The PS5 and Xbox Series X have been on sale for over two months, and they continue to be some of the most desirable gadgets in the world — and extremely difficult to buy. If you are looking to secure either next-gen gaming console, Walmart will have both restocked on its website at 3PM ET / 12PM PT today, the company tells us.
Visiting Walmart’s product pages for the PlayStation 5 or the Xbox Series X, you should see a message showing that a restock is confirmed for today. Due to these consoles’ high demand, they will likely sell out quickly, so if you want one, now may be the time to shoot your shot and secure a unit.
Similar to restocks in the past, Walmart is exclusively selling both consoles through its website. It’s unknown when Walmart plans to sell either console in stores due to the pandemic. So if you want to buy either gadget and Walmart is your preferred retailer, you will have to buy it online for now.
GameStop also has small waves of the PS5 and Xbox Series X available today, in case you want to increase your chances of buying either console.
NVIDIA has given its popular Android streaming box NVIDIA Shield TV an update, which brings some interesting features, especially for users of the next-gen consoles. In the new version 8.2.2, the controllers for the Xbox Series X / S and Playstation 5 are now also available. Users of the streaming box can now use both the DualSense controller for the Playstation 5 and the controller for the Xbox Series X / S to navigate in the interface of the box and to access the range of games. So far, users had to use an original NVIDIA controller or one of the few other compatible controllers from earlier console generations.
To connect the controller to the box, the Bluetooth Pairing mode of the box and the corresponding controller must be activated. With the Shield TV Box this works via the menu, with the controllers the usual procedure applies, which is also carried out when connecting to the corresponding console.
In addition to support for the new next-gen controllers, the update also brings support for Control4. Furthermore, some apps have been updated and a few new ones have been added. NVIDIA’s game streaming service GeForce NOW has now also been expanded to include current titles such as Cyberpunk 2077, Destiny 2: Beyond Light, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Among Us and Watch Dogs: Legion expanded. The update also contains minor bug fixes and an Android security patch from December 2020.
A streaming client often significantly expands the functionality of a television. But not everyone may support your favorite service.
The right streaming client for video, television, music and games Classic television, music and games Older televisions are also compatible Movies, series, television Music Play Conclusion Test table Do you want your TV over ya re using it, sooner or later there is hardly a way around a streaming client. After the market launch, the manufacturers hardly change anything in terms of the range of functions or the software offering – at best, the current model year and its predecessors receive smaller updates and new services here and there. We show which client is the optimal choice for which streaming service and in which cases existing devices make buying new ones superfluous.
This applies, for example, to consoles that are compared in the form of Microsoft Xbox Series S and X as well as the Sony Playstation 5 are considered. Because they also offer apps for some services and thus compete with classic clients. There are also four streaming clients in stick format: Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K and Fire TV Stick Lite, Google Chromecast with Google TV (hereinafter referred to as Chromecast) and the MagentaTV Stick from Deutsche Telekom. With the Apple TV 4K, the Amazon Fire TV Cube and the Nvidia Shield TV, three clients rely on a box or box-like design. Since it is unclear how long Microsoft and Sony will support the previous generation of consoles, we have not included you in this comparison. The Amazon Fire TV Stick (without addition) is missing, as it corresponds to the Lite model in terms of performance and limitations. The statements made for Nvidia’s Shield TV also apply to the Pro version.
Classic television, music and games In addition to video-on-demand services (VoD), we also consider live TV -Streaming and other types of entertainment: streaming music and gaming. In addition to the installation of games, the latter also includes corresponding cloud gaming services and the flat-rate offers from Deutsche Telekom (MagentaGaming) as well as from Microsoft (Xbox Game Pass) and Sony (Playstation Now).
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Nvidia has updated its Shield TV media streaming box to add support for the Bluetooth enabled PlayStation 5 DualSense and the Xbox Series X|S controllers. These controllers can now be paired with the streaming device through the latter’s Bluetooth settings.
The Shield TV is a media streaming box but it can also play Android games from the Google Play Store. On top of that, the device is compatible with the Nvidia GeForce Now service, which allows you to play games from Nvidia’s cloud service.
The Shield TV devices are compatible with other wireless controllers and Nvidia also sells its own but now if you already have a PS5 or Xbox Series controller around then you don’t need to purchase one separately for the Shield TV. Then again, it’s hard to say how many people will be playing on their Shield TV when they already have a PS5 or Xbox Series console around.
