40°

Valve: don’t expect a faster Steam Deck ‘in the next couple of years’

Valve’s Pierre-Loup Griffais hints it might be 2025, even 2026 before a Deck 2.

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theverge.com
GoodGuy0968d ago

Maybe an OLED or smaller model soon. But this is good, that way they can just keep supporting one hardware for a long time with software updates etc.

Vits68d ago

I don't think it would make much sense to even create a new one at this point. Yes, there were improvements in the tech and you can get better performance. But that also comes at the cost of more power and therefore less battery life. What they could do is variations of the current device, but even that is sort of a stretch. Sort of a better display, there is very little that they can change without major sacrifices.

blackblades68d ago (Edited 68d ago )

Yeah, wait a few more years closer to the next gen of consoles or ps5 pro but preferable next gen. Then they can add the improvements. Add a docking mode like switch so better performance while playing on tv, add a accessory pack for a strong power bank for extra battery life. They'll have time to be able to create and design mark cenery style and come up with something. Going by how things are these days steam deck will be the 2nd or 3rd system to have its a must have.

Tody_ZA67d ago (Edited 67d ago )

The battery life issue can be addressed with a super charging solution like some high end phones or the Asus or Lenovo Legion Go have without needing to massively add to the cost with more power, for the reasons you mentioned.

It's not the end of the world if you have to charge after 4 hours if it takes 30 minutes to charge.

So perhaps an upgraded deck with a faster charging solution or better display, or smaller form factor. There's plenty of room to release a new model without actually being a new machine or one that splits the user base.

Almost like what the Gameboy SP did for Gameboy Advanced. Or the PS Slim models.

Vits67d ago (Edited 67d ago )

Fast Charging adds a lot of cost; you need a much more expensive controller to guarantee power delivery. You also expend much more on the power brick itself, the cable and you add a lot of heat that has to be taken out of the device somehow. Plus you don't really fix the issue, the low battery life itself is still there.

Better display is something that I believe everyone agrees could be accomplished with little compromise. It would add something to the cost, but it's possible to offer something that is better than the current model.

The smaller form factor is something that I see many people asking. And I also assume that those people never used one of the smaller form factor handheld PCs. Otherwise, they would know how compromised the experience is, between the smaller display, the lack of touchpads, pitiful battery life, heat and the bad ergonomics. The SD is the size it is for a reason.

70°

The Only Way To End The Indie Game Debate Is To Demystify Budgets

If we want the indie category to mean something, we need to nail down what an indie is.

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thegamer.com
thorstein6h ago

"The solution might be to look towards the film industry in this case...a budget restriction...The Independent Spirit Awards the budget can't exceed $22.5 million."

Um, no. Hollywood Accounting is real. It has hit the games industry. I recently read that GTA VI has a supposed budget of 1-2 billion. That's a complete fabrication and laughable. Horizon FW budget was leaked at 220 million.

And just like the film industry we are seeing articles with made up budgets attached to games. No one knows the budget of a game. They can use the budgets to bludgeon their "in the chair" developers to take less money in compensation, to not unionize, to make this industry exist on "gig work," to pay less in taxes.

I like the idea, but unless there are reciepts, no one will ever know the budget of a game.

Petebloodyonion4h ago

How about a game made by independent studios or developers and not owned or financed by a major publisher or company?

Ataraxias2h ago

But then you still end up with ludicrous examples like Star Citizen.

notachance1h ago

that makes Baldur's Gate 3 an indie game though

Petebloodyonion0m ago

and why can it be?
The game has been in early access on Steam since October 2020 and we got the complete version in 2023
That's basically how small studios operate to make a bigger-scope game.
I could give also Behaviour with DBD which is now a massive behemoth but started as a small project.

--Onilink--1h ago

Also, there are decidedly indie games that choose to work with “indie publishers” like Team17.
The game is still made on a really small budget, by a very small team, but still have the backing of what is arguably a big publisher (or at least decently sized).

The real answer is.. there really isnt a way to clarify it that will work for every scenario and there really isnt anything wrong with that anyway

120°

Unity Software to cut 3.8% of staff in 'company reset'

Videogame software provider Unity Software will eliminate 265 jobs or 3.8% of its global workforce and end an agreement with a digital video effects company founded by the "Lord of the Rings" director as part of a "reset," the company said on Tuesday.

ROCKY2816h ago

Ubi is soft and there executive group is trash

BeHunted12h ago

This has nothing to do with Ubisoft

shadowknight20316h ago

The percentage is lower compared to recent layoffs we been hearing. But still 265 jobs is quite a number.

Chocoburger14h ago

The executives make obviously terrible decisions, then their profits drop, and it's the work force that suffers because of it.

recoctimocassirnff3h ago

Exactly. It's never the idiot executives that suffer the consequences of their idiot actions, it's always the talented people that actually make the product.

Chocoburger2h ago

Indeed, imagine being a good employee, then losing your job because the executives screw things up while also paying themselves yearly bonuses.

Disgusting.

RaidenBlack13h ago

https://www.gamespot.com/ar...
Unity has announced a round of layoffs and the closure of Weta Digital, after it decided to end its agreement with Peter Jackson's Weta FX. The layoffs will impact 265 employees, a total of 3.8% of its workforce, Reuters reports.

Back in December 2021, Unity acquired a part of Peter Jackson's Weta Digital, including "Weta Digital's tools, pipeline, technology, and engineering talent" in a deal worth $1.625 billion. The remainder of Weta Digital remained under Jackson's ownership and rebranded to Weta FX, with the company maintaining an agreement to use Weta Digital's tools and services.

Now, Unity says it has terminated the professional services part of this agreement, which will result in the layoffs of 265 employees involved in the agreement. Weta FX issued a statement to FX Guide, saying it would be looking to re-hire as much of the Weta Digital team as possible. Unity will retain ownership of the tools it acquired, and they will remain readily available for Weta FX to use.

RhinoGamer887h ago

I worked at Unity, super smart...super woke. John was a piece of old school work...how he survived so long is a mystery.

100°

10 Biggest Game Industry Disappointments of 2023

While the games themselves made it one of the best years ever, the game industry itself was just a whole other level of disappointing in 2023.

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culturedvultures.com
VivaChe14h ago

How about the death of E3? That used to be one of the year's gaming highlights, now gone.

DeusFever9h ago

My number 1 is crappy a.i. written clickbait articles from suspect gaming “news” sites.