Digital Foundry Direct Weekly

By Digital Foundry

What's Digital Foundry Direct Weekly about?

Digital Foundry is a leading authority on gaming technology and performance, and in this regular podcast, the team sits down to discuss the latest news and take questions from the audience.

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Digital Foundry Direct Weekly episodes:

04.29.2024
DF Direct Weekly #160: Fallout 4 Upgrade Issues, Avatar 40fps Tested, Paper Mario Switch Preview
In this 160th edition, it's Tom Morgan joining Rich and Alex to discuss the latest gaming and technology news. There's good news and bad news with Fallout 4's new 'next-gen' upgrade, Rich is impressed with Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora's new...
04.22.2024
DF Direct Weekly #159: PS5 Pro Ultra Boost Mode, Ghost of Tsushima PC Specs, Kingdom Come 2
PS5 Pro... ultra boost mode? Rich, Oliver and Alex discuss the possibilities of how Sony's new console can improve existing games, before moving on to discussion of Ghost of Tsushima's PC specs and the 'PlayStation Overlay'. The team mull over...
04.15.2024
DF Direct Weekly #158: Xbox Forward Compatibility, Fallout 4 Upgrade, FSR 3 on Consoles
What's going on with Microsoft's new game preservation team and commitment to forward compatibility? Alex, Rich and Oliver rake over the details - such as they are. Meanwhile, there's discussion over Fallout 4's upcoming current-gen upgrade, while the new Star...
04.08.2024
DF Direct Weekly #157: Hellblade 2 Reaction, PS Portal Hack, Ambitious XeSS Improvements
A wide range of Hellblade 2 previews emerged last week, but what have we learned about the game and is the dynamic resolution 30fps revelation in any way surprising? John, Rich and Alex share their thoughts while also sharing reactions...
04.01.2024
DF Direct Weekly #156: Xbox's Radical Future, Series X All-Digital, Xbox Handheld
This week's show is dominated by Xbox news in the wake of a new interview with Phil Spencer strongly indicating a big change in direction for the Xbox platform and by extension, its hardware. There's also talk of what form...
03.25.2024
DF Direct Weekly #155: Marvel 1943, Big FSR 3.1 Upgrades, FF7 Rebirth Perf Mode Patch, PSVR2 on PC!
Rich, John and Alex discuss the stunning Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra debut trailer, potentially big upgrades to FSR via its upcoming 3.1 upgrade, while Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's tweaked performance mode (via a new patch) is analysed. Have image...
03.19.2024
DF Direct Special: PlayStation 5 Pro Specs Confirmed, Analysis + New Information
In a brand new, DF Direct Special we find Alex, Rich and Oliver confirming the leaked technical specifications for Sony's upcoming PlayStation 5 Pro console, we talk you through what the various spec points mean in terms of the gameplay...
03.18.2024
DF Direct Weekly #154: Rise of the Ronin PS5 Preview, Stellar Blade, New Nvidia DLSS Reveals
Rich is still trapped in a white room with two plants, but the Direct discussions continue regardless. Oliver's been checking out Rise of the Ronin on PlayStation 5, Alex has much to say about Nvidia's DLSS-based GDC reveals, while Rich...
03.11.2024
DF Direct Weekly #153: Nintendo Kills Yuzu, Horizon 2 PC Specs, Xbox Showcase, Dragon's Dogma 2
Trapped in a plain white room with only two plants for company, an on-location Rich dials into the next DF Direct Weekly for salvation. Joining him this week as John and Alex, discussing the shutdown of the Yuzu and Citra...
03.04.2024
DF Direct Weekly #152: Industry Lay-Offs Continue, Devs Take Back Control, Yuzu vs Nintendo
Another big DF Direct Weekly sees John, Rich and Alex tackle the massive issue of lay-offs in the industry along with the welcome response from some developers in taking back control of their own destinies. Meanwhile, the team reacts to...
02.26.2024
DF Direct Weekly #151: Switch 2 in 2025, PSVR2 Support For PC, PS Portal Hacked, New Nvidia App
The news comes thick and fast this week as John, Alex and Rich discuss topics as diverse as the Switch 2's mooted 'delay' until Q1 2025, the fall-out of Microsoft's multi-platform strategy in the wake of the first releases, and...
02.19.2024
DF Direct Weekly #150: Xbox Business Update, Sony Financials Reaction - Is The Future Multi-Plat?
