Digital Foundry Direct Weekly

Digital Foundry

When it comes to video games and the hardware and tech we play them on, the team at Digital Foundry are unparalleled experts. Each week, DF Direct breaks down the latest breakthroughs in video game visuals, sound, and performance happening on PlayStation, Xbox, the most powerful PC setups, and more. If you’re a geek for graphics, GPUs, or just video games in general, DF Direct will help you get the most out of your gaming setup.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Listen in podnod RSS feed Show website

340 episodes
Updated Friday

Episodes340

Newest first

March 23 · 1 hr 32 min
DF Direct Weekly #256: Crimson Desert PS5, Cerny Speaks On PSSR, Nintendo Handheld Boost, CP2077 Pro
Another big Direct! John talks base PlayStation 5 Crimson Desert mere hours after its launch, the team talk PSSR based on a new interview with Mark Cerny, while Oliver checks out the new handheld boost option for Switch 2 - and it's good! Cyberpunk 2077 is getting a PS5 Pro upgrade - but what is it? And finally, John enthuses even more about G-Sync Pulsar with its new 60Hz support feature!
March 18 · 55 min
DF Direct Q+A: The Big DLSS 5 ML Debate + Why We Should Have Waited With Our Coverage
It's been a wild few days. When we posted about DLSS 5, we were impressed with the technology and what it was doing - but we posted too soon. When generative AI is so divisive and with the future of games development possibly at stake, we should have taken the time to get the story straight and to analyse what we saw more thoroughly drawing on the thoughts of the whole team. In this video, we try to do just that while tackling the big questions raised by our supporters.
March 15 · 1 hr 29 min
DF Direct Weekly #255: Xbox's Big Helix Reveal, Witcher 4 Path Tracing, Crimson Desert Specs
After months - no, years - of speculation, we finally have proper information from Microsoft on the nature of its next generation Project Helix console - but how much is actually new? Meanwhile, Pearl Abyss share lavish detail on Crimson Desert specifications, while Nvidia talks The Witcher 4 with RTX Mega Geometry and Path Tracing. Rich is taken aback by Intel's Core 200 Ultra Plus announcement, Oliver has a new monitor and John pops up to talk more about our Crimson Desert PS5 Pro coverage.
March 10 · 51 min
DF Direct Q+A: The Big Project Helix Discussion, Helix vs PS6, Dynamic PSN Pricing
In the fourth Q+A show, the team dive deeper into Xbox Project Helix and share their thoughts on potential performance vs PS6 along with hopes for what Microsoft will reveal this week at GDC. In the wake of Sony's reported change in PC strategy, where does that leave Nixxes? And what about the alleged "dynamic pricing" on the PlayStation Store? Oliver's getting a new display for the workplace, and Will Judd returns to Digital Foundry. And... can Sony justify releasing a PlayStation 6 Professiona
March 9 · 1 hr 13 min
DF Direct Weekly #254: Xbox Project Helix, Sony Exiting PC? Starfield PS5, Crimson Desert Console!
In the run-up to GDC, Microsoft has given the new Xbox a codename - Project Helix - and there's confirmation that it'll run PC games too, but what else will be revealed and how much will it cost? Meanwhile, Bloomberg reports that Sony's stepping back from bringing its triple-A singleplayer games to PC, John tries Marathon and bemoans RT changes made to RE Requiem, and Rich wonders what's going on with the reported RTX 5050 9GB. Finally, Pearl Abyss stands by the quality of Crimson Desert on cons
March 4 · 43 min
DF Direct Q+A: The Big "PSSR2" Discussion - What Happens Next & What Should We Expect?
In the third Q+A show, the DF team have lots to discuss - there's a bunch of big questions on the "PSSR2" reveal and we can share what we think about what's to come next month. Meanwhile, in the wake of Phil Spencer's departure from Xbox, there are many more queries about the nature of the next-gen machine and Microsoft's strategy. But there's more! Are we already seeing the limits of Switch 2 RT and what if Microsoft had partnered with Nvidia for Xbox Series machinery - could that have changed
March 2 · 1 hr 22 min
DF Direct Weekly #253: Xbox Post-Spencer Aftermath, Should MS Hire Bluepoint? Mario Wonder Switch 2!
In this week's Direct, new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma tells us that "the plan's the plan until it's not the plan" - so is there actually a new strategy at all? Meanwhile, with Bluepoint cut loose from Sony, could the firm deliver the remasters/remakes that Xbox needs? The team discuss Death Stranding 2 specs and the "quietening" of PlayStation PC releases more generally before moving on to reaction to the Mario Wonder Switch 2 Edition reveal? There's a new PSSR patent worth talking about and... finall
