The PS5 Pro pricing is what is because Microsoft has essentially waved the white flag. If Xbox was competitive, the system would have better specs and a $600 MSRP with the disc drive included. But Phil Spencer is drowning the comatose body that Don Mattrick left behind, so we get a $700 console sans disc drive with no CPU upgrade.

Agreed. Last thing we need is for AMD and intel to exit the market or relegate it's graphics technology to integrated graphics like what S3 did with the Savage once VIA bought them out.

Lack of competition has already given rise to some of the highest average GPU prices in decades... But even when AMD had a cheaper GPU and a better GPU than nVidia, nVidia still had more marketshare... And this is the same issue AMD has had in the CPU space since... Forever. Better CPU than Intel? Intel still had more marketshare. (I.E. Pentium 4 era, current Zen era)
It's hard to beat a brand that has significant mindshare... It's taken Ryzen 7~ years just to get 25% marketshare.

In saying that... The Radeon 7000 series isn't bad, they are actually really good and really competitive in the low/mid/high-end, they just need to be cheaper, a lot cheaper than nVidia as they lack feature parity in many aspects. I.E. DLSS/Ray Tracing.

I wonder how long it's going to take for AMD to roll out a large chunky stacked "3D cache" to it's GPU's? The MCD on the 7000 series already has TSV's ready to take stacked cache but AMD never took it further... Going to assume the cache hit rate was acceptable under RDNA3 with 96MB.

nVidia has only made a handful of screwups in it's companies entire history.

Firstly when they tried to push quadratics with NV1... Forcing them to go back to the drawing board and embrace polygons with the nVidia TNT series... And again with the Geforce FX, where they spent an inordinate amount of transistors on fixed-function blocks that could have been spent on improving shader capability to match the incredible ATI Radeon 9000 series.

And when nVidia refused to move to Direct X11 by dragging out the G80 architecture with the Geforce 8000/9000/100/200/300 series.

More to it than that occurred, but in the end it was Chrkellers decision and I respect it.
One less PC gamer though.

From my recollection, AMD didn't use stacked cache on the RX 7000 series because the performance increase was not signficant as they hoped. IIRC 5-7%. 

I scale my 32" monitor already. I don't really care about cramming as much UI onto the screen as possible, I care about fidelity. 

That's great. I have a Steam controller and I really liked it, should have bought two when the fire sale was on.

Look! The Thursday news!

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

This week, the Epic Store gives away Beholder: https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/beholder-8c3b4c
Next week, they’ll give away Brotato.

Steam has three new deals:

• Cassette Beasts will be 50% off until November 26: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1321440/Cassette_Beasts/
• art of rally has a 60% discount until the 27th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/550320/art_of_rally/
• And SteamWorld Build is going to be 60% off until the same 27th of November: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2134770/SteamWorld_Build/

Fanatical has quite a few new deals:

• Star Deal is Kingdom Come: Deliverance - Royal Edition, 86% off during 24 hours (at least in theory): https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/kingdom-come-deliverance-royal-edition
• Devolver Digital puts its games on sale during 11 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/publishers/devolver-digital
• Frontier Developments also puts its games on sale, also during 11 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/publishers/frontier-developments
• And you won’t believe it, but Funcom will also have its games on sale during 11 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/publishers/funcom
• Look who’s back, the Star Wars Collection is back with a 81% discount during 8 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/star-wars-collection
• The BYO Playlist Bundle features 19 games for your 2+, 3+ or 5+ bundles during 45 days: https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-mix/build-your-own-playlist-bundle

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

Indie distribution platform Itch.io now requires asset creators to disclose the use of generative AI in their work
https://www.pcgamer.com/software/platforms/indie-distribution-platform-itch-io-now-requires-asset-creators-to-disclose-the-use-of-generative-ai-in-their-work/
Indie-focused digital storefront Itch.io has announced a new policy requiring asset creators on the platform to disclose whether their work makes use of generative AI, and to specify what sort of content is AI-generated when it's present.
"We are now requiring asset page creators to tag their use of generative AI in their work," Itch.io wrote on Bluesky. "This tagging tool is available for all pages, but it is a required field for asset creator pages to ensure that buyers are aware of the origins of the material they are obtaining."
Itch.io said it's currently focusing on asset creators, "since their disclosure can impact a larger number of creators that may use their assets." Assets made using generative AI that aren't properly tagged as such "will no longer be eligible for indexing in our browse pages," the platform warned.
>> Good move, imho.

