PODCAST · leisure
Digital Foundry Direct Weekly
by Digital Foundry
When it comes to video games and the hardware and tech we play them on, the team at Digital Foundry are unparalleled experts. Each week, DF Direct breaks down the latest breakthroughs in video game visuals, sound, and performance happening on PlayStation, Xbox, the most powerful PC setups, and more. If you’re a geek for graphics, GPUs, or just video games in general, DF Direct will help you get the most out of your gaming setup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
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DF Direct Weekly #285: Dragon's Dogma 2 Switch 2, P.T Native PC Port, Galactic Racer PC Tested!
Dragon's Dogma 2 launched with problematic performance on current-gen consoles, making a Switch 2 port seemingly impossible. But the game improved and now the Switch 2 version is here and it's almost brilliant. The panel discuss the new port in depth, before moving on to their thoughts on the PC...
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DF Direct Q+A: Is PS5 QSSR Really A Game-Changer? Will Xbox Series X|S Get ML Upscaling?
After the out-of-the-blue, completely unleaked release of QSSR upscaling for PlayStation 5, Digital Foundry supporters and the panel attempt to provide some answers, while tackling the question of whether Xbox Series consoles will receive a similar technology. Meanwhile, what are the chances of…
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DF Direct Weekly #284: Ghost of Yōtei QSSR Tested, Star Wars Galactic Racer, Gears E-Day PC
DF returns to QSSR coverage with a closer look at Ghost of Yōtei, with John weighing in with his opinions on Marvel's Wolverine too. Rich reveals that Sony isn't the first to port an AI upscaler to a non-AI based GPU, showing FSR 4 running on the RDNA 1 Radeon RX 5700 XT. Meanwhile, John's very...
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DF Direct Special: PlayStation QSSR - AI Upscaling For Standard PS5 - A Current-Gen Gamechanger?
A surprise to be sure - and a welcome one. Out of the blue, Sony has released QSSR - Quick Spectral Super Resolution - a refactoring of PS5 Pro's PSSR for the standard PlayStation 5. In this video, Rich and Oliver share their initial thoughts on the technology. We've got image quality comparisons...
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DF Direct Q+A: PS5 Emulation on PC, Will Halo Move To COD Tech, Will PCs Replace Consoles?
The progress in PS5 emulation for PC is becoming extremely rapid - so just how viable is it and should Sony be worried? Meanwhile, Rich, Oliver and Will discuss a range of topics: can PS5 Pro run PSSR and FSR frame gen together? Will PCs eventually replace consoles? Can a Project Helix console...
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DF Direct Weekly #283: Halo Moves To Activision, Next-Gen TFLOPs, Silent Hill Townfall Tested!
An extremely busy week at the Foundry but the Direct cannot be stopped - the team discuss the latest news as the "Xbox Reset" enters Phase Two and Halo is shipped off to Activision. Meanwhile, Rich, Oliver and Tom join forces to run the rule over Silent Hill Townfall, becauise the show moves on…
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DF Direct Q+A: Switch 2 60FPS Frame-Gen - How Good/Bad Is It? Should Next-Gen Be Delayed?
Stellar Blade on Switch 2 enforces the use of frame generation to target 60fps - and Capcom is offering the same feature with a toggle in the upcoming Dragon's Dogma 2 port. So how does it work and what have we learned from testing it in Stellar Blade? Beyond that, Tom, Rich and Oliver discuss...
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DF Direct Weekly #282: 007 First Light Path Tracing, Kingmakers Gameplay, New GPUs Delayed To 2028?
