Some new info about the upcoming RTX 2060 and AMD's new Adrenalin driver have appeared online:

Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2060 OC pictured, features 1920 CUDA cores
https://videocardz.com/79237/gigabyte-geforce-rtx-2060-oc-pictured-features-1920-cuda-cores
Our sources at Gigabyte have confirmed GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card launching soon. The card features TU106 GPU with 1920 CUDA cores and 6GB of GDDR6 memory. The model pictured below is factory-overclocked, but the exact clock remains unconfirmed.

>>Sadly, I can't post the included pic. In any case, the specs of this card should be 1920 shaders and 120 TMUs, the same as the GTX 1070, but with 48 ROPs instead than 64.

AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin 2019 Edition: all you need to know
https://videocardz.com/79307/amd-radeon-software-adrenalin-2019-edition-all-you-need-to-know
Adrenalin 2019 is not really a performance uplift driver. The only slide with meaningful performance figures compares the new driver to (now) ancient 17.12.1 driver. Most of the games in this comparison were not even out when 17.12.1 was available. A claim is made that average performance increased (up to) 15% for Radeon RX 570.

From my understanding, the new driver is focusing on features rather than performance. However, there are slides devoted to Chill or ResX improvements, which some of you may find interesting.

As for the rest, here are my notes from the whole press deck.

The news:

SALES & DEALS

*sigh* Still no signs at GOG about neither the Winter Sale nor any other special offer. Weird.

At Steam we have another daily deal and 4 Midweek Madness deals:

• The daily deal is Total War Saga: THRONES OF BRITANNIA, 33% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/712100/Total_War_Saga_THRONES_OF_BRITANNIA/
• The first of the Midweek Madness deals is Star Control: Origins is 25% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/271260/Star_Control_Origins/
• Human: Fall Flat is half its usual price: https://store.steampowered.com/app/477160/Human_Fall_Flat/
• The LEGO franchise has up to 75% discounts: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/LEGO/
• And lastly, Europa Universalis IV is 75% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/236850/Europa_Universalis_IV/

On the Humble Store, there's a new GTA V sale, from discounts ranging from 353 to 75% (the game alone is 50%). The sale will last another 19 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/gta-v-sale/

And at Fanatical, the new Star Deal is The Jackbox Party Pack 5, 40% off for the next 48 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/the-jackbox-party-pack-5

SOFTWARE/DRIVERS

Here are the most photorealistic next-gen visuals, achieved with CRYENGINE & photogrammetry
https://www.dsogaming.com/screenshot-news/here-are-the-most-photorealistic-next-gen-visuals-achieved-with-cryengine-photogrammetry/
Matthias Lindemann has been working on a scene in CRYENGINE and released some mind-blowing screenshots from it. Lindemann has used photogrammetry and the end result is as photorealistic as it can possibly get.
Now I don’t know the GPU that is required to run this scene with 60fps, however I’m pretty sure that this is achievable with photogrammetry on the current high-end graphics cards. Not only that, but this scene appears to be in a very small scale, meaning that the artist can up the quality of the objects to extreme values.
>> It will still be a while before we get to play a game with that kind of detail.

MODS/EMULATORS

Thomas the Tank Engine is finally where he should be: Monster Hunter: World
https://www.pcgamer.com/thomas-the-tank-engine-is-finally-where-he-should-be-monster-hunter-world/
Could this week be better for Monster Hunter: World news? Capcom announced a new jumbo expansion, Iceborne, for 2019, and then tossed in that The Witcher's Geralt will bring his monster hunting skills into the game in a crossover next year, too. Both announcements pale in comparison to what I have to share with you today, however. The most infamous Skyrim dragon has been modded into Monster Hunter: World. That's right: Thomas the Tank Engine is here.
The mod, Thomas the Eater of Elder Dragons, replaces MHW's big bad elder dragon Nergigante with the favorite train of children everywhere. He may look more innocent, but I assure you that's only because his face doesn't animate, so it's hard to see the murderous rage trapped inside. In fact, none of him animates, and his hitboxes are exactly the same as Nergigante's, making what's already a fairly challenging fight likely nightmarish and baffling.