Steam has changed its policy on DLC content and season passes, so now players are entitled to proper compensation if future plans fall through: 'Customers will be offered a refund for the value of unreleased DLC'
https://www.pcgamer.com/software/platforms/steam-has-changed-its-policy-on-dlc-content-and-season-passes-so-now-players-are-entitled-to-proper-compensation-if-future-plans-fall-through-customers-will-be-offered-a-refund-for-the-value-of-unreleased-dlc/
There's been a significant change as to how Steam will require games to advertise expansion packs or DLCs on the platform. The new guidelines clearly spell out what can be classified as new extra content and how publishers and developers should handle this future content to ensure that it actually benefits customers.
"By offering a Season Pass, you are promising future content," the guidelines say. "In the process of launching a Season Pass, you will be asked to commit to a launch time for each content release in the Season Pass. That launch timing is a commitment to both customers and Steam. If you aren't ready to clearly communicate about the content included in each DLC AND when each DLC will be ready for launch, you shouldn't offer a Season Pass on Steam."
(...)
To protect players further, Steam has also outlined the refund policy that games will have to adhere to if plans for a DLC or expansion end up falling through. "We understand that game development doesn't always go as planned. If you think you aren't going to be able to release a DLC into the Season Pass by the quarter you promised, we allow you to self-reschedule the release date one time only during the Season Pass. You can pick a new date up to 3 months later than you originally selected. If you cancel a DLC in a Season Pass, customers will be offered a refund for the value of unreleased DLC."
>> What a move! I’ll be looking forward which publihsers/devs protest against this, because that’s a clear red flag about how those publishers/devs operate that we should keep in mind.

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

The Last Guardian now runs on PC via the PS4 emulator, shadPS4
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/the-last-guardian-now-runs-on-pc-via-the-ps4-emulator-shadps4/
The Last Guardian is a PS4 exclusive that came out in December 2016. This is a game that Sony won’t ever port to the PC. However, PC gamers may soon be able to enjoy it via the PS4 emulator, shadPS4. Because, right now, the emulator can boot and run it.
Now while shadPS4 can run it, it’s not really playable. As you will see, there are A LOT of visual glitches. Not only that but performance is all over the place. Still, the fact that shadPS4 can boot and run it is commendable.
(...)
Speaking of shadPS4, it appears that the PS4 emulator can also boot and run God of War 3 Remastered (or at least its first cutscene). Performance seems fine, however, there are MAJOR visual issues. So, no. The game is nowhere close to being described as playable.
shadPS4 can also run other 3D games, like Sword Art Online, Five Nights at Freddy’s, and Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA X. The emulator can also run Alien Isolation, Wipeout XL and Marvel Ultimate Alliance.
>> The article has three videos.

First STALKER 2 Mods bring unlimited carry weight and make Bloodsuckers and Poltergeists less tanky
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/first-stalker-2-mods-bring-unlimited-carry-weight-and-make-bloodsuckers-and-poltergeists-less-tanky/
GSC GameWorld released STALKER 2 yesterday, and the first mods for it have appeared online. So, in this article, we’ll focus on the ones that bring improvements to its gameplay mechanics. So, let’s see what’s in store for you stalkers.
The first mod will address the criticism about the game’s low carry weight limit. By using it, you will be able to get unlimited carry weight. As such, you will be able to carry all the weapons you encounter in the game. In my opinion, this takes away a cool aspect of the game. Still, I know that some players want to simply loot everything they can find. So, if you are more of a loot player, you can use it to make the game feel closer to a looter shooter (at least when it comes to how its inventory works).
The second mod will make the Bloodsuckers and Poltergeists less tanky. This was another issue that annoyed some players. For whatever reason, GSC GameWorld increased the health of the Bloodsuckers and Poltergeists, making their fights feel a bit boring. By using this mod, you will reduce their health by 4 times. Thus, it will be easier to kill them, save ammo, and have less boring encounters with them.
(...)
There are also some other “performance” mods, but most of them are just different config files. In my experience, these configs never worked in any UE game. I’ve tried some mods in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Hogwarts Legacy and Silent Hill 2 Remake. In all these titles, none of them worked. None of them reduced the stutters. So, no. You won’t be able to somehow fix the game with a simple Engine.ini file.
>> The article has no media.