Nvidia added support for Control4 home automation system in this update for the Shield TV, which allows Control4 remote or app to navigate the Shield TV UI. The OS has also been patched with the Android December 2020 security update.
Although the support is contemplated by both PlayStation 5 that from the Samsung TVs in question, malfunctions occur when enabling HDR
of Rosario Grasso published on 20 January 2021 , at 16: 21 in the Videogames channel Sony Playstation Samsung
Sony several reports of malfunctions with PlayStation 5 and some Samsung TVs with 4K support 120 Hz , supported display mode d to the new console. In particular, the problems occur with HDR enabled , which, in combination with the two features just mentioned, requires significant bandwidth to HDMI connection.
4K 120 Hz on PlayStation 5 works with HDMI 2.1 standard
According to Forbes reports, Sony is aware of the problem and plans to release a update for PlayStation 5 during the month of March . Samsung has also published a note on the subject, in which it specifies that the reason causing the incompatibility is not known . According to the two communications, it seems that Sony, and not Samsung, must resolve the problem.
The standard HDMI 2.1 , which makes it possible to manage streams of images at 4K 120 Hz with HDR providing the necessary bandwidth, it is debuting on the market, and it still has youth problems, one of which is the one we are reporting. On the other hand, televisions with this support, which therefore allow you to take full advantage of the new consoles, Xbox Series X as well as PlayStation 5, are still scarcely available on the market. Below are some examples of compatible Samsung TVs .
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Sure, anyone can play Skyrim on new next-gen consoles, but only one mod will allow you to play 60 frames per second on Xbox Series X | S and PlayStation 5. Here are the (surprising) results achieved by modder Wrighton on Sony’s next-gen console.
by Pasquale Fusco published 20 January 2021 , at 15: 01 in the Videogames channel Playstation Bethesda
The fifth installment of the series The Elder Scrolls has been seen in all the sauces: following the debut on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 (2011), Skyrim has also landed on PS4 and Xbox One, not to mention the latest excellent port made for the Nintendo Switch.
Unfortunately – or luckily – Bethesda hasn’t announced a version yet and next-gen of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim for PS5 and Xbox Series X | S , yet someone has managed to improve the performance of the timeless RPG on the new platforms.
Skyrim a 60 fps on PS5 thanks to Wrighton’s mod
Last December Xbox Series X users managed to run The Elder Scrolls V to more than 30 fps . On that occasion an old mod was used (Uncap FPS, by Smudgey 5000) to unlock the frame rate of the game on Microsoft’s next-gen console. The result was surprising: Skyrim was spinning at 20 frames per second, solidly and without the tearing that the mod caused on the less performing platforms – like on Xbox One X, for example.
The same result was achieved on PlayStation 5 , but in this case we are talking about a more recent mod, very similar in operation to the one seen on Xbox. The author of the PS5 mod responds to the name of Wrighton , who also made a practical video-tutorial to guide players through the installation process of “Skyrim @ 20 fps (PS5) “.
By taking advantage of the backward compatibility of PS5 and a copy of Skyrim for PS4, Wrighton succeeded in the same feat as above. To reach the threshold of 60 frames per second it is necessary follow the steps listed in the description of the mod:
Download and activate the mod
Restart the game
Go back to the mod menu and delete / deactivate the mod
Skyrim should run at 60 fps even without the mod
After closing the game, repeat the first three steps to re-enable the 60 fps
As the author himself points out, what makes this mod special is the ability to use it without disabling the Trophies , unlike what happens with other add-ons of this type. The only “hassle” is repeating the above steps every time you start the game.
Wrighton’s mod also works on PS4 and PS4 Pro , but performance improvements vary depending on the model used, of course.
It should be widely known that you are currently looking for Sony’s PlayStation 5 in vain in retail. However, a large number of pre-orders are currently waiting for their consoles. Officially, the PS5 is already on 18. November 2020 has been published. The long waiting times have now called the consumer center Saxony on the plan. This criticized the process of pre-orders as well as the subsequent deliveries. For this reason, the consumer center has now issued a warning to the retailer Saturn.
