into Game Pass

Anyhow, the reports that a PS5 launch is on the cards also turned out true. However, it will be a timed exclusive, and the December 9 launch will only be for Xbox and PC. For PS5 users, the title will come out in Spring 2025.

Latest Updates

This marks a significant business strategy shift from Microsoft. Indiana Jones will be one of the biggest names heading to PlayStation, and it marks the start of a new era at Microsoft.

Black Myth: Wukong Sold 4.5 Million Units Through Pre-Orders Alone

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  • Black Myth: Wukong reached 2.2 million concurrent players on Steam today.
  • The game was at the top of Steam’s best-sellers list for a while and has reportedly sold more than 4.5 million units on day one.
  • This makes it one of the industry’s biggest day-one success stories to date.

Game Science seems to have succeeded in crafting an ambitious action RPG with Black Myth: Wukong. Although it was the studio’s first major release, the title has easily found its way to becoming the year’s biggest launch.

The pre-orders already painted a successful picture, showing what would eventually happen at launch. However, a new report reveals that the actual results have exceeded expectations. Black Myth: Wukong has sold more than 4.5 million units through pre-orders.

Why it matters: These figures position the action RPG as 2024’s most successful title on day one. For reference, a huge release like Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree sold 5 million units in three days.

Black Myth: Wukong
Black Myth: Wukong Has Become The Most Played Single Player Game On Steam

Black Myth: Wukong has reportedly sold over 3 million copies on Steam alone. The other 1.5 million sales come from the PS5 version, leading to more than 1.5 billion yuan in sales volume.

It has also been suggested that most of these sales come from the Chinese region. Considering the interest in the action RPG and the Chinese population, this seems to be a valid conclusion.

Still, Black Myth: Wukong has been quite a hit in the West. Many have found this adaptation of Journey To The West quite interesting, while the gameplay and cinematic nature of the experience have engaged audiences.

Black Myth Wukong
Black Myth Wukong Could Easily Sell 10 Million Units

The game now boasts higher Steam concurrent player counts than Palworld and CSGO. This puts it second only to PUBG on the platform, highlighting Game Science’s success.

Latest Updates

At this rate, it would not be shocking to see the action RPG selling 10 million units in total. Needless to say, this would be enough to consider Black Myth: Wukong a huge success, marking a monumental release for the Chinese industry.

Former Producer Believes Hollywood Can Make Great Max Payne Film Today

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  • The Max Payne movie was released sixteen years ago.
  • The producer recently discussed this adaptation, stating that he was disappointed in the movie because the director changed the script completely.
  • He also believes that Hollywood now has the potential to make a genuinely great adaptation after recent successes.

The Max Payne franchise is already over two decades old and remains Remedy Entertainment’s most successful one.

Although the franchise saw an adaptation from Hollywood over sixteen years ago with a Max Payne movie, this adaptation was completely different from the game and wasn’t met with great reception from fans.

However, years after its release, the Max Payne producer believes Hollywood can make a much better adaptation if given another chance.

Why it matters: Shows based on video games, such as Last of Us, Fallout, and many others, have done remarkably well recently. Similarly, various films have performed well.

Max Payne Remake in Full Production
The Max Payne Movie Was Nothing Like Its Games

Just recently, Scott Miller, the producer of Max Payne, took to Twitter to talk about the movie released in 2008.

He stated that he saw the movie on day one and was instantly disappointed since the story was completely changed from the one they sold to FOX. He further stated that the film’s director revised the story in a way that did not resemble the game’s narrative.

The producer wrote that he sent a mail to FOX writing about a dozen key points from the movie that they changed. He believed that the film director completely changed Max’s character, which left fans of the franchise highly disappointed.

However, he has faith that Hollywood could get a new adaptation right.

I think current Hollywood has reached a point of getting things right more often than not, so they’d likely be able to do Max Payne right if they tried again.

-Scott Miller

Max Payne Remake Remedy Rockstar
Max Payne Is Set To Receive Remakes Soon

Recently, the likes of Super Mario Bros and Sonic have shown how Hollywood has done justice to various gaming IPs. Therefore, Max Payne would likely do just as well if given the right treatment.

Latest Updates

According to Scott Miller, he still has the original script and is willing to help with a new adaptation. He was also glad to see that no sequels were released for Max Payne since they would’ve been just as terrible.

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