While Microsoft has been touting that the Xbox Series X is the "world's most powerful console," the PS5 is outperforming it in early game tests, and Microsoft is working on why. As reported by The Verge, Digital Foundry has been analyzing some of the new games across both the PS5 - which is capable of 10.28 teraflops of GPU performance - and Xbox Series X - which is capable of 12 teraflops - and it's not as one-sided as it initially appeared. In Devil May Cry 5, the Xbox Series X has better performance in 4K and ray tracing modes, but the higher frame rate option runs better on PS5, with the frame rate gaps being more than 40fps in some cases. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/05/xbox-series-x-review"] “The dips look really strange to me, and it kind of suggests to me some kind of API limitation on the Xbox side where the GPU is being held back by something,” suggests Digital Foundry editor Richard Leadbetter. Assassin's Creed Valhalla, which has been heavily promoted by Microsoft, also runs a bit smoother on PS5, with the Xbox Series X version showing screen tearing and regular frame rate dips below 60fps. The same story plays out in Dirt 5, where image quality and resolution go in PS5's favor. Dirt's developer Codemasters has acknowledged this peformance gap, and has already said it has a fix in the works. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-games-to-play-on-xbox-series-xs&captions=true"] Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War does run better in ray tracing performance mode on Xbox Series X, but PS5 performs better in 120fps mode. Why is this occurring in multiple games? Certain developers have spoken to The Verge and have said that some of the issues stem from the fact that Microsoft only allowed developers to submit games for Xbox Series X certification in June, whereas developers had access to PS5 dev kits far in advance. So, it appears that this issue is not necessarily a platform issue, but an issue with developers not having ample time to optimize their titles for the Xbox Series X. Microsoft has acknowledged this issue, and promises it is working with developers to solve any complications. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/17/fixing-ps5-xbox-series-x-launch-issues-next-gen-console-watch"] “We are aware of performance issues in a handful of optimized titles on Xbox Series X|S and are actively working with our partners to identify and resolve the issues to ensure an optimal experience,” says a Microsoft spokesperson in a statement to The Verge. “As we begin a new console generation, our partners are just now scratching the surface of what next-gen consoles can do and minor bug fixes are expected as they learn how to take full advantage of our new platform. We are eager to continue working with developers to further explore the capability of Xbox Series X|S in the future.” The Xbox Series X does have certain advantages over the PS5, on paper, like variable refresh rate and full AMD RDNA2 support, but many developers still need time to take advantage of all the power the Xbox Series X offers. For more on Xbox Series X, check out our Xbox Series X review and accessibility review, the best games to play on Xbox Series X/S right now, and the best things to do first with your Series X. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/14/xbox-series-x-4-things-we-love-and-3-things-we-dont"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

