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PS4 Pro will make more games look better on older TVs
The next PlayStation 4 firmware update will make the PS4 Pro a lot more like the Xbox One X. No, I don't mean the patch will malevolently shrink the breadth of Sony's first-party games lineup next time the console is in sleep mode, either. Instead, software version 5.50 adds a supersampling mode to the PS4 Pro.
Sony CEO completes quest to make the company successful again
If the news that Sony CEO Kaz Hirai will be stepping down in a few months came as a bit of a surprise this morning, then the latest peek at the company's books is a return to something more predictable. In the third quarter of Sony's fiscal year -- covering October through December 2017 -- its Playstation division continued to pull in the most money. Sales of home entertainment and audio gear, as well as camera components, were particularly strong over those three months; and unlike last quarter, smartphone income was in the positive, too.
Sony adds 'Monster Hunter' and white PS4 Pro options this month
Sony has released two new versions of the PS4 Pro that will be available exclusively at GameStop this month. The consoles are the Limited Edition Monster Hunter PS4 Pro Bundle for $450, available starting January 26th (when the game launches), and the Glacier White PS4 Pro for $400, sometime around the end of the month. If you're in Canada, look for the Glacier White edition at EB Games for $500 CAD.
Nearly three years later, 'The Witcher 3' runs in 4K on Xbox
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's performance on Xbox hardware has never been what I'd call "great." So, when Microsoft announced that CD Projekt RED's massive single-player RPG was one of the games getting an "enhancement" patch for the One X I got pretty excited. Finally, the game would be playable on the system I got it for. The patch recently arrived, and with it an "advanced" tab in the display options. You can pick from either 4K Mode or Performance Mode. The former gives you 4K graphics at a locked 30 FPS on a UHD display. For 1080p TV owners, that translates to super-sampled visuals and 60 FPS in my brief tests.
Which gaming console is right for you?
There are three main contenders in the video game console market, and each one has unique advantages and drawbacks. The PlayStation 4, for example, is easy to use: Sony has made a powerful console designed to appeal to as many players as possible, and its gamble has largely paid off. While Microsoft clearly wants just as many people playing Xbox One, it's tackling the market via its ecosystem, which is more open than any of the other consoles. The Xbox One supports cross-play with Windows 10, and its built-in livestreaming architecture, Mixer, is an impressive tool. Meanwhile, the Nintendo Switch is a strange treasure, packing less power than the other two systems but making up for this technical loss with an innovative hybrid design. Here we break down the best and worst bits of the PS4 Slim, PS4 Pro, Xbox One S, Xbox One X and the Switch for anyone looking to buy into the video game universe this fall.
'Guacamelee 2!' brings grappling hooks and chicken power to PS4
Originally out for PlayStation 3 and Vita in mid-2013, Guacamelee! hit all the right notes to please both gamers and critics. Developer Drinkbox Studios has decided to keep the fun going with a sequel to the Mexican fairytale-inspired platforming beat 'em up. Guacamelee 2! is set to grace the PlayStation 4 next year with new levels, enemies, bosses and, yes, chickens.
'Red Dead Redemption 2' trailer introduces a new anti-hero
While the original Red Dead Redemption was about a wistful cowboy trying to make things right, its sequel sounds a bit different. In Red Dead Redemption 2, you're playing as Arthur Morgan, an outlaw, who along with his Van Der Linde gang, seems out to rob pretty much anyone who crosses his path. The biggest takeaways from the trailer (embedded below) are just how good Morgan's face looks and the vastness of the wilderness. And, really, that's about it for the 90 second clip. Spring 2018 isn't that far away though, and hopefully the next trailer will either dive further into Morgan's backstory or show off actual gameplay.
'L.A. Noire' is coming to HTC Vive and modern consoles
Red Dead Redemption 2's release might've gotten pushed into next spring, but Rockstar Games has something else to fill that gap: an unexpected HD (and UHD) remaster of its 2011 detective simulator L.A. Noire. This goes beyond the expected gussied up graphics for modern consoles though, as it's also getting a pack of missions cases designed specifically for virtual reality.
‘No Man’s Sky’ gets basic multiplayer a year after debut
Such was the lack of concrete information as to how the final consumer release of No Man's Sky was going to play, many gamers felt cheated by the distinct absence of multiplayer features. Developer Hello Games has gone some way to giving the people what they've wanted today with the third major update since the title's launch. "Atlas Rises" (aka update 1.3) adds the beginnings of real-time multiplayer to the space exploration game, though admittedly, "interaction with others is currently very limited."
PS4 Pro owners get 60FPS Twitch streaming in next update
Sony has been hinting at a big version 5.0 firmware update for the PlayStation 4, but... what does it entail, exactly? Eurogamer has an idea. The site has obtained release notes that hint at at least a few tangible upgrades. To start, PS4 Pro owners will have the option to broadcast their gaming on Twitch at a brisk 60 frames per second. That's nothing new for the PC crowd, of course, but it's a big deal if you want to showcase a fighting game or shooter at the same frame rate you see on your TV.
Sony's white-hot PS4 Pro debuts with 'Destiny 2' in September
PlayStation is repeating history. Once again it's dropping a white Destiny bundle, except this time it's for this September's Destiny 2 and the hardware is a PlayStation 4 Pro. The limited edition 1TB console will set you back $449.99 in the US and it will be released on September 6th. In addition to the game and PS4 Pro, the bundle includes early access (like all PS4 editions) to bonus bits, as well as an expansion pass. If your white 2TB Xbox One S needs some company in your A/V rack -- and gold isn't your color -- maybe this will do the trick for you.
