Month: April 2021

Oculus has revealed some big updates for the Quest 2, including the Oculus Air Link feature that will let you wirelessly play PC VR games and native support for 120 Hz.

As announced by Oculus, Oculus Air Link builds upon the Oculus Link feature that lets a compatible USB-C cable to connect a gaming PC and the Quest to allow for PC VR games to be played.

Oculus Air Link is the next evolution, and allows the Quest 2 to connect to a gaming PC using WiFi, letting users take advantage of PC VR games like Half-Life: Alyx without any cables. This feature will be launching in Experimental mode, and Oculus notes that while the Oculus Link will still provide the “highest-fidelity visuals possible,” those with a strong WiFi connection will be able to experience this new, untethered way to use the Quest 2.

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=the-best-vr-games-of-2020&captions=true”]

To see if your set-up is ready for Oculus Air Link, check out Oculus’ guide for the best practices, known issues, and compatibility.

Native 120 Hz Support and Infinite Office

The Oculus Quest 2 currently runs at 90 Hz by default, but Oculus is now giving gamers and developers the chance to utilize a 120 Hz display refresh rate. This feature will also available in Experimental mode and, while there aren’t any apps that yet support it, that will change shortly.

The Quest 2 system software will continue to run at 90 Hz, and Oculus Link support for 120 Hz will come in a future release.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/23/half-life-alyx-review”]

The last big feature for the v28 update is for Infinite Office. This is a feature that allows you to bring your actual desk, keyboard, and mouse into VR to work while using an Oculus Quest headset.

While the ability to add a Bluetooth-enable mouse or trackpad to VR was added in January, this new update will allow you to literally bring your desk into VR. Launching in Experimental mode, you’ll be able to place a virtual desk on your actual furniture that will allow you to see and use it when in your Home environment.

You will also be able to pair your physical keyboard with your Quest 2, allowing you to view a 3D representation of your hands and keyboard within VR. The first keyboard to support this feature is the Logitech K830, and more will be added in the future.

This v28 update will roll out gradually, but Quest users should see it coming through in then near future. It’s important to note that both the Quest 2 and PC must be running v28 for the everything to work.

This news precedes the first-ever Oculus Gaming Showcase on April 21, which will feature updates Pistol Whip, Lone Echo 2, Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge, and more.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

The official Twitter account for the Nier series tweeted that an upgrade patch is currently in development for the Steam version of Nier: Automata. The tweet announcing the update offered very little in the way of details, simply stating that they’ll have more information to share at a later date.

Though Nier: Automata was one of the most critically-acclaimed games of 2017, the PC version of the game has garnered criticism over the years due to inconsistent frame rates and resolution issues. The Xbox Game Pass release of Automata triggered headlines when fans of the game realized that that version of the game included significant upgrades, including HDR support, 4K UI textures, FidelityFX, and borderless video settings. The Steam version of the game was recently review-bombed due to these discrepancies.

While popular fan patch FAR fixes the resolution issue for the Steam version, the Game Pass Automata remains significantly better. We don’t know if the upgrade patch for the Steam version will introduce all these improvements, but it seems likely that it will. In other Nier: Automata news, a hacker uncovered the game’s final secret back in January. Nier Replicant ver. 1.22474487139, a remaster of the original Nier, will release on PS4, Xbox One, and PC on April 23.

You can now try Final Fantasy XIV enhanced by the new console generation, thanks to today’s open beta launch on PS5. Both a PS5 free trial and the PS5 Upgrade Edition can be downloaded from the PlayStation Store now.

Though PS5 owners have been able to play the PS4 version on the new hardware for a while, this upgrade represents a native PS5 version with features that specifically take advantage of the more powerful hardware. Those include two graphics options–one prioritizing 4K and the other aiming for a high frame rate at 1440p–along with faster load speeds, visual improvements, and other performance tweaks.

This launch is considered an open beta, so you may hit some unexpected snags. You can only play if you have the PS4 version registered with an active subscription, or if you’re using the free trial, and a full PS5 launch is planned for release sometime later. The PlayStation Store listing notes that subscribers can switch over to the PS5 version once the open beta ends, so it sounds as if one will roll right into another. Square Enix is also planning to roll out further graphics and performance updates once the open beta period ends.

This is coming right alongside the 5.5 content update, which adds the new Death Unto Dawn story that will lay the groundwork for the upcoming Endwalker expansion this fall. The patch also adds the third chapter of the YoRHa: Dark Apocalypse crossover alliance raid series, and a new trial against the Diamond Weapon.

