Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Requires a Download to Play
Bad news for gamers who wanted a physical copy of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, It has leaked online that the game requires a download to play.
Bad news for gamers who wanted a physical copy of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. It has leaked online that the game requires a download to play. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor has reportedly taken anywhere from 140 GB on the Xbox Series X to 155 GB for PC.
This is a notably larger game than the original game, which was only 55 GB on PC. With a download being required, is it even worth getting physical anymore if you have to download 140+ GB to play? Tell me your thoughts in the comments below.
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake Update 1.0.4.0
A new update to SpongeBob SquarePants The Cosmic Shake brings plenty of helpful features especially if you play the PC version.
Purple Lamp released a new update on April 12th for SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake that brings plenty of helpful features especially if you play the PC version.
- Added speed runner options
- European Portuguese updates
- Smart Camera and Follow Camera toggle
- Added Field of View adjustment option
- Added advanced video quality options to tweak performance
- Added options for adjusting camera sensitivity
- Added FPS limiter
- Improvements to Awards system
- Improvements to the Karate Kick ability
- Improvements to animation optimization
- Added sound effects to the “Gross Up” pictures
- Credits can now be paused and scrolled
- Fixed issue where bubble-shot wouldn’t trigger
- Fixed frame rate dependency of bubble shot (bubble-shot firing into distance)
- Fixed a problem with the mermaid's musical game
- Fixed issue where the performance in Bikini Bottom HUB was affected
- Various minor bug fixes and quality of life fixes
- Added speed runner options
- European Portuguese updates
- Smart Camera and Follow Camera toggle
- Added Field of View adjustment option
- Added options for adjusting camera sensitivity
- Improvements to Awards system
- Improvements to the Karate Kick ability
- Improvements to animation optimization
- Added sound effects to the “Gross Up” pictures
- Credits can now be paused and scrolled
- Fixed the broken "Director in the Hall" save game
- Fixed issue where bubble-shot wouldn’t trigger
- Fixed frame rate dependency of bubble shot (bubble-shot firing into distance)
- Fixed a problem with the mermaid's musical game
- Fixed issue where the performance in the Bikini Bottom HUB was affected
- Various minor bug and quality of life fixes
The biggest complaint I've had since this game launched on PC was the lack of any basic graphic features. I still haven't explored this update yet but from what I'm reading it might finally be time to play through this new sponge-tastic adventure.
Sharing to Twitter has been Disabled on Xbox
During the past week the option to share to Twitter from Xbox has disappeared.
Back in February, it was announced that the ability to access Twitter's API would no longer be a free-for-all. While at the time this change was made on very short notice for businesses to adapt or lose access, you would at least expect most would start coughing up that dough.
Well, it seems Microsoft is not only uncooperative with the change, as they're refusing to pay, but they've also started removing Twitter support from their ad program and now even Xbox. Some players noticed during the past week the option to share to Twitter from their Xbox has disappeared. Xbox has made a statement regarding this change on Twitter:
We have had to disable the ability to share game uploads to Twitter directly from the console and Game Bar on Windows. You can still share your favorite moments to Twitter via the Xbox app for Android and iOS.
While most gamers might not care about this at all, there is a group of players dedicating time to creating and sharing mouth-watering screenshots. Do most share directly to Twitter via their Xbox? I don't know but the more features my Xbox has the better especially when PlayStation continues to support the feature.
Apparently, Twitter support is not completely absent as you can still share via Xbox's mobile app which may be the reason for the removal in the first place. But what do you think, has Twitter's latest owner, Elon Musk, gone too far with charging to access his company's service or do you think companies should pay up if they want to use Twitter with their products?
Death Stranding: Director's Cut PC Update adds DualSense Edge support
A new update was released for the PC version of Death Stranding: Director's Cut.
Last week on April 19th a new update was released for the PC version of Death Stranding: Director's Cut. Here is the list of changes that have been made in this patch:
- Intel XeSS v1.1 - Introduces improved temporal stability for XeSS DP4a and XMX models
- Reduced ghosting, moire and flickering
- DualSense Edge Support
Also noted in the update is that you may need to connect your DualSense Edge directly to your PC and disable Steam Input for the controller to function correctly. I'm not quite sure if the reduced ghosting applies only to Intel XeSS or general use. I would assume it's for Intel XeSS which is an AI upscaling technology. This a very short update but if you have an Intel Arc graphics card or PlayStation's Edge controller these will be very useful features.