In a bit of a slow week for news, the team goes hands-on with a bunch of cool games to present their findings - principal amongst them being 007 First Light's visually stunning, but incredibly taxing path tracing upgrade. Redemption Road's 12-minute Kingmakers gameplay deep dive impresses the…
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DF Direct Q+A: Hands-On With Steam Frame, Half-Life Alyx Standalone + More
With Steam Frame just missing the embargo for the last DF Direct, John, Rich and Oliver share impressions of Valve's latest hardware plus there's some ARM standalone testing of Half-Life Alyx, Cyberpunk 2077 and Streets of Rage 4. Beyond that, it's Supporter Q+A time: why doesn't From Software…
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DF Direct Weekly #281: Kojima's Psyint Canned By Sony, Coming To Xbox, Switch 2 VRR, Ocarina of Time
A massive week for news. PlayStation ends decades of partnership with Hideo Kojima as Physint is cancelled by Sony - but picked up by Microsoft, meaning it's coming to Xbox. The team take a look at the surprise-but-a-welcome-one reveal of VRR coming to Switch 2 docked mode, while there's…
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DF Direct Q+A: Will AMD Deliver Its Own DLSS 5? Will CD Projekt RED Bring Back The RED Engine?
The DF Direct Q+A Show returns and suffice it to say, there's a huge amount of interest around DLSS 5. Will AMD and indeed Intel deliver equivalent tech? What are the limits of DLSS 5 and how will they be overcome? Meanwhile, is Pearl Abyss developer of the year? And is The Witcher 3 Remastered...
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DF Direct Weekly #280: John on GTA 6, State of Play Disappoints, Helix "Family of Devices"
The Digital Foundry panel convene to talk about Sony's disappointing State of Play, John shares his thoughts on the Grand Theft Auto 6 Extended Look and there are more hints about Xbox's next-gen strategy as Asha Sharma discusses a family of devices - amongst other things - in an interview with…
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DLSS 5 Tested: NBA 2K27 Image Quality + Benchmarks, Mods And More
Six months after its reveal, DLSS 5 has launched with NBA 2K27 and its utilisation is a world apart from the first clips, not to mention the vast array of modded footage we've seen since its leak last week. Rich, John and Oliver compare notes on the difference it makes, the huge performance cost,...
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DF Direct Weekly #279: The Witcher 3 Remaster Reaction, Xbox Disc To Digital, Best of Gamescom 2026!
While Grand Theft Auto 6's gameplay reveal somewhat overshadowed proceedings, it was indeed Gamescom 2026 this week and with Rich's legs giving out, it was down to John to represent us at the show. So, after dispensing with some gaming and technology news, John delivers his own "best of" tour of...
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Grand Theft Auto 6 Extended Look: The Most Impressive Real-Time Game Graphics Yet?
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…
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DF Direct Q+A: What If PlayStation 6 Is Actually The New PS Portable/Handheld?
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…
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DF Direct Weekly #278: Sony Undecided On PS6 Price/Launch Date, Black Myth Zhong Kui Gameplay
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...
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DF Direct Q+A: Oblivion Remastered - Can Switch 2 Optimisations Fix PS5/PC/Xbox Versions?
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...
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DF Direct Weekly #277: Crimson Desert Switch 2 Confirmed, Gears E-Day PC Tested, Viture XR Glasses!
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...
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DF Direct Q+A: Celebrating DF Independence - One Year Since Leaving IGN!
It's been a year since Digital Foundry parted ways with IGN, buying out its shares and becoming completely independent. The team discuss the challenges of the last 12 months within the context of continuing bad news within the games business, before discussing what we've achieved from our...
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DF Direct Weekly #276: GTA 6 An Extended Look Reveal Reaction, Quakecon 2026, Xbox 360 On PC
What was looking like a fairly quiet week turned into a frenzy with the news that Rockstar will be publishing an "extended look" at Grand Theft Auto 6 on August 27 - but what should we expect? And why on earth would Netflix pay for a six-hour exclusivity window? Meanwhile, The Verge reveals...
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DF Direct Q+A: Sony Finally Responds To End-Of-Disc Backlash - And It's Not Good News
It took a Q+A session of its own within a financial earnings call - as opposed to talking directly to its users - but Sony has finally responded to the backlash whipped up by its announcement of the cancellation of physical media. What do we make of the response? And if it's just a small minority...
