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Valve ignites new game rumors with trademark: NEON PRIME ValveValve, the company behind Steam and classic games like Half-Life, Dota, and Counter-Strike, are not in the habit of releasing many new games, but a new trademark has sparked rumors of a new release finally on the horizon. Despite having bona fide classics under their belt, Valve is not the type of developer to push out new releases every year. Their last AAA launch was Half-Life: Alyx, released solely as a VR experience, in March 2020. With the success of the Steam platform, and the enduring popularity of Dota2 and CS:GO, Valve is in the enviable position of not needing to release brand new games to keep revenue coming in. But, they often assure fans that they are developing new games. A new Valve trademark application, filed under the category of computer game software, though, has sparked speculation that a new release could be close at hand. Valve trademarks NEON PRIME On October 10, 2022, Valve filed an application for the trademark ‘NEON PRIME’, stylized in all caps. It is filed under the following categories: “Computer game software, electronic game software, video game software, computer game programs downloadable via the internet.” At this stage, it’s worth noting that the trademark application is still awaiting examination, and hasn’t been granted yet. But, after being spotted by ‘Gabe Follower’ on Twitter, it has unsurprisingly got the rumor mill in motion. If not a new game entirely, there are other possibilities too. CS:GO players will recognize the word ‘prime’ as Prime matchmaking – the paid version of CS that provides access to things like skill ranks and in-game drops. Others also speculated that it could be game-adjacent software, for example, an anti-cheat system. The fact is that for now, we really have no idea what this trademark could be for exactly, only that it relates to some kind of game software. Countless trademarks are also filed and granted and then never even used, so while it’s fun to speculate, it would be advisable not to get your hopes up too much for a new fully-fledged Valve release.

Valve hit with $800 million lawsuit over Steam monopoly Valve / CapcomValve has been hit with a £656 million lawsuit in the United Kingdom, which claims they’re “rigging the market” against players in the UK. Valve, the game developer behind Half-Life, Portal, and Counter-Strike, launched Steam in 2003, providing a platform to digitally purchase PC games, as well as hosting the Steam marketplace and workshop. The BBC reports digital rights campaigner Vicki Shotbolt of Milberg London LLP, filed the lawsuit on June 5 to the Competition Appeal Tribunal. The lawsuit alleges “Valve is rigging the market and taking advantage of UK gamers,” potentially “overcharging 14 million people in the UK,” and claims they are “shutting out” other platforms for purchasing PC games. Shotbolt also made a website called “SteamYouOweUs” that provides more detail behind her claims and why she’s taking the issue to court. Natasha Pearman, a partner at the law firm, states, “Competition law is there to protect consumers and ensure that markets work properly, when they don’t work properly and consumers are harmed, collective actions of this kind provide consumers with a voice and a way of holding big companies, like Valve, to account.” Steam is the largest distributor of PC games, reporting $9 billion in global revenue across 580 million game sales in 2023 according to a report by VG Insights. Game developer behind the ‘Postal’ series, Running With Scissors, defended Valve’s practices with Steam, arguing these “lawsuits don’t really care about the gamers/consumers, they only care about making money for themselves.” Other competitors, such as Epic Games Score, take 12%, and Good Old Games take 30% as commission compared to Steam’s 30%. RWS called the cut “industry standard,” and claimed it’s “worth the 30% when the platform offers so much more to us and the consumers we’re catering to, not to mention sale numbers.” If the allegations are proven, Valve would be required to pay the full amount to the class, rewarding them all up to £44, approximately $55, each, based on the 14 million figure.

Valve finally acknowledges Deadlock as FPS MOBA gets mysterious store page ValveDeadlock is finally real. Well, sort of. Valve has acknowledged its new FPS MOBA for the very first time, though the game’s Steam page is still reticent on details. For months now we’ve been hearing rumblings of Valve’s next game. Select content creators have had access for quite some time, and a raft of leaks revealed exactly what they’d been getting up to behind closed doors. Over the past few weeks, things have been heating up. By inviting friends on Steam, others have been joining the game’s earliest test in droves, with tens of thousands making it one of the top titles on the platform before it even got a name. Now, it’s finally official and we can discuss it without fear of being booted from the preview build. Deadlock’s Steam page suddenly went live on August 23, with no announcement or fanfare of any kind, keeping in line with its rollout thus far. While the Steam page is now live and the Deadlock title is official, we’re otherwise none the wiser as to what it’s all about. There’s no set release date, no system requirements, no further intel on how the game plays, nor any further advice on how hopeful players can join in. “Deadlock is a multiplayer game in early development.” That brief description is the only bit of text on the entire Steam page. Accompanying it is a 22-second video panning down to the street level of the game’s lone map, with one particular character standing in the foreground. No dialogue to ponder, no tease of more to come in the immediate future, just a vague snippet to set the tone. For the time being, nothing else has changed beyond the fact a Steam page is now live. The only way to get into the Deadlock test is by having a friend invite you directly. Though with this first confirmation from Valve, devs could be gearing up to open the floodgates any day now. With no restrictions on what can be shared, however, content creators have already rushed to capitalize on the intrigue. Mere minutes after the store page went live, tens of thousands of viewers are already flooding the most popular Twitch channels. We’ll be sure to keep our eyes peeled for any further developments as Valve’s FPS MOBA steps out of the shadows.

