CD Projekt Red has taken a significant step in the development of its upcoming title, The Witcher 4, by switching from its RED Engine to Unreal Engine. This decision, deemed wise by the company, is based on Unreal’s capability as a versatile tool for multiple projects, according to Julian Girbig, senior technical animator at CD Projekt Red. During the State of Unreal showcase, Girbig expressed excitement about the possibilities offered by Unreal, stating that “the process was really enjoyable” in adapting to the new engine. A very technical showcase where we did not see the game itself The team […]
CD Projekt Red has taken a significant step in the development of its upcoming title, The Witcher 4, by switching from its RED Engine to Unreal Engine. This decision, deemed wise by the company, is based on Unreal’s capability as a versatile tool for multiple projects, according to Julian Girbig, senior technical animator at CD Projekt Red. During the State of Unreal showcase, Girbig expressed excitement about the possibilities offered by Unreal, stating that “the process of adapting to the new engine was truly enjoyable.”
A very technical showcase where we didn’t see the game itself
The development team evaluated several engines before opting for Unreal, and the decision was clear upon recognizing the potential of this technology for the future, especially to tackle multiple projects simultaneously. Despite the change, Girbig emphasizes that “nothing has been lost” in the transition, and that the experience gained with the RED Engine in the development of AAA games will be crucial to leverage the advantages of the new engine.
The Witcher 4 promises an impressive visual experience, as seen in the recent technical demonstration, which highlights the region of Kovir. This demo, while captivating, was developed with in-engine capabilities and should not be interpreted as a definitive indication of the final game, as warned by the game director, Sebastian Kalemba. “The demo reflects our ambitions for the game and our capabilities within the engine,” Kalemba stated.
With an environment that captures the essence of a raw medieval world, the advancements in The Witcher 4 include stunning details, such as the anatomy of horses and other distinctive elements of realism in the game. However, it is important to keep expectations at a reasonable level, as the demo is just a first look at the future title of the saga.
The next game in the Mafia series, titled Mafia: The Old Country, promises to take players to Sicily in the early 20th century, a period in which the origins of Cosa Nostra are explored. The protagonist will be Enzo Favara, a young man seeking freedom through a life of crime. This installment represents a step back in the series’ narrative, as it will focus on the beginnings of organized crime in the region. Mafia: The Old Country is beautiful, cheap, and on top of that, it is not open world. The title will be released with a standard edition that […]
The next game in the Mafia series, titled Mafia: The Old Country, promises to take players to Sicily in the early 20th century, a period in which the origins of the Cosa Nostra are explored. The protagonist will be Enzo Favara, a young man seeking freedom through a life of crime. This installment represents a step back in the series’ narrative, as it will focus on the beginnings of organized crime in the region.
Mafia: The Old Country is beautiful, cheap, and it’s not an open world
The title will be released with a standard edition priced at 44.95 euros. This focus on a lower price is a deliberate strategy by 2K, according to its president, David Ismailer, who assured that the game will not require “massive time commitments.” This contrasts with the price increases in many current AAA titles, which may be well received by players looking for more contained experiences.
Mafia: The Old Country will offer a linear gaming experience, combining elements of combat, stealth, and shooting, unlike previous installments that focused on open worlds. This will allow players to immerse themselves in a more focused narrative, exploring difficult decisions and the tragic story of Enzo, including a romantic subplot with Isabella, the Don’s daughter.
Graphically, the game is developed with Unreal Engine 5, which suggests an impressive level of visual detail. However, it will require suitable hardware for optimal performance. At the same time, the voice acting will be conducted in Sicilian, generating some controversy among fans, even though it will offer subtitles and an interface in Italian.
The release is expected in the near future, and although there is no confirmation about availability on Xbox Game Pass, the interest in the narrative and the more direct approach of the game make it one of the most anticipated titles in the genre.
