PS5 Tech Demo Showcases Incredible Graphics

Coinciding with the announcement of Unreal Engine 5, Epic Games released a tech demo running on PlayStation 5 that showcases what the engine is capable of delivering in terms of graphics and overall presentation.

The new real-time demo is called “Lumen in the Land of Nanite.” According to Epic, the trailer is meant to showcase what the Unreal Engine 5 is technically capable of delivering in terms of real-time rendering details for next-generation games “and beyond.”

The Lumen in the Land of Nanite tech demo focuses on two of Unreal Engine 5’s “core technologies,” including Nanite and Lumen. In short, Nanite is a new “virtualized micropolygon geometry” technology that gives artists the ability to create “as much geometric detail as the eye can see.” For this tech demo, Epic used the Quixel Megascans library that features “film-quality” objects that feature “hundreds of millions” of polygons’ worth of detail.

The second of the technologies shown off in the video is Lumen, which Epic says is a “fully dynamic global Illumination solution that immediately reacts to scene and light changes.” Using Lumen, artists and designers are able to create “more dynamic scenes,” Epic said. This could include things like the sun angle for a particular point in the day and turning on a flashlight. “Lumen erases the need to wait for lightmap bakes to finish and to author light map UVs–a huge time savings when an artist can move a light inside the Unreal Editor and lighting looks the same as when the game is run on console,” Epic said.

The Lumen in the Land of Nanite tech demo is the product of “numerous teams and technologies,” Epic said. Importantly, this video is not meant to represent what PS5 and Xbox Series X games will necessarily look like, but instead what Unreal Engine 5 is technically capable of allowing for.

Unreal Engine 5 will become available in a preview at the beginning of 2021, with a full release scheduled for later in the year.

For more on Epic’s announcements around Unreal Engine 5, check out the stories below.

New Video Ranks 100 Current Streaming Services, Including Plenty No One Knew Existed

When you think streaming services, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu immediately come to mind. However, aside from those most notable services, there are plenty of others you may or may not be familiar with. And GameSpot’s sister site CNET has decided to rank over 100 of them. Yes, 100.

Using a tiered system–from F Tier to S Tier–CNET’s Ashley Esqueda gave each of the services a total score, based on five categories: Price, Originals (quantity not quality), Back Catalog, Variety, and Accessibility. The opening example used in the video was YouTubeTV, which scored a 1 in Price ($50 a month), a 5 in Originals, an 8 in Back Catalog, a 10 in Variety, and a 10 in Accessibility. It scored a 34 in total, which lands it in the C Tier.

Below, you’ll find the full video where CNET breaks down these streaming services, which included plenty of ones you’ve probably never heard of.

There are a few notable services missing from the list. First is Plex, which at one time was just a way to share content from your computer with friends. However, it’s now shifted gears to be an ad-supported movie site, almost exactly like Crackle or IMDbTV. Because of this, it would land itself in the D Tier, using CNET’s ranking system.

Then, there’s the WWE Network, which is amazing if you love cheap PPVs. However, since the recent redesign, the UI is a bit rough, it’s not accessible on all Smart TVs since thew upgrade, and while the original content WWE produces is fantastic, it’s not making it as much anymore. More than likely, it would land in the C Tier. Also missing are NJPW World, Fite TV, and a few other very niche services.

Now that you know the ranking system, you probably need something new to watch. Consider listening to GameSpot’s weekly TV series and movies-focused podcast, You Should Be Watching. With new episodes premiering every Wednesday, you can watch a video version of the podcast over on GameSpot Universe or listen to audio versions on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, and Apple Podcasts.

Mafia Trilogy Announced With First Teaser Trailer, Check It Out Here

The Mafia Twitter account recently came back to life, prompting speculation that the mobster series might be returning. Now, 2K Games has officially announced a new project called Mafia Trilogy for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

The teaser trailer shows footage from the first three games in the series, spanning Mafia, Mafia II, and Mafia III. The trailer promises a full reveal on May 19, so fans will have to wait a little bit longer to find out all the specifics about the Mafia Trilogy like its release date, platforms, and price. Keep checking back with GameSpot for the latest.

2016’s Mafia III is the latest entry in the mainline Mafia series. Developed by one of 2K’s newest studios, Hangar 13, Mafia III follows a character named Lincoln Clay who is seeking to start his own organized crime ring in a New Orleans-style city called New Bordeaux. The first two Mafia games, meanwhile, focused on the Italian mob.

The Mafia Trilogy teaser video shows the Hangar 13 logo at the bottom, so it appears the northern California studio is working on this game as well.

