Latest news with #CDProjektRed
Geek Culture
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
Nintendo Switch 2 Faces Dire Third-Party Game Sales Despite Successful Launch
Despite enjoying a massive launch, the Nintendo Switch 2 is reportedly suffering from rather lukewarm sales of third-party games, as most players flock towards first-party Nintendo titles like Mario Kart World . This news comes from TheGameBusiness' Chris Dring, who went through the console's latest game sales figures surrounding its launch. Citing data from research companies Circana and NielsenIQ, Dring notes that 48% of physical game sales in the UK and 62% of sales in the US were first-party titles, when excluding the console's Mario Kart World bundle. If the bundle was taken into account, however, the figure would be further increased to 86% in the UK, although statistics for the US were not presented. Mario Kart World For context, the Nintendo Switch 2 launched with only three new physical first-party titles: Mario Kart World , and the two enhanced editions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and its sequel, Tears of the Kingdom . On the other hand, there were a total of 13 physical third-party games, including CD Projekt Red's Cyberpunk 2077 , Konami's Survival Kids , and Square Enix's Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster . Speaking to TheGameBusiness, one unnamed third-party publisher noted dire sales figures for its Switch 2 launch sales, stating that it was 'below our lowest estimates'. Dring also noted that despite the newest console's figures being an improvement compared to its predecessor's launch, which saw 89% of physical sales at the time being from first-party games, most third-party Switch 2 games 'posted very low numbers'. As to the reason for such disappointing numbers, Dring suggested that this could be due to the console's enhanced backwards compatibility, leading to players jumping back into the original Switch's back catalogue, coupled with the fact that almost all of the third-party Switch 2 launch titles are ports of already released games, meaning they are likely titles already played and completed by players on other platforms. Survival Kids Despite this report, some sources are actually painting a different picture. US sales tracker Mat Piscatella, who works at Circana, for example, took to Bluesky to state that third-party sales of Nintendo Switch 2 games in the US were actually 'far better' than those of the original console when it launched. CD Projekt Red also shared the sentiment, reporting that Cyberpunk 2077 was the 'best-selling third-party game during the launch of Switch 2', and that the game did 'reasonable numbers'. Amidst the conflicting reports, Dring adds that he was told by many major publishers that Nintendo is 'actively trying to push third-party games this time around', with the hopes that sales will pick up in the coming months once other notable third-party titles like EA Sports Madden 26 and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 are released. For Nintendo's first-party titles, the console has some big-hitters in its pipeline, including Donkey Kong Bananza , Pokémon Legends: Z-A and enhanced editions of Kirby and the Forgotten Land and Mario Party Jamboree . Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise 'duds' like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3 . He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying. Mario Kart World Nintendo Nintendo switch 2
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Cyberpunk 2077's next update may add more features to NCART metro system
Image credit: CD Projekt Red Cyberpunk 2077's next update may introduce additional features to its NCART metro system , aiming to expand its functionality beyond its current capabilities, a report claims. When the game initially launched, players expected a usable metro system for traversing Night City, but only hollow station shells serving as fast travel points were available. Years and multiple updates later, Cyberpunk 2077 has seen significant improvements, making it nearly unrecognisable from its initial release state. Despite these advancements, the metro system, even after update 2.1, has not yet reached its full potential. The latest update, version 2.1, introduced functional subway rides with 19 NCART stations across five colour-coded lines, offering an immersive, though passive, travel experience. However, this feature is reportedly seen by some as a partial measure compared to what was originally envisioned for a fully explorable and interactive metro system. Such an addition could fulfil an early promise, deepen the city's worldbuilding, and enhance moment-to-moment immersion. How Cyberpunk 2077's next update can upgrade NCART metro system Cyberpunk 2077's current NCART metro system focuses more on creating atmosphere than providing utility. After progressing past the Konpeki Plaza heist, players can access metro stations to fast travel or ride trains in real time, but the experience is largely passive. Players can't walk around trains, interact with NPCs, or explore station interiors beyond brief cutscenes. According to a report by Gamerant, modders have already shown that a more interactive and realistic metro experience is possible, suggesting CD Projekt Red (CDPR) could expand the system in future updates. Enhancements could include explorable platforms, embedded quests, and dynamic interactions that reflect Night City's social hierarchy, such as cleaner, secure stations in Corpo zones and rundown, graffiti-covered ones in gang territories. Moreover, introducing ambient NPC routines—like commuters, JoyToys, or recurring characters—could