GAMING NEWS

New gameplay trailer released for Square Enix’s Left Alive
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/new-gameplay-trailer-released-for-square-enix-left-alive/
Square Enix has released a brand new gameplay trailer for Left Alive, showcasing more styles and strategies that players can utilize in and out of battle. As demonstrated in the latest trailer, titled “Find a Way to Survive,” Left Alive encourages players to rely on their basic instincts to forge their own paths to survival by utilizing stealth mechanics, crafting, traps and more.
>> To me, it looks dated, specially the animations.

Slightly Mad Studios is working on Project CARS 3
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/slightly-mad-studios-is-working-on-project-cars-3/
It appears that Slightly Mad Studios is currently working on the sequel to Project CARS 2. Slightly Mad’s Ian Bell has confirmed that the team is working on the next part in the Project CARS series, which will most likely be called Project CARS 3, though he did not reveal any additional details.

Insurgency: Sandstorm has been released, still suffers from minor performance/optimization issues
https://www.dsogaming.com/articles/insurgency-sandstorm-has-been-released-still-suffers-from-minor-performance-optimization-issues/
Focus Home and New World Interactive have just released their multiplayer realistic shooter, Insurgency: Sandstorm. Insurgency: Sandstorm is described as a team-based, tactical FPS based on lethal close quarters combat and objective-oriented multiplayer gameplay. And while the actual game is cool, especially since there aren’t any realistic tactical shooters left, it still suffers from some performance/optimization issues.

Destructive Creations will publish the Resident Evil-inspired horror game, Daymare: 1998
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/destructive-creations-will-publish-the-resident-evil-inspired-horror-game-daymare-1998/
Destructive Creations has announced that it will release the Resident Evil-inspired horror game, Daymare: 1998. Daymare: 1998 is being created by Invader Studios; a team that was previously working on a fan remake of Resident Evil 2.

Warner Bros details the new free content coming to Hitman 2 in December
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/warner-bros-details-the-new-content-coming-to-hitman-2-in-december/
Warner Bros and IO Interactive have released details on the free live content coming to HITMAN 2 this month, including new Contracts, Escalations and the next Elusive Target mission.

Part two of the news:

Maneater, Tripwire's shark RPG, is another Epic Games Store exclusive
https://www.pcgamer.com/maneater-tripwires-shark-rpg-is-another-epic-games-store-exclusive/
Tripwire’s shark RPG, Maneater, will debut exclusively on the Epic Games Store. Maneater briefly appeared during the platform’s trailer at The Game Awards, with the developer clarifying the nature of the deal today. It will launch on the Epic Games Store in 2019, followed by other platforms a year later.

Battlefield 5 TTK changes will begin to roll out tomorrow
https://www.pcgamer.com/battlefield-5-ttk-changes-will-begin-to-roll-out-tomorrow/
Electronic Arts indicated a couple of weeks ago that it would soon begin making changes to Battlefield 5's Time to Kill [TTK] and Time to Death [TTD], which it said were "the hottest topic(s) being discussed" by the players. In an update posted today to the Battlefield forums, it announced that those experiments will get underway tomorrow.

Overwatch's Winter Wonderland event is live
https://www.pcgamer.com/overwatchs-winter-wonderland-event-is-live/
The 2018 Overwatch Winter Wonderland event is live, with new items, festively decorated maps, and the return of the Yeti Hunter and Mei's Snowball Offensive winter brawls.
>> And here you can see the skins for the festival.

Canada in Civilization 6 has hockey rinks, Mounties, and has to declare war politely
https://www.pcgamer.com/canada-in-civilization-6-has-hockey-rinks-mounties-and-has-to-declare-war-politely/
There are few Canadian pastimes more universal than encouraging the world to believe in universal Canadian pastimes. But I'm starting to wonder if maybe we've gone too far. Canada is coming to Civilization 6 in next year's Gathering Storm expansion, and it is a very cliched take on the Great White North.