The main criticism is the imprecise wording in the company’s terms and conditions. This does not indicate how long the customer’s payments will be withheld. Although it is possible to cancel the pre-order, this should only be an option for very few gamers. Ultimately, there is currently no alternative but to wait. Customers also complain about the retailer’s lack of communication. One 14 -day status report would certainly not be asking too much at this point. After all, the players park a not exactly small amount in the company’s accounts.
The consumer advice center also complained about the missing order confirmation. The legal requirements oblige an online retailer to send a corresponding confirmation after ordering. However, this was not done when pre-ordering the PlayStation 5. Should the electronics retailer not give in, the consumer advocates have already announced that they will enforce their claims in court.
It is currently unclear how possible changes to the terms and conditions could affect pre-orders for the PS5. The longer the delivery is delayed, the more likely it is that the retailer will be forced to cancel all pre-orders first. After all, the PlayStation 5 is now two months away. Here one can in no way speak of a slight delay in delivery.
(Pocket-lint) – Agent 47 is back once again – for the third and final instalment in the Hitman trilogy – where this time his mission is to seek out and destroy the partners of Providence.
Hitman 3 takes the tried and tested format of the previous two Hitman games – Hitman was super, Hitman 2 was next-level impressive – and promises to build upon it with new puzzles, an interesting persistent shortcut system, a full-blown virtual reality mode (on PlayStation VR anyway) and much more besides.
So, is the third Hitman instalment an advance on the stealth game formula or just more of the same that you know and love? We’ve been busy committing various accidental deaths in order to find out…
The entire trilogy in one package
Like the previous games, Hitman 3 consists of a campaign, contracts missions, side missions, and the sniper challenge mode. What makes things different this time, though, is if you buy the Deluxe Edition – or if you already own the previous games – then you get access to Hitman and Hitman 2 inside Hitman 3. Though this is a bit trickier on PC due to the Epic Store exclusivity.
This is interesting, not only because it keeps everything in one place, but because you can carry your progress over from Hitman 2 into Hitman 3. This includes unlocks, XP rank, suits and equipment.
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Also things you unlock in the new game can then be used to replay previous levels from the other games in the series to make things even more interesting. This already hints at one of the main appeals of Hitman – the replayability of the sandbox design.
Sprawling sandboxes
Hitman 3 once again features six different missions in the main campaign. These missions take place in variety of impressive locales from around the world. One moment you’re exploring the grounds of a large rustic mansion in England, next your in the busy night-time streets of Chongqing, China, or in a make-shift nightclub in Berlin.
Six locations might not sound like much, but in each of those you’re primed to take out one or two targets as well as look for story missions or side quests. We found it took us around nine hours to complete the main campaign, but we’d barely scratched the surface of all the content at that point.
For each location, Hitman 3 offers up a number of choices for not only how you get to the target, but how you finish them off.
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From our play time with the game it felt like there’s a lot more options for elimination of the victim than ever before – and that’s saying a lot as there’s always been loads of them.
So whether you’re poisoning someone, garrotting them, spiking their drink and then drowning them in a toilet, or simply using a trusty silenced weapon to despatch them, there are plenty of options open to you.
1/19IO Interactive / Square Enix
This is Hitman’s signature sandbox style – and it’s always a pleasure to get stuck into. Following targets and tracking their moves, working out when to strike and whether or not you can get away with making it just look like an accident for that coveted Silent Assassin rating is a thrill. But one that requires patience and planning.
Mischievous opportunities
A perfect example of how it works was demonstrated by our various sessions with the mission “Death in the family”. Here, Agent 47 has been sent to the grand and imposing manor in the murky English countryside.
The goal here is – as it always is – to assassinate a target. But the plot thickens when you discover a private detective has been hired and is in attendance on the day of your arrival. A murder mystery follows, for a crime you didn’t commit, but one you can investigate if you manage to don the clothes of said detective.
On our first playthrough of that mission, we broke into the grounds, shimmied up a drainpipe and through a window while the detective was being ushered through the front door.
The initial plan was to take the clothes by whatever means and have a poke about the grounds for clues. But when the target walked into the room and stood by a window wistfully staring off into the distance, it seemed too good an opportunity to miss. That led to the perfect hit – so as long as we completed the mission and exited without being seen we’d get the Silent Assassin award – meaning the ultimate prize.