The announcement of The Mafia Trilogy comes during the same year that Sony and Microsoft are due to launch their next-generation consoles, the PS5 and the Xbox Series X, but it’s unknown if the new Mafia game will release on those systems. The PC version will be available on both Steam and the Epic Game Store.

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Netflix’s Grudge Horror Show Gets Terrifying First Trailer

The Grudge–also known as Ju-On–was one of the key movies in the wave of Japanese horror of the 2000s. There have been no fewer than 12 Japanese movies and four American versions to date, the most recent of which, The Grudge, was released in January this year. The franchise is now making the move to the small screen as a new Netflix series. The first trailer has been released.

The show is titled Ju-On: Origins. It’s a Japanese production and is set to focus on the evil house that supposedly inspired the original movies. The trailer delivers everything that fans love about the franchise, including terrible curses, creepy kids, and weird noises, plus some scary-looking stuff involving a deformed baby. Check the trailer out below:

Ju-On: Origins hits Netflix on July 3. The streaming giant has released a synopsis, which reads, “The J-Horror classic franchise Ju-On was actually based on real events that occurred over four decades–and the truth is even more terrifying. Can the people haunted by this house escape from its curse? And what kind of grim incident occurred in this cursed house in the past?”

In a recent interview with Moshi Moshi, series producer Takashige Ichise spoke about what drew him to the new show. “I’ve long had thoughts of wanting to write the part of the story that can’t really be adapted into a film and make it into a drama series,” he said. “But there are too many restrictions in Japanese television so I haven’t been able to do it. Even when I made horror for TV before, I was told to not make it too scary. So when I got the call from Netflix to do this, I responded immediately with a ‘Yes!'”

For more check out GameSpot’s guide to the biggest upcoming horror movies of 2020 and beyond.

Today Only: Macbook Pro, 4K Smart TV Get Major Discounts In Best Buy Flash Sale

If you’re in the market for a new laptop, TV, or monitor, Best Buy is always one of the best places to look. The retailer regularly offers big discounts on some really great tech products, and Best Buy’s latest one-day sale features 20 products across computing and home entertainment that are worth checking out. We’ve highlighted a few of the best deals below, and you can see the full sale at Best Buy. The deals end at 10 PM PT / 1 AM ET, so grab what you want as soon as possible.

MacBook Pro 15.4-inch

$2,900 ($3,800)

MacBook Pro 15.4-inch with i9 processor
MacBook Pro 15.4-inch with i9 processor

Regularly $3,800, you can save $900 on one of the highest-performing MacBook Pros. Equipped with a powerful Intel Core i9 processor and AMD Radeon Pro 560X video card, this MacBook Pro is excellent at multi-tasking, video editing, and even gaming thanks to 32GB of RAM. It also comes with a 1TB solid-state drive. The Space Gray model is the only one on sale at this price, but if you really want the silver model, you can pay an extra $100.


TCL 65-inch 4K Roku TV

$1,000 ($2,000)

TCL 65-inch 4K Smart TV
TCL 65-inch 4K Smart TV

With most people spending more time at home, it’s probably not uncommon to want to upgrade your TV. The best TV deal at Best Buy right now is this TCL 65-inch 4K Smart TV with Roku built in. With true 4K and Dolby Vision HDR, you can be sure that you’re getting incredibly sharp images whether you’re watching a movie or gaming. It also has Dolby Atmos, so you’re getting surround-sound quality audio out of the box. As a Smart TV with Roku, you can easily access all of your favorite streaming services without needing anything else.


Asus TUF gaming monitor

$200 ($250)

Asus Tuf 24-inch IPS monitor

Asus makes some of the best gaming PCs and monitors on the market today, and right now you can save $50 on a gorgeous gaming monitor. This 24-inch IPS display has lighting fast 1ms response time to prevent lag and keep your games running smoothly. With a 144hz refresh rate, you can play at unlocked framerates. It also has AMD’s FreeSync technology, which is particularly helpful to stabilize framerate when paired with an AMD graphics card. For more monitor options, check out our best budget monitors for under $200 roundup.

Robert Pattinson Talks Playing Batman, Nolan’s New Film, And Awful Pasta Recipes In Incredible Interview

Robert Pattinson isn’t a typical leading man, in many ways, and in an extraordinary new interview published by GQ shows off the oddball energy he is bringing to The Batman (which has halted production) and Christopher Nolan’s next film, Tenet. Here are some of the highlights from the long, strange interview.