This week, Xbox finally responded to the rumours and speculations surrounding its multi-platform plans, while Sony boldly announced that we are entering the latter stages of the PlayStation 5's lifecycle - and that new initiatives are required to increase profit...
02.12.2024
DF Direct Weekly #149: Xbox Multi-Plat Meltdown, Helldivers 2, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Hands-On
The week in gaming news was dominated by Xbox Multi-Platform Game debate, outrage and meltdowns - and we can't quite believe what we were seeing. John, Rich and Alex share their views before moving to other topics: we go hands-on...
02.05.2024
DF Direct Weekly #148: State of Play - PS5's 2024 Revealed - Suicide Squad Reaction - Switch 2 LCD!
Another big, big episode of DF Direct Weekly as the team share their positive views on Sony's State of Play January 2024 presentation. Meanwhile, John and Rich have been playing Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and have much to...
01.29.2024
DF Direct Weekly #147: Palworld Mania vs Tech Jank, AMD AFMF Tested, Horizon Forbidden West PC!
Hitting its 'maximum break' 147th edition, the DF team reconvene to discuss the charms and the jank of Palworld, Capcom's puzzling DRM strategy and the wonders of Tekken 8. Meanwhile, Alex has been testing AMD's AFMF frame generation technology, John's...
01.22.2024
DF Direct Weekly #146: Developer_Direct - Superb! Indiana Jones, Hellblade 2 + More Reaction
Microsoft's latest Developer_Direct makes the right impression with the DF team this week, with Indiana Jones and the Great Circle in particular attracting unrestricted praise. Meanwhile, we've got to talk about what's happening with physical media releases on Xbox, there...
01.15.2024
DF Direct Weekly #145: Xbox Multi-Platform Rumours, Horizon Forbidden West PC, Nvidia Pulsar
John, Rich and Alex return for another Weekly, discussing the potential implications of Xbox going multi-platform on selected titles, what we should - and shouldn't - expect from Horizon Forbidden West on PC and John's surprise gaming purchase. Meanwhile, the...
01.08.2024
DF Direct Weekly #144: 2024 Games/Consoles/Hardware Preview, MSI Claw Reveal, RTX 40 Series Super
The Digital Foundry team re-assemble to kick off 2024 with a look at the excitement surrounding CES, the possibilities of PS5 Pro and Switch 2 this year, the reveal of the MSI Claw, plus all the new surrounding the RTX...
01.02.2024
DF Direct Weekly #143: Insomniac Hacked, New Xbox in 2026? God of War Ragnarök DLC
It's the last edition of DF Direct Weekly for the year that is 2023, and it kicks off with discussion surrounding Insomniac data hack. What sets this 'leak' apart from others that makes media think twice about publishing stories on...
12.22.2023
DF Direct Special: The Best Game Graphics of the Year 2023
As is DF tradition, we round off the year with a look at the team's personal picks for the best game graphics of 2023. Covering off the very best in both PC and console rendering, Alex Battaglia, John Linneman and...
12.18.2023
DF Direct Weekly #142: The Last Of Us Online & E3 Dead, Intel Frame-Gen Teased, Forza/GT7 Reaction
You'd think that the news would be drying up as we approach Chriastmas, but here we are again with another two hour DF Direct Weekly. John, Rich and Alex mull over the cancellation of The Last Of Us Online, while...
12.12.2023
DF Direct Grand Theft Auto 6 Q+A Session: You Have Questions, We Have Answers
In the wake of the release of the Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer, we produced our initial reaction video, but it turns out that the community has a big bunch of questions about the game they'd like us to tackle...
12.11.2023
DF Direct Weekly #141: The TGAs Reaction - Hellblade 2, OD, Marvel's Blade + Avatar Consoles Tested!
It's TGAs week and Alex, Rich and Oliver convene for this week's DF Direct to discuss the highlights of the Wurlde Prm'ears - and to wonder what on earth OD actually is! Hellblade 2 is looking phenomenally good, while No...
12.06.2023
Grand Theft Auto 6 - DF Direct GTA 6 Special - Trailer 1 Tech Breakdown
The first trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6 has 'dropped' and we have reacted by bringing together three contributors to comb over the circa 90 seconds of footage and extract as much technological information about the latest iteration of the...
12.04.2023
DF Direct Weekly #140: Arkham Knight Switch Disaster, Baldur's Gate 3 Perf Boost, Half-Life 2 4K60!
