Game Performance
Ongoing coverage on Game Performance.
Latest coverage
Capcom removes Denuvo from Dragon's Dogma 2 ahead of its new expansion
Capcom has removed Denuvo DRM from Dragon's Dogma 2 ahead of its Dark Arisen expansion, a move welcomed by players concerned about performance impacts. The game also received a significant patch introducing UI improvements, vocation changes, enemy adjustments, and bug fixes.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered Runs “Just Fine” on Steam Deck and Switch 2, Per CDPR
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered is confirmed to run well on the Steam Deck and the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, according to CD Projekt Red. The new rendering engine allows for improved visuals and performance on these handheld platforms. The remastered version, which includes new content and upgraded assets, is also launching for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
After Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 beta, devs promise to fix Captain Price's hair as his unexpected balding goes…
During the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 beta, players noticed an issue with Captain Price's hair model, which appeared to be balding or poorly rendered. Developer Infinity Ward acknowledged the bug, stating they are aware of the problem with the character's hair not appearing correctly at lower detail levels and will address it in a future update. The studio also noted that the issue is more apparent on lower-spec machines.
Modern Warfare 4 team "hard at work" to improve PC optimization and mouse controls, as players express beta frustrations
The PC beta for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 has faced player frustration regarding optimization and mouse controls, with many feeling the game favors controller users. Developer Beenox is reportedly working on improving the PC experience, focusing on customizable settings, mouse input responsiveness, and addressing performance issues. Infinity Ward also plans an update addressing footstep audio, map voting, and weapon balance.
‘We aren’t where we want to be yet in terms of server stability,’ says Stars Reach boss
Stars Reach, an early access MMORPG sandbox, is experiencing significant server stability and performance issues shortly after its launch. Playable Worlds' Raph Koster acknowledged these problems, stating the team is working on patches to address bugs, optimization, and gameplay blockers. The game has struggled to maintain a large player base and has received mixed reviews due to its pre-alpha state.
"Rockstar literally just spent over a billion dollars": Ori studio founder wants you to stop demanding 60 FPS on Xbox Series S just because GTA 6 can run on it
Moon Studios founder Thomas Mahler criticized players demanding 60 FPS on the Xbox Series S, using Grand Theft Auto 6 as a benchmark. He highlighted the vast difference in resources between Rockstar Games and smaller studios, emphasizing that GTA 6's performance is not a guaranteed standard for all games on the console. Mahler also pointed out the technical limitations of the Xbox Series S compared to PC hardware like the Steam Deck.
Halo: Campaign Evolved studio outlines five key updates that'll drop with next week's big patch
Halo: Campaign Evolved is set to receive a significant patch next week, addressing issues with chromatic aberration, the magnified skull, and Sgt. Johnson's AI, alongside general stability improvements. Despite positive reviews, the game has underperformed in sales on PlayStation 5, with its predecessor's ports outselling it significantly. The article also touches on recent layoffs within the Xbox division and hints at a potential Halo 2 remake.
Blizzard seems to be back on top at Xbox with Diablo 4 and the Overwatch relaunch
Blizzard Entertainment is reportedly experiencing a resurgence under Xbox, with Diablo 4's Lords of Hatred expansion and the relaunch of Overwatch 2 contributing to consecutive years of growth. While Overwatch 2 has returned to its 2022 performance levels, Diablo 4's expansion has been a significant success despite mixed initial feedback. World of Warcraft was notably absent from the positive performance review.
Beast of Reincarnation's first update is here, and it aims to fix story issues and more as "Mixed" Steam reviews dub Game Freak's new action RPG "bad and laughable"
Game Freak has released the first update for their action RPG, Beast of Reincarnation, addressing issues with story pacing, camera controls, and text size. The patch also includes balance adjustments for bosses and bug fixes, with further updates planned based on player feedback. Despite these efforts, the game continues to receive 'Mixed' reviews on Steam, with some players criticizing its story and gameplay.
We haven't needed motion blur in games for a long time, so I wish it would stop being the default
This article argues that motion blur in video games, particularly in titles like Halo: Campaign Evolved, is an outdated and often detrimental default setting. While acknowledging its historical purpose in masking low frame rates and mimicking film, the author contends that modern hardware and techniques like upscaling make it unnecessary. The piece advocates for motion blur to be an opt-in feature rather than the default, allowing players to experience games in their purest form first.