Space Marine 2 will ban mods for public online play in December but promises that better mod support is on the way
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/third-person-shooter/space-marine-2-will-ban-mods-for-public-online-play-in-december-but-promises-that-better-mod-support-is-on-the-way/
The Space Marine 2 mod scene is starting to pick up steam—Nexus Mods has a mix of everything from basic weapon cosmetics to a "Primarch Power Fantasy"— and game director Dmitriy Grigorenko thinks that's great. But it's also starting to cause some headaches, which is why the game's next big update, set to arrive in December, will incorporate a ban on the use of mods in public online play.
"Our data shows that a non-negligible amount of recent server stability issues are related to mods, and that instability impacts even those users who don't have mods installed," Grigorenko wrote in an update on Steam. "We have also received user reports that their save files were corrupted after playing alongside players with mods."
Because of that, Space Marine 2 players with mods installed will no longer be allowed to enter public games after the December update goes live. The good news is that the dev team doesn't want to take all the fun away, so mods will still be allowed in private Operations lobbies. "We will continue to provide all necessary server infrastructure so you can play online with your friends with mods," Grigorenko wrote. "Once we add custom Eternal War lobbies, mods will work for them as well."
Grigorenko also committed to providing "an easy entry point to our backend for games with mods installed, so modders won't have to spend time hacking the game executable after each patch." Better modding tools are also on the way: "We will be releasing some of our tools to modders so they can develop mods with greater ease," he wrote, although no details were provided.

GAMING NEWS

Star Wars Outlaws Title Update 1.4.0 Released, Full Patch Notes
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/star-wars-outlaws-title-update-1-4-0-released-full-patch-notes/
Ubisoft has just released Title Update 1.4.0 which is over 8GB in size on PC, and shared its full patch notes. This update mainly focuses on addressing bug fixes and gameplay issues. So, let’s take a closer look at its changelog.
>> The “gameplay issues” fixed is, among other things, dropping the forced stealth of some missions, as PCGamer explains in length.

Here’s the second part of the news:

FromSoftware's parent company confirms that Sony is looking to buy it out
https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/fromsoftwares-parent-company-confirms-that-sony-is-looking-to-buy-it-out/
FromSoftware parent Kadokawa Corporation has confirmed that Sony has in fact expressed formal interest in acquiring the company.
The proposed acquisition was first reported yesterday by Reuters and Nikkei, each citing their own separate sources saying a deal was in the works. In a statement released today acknowledging those reports, Kadokawa said that while no formal announcement about a possible buyout has been made, "the company has received an initial letter of intent to acquire the company's shares."
>> There’s an ongoing thread made by xl-klaudkil.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024's waiting queue is gone, so you should be able to get in now
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sim/microsoft-flight-simulator-2024s-waiting-queue-is-gone-so-you-should-be-able-to-get-in-now/
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 didn't get off the ground on launch day. On Tuesday, expectant pilots found themselves staring at a status screen that read 0% for most of the day, and even those who managed to load 97% of the game still wound up stuck.
(...)
Today, at least, issues launching the game seem more or less fixed. "The waiting queue to login to MSFS 2024 has been resolved," a post by an admin on the official Discord read at 11:03 am Pacific.

Free-to-play 'MOBA battle royale' game Supervive, one of the most popular recent Steam demos, is out now in early access
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/battle-royale/supervive-open-beta-launch-steam/
Supervive was the second most played Steam Next Fest demo back in October, beaten only by Delta Force, and now it's out on Steam in early access, attracting nearly 30,000 concurrent players at its peak so far today.
The free-to-play game is a genre mashup that its creators are calling "MOBA battle royale meets hero shooter"—think MOBA-style perspective and controls, but rather than marching down lanes you're dropping onto a battle royale map in two or four-player teams. There's a MOBA-style PvE aspect here as well, as aside from other players, you'll find minions and "Meteor Bosses" to fight on the map.