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DF Direct Weekly #275: This Is The Most Performant Console Generation Since 16-Bit 2D
The news has been pretty grim for the last few months, so why not concentrate on the positives? PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X have delivered the best performing videogame generation since the 16-bit 2D era with more support for 60fps gaming than any other 3D-focused console. How did this happen...
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DF Direct Q+A: Too Expensive? No Exclusives? Is Next-Gen Just For Enthusiasts?
The hardware situation grows more bleak by the week, so where does this leave next generation consoles? If they're too expensive, will developers target them over current-gen hardware? Is enhanced RT and path tracing enough to make people upgrade? Will there be actual next-gen exclusives? Would…
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DF Direct Weekly #274: OG Xbox/Xbox 360 PC 'Back Compat', Valve - Memory Crisis "Getting Worse"
In the latest DF Direct Weekly, we go deeper into the OG Xbox emulator for PC... which is actually running within an Xbox 360 emulator, Inception-style. So what's the masterplan from Microsoft? The team mull over the reaction to Halo: Campaign Evolved, more details emerge on the Metal Gear Solid...
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DF Direct Q+A: Creation Engine 3 in Elder Scrolls 6/Fallout 5, Is Doom THE Great American Videogame?
The Q+A show returns, with Rich, Oliver and Will getting to grips with the potential of the Creation Engine 3 in The Elder Scrolls 6 and Fallout 5, while assessing the merits of Doom as THE great American videogame. Sony's new vapour chamber patent is considered for PS6 viability, while questions...
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DF Direct Weekly #273: The Future of Fallout + Elder Scrolls, Xbox Account Deletion, Switch 2 OLED?
Bethesda tweets out its current Fallout/Elders Scrolls plans... but why? Meanwhile, digital accounts and draconian anti-consumer limitations come into focus, the Ryzen 7 7700X3D is released and Capcom reveals good news about its upcoming Dragon's Dogma 2 Switch 2 port. Dying Light The Beast is...
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DF Direct Q+A: How Does The Xbox Reset Impact Project Helix?
The fallout from the Xbox Reset continues as more questions are raised: does Xbox's recent pivots change the plan for Project Helix? Will it still allow other PC stores to run on it? Will it have a disc drive? Meanwhile, other questions are asked: will cancelling PlayStation Plus make Sony…
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DF Direct Weekly #272: id Software Lay-Offs Damage Control, COD Black Ops PS5, 5 Years Of Steam Deck
In the wake of the outcry against the decimation of id Software, Microsoft and seemingly id itself try to downplay the damage and reassure the audience - but what do we think of this - and indeed John Carmack's statements on the issue? Meanwhile Oliver has some bad news about Call of Duty Black…
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DF Direct Q+A: Xbox 'Reset' Worse Than Expected - Huge Job Losses + The End of idTech?
One part necessary re-organisation, one part liberation for key developers, one part vandalism of Xbox studios, it's a mixture of disbelief and anger from the DF panel as the full extent of Xbox's so-called "reset" becomes clear. If Asha Sharma's report on the business is on the level, clearly...
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DF Direct Weekly #271: The End Of PlayStation Physical Media & True Game Ownership
Sony announces the end of PlayStation game discs via a three paragraph blog post - bringing to an end the era of physical media and actually owning the games you buy, along with the right to resell them, share them and preserve them. A sombre panel assesses the full implications of Sony's…
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DF Direct Q+A: The Big "$1000 Next-Gen Console" Debate + Is GTA 6 Over-Hyped?