IO Interactive / Square Enix
On the next playthroughs we discovered plenty more opportunities to take the target out. Some of them you’ll even see briefly mentioned on the challenges screen before you start a mission, then you just need to work out how to pull them off.
Needless to say: our target came to an unfortunate end in various ways (but we’ve signed a document stating we can’t tell you about them – so dig in people, go discover the various sadistic ways, and have fun yourselves).
The fun of this mission is actually found in the detail – as you unveil clues to unravel the murder mystery, while also finding key intel on completing your own mission at the same time. It’s this sort of experience the developers want players to have: the thrill of finding new ways to complete your mission and opening up extra mission stories in the process.
IO Interactive / Square Enix
As you wander around the map, sneaking from place to place, trying to remain unseen, you’ll come across varies non-playable characters (NPCs) chatting with each other. Sometimes ear wigging on their conversation can lead to new possibilities and avenues to explore.
Challenge accepted
One way the sandbox system has been tweaked and improved for this third instalment is with shortcuts that can be unlocked for future playthroughs. As you go through the locations you’ll find locked doors or blocked ladders that if you open will then allow you to start in a new place next time you play, which opens up new possibilities.
IO Interactive / Square Enix
As standard a camera is now included in your inventory that can be used to reveal clues, scan for intel, or to hack doors or windows and security equipment. This opens up yet more possibilities and adds an extra dash of interest too.
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Complete challenges and you’re also given new equipment to take in with you that can help. The addition of a lock-pick, security bypasser or a poison syringe as a basic tool can make a world of difference – or just give you new ways to carry out the mission and make new discoveries.
Those challenges also add a lot of replayability to each mission. As it’s not just about assassinating a particular person and then leaving, you also get awards for all sorts of things. Donning different disguises, killing your targets in different ways, destroying security cameras, completing the mission without changing out of your suit, and much more besides.
There are more difficult challenges to make things trickier too, like ones involving taking out two targets at the same time with a single bullet or explosion or with weapons you don’t enter the game with. There’s plenty of variety here and it’s up to you to find it.
1/19IO Interactive / Square Enix
Ultimate satisfaction is delivered when you pull off the more complex moves too. There’s one challenge, for example, which involves getting an NPC to murder the target, without even saying a word to them. Watching events like that unfold can be a lot of fun.
There are also various different puzzles to solve to keep things interesting. Not just how to get through certain doors or past guards but also opening a locked safe, clearing out some pesky birds that are holding back story-based events, and destroying files hidden in a secure room.
In short: there’s plenty to keep you busy in the campaign. There’s also a number of other modes to keep you hunting; escalations, contracts mode, sniper assassin, and ghost mode.
IO Interactive / Square Enix
Contracts has always been one of the most interesting modes, letting players replay locations but choosing new targets, how they’re eliminated, and then setting that as a challenge for others to play.
Visually pleasing – with more to come
We took to playing Hitman 3 on PC with a decent gaming machine and plenty of power to max out the settings. As such we were greeted with a number of gorgeous scenes, with superb lighting and a wonderful atmospheric vibe.
IO Interactive / Square Enix
The game’s developer, IO Interactive, has done a stellar job of crafting another great-looking game in the Hitman series. That said, we did think it felt a little underwhelming in places compared to the likes of Cyberpunk 2077, which is insanely beautiful with the addition of ray tracing settings. The developers say that ray tracing and other improvements will be coming to Hitman 3 later in 2021 – but are not available at launch.
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The bonus is Hitman 3 runs really well on current hardware and we were seeing around 150fps with everything turned up to max. After playing on Xbox Series X too, we’re confident the experience will be great no matter the platform you’re using (unlike Cyberpunk). But it does feel a bit like Hitman 2 in terms of some world environments and in-game characters. Other sections like in the nightclub or out in the pouring rain in China while surrounded by neon lights look magnificent though.
Our playtime was also almost entirely bug free, with the exception of frustrating crash to desktop problems if you dared to Alt+Tab out of the game for any reason. Something that could easily be patched out.
IO Interactive / Square Enix
One small gripe we did have is some of the NPCs in the game can feel a bit soulless. You’ll walk around the map and see people talking or going about their business and they’re believable in such settings – but larger crowds can sometimes seem less convincing (or maybe it’s just that we can’t remember the last time we saw crowds in the real world).
