Video summary

DF Direct Weekly #273: The Future of Fallout + Elder Scrolls, Xbox Account Deletion, Switch 2 OLED?

Main summary

Key takeaways

Technology

DF Direct Weekly #273 — Key tech/product/news analysis

1) Bethesda franchise plans (Fallout/Elder Scrolls) + Creation Engine details

  • Bethesda Game Studios posted a long “plans for key franchises” statement on X/Twitter, outlining future work for major franchises after industry turmoil.

Fallout

  • Rumor confirmation
    • Fallout 3 remake
    • Fallout: New Vegas remake
  • Confirmation
    • Obsidian is working on a new Fallout project, discussed as potentially separate from a hypothetical “Fallout 5.”

Elder Scrolls

  • Elder Scrolls 6 is confirmed.
  • It’s suggested to be in active development, but likely not imminent.

Engine/tooling

  • Both Elder Scrolls 6 and Fallout 5 are said to use a new iteration of Creation Engine (Creation Engine 3).
  • The hosts debate whether it might blend Creation Engine with Unreal Engine 5, but the discussion points to a “Creation Engine first” approach.

Review/analysis angle

  • The hosts criticize:
    • the timing of the announcement,
    • the lack of gamer-facing excitement (no media/screenshots),
    • and speculate it may be more about Xbox/Microsoft investor confidence after layoffs and restructuring.
  • They also raise a potential logic issue: requesting more output from studios with fewer people.

2) id Software / idTech layoffs: “nerfed into the ground” response

  • During an id Software live playthrough about DOOM: The Dark Ages DLC, creative director Hugo Martin addressed claims that the studio was “nerfed into the ground” and “gutted.”

Martin’s statements

  • idTech remains active and teams still exist (including engineers in Frankfurt and MachineGames).
  • They plan to share more later when appropriate/approved.

Host take

  • Interpreted as damage control.
  • Even if operations continue, staff reductions likely reduced capacity and development impact.
  • Discussion includes possible mitigations like shifting workloads via co-development/code development models.

3) Xbox account deletion incident (consumer “digital ownership” protections)

  • Twitch streamer Joshua Khan had a Microsoft account permanently suspended after compromise, losing access to:
    • purchases (thousands of euros),
    • OneDrive data,
    • and personal photos.
  • Microsoft initially claimed restoration/security changes were impossible due to terms/protocols and an irreversible suspension.

What the hosts say

  • It was later resolved—raising broader concerns:
    • For most users, such “irreversible” situations likely remain unresolved.
    • Digital purchases should not be so easily removed/locked.
    • They want regulatory/consumer protection changes.
  • Core argument:
    • Digital goods function like revocable licenses.
    • Account termination can effectively erase access to years/decades of purchases—hosts argue this should be illegal or at least tightly constrained.
  • They compare similar patterns across platforms (including PlayStation/Nintendo incidents), noting backlash can pressure companies—though unevenly.

4) Capcom: Dragon’s Dogma 2 port to Switch 2 + performance targets

  • Eurogamer interview quotes Nayoto Ayama (Capcom):
    • Capcom has been optimizing engines/games for Switch 2, while also improving current-gen base versions.
    • Targeting a console performance mode update in late August.
    • Switch 2 targets:
      • minimum ~30 FPS in performance mode,
      • “often higher” in many scenes,
      • improvements expected to come from work already done for PS5/Xbox Series X|S.

Host review/concern

  • Concern that “often higher” and published footage suggest unlocked/variable frame pacing, similar to other Capcom Switch 2 ports.
  • They would prefer a proper locked 30 FPS cap with stable pacing.
  • They note earlier Capcom Switch releases sometimes used unlocked behavior with visual tradeoffs (e.g., textures, shadows, and effects like clutter/foliage complexity).

Additional practical concern

  • Whether CPU/RAM-heavy titles (e.g., dense NPC cities) could still struggle on Switch 2 even after engine work.