In the wake of Steam Machine pricing and sharp Xbox MSRP increases, are we looking at the prospect of a $1000 next-gen console? John, Rich and Oliver discuss. Meanwhile, in the current climate, how can you save money on gaming hardware? Is GTA 6 in danger of being the most over-hyped game ever?…
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DF Direct Weekly #270: GTA 6 Screens: Are They Real-Time, Xbox Price Jump, FSR 4 on RDNA 3
Oliver, Rich and Tom discuss GTA 6. Are the 63 new screenshots indicative of actual gameplay? What about the "code in a box" situation? Are the latest PS5 Pro rumours plausible? Meanwhile, the panel is shocked by the huge Xbox price rises, somewhat more positive about FSR 4 arriving on RDNA 3…
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DF Direct Q+A: Steam Machine - The Big Price/Performance/Form Factor Debate
In the wake of our Steam Machine review, Rich and Will tackle a range of Supporter questions on the price, value and design of the hardware, the ability of Valve to supply it - and the future of SteamOS in general. 00:00 Introduction 00:37 Supporter Q1: What should we think of the value of the...
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DF Direct Weekly #269: GTA 6 News Reaction, UE5 Upgrades, UE6, Gears E-Day Tech Demo
Actual GTA 6 news - and a new clip - see John, Tom and Oliver "concerned" over missing RT reflections. Then it's onto Unreal Fest with discussion on the latest Unreal Engine 5 upgrades and the implications of AI in Unreal Engine 6 workflow. The Gears of War: E-Day tech demo demands attention…
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DF Direct Q+A: Xbox Reboot Studio Closure Reports, RTX 50-Series Super Returns? ARM ML Rendering
The team is left reeling after reports emerge of studios on the brink within Microsoft - a far cry from the highs of the summer showcase and previous comments from management about preserving their studio structure. Meanwhile, we discuss ARM's new ML rendering suite, the potential return of the...
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DF Direct Weekly #268: Ocarina of Time Remake, Nintendo Direct, Fable Gameplay, RTX 3060 Returns
Nintendo Direct rounds off the big summer gaming events and... well, it's a mixed bag for sure. What have we learned about the Ocarina of Time Remake? How well are the third party ports holding up? John, Rich and Oliver have some thoughts on that before moving on to reactions to the 30 minute…
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DF Direct Q+A: The Big "Xbox Reset" Memo Debate - What Happens Next?
Our audience has questions, we've got answers - but first, the team gets to grips with the contents of Asha Sharma and Matt Booty's Xbox Reset memo. Beyond that, is Xbox console exclusivity the best route forward? Should Valve update Steam Machine specs? Will God of War Laufey get a massive PS6...
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DF Direct Weekly #267: Resi Evil Veronica, FF7 Revelation, Stellar Blade 2 - The Big SGF Video
Taped before we produced our Xbox Showcase coverage, it's John, Rich and Oliver at their respective microphones to discuss all the big games at the recent Summer Game Fest. Geoff came good - as this excellent line-up of titles reveals. 0:00:00 Introduction 0:02:28 Final Fantasy 7 Revelation…
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DF Direct Special: Xbox Showcase 2026: Gears E-Day, Halo, Senua, Metro 2039 Reaction + More
It's Xbox's time to shine with the latest in the big summer showcases and Team Green certainly delivered. Gears of War: E-Day finally breaks cover, Halo Campaign Evolved impresses, while Senua, Metro 2039 and Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy look phenomenal. But what's the deal with Microsoft's...
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DF Direct Special: Nintendo Switch 2 - Year One - The Digital Foundry Verdict
At the time of publication, it has been one year and one day since Nintendo launched the Switch 2 console - so, as is DF tradition, it's time to look back over the last year and assess the system's track record so far. Strong back compat, impressive first and third party support, actual ray…
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DF Direct Q+A: Can Switch 2 Handle 60FPS Call of Duty? Custom PC vs Steam Machine, Nvidia RTX Spark
With the welcome announcement of Call of Duty coming to Switch 2, the question is... can the hardware handle the series' signature 60fps? Meanwhile, what does Nvidia aim to achieve with its new RTX Spark processor? In the wake of the shock Steam Deck price rises, could a self-built PC potentially...
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DF Direct Special: State of Play June 2026 Reaction - Wolverine, God of War Laufey, Tomb Raider, Rayman + More!
The summer games showcase event season is upon us and Sony is first off the mark with an excellent showing. God of War Laufey and Marvel's Wolverine are the highlights of the event, but there's plenty more that caught our eye here. John and Oliver share their thoughts on the event. 00:00...