Verdict
Hitman 3 is a great addition and finishing point for the trilogy. If you enjoyed the previous two games, then you can expect more of the same here, plus some additional tweaks to keep things interesting. But if you’re new to the series then we’d recommend buying the digital edition and maximising the number of levels you can play.
If the idea of only six main missions doesn’t appeal and you’re not the sort of person who likes to replay games then you might find Hitman 3 a bit pricey for a single playthrough. In our opinion, however, the way each level is crafted with different potential playstyles and avenues to explore makes it feel fresh each time and makes for a much more entertaining game.
Overall, Hitman 3 is once again a sensational sandbox of sneaky stealth action. If you like stealth games there’s none better.
Mustafa Mahmoud 4 hours ago Console, Featured Tech News, Software & Gaming
Of all the games developed by Telltale Games, Tales from the Borderlands is often one of the most talked about – perhaps behind The Walking Dead and Wolf Among Us. Despite Telltale Games itself closing down (at least in its original form), it would seems that its games have some life left in them. It would appear as though TellTale’s Tales from the Borderlands is being remastered for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
According the ESRB ratings board, Tales from the Borderlands is coming to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. As discovered by Reddit user u/telltalegamesvideos, the ESRB has the game rated for both next-gen consoles as well as PC. Interestingly, the listed release date for the game is said to be the 18th of December 2020 – which of course was not the case.
The 18th of December is the same day as listed by PEGI for the next-gen versions of Borderlands 3 (even though they actually launched in November), suggesting that this release may tie in to Borderlands 3 somehow – maybe even as part of the game’s second season pass.
Telltale Games’ titles were never the most visually stunning nor the most action heavy and as such, the decision to remaster Tales from the Borderlands is certainly a curious one. It’ll be interesting to see when this is announced, and if the game will be available to purchase standalone or if it will indeed be part of the season pass – or perhaps both.
KitGuru says: What did you think of Tales from the Borderlands? Would you buy a remaster? What other games would you like to see remastered? Let us know down below.
Mustafa Mahmoud 20 mins ago Console, Featured Tech News, Software & Gaming
With the increase in adoption of backwards compatibility from both Sony and Microsoft, many developers have gone back to their previously released games to update them with small enhancements for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S respectively. One such game is Samurai Shodown, which has added a 120fps mode for next-gen systems. Interestingly however, the higher frame rate is currently only announced for Xbox consoles.
In an announcement by Hayato Konya, the game’s director revealed that following the release of the next-gen version of Samurai Shodown on the 16th of March, those with an Xbox Series X or S will be able to play the fighting game at 120fps.
With fighting games, consistency is key, and every frame must be accounted for when competing at the higher end of the fighting game community. As such, it will be interesting to see how changing the framerate from 60fps to 120fps will alter how the game plays and feels – especially when playing online.
Interestingly, this next-gen version of Samurai Shodown (which is a Smart Delivery title on Xbox meaning the upgrade is completely free) has not been announced for PS5, meaning that the only way to play the game at 120fps on console will be with an Xbox Series device. While no reason was given for the lack of a PS5 version, it is entirely possible that this is a similar situation to Yakuza: Like a Dragon which launched its next-gen version first on Xbox, with a PS5 version announced to arrive 4 months later.
Time will tell whether PlayStation 5 owners will get to play the game at 120fps, but until it’s official announced, Xbox Series X|S owners can look forward to the next-gen enhancements when it arrives on the 16th of March.
KitGuru says: Are you excited for this update? Do you play fighting games? Why do you think there’s no dedicated PS5 version? Let us know down below.
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It is well known that you are currently looking for Sony’s PlayStation 5 in vain in retail outlets. However, a large number of pre-orders are currently still waiting for their consoles. Officially, the PS5 is already on 19. November 2020 has been published. The long waiting times have now called the consumer center Saxony on the plan. This criticized the process of pre-orders as well as the subsequent deliveries. For this reason, the consumer advice center has now issued a warning to the retailer Saturn.
