Stay ConnectedWhen it comes to video games and the hardware and tech we play them on, the team at Digital Foundry are unparalleled experts. Each week, DF Direct breaks down the latest breakthroughs in video game visuals, sound, and performance happening on PlayStation, Xbox, the most powerful PC setups, and more. If you’re a geek for graphics, GPUs, or just video games in general, DF Direct will help you get the most out of your gaming setup.
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Another big DF Direct Weekly sees John, Rich and Alex tackle the massive issue of lay-offs in the industry along with the welcome response from some developers in taking back control of their own destinies. Meanwhile, the team reacts to THAT Kingmakers trailer, while assessing Nintendo's legal action against the Yuzu Switch emulator. Finally, what is DirectSR?
0:00:00 Introduction
0:01:42 News 01: Massive gaming layoffs at Sony and EA
0:28:39 News 02: Studios take back control
0:39:37 John’s game buying interlude
0:41:59 News 03: Kingmakers trailer impresses
0:49:03 News 04: Nintendo seeking Yuzu emulator shutdown
0:57:12 News 05: Pentiment PS5 doubles Xbox version FPS target
1:07:38 News 06: DirectSR streamlines PC upsampling
1:16:08 Supporter Q1: Is the 5700X3D a good upgrade over a 2700X on an older system?
1:21:04 Supporter Q2: What kind of performance do you expect from a PS5 Pro?
1:26:35 Supporter Q3: When games are fully path traced, what options do you expect to see in their graphics menus?
1:30:27 Supporter Q4: How do you think the recent rounds of layoffs will impact QA?
1:33:45 Supporter Q5: Could a next-gen Xbox be much more powerful than its PlayStation counterpart?
1:41:03 Supporter Q6: Why don’t we see more physics-oriented features like PhysX today?
1:50:48 John’s next DF Retro!
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The news comes thick and fast this week as John, Alex and Rich discuss topics as diverse as the Switch 2's mooted 'delay' until Q1 2025, the fall-out of Microsoft's multi-platform strategy in the wake of the first releases, and Nvidia finally doing something about its ancient control panel with its new app. The implications of the PlayStation Portal hack are dissected and the logistics of PSVR2 support for PC are discussed in depth. Then finally, Rich reveals the results of BRAND NEW testing of the Radeon 7. PS5 vs R7... which is best? Many thanks to DF Supporter Chriz86 for helping us out on that one!
0:00:00 Introduction
0:01:28 News 01: Switch 2 reportedly delayed until 2025
0:13:08 News 02: Microsoft multi-plat games revealed
0:29:55 News 03: Nvidia debuts new all-in-one PC gaming app
0:47:43 News 04: PlayStation Portal hacked
0:54:31 News 05: PSVR2 support coming to PC?
1:05:57 News 06: Radeon 7 re-tested in 2024!
1:20:19 Supporter Q1: In the age of ray tracing, why do so many games forego shiny mirrors?
1:25:44 Supporter Q2: Is cross-gen game scalability really that transformative?
1:32:50 Supporter Q3: Could Game Pass become a reality on PlayStation and Switch?
1:38:55 Supporter Q4: Could a future Xbox lower-spec console be a handheld?
1:50:25 Supporter Q5: Is the traditional console generation model breaking down?
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This week, Xbox finally responded to the rumours and speculations surrounding its multi-platform plans, while Sony boldly announced that we are entering the latter stages of the PlayStation 5's lifecycle - and that new initiatives are required to increase profit margins. John, Rich and Alex share their thoughts on the announcements and strategies before moving on to other topics. John's been working on a new modern retro game - Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore - while a defective LCD screen sees Rich 'downgrading' from 8K to 4K and embarking on a one-man marketing campaign for Facebook Marketplace in the process.
0:00:00 Introduction
0:02:14 News 01: Microsoft explains multiplatform strategy
0:45:50 News 02: Sony: PS5 sales have peaked
1:05:22 News 03: Rich ‘downgrades’ from 8K to 4K
1:17:15 News 04: Arzette: The Jewel of Faramore released
1:23:01 Supporter Q1: Why don’t more games support Dolby Vision and HDR 10+?
1:32:41 Supporter Q2: Given the limited power of the consoles, should developers reconsider including performance modes?
1:41:16 Supporter Q3: Given Nvidia’s tech lead in GPUs, aren’t they an attractive choice for a next-gen console?
1:47:00 Supporter Q4: Can Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s image quality issues be fixed with a quick patch, or is there a more fundamental limit?
1:53:09 Supporter Q5: Whatever happened to the Vulkan graphics API?
