New PS5 Has No Performance Difference With Launch Model

There’s a new model of the PlayStation 5 in production, but reports say the revised model doesn’t have better performance than the launch version.

According to Digital Foundry, who has had a chance to test the machine, the new CFI-1100 model has no meaningful differences with the CFI-1000, which was the launch edition.

Sony made some changes to the cooling system in the new PS5, which had some people concerned that the new system might overheat. But in Digital Foundry’s tests, the new system leads to cooler temperatures in some cases, and hotter in others, but it’s always only a few degrees different. And, in all of the tests running software on the two versions of the PS5, the systems performed basically identically.

From a hardware perspective, the system is about 300 grams lighter than the launch model, with the same dimensions. It also makes a small improvement to the stand, making it easier to attach by hand without the need for a screwdriver or coin to screw it in.

So, in the most basic of terms, if you’re worried the new PS5 has already made your launch model obsolete, or you’re concerned the changes to the heatsink make the new PS5 worse, there appears to be no need to worry. The biggest concern with PS5 hardware is still managing to get your hands on it at all.

Elsewhere, the PS5 just got a major software update, allowing users to finally expand their console’s internal storage.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

9 Things Game Of Thrones’ George R.R. Martin Has Done In The Last Decade Instead Of Finishing The Winds Of Winter

George R.R. Martin is one of the most successful writers in the world. He was already a popular sci-fi and fantasy writer when, in 1996, he published a fantasy novel titled A Game of Thrones. The book won awards and became a bestseller, launching an entire series of intricately plotted books set in the same world–collectively known as A Song of Ice and Fire. A total of five novels were published over the next 15 years, selling millions of copies around the world and were eventually adapted into the HBO TV series Game of Thrones.

The fifth book in the series, A Dance with Dragons, was published in 2011. While there had been a six-year gap between that book and its predecessor, A Feast for Crows, Martin promised that the sixth novel, The Winds of Winter, would take him less time to write. In 2011, he stated it would take “three years to finish the next one at a good pace.”

Of course, ten years on, there’s still no sign of The Winds of Winter. Game of Thrones, which was originally adapting one book per season, had to invent its final two seasons after running out of material to base the scripts on. Martin has provided updates on his slow progress on the novel over the years, while steadfastly refusing to say when he will finish.

But it’s not as if Martin has only been writing one book since 2011. In fact, he’s kept himself very busy with a multitude of other projects, from other books to TV shows to business ventures. So here are 9 things George R.R. Martin has done in the last decade instead of finishing The Winds of Winter.

Destiny 2 Players NEED To Play Trials of Osiris

Trials of Osiris relaunched during Destiny 2’s Season of the Lost with lots of new changes, and the revamp is a major triumph for developer Bungie. The mode used to be a bit of a waste of time for all but the best Destiny players, but that’s no longer the case — although there have been some rough passages for solo players.

Trials of Osiris requires players to duke it out in a high stakes Elimination PvP mode where teamplay and callouts are just as important as individual skill level, and the stakes grow with each successive match. Players hope to go “Flawless” where they win 7 matches in a row without losing any, in hopes of reaching the Lighthouse, an exclusive social space that is open only to Flawless players and that provides exclusive “adept” rewards.

Not too long ago, going flawless in Trials felt like an insurmountable task but we’re at an unprecedented time now where skill-based matchmaking, crossplay, a new rewards track, and an incredible amount of interest in the game mode has led to easily one of the best Trials weekends in Destiny history. In this video we break down all the major changes and why everyone, not just PvP addicts or Destiny superfans, should hop in and see just what Trials is all about now.

Dead Cells Is Now Easier, Thanks To Its New Update

Dead Cells‘ 25th update, “Practice Makes Perfect,” adds a training room and special optional enhancements to make the roguelike easier. The update, which is live now on PC and consoles, aims to make the learning curve of Dead Cells easier for newcomers, without taking away the difficulty fans enjoy.

The new training room allows players to practice fighting any mob they have already encountered in the game. Players can also practice fighting the bosses in the environment they are normally found in order to hone their skills before facing the real deal.

The other new addition is the optional Aspects, which give special one-off powers that make it easier to progress through the game. While an Aspect is active, players can’t unlock new boss cells or flawless boss achievements, so players will need to finish a run without an Aspect to unlock the next difficulty level. The Aspects provide specific bonuses, like Toxin Lover which negates the effect of poison and causes poisonous gas clouds and pools to slowly heal you. Players will need to pick the Aspect that best suits their playstyle.

The update also adds a new function to the map, which shows all of the available paths through a region, but only after a player has traversed through the path at least once before. The Dead Cells “Practice Makes Perfect” update is live now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Dead Cells is also available as part of Xbox Game Pass on both console and PC.

The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.

