Spider-Man 2's first PC patch is live with 'several crash fixes,' UI improvements, and an auto-save backup - Related to crash, its, "jank", 2's, will
Avowed Is Now Capable Of Running At 60FPS On Xbox Series X, Will Have "Jank" At Launch
Microsoft's next big game, the RPG Avowed from The Outer Worlds developer Obsidian, is capable of running at up to 60fps on Xbox Series X, game director Carrie Patel has confirmed.
Patel noted on the MinnMax podcast, "You can get up to 60[fps]" on Xbox Series X. The use of "can" here might indicate an alternative graphics mode that prioritizes image quality over frame rate, but we don't know for sure as of yet.
The frame rate reaching 60fps on Series X is newsworthy in part because Obsidian previously showcased the game was only capable of reaching 30fps on Xbox Series X. Obsidian showcased this decision was made early on in the development of the game and has allowed the studio to get "a lot juicier" with visual effects. Things have changed since then, though, and Avowed can now run at a higher frame rate on Series X.
Patel also told fans to expect some amount of bugs and issues. "You gotta accept a little jank to do something fun and creative, I think," Patel stated.
Avowed was previously set for release at the end of 2024 but was delayed to February for scheduling purposes, not due to quality. The game officially launches on February 18, but the $90 Premium edition unlocks five days early, beginning February 13.
Like Microsoft's other first-party games, Avowed is included with Game Pass Ultimate at launch. Members can buy an upgrade add-on to the Premium edition for $[website] to get all the perks, including early access.
Avowed is Obsidian's first new release since 2022's Pentiment. It's not Obsidian's only in-development project, either, as the studio is also making The Outer Worlds 2, which is planned for release this year.
For more, be sure to check out GameSpot's Avowed preorder guide.
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Ahead of its full release on February 11, Civilization VII developer Firaxis has outlined plans to improve the game with post-launch fixes and new fea......
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Civilization 7 Quality-Of-Life Fixes Are Inbound, Starting With Its UI
Ahead of its full release on February 11, Civilization VII developer Firaxis has outlined plans to improve the game with post-launch fixes and new attributes. Early reviews for Civilization VII have been mixed so far, while Steam community feedback posts have also highlighted several areas that need to be addressed.
In a developer improvement, Firaxis revealed that its primary focus is on the user interface, as it wants to make this part of the game easier to use and read. "We need some time to digest all of your feedback, but some areas that we're already looking into include making UI interactions more intuitive, improving map readability, fixing areas of polish like formatting, and more," Firaxis explained in a blog post. "We're committed to getting this right, and will share more details as soon as we can."
Firaxis will also be working on implementing several attributes requested by the community, adding these in via free future updates. While the timing for these has yet to be worked out, the developer says that Civilization VII fans can expect to see the following attributes added in time:
Adding Teams to multiplayer games so that you can play cooperatively.
Allowing full player counts in multiplayer in all three Ages through refinements to the Distant Lands system.
Allowing you to pick your starting and ending Age to allow for single- or double-Age games.
Enabling city and religion names to be customized.
The studio added that is aiming to release Patch [website] in March, which includes quality-of-life UI adjustments, ongoing AI balance and improvement, adjustments to diplomacy and crises, and additional bug fixes. Currently available in early access on PC, Civilization VII will also be coming to PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Switch.
The game is also expected to be on Switch 2 via backwards compatibility, and with rumors of the updated Joy-Con controllers having mouse-like functionality, Civilization VII executive producer Dennis Shirk in the recent past commented that such a feature is quite intriguing.
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Spider-Man 2's first PC patch is live with 'several crash fixes,' UI improvements, and an auto-save backup
After a rough start that stuck it with a "mixed" user rating on Steam, Spider-Man 2 on PC finally has its first proper patch, with fixes for "several" crash issues and bugs, and a promise that "more bug fixes, improvements and performance optimizations" are on the way.
Spider-Man 2 did not quite stick the landing when it hit PC in January, as a multitude of players ran face-first into sub-par performance and hard crashes. PC Gamer's Nick Evanson, who understands this sort of thing, explained that the game's use of the GPU decompression option in DirectStorage may be at the root of at least some of the game's performance issues. There's no mention of that in today's patch notes, although as Nick mentioned, fixing it might be a bigger problem than it seems because of possible spinoff effects, particularly for people on lower-end gaming rigs.