Batman: Arkham Trilogy arrived on Nintendo Switch just before we started filming - but let's just say that it hardly requires a deep dive analysis to see that Arkham Knight is a complete disaster. There's better news from Alex as...
11.27.2023
DF Direct Weekly #139: The Last Of Us 2 Remastered, CP2077 Ray Reconstruction Revisit, Xbox Sales
In this week's DF Direct, the team catches up with the news about The Last of Us Part 2's remaster and wonders what the fuss is about, while Alex takes another look at Cyberpunk 2077 DLSS 3.5 Ray Reconstruction across...
11.20.2023
DF Direct Weekly #138: PlayStation Portal Hands-On, Steam Deck OLED vs ROG Ally, Suicide Squad
We've finally got hold of a PlayStation Portal and we've got some initial impressions for you as we keep off this week's DF Direct Weekly, but beyond that we're talking about Steam Deck vs ROG Ally complete with some fresh...
11.13.2023
DF Direct Weekly #137: GTA6 Announced, Steam Deck OLED Reaction, PS5 'Slim' Teardowns
A massive, cosmic-sized DF Direct Weekly sees John, Rich and Alex react to the surprise reveal of the Steam Deck OLED, while tackling a bunch of questions about Rockstar's GTA 6 reveal. Meanwhile, media has started to tear down the...
11.07.2023
DF Direct Weekly #136: Modern Warfare 3, GT7 Update, Spider-Man 2 on Low Spec SSD, Super Mario RPG
In another packed DF Direct Weekly, we find Rich, John and Oliver taking a first look at the Modern Warfare 3 campaign, Oliver shares his thoughts on the Apple M3 launch, John talks Gran Turismo 7 updates and Super Mario...
10.30.2023
DF Direct Weekly #135: Alan Wake 2 - A Tech Masterpiece, MGS 'Master' Collection, Star Citizen!
In this week's DF Direct Weekly, Rich returns to join Alex and John for an appreciation of Alan Wake 2 and to discuss the latest news surrounding the new PlayStation 5's detachable Blu-ray drive. Meanwhile, there's a double helping of...
10.23.2023
DF Direct Weekly #134: Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Reaction, TLOU 2 Remastered? Alan Wake Flashback!
Jörg Tittel, director and writer of C-Smash VRS, joins Alex Battaglia and John Linneman for the latest edition of DF Direct Weekly, discussing their reactions to Marvel's Spider-Man, the prospects of TLOU2 and Horizon Zero Dawn Remakes along with the...
10.16.2023
DF Direct Weekly #133: PS5 'Slim' Confirmed Not Slim, Mario Wonder/Robocop Previews, Redfall 60fps
Welcome to the 133rd edition of DF Direct Weekly, where Alex, Rich and John discuss the big news stories of the week - including confirmation that the PS5 'Slim' is real but not slim and Redfall getting a 60fps upgrade...
10.14.2023
DF Direct Weekly #132: Red Dead PS5 60FPS, Forza Motorsport RT Controversy, FSR 3 Console Simulation
In another mammoth edition of DF Direct Weekly, Rich Leadbetter, Alex Battaglia and a returning John Linneman tackle the big topics head-on. Red Dead Redemption on PlayStation 5 gets a 60fps upgrade and Oliver provides us with a bunch of...
10.02.2023
DF Direct Weekly #131: Jim Ryan Retires, Mass Epic Layoffs, Alan Wake 2, Arkham Knight... Patched?
A big DF Direct Weekly hoves into view in the wake of another week of BIG news in the gaming/technology space. Rich, Alex and Oliver discuss Jim Ryan's upcoming retirement from Sony and the legacy he leaves behind, and there's...
09.25.2023
DF Direct Weekly #130: Cyberpunk Phantom Liberty Reaction, Can MK1 Switch Be Fixed? Switch 2 Perf!
In a packed show, it's Rich, Alex and Oliver at mics, discussing their first reactions to the Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty expansion, the sorry state of Mortal Kombat 1 on Nintendo Switch, and what to expect from Switch 2 performance...
09.22.2023
DF Direct Special: Next-Gen Xbox/Series X Refresh - Microsoft/FTC Leak Reaction
In the wake of the biggest video games leak in recent memory, the Digital Foundry team come together to discuss the now infamous Xbox PDF leak. The refresh Xbox Series console specs are discussed and the team share their thoughts...
09.18.2023
DF Direct Weekly #129: PS5 State of Play, Nintendo Direct, Starfield Patch Upgrades, iPhone 15 Pro!
The onslaught of new gaming and technical stories continues, making for another BIG episode of DF Direct Weekly. John, Rich and Alex discuss the big games at the Sony State of Play and Nintendo Direct, before looking into the promised...
09.11.2023
