Digital Foundry Direct Weekly

After last week's get-together, the DF Team are back in their boxes, talking Starfield reviews, how Larian and Microsoft resolved the Baldur's Gate 3 Xbox impasse and the unfortunate closure of Volition. John's excited about Sonic Superstars and Armored Core 6, while Rich and Alex decide that there needs to be an intervention and some level of expectation management when it comes to FSR 3 frame generation's deployment on the consoles. All this and more in this special 'go on lads!' edition of DF Direct Weekly. 0:00:00 Introduction 0:01:14 News 01: Starfield: reviews and reactions 0:44:09 News 02: Baldur’s Gate 3 to hit Xbox this year, without Series S split-screen 0:49:45 News 03: PSA: FSR 3 won’t fix console performance 1:00:39 News 04: Volition closes after 30 years 1:08:30 News 05: Sonic Superstars impressions! 1:12:52 News 06: Armored Core 6 is good on PC 1:20:49 Supporter Q1: Did you see Switch 2 at Gamescom? And do you think the Switch 2 in portable mode could run Switch 1 software with docked mode settings? 1:25:15 Supporter Q2: Do you think running games designed for CRTs at super high resolutions makes sense? 1:29:49 Supporter Q3: Should DF give medals for technically accomplished games? 1:35:14 Supporter Q4: What games would you like to see remastered by Nightdive Studios? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Rich, John and Alex meeting up together at Gamescom for the first time since 2019, this one is a very different, very special DF Direct Weekly. The team discuss Starfield at Gamescom and their meeting with Phil Spencer and Todd Howard, before ploughing on into their reaction to the FSR and AMD Fluid Motion Frames demonstration they saw at the show. Meanwhile, Nvidia takes things to the next level with DLSS 3.5 ray reconstruction, there's reaction to the latest PlayStation Portal disclosures, STALKER 2 hands-on and much, much more. 0:00:00 Introduction 0:00:45 News 01: Gamescom Starfield impressions! 0:12:06 News 02: AMD shows off FSR 3 0:27:54 News 03: AMD demos Fluid Motion Frames 0:36:54 News 04: DLSS 3.5 Ray Reconstruction revealed 0:56:12 News 05: PlayStation Portal named, detailed 1:00:09 News 06: MGS Collection targets 1080p, 720p 1:06:31 News 07: STALKER 2 demoed at Gamescom 1:14:24 News 08: New Nightdive remasters unveiled 1:23:51 Supporter Q1: What are the benefits for DF to go to Gamescom? What does a typical Gamescom day look like? 1:30:10 Supporter Q2: Could XeSS be viable on current-gen console hardware? 1:31:11 Supporter Q3: How do you feel about your various signature phrases? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another big DF Direct Weekly 'drops' as John, Rich and Alex look forward to visiting Gamescom 2023, a range of big Intel news is discussed and new information emerges on Immortals of Aveum in the wake of a extensive tech interview. Meanwhile, the mooted demise of the Xbox 360 store is lamented, while John raves about Bomb Rush Cyberfunk - a 'spiritual successor' to Jet Set Radio. 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:20 News 01: Gamescom: what to expect! 00:19:07 News 02: Intel update: Arc DX11 driver, PresentMon Benchmarking 00:39:28 News 03: Xbox 360 store shutting down 00:51:35 News 04: Immortals of Aveum tech interview 01:00:52 News 05: Bomb Rush Cyberfunk launches 01:08:36 Should we expect most UE5 titles to struggle with performance? And are upsampling technologies just a crutch in lieu of optimization? 01:23:40 Are you pleased or dissatisfied that the rumoured RTX 4090 Ti may not be getting a release? 01:27:26 Could path tracing be beneficial or highly stylized games? 01:31:25 The end of the year will be loaded with titles, so how are you planning to keep up? 01:35:55 There’s a wide price difference between Microsoft’s Xbox storage cards and regular SSDs. Should Microsoft try to lower their prices? 01:40:03 Would moving gaming towards a single platform be beneficial for the industry? 01:44:54 What are the best phrases to use for a Digital Foundry drinking game? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the latest DF Direct Weekly, John, Rich and Alex discuss the controversy surrounding the Red Dead Redemption conversions, Mark Cerny gets in touch to reveal more about PlayStation 5's Dolby Atmos support, a brace of leaks look set to confirm a new PlayStation 5 model with detachable optical drive - but it's not looking particularly slim. Meanwhile, RDNA4 rumours are discussed, while John shares impressions on the Quake 2 Remaster and new 4K retro scaler, RetroTink 4K. 00:00:00 Introduction 00:03:36 News 01: Red Dead Redemption ports announced 00:20:04 News 02: Mark Cerny on PS5 Dolby Atmos 00:34:00 News 03: Revised PS5 model appears in apparent leaks 00:48:53 News 04: RDNA 4 to skip high-end GPUs? 01:11:35 News 05: Sony starts testing PS5 cloud streaming 01:20:16 News 06: Quake 2 remaster released! 01:30:56 News 07: RetroTink 4K: John’s impressions 01:42:41 Supporter Q1: Has John recovered from Sonic 2006 yet? 01:47:27 Supporter Q2: With limited competition and a lucrative server market, will Nvidia GPUs become a worse gaming value in the future? 01:54:48 Supporter Q3: Why are PC game frame-rate limiters often so poor? 02:04:38 Supporter Q4: Could older 3D games prove unsuitable for ray tracing upgrades? 02:11:40 Supporter Q5: Given that DLSS 3 works best at high frame-rates, might it prove unsuitable for a hypothetical Switch 2? 02:15:47 Supporter Q6: Rich is in the credits for Panzer Dragoon Saga! Is anyone else at DF in a game’s credits? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's DF Direct Weekly, the team discuss EA's announcement of a last-gen version of Star Wars Jedi Survivor, wondering how this new development fits in with the fact that the current-gen versions still need work. Meanwhile, an amazing-looking path-traced version of Skyrim is trailered - and the RT upgrade could work on all DX9+ games. John shares his thoughts on PS5's beta firmware Dolby Atmos support, while Rich reveals the results of a new PS5 exploit - showing Gravity Rush PS4 Pro running at 60fps for the first game. Finally, news of The Last Hope's departure from the Switch eShop causes all manner of amusement. 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:56 News 01: Jedi: Survivor coming to last-gen consoles 00:21:17 News 02: Skyrim modded with path-traced lighting 00:29:29 News 03: PS5 exploit allows modded PS4 games to run 00:39:58 News 04: Beta PS5 firmware features Dolby Atmos support 00:48:36 News 05: Switch 2 to launch in 2H 2024? 00:56:57 News 06: The Last Hope removed from Nintendo eShop 01:05:28 Supporter Q1: Doesn’t targeting 8K with a hypothetical PS5 Pro benefit 4K displays through downsampling? 01:10:49 Supporter Q2: What could the PS5 Pro’s rumoured AI acceleration enhancements mean? 01:18:12 Supporter Q3: Mark Cerny suggested that the PS5 could load in high quality assets as the player moved the camera viewport. Will this actually be implemented? 01:21:27 Supporter Q4: Is it time for Microsoft to let developers skip certain features on Series S? 01:28:39 Supporter Q5: With Sony aggressively discounting the PS5, are they trying to bury Microsoft’s ninth-gen console hopes? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A clean sweep of Sony news stories this week, as John, Oliver and Rich react to the alleged PlayStation 5 Pro specs and discuss the apparent debut of the Project Q handheld device in the flesh in the least flattering manner possible. At the same time, Sony is slashing the price on PS5 consoles... so could a new, replacement model be arriving soon? After that, there's more footage from Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart running off a launch PlayStation 4 hard drive. Plus: are GPU teraflop metrics now essentially useless? 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:50 News 01: PS5 Pro detailed in new rumours 00:29:08 News 02: Big PS5 summer discounts: what could they mean? 00:37:48 News 03: Project Q handheld potentially leaked 00:46:09 News 04: Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart vs PS4 HDD! 00:59:13 Supporter Q1: Why don’t developers include an uncapped mode in games, for the benefit of more powerful future consoles? 01:03:58 Supporter Q2: Are teraflop figures for GPU hardware pointless nowadays? 01:08:53 Supporter Q3: Could Rich be given the high-end PC version in system comparison videos for once? 01:10:49 Supporter Q4: Oliver operates in a totally different timezone to everyone else at DF. Is this ever helpful? 