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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In this week's DF Direct Weekly, Rich returns to join Alex and John for an appreciation of Alan Wake 2 and to discuss the latest news surrounding the new PlayStation 5's detachable Blu-ray drive. Meanwhile, there's a double helping of Metal Gear Solid news as the disastrous MGS 'Master' Collection releases and a new MGS Delta Snake Eater trailer emerges. Finally, Alex gets excited about the latest Star Citizen tech upgrades and the announcement that Squadron 42 is 'content complete'.
0:00:00 Introduction
0:00:45 News 01: Alan Wake 2: a tech masterpiece
0:34:12 News 02: New PS5 needs internet to pair disc drive
0:42:18 News 03: MGS Master Collection Volume 1 released
0:58:16 News 04: MGS Delta Snake Eater demoed
1:07:37 News 05: Star Citizen improvements, new content shown off at CitizenCon
1:21:48 Supporter Q1: Given that Alan Wake 2 doesn’t support Pascal GPUs, is it time for a GTX 1080/Ti eulogy?
1:28:51 Supporter Q2: Any thoughts on Intel’s 14th gen CPUs?
1:31:24 Supporter Q3: How could Horizon: Zero Dawn and TLOU 2 be meaningfully remastered for PS5?
1:40:53 Supporter Q4: Are better visual features really worth the image quality hit on consoles?
1:49:10 Supporter Q5: What are John’s impressions of the Meta Quest 3?
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Jörg Tittel, director and writer of C-Smash VRS, joins Alex Battaglia and John Linneman for the latest edition of DF Direct Weekly, discussing their reactions to Marvel's Spider-Man, the prospects of TLOU2 and Horizon Zero Dawn Remakes along with the Alan Wake: Flashback concept. Meanwhile, AMD pulling AntiLag+ makes its way to the docket, and with Jörg on the panel this week, we get an excellent insight into the current state of virtual reality gaming.
0:00:00 Introduction
0:01:58 News 01: Spider-Man 2 review reaction!
0:24:55 News 02: Is a The Last of Us Part 2 remaster really needed?
0:35:27 News 03: What’s up with Alan Wake: Flashback?
0:43:15 News 04: AMD disables AntiLag+ tech
0:48:35 News 05: Assessing the state of VR
1:13:50 Supporter Q1: What are the best GPU control panel settings for PC gaming?
1:16:34 Supporter Q2: What do you make of the rumour that the next Switch will have a digital-only model?
1:20:49 Supporter Q3: Why can’t games optimize for graphics drivers, instead of the other way around?
1:26:46 Supporter Q4: What do you think about Cities: Skylines 2 being released despite admitted performance issues?
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Welcome to the 133rd edition of DF Direct Weekly, where Alex, Rich and John discuss the big news stories of the week - including confirmation that the PS5 'Slim' is real but not slim and Redfall getting a 60fps upgrade - but is it too late? Meanwhile, John raves out Super Mario Bros Wonder and Robocop Rogue City, and the team gets to grips on whether Sony could ever roll out their own FPS Boost program.
0:00:00 Introduction
0:01:01 News 01: Sony announces updated PS5
0:23:29 News 02: Super Mario Bros. Wonder previewed!
0:33:16 News 03: Redfall updated with 60fps mode on Xbox
0:47:22 News 04: Robocop: Rogue City impressions
1:03:12 News 05: John’s gaming pickups!
1:11:34 Supporter Q1: Are more expensive CPUs becoming a requirement for 4K gaming?
1:19:31 Supporter Q2: Are consoles just going to get bigger and bigger as time goes on?
1:24:03 Supporter Q3: How does John decide between PC and consoles for digital games?
1:28:40 Supporter Q4: Should ReBAR be forced on for all games on Nvidia GPUs? Why isn’t it enabled more often?
1:32:27 Supporter Q5: Will we ever see an FPS Boost style feature on PlayStation?
1:37:31 Supporter Q6: If I usually use DLSS to hit 4K resolutions, should I look at native 1080p or 1440p benchmarks to indicate how well games will run?
1:42:42 Supporter Q7: What are some Activision Blizzard franchises you’d like to see revived under Microsoft ownership?
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In another mammoth edition of DF Direct Weekly, Rich Leadbetter, Alex Battaglia and a returning John Linneman tackle the big topics head-on. Red Dead Redemption on PlayStation 5 gets a 60fps upgrade and Oliver provides us with a bunch of assets to look at. Meanwhile, the team discuss the initial marketing for Forza Motorsport vs the final game - and they've got some issues. Beyond that, could FSR 3 frame-gen work on current-gen consoles? Rich puts some tests together. Also: John spills the beans on his recent trip to Japan.
0:00:00 Introduction
0:01:25 News 01: 60fps Red Dead Redemption patch released on PS5
0:12:03 News 02: Forza Motorsport reaction - and what’s up with the game’s visual downgrade?