DF Direct Weekly #128: Switch 2 Zelda/Matrix Demos, Jedi Survivor 60fps Patch, RX 7800 XT Launch
A packed week of news as John, Rich and Oliver discuss the shock Switch 2 tech demo leaks - what should we expect from the system in the wake of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Matrix Awakens leaks?...
09.08.2023
DF Direct - The Starfield Special
In a DF Direct Starfield special, Rich, John and Oliver share their impressions of the game, answer a ton of supporter questions and offer up some impressions on the PC version. And we also attempt to tackle the biggest question...
09.04.2023
DF Direct Weekly #127: Starfield Review Reaction, Console FSR 3 Reality Check, Baldur's Gate 3 Xbox
After last week's get-together, the DF Team are back in their boxes, talking Starfield reviews, how Larian and Microsoft resolved the Baldur's Gate 3 Xbox impasse and the unfortunate closure of Volition. John's excited about Sonic Superstars and Armored Core...
08.28.2023
DF Direct Weekly #126: Starfield Impressions, FSR 3 Reaction, DLSS 3.5, PlayStation Portal!
With Rich, John and Alex meeting up together at Gamescom for the first time since 2019, this one is a very different, very special DF Direct Weekly. The team discuss Starfield at Gamescom and their meeting with Phil Spencer and...
08.21.2023
DF Direct Weekly #125: Gamescom 2023 Preview, Immortals of Aveum Specs, BIG Intel News
Another big DF Direct Weekly 'drops' as John, Rich and Alex look forward to visiting Gamescom 2023, a range of big Intel news is discussed and new information emerges on Immortals of Aveum in the wake of a extensive tech...
08.14.2023
DF Direct Weekly #124: Red Dead Controversy, Mark Cerny on PS5 Atmos, New PS5 Leaks, RDNA4 Rumours
In the latest DF Direct Weekly, John, Rich and Alex discuss the controversy surrounding the Red Dead Redemption conversions, Mark Cerny gets in touch to reveal more about PlayStation 5's Dolby Atmos support, a brace of leaks look set to...
08.07.2023
DF Direct Weekly #123: Jedi Survivor Last-Gen, Path-Traced Skyrim, PS5 Dolby Atmos, New PS5 Hack
In this week's DF Direct Weekly, the team discuss EA's announcement of a last-gen version of Star Wars Jedi Survivor, wondering how this new development fits in with the fact that the current-gen versions still need work. Meanwhile, an amazing-looking...
07.31.2023
DF Direct Weekly #122: 'PS5 Pro Spec' Reaction, Project Q PS5 Handheld Leaks?
A clean sweep of Sony news stories this week, as John, Oliver and Rich react to the alleged PlayStation 5 Pro specs and discuss the apparent debut of the Project Q handheld device in the flesh in the least flattering...
07.24.2023
DF Direct Weekly #121: Spider-Man 2 Trailer Reaction + Custom PS5, Switch 2 Fakery Begins
In this week's DF Direct, John, Rich and Alex share their thoughts on the latest Spider-Man 2 trailer and its accompanying custom PS5, sort (likely) facts from the fiction surrounding the upcoming Switch 2, and lament the total lack of...
07.19.2023
DF Direct Special: Microsoft/Activision Acquisition Endgame Discussion ft. Tom Warren From The Verge
With the recent legal challenges to the deal failing or crumbling as we speak, it's time to discuss the realities of Microsoft's acquisition of Activision, Blizzard and King. Where does the deal stand right now? What are/were Microsoft's business objectives?...
07.17.2023
DF Direct Weekly #120: Ratchet & Clank/Starfield PC Specs Reveals, Cut Halo Content Coming To MCC
This week, the team take a look at the specs required to run Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart on PC and discuss how crucial DirectStorage is to the future of PC gaming. Meanwhile, the AMD Starfield partnership sees specs reveals...
07.10.2023
DF Direct Weekly #119: Microsoft Outs PS5 Slim? FF16 Patch Tested, PSVR2 - There Are New Games!
In this week's DF Direct Weekly, the team discuss potential PS5 Slim and PS5 Pro hardware as revealed by... Microsoft? Meanwhile, Final Fantasy 16's motion blur is revised via a new patch, John tells us about a bunch of excellent...
07.03.2023
DF Direct Weekly #118: Is AMD Blocking DLSS/XeSS on Starfield? Red Dead Remastered Incoming?
A packed 89-minute DF Direct Weekly for you this week, as the team discuss the controversy surrounding AMD's technology partnership with Starfield. Does the deal mean that AMD is paying to block competing DLSS and XeSS upscalers from appearing in...