The main criticism is the imprecise wording in the company’s terms and conditions. This does not indicate how long the customer’s payments will be withheld. Although it is possible to cancel the pre-order, this should only be an option for very few gamers. Ultimately, there is currently no alternative but to wait. Customers also complain about the retailer’s lack of communication. A 14 – daily status message would certainly not be asking too much at this point. After all, the players park a not exactly small amount on the company’s accounts.
The consumer center also complained about the lack of order confirmation. The legal requirements oblige an online retailer to send a corresponding confirmation after ordering. However, this was not done when pre-ordering the PlayStation 5. Should the electronics retailer not give in, the consumer advocates have already announced that they will enforce their claims in court.
It is currently unclear how possible changes to the terms and conditions could affect pre-orders for the PS5. The longer the delivery is delayed, the more likely it is that the retailer will be forced to cancel all pre-orders first. After all, the PlayStation 5 is now two months away. Here one can in no way speak of a small delay in delivery.
NiOh 2, the continuation of the Japanese action RPG from Team Ninja studio known from such series as Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive, debuted in March last year, but only on Sony PlayStation 4 console. However, as in the case of the previous installment of this slasher series in the TPP convention, the creators and the publisher, Koei Tecmo, planned a PC version for a later period. We had to wait nine months for the computer port of “one”, while in the case of “two” we have to wait a bit longer, because it was less than a year. NiOh 2 will come to PC immediately in the Complete Edition, which consists of the basic version of the game, appropriately improved, and three story expansions. We got to know the list of changes and the hardware requirements of NioH 2 on PC.
NiOH 2: Complete Edition will hit PC (and PS5) on February 5 2021 year. Due to the upcoming premiere, we learned more about the technical aspect of the conversion and we got to know the game’s hardware requirements.
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Until the launch of NiOh 2 Complete Edition on PC (Steam) and PlayStation 5, scheduled for February 5 2021 of the year, only three weeks left. The TPP action game in the style of the Dark Souls series, appreciated by critics and players, has been adapted to the capabilities of modern computers. On the trailer for the PC version published this week, among others, support for 4K resolution, ultra-wide monitors, including high refresh rates (165 Hz), and HDR. The game will be able to spread its wings on strong configurations. Players will be given the option to set the FPS Lock to 16 and 120 frames / s depending on your hardware. How strong? Here are the hardware requirements for NiOh 2 Complete Edtiion for PC:
Game releases in January 2021. What to play? New products include stealth Hitman 3 and survival horror pt. The Medium
The hardware requirements of the PC version are quite modest, although noticeably higher than the first NiOh. Unfortunately, the manufacturer did not disclose the target resolution, graphic settings profile or FPS number. In NiOh 2 we will play the role of a samurai using supernatural abilities (half-human, half -okai), who has to face demons harassing the Land of the Rising Sun (stylized for the early Sengoku period), straight from Japanese folklore. The action of the game will focus on fighting enemies, including big bosses. The complete version will include three story DLCs: The Tengu’s Disciple, Darkness in the Capital and The First Samurai. NiOh 2 will appear on PC in the Polish cinema language version (subtitles) for the price 179, 99 PLN.
Hitman 3 and the World of Assassination trilogy launch on January 20th, and at launch, Google Stadia players will be able to share access to distinct points within a game thanks to Stadia’s State Share feature.
With State Share in Hitman, you’ll be able to share a link alongside an image or video from your game. Then, others can click on it to try the scenario you were playing for themselves. There are multiple “states” of missions you can share to customize the experience, including a mission’s starting location, the objectives, Agent 47’s loadout, and difficulty level.
The feature works with any campaign or custom mission, and you’ll even be able to use weapons or items that you haven’t unlocked yet if a game state is ahead of your own progression, Stadia product manager Catherine Hsiao said in a blog post.
The sharing screen for State Share in Hitman. Image: Google
The feature opens up a lot of exciting possibilities for the Hitman games. Players could send custom scenarios back and forth to each other, for example, or live-streamers could challenge their viewers to try out a particularly difficult mission or specific assassination style they just broadcast live. It’s a feature that’s unique to Stadia, despite the game also launching on consoles and PC.
State Share isn’t the only boundary-pushing technology coming to Hitman 3 and the World of Assassination trilogy. On PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, you’ll also be able to play through every location from all three Hitman games in virtual reality.