Obsidian's designers discuss how they decide the size of Avowed's environments: 'We don't want to have those empty, meaningless spaces just to have them'
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/obsidians-designers-discuss-how-they-decide-the-size-of-avoweds-environments-we-dont-want-to-have-those-empty-meaningless-spaces-just-to-have-them/
The recent documentary celebrating the 20th anniversary of Half-Life 2 included a segment where the designers talked about how important it was to make levels satisfying for players who barreled through them at high speed (possibly in an airboat), as well as those players who preferred to get out and walk so they could find all the spare ammo and little bits of narrative tucked away at the edges.
Listening to Obsidian talk about their upcoming first-person RPG Avowed, they echo a lot of the same thoughts. "A lot of players when they're playing, they want to screw off and go off the beaten path," says art director Matt Hansen, "and say, 'Yeah, I'll go to the grove eventually, right? I'll get to the thicket when I get to the thicket, I'm going to go see what this lighthouse is.' The lighthouse isn't critical-path, but we put a lot of love into it because we want fun stuff to exist for players that want to screw around a little bit."

Stalker 2 is killing it on Steam because we stan a janky weirdo
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/fps/stalker-2-is-killing-it-on-steam-because-we-stan-a-janky-weirdo/
After an incredibly turbulent road to launch, which started in 2010, included the death and resurrection of the studio, numerous delays, and then the significant hurdle known as the Russian Invasion of Ukraine, Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl finally arrived yesterday. And it warms my cold, decrepit heart to see players utterly embrace this uncompromising, janky weirdo.
As Josh wrote in our Stalker 2 review, "Just like in the old days, performance issues and bugs don't stop Stalker's mad, wonderful heart from shining through". It is a flawed but deeply brilliant game, and while bugs and performance issues can often lead to a less than favourable response on Steam, Stalker 2's brand of jank doesn't seem to have hurt its reception at all. After 10,000 user reviews, it's sitting comfortably at "Very Positive".
>> After everything that’s happened, I’m happy for them.

Despite running load tests that simulated 200,000 users, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 devs admit that they 'completely underestimated' how many players would actually want to play their game
https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sim/despite-running-load-tests-that-simulated-200-000-users-microsoft-flight-simulator-2024-devs-admit-that-they-completely-underestimated-how-many-players-would-actually-want-to-play-their-game/
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 players are currently in a bit of a whirlwind as thousands of users have review bombed the game due to it being practically unplayable. So, to try to quell the unrest, the head of Microsoft Flight Simulator, Jorg Neumann, and Asobo CEO and co-founder Sebastian Wloch sat down and explained everything that had gone wrong and how the devs were trying to resolve it.

Well, you clearly know what's best for you more than anyone else.

Thanks for answering, and I hope you manage to find a monitor that suits your needs.

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Rumored To Feature 8960 Cores & 300W TGP, 17% More Cores Than 4070 Ti

https://wccftech.com/nvidia-geforce-rtx-5070-ti-8960-cores-300w-tgp/

Qualcomm’s 3rd Gen Oryon CPU Cores Coming To Snapdragon X “AI PC” Platforms In 2025, 2nd Gen Targeting Mobile Segments

https://wccftech.com/qualcomm-3rd-gen-oryon-cpu-cores-coming-to-snapdragon-x-ai-pc-platforms-2025/

CapFrameX, free frametimes capture and analysis tool now supports Ryzen 9000 and Core Ultra 200 series

https://videocardz.com/pixel/capframex-free-frametimes-capture-and-analysis-tool-now-supports-ryzen-9000-and-core-ultra-200-series

Since the article doesn't compare those numbers with the ones from the 4070 Ti and I was curious, I went to TPU's database to check it out and founf this:

* Quick reminder that Nvidia went from 32 shaders per ROP to 64 with Ampere and Ada, hence the big jump.

We still don't know the frequency of the new part, how much better is the new architecture and what kind of impact the extra bandwidth of GDDR7 brings to the part, but right now I'd guess that the performance will be roughly on par with the 4080.