For more on FFXIV, check out everything we know about FFXIV Endwalker like the two new jobs, story content, and quests.

While we have to wait a little longer to learn more about Season 3 for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and Warzone, Activision has now shared all the key details on Season 3 for Call of Duty: Mobile. Activision ran through all the details on the new season in a blog post, and we’ve rounded up all the key details in one place.

Release Date

Season 3: Tokyo Escape for Call of Duty: Mobile goes live on iOS and Android this Saturday, April 17. It is a free download, though there are more microtransaction mechanics coming through the new Battle Pass.

Season 3: Tokyo Escape And New Battle Pass

Season 3 features a new Battle Pass that has 50 new levels that you can progress through via gameplay or by paying real money. Things like new weapons, Operators, blueprints, charms, calling cards, emotes, and CoD Points are available through the Battle Pass, like usual.

There is also a new Operator skill–Bull Charge–that unlocks at tier 14. The new PP19 Bizon submachine gun, meanwhile, can be yours when you hit tier 21.

Everyone who buys the Battle Pass will get some of its content right away, including the new Operator, Hidora Kai, as well as the Type 25 – Oni weapon.

New Multiplayer Maps

Season 3 also adds new multiplayer maps in the form of Oasis and Coastal. Oasis might look familiar, as it originally debuted in Modern Warfare 3. Oasis is set in a fancy desert hotel and is a medium-sized map. Coastal, meanwhile, is new and it takes place in a sea town.

New Multiplayer Modes

Players are getting new modes as well, including Swords & Stones and nighttime versions of other modes. Swords & Stones challenges players to get kills with melee weapons and grenades only. Killing enemies gives you a speed and attack boost.

The night modes increase the tension by turning the lights off. Players do have night vision goggles to help them along the way.

New Challenges

There are new challenges in Season 3 as well. Activision didn’t specify what the challenges entail, but the studio said players can unlock the Overclock perk and the Renetti pistol by completing these challenges.

New Battle Royale Class

A new class is coming to Call of Duty: Mobile’s battle royale mode in the Season 3 update. Players can complete the “Quick Hands” challenge to obtain the Spotter class. An anti-aircraft specialist, the Spotter should help squads succeed in the battle royale mode. The challenge to obtain the Spotter launches through an event that starts in early May.

Warrior’s Path Event

A new Warrior’s Path event kicks off in Season 3. This challenges players to capture and hold territories every 24 hours; there are different tasks for each territory. The faction that picks up the most points when a territory closes will claim that territory. Players can earn special rewards throughout the event, including eight Epics and one Legendary calling card.

As for Black Ops Cold War and Warzone, Activision is teasing a big reveal for April 21, so check back soon to learn more. It’s expected this will involve the rumored nuke event that looks to blow up Verdansk and replace it with an ’80s-themed map based on Black Ops Cold War.

Among Us received a minor patch recently, and it fixes some smaller issues that players have been having with the game. The most significant change is that multiple users can now log in on the same device. Previously, players would get an error about “MismatchedProductUserIDs,” which would get in the way of the fun.

The 2021.4.12 patch also updated the game’s various translations, reworked the entire account log in flow, and changed some text graphics. As usual, it also fixed several minor bugs, which you can view in the game’s official Google Doc. The full patch notes are in the below tweet if you’re interested in all the details.

Among Us recently got a new airship map that offers fresh ways to play the game. GameStop recently introduced a new set of Among Us plushies that you can still buy if you’re feeling a bit sus. Developer Innersloth has listed a total overhaul of the game’s art style and upping lobby sizes as part of a wish list for future development. The studio also previously stated that the game’s sudden popularity and their small size are among the reasons that updates are taking so long.

Cuphead developer Studio MDHR showed off a new animated museum exhibit based on the hit game on Twitter. Housed at ACMI in Melbourne, Australia, the exhibit is a “zoetrope,” a type of art installation that uses rotation and strobing light to produce the illusion of animation.

As the video above shows, the Cuphead exhibit features our vessel-shaped hero himself, as well as his buddy Mugman, the game’s gambling themed foe Mr. King Dice, and the devil coming out of a television screen. It’s a pretty impressive piece of work that manages to capture the game’s unique artstyle in a physical space.

According to another Twitter user, there was another video game-themed zoetrope at ACMI when they visited a few years ago, based on Ty the Tasmanian Tiger of all things. Ty was developed by Australian outfit Krome Studios, which explains the relation. MDHR announced a few months ago that Cuphead’s The Delicious Last Course DLC has been delayed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and we haven’t heard any updates since.