While Microsoft has been touting that the Xbox Series X is the "world's most powerful console," the PS5 is outperforming it in early game tests, and Microsoft is working on why. As reported by The Verge, Digital Foundry has been analyzing some of the new games across both the PS5 - which is capable of 10.28 teraflops of GPU performance - and Xbox Series X - which is capable of 12 teraflops - and it's not as one-sided as it initially appeared. In Devil May Cry 5, the Xbox Series X has better performance in 4K and ray tracing modes, but the higher frame rate option runs better on PS5, with the frame rate gaps being more than 40fps in some cases. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/05/xbox-series-x-review"] “The dips look really strange to me, and it kind of suggests to me some kind of API limitation on the Xbox side where the GPU is being held back by something,” suggests Digital Foundry editor Richard Leadbetter. Assassin's Creed Valhalla, which has been heavily promoted by Microsoft, also runs a bit smoother on PS5, with the Xbox Series X version showing screen tearing and regular frame rate dips below 60fps. The same story plays out in Dirt 5, where image quality and resolution go in PS5's favor. Dirt's developer Codemasters has acknowledged this peformance gap, and has already said it has a fix in the works. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-games-to-play-on-xbox-series-xs&captions=true"] Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War does run better in ray tracing performance mode on Xbox Series X, but PS5 performs better in 120fps mode. Why is this occurring in multiple games? Certain developers have spoken to The Verge and have said that some of the issues stem from the fact that Microsoft only allowed developers to submit games for Xbox Series X certification in June, whereas developers had access to PS5 dev kits far in advance. So, it appears that this issue is not necessarily a platform issue, but an issue with developers not having ample time to optimize their titles for the Xbox Series X. Microsoft has acknowledged this issue, and promises it is working with developers to solve any complications. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/17/fixing-ps5-xbox-series-x-launch-issues-next-gen-console-watch"] “We are aware of performance issues in a handful of optimized titles on Xbox Series X|S and are actively working with our partners to identify and resolve the issues to ensure an optimal experience,” says a Microsoft spokesperson in a statement to The Verge. “As we begin a new console generation, our partners are just now scratching the surface of what next-gen consoles can do and minor bug fixes are expected as they learn how to take full advantage of our new platform. We are eager to continue working with developers to further explore the capability of Xbox Series X|S in the future.” The Xbox Series X does have certain advantages over the PS5, on paper, like variable refresh rate and full AMD RDNA2 support, but many developers still need time to take advantage of all the power the Xbox Series X offers. For more on Xbox Series X, check out our Xbox Series X review and accessibility review, the best games to play on Xbox Series X/S right now, and the best things to do first with your Series X. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/14/xbox-series-x-4-things-we-love-and-3-things-we-dont"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

This week in GTA Online, claim big Black Friday discounts, triple rewards in Deadline and King of the Hill, and much more.

This week in GTA Online, claim big Black Friday discounts, triple rewards in Deadline and King of the Hill, and much more.

Star Wars stunt coordinator Nick Gillard is putting some of the incredible lightsabers from Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith up for auction. Galactic credits may be "no good" here, but Prop Store has announced that it's holding a live auction from December 1 - December 2, which will see a collection of Star Wars movie memorabilia go under the hammer. The entertainment auction roster includes over 110 Star Wars lots, featuring all kinds of props, costumes, and production ephemera, said to be worth over $5.6 million. [caption id="attachment_2444464" align="alignnone" width="5211"] Obi-Wan Kenobi's Hero Lightsaber (Image Credit: Prop Store)[/caption] There are a few lightsaber props included in the auction, which come from Gillard's personal collection. The man responsible for choreographing the iconic lightsaber duels in the Star Wars prequels has offered up Ewan McGregor's Hero Lightsaber from his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi, which is estimated to sell for somewhere between $105,600 - $158,400. Anakin Skywalker's Hero Lightsaber famously swung by Hayden Christensen is also listed as part of the auction. Gillian previously shared some fascinating insight into how the epic duel on Mustafar was created, including a wild story about how the memorable "I've got the high ground!" moment came to be. You can hear more about that story in our video below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/26/star-wars-breaking-down-the-duels-revenge-of-the-sith"] “We hadn't seen Jedi, young Jedi in their prime, fighting before. So George [Lucas] said, 'Can you come up with a style that’s going to work for this?'" Gillian told Prop Store about the creation of the fighting style for the Republic-era Jedi. "He wanted everything in Star Wars – not just the fighting, but also props, costumes, things like that – to have a familiarity to it. "So you have to base it on something people know. If it's a gun, he'd reject some super-smooth space-gun for something with a bit of a flintlock thing on it. There had to be something you recognize. So I based the fighting style on kendo, but I also tried to use every cool sword style that there was, and tried to marry them all together." [caption id="attachment_2444467" align="alignnone" width="5214"] Darth Vader's Hero Lightsaber (Image Credit: Prop Store)[/caption] The upcoming auction includes lots for Ewan McGregor's and Liam Neeson's fighting props from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, which featured more carefully choreographed sequences. Gillian referenced this particular stunt work as "the most demanding thing they did on those films," as he explained that the actors were expected to attend regular rehearsals leading up to production. "They would normally come for six-to-eight weeks prior to shooting and rehearse for at least four hours a day – although Hayden [Christensen] would often do eight hours every day!" Gillian revealed. "Ewan [McGregor] also put in a lot of time on all three films. He's fabulous to work with: brave, smart, a natural athlete, and he wants to get it right." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=top-10-best-star-wars-movie-moments&captions=true"] Here's a closer look at the Star Wars memorabilia that will be on offer at Prop Store's upcoming live auction:

• Obi-Wan Kenobi's (Ewan McGregor) Hero Lightsaber from Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (Estimated $105,600 - $158,400).
• Stormtrooper Blaster from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (Estimated $66,000 - $92,400).
• Darth Vader's (Hayden Christensen) Hero Lightsaber from Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (Estimated $52,800 - $105,600).
• Light-Up Remote-control R2-S8 Droid from Star Wars: Solo: A Star Wars Story. (Estimated $52,800 - $79,200).
• Screen-matched Obi-Wan Kenobi's (Alec Guinness) Home and Moisture Vaporator Model Miniatures from Star Wars: A New Hope - Special Edition (Estimated $33,000 - $46,200).
• Hoth Rebel Trooper A295 Blaster Rifle from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (Estimated $26,400 - $39,600).
• Obi Wan Kenobi's (Ewan McGregor) Fighting Lightsaber with Blade from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (Estimated $52,800 - $79,200).
• Stormtrooper Suit from Star Wars: The Mandalorian (Estimated $10,560 - $15,840).
• Full-size Dewback Head from Star Wars: A New Hope (Estimated $26,400 - $39,600).
• Qui-Gon Jinn's (Liam Neeson) Fighting Lightsaber from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (Estimate $13,200 - $19,800).

Prop Store will be holding virtual preview exhibition events via social media in the lead up to the auction, with opportunities to see props up close and ask questions of the specialists. Registration is open here. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Star Wars stunt coordinator Nick Gillard is putting some of the incredible lightsabers from Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith up for auction. Galactic credits may be "no good" here, but Prop Store has announced that it's holding a live auction from December 1 - December 2, which will see a collection of Star Wars movie memorabilia go under the hammer. The entertainment auction roster includes over 110 Star Wars lots, featuring all kinds of props, costumes, and production ephemera, said to be worth over $5.6 million. [caption id="attachment_2444464" align="alignnone" width="5211"] Obi-Wan Kenobi's Hero Lightsaber (Image Credit: Prop Store)[/caption] There are a few lightsaber props included in the auction, which come from Gillard's personal collection. The man responsible for choreographing the iconic lightsaber duels in the Star Wars prequels has offered up Ewan McGregor's Hero Lightsaber from his role as Obi-Wan Kenobi, which is estimated to sell for somewhere between $105,600 - $158,400. Anakin Skywalker's Hero Lightsaber famously swung by Hayden Christensen is also listed as part of the auction. Gillian previously shared some fascinating insight into how the epic duel on Mustafar was created, including a wild story about how the memorable "I've got the high ground!" moment came to be. You can hear more about that story in our video below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/26/star-wars-breaking-down-the-duels-revenge-of-the-sith"] “We hadn't seen Jedi, young Jedi in their prime, fighting before. So George [Lucas] said, 'Can you come up with a style that’s going to work for this?'" Gillian told Prop Store about the creation of the fighting style for the Republic-era Jedi. "He wanted everything in Star Wars – not just the fighting, but also props, costumes, things like that – to have a familiarity to it. "So you have to base it on something people know. If it's a gun, he'd reject some super-smooth space-gun for something with a bit of a flintlock thing on it. There had to be something you recognize. So I based the fighting style on kendo, but I also tried to use every cool sword style that there was, and tried to marry them all together." [caption id="attachment_2444467" align="alignnone" width="5214"] Darth Vader's Hero Lightsaber (Image Credit: Prop Store)[/caption] The upcoming auction includes lots for Ewan McGregor's and Liam Neeson's fighting props from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, which featured more carefully choreographed sequences. Gillian referenced this particular stunt work as "the most demanding thing they did on those films," as he explained that the actors were expected to attend regular rehearsals leading up to production. "They would normally come for six-to-eight weeks prior to shooting and rehearse for at least four hours a day – although Hayden [Christensen] would often do eight hours every day!" Gillian revealed. "Ewan [McGregor] also put in a lot of time on all three films. He's fabulous to work with: brave, smart, a natural athlete, and he wants to get it right." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=top-10-best-star-wars-movie-moments&captions=true"] Here's a closer look at the Star Wars memorabilia that will be on offer at Prop Store's upcoming live auction:

• Obi-Wan Kenobi's (Ewan McGregor) Hero Lightsaber from Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (Estimated $105,600 - $158,400).
• Stormtrooper Blaster from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (Estimated $66,000 - $92,400).
• Darth Vader's (Hayden Christensen) Hero Lightsaber from Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (Estimated $52,800 - $105,600).
• Light-Up Remote-control R2-S8 Droid from Star Wars: Solo: A Star Wars Story. (Estimated $52,800 - $79,200).
• Screen-matched Obi-Wan Kenobi's (Alec Guinness) Home and Moisture Vaporator Model Miniatures from Star Wars: A New Hope - Special Edition (Estimated $33,000 - $46,200).
• Hoth Rebel Trooper A295 Blaster Rifle from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (Estimated $26,400 - $39,600).
• Obi Wan Kenobi's (Ewan McGregor) Fighting Lightsaber with Blade from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (Estimated $52,800 - $79,200).
• Stormtrooper Suit from Star Wars: The Mandalorian (Estimated $10,560 - $15,840).
• Full-size Dewback Head from Star Wars: A New Hope (Estimated $26,400 - $39,600).
• Qui-Gon Jinn's (Liam Neeson) Fighting Lightsaber from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (Estimate $13,200 - $19,800).

Prop Store will be holding virtual preview exhibition events via social media in the lead up to the auction, with opportunities to see props up close and ask questions of the specialists. Registration is open here. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Ubisoft has deployed a major title update for Assassin's Creed Valhalla across all platforms, which brings with it new graphical options for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, and many bug fixes across all platforms. The full patch notes can be found here. The 1.0.4 update is rolling out over the course of November 26 on Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Stadia and Amazon Luna. One of the main new features is the ability to flip between Performance and Quality mode on Xbox Series X and S and PlayStation 5. In Performance mode, the game will "adapt the resolution and graphics settings to maintain 60 FPS." In Quality mode, Valhalla will run at max resolution and graphics settings "while maintaining 30 FPS." Ubisoft notes that Performance mode is the default setting for both the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, whereas Quality mode is the default for the Xbox Series S. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/09/assassins-creed-valhalla-review"] This update has also apparently improved the game's experience on the Xbox Series X and S following reports of screen tearing from users and addressed a RAM leak when PC players alt-tabbed to the desktop while playing. Cloud saves will now be more distinguished to distance them from regular saves, and Ubisoft has tweaked the balance of some damage statistics and improved access to the fabric resource. Runes are now categorized too, and when you unlock a central skill in the skill tree, the game will now automatically assign all of the nodes on the path leading towards it, which is a handy little fix. We reviewed Assassin's Creed Valhalla upon its launch, scoring it an 8 and touting its "massive, beautiful open-world." We also learned recently that the Orlog dice game that debuted in Valhalla is going to receive a physical release in 2021. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Ubisoft has deployed a major title update for Assassin's Creed Valhalla across all platforms, which brings with it new graphical options for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, and many bug fixes across all platforms. The full patch notes can be found here. The 1.0.4 update is rolling out over the course of November 26 on Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Stadia and Amazon Luna. One of the main new features is the ability to flip between Performance and Quality mode on Xbox Series X and S and PlayStation 5. In Performance mode, the game will "adapt the resolution and graphics settings to maintain 60 FPS." In Quality mode, Valhalla will run at max resolution and graphics settings "while maintaining 30 FPS." Ubisoft notes that Performance mode is the default setting for both the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, whereas Quality mode is the default for the Xbox Series S. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/11/09/assassins-creed-valhalla-review"] This update has also apparently improved the game's experience on the Xbox Series X and S following reports of screen tearing from users and addressed a RAM leak when PC players alt-tabbed to the desktop while playing. Cloud saves will now be more distinguished to distance them from regular saves, and Ubisoft has tweaked the balance of some damage statistics and improved access to the fabric resource. Runes are now categorized too, and when you unlock a central skill in the skill tree, the game will now automatically assign all of the nodes on the path leading towards it, which is a handy little fix. We reviewed Assassin's Creed Valhalla upon its launch, scoring it an 8 and touting its "massive, beautiful open-world." We also learned recently that the Orlog dice game that debuted in Valhalla is going to receive a physical release in 2021. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