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DF Direct Weekly #266: Huge Steam Deck Price Rises, New Witcher 3 Expansion, Switch 2 COD, MGS4!
The shock news of +40% price rises for Steam Deck kicks off a BIG Direct this week, swiftly followed by the team's first impressions of the PC version of 007 First Light - and its ker-azy upscaling issues. The new Call of Duty coming to Switch 2 is a topic of much interest, as is the announcement...
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DF Direct Q+A: What Is Unreal Engine 6? If Steam Is A Monopoly, Why Do We Like it?
The team sit down once more to discuss the latest questions from DF Supporters. What do we make of Unreal Engine 6's debut in Rocket League of all places? Has Epic delivered a version of Lumen that is performant enough for lower spec kit? Is Sony's quality control to be blamed for lower than...
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DF Direct Weekly #265: The End of Destiny 2, Lego Batman Tested, Yoshi Switch 2
John, Oliver and Rich sit down to discuss the latest gaming and technology news, kicking off with the end of the road for Destiny 2. It's had a fantastic long run, but where does that leave Bungie? Following that, it's a - dare we say it - Unreal Fest. The team discuss the latest Lego Batman on…
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DF Direct Q+A: Sony Tightens Grip on Exclusivity, FSR 4 on Xbox? What Is The Immense Engine?
The show kicks off with the news that Sony is no longer bringing its single-player narrative-driven games to PC before moving on to supporter questions! How competitive would PS5 with Linux be to Valve's Steam Machine? Will FSR 4.1 come to Xbox consoles and could a PSSR Lite come to base...
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DF Direct Weekly #264: PS5 Path Tracing Tested, FSR 4.1 For RDNA 2/3, 007 First Light Hits 60FPS!
PS5 Linux continues to yield dividends as Rich tests path tracing on PS5 with Quake 2 RTX, Portal RTX and Cyberpunk 2077 RT Overdrive (!) on Sony's console. Beyond that, there's great news with the announcement of FSR 4.1 coming to older Radeon graphics cards, and there's a hint that Xbox may…
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DF Direct Q+A: Do We Actually Need Next-Gen Graphics? Can Switch 2 Last 6-7 Years? Switch 2 OLED?
Another packed Direct Q+A show sees Oliver, Rich and Alex getting to grips with high-end graphics: are they actually worth it and are technological advances worth pushing? Meanwhile, can Switch 2 last for the 6-7 years Nintendo wants it to - or will next-gen consoles make it obsolete for...
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DF Direct Weekly #263: Star Fox Returns, Switch 2 Price Hike, Nvidia GTX 10-Series 10th Anniversary!
In this week's Direct, Oliver, John and Rich get to grips with the reveal of Nintendo's Star Fox remake for Switch 2, there's justified concern over the Nintendo price hike for its new console, while Activision confirms that the next Call of Duty will finally leave last generation hardware…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
When it comes to video games and the hardware and tech we play them on, the team at Digital Foundry are unparalleled experts. Each week, DF Direct breaks down the latest breakthroughs in video game visuals, sound, and performance happening on PlayStation, Xbox, the most powerful PC setups, and more. If you’re a geek for graphics, GPUs, or just video games in general, DF Direct will help you get the most out of your gaming setup.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
HOSTED BY
Digital Foundry
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How many episodes does Digital Foundry Direct Weekly have?
Digital Foundry Direct Weekly currently has 362 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Digital Foundry Direct Weekly about?
When it comes to video games and the hardware and tech we play them on, the team at Digital Foundry are unparalleled experts. Each week, DF Direct breaks down the latest breakthroughs in video game visuals, sound, and performance happening on PlayStation, Xbox, the most powerful PC setups, and...
How often does Digital Foundry Direct Weekly release new episodes?
Digital Foundry Direct Weekly publishes regularly with 362 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
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Digital Foundry Direct Weekly is created and hosted by Digital Foundry.
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