What's Digital Foundry Direct Weekly about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Digital Foundry Direct Weekly episodes:

DF Direct Weekly #160: Fallout 4 Upgrade Issues, Avatar 40fps Tested, Paper Mario Switch Preview

DF Direct Weekly #159: PS5 Pro Ultra Boost Mode, Ghost of Tsushima PC Specs, Kingdom Come 2

DF Direct Weekly #158: Xbox Forward Compatibility, Fallout 4 Upgrade, FSR 3 on Consoles

DF Direct Weekly #157: Hellblade 2 Reaction, PS Portal Hack, Ambitious XeSS Improvements

DF Direct Weekly #156: Xbox's Radical Future, Series X All-Digital, Xbox Handheld

DF Direct Weekly #155: Marvel 1943, Big FSR 3.1 Upgrades, FF7 Rebirth Perf Mode Patch, PSVR2 on PC!

DF Direct Special: PlayStation 5 Pro Specs Confirmed, Analysis + New Information

DF Direct Weekly #154: Rise of the Ronin PS5 Preview, Stellar Blade, New Nvidia DLSS Reveals

DF Direct Weekly #153: Nintendo Kills Yuzu, Horizon 2 PC Specs, Xbox Showcase, Dragon's Dogma 2

DF Direct Weekly #152: Industry Lay-Offs Continue, Devs Take Back Control, Yuzu vs Nintendo

DF Direct Weekly #151: Switch 2 in 2025, PSVR2 Support For PC, PS Portal Hacked, New Nvidia App

DF Direct Weekly #150: Xbox Business Update, Sony Financials Reaction - Is The Future Multi-Plat?

DF Direct Weekly #149: Xbox Multi-Plat Meltdown, Helldivers 2, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Hands-On

DF Direct Weekly #148: State of Play - PS5's 2024 Revealed - Suicide Squad Reaction - Switch 2 LCD!

DF Direct Weekly #147: Palworld Mania vs Tech Jank, AMD AFMF Tested, Horizon Forbidden West PC!