01:12:26 Supporter Q5: What are the benefits of playing on original hardware if the console can be emulated very effectively? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's DF Direct, John, Rich and Alex share their thoughts on the latest Spider-Man 2 trailer and its accompanying custom PS5, sort (likely) facts from the fiction surrounding the upcoming Switch 2, and lament the total lack of review coverage for the RTX 4060 Ti 16GB. Meanwhile, there's clarification on the Dolphin emulator's no-show on Steam and discussion on the lack of a Saturn mini retro console - and the end of the mini console phase in general. And did you know that Digital Foundry is actually 18 years old? 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:58 News 01: Spider-Man 2 story trailer released 00:20:48 News 02: Beware fake Switch 2 leaks! 00:35:09 News 03: RTX 4060 Ti 16GB launched 00:44:31 News 04: Sega Saturn mini console unlikely? 00:50:15 News 05: Dolphin emulator skipping Steam 00:58:01 Supporter Q1: Have you considered benchmarking CoD on Steam Deck to gauge whether it is “too big for Switch”? 01:00:49 Supporter Q2: Should Sony include a wired option for their streaming-based Project Q handheld? 01:03:13 Supporter Q3: Could Intel break into the console market? 01:08:12 Supporter Q4: What Japan-only Sega Saturn games would you recommend for someone who can’t speak Japanese? 01:13:58 Supporter Q5: What piece of old gaming media would you like to see re-released in higher quality? 01:21:25 Supporter Q6: Digital Foundry is 18 years old! How do you feel about DF after all these years? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the recent legal challenges to the deal failing or crumbling as we speak, it's time to discuss the realities of Microsoft's acquisition of Activision, Blizzard and King. Where does the deal stand right now? What are/were Microsoft's business objectives? Can Call of Duty actually run on Nintendo Switch? Does the recent Sony deal mean Microsoft gets early access to PS6? And to conclude, what final words does the panel have for Xbox boss Phil Spencer? 00:00 Introductions 01:50 Acquisition overview and legal proceedings 10:02 Microsoft’s business objectives 25:44 Can Call of Duty work on Switch? 31:47 Would Call of Duty be compromised on PS6? 34:43 Current CMA proceedings 40:58 Discussion and final thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the team take a look at the specs required to run Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart on PC and discuss how crucial DirectStorage is to the future of PC gaming. Meanwhile, the AMD Starfield partnership sees specs reveals turned into an awkward marketing exercise that confuses gamers. Classic cut content is coming to Halo: The Master Chief Collection, while Rich reveals initial results using the world's first full HDMI 2.1 capture card. 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:48 Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart PC requirements drop 00:29:11 Halo cut content returning to Master Chief Collection 00:35:40 X68000 Mini retro device has issues 00:38:26 Limited Run Games shows off new and old titles 00:47:02 Leaked document details Sega of America’s struggles 01:05:40 What’s up with the new HDMI 2.1 capture cards? And can’t PCs record 4K120 internally? 01:12:10 Does console software receive system-wide performance boosts over the course of a generation? 01:15:42 Why has Nvidia, besides the Switch, checked out of consoles? 01:23:24 Why was the Digital Foundry Twitter account in a Twitter Spaces event on UFOs? 01:26:32 Do you have plans for more conference commentary videos? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's DF Direct Weekly, the team discuss potential PS5 Slim and PS5 Pro hardware as revealed by... Microsoft? Meanwhile, Final Fantasy 16's motion blur is revised via a new patch, John tells us about a bunch of excellent PSVR2 games you may not have heard about - and the team chat tech concerning a potential Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag remake. Finally, CD Projekt RED's opinions about the Cyberpunk 2077 launch have caused some minor controversy... but why? 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:25 News 01: Microsoft expects $400 PS5 Slim, sub-$300 “Project Q” handheld 00:19:24 News 02: Final Fantasy 16 gets motion blur options 00:28:17 News 03: John’s PSVR2 game roundup! 