World of Warcraft's first expansion update is out today, aims to fix its biggest issues
https://www.pcgamer.com/world-of-warcrafts-massive-update-launches-next-week-aims-to-fix-its-biggest-issues/
Ever since World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth launched in August, discontent has been bubbling up over its unrewarding loot system and underwhelming new features. We don't have numbers on the overall health of the expansion, but it's clear that players are pissed with Blizzard right now. That will hopefully change next week. On December 11, Battle for Azeroth's first major patch will launch. (...)
Update: Tides of Vengeance is out today and will be live at 3PM PST. You can read the full patch notes of every major and minor change in patch 8.1 here.

Ghost Recon Wildlands crosses over with Future Soldier for Special Operation 3
https://www.pcgamer.com/ghost-recon-wildlands-crosses-over-with-future-soldier-for-special-operation-3/
Ghost Recon Wildlands Special Operation 3 kicked off today with a sort-of-crossover with Ghost Recon: Future Soldier: It will feature an appearance by Ghost Recon soldier John Kozak—a battle-hardened veteran in Future Soldier, which takes place in 2024, but still a greenie during Operation Silent Spade—and longtime Ghost Recon leader Scott Mitchell, who are investigating a possible nuclear threat in the Santa Blanca-controlled nation of Bolivia.

Bethesda fixed a Fallout 76 event glitch, but players want it un-fixed
https://www.pcgamer.com/bethesda-fixed-a-fallout-76-event-glitch-but-players-want-it-un-fixed/
As I mentioned in today's Fallout 76 patch news, a glitch for the public event called Feed The People was fixed by Bethesda this week. Prior to today, upon completing the event, every player on the server was rewarded with a can of stew. This glitch actually made a certain amount of sense based on the name of the event, and most of us assumed it was just a cool little reward for anyone on the server when the event was completed by other players.
We learned today this was actually a bug: only players participating in the quest should have received the stew-based reward, not the entire server. Bethesda fixed that glitch with today's patch. And Fallout 76 players want it un-fixed.

Watch hooded men with chainsaws get blown into goo in the Dusk launch trailer
https://www.pcgamer.com/watch-hooded-men-with-chainsaws-get-blown-into-goo-in-the-dusk-launch-trailer/
After almost a year in Early Access, the high-speed-violence retro-FPS Dusk is now available in full release on Steam. To celebrate the launch, publisher New Blood Interactive has put out a trailer that showcases the game's many and varied environments and enemies, some of which you may have seen, and others that are brand new.

Sledgehammer Games co-founder Glen Schofield is leaving Activision
https://www.pcgamer.com/sledgehammer-games-co-founder-glen-schofield-is-leaving-activision/
Sledgehammer Games co-founder Glen Schofield, who left the studio in February of this year to take on "new executive duties" at Activision, has announced that he will be leaving the company entirely at the end of December. Schofield said on Twitter that he's first going to take a break, and then he'll find something new to do.

This indie game is all about saving indie devs (from aliens)
https://www.pcgamer.com/this-indie-game-is-all-about-saving-indie-devs-from-aliens/
The Indie Game Legend was originally created in 2011 and released for free on the TIGSource forums. Six years later, a friend of the developer began experimenting with a first-person take on the project, leading them to team up to develop a larger-scale release. And thus was born The Indie Game Legend 3D, an NES-style first-person action-adventure in which you, the intrepid hero, must rescue five indie game developers from the clutches of a hostile alien race, that's now available in Early Access on Steam.

Clean a Bond villain's lair in Viscera Cleanup Detail's new DLC
https://www.pcgamer.com/clean-a-bond-villains-lair-in-viscera-cleanup-details-new-dlc/
International super spies sure make a lot of mess when they’re saving the world, and in Viscera Cleanup Detail’s new DLC, The Vulcan Affair, it’s up to you and your trusty mop to tidy everything up after them. Specifically, you’ll be cleaning up the aftermath of Fox Huntington’s attack on Dr. Hades’ secret lair. Dr. Hades (presumably deceased) plotted against the world from inside a volcano, so at least you get to visit exotic places.