deepen immersion, the report adds. The current system lacks incentive, making fast travel and vehicles more efficient. CDPR may fix this in Update 2.3 by offering gameplay perks like stealth bonuses for using public transit or unlocking hidden objectives in gang zones, the report adds. Beyond narrative depth, a fuller NCART system could improve accessibility for players who prefer not to drive. Stations could act as mission hubs, vendors, and fixers, offering streamlined map navigation. Personal touches, like in-game messages from allies during train rides, could turn metro travel into a reflective, immersive part of the journey. Even if not fully realised in Cyberpunk 2077, these ideas could lay the foundation for a more robust system in the sequel, Cyberpunk 2 (Project Orion). Xbox Games Showcase 2025 Highlights: Biggest Game Reveals, New Consoles & More! AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Gizmodo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
The Switch 2 Is My Favorite Way to Play Cyberpunk 2077, and It's Not Just Mouse Controls
2025 I've tested Cyberpunk 2077 on so many different systems, handhelds, and PCs, you would assume the word 'choom' would send me into a state of cyberpsychosis. But I'm midway through yet another playthrough of the game on Switch 2, and I can already tell this will be the first system I use to finally complete the game since I last played it in 2020. The version of Cyberpunk 2025 tuned for Nintendo's new handheld is the most seamless and comfortable edition that still showcases the game's beautiful environments. Cyberpunk 2077 on Switch 2 The game looks great handheld or docked, and while mouse mode isn't great for long sessions gyro controls make up for it. Pros Runs at playable frame rates in most scenarios Runs at playable frame rates in most scenarios Incredible graphics in 1080p (even in handheld mode) Incredible graphics in 1080p (even in handheld mode) Accurate gyro controls Accurate gyro controls Mouse mode offers more options for aiming Cons Some visual glitches caused by DLSS Some visual glitches caused by DLSS Inconsistent buttons in games and menus (especially in mouse mode) Inconsistent buttons in games and menus (especially in mouse mode) No automatic mouse mode control switching You can play CD Projekt Red's open-world cyber ninja simulator on either Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 with solid visuals at 60 frames per second in 'performance' mode, but it won't ever be as fluid a playable experience as it is on Switch 2. Yes, it's handy to take your console on the go without having to finagle any streaming over Wi-Fi, but when docked, the experience is still better due to tighter controls. By default and with two Joy-Con 2 controllers, Cyberpunk 2077 offers joystick plus gyro controls for aiming. There's a separate option you can turn on to enable Joy-Con 2 mouse mode. Either way, you can achieve better pinpoint-accurate gunplay than you can with thumbsticks. I could sit back on the couch and enjoy the game without hunching over a keyboard and mouse and still feel like I wasn't missing out on its high-octane, spectacle-fueled combat systems. In about 15 hours of gameplay, I tried both control sets and played in handheld mode as well. The mouse controls are very accurate, but the issue is always finding a comfortable position to rest your palm. My hand started cramping rather fast as I tried it on the couch cushion next to me or a chair's armrest. I was using the Killswitch case grip made by Dbrand, which made it far more ergonomic for mouse controls. The issue is how often you need to roll your hand to press face buttons for actions and menus. On the flip side, I found that the upgraded gyros on the Switch 2 are so clean, I was able to line up headshots with such ease I would rarely swap to mouse. The game also supports hand-wavy controls for reloading weapons or swinging melee weapons. I found these could feel far too much like the original Wii—where I would sweep my controller at open air and pray that my character performed the action I wanted. I kept to buttons and found it to be a much tighter experience. I also wish CD Projekt Red allowed me to keep both gyro/thumbstick and mouse controls on at the same time. If you enable mouse controls, you disable thumbsticks and gyros. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond promises to allow players to swap from thumbsticks to mouse just by plopping their controller on a surface. Something like that for Cyberpunk 2077 would go a long way to helping players avoid wrist pain. Cyberpunk 2077 plays at 1080p resolution in both handheld mode and when docked. Either way, you can expect it to get between 30 and 40 fps under 'quality' graphics settings, even during an intense gunfight. That's equivalent to what you may get on a Steam Deck, though I found the performance to be more consistent on Switch 2. I experienced some frame rate dips when driving in third person in dense environments (first-person mode aids frame rates by taking up a portion of the screen with the players' gun or car models—a longtime performance trick used by most first-person shooters). Any occasional performance hitching wasn't enough to distract from the game's visuals. If you're somebody who absolutely demands 60 fps from every game they play, you're not going to find that experience with Cyberpunk 2077 on Switch 2. There are occasional visual glitches. On complicated textures like rugs or fabric, the game rendered odd kaleidoscope effects that could become distracting in cutscenes. This is likely due to the use of Nvidia's DLSS. The Nintendo Switch 2 uses a custom Nvidia-made chip, and this means it can