Daily Archives: February 6, 2025

Games, Gaming, News, Playstation

Is Death Stranding 2 closer that we think?!

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach has been making waves in the gaming community, and for good reason! Developed by Kojima Productions and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, this highly anticipated sequel is set to release on PlayStation 5 in 2025.

The conversation today started with the reveal that the game has recently been rated in South Korea, suggesting that its release might be closer than we think. The rating details include excessive violence, vulgar language, and drug use, which are common elements in Hideo Kojima’s games.

Also Hideo Kojima on social media with a tease:

All this included in the mix of noises that claims about Sony will announce Death Stranding 2 during their upcoming State of Play event on February 12, 2025. This event is expected to showcase new gameplay footage and provide more information about the game’s story and mechanics.

As of January 2025, Death Stranding 2 has entered the crunch phase of development. Hideo Kojima mentioned that the project was about 30-40% complete back in October 20242.

The game is being developed exclusively (timed maybe?) for the PlayStation 5, promising to take full advantage of the console’s advanced hardware capabilities.

The sequel will continue the story of Sam Porter Bridges, played by Norman Reedus, as he navigates a post-apocalyptic world to reconnect isolated cities. New characters, including Tomorrow (Elle Fanning) and Rainy (Shioli Kutsuna), will join the cast, adding fresh dynamics to the narrative.

While specific details about the gameplay are still under wraps, it’s expected that Death Stranding 2 will build on the traversal and connection mechanics of the original game. Players will likely face new challenges and explore expanded areas in their quest to deliver packages and rebuild infrastructure4.

Business, Gaming, News

Take-Two Interactive doubles down on Grand Theft Auto VI release on earnings report

Take-Two Interactive, one of the leading names in the gaming industry, recently announced its financial results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2025. The company reported net bookings of $1.37 billion, a 3% increase compared to the previous year. This performance was within the company’s projected guidance range, and Take-Two reaffirmed its full-year net bookings outlook of $5.55 billion to $5.65 billion.

The earnings report highlighted the strong performance of several core franchises, including NBA 2K25, Grand Theft Auto Online, and Red Dead Redemption 2. The company’s CEO, Strauss Zelnick, expressed confidence in the upcoming release schedule, which includes highly anticipated titles such as Sid Meier’s Civilization VII, Mafia: The Old Country, and Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6).

GTA 6 Release Update

During the earnings call, Zelnick provided an update on the much-anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI. The game is still on track for a Fall 2025 release, although Zelnick mentioned the possibility of a slight “slippage”. He emphasized that while the company feels confident about the release date, they are cautious about making absolute guarantees2.

The announcement has generated significant excitement among fans, as GTA 6 is expected to be a major blockbuster. The company has not yet revealed the exact release date, but they assured investors that more information will be provided in due course.

In addition to GTA 6, Take-Two also announced the release of Borderlands 4 sometime in 2025. The company’s robust pipeline includes other titles such as Project ETHOS and CSR 3, further solidifying its position as a powerhouse in the gaming industry.

Take-Two Interactive’s Q3 2025 earnings report paints a promising picture for the company’s future. With strong financial performance and an exciting lineup of upcoming releases, the company is poised for continued growth. The anticipation surrounding GTA 6 is a testament to the enduring popularity of the franchise and the high expectations of gamers worldwide.

Business, Gaming, News

Bandai Namco grew at Q3 2025

Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. recently released its consolidated financial report for the third quarter (nine months) of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025. Here’s a detailed breakdown of their earnings:

  • Net Sales: $6.29 billion, a significant increase of 23.8% compared to the same period last year.
  • Operating Profit: $1.34 billion, showing a remarkable growth of 129.0%.
  • Recurring Profit: $1.41 billion, up by 106.9%.
  • Profit Attributable to Owners of Parent: $1.00 billion, an increase of 113.1%.
  • Basic Earnings per Share (EPS): $1.97.
  • Diluted Earnings per Share (EPS): $1.97.

Financial Position (in USD)

  • Total Assets: $7.50 billion as of December 31, 2024.
  • Net Assets: $5.50 billion as of December 31, 2024.
  • Equity Ratio: 73.2% as of December 31, 2024.

Cash Dividends (in USD)

  • Annual Cash Dividends: $0.60 per share for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025.

