DF Direct Weekly: Switch 2, PC Ports and VR

Dragon’s Dogma 2 on Switch 2

Oliver McKenzie compares the Switch 2 version with other releases. He says its image can look sharper and its shadows cleaner than on Xbox Series S, while noting reduced foliage and reflections and the absence of ray-traced global illumination found on PS5. The main concern is performance: the 30 FPS mode has uneven frame pacing, the unlocked mode stutters, and frame generation looks smoother but adds noticeable input lag. The panel considers the port impressive, but agrees that its performance modes need work.

Star Wars Galactic Racer on PC and consoles

The panel discusses the PC version’s performance and image-quality issues. Oliver recommends TSR rather than DLSS because he sees more Lumen-related noise with DLSS; frame-generation UI artifacts and a lengthy, poorly explained shader compilation wait are also noted. The console versions are described as consistently running at 60 FPS, with visual differences between models. The panel also discusses the game’s HDR presentation and ultrawide support.

Making the Star Wars Galactic Racer documentary

John Lineman describes producing a sponsored behind-the-scenes documentary, including extensive interviews, remote participation in filming and the challenge of shaping the material into a cohesive story. He says the developers were forthcoming, and discusses their work within Unreal Engine 5, including a baked-lighting solution for lower-end hardware and design choices aimed at stable performance and image quality.

A native PC version of P.T.

The panel examines a fan project that rebuilds P.T.’s logic and rendering in C++ and Vulkan, using data from an original copy rather than an emulator or remake. They discuss its faithfulness to the original, its options for modern hardware and ray tracing, and its relevance to preserving a game that is no longer available to download from the PlayStation Store. Hideo Kojima shared an article about the project, and John cites Lance McDonald’s assessment of its accuracy.

Sony’s VR patents and the future of VR

The panel discusses Sony selling VR patents to Meta and what this may indicate about Sony’s future hardware plans. They reflect on PlayStation VR 2’s support, the Quest 3, and whether VR can remain sustainable as a niche market. PC VR and Meta’s continued involvement are considered alongside the industry’s shift of attention toward XR.