00:41:57 News 04: Assassin’s Creed 4: Blag Flag remake rumoured 00:46:59 News 05: CD Projekt claims Cyberpunk reception was overly harsh 01:01:14 Supporter Q1: Now that RT is here, what’s the next big real-time graphical breakthrough? 01:14:20 Supporter Q2: Why can’t DLSS be added to the Nvidia Control Panel? 01:15:41 Supporter Q3: Now that gamers are used to 60fps, will it be hard for developers to go back? Is it smarter to target 60fps even if it means cutbacks to resolution? 01:23:51 Supporter Q4: People often claim that game updates improve performance, when they often don’t. How can gamers get over the placebo effect here? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A packed 89-minute DF Direct Weekly for you this week, as the team discuss the controversy surrounding AMD's technology partnership with Starfield. Does the deal mean that AMD is paying to block competing DLSS and XeSS upscalers from appearing in the game? AMD says: no comment. Meanwhile, the team mull over the week's FTC vs Microsoft revelations, Rich is excited by huge Assassin's Creed Unity perf improvements on Intel Arc, Red Dead Redemption seems to be getting a remaster, while amazing new footage of the GameCube launch in Japan at Spaceworld 2000 emerges. 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:04 News 01: Starfield to skip out on DLSS, XeSS? 00:22:28 News 02: FTC vs Microsoft court fight continues 00:46:02 News 03: Red Dead Redemption remaster incoming? 00:52:08 News 04: Assassin’s Creed Unity gets huge performance boost on Intel Arc GPUs 00:57:42 News 05: New Space World 2000 footage unearthed! 01:08:55 Supporter Q1: If I run a 60fps game on an 85Hz CRT, will there be judder? 01:10:19 Supporter Q2: With the next-gen Switch rumoured to have PS4-level power, what specs would it have? 01:15:19 Supporter Q3: Is there something special about the Steam Deck’s refresh rate changing capabilities, or could a new Switch offer it as well? 01:18:31 Supporter Q4: Could a temporal upsampling system integrate high resolution keyframes to improve image quality? 01:21:09 Supporter Q5: Would there be space in the gaming market for a high-end $1000 PS5 Pro? 01:26:22 Supporter Q6: Which gaming executives would you like to see duke it out in a cage match? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, John discusses the reaction to the Final Fantasy 16 reviews, the focus on the 720p-1080p performance mode and whether the game was actually targeting 30fps all along. Meanwhile, the team are impressed by the latest Nintendo Direct, Xbox raises prices, while the lack of DLSS in AMD sponsored PC titles once again comes to the fore. Also: to celebrate our 117th edition, the team share their favourite Halo memories. 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:49 News 01: Final Fantasy 16 review reaction! 00:23:19 News 02: June Nintendo Direct impressions 00:47:37 News 03: Microsoft raises Series X, Game Pass pricing 00:56:26 News 04: AMD blocking DLSS in sponsored PC titles? 01:04:32 News 05: Quake 2 Remastered leaks! 01:08:14 Supporter Q1: Could GPU makers offer cards with user-expandable VRAM? 01:10:27 Supporter Q2: Could a ‘PS5 Pro’ come in at a boundary-pushing price, like $1000 USD? 01:15:14 Supporter Q3: Would automatic frame-rate capping for games on VRR displays work? 01:18:10 Supporter Q4: Of the Halo games, which is your favourite? And which impresses most from a technical perspective? 01:25:29 Supporter Q5: How exciting is it that Todd Howard praised DF in a recent podcast appearance? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The latest DF Direct Weekly 'drops' with John, Rich and Alex reuniting at the mics after a massive week of not-E3 showcase news and fallout. Phil Spencer appears to be ruling out a mid-gen 'Pro' console update for the Xbox Series machines, Matt Booty says that Xbox One first-party game development is finally over, while Sony reveals that PS5 game streaming is coming to its subscription service. Meanwhile, the Starfield 'storm in a teacup' 30fps discourse continues, while Alex comes face-to-face (in a figurative sense) with his more youthful, optimistic self, posing yet more 'Battaglia time travel' discussion. 