Gaming
Witcher 3 Patch Causes Frame Rate Issues On PS4 And Xbox One
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt got a massive 7.3GB patch a couple of weeks ago, and while it fixes a lot of annoying problems, it’s actually also creating new ones. Patch 1.07 takes a massive toll on The Witcher 3’s performance on the Playstation 4 and Xbox One versions. Digital Foundry reports that the Xbox One version in particular suffers the most. The PC version’s performance appears to be unaffected.
Digital Foundry’s technical analysis showed the Xbox On version maintained a superior frame rate to the PS4, however intensive areas in the game take a hit. While Novigrad remained relatively stutter-free, rainy Crookback Bog suffered the worst, with that area being up to 8 fps slower under 1.07 compared to 1.05. The reason for this is that the latest patch makes the Xbox One use the PS4’s double-buffer v-sync, which essentially means the frame rate is locked to 20 fps during difficult areas.
The PS4 version also sees a noticeable decline in performance, with areas like Novigrad being very stuttery and overall less smooth than 1.05. But even with the drop in the PS4 version, it’s the Xbox One version that has the most marked difference in performance. Overall, the performance gap in the two versions has closed with patch 1.07, but only because the Xbox One version has decreased so dramatically.
It’s not all bad news for The Witcher 3, however. Patch 1.07 introduced an array of updates that players were sorely after. Chief among those updates is an alternate movement system for Geralt so that he no longer moves like a human tank. It also brings a new stash system, so players can leave items they want to keep in a chest somewhere without clogging up their inventory. The full list of changes is here.
Meanwhile, The Witcher 3 on PC seems to have escaped the bulk of the performance issues that 1.07 brought along. However, some GOG and Steam users have reported that achievements are now not working properly and some players in Europe still haven’t received the patch at all.
CD Projekt Red is working on all of these problems. If you’re a console user and a drop in frame rate would seriously bother you, it’s best to wait for them to release a fix (or for them to patch this patch, so to say).
Consoles
To keep Apex Legends running for an additional “10 to 15 years,” Respawn opens a third studio
Apex Legends developer Respawn has created a third studio in order to keep the popular battle royale genre running for another “10 to 15 years”. Madison, Wisconsin is where the new studio is situated.
This third studio (the first two being headquartered in Los Angeles and Vancouver) will largely focus on Apex Legends in order to ensure a continuous and, most importantly, sustainable production pipeline. It may, however, contribute to other Respawn products in the future. Ryan Burnett, who previously served as director of engine production at Epic Games and had a distinguished 14-year career at Raven Software, the Call of Duty Studio, will serve as the studio’s head.
Senior VP of operations at Respawn, Daniel Suarez, claims in-depth in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz that “Because we intend to stick with this for the long haul, team health is unquestionably a top priority for us. We’re eager to see Apex become a franchise that endures for ten, fifteen, or more years because we think it will. We can’t just accomplish everything at once, exhaust ourselves, and be unprepared to do it over the long run.”
Consistency (as well as adequate production runway) are essential to make Apex Legends’ 90-day turnaround for new seasons of content realistic. Suarez observes that the introduction of new characters to the game takes a lot longer than you might anticipate “It takes us between a year and a year and a half to become proficient in a Legend. We are therefore making preparations well in advance.”
Only a few weeks ago, parent company EA fired more than 200 Apex Legends quality assurance testers in an impromptu Zoom call, raising concerns among some fans about the game’s future.
Do you support Respawn’s decision to open a third studio? Do you believe Apex Legends will still be around in 15 years?
Kingdom Eighties, a micro-strategy game coming out for the PS5 in 2023, is a loving tribute to that legendary time period.Eighties will be a stand-alone novel like earlier books in the Kingdom series, such as Two Crowns or New Lands.
You take on the role of the leader, a camp counselor tasked with protecting the village against enigmatic creatures known as greed. Bike around the neighborhood with youngsters like The Champ, The Tinkerer, and The Wiz, who will support you in combat and each contribute something unique to the table while doing your best Stranger Things impressions.
Your thoughts about Kingdom Eighties Have you played any of the other Kingdom games?
Just now, another great update for PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium came out.There are 17 titles in all that are available for these higher membership tiers in March, which is a wonderful collection that should have something for everyone. In Europe, these games are now available for download on the PS5 and PS4, and they will soon be released in North America.
Here is a list of everything included as a reminder:
PS Plus Extra: March 2023
- Tchia (PS5, PS4) | Review
- Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection (PS5) | Review
- Immortals Fenyx Rising (PS5, PS4) | Review
- Rainbow Six Extraction (PS5, PS4) | Review
- Ghostwire: Tokyo (PS5) | Review
- Life is Strange True Colors (PS5, PS4) | Review
- Life is Strange 2 (PS4) | Review
- Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot (PS4) | Review
- Street Fighter V Champion Edition (PS4) | Review
- Untitled Goose Game (PS4) | Review
- Final Fantasy Type-0 HD (PS4) | Review
- RAGE 2 (PS4) | Review
- NEO: The World Ends With You (PS4) | Review
- Haven (PS5, PS4) | Review
PS Plus Premium: March 2023
- Ridge Racer Type 4 (PS1) | Review
- Ape Academy 2 (PSP)
- Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror (PSP)
Tchia, an independent open-world adventure, debuts on PlayStation Plus Extra on the first day of this month. In addition to everything else mentioned above, members will also have access to this endearing new game. The three classic games mentioned above are also available to PS Plus Premium subscribers. Both Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror and Ape Academy 2 provide a set of trophies, which is always a welcome extra.
According to our most recent poll, the majority of you are happy with the new games and oldies that were added to the catalog this month, and we don’t blame you. It’s a fantastic choice. With these more recent membership tiers, Sony seems to be finding its footing after a somewhat poor start.
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