While Batman has typically been a pretty muscular, bulky screen presence, Pattinson admits in this interview that he has not been working out during his isolation in London. “I think if you’re working out all the time, you’re part of the problem,” he tells GQ. “No one was doing this in the ’70s. Even James Dean–he wasn’t exactly ripped.” Pattinson says that while co-star Zoe Kravitz has reportedly been working out five days a week, he is “barely doing anything,” ignoring his trainer’s advice.

This could mean that we’ll see a different kind of Batman in the upcoming film, one with less muscle–and perhaps quite unique, judging by some of Pattinson’s comments. “I kind of like the fact that not only are there very, very, very well-done versions of the character which seem pretty definitive, but I was thinking that there are multiple definitive playings of the character,” he says. “I was thinking, it’s fun when more and more ground has been covered. Like, where is the gap? You’ve seen this sort of lighter version, you’ve seen a kind of jaded version, a kind of more animalistic version.”

“And the puzzle of it becomes quite satisfying, to think: Where’s my opening,” he continued. “And also, do I have anything inside me which would work if I could do it…In some ways it’s, I don’t know… It makes you a little kind of spicy.”

He admits that he tends to be quite candid in interviews too, saying this his publicist regularly asks after interviews if there are “any kind of fires” he has just set with his words.

Pattinson also talks about Tenet, Christopher Nolan’s new film that he stars in. The film remains fairly mysterious, with little revealed outside the one trailer, and Pattinson doesn’t have much to add. “Even if I had seen it, I genuinely don’t know if I’d be able to,” he says, asked to describe it. “This thing, it’s so insane,” he continues, before talking about how the crew travelled the world to shoot it. “And in each country there’s, like, an enormous set-piece scene, which is like the climax of a normal movie. In every single country.”

He also adds that the movie, despite appearances, features no time travel. “That’s, like, the one thing I’m approved to say,” he adds.

But all of these insights pale in comparison to Pattinson’s stated plans to start a pasta fast food restaurant, Piccolini Cuscino (Little Pillow). You absolutely need to read the full piece to enjoy this story the way it’s meant to be enjoyed, but it involves valuable lessons about not microwaving foil and using a lighter to burn messages into your food.

Tenet is still scheduled to hit cinemas on July 17 (although that date is looking increasingly unlikely as the COVID-19 pandemic continues), while The Batman has been delayed until October 1, 2021.

Now Playing: The Best & Most Underrated Batman Movies | You Should Be Watching Ep 6

Halo 2 Anniversary Is Now Available For PC And On Game Pass

Halo 2 is available now on PC, through both Steam and Xbox Game Pass for PC. Yes, this was also true in 2007, when Halo 2 for Vista launched–but now the game has been freed from Microsoft’s doomed operating system.

Halo 2: Anniversary Edition has launched as part of The Master Chief Collection, which continues its rollout onto PC. This is the third game in the collection to arrive on PC, with three more on the way. Thankfully, Halo 2’s infamous cliffhanger ending won’t leave PC players hanging as long as Xbox fans were made to wait–Halo 3 is right around the corner. That game has, of course, never been available for PC.

While there’s plenty of reason to celebrate the arrival of Halo 2, it’s not necessarily a perfect port. The game is launching with a litany of bugs, so although you can play the game today. However, the update that introduces Halo 2 to The Master Chief Collection has also resolved several issues.

Halo Infinite, the first new Halo FPS since 2015’s Halo 5, is due later this year. It’ll be on Xbox One and PC, but it’ll also be an Xbox Series X launch title.

Now Playing: Cyberpunk 2077 Event Announced, Halo 2 Anniversary PC Release Date | Save State

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Valorant’s First Ban Wave Eliminates Over 8,000 Cheaters

While Valorant is still in closed beta, Riot is cracking down hard on cheaters already. Exactly 8,873 cheaters have been struck by the ban hammer from Riot in a first wave of bans.

The news came from Phillip Koskinas, one of the designers of the anticheat pipelines for Valorant. While we don’t know how many players are currently in the closed beta, 8,873 may just be a drop in the ocean.

The very first players banned from Valorant was over a month ago, with hackers being banned just three days into the closed beta. Riot is pulling out all the stops to put a halt to cheaters and hackers before the game releases in Summer.

The primary system behind these player bans is Riot’s Vanguard system, a kernel mode driver that loads during the boot system. This means that those who have downloaded Valorant will have the Vanguard system running in the background, even when not playing the game. It is possible to disable the Vanguard, but it will have to be turned back on in order to play.

Cheating isn’t the only thing Riot wants to stamp out in Valorant, with player harassment in the company’s reticle. The development team behind Valorant are hoping to cut down on the issue of player harassment within the game, with the intent of creating a fair and non-hostile environment for players to enjoy.

