FSR 3 on Console, Hellblade 2 Tech & The IGN Acquisition
The Debut of FSR 3 on Consoles
The podcast begins with a technical breakdown of Immortals of Aveum on the Xbox Series X, marking the first console implementation of AMD FSR 3 frame generation.
• Performance Gains: Achieved approximately 72% higher frame rates, pushing gameplay well into the 120Hz target area.
• Image Quality: The team highlights that while the frame generation itself is impressive and creates a fluid feel, FSR upscaling remains poor, causing significant artifacts in transparencies and particles.
• HUD Artifacts: A critical observation is that 2D HUD elements do not receive frame generation, causing distracting choppiness compared to the game world.
• Verdict: Despite flaws, proponents argue this is a promising tool to make advanced games viable at high refresh rates.
Deep Dive: Hellblade 2 and Unreal Engine 5
The panel discusses Hellblade 2, describing it as a polarizing but technically masterful example of Unreal Engine 5 capabilities.
• Artistic Intent vs. Gameplay: It is described as a "cinematic, story-driven experience" rather than a traditional action game. The team draws parallels to The Order: 1886 in its narrow scope and intense focus on atmosphere.
• Visual Fidelity: The game is praised for its photogrammetry, Nanite, and Lumen integration, with some scenes being indistinguishable from pre-rendered movies.
• Developer Scope: At 80 staff, Ninja Theory is acknowledged as a smaller studio that achieved AAA-level visuals through extreme focus and constraint.
The IGN Acquisition of Gamer Network
Finally, the team addresses the industry-shaking news that IGN acquired Gamer Network, affecting the future of Digital Foundry.
"The fact is... the Digital Foundry shares owned by Gamer Network were essentially controlled by an events company that weren't best equipped to deal with the games business."
• Internal Perspective: The team notes that while the acquisition process has been accompanied by the sad news of layoffs within the broader organization, they view the new ownership as a more logical, game-focused partner than the previous events-focused parent company.
• Business Continuity: The podcast confirms that the Digital Foundry staff lineup remains unchanged and they expect the shift to empower their future projects.