The launch of Rise of the Ronin on PC has not started in the best way, receiving mixed reviews on Steam. With only 44% of the 715 reviews being positive, players have expressed their dissatisfaction mainly due to performance and optimization issues. Despite having high-end graphics cards, such as the RTX 4090, many users report an unsatisfactory experience, which is concerning given that the game is not particularly graphically intensive. A very poorly optimized game for PC Similar situations have been seen before with other AAA titles that, after their […]
The launch of Rise of the Ronin on PC has not started in the best way, receiving mixed reviews on Steam. With only 44% of the 715 reviews being positive, players have expressed their dissatisfaction mainly due to performance and optimization issues. Despite having high-end graphics cards, such as the RTX 4090, many users report an unsatisfactory experience, which is concerning given that the game is not particularly graphically intensive.
A very poorly optimized game for PC
Similar situations have been seen before with other AAA titles that, after their transition from console to PC, have faced criticism for their optimization. Notable examples include Monster Hunter Wilds and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, whose launches were also problematic. This trend has generated low expectations regarding the quality of big game ports to the PC platform.
Among the most notable opinions on Steam, players’ frustration is reflected. One user mentions: “Is it really that hard to make a good port for PC? Experiencing stutters on an RTX 4090 is simply unacceptable.” Another opinion reflects a sense of disappointment by stating that “the optimization is as bad as they say. Honestly, considering the experience of previous games like Wo Long, this is even worse.” Some players have considered requesting refunds due to the current lack of optimization, noting that they are willing to wait for patches that may improve their experience.
Despite the technical complaints, there is a consensus that the open world of Rise of the Ronin is a valuable aspect of the proposal, which makes it even more unfortunate that performance issues taint what promised to be an enriching experience. The gaming community continues to long for an improvement, awaiting updates that promote better performance of the title.
The closure of Japan Studio, announced by Sony Interactive Entertainment in April 2021, marked a turning point in video game production in Japan. Shuhei Yoshida, former president of the company, has recently commented in several podcasts that the disappearance of the AA game market was one of the key factors behind this decision. During his tenure, Yoshida emphasized that although Japan Studio created high-quality products, its lack of successful AAA releases, apart from Gran Turismo, contributed to its financial and creative difficulties. Yoshida mentioned that with rising costs and the […]
The closure of Japan Studio, announced by Sony Interactive Entertainment in April 2021, marked a turning point in video game production in Japan. Shuhei Yoshida, former president of the company, has recently commented in several podcasts that the disappearance of the AA game market was one of the key factors behind this decision. During his tenure, Yoshida emphasized that, although Japan Studio created high-quality products, its lack of successful AAA releases, apart from Gran Turismo, contributed to its financial and creative difficulties.
Yoshida mentioned that with rising costs and the scale of major releases, lower-budget games faced an increasingly complicated market. The intellectual properties of Japan Studio, many of which belonged to this AA segment, failed to find a viable space in an environment dominated by large-scale titles. This resulted in the studio’s inability to advance innovative projects, such as Keiichiro Toyama’s proposals for a sequel to Gravity Rush.
There is still room for AA… ironically, within Sony
Despite the closure, the essence of Japan Studio has endured in Team Asobi, a spin-off that has managed to capture the public’s attention with its successful game Astro Bot, which received the Game of the Year award at The Game Awards 2024. On the other hand, the closure of Japan Studio allowed Toyama to found his own company, which is currently working on Slitterhead, an anticipated game for 2024. This reflects the evolution of lost talent and the resilience of the Japanese video game industry in the face of changing challenges.
The upcoming action video game from S-Game, titled Phantom Blade Zero, is generating great anticipation following its presentation at the recent PlayStation Showcase. This exciting title combines Kung-fuPunk combat style with a unique experience, and now we have been shown a new trailer featuring a boss fight against a character known as Decree and his six puppets, who share a health bar, offering new strategies during battles. Inspired by iconic Hong Kong action movies from the 80s and 90s, Phantom Blade Zero features more than 20 martial artists who have […]
The upcoming action video game from S-Game, titled Phantom Blade Zero, is generating great anticipation following its presentation at the recent PlayStation Showcase. This exciting title merges the Kung-fuPunk combat style with a unique experience, and has now revealed a new trailer featuring a boss fight against a character known as Decree and his six puppets, which share a health bar, offering new strategies during battles.
Inspired by the iconic Hong Kong action movies of the 80s and 90s, Phantom Blade Zero features more than 20 martial artists who have collaborated on the choreography to give the animations a high degree of realism. At the same time, the game aims for both novices and experienced players to enjoy its intense combat mechanics, offering multiple difficulty settings, including an extreme option where the AI adapts to the player’s attack patterns.