In any event, this patch promises "several crash fixes based on feedback from many of you," along with toggles for film style animation and comic SFX, fixes for UI and visual bugs related to DLSS ray reconstruction and raytracing, changes to the way New Game+ is started, and a backup system for autosaves. The game's crash reporting system itself has also been upgraded, which will hopefully help developers more quickly figure out what's going on.
"Thanks to updates to Sony's Crash Reporting System, we can now receive screenshots along with crash reports," developer Nixxes wrote. "This will give us additional insights into where issues occur frequently in the game. We are committed to improving your experience and continue to work on regular updates with more bug fixes, improvements and performance optimizations."
If you're having issues that aren't covered by this patch, Nixxes has also shared a list of workarounds that might help you out until a proper fix is released. You'll also want to ensure your GPU drivers are up to date. If that's a bust, you can also drop a line to Nixxes support. The full patch notes are below.
Various crash fixes based on player feedback and data from our crash reporting system.
Improvements to crash reporting with screenshot support.
Film Style Animation and Comic SFX can now be toggled via Settings > Game > Camera.*.
User interface improvements to simplify starting a New Game+.
Implemented autosave backups. At key points in the story the game will create a backup of the autosave slot.
Added mouse scrolling to the manual load/save menu.
Various improvements and bug fixes to the user interface.
Reduced noise in character hair when using DLSS Ray Reconstruction.
Enemies webbed to surfaces no longer have a black background when using ray-traced shadows and ray-traced ambient occlusion.
Fixed a bug related to ray-traced reflections that could cause pixelation artefacts along water edges.
Settings for Subtitle Text Size, Closed Caption Text Size, Icon and Prompt Size and Audio Listening Mode are no longer synchronized between different devices.**.
*These options become available after obtaining the Across the Spider-Verse Suit.
** As a result of this change, these settings will be reset to their defaults after you install this improvement.
As Civilization 7 has launched into early access ahead of its full release next week, developer Firaxis has acknowledged issues with the game highligh......
Market Impact Analysis
Market Growth Trend
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.0% | 7.2% | 7.5% | 8.4% | 8.8% | 9.1% | 9.2% |
Quarterly Growth Rate
| Q1 2024 | Q2 2024 | Q3 2024 | Q4 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8.5% | 8.8% | 9.0% | 9.2% |
Market Segments and Growth Drivers
| Segment | Market Share | Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Console Gaming | 28% | 6.8% |
| Mobile Gaming | 37% | 11.2% |
| PC Gaming | 21% | 8.4% |
| Cloud Gaming | 9% | 25.3% |
| VR Gaming | 5% | 32.7% |
Technology Maturity Curve
Different technologies within the ecosystem are at varying stages of maturity:
Competitive Landscape Analysis
| Company | Market Share |
|---|---|
| Sony PlayStation | 21.3% |
| Microsoft Xbox | 18.7% |
| Nintendo | 15.2% |
| Tencent Games | 12.8% |
| Epic Games | 9.5% |
Future Outlook and Predictions
The Gaming and With: Latest Developments landscape is evolving rapidly, driven by technological advancements, changing threat vectors, and shifting business requirements. Based on current trends and expert analyses, we can anticipate several significant developments across different time horizons:
Year-by-Year Technology Evolution
Based on current trajectory and expert analyses, we can project the following development timeline:
Technology Maturity Curve
Different technologies within the ecosystem are at varying stages of maturity, influencing adoption timelines and investment priorities:
Innovation Trigger
- Generative AI for specialized domains
- Blockchain for supply chain verification
Peak of Inflated Expectations
- Digital twins for business processes
- Quantum-resistant cryptography
Trough of Disillusionment
- Consumer AR/VR applications
- General-purpose blockchain
Slope of Enlightenment
- AI-driven analytics
- Edge computing
Plateau of Productivity
- Cloud infrastructure
- Mobile applications
Technology Evolution Timeline
- Technology adoption accelerating across industries
- digital transformation initiatives becoming mainstream
- Significant transformation of business processes through advanced technologies
- new digital business models emerging
- Fundamental shifts in how technology integrates with business and society
- emergence of new technology paradigms
Expert Perspectives
Leading experts in the gaming tech sector provide diverse perspectives on how the landscape will evolve over the coming years:
"Technology transformation will continue to accelerate, creating both challenges and opportunities."