As the dust slowly starts to settle on the launch fiasco of the much anticipated and subsequently much criticized Cyberpunk 2077, CD Projekt, the company behind the studio that made the game, has released a formal apology in the form of a video by co-founder Marcin Iwiński and also a written blog post.
In the video, Iwiński initially formally apologizes on behalf of the company’s leadership who were ultimately responsible for taking the call of releasing the game in the state that it did. He also commended his developers and urged not to put the blame on them.
After that, Iwiński goes into some details regarding the state of the console version at launch. As many had suspected, Iwiński confirmed that the game was built for the PC and was backported to run on the previous generation consoles. They initially assumed this would work out well but as we have seen since then, it didn’t.
The main issue with the console versions seems to be the limited storage bandwidth on offer, which struggles with streaming-in assets. CDPR says that during their testing, they didn’t face many of the issues that the users did and that they were confident they would sort things out in the day zero update.
Regarding the console review copies, Iwiński confirmed that they were still working on the console version when the PC copies were initially sent out for reviews in the first week of December, and that they were only able to send the review copies by December 8, two days before the launch of the game.
CDPR will be releasing several updates over the course of the year, which aim to fix the bugs in the game. The first major v1.1 patch will be released in the next 10 days and then an even bigger v1.2 patch will come out a few weeks later. There should also be some unspecified hotfixes similar to what we have gotten so far.
Then later in the year, the company will also be releasing the free DLCs for the game, along with the native Xbox Series X|S and the PlayStation 5 versions.
Finally, CDPR also confirmed that they are working on reducing developer crunch time, aiming to bring the game back on the PlayStation Store, and have sent out their first wave of refunds.
I have a few issues with Iwiński and CDPR’s statements. I’m not fond of the developers bringing up the storage situation on the previous generation consoles as if it sneaked up on them and wasn’t already a known quantity. The PS4 and Xbox One came out just a year after the game was initially announced and have had the same storage solution throughout their life cycle. CDPR has already worked with these machines for their Witcher games so it’s not like they weren’t familiar with them.
Second is the claim that their testing did not show many of the issues that the players experienced. The day the game went live, social media was lit up with gameplay videos and screenshots from players showing the various bugs, missing textures, and just generally poor performance within the first few minutes of the game. It took me about ten minutes for me to find my first bug. Most of the reviews also mentioned the bugs. To say that the developers didn’t notice this during testing is laughable.
Third, the fact that they were still working on the console version mere days before launch is patently absurd. They used this as an excuse for not sending out the console copies but I find it appalling that a game that was repeatedly said to have been finished and even gone gold was still not fit to show the media until two days before release.
Finally, in all the talk regarding the patches, the company never once mentions improved performance on any platform, just that it will be fixing bugs. Considering performance is one of the major issues with the previous generation console versions, it seems this issue will never be addressed in any meaningful way and if you want to play the game with any amount of consistency and fluidity then you have to play it on a PC or one of the new consoles.
You can read more of my thoughts regarding the PC version of the game in our full review here.
With the long-awaited release of Cyberpunk 2077 the Polish development studio CD Projekt Red could not convince all players. In the open-world action role-playing game, they were primarily bothered by various optical errors. Sony even removed the title from the PlayStation Store. Thus, the start into the world around Night City could have gone much better for the Spieleschmiede. In the past few days, the number of players has also plummeted. While it is not surprising that the numbers have declined after publication, a drop of over 80% is not the order of the day.
However, this should all change now. The Polish studio released a video in which the founder and head of the company Marcin Iwinski apologizes to the fans. The console version did not meet the quality standards that it had imposed on itself. Iwinski cites the high complexity of the title as the reason. Thus, a large number of tests carried out could not bring the problems to light.
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According to the CEO, an update will be released within the next ten days, followed by another update in the following week. In addition, CD Projekt Red published a new roadmap for cyberpunk 2077. However, nothing concrete can be derived from this. According to the aforementioned patch 1.2, work will only be carried out on a large number of updates and various improvements throughout the year. In addition, free DLCs and the next-gen console update will be released in the future. However, it is not yet known when exactly this will happen. So all PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series gamers still have to be patient. Currently, the third or even the fourth quarter can be expected until the upgrade is available.
If you are currently unsure whether the world of cyberpunk 2077 is right for you, you should definitely take a look at our allusion . Everything you need to know for a future trip to Night City can be found here.
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