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:05 News 01: No Xbox mid-gen enhanced machine planned? 00:21:17 News 02: Microsoft no longer developing for Xbox One 00:32:08 News 03: TLOU PC patch 1.1 analysed! 00:44:47 News 04: Sony announces PS5 cloud streaming 00:55:41 Supporter Q1: Should Starfield have an uncapped VRR mode on consoles? 01:05:19 Supporter Q2: I didn’t like the 30fps option in FF16, but Tears of the Kingdom seems fine - why could this be? 01:07:26 Supporter Q3: Alex was once excited about the possibilities of DX12 several years ago. Does he miss that version of himself? 01:12:05 Supporter Q4: Could systems with unified memory setups be a solution to VRAM woes on PCs? 01:15:32 Supporter Q5: Are FSR 2’s image quality concerns an issue for console software going forward? 01:22:20 Supporter Q6: If you could alter one thing about game development, what would it be? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the impressions/reactions video you've been waiting for - and it took time because we wanted to investigate what was shown more deeply. John Linneman and Alex Battaglia share their notes on the Starfield Direct, discuss why the game is 30fps on consoles, what 4K on Series X actually means (and the implications for Series S) before moving onto the rendering tech on display and what they think about the actual game. 00:00 Overview 00:53 Why is Starfield 30fps on consoles? 12:31 Visual impressions and real-time global illumination 17:15 Reflections and motion blur 23:31 Screen-space shadows and terrain rendering 28:06 Volumetric lighting, fog, and bokeh depth of field 32:40 Character rendering 36:01 Gameplay impressions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A company revitalised based on the latest Ubisoft Forward, we saw a big bunch of excellent games and a couple in particular that look set to deliver proper 'next-gen' rendering - Star Wars Outlaws and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. Beyond those 'bangers', the likes of AC Mirage and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown also caught the eye of John Linneman and Alex Battaglia. Plus: a quick look at the Capcom showcase, including new footage of Pragmata... 00:00 Overview 01:05 Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora 15:23 Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown 20:22 Skull and Bones 23:00 The Crew Motorfest 28:08 Assassin’s Creed Mirage 33:50 Star Wars Outlaws 48:02 Pragmata Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a special episode of DF Direct, John Linneman, Oliver Mackenzie and Alex Battaglia share their reactions and impressions to the excellent Xbox Showcase 2023, going through the event game by game with analysis and insights. Has Microsoft delivered the best event of the summer season so far? 00:00:00 Overview 00:02:32 Fable, South of Midnight 00:11:32 Star Wars Outlaws, 33 Immortals 00:17:30 Payday 3, Persona 3 Reload 00:25:35 Avowed, Sea of Thieves 00:31:31 Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 00:42:12 Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess 00:47:27 Forza Motorsport, The Elder Scrolls Online, Overwatch 2 00:56:35 Jusant, Still Wakes the Deep 01:01:09 Dungeons of Hinterberg, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty 01:08:13 Cities: Skylines 2, Metaphor ReFantazio 01:12:24 Towerborne, Clockwork Revolution 01:18:04 Series S 1TB 01:20:58 Starfield first impressions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Geoffcon aka Keigh3 aka Summer Games Fest is back, kicking off with a mammoth show crammed with new games of varying quality, Nicolas Cage and a big bunch of obvious ads. In this DF Direct special, John, Rich and Alex mull over the various reveals and wurld prm'ears, debate the inclusion of the letter 'i' in 'mobile', dive deeply into Spider-Man's symbiote lore, get excited about the new Sonic game and ponder the big question - how many of the games in the show were running on Unreal Engine? 