What are the launch times for Star Wars Jedi: Survivor?
The highly anticipated continuation of Cal's story in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is edging ever closer and here is when you can start playing.
The highly anticipated continuation of Cal's story in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is edging ever closer as it launches on April 28th. But before you recline and chug down Bantha milk, let's get you up to speed on what times you can engage in such endeavors.
As you can probably tell by our cover image, Respawn has created a nice chart showing the start times for each region. If you are on the East Coast you can begin playing when the clock hits midnight on the 28th, while those on the West Coast get to start playing at 9:00 PM on the 27th.
Preloading began today, so it's best you start downloading now because this game is packing a hefty size. Also, the PC hardware requirements have been revealed so make sure your PC is up to the task because the last thing you want to be thinking about is performance in a new experience.
Nvidia GeForce Driver Update 531.68
Nvidia released a new GeForce driver labeled version 531.68 last week.
Nvidia released an update to its GeForce driver labeled version 531.68 last week. This new update added support for Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Dead Island 2. If you plan on picking up either of these new game releases, make sure to install the latest driver to ensure you're getting the best performance from your hardware.
Fixed Issues:
- [Immortals Fenyx Rising] is randomly crashing to desktop after a driver update to
531.41. - Shadowplay incorrectly getting engaged within EA Play application.
- [Counter Strike 2] Enabling Reflex may reduce performance.
Known Issues:
- Toggling HDR on and off in-game causes game stability issues when non-native
resolution is used. - Monitor may briefly flicker on waking from display sleep if DSR/DLDSR is enabled.
- [Halo Wars 2] In-game foliage is larger than normal and displays constant flickering.
- [GeForce RTX 4090] Watch Dogs 2 may display flickering when staring at the sky
Increase in DPC latency observed in Latencymon. - Applying GeForce Experience Freestyle filters cause games to crash.
For the full update information check this link out here.
CMA block Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard
In a very surprising move, the CMA has decided to block the merger between Activision Blizzard and Microsoft.
In a very surprising move, the United Kingdom's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) organization has decided to block the merger between Activision Blizzard and Microsoft. They have decided after many months of reviewing the deal that if the acquisition were to go through it would greatly alter the future of cloud gaming.
The CMA has prevented Microsoft’s proposed purchase of Activision over concerns the deal would alter the future of the fast-growing cloud gaming market, leading to reduced innovation and less choice for UK gamers over the years to come.
The final decision to prevent the deal comes after Microsoft’s proposed solution failed to effectively address the concerns in the cloud gaming sector, outlined in the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) provisional findings published in February.
Microsoft has a strong position in cloud gaming services and the evidence available to the CMA showed that Microsoft would find it commercially beneficial to make Activision’s games exclusive to its own cloud gaming service.
Back in January 2022, Microsoft announced it was planning to acquire Activision Blizzard for $95 a share with a value of $68.7 billion on the purchase. If the deal would have went through so many games would be joining the Xbox family which includes Call of Duty, Tony Hawk, Spyro the Dragon, Crash Bandicoot, Guitar Hero, and so many more.
Now since the UK has decided to block the merger, Activision Blizzard's CEO, Bobby Kotick, has responded.
On April 26, 2023, the United Kingdom Competition and Markets Authority ("CMA") announced a decision to block the merger, stating that competition concerns arose in relation to cloud gaming and that Microsoft’s remedies addressing any concerns in cloud gaming were not sufficient. Activision Blizzard considers that the CMA’s decision is disproportionate, irrational and inconsistent with the evidence.
Microsoft has announced its decision to appeal the CMA’s ruling, and Activision Blizzard intends to fully support Microsoft’s efforts on this appeal. Activision Blizzard continues to believe that the deal is pro-competitive, will bring Activision Blizzard content to more gamers, and will result in substantial benefits to consumers and developers in the UK and globally. The parties continue to fully engage with other regulators reviewing the transaction to obtain any required regulatory approvals.
While I'm sure many Xbox Game Pass subscribers will be upset by the UK's decision, I wouldn't say all bets are off for the deal to proceed. Cloud gaming is still a very small part of the gaming segment and I think Microsoft will be able to come up with a plan to make sure Activision Blizzard games don't become exclusive to their cloud services.