February 25 · 44 min
DF Direct Q+A: Phil Spencer Retires From Xbox... So What Happens Next?
In our second spin-off Q+A show, we tackle the gaping hole in DF Direct Weekly #252 - the gigaton news that Phil Spencer is retiring from Xbox, Sarah Bond is leading and Asha Sharma is in as EVP and CEO. The team share their initial reactions to the next and wonder what happens next. Beyond that, Sony's strategies are under the microscope, there's a focus on PS5 Pro's fortunes when PS6 appears and finally, will the RAM crisis go as far as impacting game design?
February 23 · 1 hr 19 min
DF Direct Weekly #252: Sony Kills Bluepoint, PS6 Delayed? Xenoblade Switch 2 Issues, DLSS IQ Champ!
This Direct was recorded pre-Phil Spencer retirement news, but we'll be on that imminently. In the meantime, Rich, John and Alex talk Bluepoint Games, a prospective PS6 delay, Steam Deck stock issues, Square-Enix's plans for FF7R Part 3 multiplatform deployment, DLSS winning blind tests against native rendering and FSR 4 and some bizarre IQ issues with Xenoblade Chronicles X on Switch 2. And finally, Alex tells all about his back issues and his journey towards a healthy, pain-free recovery.
February 18 · 56 min
DF Direct Q+A: The Big Unreal Engine 5 Image Quality/Performance Debate
In our first spin-off Q+A show, it's pretty clear what the community is discussing: what's going on with Unreal Engine 5 games in terms of image quality and performance? Are compromised experiences now "part of the furniture" or can/will something be done? Beyond that, we discuss how YouTube quality issues impact our work, whether gaming laptops serve any purpose in the era of the handheld, whether you should play Death Stranding 1 before Death Stranding 2 and if Nvidia really has left the gamer
February 16 · 1 hr 36 min
DF Direct Weekly #251: God of War Trilogy, MGS 4, Control Resonant, Silent Hill Townfall!
It's a big State of Play reaction video as Sony spills the beans on a colossal range of games across a 72 minute magnum opus. John, Oliver and Rich share their thoughts on all the key games that were revealed or showcased in more depth before moving on to other matters. Rich gets a look at DLSS dynamic multi frame-gen and starts to get more of an idea of where graphics technology is heading, while Oliver and John discuss the Unreal Engine 5 image quality/performance comments raised by the audience in the wake of the High on Life 2 review. 0:00:00 Introduction 0:01:17 News 1: Sony’s jam-packed State of Play: God of War Trilogy Remake, God of War: Sons of Sparta 0:09:46 Saros0:15:59 Death Stranding 2 PC0:22:31 Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 2, Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse 0:36:38 Silent Hill: Townfall 0:42:01 Star Wars: Galactic Racer 0:48:40 Kena: Scars of Kosmora, Control Resonant, 0:58:08 Crimson Moon, Yakoh Shinobi Ops, Project Windless, Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition, Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered, Rev. NOiR, Untitled John Wick Game, 007 First Light 1:07:56 News 2: Rich tries DLSS Dynamic Multi Frame Gen! 1:20:13 DF Content Discussion: Did we go too easy on High on Life 2? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
February 9 · 2 hr 20 min
DF Direct Weekly #250: Steam Machine Delay, Next-Gen Xbox SoC in 2027, Nintendo Direct Reaction!
In a slightly extended 250th episode, Rich is joined by Oliver, Alex and John for a huge discussion across a range of topics. Valve's still not able to tell us when Steam Machine is coming out, but the projected Q1 release now seems to be H1 instead. Meanwhile, AMD's Dr Lisa Su says that the next-gen Xbox SoC is on track for a 2027 console release... but will the console actually release in 2027? Beyond that, all the reaction to the big Nintendo Direct Direct, Rich reveals that Intel Panther Lak
February 2 · 2 hr 2 min
DF Direct Weekly #249: Ryzen 9850X3D Review, Handheld PS4, Kingdom Come Deliverance Console Upgrade!
A bit of a quiet week, where even the launch of the new CPU gaming champion doesn't quite live up to its billing. Rich talks 9850X3D, John talks 9800X3D system building, while a custom-built handheld PS4 perhaps gives us a hint of the PlayStation handheld to come. John's been playing the Banjo-Kazooie decompilation project and memories are shared on the event of Duke Nukem 3D's 30th birthday. And a current-gen console upgrade for Kingdom Come: Deliverance? Sounds like a good idea!
January 26 · 1 hr 53 min
DF Direct Weekly #248: Forza Horizon 6, Fable, FF7R Xbox, Switch 2 Game Boosts, Saturn Ray Tracing!