Bandai Namco has revised its projections for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, with an optimistic outlook for continued growth in net sales and profits.

Bandai Namco’s impressive financial performance reflects its strong market position and successful strategies. The company’s focus on innovation and expansion is likely to drive further growth in the coming years.

Business, Gaming, News

EA had a thing to say about is Q3 2025 for Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Electronic Arts (EA) recently announced its Q3 FY25 earnings, revealing a mix of successes and challenges across its portfolio. The company reported net bookings of $2.215 billion for the quarter, with notable performances from several franchises.

EA SPORTS FC 25 continued its strong momentum, achieving record success with the Team of the Year event, driving engagement levels above expectations. The franchise has grown more than 70% over the last five fiscal years, making it one of the biggest sports entertainment properties in the world.

American Football also saw double-digit growth in weekly active users year-over-year, and remains on pace to surpass $1 billion in net bookings for fiscal year 2025.

However, not all games performed as expected. Dragon Age: The Veilguard, despite receiving positive reviews from critics and players, did not resonate with a broad audience. EA CEO Andrew Wilson attributed this to the game’s lack of live service features, which are increasingly sought after by modern gamers. The game’s sales performance missed projections by 50%, reaching only about 1.5 million players.

Despite these challenges, EA remains confident in its long-term strategy and has announced a $1 billion accelerated stock repurchase program, bringing total stock repurchases to $2.5 billion within the first year of its $5 billion authorization.

Despite the strong performance in certain areas, EA faces challenges in maintaining its growth trajectory. Analysts have noted that EA’s revenue guidance for the next quarter is lower than expected, with adjusted earnings projected at $3.08 per share.

The company has missed Wall Street’s revenue estimates four times over the last two years, indicating potential volatility in its financial performance.

Business, Gaming, Hardware/Console, News

AMD closes the year 2024 in green and with official release of RDNA4

AMD reported record revenue of $7.7 billion for Q4 2024, which was a 24% increase year-over-year. The company also achieved a gross margin of 51% and a non-GAAP gross margin of 54%. For the full year 2024, AMD reported record revenue of $25.8 billion, a 14% increase from the previous year. The company’s operating income for the year was $1.9 billion, and net income was $1.6 billion.

AMD’s CEO, Dr. Lisa Su, highlighted that 2024 was a transformative year for the company, with significant growth in their Data Center segment and strong earnings expansion.

The company also saw record revenue from its AMD Instinct accelerator products.

Of course RDNA4 and the Radeon RX 9070 XT family topic could not be avoided on the conference call with AMD’s inverstor.

And with this, Lisa Su confirmed the launch of their next-generation RDNA 4 architecture and the Radeon RX 9070 XT graphics card. Scheduled for release on March 6, 2025, these GPUs are set to revolutionize the mainstream and mid-range gaming market.

A review of all that is currently public knowledge…

RDNA 4 marks a significant leap forward for AMD, focusing on improved ray tracing performance and AI-powered upscaling technology. The architecture will utilize a 4nm TSMC process node, enhancing density and efficiency3. Key features include:

  • Optimized Compute Units (CUs): RDNA 4 introduces optimized CUs for better performance.
  • Supercharged AI Compute: Enhanced AI capabilities for advanced upscaling and image stabilization.
  • Improved Ray Tracing: Significantly better ray tracing performance compared to previous generations.
  • Better Media Encoding: Enhanced media encoding quality for a smoother gaming experience.

Radeon RX 9070 XT: Specifications and Performance

The Radeon RX 9070 XT is AMD’s flagship offering in the RDNA 4 lineup. Here are the key specifications:

  • Stream Processors: 4,096 SPs
  • Compute Units: 64 CUs
  • Memory: 16GB GDDR6 with a 256-bit memory bus
  • Memory Speed: 20 Gbps
  • Bandwidth: 640 GB/s
  • Base / Boost Clocks: 2.40 GHz / 2.97 GHz
  • PCIe Support: PCIe 5.0

The RX 9070 XT is designed to compete with NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, offering top-tier performance at a more affordable price. AMD’s focus on mainstream gaming means the RX 9070 XT aims to provide high-quality 4K gaming experiences with improved ray tracing and AI-powered upscaling.