An action-packed trailer against a very unique boss
During a recent gameplay presentation, which lasts about five minutes, the originality of the combat system was highlighted. The battle against Decreto and his puppets not only maintains visual interest but also introduces an innovative approach by allowing the puppets to be revived and transfer life, creating a dynamic and never-before-seen combat experience.
S-Game, an emerging studio that has evolved from making indie games to developing a AAA title, shares its excitement about this project. They claim that this is an optimal time for smaller studios to make the leap to developing large productions, thanks to technological accessibility and the public’s appreciation for novel experiences.
However, the release date for Phantom Blade Zero has not yet been revealed, although it is expected to arrive on PS5, with enhancements for the PS5 Pro, as well as on PC.
The president of Capcom has said that video games are too cheap and the truth is that he is right; In this article we explain why.
The price of video games is a contentious issue that is rarely discussed in reconciliatory terms. They are a luxury product, but one with a value that has been extremely distorted by a series of questionable market decisions made over a decade and a half. That’s why every time an executive says that video game prices are too low, we react with surprise. But what if that were true?
All of this comes in the context of recent statements from Capcom’s president, Haruhiro Tsujimoto, who believes that the company’s video games are priced too low. He explains this by pointing out that the cost of development has grown exponentially, while the price of games has not followed suit, suggesting that increasing game prices would be a “healthy option” for the industry.
According to Tsujimoto, development costs are a hundred times higher than in the 80s, while software prices have hardly increased. And while it’s true that the recession is something to consider, he believes it’s not something that affects the industry, as demonstrated by the 2008 financial crisis.
Up to this point, it may seem like the discourse of someone completely disconnected from reality. However, he’s not saying anything that is untrue. Since 2004, the video game market, particularly on PC, has kept the base price of games practically unchanged. This means that prices have remained virtually the same for 20 years, even when there has been double-digit inflation that may well be approaching three digits rather than just one. This has recently changed for most AAA console games, increasing the price to 70-80 euros from the previous 60-70 euros, even though on PC, prices largely remain at 50-60 euros for base games.
How is it possible that these prices have remained until relatively recently? Essentially, it’s due to the constant influx of players. The increase in players over time has been exponential. Starting with the arrival of the PlayStation, but particularly with the PlayStation 2 and the complete democratization of the PC, the internet, and mobile phones, the number of players exploded. This allowed them to continue maintaining prices even as margins became increasingly marginal. They made less money, but they had more buyers.
That’s the problem. Big companies like Capcom, EA, Sony, Microsoft; they can afford to do this. But it creates a suffocating situation for small and medium-sized companies. A situation where it’s practically impossible to create games beyond a certain point without underselling your product.
Small companies, indies, have to sell their games well below their market value because between the prices set by big companies and constant sales, a too-high price would result in very few full-price sales. This makes the viability of a small studio entirely dependent on creating a game that sells in the six-figure range, something generally exclusive to large companies, or creating moderately successful games consistently, with none of them failing, to keep the company afloat.
In fact, this explains the near-complete disappearance of AA games, those medium-sized games leaning towards the larger side, and with it, the disappearance of medium-sized companies. As their production costs have increased but the perceived value remains the same, they must sell them well below their cost. Therefore, they must either be a resounding success or a failure that questions the viability of the company, essentially making it impossible to take such risks.
Is it better, then, to create a large game? Not necessarily. AAA games are so costly in terms of production and marketing that even at their price point, they need to sell millions to break even. The difference is that big companies could scale them down and create less expensive games, in line with the prices they charge, to balance the equation, instead of constantly scaling up, seeking an unsustainable limit — of people willing to pay whatever, of a constant influx of new players. Something they won’t do because that’s the ideological foundation of capitalism: the physically impossible perpetual growth.
That’s where the problem lies. Big companies keep scaling up, relying on an infinite market of potential new customers, creating an entirely unrealistic value scale. This makes medium-sized companies unsustainable, unable to compete, and forces small companies to devalue their product, forcing them to subsist to ridiculous levels or take insane risks that no one should take. Such as mortgaging their homes, betting that the game will be a resounding success, as many indie developers who have succeeded have done, and many more who have not and have ended up on the street, and we haven’t heard about them.