Steam Client Update April 2023
A new update was released for the Steam PC Client and it introduces a new alert for players still gaming on a Windows 7 or 8 computer.
A new update was released for the Steam PC Client and it introduces a new alert for players still gaming on a Windows 7 or 8 computer. Valve announced last month that Steam's support for Windows 7 and 8 would be dropped on January 1, 2024.
General
- Added "End of Life" alert for Windows 7/8/8.1. Steam Client support for these operating systems will end on Jan 1st, 2024 at 10am. See here for additional details.
- Fixed crash when clicking links in Compatibility Mode alert dialogs.
- Reduced CPU usage of the Big Picture Mode window.
macOS
- Added "End of Life" alert for macOS 10.11 ("El Capitan") and 10.12 ("Sierra"). Steam Client support for these operating systems will end on September 1st, 2023 at 10am. See here for additional details.
- Fixed Steam Overlay crash in some games using Metal graphics API
While many have moved on to Windows 10 and 11, some players are upset about Valve's decision to sunset the aging operating systems.
I hope valve corporation gets sued for this BS. this is absolutely outrageous. We purchased these games and are entitled to play them on the systems for which they were originally purchased.
While I think it makes sense to drop support for security-stricken operating systems, I don't understand why they couldn't create a fork of the Steam Client that doesn't get updates anymore but keeps the ability to download your purchases intact.
While some users might suggest a lawsuit, if Nintendo and PlayStation are anything to go by, those terms and conditions you accept shield these corporations. The most likely reality is they can turn off your access to these games anytime they want. This is why the online-only future of gaming ends in you not owning anything you purchase and that's where console gaming is heading in 2023.
If you didn't already hear, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor requires a download to play even if you buy the physical disc version of the game. This is upsetting as someone who grew up on cartridge-based consoles but what do you think about the digital utopia we are headed towards?
Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon Release Date & Editions Revealed
FromSoftware's Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon game announced last year, has finally revealed its release date in its new trailer.
FromSoftware's Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon game, which was announced last year, has finally revealed its release date in its new trailer. The game is set to release on August 25th, 2023. The Deluxe Edition, Collectors Edition, Premium Edition, and preorder bonus also got revealed.
The Deluxe Edition
The Deluxe Edition is digital only and comes with a digital artbook and soundtrack.
The Collector's Edition
The Collector's Edition comes with a steelbook, a figurine, pin badges, stickers, a physical artbook, and a digital soundtrack.
The Premium Edition
The Premium Edition has all that the Collector's Edition comes with, along with a garage for the figurine.
Preorder Bonus
If you preorder the game you get the Melander C3 G13 Special Customization "Tenderfoot" skin, the Melander C3 parts set (early unlock), an Emblem (early unlock), and an exclusive AC decal.
One thing to note is the Premium Edition is listed at $450 and only comes with one more item than the Collectors Edition, which cost $230. It's nearly double the price for just a garage! FromSoftware have mercy! You can buy a whole new console for that price. On the bright side, the standard copy is only $60. If you want to check out a past Armored Core game to see if it's something you'd like to try, watch our PS2 emulation test of Armored Core 3 on the Xbox Series S.
AMD Radeon Driver Update 23.4.3
AMD has released a new software update for their Adrenalin Edition driver.
Software version 23.4.3 has been released by AMD for their Adrenalin Edition driver. This new update adds support for Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
Fixed Issues
- Red corruption may occur in World War Z™: Aftermath when using the Vulkan® API.
- Longer than expected shader compilation time when first launching THE LAST OF US™ Part I.
Known Issues
- High idle power has situationally been observed when using select high-resolution and high refresh rate displays on Radeon™ RX 7000 series GPUs.
- Video stuttering or performance drops may be observed during gameplay and video playback with some extended display configurations on Radeon™ RX 7000 series GPUs.
- Some virtual reality games or applications may experience lower-than-expected performance on Radeon™ RX 7000 series GPUs.
- Brief display corruption may occur when switching between video and game windows on some AMD Graphics Products, such as the Radeon™ RX 6700 XT.
- Application crash may be intermittently observed while playing RuneScape™ on some AMD Graphics Products, such as the Radeon™ RX 5700 XT.