The best gaming showcase event returns - Xbox Developer_underscore_Direct has a proven track record of delivering excellent presentations of impressive games, and the latest is no exception. Rich, John and Oliver discuss Forza Horizon 6, Fable, Beast of Reincarnation and Kiln, before moving onto a brace of Switch 2 enhanced titles, plus a look at the Xbox versions of Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade. And yes - Sega Saturn ray tracing. It's real and it's spectacular.
January 19 · 1 hr 48 min
DF Direct Weekly #247: Monster Hunter PC Perf Drama, Mario 64 Dreamcast Port, RE Requiem Looks Hot!
Another week, another controversy surrounding Monster Hunter Wilds PC performance - but perhaps this time we're looking at more of a silly bug than a game-breaking issue. John clues us in on a remarkable port of Super Mario 64 for the Sega Dreamcast (!), offers up opinions on Code Vein 2 on PS5 and shares his excitement for the latest Resident Evil Requiem disclosures. There's comment on the RTX 5070 Ti discontinuation reports and general bafflement on what's going on with 007 First Light's PC s
January 12 · 2 hr 11 min
DF Direct Weekly #246: The BIG CES Special - Hardware Highlights, Crimson Desert, Intel, Nvidia, AMD
Direct from Las Vegas, A Redbull-powered Alex Battaglia and Oliver Mackenzie share their thoughts on everything they saw at the Consumer Electronics Show 2026, while also discussing all of the big announcements. Nvidia, AMD and Intel announcements, the latest TVs and monitors and... the weirdness. Plus, what is Crimson Desert and why should be excited about it?
January 7 · 1 hr 12 min
DF Direct Special: Digital Foundry's Best Gaming Hardware 2025
In the last DF Direct video of the year, Rich, Oliver and Alex join forces to discusses their experiences of the best gaming hardware of 2025. Handhelds dominate, and while Switch 2's mega sales cannot be denied, Rich makes the case for the crazy GPD Win 5, while Oliver opts for the SteamOS-based Lenovo Legion Go S. Beyond portables, it's all about the Ryzen 9 9950X3D, RTX 5090, the Blackwell and RDNA 4 launches in general and - finally - green shoots of hope in what looks to be a grim 2026.
January 1 · 1 hr 33 min
DF Direct Special: Digital Foundry's Best Game Graphics of 2025
Need we saw more? As we draw to the end of another remarkable year in video games, the Digital Foundry team sit down to pore over the technological showcases of the last 12 months in an attempt to answer the immortal question: What were the best game graphics of the year?
Dec 22, 2025 · 2 hr 8 min
DF Direct Weekly #245: Half-Life 3 Steam Machine Launch Game? Skyrim Switch 2 Lag Patch, Marathon!
A critical mass of rumours is strongly suggesting that Half-Life 3 will be a launch title for Steam Machine - but how does that work when the RAM crisis is making any kind of hardware launch so challenging? Meanwhile, Oliver pops in to talk about an actual patch for the woeful Switch 1 port of Batman: Arkham Knight, while Tom makes a similarly cameo-sized appearance to talk about Skyrim's anti-latency patch - which isn't quite what we were hoping for. And that's just the tip of the iceberg for w
Dec 15, 2025 · 2 hr 2 min
DF Direct Weekly #244: The Game Awards Reaction, First PS3 Emu on PS5, FSR Redstone First Look!
It's that time of the year! The Digital Foundry team discuss the big reveals and the games that caught their eye at The Game Awards, with the traditional complaints about the volume of CG trailers. Beyond that, Rich shares his impressions on the first PS3 emulator for PlayStation 5, Alex gets to grips with the wobbly performance of FSR Redstone frame generation and Oliver shares some eyebrow-raising results from Skyrim on Switch 2. And as usual, questions are answered. Questions like: "Is Star Wars Outlaws more ‘bespoke’ on Switch 2 than Assassin’s Creed Shadows?" 0:00:00 Introduction0:01:12 News 1: The Game Awards: Control Resonant 0:08:42 Tomb Raider: Catalyst and Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis 0:16:56 Total War: Warhammer 40,000 0:23:59 Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic, Exodus, Divinity 0:34:23 Ontos, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, No Law, Pragmata, AUDIOMECH, TankRat 0:49:34 News 2: Devs ship PS3 emulator in PS5 game 0:59:09 News 3 Skyrim disappoints on Switch 21:07:21 News 4: AMD FSR Redstone launches 1:26:38 Supporter Q1: Will The Witchers 4, 5, and 6 be constrained by cross-gen limits?1:35:14 Supporter Q2: Will Unified Memory Architecture appear on PCs? 1:39:21 Supporter Q3: Could Microsoft port their backwards compatibility solution to PS5? 1:44:31 Supporter Q4: Is there a way to install a streamlined Windows 11 cleansed of Microsoft services? 1:56:38 Supporter Q5: Is Star Wars Outlaws more ‘bespoke’ on Switch 2 than Assassin’s Creed Shadows? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Digital Foundry Direct Weekly