Path of Exile 2 declares victory over long-standing shader issues thanks to a new Nvidia patch
Grinding Gear Games has announced that long-standing shader issues and "device removed" errors in Path of Exile 2 have been resolved, primarily through a new Nvidia driver patch. Players are advised to update their Nvidia drivers to version 610.88 and allow the game to rebuild its shader cache for improved performance. While this addresses issues for Nvidia users, AMD players experiencing similar problems are still awaiting a solution.
Path of Exile 2 finally has a fix for two of its longest-lasting, and most frustrating, technical problems
Grinding Gear Games has released a patch for Path of Exile 2 that, in conjunction with a new Nvidia driver, addresses long-standing issues with shaders and device removal crashes. Director Jonathan Rogers explained that these problems, which caused game freezes and poor performance, were impacted by Nvidia drivers. The developer worked with Nvidia to resolve these issues, which had been frustrating players for over a year.
Oblivion Remastered's lengthy patch drought could end with its Switch 2 release, which Bethesda say includes "optimisations" they hope to bring to PC
Bethesda has indicated that optimizations for the upcoming Nintendo Switch version of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered may eventually be brought to PC. This comes after a lengthy period without major updates for the game, which has resulted in mixed reviews on Steam due to persistent issues. The studio also commented on a shift in their communication strategy, suggesting it was planned independently of recent industry changes.
Path of Exile 2 players broke the game by summoning 2,000 skeletons and then lured unsuspecting players into the…
Players in Path of Exile 2 have pushed the game's limits by summoning approximately 2,000 skeletons, causing severe performance issues and frame rate drops. Streamer Empyriangaming and friends experimented with minion builds to test the game's capacity, leading to unplayable lag and even using the chaos to lure players into a trap in their hideout.
Once Human is Coming to PS5, Xbox Series X/S on August 25th
Starry Studio and NetEase Games announced that the survival shooter Once Human will launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on August 25th. The console release will feature cross-platform multiplayer and progression, with options for Quality (4K/60 FPS) and Performance (120 FPS) modes. Pre-orders for starter and radiance gift packages are now available.
PS5's latest firmware update just started rolling out, here's what you need to know
Sony has begun rolling out a new PlayStation 5 system software update, version 26.04-13.42.00, which focuses on improving system performance and stability. Separately, The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered is confirmed to release on Nintendo Switch 2 on August 11th, with its physical version containing the full game on cartridge and targeting 900p/30fps handheld and 1080p/30fps docked.
Payday 2's next update is "a massive undertaking" to modernize the FPS, stop crashes, and cut its install size by 60%
Sidetrack Games is preparing a massive overhaul for Payday 2, including a move to a 64-bit engine called Diesel 3.0. This update aims to stop crashes, improve general performance, and reduce the game's install size by 63%, from 86 GB to 32 GB. An open beta for the engine upgrade is scheduled to begin on June 30.
"We have our own list of features that we wanted to add": Valve say the Steam Machine's update support will be similar to the Steam Deck's
Valve hardware designer Lawrence Yang stated that the Steam Machine will receive software support and feature updates comparable to the Steam Deck. Valve plans to continuously ship updates and improvements, incorporating user feedback and their own internal feature wishlist, similar to how the Steam Deck evolved post-launch with new features and performance enhancements.
Sorry, Xbox fans: GTA 6 "will play best on PS5," Sony declares, but with no PC version in sight, I can't…
Sony Interactive Entertainment is promoting Grand Theft Auto 6 as performing best on the PlayStation 5, highlighting the DualSense controller's features and 3D audio. This marketing push comes as pre-orders open and details about the game's price and editions are revealed by Rockstar Games. The article notes the absence of a PC version at launch and speculates on the PS5's hardware advantage over other consoles.
Steam Machine: the big tech questions answered
This article addresses key hardware questions surrounding the Steam Machine, collaborating with RPS for expert insights. It discusses value for money compared to building a PC, performance longevity, 4K gaming expectations, and customizability options. The piece also touches on modding capabilities, Windows installation, and thermal performance, concluding that the Steam Machine offers a quiet and safe living room PC experience.