After three previous delays, it's no wonder some are still worried that Cyberpunk 2077 could miss its December 10 release date. It's also no wonder that CD Projekt really wants you to know that it won't be missing that date. In the company's Q3 earnings reports, that date is mentioned multiple times, in multiple places. The date is referenced 4 times in the company's Q3 financial statement, earns itself two separate slides in its investor presentation, and company CFO Piotr Nielubowicz references upcoming release date in a video message to investors. "The final stretch before the release calls for enormous dedication and cooperation on the part of the whole team, which is now all the more difficult given that the vast majority of the team continues to work from home. This is why I wish to extend my deepest thanks to the entire team for their determination and hard work. Together we are wrapping up the grandest project in our history. [...] In 2 weeks' time Cyberpunk will be released to gamers around the world." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/cyberpunk-2077-playstation-gameplay-video"] It's perhaps no surprise that we're seeing these confirmations – we've had a final set of previews, seen physical copies reaching retailers, and even begun to see gameplay leaks. CD Projekt Red also reconfirmed the December 10 date to IGN after rumours about another delay began to spread. But it's testament to just how changeable Cyberpunk's release has been – and the huge anticipation for the game – that we're seeing CD Projekt make absolutely clear, again, that the game is on its way for the intended date. If you're convinced, we've got a list of the best Cyberpunk 2077 pre-order deals and, if you're in the market for new consoles and other games, a list of the best Black Friday video game deals. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

After three previous delays, it's no wonder some are still worried that Cyberpunk 2077 could miss its December 10 release date. It's also no wonder that CD Projekt really wants you to know that it won't be missing that date. In the company's Q3 earnings reports, that date is mentioned multiple times, in multiple places. The date is referenced 4 times in the company's Q3 financial statement, earns itself two separate slides in its investor presentation, and company CFO Piotr Nielubowicz references upcoming release date in a video message to investors. "The final stretch before the release calls for enormous dedication and cooperation on the part of the whole team, which is now all the more difficult given that the vast majority of the team continues to work from home. This is why I wish to extend my deepest thanks to the entire team for their determination and hard work. Together we are wrapping up the grandest project in our history. [...] In 2 weeks' time Cyberpunk will be released to gamers around the world." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/cyberpunk-2077-playstation-gameplay-video"] It's perhaps no surprise that we're seeing these confirmations – we've had a final set of previews, seen physical copies reaching retailers, and even begun to see gameplay leaks. CD Projekt Red also reconfirmed the December 10 date to IGN after rumours about another delay began to spread. But it's testament to just how changeable Cyberpunk's release has been – and the huge anticipation for the game – that we're seeing CD Projekt make absolutely clear, again, that the game is on its way for the intended date. If you're convinced, we've got a list of the best Cyberpunk 2077 pre-order deals and, if you're in the market for new consoles and other games, a list of the best Black Friday video game deals. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.