Important Notes
- Factory Reset has been temporarily disabled as a precautionary measure while we address isolated installation issues that have been reported during PC upgrades. Users may use AMD Cleanup Utility as a temporary option.
- AMD is working with the game developers of Hogwarts Legacy™ to resolve issues with water corruption on some AMD Graphics Products, such as the Radeon™ RX 580.
For the full update information check this link out here.
PlayStation Plus Games for May 2023
Sony has revealed PlayStation Plus games lineup for May 2023.
Sony Interactive Entertainment director, Adam Michel, has revealed the next lineup of PlayStation Plus games hitting your console in May. Beginning May 2nd, if you're a PlayStation Plus subscriber, the following games will be available for you to download:
GRID Legends | PS4, PS5
GRID Legends delivers thrilling wheel-to-wheel motorsport action. Create dream race events, hop into live races, experience a dramatic virtual production story, and embrace the sensation of spectacular racing.
Chivalry 2 | PS4, PS5
Chivalry 2 is a multiplayer first person slasher inspired by epic medieval movie battles. Players are thrust into the action of every iconic moment of the era - from clashing swords, to storms of flaming arrows, to sprawling castle sieges and more.
Descenders | PS4
Descenders is extreme downhill freeriding for the modern era, with procedurally generated worlds, and where mistakes have real consequences. Will you lead your team to glory and become the next legendary Descender?
Leaving Soon
Your last chance to pick up April's PlayStation Plus games is on May 1st. Last month's games included Meet Your Maker (PS4, PS5), Sackboy: A Big Adventure (PS4, PS5), and Tails of Iron (PS4, PS5).
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Releases with Poor Performance on Consoles & PC
The highly anticipated Star Wars Jedi: Survivor was released in a disappointing state today.
The highly anticipated Star Wars Jedi: Survivor was released in a disappointing state today. The performance on all consoles and PC is said to be poor. With consoles, some players have reported that the performance mode cannot maintain a constant 60 fps, then there are others that mention: screen tearing, frame pacing, and HDR issues existing. PC is said to be even worse than consoles, with performance reportedly being all over the place. The performance is so bad on PC that EA has had to make an apology on Twitter:
We are aware that Star Wars Jedi: Survivor isn't performing to our standards for a percentage of our PC players, in particular those with high-end machines or certain specific configurations.
For example, players using cutting-edge, multi-threaded chipsets designed for Windows 11 were encountering problems on Windows 10, or high-end GPUs coupled with lower-performing CPUs also saw unexpected frame loss. Rest assured, we are working to address these cases quickly.
While there is no single, comprehensive solution for PC performance, the team has been working on fixes we believe will improve performance across a spectrum of configurations. We are committed to fixing these issues as soon as possible, but each patch requires significant testing to ensure we don't introduce new problems. Thanks for understanding and apologies to any of our players experiencing these issues. We will continue to monitor performance across all platforms and share update timing as soon as it is available.
EA Star Wars Twitter account also said 2 days before release that in the coming weeks they'll deploy patches that will fix bugs, improve performance, and add more accessibility features. So hopefully in a few weeks we will see some improvements in performance across the board. Did you preorder? Tell us your experience in the comments below.
Cal’s newest journey in a galaxy far, far away has begun and we’re excited for you to experience it!
Our first patch will arrive on launch day across all platforms. In the weeks ahead, we’ll deploy patches that will:
- Fix bugs
- Improve performance
- Add more accessibility features
Xbox Live Gold Games for May 2023
Xbox Live Gold's next lineup of games for May has been announced.
Xbox's Marketing Program Manager, Dan Hickey, has announced the next lineup of games for Xbox Live Gold. Starting May 1st Star Wars Episode 1: Racer will be available for download until May 31st. Then on May 16th Hoa will be available until June 15th. You will need an active Xbox Live Gold or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription to gain access to these games at no cost.
Star Wars Episode I: Racer
Two Engines. One Champion. No Limits. Climb on, strap in, and experience the pure adrenaline-pumping excitement of the Podracing sequence from Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace.
Hoa
Hoa is a beautiful puzzle-platforming game that features breathtaking hand-painted art, lovely music, and a peaceful, relaxing atmosphere.
Leaving Soon
Your last chance to pick up last month's games is nearing. Out of Space: Couch Edition will be leaving on April 30th and the last day to pick up Peaky Blinders: Mastermind will be on May 15th.
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