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:08 News 01: Summer Games Fest 2023 reaction! Prince of Persia, Mortal Kombat 1 00:10:48 Path of Exile 2, Exoprimal, Dead by Daylight, Witchfire, Crossfire: Sierra Squad, Remnant 2 00:18:22 Sonic Superstars, Lies of P, Sand Land 00:27:27 Throne and Liberty, Party Animals, Crash Team Rumble, 00:31:51 Alan Wake 2, Space Marine 2, Yes Your Grace, Toxic Commando 00:42:42 Baldur’s Gate 3, Palworld, Black Desert Online, LOTR: Return to Moria 00:51:44 Final Fantasy 7: Ever Crisis, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden 00:55:51 Like a Dragon Gaiden, Under the Water, Fae Farm 01:04:18 King Arthur, Stellaris Nexus, Star Trek Infinite, Lysfanga 01:09:47 Immortals of Aveum, Fortnite, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth 01:24:19 Supporter Q1: Will DLSS 3 evolve in the same way DLSS 2 did? 01:28:14 Supporter Q2: What’s up with DF getting Diablo 4 code late? 01:29:22 Supporter Q3: Is there an ideal frame-rate target for games? 01:32:41 Supporter Q4: Do recent PC gaming woes stem from the relative strength of console hardware this generation? 01:41:09 Supporter Q5: What old console or graphics technology would you like to see get a few years of active development? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The news of a PC port from Nixxes for Rachet and Clank raises the question: can PC handle the extreme storage demands of the Insomniac PS5 showcase? Alex weighs in with his thoughts on how the port will work. Meanwhile, Nvidia demos AI-driven conversations with NPCs, Redfall's development woes make the news again, while John's concerned about Nintendo's views towards emulation. 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:08 News 01: Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart coming to PC! 00:19:38 News 02: Nvidia demos AI-generated NPC conversations 00:37:54 News 03: Dolphin emulator blocked from Steam release 00:44:41 News 04: Redfall’s development issues detailed 00:54:56 News 05: HDMI 2.1 capture cards announced - but there’s a catch! 01:02:27 Supporter Q1: What are your predictions for next week’s Xbox showcase? 01:07:52 Supporter Q2: Does XMP make a big difference on DDR5 RAM? 01:10:36 Supporter Q3: Are plasma TVs viable for high-quality retro gaming? 01:14:54 Supporter Q4: Why doesn’t the Switch support HDR? Could it be included in a “Switch 2”? 01:16:32 Supporter Q5: Are we in a downwards spiral of declining developer output and GPU stagnation? 01:22:34 Supporter Q6: If a game runs at a locked 30fps or 60fps, is there any benefit to setting your console to 120Hz output? 01:25:55 Supporter Q7: Has Jensen’s prophecy been fulfilled already? Is Gran Turismo 7 ever going to hit PCs? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the first of the summer games events done and dusted, it's down to Rich, Oliver and John to shift through the games of the Sony showcase, bemoan trailergeddon, regale Marvel's Spider-Man 2 with praise then to discuss the merits of the Project Q streaming handheld. Meanwhile, the lack of a physical release for Alan Wake 2 upsets John - and Rich makes him talk about Marathon. 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:15 News 01: Sony showcase recap! 00:40:02 News 02: Alan Wake 2 impresses, but why is it digital-only? 00:52:06 News 03: “Project Q” streaming handheld revealed 01:05:45 Supporter Q1: Nvidia’s server GPUs seem in heavy demand, so might the company shift resources away from gaming? 01:14:09 Supporter Q2: What’s the best way to measure and communicate the concept of frame-time stability? 01:23:44 Supporter Q3: Isn’t the 4060 Ti a lot more impressive when you bring DLSS 3 into the picture? 01:27:10 Supporter Q4: Could John make a video on running modern games on consumer grade CRT displays? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the show, Alex gets to grips with the latest patch for Jedi Survivor, testing to see whether the game's profound tech issues have been resolved. Meanwhile, the team discusses Nvidia's RTX 4060 and RTX 4060 Ti announcements, while John has much to say about the poor state of day one console launches. Meanwhile, the buzz surrounding mid-gen console refreshes continues - but do we actually need them? 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:52 News 01: Jedi Survivor PC performance update! 00:17:04 News 02: RTX 4060 and 4060 Ti GPUs announced 00:48:20 News 03: Contemporary gaming in difficult territory? 01:00:48 Supporter Q1: Is there really a need for enhanced consoles when we have so few proper current-gen games? 