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Jeopardy Is Back To Temporary Guest Hosts For the Rest of the Year

Jeopardy has chosen its hosts for the rest of 2021, after parting ways with Executive Producer Mike Richards.

Jeopardy GOAT Ken Jennings and actress Mayim Bialik will take care of hosting duties for the rest of the year. Jennings was the first guest host of the quiz show after longtime host Alex Trebek’s passing.

A run of episodes hosted by Bialik will air from September 20 to November 5. After that, Jennings and Bialik will split time behind the hosts’ lectern, “as their schedules allow” as Bialik stars on the Fox sitcom Call Me Kat, while Jennings has a role on ABC’s The Chase.

Bialik was originally set to host the primetime specials of Jeopardy, with Richards hosting the syndicated episodes. This week, Jeopardy has been airing the one week of episodes Richards recorded as permanent host before stepping down, and ultimately being let go as Executive Producer of both Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune.

This was after reports came to light that Richards allegedly made sexist comments on the Randumb Show podcast in 2013 and 2014.

Until this announcement, viewers were expecting to see another run of guest hosts similar to the first run that included LeVar Burton, Aaron Rodgers, and more. Bialik was previously revealed as the first guest host after Richards’ departure.

Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Cobra Kai: Diamond Select Reveals Exclusive Eagle Fang Johnny Lawrence Figure

Diamond Select Toys’ line of Cobra Kai action figures has struck a chord with collectors, ’80s kids and martial arts junkies. Even though the first wave of figures won’t hit stores until December, the company is revisiting the show’s main protagonist, dojo owner Johnny Lawrence, with a Season 3-inspired makeover.

IGN can exclusively reveal DST’s latest Cobra Kai figure, “Eagle Fang” Johnny Lawrence. Check him out, along with pics of the previously revealed Cobra Kai figures, in the slideshow gallery below:

While the standard Johnny Lawrence figure features our hero in his traditional Cobra Kai uniform, this variant (sculpted by Rocco Tartamella and Chris Dahlberg) instead draws inspiration from Season 3, when Johnny opens his Eagle Claw Karate dojo. The name probably could have used some focus-testing, but the shirt looks pretty awesome.

Eagle Claw Johnny Lawrence is exclusive to Diamond’s website and the company’s Previews catalog, so you should be able to preorder one through your local comic shop. Online preorders will open at midnight on September 17. The figure is priced at $29.99 and is expected to ship in Spring 2022. The standard Cobra Kai: Series 1 line will debut in December, just in time for the launch of Cobra Kai: Season 4 on Netflix.

The good news just keeps coming for Cobra Kai fans. Not only is Season 4 just around the corner, but Netflix has also given an early greenlight for Cobra Kai: Season 5. Meanwhile, YouTube Originals is finding a new direction in the wake of Cobra Kai’s shift to Netflix.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

A Lost Film Thought Destroyed By the Nazis Has Been Rediscovered

[Editor’s Note: Header image is our best guess on how the film was recovered.]

A film previously believed to have been destroyed by Nazis and lost forever has been re-discovered.

The film is called Europa and according to The Guardian, it’s an anti-fascist film that was seized by Nazis and later deemed lost forever. However, a copy of the film was discovered recently in the Bundesarchiv, one of Germany’s national archives.

“This is truly one of the most important film rediscoveries of recent years, a major lost work of the European avant-garde and an important affirmation of Stefan and Franciszka Themersons’ important contribution to cinema history,” Benjamin Cook, director of UK arts agency LUX, told The Guardian. Europa is set to receive a proper premiere next month at the London film festival.

Europa was created in 1931 by the Warsaw surrealist husband and wife director duo, Stefan and Franciszka Themerson. That it may have been lost forever gave Europa an almost mythical status in the world of cinema, according to The Guardian.

With it being lost, many have tried to remake the film based on what was known about it but obviously, that doesn’t solve the whole “this movie was seized and seemingly lost by Nazis” problem. However, in 2019, the Pilecki Institute explained to Themerson’s niece and heir, Jasia Reichardt, that its own research led it to believe a copy might be in the Bundesarchiv.

Europa is based on the 1925 poem of the same name written by Anatol Stern. The film uses photograms, which are film prints created by laying things on top of photography paper and exposing the print to light, and collages, as well as standard imagery. According to The Guardian, these techniques gave Europa the sense of horror and moral decline the directors were witnessing in real life in Poland, and today, the film is considered an “avant-garde masterpiece.”

The Themersons moved to Paris in 1938 but before moving, they left Europa and four other films in the Vitfer film laboratory for safekeeping. Nazis seized the films and the Themersons assumed it was lost forever.

Stefan Franciszka attempted to remake the film with the London Film-Makers Co-op in 1983. Five years later, the couple died and both died thinking Europa was never going to be found. While they won’t get to watch the film’s premiere next month, there’s some solace to be found in the idea that something previously thought lost and destroyed by Nazis has been recovered.

Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes.

The New PS5 Model Isn’t Worse Even With Its Smaller Cooler, Reports Say

Sony’s new version of the PS5, which comes with a new screw for its stand and weighs about two-thirds of a pound lighter, isn’t actually worse than its launch version, according to extensive testing done by Digital Foundry and Gamer’s Nexus. That’s in spite of claims from YouTuber Austin Evans, who showed that the weight shed off in the new PS5 model came almost entirely from the console’s cooling element.

Naturally, the result of reducing the overall size of a console’s cooling element will cause it to run a bit hotter, and for what it’s worth, the new version of the PS5 does, albeit just slightly. The difference, which amounts to a couple of degrees Celsius, is the same that a PC enthusiast would see switching from one CPU cooler to another. In the tech world, this kind of change in temperature for consumer electronics is called negligible.

That being said, Stephen Burke of Gamers Nexus emphasized that people should be performing regular maintenance on their PS5, regardless of what model they have. “Our recommendation to you all would be… make sure it’s maintained. Don’t let dust build up, it’s really easy to pop those panels off, anyone can do it,” Burke said. Naturally, that goes double for anyone keeping their PS5 in a media cabinet, where air circulation is extremely limited and temperatures can actually get to a point where they impact a console’s lifespan.

Outside of thermals, the new PS5 model also runs games the exact same way the launch model does, as shown by testing from Digital Foundry. If you have the opportunity to get a PS5, don’t worry about whether or not it’s the new model. Either way, you’d be lucky to get your hands on one, seeing as how shortages of the console show no signs of stopping.

Call Of Duty: Vanguard Has Some Nasty Graphical Bugs On Xbox Right Now

The Call of Duty: Vanguard multiplayer beta’s second weekend has begun, but it’s not going over so well for some Xbox players. People have reported serious-looking graphical bugs on Xbox that are so severe they are impacting gameplay.

Sledgehammer Games is aware of the problem and is currently “investigating this issue.” You can see some examples of the graphical bugs below; as you’ll see, they can be very extreme in nature.

Now Playing: Call Of Duty: Vanguard – Can WW2 Make A Comeback?

Vanguard Beta Graphical Bugs On Xbox

The Modern Warzone account posted a video of a horrible graphics bug that pretty much completely overwhelms the screen and renders the game unplayable. A video from user Unleashion showcases a less extreme but still nasty graphical bug that interrupts gameplay in a meaningful way. Videos from other uses show off similarly problematic graphical bugs. You can see some examples below.

Vanguard’s multiplayer beta represents an in-development version of the game, so some bugs and issues were expected, but clearly this is a step beyond what might be considered normal for pre-release software. These issues do not appear to be cropping up as much or at all on PlayStation or PC.

There is no word as of yet regarding when a fix might be available for Vanguard’s graphical bugs on Xbox, nor is there any info on what’s causing the issues in the first place.

This weekend’s Vanguard beta includes a number of changes compared to the first one, and it adds Xbox into the mix for cross-play for the first time. For more, here is a rundown of everything new in Vanguard’s second multiplayer beta.

Call of Duty: Vanguard will arrive on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, and PC on November 5. The release remains on schedule as Activision Blizzard faces a lawsuit from the state of California over alleged harassment and discrimination against women.

For more on Vanguard, check out GameSpot’s Call of Duty: Vanguard preorder guide.

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Alan Wake Remastered Preorders Are Live

Remedy Entertainment showed off gameplay footage of the upcoming remaster of its cult classic Alan Wake during the latest PlayStation Showcase. Alan Wake Remastered releases on October 5 for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, and preorders are live now.

Alan Wake Remastered has a free upgrade from PS4 to PS5 and Xbox One to Xbox Series X|S. The remaster only includes the base game, not the post-launch spin-off Alan Wake’s American Nightmare. The remaster will, however, have the two story expansions: The Signal and The Writer. Also, the remaster only costs $30.

It’s worth noting that Alan Wake Remastered won’t have the advertisements for real-life brands like Energizer and Verizon seen in the original. The random product placements will be replaced with fictional branding.

Alan Wake Remastered preorder bonuses

No preorder bonuses are available for Alan Wake Remastered.

$60

Alan Wake Remastered is available to preorder in physical and digital formats. At this time, the only retailer taking physical preorders is Target, but Best Buy has listings that are “coming soon.” Physical preorders for Xbox contain both the Xbox One and Xbox Series X versions. Meanwhile, PlayStation users can pick between PS4 (free upgrade to PS5) or a PS5 disc (only works on PS5).

Alan Wake Remastered is also available to preorder digitally on the PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, and Epic Games Store.