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The week in gaming news was dominated by Xbox Multi-Platform Game debate, outrage and meltdowns - and we can't quite believe what we were seeing. John, Rich and Alex share their views before moving to other topics: we go hands-on with Helldivers 2, check out the FF7 Rebirth demo and John shares his excitement over Penny's Big Breakaway. Meanwhile, DF Supporters strike gold once again with a range of questions and discussion points.
0:00:00 Introduction
0:00:52 News 01: Is Microsoft embracing multiplatform gaming?
0:43:52 News 02: Hands-on with Helldivers 2
0:54:41 News 03: Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth impressions!
1:05:03 News 04: Penny’s Big Breakaway preview
1:11:42 Supporter Q1: What’s the minimum advisable frame-rate when using frame gen with a controller?
1:17:50 Supporter Q2: Is Nvidia purposefully limiting frame gen to the RTX 4000 series to increase sales?
1:27:18 Supporter Q3: Given that the Series S is the best-selling current-gen Xbox, should we consider it the baseline experience this gen?
1:34:14 Supporter Q4: Has the use of FSR been good or bad for console gaming?
1:43:14 Supporter Q5: Why doesn’t AMD often pioneer new graphics techniques like Nvidia?
1:51:44 Supporter Q6: Can John recommend any 3D Sonic titles?
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Another big, big episode of DF Direct Weekly as the team share their positive views on Sony's State of Play January 2024 presentation. Meanwhile, John and Rich have been playing Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and have much to say about it. The team also tackle the mounting evidence that Switch 2 will ship with an eight-inch LCD. The lack of OLED is a bit disappointing, but more to the point, the sheer size of the screen may have significant ramifications for the design of the overall product. And finally, a happy outcome is revealed for one of John's game preservation worries.
0:00:00 Introduction
0:01:00 News 01: State of Play reaction: Death Stranding 2
0:17:45 News 01: Stellar Blade, Dragon’s Dogma 2
0:28:50 News 01: Sonic X Shadow Generations, Judas
0:38:21 News 01: Metro Awakening, Until Dawn
0:50:23 News 01: Silent Hill: The Short Message, Silent Hill 2
1:01:48 News 02: Suicide Squad impressions!
1:19:14 News 03: New Switch rumoured to have 8 inch LCD
1:31:02 News 04: GT Sport patched with offline save support
1:37:49 Supporter Q1: How can Epic’s TSR beat DLSS 2?
1:42:00 Supporter Q2: Why does per-pixel motion blur look good, while display sample-and-hold blur looks bad?
1:45:50 Supporter Q3: Will frame generation make VRR obsolete?
1:49:07 Supporter Q4: What speed of hardware adoption should we expect from gamers?
1:54:27 Supporter Q5: Rich, when did you become interested in PC hardware and technology?
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Hitting its 'maximum break' 147th edition, the DF team reconvene to discuss the charms and the jank of Palworld, Capcom's puzzling DRM strategy and the wonders of Tekken 8. Meanwhile, Alex has been testing AMD's AFMF frame generation technology, John's dug deep into input lag analysis - and Rich is distressed to discover that his Radeon 7 graphics card doesn't work any more.
0:00:00 Introduction
0:00:54 News 01: What’s up with Palworld?
0:25:45 News 02: Capcom adds Enigma DRM to older games
0:35:31 News 03: AMD releases Fluid Motion Frames tech
0:52:30 News 04: Horizon Forbidden West PC features detailed
1:05:22 News 05: Tekken 8: a superb fighter
1:15:53 News 06: Input lag deep dive
1:32:52 Supporter Q1: What would you recommend spec wise for an upper-midrange PC?
1:37:08 Supporter Q2: Should id Software commercialize their id Tech engine?
1:40:12 Supporter Q3: Is the time of 1080p monitors over?
1:43:55 Supporter Q14 Could Nintendo, Microsoft, or Sony develop their own Proton-like translation layers to run games from other platforms?
1:46:55 Supporter Q5: With John’s new Direct background, isn’t he worried about burn-in?
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Microsoft's latest Developer_Direct makes the right impression with the DF team this week, with Indiana Jones and the Great Circle in particular attracting unrestricted praise. Meanwhile, we've got to talk about what's happening with physical media releases on Xbox, there are many questions to answer about the Nvidia RTX 40-series Super refresh and John's not happy about Bulletstorm VR.
0:00:00 Introduction
0:00:44 News 01: Developer_Direct 2024 reaction: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
0:21:06 News 01: Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
0:33:41 News 01: Ara: History Untold
0:39:35 News 01: Visions of Mana
0:46:15 News 01: Avowed
0:54:03 News 02: Hellblade 2 to go physical-only
1:10:49 News 03: Is The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered worthwhile?