01:07:17 Supporter Q2: Do you think games like The Callisto Protocol or Jedi Survivor would benefit from a 40fps mode? 01:12:32 Supporter Q3: Any thoughts on the UE5-powered Layers of Fear demo on PC? 01:16:51 Supporter Q4: Has Rich got any new thoughts on how to approach CPU video reviews? 01:25:32 Supporter Q5: Has the workflow for capturing and producing HDR gaming videos improved over the past few years? 01:32:25 Supporter Q6: John’s room tour. When? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the biggest - if not the biggest - games of 2023 launched this week. Nintendo's Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has recently a massively positive reaction. John discusses his review and shares more thoughts on the game, while digging more deeply into the eternal question - is it too big for Switch? Meanwhile, Rich drops in from time off to share his impressions with the Asus ROG Ally and A Plague Tale: Requiem gets a 60fps patch... but what does it actually do? 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:04 News 01: Tears of the Kingdom launches! 00:26:05 News 02: Sharp producing next-gen Switch LCD? 00:34:49 News 03: ASUS ROG Ally reviews drop + our impressions 00:50:20 News 04: A Plague Tale: Requiem gets 60fps patch 00:56:36 News 05: John gets a new CRT! 01:02:53 Supporter Q1: With low sales and poor software support, where does the PS VR2 go from here? 01:07:36 Supporter Q2: Could DF revisit some of the recent troubled PC ports and see how they run now after patches? 01:11:23 Supporter Q3: Why does DLSS 3 produce a smoother experience in games with high CPU load? 01:15:47 Supporter Q4: Developers like to blame specific PC configurations for user issues. Could DF emphasize that PC performance issues are often common to all configurations? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

DF Direct Weekly returns after a seismic week in gaming, with Oliver, John and Alex discussing the crisis state of PC gaming 'in the here and now', raking over the coals of the deeply disappointing Redfall release, while we had to take a look at Man of Medan on Switch, which targets a cinematic 24fps. Meanwhile, John clues us in on the latest Analogue Pocket firmware update. 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:58 News 01: PC gaming in crisis 00:24:12 News 02: Redfall reaction and follow-up 00:54:38 News 03: Man of Medan hits Switch at 24fps! 01:01:11 News 04: Analogue Pocket gets big firmware update 01:04:46 Supporter Q1: If a game developer is under the influence when implementing RTGI, could that be “baked” lighting? 01:05:37 Supporter Q2: Need for Speed (2015) still looks great today. What are some other early last-gen games that still look fantastic? 01:10:29 Supporter Q3: Could you tell the difference between DLSS 3 and regular rendering at high frame-rates? 01:14:05 Supporter Q4: Can we have an award ceremony for the worst PC ports of the year? 01:16:08 Supporter Q5: What are the possible incentives for publishers to release games in a decent state? 01:18:53 Supporter Q6: I’m worried that FF16, Starfield, and Zelda will release in a poor state. How can we make companies more aware of game issues? 01:22:47 Supporter Q7: Are Jedi Survivor’s image quality issues related to using an older version of FSR 2? 01:28:33 Supporter Q8: Do you prefer a higher resolution with less detail, or a lower resolution with more detail? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week the team discuss the arrival of Star Wars Jedi Survivor, share first impressions after EA delayed sending review code, then move onto 'The Power of the Cloud' seemingly blocking Microsoft's Activision acquisition. Rich shares a conversation he had with the Xbox Sustainability Team on improving in-game efficiency, while benchmarks finally emerge on the impressive looking Asus ROG Ally handheld. 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:45 News 01: Star Wars Jedi: Survivor impressions! 00:23:57 News 02: Microsoft Activision purchase hits roadblock 00:34:30 News 03: Microsoft pushes for Xbox energy sustainability 00:48:21 News 04: ASUS ROG Ally chips benchmarked 00:55:50 Supporter Q1: If RT becomes a big rendering focus, could future GPUs regress in rasterization performance? 