Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Mod Adds Ray-Tracing And It Looks Ridiculously Good

Of the various technological innovations in gaming over the last decade, ray-tracing has definitely been one of the most mind-blowing. Although we’re probably a long way away from Nintendo officially supporting ray-tracing, one modder has found a way to get it running on an emulated version of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild–and the results are unbelievable.

As reported by Kotaku, German modder Digital Dreams created a ray-tracing preset with Reshade for the PC-emulated version of the game. They also bumped up draw distances and improved depth of field. As you can see in the embed below, Breath of the Wild running at 8K resolution with all these bells and whistles looks gorgeous. If you have a 4K (or better) monitor, we highly recommend putting this video in full screen, bumping up the resolution, and immersing yourself.

Digital Dreams has found a niche in giving a new, ray-traced coat of paint to all sorts of games, from Crysis 3 to Just Cause 3. There’s just something different about ray-tracing on a game that’ll almost certainly never be officially released on a platform that natively supports the feature, though. Of course, it’s worth saying that this PC version of the game is illegal, so user beware.

Meanwhile, Nintendo is still at work on a Breath of the Wild sequel, which is coming sometime in 2022. Most recently, Nintendo unveiled a new trailer for the game at E3 2021. You can check out a roundup of everything we know about the Breath of the Wild sequel here.

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Tales Of Arise Demo Coming To Xbox And PlayStation On August 18

Bandai Namco has confirmed that it will release a demo for Tales of Arise on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S on August 18. Set in a world where the nation of Dahna was conquered by the technologically superior country of Rena and split into five realms, players will experience the story through the protagonists Iron Mask and Shionne.

While Iron Mask is a Dahna slave who is unable to feel pain, Shionne is his polar opposite as a citizen of Rena cursed to zap anyone who comes into physical contact with her using magical lightning. Together, the two form an odd couple alliance as they strengthen their bonds in a brutal land ruled by tyrants.

Now Playing: Tales Of Arise Preview

One of the bigger departures from previous games in the Tales series is a more action-orientated direction that’s similar to Monster Hunter: World. Players are able to chain attacks and juggle enemies to deliver extra damage, as well as conservatively spend Care Points to overcome various obstacles and enemies. Some of the developers previously worked on Bandai Namco’s Scarlet Nexus, with the influence from that action-RPG being seen in some of the gameplay footage above as well as the mixed-media approach to storytelling.

Arise’s producer Yusuke Tomizawa explained earlier this year that the choice to focus on faster combat resulted in “speedy battles where you can see through the enemy’s attacks and follow up with a counterattack.”

“As a person who holds Tales of Symphonia, Vesperia, and Xillia very dearly, Bandai Namco’s Tales of Arise seems like a return to form and a refreshing evolution since its consistent format was set back in 1995,” critic Max Blumenthal said in his Tales of Arise preview.

Tales of Arise releases worldwide on September 10 for PlayStation and Xbox consoles, as well as PC via Steam.

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Free Guy Gets New Posters Inspired By Super Mario 64, Among Us, Doom, And More

The new Ryan Reynolds video game movie Free Guy opens in theaters on August 13, and to promote it, 20th Century has released new posters inspired by the covers of famous games.

These include Super Mario 64, Doom, Minecraft, Among Us, Animal Crossing, and Grand Theft Auto. They’re all pretty slick and well-made. You can see them all in the tweets below.

Unlike The Suicide Squad and other big movies, Free Guy is playing exclusively in theaters when it opens on August 13. Tickets are on sale now for the 20th Century/Disney movie, which is getting solid reviews from critics. Here at GameSpot in our Free Guy review, critic Chris Hayner said Free Guy is “the video game movie we deserve.”

The movie is getting good review scores, generally, from plenty of other outlets across the board. You can check out a Free Guy review roundup to see more.

Reynolds plays a bank teller named Guy who one day discovers he is actually an NPC in a video game and decides to break free and save the world. The movie also stars Stranger Things’ Joe Keery, Lil Rel Howery (Get Out), and Utkarsh Ambudkar (Brittany Runs a Marathon).

Taika Waititi also features as the game’s evil developer, and director Shawn Levy recently spoke to GameSpot about how the Thor: Ragnarok director became attached to the movie.

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Today-Only Deal: Acer Laptops, Gaming Monitors, And PC Accessories Discounted At Amazon

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.

Amazon’s daily deal on Acer products includes some great budget monitor options.

If you’re in the market for a new gaming monitor or PC peripheral like a keyboard or mouse, Amazon’s daily deal on Acer products includes a bunch of budget-friendly products. A handful of highly rated monitors are discounted up to $100 off. You can also save on select products from Acer’s PC gaming Predator line, including the great Cestus 330 mouse for $20 off and the Aethon 300 mechanical gaming keyboard for around $25 off. Check out the best deals from the Acer sale below. Keep in mind that these deals are available today only, and it’s certainly possible some of them could sell out. If you’re looking for a gaming mouse and don’t want the Cestus, Amazon also has great deals on select Logitech mice, including the Logitech G Pro wireless mouse that’s designed for competitive gaming.

$200 (was $300)

This particular Acer monitor would be great for those looking for stellar performance without breaking the bank. Normally $300, you can snag this 27-inch full HD monitor for only $200 today only. It has a 144Hz refresh rate and rapid 1ms response time. It also supports with AMD FreeSync with certified Nvidia G-Sync compatibility.

$185 (was $250)

If you prefer the added immersion of curved monitors, you can save $65 on this 27-inch option. This full HD monitor has a 165Hz refresh rate and 5ms response time. It’s equipped with AMD FreeSync technology and is fitted with one DisplayPort and a pair of HDMI ports.

$50 (was $70)

The Cestus 330 is a wired gaming mouse with a fast 16,000 DPI optical sensor and seven programmable buttons, including two side buttons that are ideal for those who play first-person shooters. It boasts four different lighting patterns and 16.8 million color combinations.

$76 (was $100)

The Acer Predator Aethon 300 is a wired gaming keyboard with Cherry MX Blue switches. It features six-key rollover and anti-ghosting as well as teal blue backlighting. It’s a solid full keyboard that has a 4.4/5 star user rating on Amazon.

$820 (was $1,100)

Back-to-school shopping is in full swing, and this Acer laptop is a great option for productivity. The Acer Spin 5 has some impressive specs for the price, especially considering the nearly $300 discount. It features an Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB NVMe SSD. It uses Intel Iris Plus graphics–not a dedicated graphics card–so it’s not ideal for gaming, but it can definitely handle some light gaming. The Spin 5 doubles as a 13.5-inch Windows tablet and has a gorgeous 2256 x 1504 resolution IPS display.

Best Gaming & Tech Deals This Week

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The Best Apple AirPod Deals: Apple AirPods Pro for $189, AirPods Max for $479 and More

Anyone on the lookout for a deal on wireless earbuds will want to take a look at this. Amazon (along with other retailers) has dropped the price on Apple’s AirPods Pro down to $189.99. That’s the best deal available now on some of the best earbuds around.

If you want to spend less, you can find deals on the other AirPod models as well, plus a $50 discount on the higher-end AirPods Max. We have all the information you need below. Let’s take a look at all the best AirPod deals around.

The Best AirPod Deals Available Now

Those are the best prices on AirPods available right now. If they’re sold out or the prices change, try one of the other retailers listed below.

Airpods Max on Sale

Apple’s over-ear wireless premium headphones, the AirPods Max, are also marked down right now. These headsets look to try and capture some of the market success Apple had with Beats, but based on our own data they’re not anywhere near the succees Beats enjoyed 10 years ago. They’re quite nice, and all the different colors are on sale, so you can coordinate with your fit.

AirPods Pro Deals

AirPods Pro are the cream of the crop when it comes to Apple’s earbud lineup. The standout feature is active noise cancelation, which shuts out the chaos of the world. They also come with three sizes of soft silicon tips so you can pick the ones that best fit your ears. The case is also compatible with Qi-certified wireless charging pads, so you don’t have to plug them in directly to juice them up.

AirPods with Wireless Charging Case Deals

Moving on down the line, AirPods with Wireless Charging Case are the souped-up version of standard AirPods. Like all AirPods, they can connect to any Bluetooth device, including Android phones. They work particularly well with Apple products, with snappy pairing, easy switching between devices, and a quick setup process. They also work with wireless charging pads.

AirPods with Charging Case Deals

If you don’t care about wireless charging, you can save $30 by picking up the standard AirPods. They offer all the same features as the ones above, but you have to plug them in to charge them. Not a bad trade-off for saving $30, IMO.

Chris Reed is IGN’s shopping and commerce editor. You can follow him on Twitter @_chrislreed.

Windjammers 2 Open Beta Starts Tomorrow On PS4, PS5, And PC

Developer and publisher Dotemu has announced that Windjammer 2’s open beta test will start tomorrow on August 11 at 6 AM PT / 9 AM ET. Players will be able to compete against each other until August 22, and the test will span across PC, PS4, and PS5.

There will be four playable characters in the open beta, and they have their own set of advantages. Steve Miller is great for newcomers and is agile, while Loris Biaggi is the jack-of-all-trades. The newly introduced Sophie de Lys is a fast and swift character, and Gary Scott returns to tank hits. Gary himself stars in a new trailer detailing the game’s mechanics and gameplay strategies.

There are a variety of different kinds of courts to play on, including a sandy beach, a load stadium, a chaotic ring, and a tall rooftop. There won’t be any cross-play between PlayStation and PC, however; PS4 and PS5 players will be able to face off against each other while PC players will be in their own league.

Fortunately, there will be no PlayStation Plus subscription required to participate. Windjammers 2 is competitive in nature, so there will also be an online leaderboard in the beta.

Windjammers 2 is launching on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch sometime this year. A Google Stadia version is in development as well.

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How to Watch Marvel’s What If…?