DF Direct Weekly #146: Developer_Direct - Superb! Indiana Jones, Hellblade 2 + More Reaction

DF Direct Weekly #145: Xbox Multi-Platform Rumours, Horizon Forbidden West PC, Nvidia Pulsar

DF Direct Weekly #144: 2024 Games/Consoles/Hardware Preview, MSI Claw Reveal, RTX 40 Series Super

DF Direct Weekly #143: Insomniac Hacked, New Xbox in 2026? God of War Ragnarök DLC

DF Direct Special: The Best Game Graphics of the Year 2023

DF Direct Weekly #142: The Last Of Us Online & E3 Dead, Intel Frame-Gen Teased, Forza/GT7 Reaction

DF Direct Grand Theft Auto 6 Q+A Session: You Have Questions, We Have Answers

DF Direct Weekly #141: The TGAs Reaction - Hellblade 2, OD, Marvel's Blade + Avatar Consoles Tested!

Grand Theft Auto 6 - DF Direct GTA 6 Special - Trailer 1 Tech Breakdown

DF Direct Weekly #140: Arkham Knight Switch Disaster, Baldur's Gate 3 Perf Boost, Half-Life 2 4K60!

DF Direct Weekly #139: The Last Of Us 2 Remastered, CP2077 Ray Reconstruction Revisit, Xbox Sales

DF Direct Weekly #138: PlayStation Portal Hands-On, Steam Deck OLED vs ROG Ally, Suicide Squad

DF Direct Weekly #137: GTA6 Announced, Steam Deck OLED Reaction, PS5 'Slim' Teardowns

DF Direct Weekly #136: Modern Warfare 3, GT7 Update, Spider-Man 2 on Low Spec SSD, Super Mario RPG

DF Direct Weekly #135: Alan Wake 2 - A Tech Masterpiece, MGS 'Master' Collection, Star Citizen!

DF Direct Weekly #134: Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Reaction, TLOU 2 Remastered? Alan Wake Flashback!

DF Direct Weekly #133: PS5 'Slim' Confirmed Not Slim, Mario Wonder/Robocop Previews, Redfall 60fps

DF Direct Weekly #132: Red Dead PS5 60FPS, Forza Motorsport RT Controversy, FSR 3 Console Simulation

DF Direct Weekly #131: Jim Ryan Retires, Mass Epic Layoffs, Alan Wake 2, Arkham Knight... Patched?

DF Direct Weekly #130: Cyberpunk Phantom Liberty Reaction, Can MK1 Switch Be Fixed? Switch 2 Perf!

DF Direct Special: Next-Gen Xbox/Series X Refresh - Microsoft/FTC Leak Reaction

DF Direct Weekly #129: PS5 State of Play, Nintendo Direct, Starfield Patch Upgrades, iPhone 15 Pro!

DF Direct Weekly #128: Switch 2 Zelda/Matrix Demos, Jedi Survivor 60fps Patch, RX 7800 XT Launch

DF Direct - The Starfield Special

DF Direct Weekly #127: Starfield Review Reaction, Console FSR 3 Reality Check, Baldur's Gate 3 Xbox

DF Direct Weekly #126: Starfield Impressions, FSR 3 Reaction, DLSS 3.5, PlayStation Portal!

DF Direct Weekly #125: Gamescom 2023 Preview, Immortals of Aveum Specs, BIG Intel News

DF Direct Weekly #124: Red Dead Controversy, Mark Cerny on PS5 Atmos, New PS5 Leaks, RDNA4 Rumours

DF Direct Weekly #123: Jedi Survivor Last-Gen, Path-Traced Skyrim, PS5 Dolby Atmos, New PS5 Hack

DF Direct Weekly #122: 'PS5 Pro Spec' Reaction, Project Q PS5 Handheld Leaks?

DF Direct Weekly #121: Spider-Man 2 Trailer Reaction + Custom PS5, Switch 2 Fakery Begins

DF Direct Special: Microsoft/Activision Acquisition Endgame Discussion ft. Tom Warren From The Verge

DF Direct Weekly #120: Ratchet & Clank/Starfield PC Specs Reveals, Cut Halo Content Coming To MCC

DF Direct Weekly #119: Microsoft Outs PS5 Slim? FF16 Patch Tested, PSVR2 - There Are New Games!

DF Direct Weekly #118: Is AMD Blocking DLSS/XeSS on Starfield? Red Dead Remastered Incoming?

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