DF Direct Weekly #256: Crimson Desert PS5, Cerny Speaks On PSSR, Nintendo Handheld Boost, CP2077 Pro

DF Direct Q+A: The Big DLSS 5 ML Debate + Why We Should Have Waited With Our Coverage

DF Direct Weekly #255: Xbox's Big Helix Reveal, Witcher 4 Path Tracing, Crimson Desert Specs

DF Direct Q+A: The Big Project Helix Discussion, Helix vs PS6, Dynamic PSN Pricing

DF Direct Weekly #254: Xbox Project Helix, Sony Exiting PC? Starfield PS5, Crimson Desert Console!

DF Direct Q+A: The Big "PSSR2" Discussion - What Happens Next & What Should We Expect?

DF Direct Weekly #253: Xbox Post-Spencer Aftermath, Should MS Hire Bluepoint? Mario Wonder Switch 2!

DF Direct Q+A: Phil Spencer Retires From Xbox... So What Happens Next?

DF Direct Weekly #252: Sony Kills Bluepoint, PS6 Delayed? Xenoblade Switch 2 Issues, DLSS IQ Champ!

DF Direct Q+A: The Big Unreal Engine 5 Image Quality/Performance Debate

DF Direct Weekly #251: God of War Trilogy, MGS 4, Control Resonant, Silent Hill Townfall!

DF Direct Weekly #250: Steam Machine Delay, Next-Gen Xbox SoC in 2027, Nintendo Direct Reaction!

DF Direct Weekly #249: Ryzen 9850X3D Review, Handheld PS4, Kingdom Come Deliverance Console Upgrade!

DF Direct Weekly #248: Forza Horizon 6, Fable, FF7R Xbox, Switch 2 Game Boosts, Saturn Ray Tracing!

DF Direct Weekly #247: Monster Hunter PC Perf Drama, Mario 64 Dreamcast Port, RE Requiem Looks Hot!

DF Direct Weekly #246: The BIG CES Special - Hardware Highlights, Crimson Desert, Intel, Nvidia, AMD

DF Direct Special: Digital Foundry's Best Gaming Hardware 2025

DF Direct Special: Digital Foundry's Best Game Graphics of 2025

DF Direct Weekly #245: Half-Life 3 Steam Machine Launch Game? Skyrim Switch 2 Lag Patch, Marathon!

DF Direct Weekly #244: The Game Awards Reaction, First PS3 Emu on PS5, FSR Redstone First Look!