5) Techland cancels Dying Light: The Beast on PS4/Xbox One

  • Techland announced Dying Light: The Beast will no longer be released on PS4 and Xbox One.
  • Rationale:
    • The game was built for full current-gen hardware (processing power/memory for open-world visuals, combat, traversal).
    • Last-gen would require compromises that prevent delivering the intended experience.
  • Refund eligibility is mentioned for those expecting the older-platform release.

Host analysis

  • Framed as “mathing things out” (ROI not worth the engineering cost).
  • Likely constraints discussed: RAM/GPU compute/CPU.
  • They hope Techland continues strong with its in-house tech/engine direction, especially amid talk of potential shifts (e.g., Unreal Engine), which the hosts oppose.

6) Hardware: AMD Ryzen 7700 X3D review + X3D product lineup pricing/value

Main hardware story

  • Ryzen 7700 X3D is described as effectively similar to prior-gen 7800 X3D, with minor changes.
  • It keeps X3D cache and the same core/thread configuration (8 cores / 16 threads).
  • Positioned as more mainstream.

Digital Foundry benchmarks (1080p CPU stress)

  • Benchmarks at 1080p focusing on CPU stress scenarios, including:
    • Baldur’s Gate 3 automated city traversal
    • Crimson Desert manual CPU test
  • Reported hierarchy:
    • 7700 X3D: modest uplift over 5800 X3D
    • 7800 X3D: slightly ahead of 7700 X3D
    • 9800 X3D: more meaningful step up

Price/value critique

  • 5800 X3D at $350 called poor value (re-release pricing).
  • 7700 X3D pricing criticized due to limited advantage over 7800 X3D.
  • Hosts note retailer-channel variance (e.g., AliExpress) and argue price corrections are what truly improve consumer value.

Hosts’ conclusion

  • 7700 X3D is “okay/solid,” but not transformative vs 7800 X3D.
  • X3D benefits matter most in CPU-limited games (contrasted with more GPU-limited scenarios).

7) Nintendo Switch 2 OLED rumor: supplier evaluation (Samsung OLED)

  • A ZDNet Career report claims Nintendo is evaluating an OLED revision for Switch 2.

Discussed details

  • Supposed 1920×1080 OLED panel (resolution intended to match).
  • Supplier: Samsung (suggested as likely provider).
  • Expected benefits:
    • less perceived blur / improved response,
    • real HDR in handheld mode rather than “fake HDR.”

Host requirements/spec wishes

  • Oliver wants meaningful HDR performance targets (e.g., hundreds to ~1000 nits class), not just “OLED” branding.

Pricing expectations

  • Expected premium roughly $50–$150, depending on how much the current LCD harms handheld usage.

Nintendo strategy discussion

  • OLED refresh likely fits mid-generation timing cycles rather than matching Sony handheld timing directly.

8) Techland/Capcom/Console-era retros + DF time machine

  • In the “Digital Foundry time machine” segment:
    • They revisit older performance targets and console analyses (including earlier FPS modes and historic Switch One hardware speculation).
    • They discuss why earlier Switch One hardware concerns ended up okay, attributing success mainly to dedicated platform APIs and strong developer optimization—even on relatively modest hardware.

Main speakers / sources

Speakers (Digital Foundry): Rich Leadbetter, John Linneman, Oliver Mackenzie, Will Jud.

External sources referenced:

  • Bethesda Game Studios (X/Twitter statement about franchise plans)
  • Hugo Martin (id Software / comments on DOOM: The Dark Ages)
  • Microsoft (account suspension/restoration policy response in the Joshua Khan case)
  • Nayoto Ayama / Capcom (Eurogamer interview about Dragon’s Dogma 2 Switch 2 performance)
  • Techland (announcement tweet about canceling Dying Light: The Beast on PS4/Xbox One)
  • ZDNet (Switch 2 OLED evaluation report)
  • Digital Foundry review/bench team coverage for 7700 X3D on digitalfoundry.net

Original video