Toy soldiers have invaded Rising Storm 2: Vietnam
https://www.pcgamer.com/toy-soldiers-have-invaded-rising-storm-2-vietnam/
Toy soldiers are deadly. You don’t want to walk around barefoot when they’re near, that’s for sure. Those guns might not fire bullets, but standing on one is like being stabbed by a tiny bayonet. They’ve taken over Rising Storm 2: Vietnam, as well. The war of the wee plastic warriors is a timed holiday event created in collaboration with the Green Army Men mod team. Watch the trailer above.

Fortnite's Infinity Blade is causing chaos in the Winter Royale
https://www.pcgamer.com/fortnites-infinity-blade-is-causing-chaos-in-the-winter-royale/
Fortnite’s Infinity Blade popped into existence yesterday, killing people in a single hit, destroying buildings and bestowing anyone carrying it with regenerating health. It’s devastatingly powerful, much like Thanos’ Infinity Gauntlet, and its inclusion during the Winter Royale tournament has created chaos. It’s been a joy to watch, but some players are less than pleased.

Artifact has had a steep decline in players since launch
https://www.pcgamer.com/artifact-has-had-a-steep-decline-in-players-since-launch/
Artifact has shed a lot of its early adopters, according to figures from SteamCharts and SteamDB. In the last 24 hours, it peaked at a not insubstantial 12,670 players, but that’s quite the drop from the 60,740 concurrent players from November 29. It’s also gone quite a bit lower. It launched two weeks ago.

I have to be honest and say, that while that looks quite good, I don't really care for it at all - it will be in 95% of cases same dumb AI, same non-existing physics and same (mostly boring) game loops as with this gen...and previous, while we're at it.

That's on top that I would always rather have stylized realism (for example Disney's Tangled, minus cartoony characters) over photorealism, but I know there are people who will really appreciate it, so great for them.

CGI will love this, that's a given .

But I would also prefer other things over this. More interactive worlds and environments, where you can cut off trees or grass and stay that way, or enter any building or car you want, to name some examples, would be higher on my list than just better looking trees or rocks.

Agree, better looking visuals are really, really low on my list of things that I want to see in next gen(s).
I'd go on mini rant and say that eventually, we'll get to the point where games have proper physics for everything in addition to really good narrative AI, and then, finally, something similar to playing tabletop RPG with really good game master will be possible in video game at last...and even surpass it.

Don't watch the new Left Alive video I posted on the news if you don't like bad physics. They're awful.

And it's good to rant every now and then.

*** NEW CONTEST***

HEXUS EPIC GIVEAWAY Day 4: Win a Sapphire GearBox TB3 enclosure https://hexus.net/tech/features/graphics/124787-day-4-win-sapphire-gearbox-tb3-enclosure/

This is one of those enclosures to put a GPU and play with your laptop or media player or whatever. The contest is GLOBAL.

Thursday news:

SALES & DEALS

GOG Winter Sale is a go, features more than 2000 deals across 3 weeks
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/gog-winter-sale-is-a-go-features-more-than-2000-deals-across-3-weeks/
CD Projekt has announced that GOG’s Winter Sale has begun and will last for 3 full weeks, until January 3rd. In order to kick things off with a bang, GOG is currently offering a copy of Full Throttle Remastered for free in the first 48h of the sale (until December 15, 2:00 PM UTC).
The Winter Sale kicks off with +1900 offers, and you can expect nearly every game on sale this Holiday Season. Daily Deals, an old favorite returns – these are particularly high discounts available for 24 hours only. So check back at 2:00 PM UTC every day for eight new games you won’t otherwise find in the Winter Sale. right now as the DRM-free games retailer kicks off its Winter sale. All you have to do is head to the homepage, log in and claim this shiny version of the LucasArts adventure game classic. GOG has done a few of these kinds of giveaways throughout 2018—the best arguably being Shadow Warrior 2, which was given away back in October.
You've got 48 hours to claim this freebie. Well, slightly less at the time of writing it—log in to GOG and grab it before Saturday. If you've never played it before, you're in for a treat. In addition, if you buy anything on GOG during the sale, you'll get the game, too, is free if you spend over $15 during the sale period.
>> They've finally begun! And, as a gift for all, Full Throttle Remastered will be free for the next 48 hours. Also, if you spend more than 0.01 €, you'll get Fantasy General, and if you spend more than 15 €, Everspace.