Now Playing: How To Get Good At Valorant Without Playing It

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PS5: Sony Says Hardware ‘On Track’ and ‘No Major Issues’ With Software

Sony has said PlayStation 5 remains on track for its Holiday 2020 release, and game development has seen “no major issues” due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

As part of its financial results briefing, Sony Global reiterated that its new hardware is “on track for launch this holiday season”. A statement on the impact of the pandemic reads: “Although factors such as employees working from home and restrictions on international travel have presented some challenges in regards to part of the testing process and the qualification of production lines, development is progressing.”

Xbox boss Phil Spencer has previously said that while Series X hardware development is relatively unaffected by the effects of the outbreak, game development remains the bigger unknown. Sony does not appear to have the same fears about its upcoming software right now: “At this point in time major problems have not arisen in the game software development pipeline for Sony’s own first-party studios or its partners’ studios.”

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While things seem to be progressing somewhat on track for Sony’s games division, the problems caused by COVID-19 has been serious enough for the company to suspend any forecasts about its future performance, meaning we’re unable to see how the company expects PS5 to perform after launch.

As for its current products, Sony reports that PS4 hardware production has taken a hit due to “issues in the component supply chain.” However, sales of existing hardware are “trending well”, and digital game sales and subscriber numbers for PS Plus and PS Now have “significantly increased”.

Yesterday, Sony announced that it had grouped all of its first-party studios’ output under a new brand, PlayStation Studios (and revealed a Marvel-like intro animation to go with it). For more on PS5 check out its full specs, how they compare to Xbox Series X, take a look at its new controller, the DualSense, and the games we know are coming to the system. For a full round-up, here’s everything we know about PS5 so far.

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Joe Skrebels is IGN’s Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter.

F1 2020’s New My Team Mode Is ‘Absolutely Enormous’

F1 series game director Lee Mather has explained balancing F1 2020’s new My Team mode has been a significant challenge, although finalising the game in the middle of the global COVID-19 crisis has been largely seamless.

F1 2020’s My Team mode will cast players as a modern-day Jack Brabham – not just a team owner and manager, but key driver as well. Mather believes the nature of driving for your own team, plus seeing a teammate out on track that you hired personally, adds a brand new dynamic to F1 2020’s racing. You’re not fighting for glory for Austrian energy drink companies or Canadian investment consortiums; you’re doing it for your own team.

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My Team will let players become the 11th team on the grid and build a brand new organisation from the ground up. For the first time players will be able to create team colours and a unique badge, sign a power unit from the current engine suppliers, find a major sponsor, select and customise a livery, design race suits, and hire a second driver

“For us, the sheer challenge of balancing a game mode such as My Team – there’s so many moving pieces,” says Mather. “There’s so many things that the player’s going to manage.”

“Obviously, we want to make sure they’re all enjoyable to engage with, but also that the AI do them as well. We can’t just have a player who’s upgrading their team, developing their driver, upgrading their facilities – the team’s have to do that too.

“Formula One’s always been a big game and basically My Team is almost a game again; it’s absolutely enormous.”

[poilib element=”quoteBox” parameters=”excerpt=Formula%20One%E2%80%99s%20always%20been%20a%20big%20game%20and%20basically%20My%20Team%20is%20almost%20a%20game%20again%3B%20it%E2%80%99s%20absolutely%20enormous.”]Mather explains that F1 2020 has a fully-fledged driver market, an in-game economy where drivers have values, team budgets, and several other financial factors to consider.

“There’s a lot of moving pieces, a lot of things to balance, [but] with regard to how we’ve worked since the lockdown it’s actually been incredibly seamless,” says Mather. “I think, at the most, we probably lost one or two days while equipment was ferried between studios and to different locations but, aside from that, it’s actually gone really well.”

“I think probably the nicest thing is it’s shown – and I know this is an easy thing to say – just how insanely professional the team is and how versed they are in dealing with an annual franchise. I think without that experience, and also the skill of the newer members of the team, we would’ve been in a very different place. Not everybody who’s got games coming out in a similar window to us have maybe been able to mobilise quite as effectively.”

Cryptically, Mather concedes there was something else “incredibly challenging” about building F1 2020 but won’t reveal it for now.

“[U]nfortunately I can’t talk about it just yet; we’re holding it back for a couple of weeks,” he says. “There’s still something that was really interesting for us to work on and that will be discussed in detail very soon.”

Check out the video below for an overview of some of the new features for F1 2020, including My Team, casual mode, and local split-screen.

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Luke is Games Editor at IGN’s Sydney office. You can find him on Twitter sporadically @MrLukeReilly.