Digital Foundry Direct Weekly

26 minutes of actual GTA 6 gameplay "dropped" - and on balance, it's one of the most extraordinary visual accomplishments ever seen in real-time game graphics. It's not perfect - nothing can be - but in this DF Direct Special, Oliver and Rich share their thoughts and reactions to the presentation.

0:00:00 Introduction
0:01:24 Overall impressions
0:10:09 Performance: 30 FPS only
0:25:22 Lighting: shadowmaps, RT reflections, RTGI
0:37:31 Simulation and the open world
0:45:49 Image quality
0:50:57 Supporter Q1: How will next-gen consoles and PCs improve on the PS5 visuals?
0:56:55 Supporter Q2: Will PS5 Pro fix GTA 6’s image quality issues?
1:01:45 Supporter Q3: Will GTA 6 become a new highly contested PC benchmark?
1:04:56 Supporter Q4: How did the Netflix-only trailer launch go?
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At the time of recording, it was the lull before the storm that is Gamescom 2026 - but we've still got a bunch of fascinating questions to wade through. Have we got it all wrong with PlayStation 6? Is it actually the hotly rumoured handheld with Sony pivoting in a Nintendo-like direction? If games hit photorealism, where does that leave Digital Foundry? And are plasma TVs the new CRT?

00:00 Introduction
01:21 Sponsored by MSI QD-OLED
02:42 Supporter Q1: Could the next-gen PSP and PS6 be the same thing?
14:26 Supporter Q2: Should PC games rename their graphics settings to constrain performance expectations?
22:27 Supporter Q3: If games become photorealistic, what will Digital Foundry do?
31:20 Supporter Q4: Are plasma TVs the new CRTs?
42:58 Supporter Q5: Will DF leave secret messages about upcoming hardware in DF Directs?
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We're not going to be commenting on leaks from a stolen GTA 6 build that's years old and promoting a memecoin but we WILL be talking about Sony's comments on not knowing PS6's pricing and release date and assessing the Black Myth Zhong Kui gameplay reveal. Rich is intrigued by Alan Wake's big PC upgrade for AMD users, while John muses over the reported end of live service elements in Horizon Hunters Gathering. Finally, five years ago, Alex made a range of predictions about Switch 2 and DLSS... so how accurate did they turn out to be?

0:00:00 Introduction
0:02:49 News 1: Sony undecided on PS6 release date
0:20:18 News 2: Remedy adds FSR 4.1 support in Alan Wake 2
0:27:23 News 3: Black Myth: Zhong Kui demoed
0:34:57 News 4: Horizon: Hunters Gathering drops live service elements
0:45:38 News 5: Doom ported to 12 year old camera
0:51:59 Retrospective: Alex’s Switch 2 DLSS predictions
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Bethesda is promising a new patch for Oblivion Remastered based on the Switch 2 version's optimisations - but is there any evidence to suggest that the Switch 2 improvements will make any real differences for the other versions? Meanwhile, Oliver clarifies his comments on which PC specs reflect next-gen consoles, whether Project Helix will make much of a difference for Microsoft and whether Epic should make their own console (!). Finally, how come Switch 2 hasn't really much in the way of cross-gen first party exclusives?

00:00 Introduction
01:19 Supporter Q1: Can Switch 2 Optimisations Fix Oblivion Remastered on other systems?
16:47 Supporter Q2: How should we think about GPU VRAM and next gen consoles?
25:13 Supporter Q3: How was Nintendo able to transition from Switch 1 to Switch 2 so quickly?
32:24 Supporter Q4: If Microsoft stops shipping Xboxes, what will be lost?
40:57 Supporter Q5: Is Valve not being stringent enough with their Steam Deck Verified program?
45:49 Supporter Q6: Should Epic make their own Epic Games Machine with Unreal Engine optimizations?
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The team react to Pearl Abyss' statement that Crimson Desert is - somehow - coming to Switch 2, but the first order of business is to share impressions (and performance testing) for the Gears of War E-Day MP beta on PC... and while extremely impressive, we do have some concerns. Rich tests a remarkable system for playing Switch 2 games on the go in TV move with a virtual 174-inch OLED display, John's excited by a new wave of announced VR titles, there's curiousity around Xbox/Game Pass app games coming to Linux and there's some eyebrow-raising data on Resident Evil Requiem physical disc sales.

0:00:00 Introduction
0:02:36 News 1: Gears of War: E-Day tested on PC!
0:24:28 News 2: Switch 2 port of Crimson Desert confirmed
0:36:11 News 3: Viture Beast, Pro 2 XR glasses tested
0:50:11 News 4: Resident Evil Requiem figures show high physical sales
1:00:37 News 5: Project Xodus brings Xbox PC games to Linux, Mac
1:09:23 News 6: VR Games Showcase demos upcoming VR titles
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