That’s why Haruhiro Tsujimoto is right. Games cost less than they should. Specifically, indie games, medium-sized games, cost less than they should. But not the big games from big companies. A new Resident Evil could simply scale down to fit a realistic value scale. 70, 80, or 90 euros for a video game is a lot of money. Raising it even further, as if people’s purchasing power were infinite, is a gamble they shouldn’t want to take.
Therefore, what’s healthy for the industry is not for AAA games to raise their prices. What’s healthy for the industry is for indie and medium-sized games to raise their prices, and for AAA games to become smaller and less grandiose. Have worse graphics. Be made by smaller studios. What’s healthy for the industry is for the difference between a blockbuster and an indie game not to be measured in numbers equivalent to the GDP of a medium-sized country. Because as long as it remains like this, no matter how much they raise or don’t raise the price of games from big companies, the industry will continue to be on the brink due to an economically unsustainable model.
The world of wrestling can seem intimidating from the outside, but don’t worry: we explain everything you need to know to get started.
Wrestling is more alive than ever. Thanks to the internet, smaller federations, and consistent growth over the years, this blend of sport and theater has established itself as a legitimate form of entertainment in popular culture. However, like many forms of popular culture, it can be challenging to know where to start when it comes to watching wrestling. That’s what we’re going to clarify here. We’ll explore the main federations, what sets them apart, where you can watch their content, and who their top stars are. The rest is diving headfirst and catching up because it’s all about diving headfirst and filling in the gaps gradually.
If we have to talk about wrestling, it is essential to start with WWE. The company led by Vince McMahon is one of the oldest and most well-known in the world, having established in the minds of many what wrestling is. Not for nothing, legends like Hulk Hogan, The Rock, and John Cena emerged from here. Based in the USA, with strong ties to Saudi Arabia, it has an international roster but a distinct style: prioritizing spectacle over sport and catering to a family-friendly audience.
Currently, their top star is Roman Reigns, who holds the company’s highest title: the Undisputed Universal Champion. He is also part of The Bloodline storyline, still unfolding, and considered one of the greatest stories ever told in WWE.
Apart from Roman Reigns, other prominent current names in WWE include Gunther, the current Intercontinental Champion, and Asuka, the Raw Women’s Champion. While there are other big names in WWE like AJ Styles and Seth Rollins, it is these three, along with some of their female wrestlers such as Bianca Belair or Iyo Sky, and the Raw Tag Team Champions Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn, who continue to showcase the best of WWE: a perfect blend of well-developed personal conflicts and excellent wrestling.
AEW
Being a young federation doesn’t mean it can’t compete in wrestling, as demonstrated by AEW. Founded and led by Tony Khan, AEW was established on January 1, 2019, and aims to be the opposite of WWE. While McMahon’s company prioritizes entertainment over wrestling, Tony Khan’s company puts wrestling above entertainment. This doesn’t mean there are no stories and promos; they do exist and are very good, but they are developed less through conversations and more through what happens in the ring.
It’s difficult to define who is currently at the top in AEW, but it’s not unreasonable to say that it’s MJF. Real name Maxwell Jacob Friedman, he is a technical prodigy with astonishing acting skills. At just 27 years old, he has become the AEW World Champion in a federation known for having some of the best wrestlers in the world. It’s no wonder his iconic phrase is “I’m better than you, and you know it.”
In any case, AEW is the federation where wrestling is the most important aspect. Here, you can find a mix of professional wrestling, classic wrestling, indie wrestling, and puroresu, with some of the best wrestlers in the world calling AEW their home. Jon Moxley, Bryan Danielson, Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, and Chris Jericho are among the names regularly competing here. Additionally, with talent-sharing agreements with AAA and NJPW, and a constant focus on providing opportunities for young talent, AEW showcases numerous other great wrestlers on their shows, such as Adam Page, Jay White, El Hijo del Vikingo, and Katsuyori Shibata. This solidifies AEW as the current home of wrestling.