1:23:08 News 04: RTX 40 Super series reaction + Q&A
1:45:50 News 05: Bulletstorm VR is a disappointment
1:53:05 Supporter Q1: How much manpower does it take to produce current-gen 60fps patches for consoles?
1:57:32 Supporter Q2: Was 2023 the year of the in-house engine?
2:04:24 Supporter Q3: Will 2024 be the year of Linux gaming?
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John, Rich and Alex return for another Weekly, discussing the potential implications of Xbox going multi-platform on selected titles, what we should - and shouldn't - expect from Horizon Forbidden West on PC and John's surprise gaming purchase. Meanwhile, the team explains why Nvidia's G-Sync Pulsar technology is such a big deal - and the announcement of VRR support for GeForce Now seems set to make the best cloud streaming solution even better still.
0:00:58 News 01: Microsoft to go multiplatform on selected games?
0:22:41 News 02: Horizon Forbidden West gets PC trailer
0:40:38 News 03: Nvidia CES announcements
0:55:34 News 04: John’s surprise
1:10:35 Supporter Q1: Why is double-buffer vsync good in some circumstances and bad in others?
1:17:39 Supporter Q2: What are the specs of your editing rigs?
1:24:45 Supporter Q3: Do you think any TV manufacturers will start integrating nearest neighbour scaling?
1:32:47 Supporter Q4: Why is dynamic resolution not often used in PC games?
1:37:35 Supporter Q5: Are GPU makers’ resolution recommendations too conservative?
1:43:13 Supporter Q6: What videos are you excited to make this year?
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The Digital Foundry team re-assemble to kick off 2024 with a look at the excitement surrounding CES, the possibilities of PS5 Pro and Switch 2 this year, the reveal of the MSI Claw, plus all the new surrounding the RTX 40-Series 'Super' Refresh. Meanwhile, John shares his experiences with the potentially disruptive Unreal Engine VR injector, Alex talks about optimised settings and there's already an unhealthy focus on Crysis 4 - even though the chances of actually seeing it in 2024 are vanishingly tiny.
0:00:00 Introduction
0:01:24 News 01: 2024 Expectations : Upcoming displays
0:18:12 2024 Expectations: Games and gaming hardware
0:51:24 News 02: RTX 40 Super series to be announced
1:12:09 News 03: MSI Claw gaming handheld leaked
1:21:04 News 04: Unreal Engine VR injector released!
1:27:19 Supporter Q1: Has Alex changed his approach to optimized settings as games have gotten more demanding?
1:32:59 Supporter Q2: Could ray traced lighting become a key part of gameplay in current-gen titles?
1:38:26 Supporter Q3: What’s your biggest graphical pet peeve besides stuttering?
1:44:06 Supporter Q4: What are your hopes for Crysis 4?
1:50:47 Supporter Q5: Could CD Projekt Red open source their Red Engine tech?
1:52:48 Supporter Q6: If you could have an incredible version of Crysis 4, or get a 10/10 Turok remake, which would you choose?
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It's the last edition of DF Direct Weekly for the year that is 2023, and it kicks off with discussion surrounding Insomniac data hack. What sets this 'leak' apart from others that makes media think twice about publishing stories on it? How does it compare in scale to other leaks? It's a tricky one for sure. Meanwhile, rumours are starting to emerge that Xbox may be considering a 2026 release for its next-gen console, but how viable is that in the context of the information that emerged from the FTC leak? Finally, John reveals the results of his GT7 vs Forza Motorsport in-video quiz, while the DF Supporter Program's community awards are unveiled!
0:00:00 Introduction
0:00:50 News 01: Insomniac hacked
0:19:27 News 02: Valhalla DLC launches for God of War Ragnarök
0:27:51 News 03: PS5 outsells Xbox Series 3 to 1, next Xbox rumoured for 2026 launch
0:49:10 News 04: John’s Forza Motorsport vs. GT7 poll results!
0:54:09 News 05: DF Community Awards 2023!
1:06:25 Supporter Q1: Will 2024 be the year RT becomes pervasive?
1:09:00 Supporter Q2: How does Resident Evil 4 on Apple Silicon run?
1:11:50 Supporter Q3: When using an IPS panel, how can you reduce IPS glow?
1:21:18 Supporter Q4: Would John consider doing a DF Retro on fur or grass rendering in games?
1:23:40 Supporter Q5: When path tracing becomes more common in games, what will be left to critique visually?
1:28:43 Supporter Q6: What was your favourite Digital Foundry moment of the year?
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