Sony is losing its grip on the indie market
Here we go again. In 2011, Microsoft was the indie king. The industry was just blossoming thanks to services like Steam and Xbox Live Arcade, which introduced independent games to huge, hungry audiences. Indie Game: The Movie was about to debut, giving fans a deep behind-the-scenes look at the perils and triumphs of small-scale development. The Xbox 360 served as the foundational platform for the film's major projects Super Meat Boy, Fez and Braid. And then, the pendulum swung -- in 2012, Journey landed exclusively on the PS3. It served as a lightning rod for discussions about emotion and art in video games, and it gave Sony the momentum to transform its indie ecosystem. By July 2013, Sony had opened up its processes, allowing indie developers to self-publish their games on the company's next console, the PlayStation 4. Even Microsoft still required indies to partner with established publishers, at this point. Microsoft attempted to regain its indie dominance with the ID@Xbox program, though that turned out to be more complicated than most developers would have liked. The launch of the Xbox One was a low-key disaster while Sony continually dropped the mic, showcasing indie games at E3 to widespread acclaim while Microsoft played catch-up. As recently as E3 2015, Sony's head hung heavy with indie jewels.
Playing witness to an android riot in 'Detroit: Become Human'
I don't know when I'll get to play Detroit: Become Human again. The latest game from David Cage's Quantic Dream studio (Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls) conspicuously didn't have a release date, or, hell, even a release year when Sony showed off a brand new demo at its media briefing earlier this week. Behind closed doors I was shown an extended version of the stage demo and saw just how an android riot starts.
'Uncharted: The Lost Legacy' will arrive this August
Turns out we didn't have to wait for E3 for more news on Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. That's because developer Naughty Dog just revealed that the add-on will be released on August 22nd for $40 in the US and $50 in Canada.
PS4 Pro plays your 4K video files
So far, watching 4K video on a PS4 Pro has meant streaming from the likes of Netflix and YouTube. But what about all the 4K footage you shot on your phone? You should be covered after today. Sony is rolling out an update to the PS4 Pro's Media Player app that will let you play locally-stored 4K videos. They'll have to be encoded as MP4 files, but you can play them either from a USB drive or from a media server on your home network. And if you happen to own both a PlayStation VR headset and a Pro, you'll see support for 4K VR videos.
PS4 update is causing WiFi problems for some players
Sony's big PS4 version 4.50 update landed two weeks ago and despite the boost in framerates, some owners are not happy their consoles have been effectively cut off from the internet. According to a thread started on the PlayStation Forums on the same day as the release, the update completely broke WiFi connectivity for a number of PS4 players. While some users (including at least one Engadget staffer) thought the WiFi issues might be an isolated case, the two-week-old forum thread has gathered about 250 posts, all complaining about the NW-31297-2 error code. Despite Sony's troubleshooting tips, reconfiguring the console's WiFi setup won't fix the problem and some gamers have resorted to begrudgingly buying WiFi extenders with a built-in ethernet port to bridge the console's WiFi gap. When reached for comment by Engadget, Sony acknowledged the issue but didn't offer a much better solution just yet. "We are aware and are looking into the situation," a Sony spokesperson said via email. So, if you're unable to run a cable between your PS4 and your router, you'll just have to sit tight and hope Sony releases another update in time for that sweet Wildlands DLC.
'No Man's Sky' update adds more than just ground vehicles
When Hello Games teased big things coming with No Man's Sky's Path Finder update, it wasn't joking around. The studio has taken the wraps off the upgrade, and there's a lot more than what was hinted at. For one thing, there are multiple ground vehicles (exocraft in NMS lingo) -- you can travel across vast landscapes in a speedy hovercraft, the previously leaked buggy or a "lumbering" but capacious cargo hauler. You can even participate in custom-built races when you're done exploring.
PS4 Pro's Boost Mode arrives on March 9th
After more than a little teasing, Sony's PS4 version 4.50 update is almost here. The sweeping upgrade is now slated to arrive on March 9th, and is now confirmed to include that rumored Boost Mode for PS4 Pro owners. Enable it on the higher-end PlayStation and "select legacy titles" should run faster (or more consistently fast) without needing a Pro-specific patch. They may even load sooner, Sony says. The boost isn't certain to work with every unoptimized game, but it should do more to justify the Pro if you have an extensive game collection.
The sequel to 'Shadow of Mordor' arrives August 22nd
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor was one of the most important blockbuster games of 2014, proving that an open-world title set in a very familiar fantasy world could still feel fresh and innovative. And apparently, it was popular enough to get a sequel... including on a platform that isn't even out yet. Warner Bros. has unveiled Middle-earth: Shadow of War, a follow-up that will be available on PS4, Windows PCs, the Xbox One and Project Scorpio -- yes, this is one of the first known titles for Microsoft's 4K-capable console. The publisher isn't saying what the Scorpio version will bring to the table, but it'll launch this holiday season. Every other edition arrives on August 22nd.
'Final Fantasy XV' update boosts framerates on PS4 Pro
While the in-game carnival continues, Final Fantasy XV's latest patch upgrades the graphical options for PS4 Pro owners. While the game launched with a 4K (and HDR) capable version for Pro consoles, the team didn't have time to repurpose the power for the sake of frame rates. That option arrives in Patch 1.05, alongside a new level cap (up to 125), more camera space (up to 200 snaps), and an MP3 player for the protagonist prince when he's riding a giant yellow bird. It's important, okay?