run AI upscaling to take a frame rendered at 720p and massage it to look like it's 1080p. The most recent version of Nvidia's upscaler, DLSS 4, is normally devoid of these glitches. The Switch 2's graphics processor is essentially equivalent to Nvidia's Ampere microarchitecture built close to five years ago, though Nvidia has obviously fine-tuned the system-on-chip (SoC) for Nintendo's hardware specs. This allows for some ray tracing lighting effects, though it can't ever be as punch-to-the-face spectacular as it can be on an ultra-expensive PC running with path tracing effects. The fact that we're still talking about Cyberpunk 2077 as a high bar for graphically demanding games five years after launch is a testament to just how beautiful—and intensive—the game can be. What gets lost in the obsession with performance is just how rich of a world CD Projekt Red established for the game. It's a game where the environment informs the story. Every bag of trash dumped on the side of the road speaks to a world that has become so corporatized there are no social services as simple as garbage pickup available to all but the wealthy. The player can climb to the top of an overlooking skyscraper and watch the evening haze choke Night City and all its inhabitants in a thick gloom. You need some amount of visual fidelity to represent that, and the Switch 2 version of Cyberpunk 2077 maintains that atmosphere. The first time I played the game shortly after launch, I ran through the full 60 hours in a state that would better be described as an interactive slideshow. The game was so bugged I sometimes felt like my PC was infected with an in-game neurovirus. But I still loved it for the wonderful, human-centric story it told—of characters who felt real and personable and themes of corporate oppression that feel more pertinent today than they did in 2020.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Witcher 4 PS5 60FPS Gameplay Looks Good But There's a Catch
During The State of Unreal 2025, CD Projekt Red and Epic Games showcased a tech demo for the highly anticipated . The demo featured footage at 60 fps with ray tracing on a base PS5. While the footage shown is impressive, it may not be indicative of the actual game. In a statement made to Video Games Chronicle (VGC), CD Projekt Red confirmed The Witcher 4 footage shown was not gameplay. Instead, it is a tech demo set in the game's world. 'This is a tech demo, and a first look at the cutting-edge technology powering The Witcher 4 – but not The Witcher 4 itself,' the statement to VGC said. 'It showcases the powerful foundation we're building in close collaboration with Epic Games to push open-world design further than ever before and the core systems and features we're developing using Unreal Engine 5.' Just because this isn't The Witcher 4 gameplay, it doesn't mean all hope is lost. The tech demo does give some indication of the technical capabilities of the base PS5. As seen in the video above, The Witcher 4 tech demo follows its main protagonist, Ciri, as they explore the region of Kovir as she tracks a monster. Along with a look at the protagonist and her horse Kelpie, we get a good view of the dense forests of the new region, as well as the port town of Valdrest. 'We started our partnership with Epic Games to push open-world game technology forward,' said CD Projekt Red Joint-CEO Michał Nowakowski. 'To show this early look at the work we've been doing using Unreal Engine running at 60 FPS on PlayStation 5, is a significant milestone — and a testament of the great cooperation between our teams. But we're far from finished. I look forward to seeing more advancements and inspiring technology from this partnership as development of The Witcher 4 on Unreal Engine 5 continues.' The Witcher 4 was originally unveiled during The Game Awards 2024. A release date is not yet known. The post The Witcher 4 PS5 60FPS Gameplay Looks Good But There's a Catch appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
2015 GOTY Getting Surprise DLC 11 Years After Launch
Although the critically lauded RPG has been out for 10 years, it seems CD Projekt Red isn't done making content for the popular game. According to a new report from Polish podcasters Rock and Boris, The Witcher 3 is getting DLC that will release sometime next year. Not much else is known about the small project, but it will be developed by Fool's Theory, the studio founded by former CD Projekt Red quest designer Jakub Rokosz. This is also the studio working on the upcoming The Witcher 1 remake. 'Let's move on to our main topic,' reads a translation of the video (H/T MP1st). 'From the information we have collected, it turns out that the announced, mysterious project by CD Projekt Red, made by Fool's Theory, is a story DLC for The Witcher 3. This is confirmed information from several independent sources.' 'What we know is that this is a DLC for The Witcher 3,' the video continues. 'Based on one piece of information, I can't confirm it any further, but the earliest it could be is in the future year. We also more or less know the order of the releases: first, mods for consoles, then the DLC for The Witcher 3, then The Witcher 4, and finally, the remake of The Witcher 1.' CD Projekt Red and Fool's Theory have not yet confirmed the existence of an upcoming The Witcher 3 DLC, so take this all with a grain of salt for now. Considering many are speculating that this new DLC will take place between the events of The Witcher 3 and The Witcher 4, we'll probably learn more as we inch closer to the fourth entry's release. The post 2015 GOTY Getting Surprise DLC 11 Years After Launch – Report appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.