01:00:36 Supporter Q2: Are 8GB GPUs DOOMED to muddy textures on PC? 01:07:33 Supporter Q3: How did Don feel about his first video? 01:11:15 Supporter Q4: Will you make a GTA V retro time capsule video when the title hits its 10th anniversary later this year? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Rich is joined by Alex and Oliver to discuss a range of topics, including the Unrecord footage that's gone 'viral', the launch of the first Unreal Engine 5.1 title outside of Fortnite to use Lumen and Nanite, and the arrival of the Horizon Burning Shores DLC - which looks amazing. Meanwhile, discover why Digital Foundry won't be doing another office tour and learn about Rich's 'cone of respectability'. It's all here in this 68 minute show! 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:45 News 01: Unrecord footage revealed 00:09:28 News 02: Immortals of Aveum showcases UE5 features 00:19:12 News 03: Horizon Burning Shores launches! 00:26:36 News 04: ASUS ROG Ally specs leak 00:34:48 News 05: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. shown with path tracing 00:41:35 Supporter Q1: Could Cyberpunk on PS5/Series X run the RT Overdrive mode? 00:49:01 Supporter Q2: If AMD sold APUs with much more graphics power, would they sell well? 00:55:21 Supporter Q3: Does “going gold” really matter anymore for modern games? 01:01:00 Supporter Q4: Would RTX Remix work with emulated games? 01:02:40 Supporter Q5: When will we get another Digital Foundry office tour? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rich, Alex and Oliver sit down for the latest DF Direct Weekly, discussing the controversial move for Microsoft to ship Redfall at 30fps with a performance mode to follow, along with confirmation that Suicide Squad: Kill the Justive League is getting a length delay. The team muse over the implications of Cyberpunk 2077's RT Overdrive changing the face of PC graphics in future games, while the third - and last - Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom trailer is also discussed. Do we still think it's 'too big for Switch'...? 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:52 News 01: Redfall to launch at 30fps on consoles 00:16:15 News 02: Suicide Squad delayed to 2024 00:21:54 News 03: Cyberpunk 2077 RT Overdrive mode launches 00:38:13 News 04: Final Tears of the Kingdom trailer drops 00:42:29 Supporter Q1: Does the negative reaction to Redfall's 30fps cap trivialize the filmic and artistic benefits of targeting 30fps? 00:47:59 Supporter Q2: What’s up with HDMI 2.1 capture cards? Why don’t capture devices support 4K/120Hz recordings? 00:53:34 Supporter Q3: Does “code” in the games industry refer to source code or game store codes? 00:55:42 Supporter Q4: Since the Steam Deck is well established, can you cover it from time to time? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rumours of a new PlayStation portable streaming device dominated the news this week, supplanting the actual reveal of the ultra-powerful Asus ROG Ally, first revealed on - believe it or not - April Fools Day. Meanwhile, John is seriously unhappy about Microsoft blocking emulation on Xbox Series consoles, while the applications of AI tools and the concept of affordable GPUs prompts further debate. And finally... Tekken 8 is on UE5 but is it actually using Nanite and Lumen? 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:41 News 01: Sony to launch streaming-only handheld? 00:16:09 News 02: Asus announces ROG Ally gaming handheld! 00:28:13 News 03: Microsoft blocks emulators on Xbox consoles 00:46:48 Supporter Q1: Can generative AI be integrated into games, like having RPG characters that never run out of dialogue? 00:53:26 Supporter Q2: Will upgrading from 16GB to 32GB of system RAM help with 8GB VRAM GPU bottlenecks? 00:59:22 Supporter Q3: Have any Unreal Engine 5-specific visual features been spotted in the Tekken 8 trailers? 01:02:57 Supporter Q4: When will affordable graphics cards consistently deliver 60 fps with ray tracing? 01:06:08 Supporter Q5: How do you feel about some of the relatively lackluster RT upgrades we’ve seen recently? Should developers even bother? 01:09:51 Supporter Q6: This Direct has one of the best banners of all time! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices