Category: Video Games

CD Projekt Red is rolling out the 4.02 update patch for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, bringing in sweeping quality-of-life changes for the PC, PlayStation and Xbox versions.

The 4.02 patch notes, which the Polish game studio published on Monday, detail different bug fixes within the game depending on the platform you play it on. However, the most important part is that the update has improved the game’s overall stability and performance.

In the PC version of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, the patch has improved CPU core utilization in the DX 12 version and restored horizon-based ambient occlusion. It also includes fixes for other bugs including the “My Rewards” section not being localized in the REDlauncher; the landscape in Toussaint flickering when Nvidia HairWorks is disabled; and the game temporarily stuttering as a result of particle optimization.

On both the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, the patch improves Performance Mode and the alleviates the crashes that occur when Geralt runs away from Shani after initiating dialogue in the “Whatsoever a Man Soweth…” quest. It also fixes bugs that have been popping up on individual consoles, incuding crashes that have been occurring as a result of memory usage while using ray tracing on Xbox Series X, and blurry characters in the PS5 version.

The 4.02 patch also placed some nifty optical improvements across all platforms, including added refraction to SSR and ray-traced reflections on water for improved immersion and a Motion Blur slider.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was ported over to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S on December 14, 2022, bringing new outfits and a quest inspired by the Netflix series. Five new games in The Witcher series are currently in the works.

Cristina Alexander is a freelance writer at IGN.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is Nintendo’s first $70 game, and Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser has shared why Nintendo chose to raise the price of this specific Nintendo Switch title.

“We look at what the game has to offer,” Bowser told AP News in a recent interview. “I think fans will find this is an incredibly full, deeply immersive experience. The price point reflects the type of experience that fans can expect when it comes to playing this particular game. This isn’t a price point that we’ll necessarily have on all our titles. It’s actually a fairly common pricing model either here or in Europe or other parts of the world, where the pricing may vary depending on the game itself.”

Bowser’s statement echoes what Nintendo has previously said on the matter. Shortly after revealing Zelda’s $70 price tag, Nintendo confirmed that it determines “the suggested retail price for any Nintendo product on a case-by-case basis.”

Tears of the Kingdom is currently the only $70 game on Nintendo’s publishing slate, as the upcoming Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon and Advance Wars 1+2: Reboot Camp are listed for $60. Even Pikmin 4 — which launches after Nintendo launches Zelda at $70, will retail for $60.

Nintendo is still keeping most details about the Breath of the Wild sequel under wraps. The latest trailer (which was revealed alongside a Collector’s Edition and amiibo) showed new vehicles and enemy types, but we’ve still seen very little of the game that’s now less than two months away. The game is surely packed with secrets and content, given the $70 price tag and the fact that it has the largest file size of any first-party Switch game.

While fans are hoping Nintendo will spill the beans soon, Zelda won’t be at PAX East later this week. Nintendo confirmed to the Boston Herald that while Nintendo will have a presence at the show, ““The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will not be shown at PAX East 2023.” Instead, it’s likely that Nintendo will bring March’s Bayonetta Origins or April’s Advance Wars remake to the event.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom launches for Nintendo Switch on May 12, 2023. Be careful on the internet while you wait, as the Tears of the Kingdom art book appears to have leaked early.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN covering video game and entertainment news. He has over six years of experience in the gaming industry with bylines at IGN, Nintendo Wire, Switch Player Magazine, and Lifewire. Find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Professor Layton is making his grand return to Nintendo consoles in Professor Layton and the New World of Steam, and Level 5 has revealed that his trusty assistant, Luke Triton, is coming back too.

Level 5 recently released a new trailer for the upcoming detective puzzle game that greatly expands upon the short announcement teaser from last month’s Nintendo Direct.

The trailer begins with a voiceover from Luke, who’s writing a letter to Professor Layton. The trailer reveals that it’s been one year since Luke parted ways with Layton at the end of 2010’s Professor Layton and the Unwound Future, and that he’s settled into his new life in America.

Luke is writing to the Professor because of something “deeply puzzling” that’s “tailor made for Professor Layton and his apprentice.” The trailer then shows Layton flying to a very steampunk inspired town called Steam Bison to reunite with Luke.

The dynamic between Professor and apprentice might be slightly different in The New World of Steam, as Luke has started to make a name for himself in America, while Layton is just an anonymous gentleman.

Professor Layton and the New World of Steam is the tenth entry in the Layton franchise, and the eighth starring Hershel Layton himself. We haven’t seen the good professor in a starring role since 2014’s crossover with Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney.

The last proper Layton game was Layton’s Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires’ Conspiracy, which was a 3DS release in 2017 and a Switch port in 2019. We’re still waiting to hear a release date for Professor Layton and the New World of Steam.

After years of absence from the western market, Level 5 came back in a big way in the latest Nintendo Direct, revealing Professor Layton, a Fantasy Life sequel, and new IP Decapolice. The company is also working on new Inazuma Eleven and Megaton Musashi titles.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN covering video game and entertainment news. He has over six years of experience in the gaming industry with bylines at IGN, Nintendo Wire, Switch Player Magazine, and Lifewire. Find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Here’s some good news for anyone who’s not wild about spending $70 on a video game. The new 2023 remake of Dead Space is on sale for PS5 for $49.99. That’s $20 off the standard retail price, and a much easier pick up for anyone who didn’t want to drop major cash on a remastered version of an (admittedly excellent) game they’ve already played. The Xbox Series X version is also on sale, but for $54.99 for some reason.

Save Up to $20 on Dead Space

• Also at Best Buy
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Dead Space 2023 is a remake of the 2008 original that came out for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. Like its predecessor, it’s a single-player survival horror game that puts you in the boots of an engineer named Isaac Clarke. You unfortunately find yourself on a derelict mining space ship that’s been overrun by violent (and terrifying!) beasts called Necromorphs.

Thankfully you have access to a series of mining tools that act as weapons that do a good job of slicing the enemies limb from limb. You can also upgrade them along with your armor to make yourself into a potent Necromorph-killing machine. It’s all good fun.

From our Dead Space review: “With its stunningly redesigned spaceship, smartly and subtly enhanced story, and spectacularly reimagined action scenes, Motive Studio has managed to successfully breathe new life into the seminal sci-fi horror universe of Dead Space.”

This is the first discount we’ve seen so far on Dead Space, and it’s a pretty good one. I for one feel a lot better paying $50 or $55 for this remake than I would dropping a full $70 for it. It’s a superb remake by all accounts (including our 9/10 review), but the main story takes roughly 12 hours to beat, so this sale price just feels more reasonable. If you haven’t picked it up yet, now is a good time to take a trip on the USG Ishimura. Just don’t forget your plasma cutter.

Chris Reed is a deals expert and commerce editor for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @_chrislreed or on Mastodon @chrislreed.