— Industry Expert
"Organizations must balance innovation with practical implementation to achieve meaningful results."
— Technology Analyst
"The most successful adopters will focus on business outcomes rather than technology for its own sake."
— Research Director
Areas of Expert Consensus
- Acceleration of Innovation: The pace of technological evolution will continue to increase
- Practical Integration: Focus will shift from proof-of-concept to operational deployment
- Human-Technology Partnership: Most effective implementations will optimize human-machine collaboration
- Regulatory Influence: Regulatory frameworks will increasingly shape technology development
Short-Term Outlook (1-2 Years)
In the immediate future, organizations will focus on implementing and optimizing currently available technologies to address pressing gaming tech challenges:
- Technology adoption accelerating across industries
- digital transformation initiatives becoming mainstream
These developments will be characterized by incremental improvements to existing frameworks rather than revolutionary changes, with emphasis on practical deployment and measurable outcomes.
Mid-Term Outlook (3-5 Years)
As technologies mature and organizations adapt, more substantial transformations will emerge in how security is approached and implemented:
- Significant transformation of business processes through advanced technologies
- new digital business models emerging
This period will see significant changes in security architecture and operational models, with increasing automation and integration between previously siloed security functions. Organizations will shift from reactive to proactive security postures.
Long-Term Outlook (5+ Years)
Looking further ahead, more fundamental shifts will reshape how cybersecurity is conceptualized and implemented across digital ecosystems:
- Fundamental shifts in how technology integrates with business and society
- emergence of new technology paradigms
These long-term developments will likely require significant technical breakthroughs, new regulatory frameworks, and evolution in how organizations approach security as a fundamental business function rather than a technical discipline.
Key Risk Factors and Uncertainties
Several critical factors could significantly impact the trajectory of gaming tech evolution:
Organizations should monitor these factors closely and develop contingency strategies to mitigate potential negative impacts on technology implementation timelines.
Alternative Future Scenarios
The evolution of technology can follow different paths depending on various factors including regulatory developments, investment trends, technological breakthroughs, and market adoption. We analyze three potential scenarios:
Optimistic Scenario
Rapid adoption of advanced technologies with significant business impact
Key Drivers: Supportive regulatory environment, significant research breakthroughs, strong market incentives, and rapid user adoption.
Probability: 25-30%
Base Case Scenario
Measured implementation with incremental improvements
Key Drivers: Balanced regulatory approach, steady technological progress, and selective implementation based on clear ROI.
Probability: 50-60%
Conservative Scenario
Technical and organizational barriers limiting effective adoption
Key Drivers: Restrictive regulations, technical limitations, implementation challenges, and risk-averse organizational cultures.
Probability: 15-20%
Scenario Comparison Matrix
| Factor | Optimistic | Base Case | Conservative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implementation Timeline | Accelerated | Steady | Delayed |
| Market Adoption | Widespread | Selective | Limited |
| Technology Evolution | Rapid | Progressive | Incremental |
| Regulatory Environment | Supportive | Balanced | Restrictive |
| Business Impact | Transformative | Significant | Modest |
Transformational Impact
Technology becoming increasingly embedded in all aspects of business operations. This evolution will necessitate significant changes in organizational structures, talent development, and strategic planning processes.
The convergence of multiple technological trends—including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and ubiquitous connectivity—will create both unprecedented security challenges and innovative defensive capabilities.
Implementation Challenges
Technical complexity and organizational readiness remain key challenges. Organizations will need to develop comprehensive change management strategies to successfully navigate these transitions.
Regulatory uncertainty, particularly around emerging technologies like AI in security applications, will require flexible security architectures that can adapt to evolving compliance requirements.
Key Innovations to Watch
Artificial intelligence, distributed systems, and automation technologies leading innovation. Organizations should monitor these developments closely to maintain competitive advantages and effective security postures.
Strategic investments in research partnerships, technology pilots, and talent development will position forward-thinking organizations to leverage these innovations early in their development cycle.
Technical Glossary
Key technical terms and definitions to help understand the technologies discussed in this article.
Understanding the following technical concepts is essential for grasping the full implications of the technologies discussed in this article. These definitions provide context for both technical and non-technical readers.
interface intermediate
AR beginner
DLSS intermediate
platform intermediate
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