Microsoft DirectSR API Seeks to Make Upscaling Easier

The highly anticipated game Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, the second installment in the ambitious Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy, received widespread critical acclaim when it launched in late February.

Though Square Enix has not publicly shared details about the next part of the Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy, the development team has provided some new insight through the game's companion books.

According to a new chat with Final Fantasy VII Remake producer Yoshinori Kitase, the third and final game in the new trilogy is aiming for a 2027 release date. This would keep a slightly quicker pace than the previous two titles in the series, with Final Fantasy VII Remake released in April 2020 and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth released on February 29, 2024.

After introducing Self Service Repair for iPhones a few years ago, Apple has now announced support for used genuine parts. Up until a few years ago, getting an iPhone repaired proved to be a headache, especially for those who did not live near an Apple repair centre. Unlike other companies, the iPhone maker did not allow self-repair, with only Apple experts authorised to do it. That changed in 2022 when it announced its Self Service Repair program, enabling iPhone users to carry out repairs on their devices using Apple-supplied parts and repair kits. The program seems to have now been expanded to include genuine used parts.

Following the news that EA Motive's team responsible for last year's Dead Space remake would work on the Battlefield franchise going forward (alongside the previously announced Iron Man game), fans of the horror franchise were left wondering whether a Dead Space 2 remake would still happen.

Three months ago, a rumor suggested that NetEase was close to inking a new agreement to bring Blizzard games back to mainland China after the complete shutdown that occurred in early 2023.

Gaming analyst Michael Pachter believes that Xbox Game Pass will reach over 200 million subscribers in the next 10 years. Pachter also highlighted what he says is a common misconception regarding Xbox Game Pass' current subscriber numbers.

Microsoft is reportedly testing an AI chatbot for Xbox that can assist players with various support queries.

The remake of Star Wars KOTOR (Knights of the Old Republic) is alive and well. That's the promise made to the countless fans of the game by Saber Interactive CEO Matthew Karch, speaking to IGN. The executive also said the studio is 'dedicated to making sure consumer expectations are exceeded', which likely hints at several years of development still needed. Indeed, Embracer Group CEO Lars Wingefors recently admitted the game needed more than a year of production.

Vladimir Putin has signed off on a plan to create Russia's own consoles and Steam-like platform. This is one of nine instructions that are supposed to promote the socio-economic development of the region of Kaliningrad, the Russian exclave located between Lithuania and Poland. The region is a Special Economic Zone where manufacturers can enjoy tax breaks; moreover, a silicon production facility was recently established there.

If you missed the Max Payne craze of the early 2000s, don’t worry; Remedy Entertainment and Rockstar Studios have you covered. This might be old news at this point, but Remedy Entertainment entered into an agreement with Rockstar Games back in April 2022, announcing that they would be remaking both Max Payne and Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne as a single title. We are here to talk about how gorgeous this next-gen Max Payne remake is going to look.

Rumors regarding Sonic the Hedgehog suggest that the 2003 3D platformer, Sonic Heroes, could be making a comeback. Speculation about the game's revival has been sparked following a recent leak regarding the upcoming mobile game, Sonic Toys Party, igniting more rumors about Sonic the Hedgehog's future.