We can call it wrestling, we can call it lucha libre, and it may seem like we’re talking about the same thing, but not exactly: lucha libre has its own identity, and that is well known in AAA. Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide, also known as Caravana Tres Veces Estelar, is led by Marisela Peña Herrada and is characterized as, if not the most important, certainly the most well-known wrestling federation in Mexico. With a history dating back to 1992 and business relationships with numerous international companies, AAA is the home in Mexico for most wrestlers with international aspirations.
If someone stands out in AAA, it’s El Hijo del Vikingo. Trained by King Vikingo, he won the AAA Mega Championship on December 4, 2021, and has successfully defended it since then on seven occasions against some of the best wrestlers in Mexico. Furthermore, his recent appearances in the United States, particularly in AEW, where he competed against Kenny Omega, the former AAA Mega Champion, and other wrestlers, have only elevated his status as a superstar.
AAA indeed has multiple stars of importance beyond El Hijo del Vikingo, and one who has shined the most in the past year is Fénix. By unifying the AAA World Heavyweight Championship and the Latin American Championship, he became the first Triple Crown Champion in the company’s history. Other wrestlers such as El Cuatrero, Dralístico, and Bandido are also prominent names who have excelled in the federation, showcasing the immense talent and deep-rooted love for a purely Mexican wrestling style within AAA.
NJPW
In Japan, where they have puroresu (professional wrestling), the largest promotion is called NJPW (New Japan Pro-Wrestling). With a style they define as Strong Style, characterized by open-handed strikes, elbows, and more realistic-looking moves influenced by MMA, NJPW offers a much more technical and realistic approach compared to the more fantastical and acrobatic world of lucha libre. It’s no coincidence that the company was founded by Antonio Inoki, a man who popularized wrestling and MMA in Japan. Currently, NJPW is led by Takami Ohbari, who has expanded the company’s international relations, particularly with AEW and AAA, albeit to a lesser extent with WWE.
Choosing a single name as the main face of NJPW is literally impossible. At the very least, we would have to highlight Sanada, Will Ospreay, and Kazuchika Okada, also known as The Rainmaker, as the three pillars on which the company stands. These three men belong to three different factions, each with a distinct style, but they share one thing in common: all three could be considered the best professional wrestler in the world, and it would be difficult to argue against it.
Indeed, NJPW thrives on the battles between factions, which sets it apart from other promotions. CHAOS, Bullet Club, United Kingdom, Los Ingobernables de Japon, Just 5 Guys, House of Torture, and now even the Blackpool Combat Club, previously only present in AEW, are constantly in conflict. There are constant betrayals, wars between groups, and internal power struggles within the factions. Unlike other promotions where the focus is often on individual members, in NJPW, the destiny of the group and the subgroups within them are of utmost importance. This unique emphasis on faction dynamics gives NJPW a distinct identity within the world of professional wrestling.
Stardom has undoubtedly proven that wrestling is not just for men. While AEW and WWE have a solid roster of female wrestlers, only Stardom has provided them with a platform where they can shine just as brightly as their male counterparts. World Wonder Ring Stardom, founded and directed by Rossy Ogawa, is a women’s-only puroresu promotion. As a sister promotion to NJPW, it embraces a similarly hard-hitting style of wrestling and incorporates group-based storytelling. However, unlike NJPW, the spotlight here is solely on the women.
Currently, the reigning queen of Stardom is undoubtedly Tam Nakano. Holding both the World of Stardom Championship and the Wonder of Stardom Championship, the leader of the Cosmic Angels exhibits a visually stunning and surprisingly hard-hitting style. She seamlessly combines classic wrestling techniques with her own technical prowess, making her a particularly skilled wrestler whose matches are enjoyed for the grace and subtlety of her movements.
Apart from Tam Nakano, Stardom can proudly boast of having some of the best female wrestlers in its roster. Names like Giulia, Mina Shirakawa, Natsupoi, Kairi, and Mayu Iwatani easily stand among the top wrestlers today, regardless of gender. This makes Stardom a promotion that is truly worth following. Not only does it provide excellent women’s wrestling, which unfortunately remains relatively rare even in 2023, but it also delivers outstanding wrestling overall. Stardom sets a high standard for the quality of its matches and showcases the incredible talent and skill of its wrestlers.
Some of the links added in the article are part of affiliate campaigns and may represent benefits for Softonic.