The next Marvel superhero show to arrive on Disney+ is What If…? And if you were expecting another relatively standard show like Loki or WandaVision, you’re in for a surprise. Marvel’s What If…? is an animated series that takes everything you know about the Marvel Cinematic Universe and turns it on its head.

If you’re wondering when and how you’ll be able to watch What If…?, keep on reading. Below, you’ll find everything you need to know.

How to Watch What If…?

There’s only one way to watch What If…?, and that’s by subscribing to Disney+. If you’re not already a member, you have two options. You can get a standard Disney+ subscription for $7.99 per month or $79.99/year. Alternatively, you can go with a bundle that includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ for $13.99 per month.

Sign up for either of those, and you’ll be all set to watch Marvel’s What If…? when it arrives.

When Does What If…? Release?

The series premier of What If…? will arrive on Wednesday, August 11, 2021, with new episodes arriving each Wednesday throughout the 10-episode run.

Assuming it releases like previous Marvel shows, it will appear on Disney+ at 12:01 am PT / 3:01 a.m. ET each Wednesday.

What If…? Release Schedule

Here’s when you can expect to watch each episode of What If…?

  • What If…? Episode 1 – August 11, 2021
  • What If…? Episode 2 – August 18, 2021
  • What If…? Episode 3 – August 25, 2021
  • What If…? Episode 4 – September 1, 2021
  • What If…? Episode 5 – September 8, 2021
  • What If…? Episode 6 – September 15, 2021
  • What If…? Episode 7 – September 22, 2021
  • What If…? Episode 8 – September 29, 2021
  • What If…? Episode 9 – October 5, 2021
  • What If…? Episode 10 – October 12, 2021

What If…? Trailer

What Is Marvel’s What If…?

What If…? is Marvel Studios’ first animated series. It explores the MCU multiverse by showing how things might be different if characters appeared in alternate circumstances. For instance, what if Killmonger saved Tony Stark at the beginning of Iron Man? What if T’Challa didn’t become the Black Panther, and instead joined the Ravagers gang from Guardians of the Galaxy?

Some big-name actors from the MCU also reprise their roles in What If…?, including the late Chadwick Boseman as different versions of T’Challa in each of the four episodes featuring the character. Other voice actors include Samuel L. Jackson, Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Mark Ruffalo, Tom Hiddleston, Josh Brolin, Taika Waititi, and more.

New Xbox Store Sale Features Hundreds Of Great Game Deals

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.

The Xbox Store has hundreds of deals this week spread across three different sales. There’s a Ubisoft publisher sale featuring Assassin’s Creed, Watch Dogs, and Tom Clancy games. Bethesda fans can check out the Quakecon sale, which includes steep discounts on Doom Eternal, The Elder Scrolls, and plenty of modern classics. Meanwhile, the Ultimate Game Add-on sale has DLC for popular games like Mortal Kombat 11, Control, and The Witcher 3.

Some of the best deals on the Xbox Store are in the Ubisoft sale. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s Ultimate edition is $60, down from $120. You can also grab Watch Dogs Legion’s Ultimate edition for $39.59 (was $120) and Rainbow Six Siege’s Operator Edition for $36 (was $80). The standout deal in the Quakecon sale is Doom Eternal for only $15, which is the lowest price we can recall. Another deal worth considering is the Wolfenstein: Alt History Collection, which compiles The New Order, The Old Blood, The New Colossus, and Youngblood for only $18. Check out all of the best deals on the Xbox Store below.

Best deals on Xbox Store

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Apple’s iPhone 13 Could Feature New Video Portrait Modes And 120Hz screen

Apple’s latest smartphones will form the iPhone 13 line, with this year’s devices featuring some moderate upgrades to the camera. One of these new features is a video portrait mode that can apply a bokeh effect that blurs the background behind the subject, and photos can also have filters applied to select parts of the image, according to a new Bloomberg report.

Other improvements are focused on the iPhone 13’s video recording options, such as “Cinematic Video” and support for ProRes video recording. That last feature will be especially useful for video editors looking to have more control over their footage, similar to how Apple added ProRAW support to its iPhones last year and gave users a more flexible photographic editing suite.

In short, ProRes is a high-quality video compression format that Apple developed in 2007 for use in post-production and can currently support video resolutions of up to 8K.

Apple’s iPhones have been popular with filmmakers for several years now, thanks to the smartphones having a dependable mix of high image quality, sensor-body stabilization, and a wide lens for more cinematic shots. Hollywood director Steven Soderbergh famously filmed psychological thriller Unsane and sports drama High Flying Bird entirely on iPhone.

Bloomberg’s report also claims that this year’s iPhone 13 models will have faster 120Hz refresh rates, smaller display notches, and improved performance on the A15 chips. although these will all be “modest” updates spread across a variety of models and screen sizes similar to last year’s iPhones.

There’s no word on when these phones will be announced, although Apple does traditionally stick to a September launch for its flagship iPhones every year. 2020 was an exception though, with iPhones only arriving in October due to the knock-on effect of the coronavirus pandemic.