Steam's new daily deal is Momodora: Reverie Under The Moonlight, 80% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/428550/Momodora_Reverie_Under_The_Moonlight/

On the Humble Store, the Spotlight deal is a Bandai-Namco sale with Ni No Kuni II and Soul Calibur VI up to 50% off: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/bandai-namco-sale/

At Fanatical, there's a new Winter Mystery Bundle with up to 10 mystery keys: https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/winter-mystery-bundle

SOFTWARE/DRIVERS

Nvidia’s latest GPU driver lets you enable deep learning super sampling in Final Fantasy 15
https://www.pcgamer.com/nvidias-latest-gpu-driver-lets-you-enable-dlss-in-final-fantasy-15/
Nvidia's GeForce RTX graphics cards are supposed to usher in a new era of gaming highlighted by ray-traced rendering and DLSS (deep learning super sampling) for better visuals. Not many games support one or the other yet, though the latest 'Game Ready' 417.35 WHQL driver release finally lets RTX owners enable DLSS in Final Fantasy 15.
>> Available from here.

Here is what a Cyberpunk next-gen game could look like in Unity Engine
https://www.dsogaming.com/screenshot-news/here-is-what-a-cyberpunk-next-gen-game-could-look-like-in-unity-engine/
Beffio, a group of passionate people who love to create games and assets in Unity3D game engine, has made a Cyberpunk environment in Unity Engine, showing what a next-gen sci-fi game could look like in that particular engine.
According to the team, The Hunt is a next-gen Unity3D project that explores new ways of asset creation. This environment was running in real-time in the Unity Engine and the team has released some gorgeous screenshots from it.
>> The graphics are impressive... but the video is boring as f*ck.

MODS/EMULATORS

-empty-

GAMING NEWS

Final Fantasy XV is the first game that officially supports Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS)
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/final-fantasy-xv-is-the-first-game-that-officially-supports-deep-learning-super-sampling-dlss/
Now here is a pleasant surprise. While Square Enix stated that the development for the PC version of Final Fantasy XV has been ceased, NVIDIA has just released a new driver that adds Deep Learning Super Sampling support to it.

New World War Z gameplay trailer introduces classes
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/new-world-war-z-gameplay-trailer-introduces-classes/
Saber Interactive has released a new gameplay trailer for World War Z, the upcoming four-player co-op multiplayer game inspired by Paramount Pictures’ blockbuster action film. This newest look at one of gaming’s most anticipated third-person shooters breaks down the game’s main classes, each bringing a unique playstyle and balance of firepower and abilities to the carnage.

Banner Saga 3 – New patch adds Eternal Arena
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/banner-saga-3-new-patch-adds-eternal-arena/
Stoic and Versus Evil have announced that Banner Saga 3 launches a new game mode for PC in the form of Eternal Arena. The newly introduced game mode was a $400K Stretch Goal as part of Banner Saga 3’s original funding drive which it comfortably smashed through in less than a week.

Witchfire targets a 2020 release, will not be story-based, new gameplay teasers revealed
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/witchfire-targets-a-2020-release-will-not-be-story-based-new-gameplay-teasers-revealed/
The Astronauts has announced that Witchfire will be unlikely released in 2019 and that it targets a 2020 release. Witchfire will be using Unreal Engine 4 and photogrammetry, and The Astronauts has also revealed some new gameplay teasers that will give you a small glimpse at what the team is currently working on.

Second PC patch for Sunset Overdrive is available for download
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/second-pc-patch-for-sunset-overdrive-is-available-for-download/
Blind Squirrel Games has released the second PC patch for Sunset Overdrive. This new patch addresses some of the issues that PC gamers have already reported, like the fog options not popping the apply options when changed in the lobby options screen and the active save file having a chance to be deleted during gameplay.