0:28:56 News 03: FSR 3: could it work on consoles?
0:43:42 News 04: Ubisoft adds Denuvo DRM to Assassin’s Creed Mirage post-release
0:51:20 News 05: Horizon Forbidden West to be first 2-disc PS5 title
1:03:03 News 06: Intel Arc A580 budget GPU leaks
1:11:34 News 07: Nightdive mulling unofficial game enhancements
1:17:30 Supporter Q1: John, how was your trip to Japan?
1:32:08 Supporter Q2: Should Sony increase the internal storage on PS5?
1:34:26 Supporter Q3: If the Switch 2 uses DLSS at low handheld-class resolutions, will this hurt image quality?
1:37:30 Supporter Q4: What do you suggest to prevent OLED burn-in while gaming?
1:43:07 Supporter Q5: Can you end the show with “This Is Digital Foundry, bidding you farewell und auf wiedersehen”?
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A big DF Direct Weekly hoves into view in the wake of another week of BIG news in the gaming/technology space. Rich, Alex and Oliver discuss Jim Ryan's upcoming retirement from Sony and the legacy he leaves behind, and there's a sombre tone as the scale of Epic Games' staff layoffs becomes clear. In happier news, Alex shares more of his thoughts and hopes for Alan Wake 2, while the possibilities of the PC port of Horizon Forbidden West are talked through. Meanwhile... are we reading too much into the fact a new patch for the PC version of Batman: Arkham Knight is in development?
0:00:00 Introduction
0:00:53 News 01: Jim Ryan to retire as head of Sony Interactive Entertainment
0:19:59 News 02: Epic Games lays off 830 staff
0:39:51 News 03: New Alan Wake 2 footage released
0:50:01 News 04: Horizon Forbidden West getting PC release
0:58:59 News 05: Resident Evil 4 remake to cost $60 on iPhone
1:07:09 News 06: Arkham Knight Steam update sparks remaster hopes
1:16:01 Supporter Q1: How will CD Projekt Red fare with Unreal Engine 5? Will they be able to implement a path-traced renderer?
1:23:36 Supporter Q2: How do the console versions of Cyberpunk 2077 stack up in terms of PC settings?
1:29:07 Supporter Q3: Could Intel be in a position to deliver a next-gen console chip?
1:34:03 Supporter Q4: Could Microsoft ship a next-gen Xbox handheld?
1:37:00 Supporter Q5: What do you think of the Lenovo Legion Go and Asus ROG Ally? Will they last long?
1:42:42 Supporter Q6: Is it better to buy a high-end GPU now, or wait until more AI features are implemented in hardware?
1:48:11 Supporter Q7: Given how poorly Elon Musk’s tenure as Twitter owner has gone, are you considering switching to other social media sites?
1:53:14 Supporter Q8: If Oliver’s TV died, would he switch to an OLED? And can he please grow his hair out longer?
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In a packed show, it's Rich, Alex and Oliver at mics, discussing their first reactions to the Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty expansion, the sorry state of Mortal Kombat 1 on Nintendo Switch, and what to expect from Switch 2 performance based on Bobby Kotick's comments. Meanwhile, downtime on The Matrix Awakens demo returns us to the topic of online DRM, while we ask our audience to weigh in with their thoughts on the process of reviewing graphics cards in the era of DLSS and reconstruction technologies.
0:00:00 Introduction
0:00:55 News 01: Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty reaction!
0:11:36 News 02: We need to talk about GPU reviews
0:34:00 News 03: Mortal Kombat 1 on Switch has performance, visual issues
0:46:13 News 04: Switch 2 reportedly close to PS4, Xbox One power
0:51:01 News 05: The Matrix Awakens goes offline… then returns!
0:56:32 Supporter Q1: How do you think Nintendo and Sony will react to the Microsoft next-gen console proposal leak?
1:01:34 Supporter Q2: For hybrid cloud gaming, what features should be on the cloud and which should remain on local hardware?
1:09:54 Supporter Q3: What can be done to convince gamers of the importance of the CPU for game performance?
1:15:10 Supporter Q4: Are frame-rate limiters the responsibility of the game developers, or hardware manufacturers?
1:20:54 Supporter Q5: Couldn’t games self-adjust to hit a target frame-rate on PC?
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In the wake of the biggest video games leak in recent memory, the Digital Foundry team come together to discuss the now infamous Xbox PDF leak. The refresh Xbox Series console specs are discussed and the team share their thoughts on Microsoft's direction for its next-gen machine. Is another AMD-based machine and 'the power of the cloud' ambitious enough for a new piece of 2028 hardware?
0:00:00 Introduction
0:02:48 The end of physical media?
0:14:55 Revised Series X, Series S consoles incoming
0:36:02 Updated Xbox controller in the works
0:41:51 Microsoft’s next-gen console proposal
1:04:53 Supporter Q1: Can Sony really pull off a cost-effective, powerful “PS5 Pro” console to put Microsoft under pressure?