The Crew 2 is free to play this weekend, can be pre-loaded right now on UPLAY
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/the-crew-2-is-free-to-play-this-weekend-can-be-pre-loaded-right-now-on-uplay/
Ubisoft has announced that The Crew 2 will be free to play this weekend. From December 13 12:01AM PT on Uplay and 10:01AM PT on Steam and until 4:00PM PT on December 17th on Uplay and 1:00PM PT on December 16th for Steam, PC gamers can play Ubisoft’s latest open-world racing game.

Metro Exodus has gone Gold, releases one week earlier on February 15th
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/metro-exodus-has-gone-gold-releases-one-week-earlier-on-february-15th/
Deep Silver and 4A Games have announced that, after five years of development, Metro Exodus has gone Gold and will release a week earlier than anticipated. This basically means that this highly anticipated title will now release on February 15th 2019.

Thursday news, part two:

Prey's Typhon Hunter multiplayer mode is very bare bones
https://www.pcgamer.com/preys-typhon-hunter-multiplayer-mode-is-very-bare-bones/
Prey’s multiplayer mode, Typhon Hunter, sounds like a perfect fit for the paranoia-inducing FPS. Launched yesterday, it puts one player in the shoes of Morgan, while three other players get to be mimics, using their shapeshifting abilities to hide from the gun-toting scientist. Unfortunately, players are reporting lots of issues.

The cuddly yet violent Super Animal Royale is free to play for the next few days
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-cuddly-yet-violent-super-animal-royale-is-free-to-play-for-the-next-few-days/
If you've been looking for a sweet and cuddly take on battle royale, your whiskers may be twitching this morning. That's because Super Animal Royale just entered Steam Early Access. It's battle royale with adorable animals as its competitors, such as foxes, tigers, bears, and rabbits. It's still perfectly violent, mind you: these woodland creatures are packing some serious heat. It's also free to play for the next three days on Steam, and having played several rounds this morning I highly recommend trying it out.

Epic is making Fortnite's cross-platform features free for all developers
https://www.pcgamer.com/epic-is-making-fortnites-cross-platform-services-free-for-all-developers/
Fortnite is a massive, cross-platform, online undertaking that supports millions of people playing at the same time, and the systems that enable that functionality "are expensive to build, test, and harden in real-world conditions," says Epic. Because it has already done the heavy lifting to build those services, and presumably also because it's enjoying mind-boggling success as a result, Epic has decided to make Fortnite's cross-platform software infrastructure available to other developers for free.

Insurgency: Sandstorm is very loud and out now
https://www.pcgamer.com/insurgency-sandstorm-is-very-loud-and-out-now/
Insurgency: Sandstorm launched yesterday, and I was just about to share that fact with you when, instead, I found myself hiding behind walls, sprinting between alleys and trying not to get shot as insurgents poured into courtyards under the cover of smoke. It’s a startlingly loud shooter, especially with headphones, and extremely stressful. I rather like it so far.

Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion is still getting DLC after six years
https://www.pcgamer.com/sins-of-a-solar-empire-rebellion-is-still-getting-dlc-after-six-years/
We’re definitely due a new Sins of a Solar Empire. Rebellion, the last standalone expansion, came out in 2012 and fans of RTS-4X hybrids have been pretty underserved since. Unfortunately, we’re not getting a sequel, but Rebellion is getting some new DLC very soon. The Minor Factions DLC will pop into existence on December 17.

Gris is a gorgeous platformer that's out now
https://www.pcgamer.com/gris-is-a-gorgeous-platformer-thats-out-now/
Gorgeous puzzle platformer Gris is out now, so we’re due another very pretty trailer. Watch above.
Gris spins a yarn about a girl trapped in a world of her own making as she deals with some unspoken painful experience. How does she deal with this experience, you ask? Why, solving puzzles and platforming, of course. It’s the only true path to catharsis.