1:11:02 Supporter Q2: Could Microsoft scrap some of their console plans because of this leak?
1:14:50 Supporter Q3: Which leak is bigger, the Xbox FTC leak or Jensen’s Prophecy?
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The onslaught of new gaming and technical stories continues, making for another BIG episode of DF Direct Weekly. John, Rich and Alex discuss the big games at the Sony State of Play and Nintendo Direct, before looking into the promised upgrades to Starfield - which look a lot like a direct response to John and Alex's review critiques. Meanwhile, Rich examines the new Immortals of Aveum patch, while there's a general sense of excitement about the line-up of triple-A games coming to the latest iPhone 15 Pro and Max.
0:00:00 Introduction
0:01:35 News 01: Sony September State of Play
0:37:42 News 02: September Nintendo Direct
0:49:58 News 03: Starfield post-release update plans detailed!
0:55:03 News 04: Horizon Forbidden West to hit PC?
0:59:04 News 05: Immortals of Aveum patched, developer cuts staff
1:07:16 News 06: iPhone 15 Pro gets ray tracing support, big budget games
1:15:16 Supporter Q1: With compromised releases like Jedi: Survivor, don’t publishers realize they are leaving sales on the table? And will Respawn disable some of the game’s problematic screen-space reflections?
1:23:21 Supporter Q2: Are the higher-end versions of a given graphics card worth it?
1:27:30 Supporter Q3: Which GPU of the past gave you the feeling that it was a quality product?
1:31:22 Supporter Q4: Is it possible that the Switch 2 could exceed the RT abilities of current-gen consoles?
1:34:25 Supporter Q5: Now that the PS5 Pro rumours have firmed up, do you think the console is worthwhile?
1:41:11 Supporter Q6: What is something happening in gaming right now that makes you happy?
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A packed week of news as John, Rich and Oliver discuss the shock Switch 2 tech demo leaks - what should we expect from the system in the wake of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Matrix Awakens leaks? Meanwhile, John's excited about Daytona 2's upcoming arrival via emulation, while Oliver shares initial impressions on the new Star Wars Jedi: Survivor patch that improves the 60fps performance mode. Rich shares RX 7800 XT impressions, while it quickly emerges that corrective lenses are the unsung heroes of the whole Digital Foundry enterprise.
0:00:00 Introduction
0:00:42 News 01: Next-gen Switch demoed with BOTW, Matrix Awakens
0:23:30 News 02: Daytona USA 2 re-release incoming!
0:32:51 News 03: Paid, DRM-laden DLSS 3 Starfield mod cracked
0:40:40 News 04: Jedi: Survivor patch improves performance mode
0:52:19 News 05: AMD releases RX 7700 XT, RX 7800 XT GPUs
1:14:20 News 06: Interviewer asks: why didn’t Todd Howard optimize Starfield on PC?
1:21:58 Supporter Q1: Will the Switch successor rely on the same cartridges as Switch 1?
1:26:03 Supporter Q2: Will Nintendo do “next-gen” patches for existing Switch games?
1:29:38 Supporter Q3: Do you think Nintendo could use a discrete dock-only GPU for the new Switch?
1:33:28 Supporter Q4: Why hasn’t Bethesda switched to Id Tech for all their games?
1:37:86 Supporter Q5: Have you considered reporting GPU wattage when benchmarking PC games?
1:40:29 Supporter Q6: Are corrective lenses the unsung heroes of Digital Foundry?
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In a DF Direct Starfield special, Rich, John and Oliver share their impressions of the game, answer a ton of supporter questions and offer up some impressions on the PC version. And we also attempt to tackle the biggest question of them all: is a 60fps performance mode possible on Xbox Series X? To answer that, we use the actual Xbox Series X CPU via the AMD 4800S Desktop Kit, paired with a GPU that's a close match for the PS5's. From there, we unlocked frame-rate and examine the characteristics of Starfield and what options are open to the developer.
0:00:00 Introduction
0:01:00 Why is Starfield 30fps on consoles?
0:05:12 How would Starfield run unlocked? Frankenstein console tested!
0:12:37 Could Starfield hit 60fps on consoles?
0:22:01 Ways to increase contrast and improve HDR
0:28:38 Adding DLSS support through modding
0:38:09 Supporter Q1: What are your thoughts on the upgrades to the Creation Engine? What are some areas for improvement?
0:46:51 Supporter Q2: Is this Bethesda’s most bug-free game? What’s the weirdest bug you’ve seen so far?
0:54:21 Supporter Q3: Does the procedurally generated content fit in with the rest of the game?
1:01:50 Supporter Q4: What’s the difference between Bethesda’s real-time global illumination and ray-traced global illumination?
1:04:01 Supporter Q5: Does Starfield benefit from console exclusivity?
1:06:58 Final thoughts
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