Valve explains sudden Steam Deck delay Valve/SteamMonths after preorders for the Steam Deck went live, Valve has announced that they are delaying the device’s release until February 2022 due to “supply chain issues.” In July 2021, Valve announced the Steam Deck, a handheld PC that was instantly considered direct competition to the Nintendo Switch, thanks to its similar form factor and controller setup. The company revealed that the device would be available in December 2021, and preorders for the Steam Deck went live shortly after the announcement. However, Valve has officially issued a shipping update for the handheld, in which they explain that supply chain issues have delayed the Deck until February 2022. Steam Deck delay On November 10, Valve sent an email to every person who managed to pre-order the Steam Deck with a shipping update for the mini-pc. The email started off fairly simple: “The launch of the Steam Deck will be delayed by two months.” Valve didn’t waste time before they apologized, though, as they explained that they did their best to work around global supply chain issues. They went on to detail how components are not reaching their manufacturing facilities fast enough to meet their December launch date. However, they were able to supply a rough estimate for when the handheld will be able to launch based on updated build estimates — February 2022. According to Twitter user ‘Gorczy,’ there may be a little bit more time added to some pre-orders, as his reservation for the 512gb version of the Steam Deck says Q2 2022, which would mean his device will be available later than stated in Valve’s email. Just checked, my preorder from the day they announced it is now from Q1 to after Q2. Oof. pic.twitter.com/TVK6xGnxFK — Jack Gorczyca (@Gorczy) November 10, 2021 Whether or not supply chain issues will continue to delay Valve’s attempt at beating the switch is unknown. We’ll have to wait till February to see what happens.

Valve doesn’t allow Steam account transfer after death and players aren’t happy ValveSteam profiles are as important to their owners as physical game collections, and what happens to them in the event of a person’s death is a major concern for many. Now, a support message from Valve has confirmed that it is not possible to transfer profiles after death, and players aren’t happy. Digital exclusive gaming is a controversial topic now that Valve has overtaken the PC gaming space, with Steam being the go-to place for digitally buying games. A peculiar Steam policy has now come to light, and fans are concerned for the preservation of their accounts. Valve is very strict about who can use your Steam account besides yourself. Officially, your account cannot be transferred to anyone under any circumstances. This means that, on paper, your Steam account dies with you, and this has left players furious. Though this policy is stated in Steam’s terms and conditions, players still aren’t pleased with this policy gaining attention when a fan asks Steam Support directly about the subject. “What?! I think they need to fix this. People are not immortal, so digital game purchases should be transferrable to inheritors.” Though PC games were prominently on Floppy Discs and CDs in the past, more recent times have seen many turn to digital downloads, sacrificing physical media for convenience. “What a terrible precedent, too bad PC players chose digital and doomed us all,” one player said. Interest in the issue has turned attention to how other companies deal with the subject of handle accounts of those who’ve passed away. “Feels like this is something that needs to be litigated. I can give my cartridges and discs to my daughter when I die, but not my Steam account?” one response read. “I would think we should have the ‘freedom’ to do such things. I kind of get why we don’t, mind you. I just really think we should.” Though this is a morbid topic, it does ignore the rather simple solution: Simply share your Steam account details with your family to preserve your digital game library and in-game inventories. Valve will never manually delete an old account. “So long as the family has access to the account, they would never shut off an account that’s, say, over 100 years old.“

Valve delays Steam Deck Docking Station due to parts shortages Valve has officially delayed its release of the Steam Deck Docking Station due to ongoing parts shortages and closures at manufacturing facilities. Though Valve announced the separately sold accessory ahead of the handheld’s release, the Steam Deck Docking Station previously bore a late spring 2022 launch window. Notably, the dock comes packed with a USB-C cable to connect to the built-in USB-C port housed atop the device. Steam Deck’s Docking Station also boasts a Display Port 1.4, HDMI 2.0 port, Ethernet jack for networking, and three USB-A ports. The dock previously featured a solitary USB 3.1 Type-A port and two USB 2.0 ports. However, a silent upgrade earlier in the year removed the latter and added two more USB 3.1 specifications for high-speed connections. There’s presently no word on whether or not these changes impacted production. Steam Deck’s dock delayed indefinitely Earlier this week, Valve took to Steam to announce the Steam Deck dock’s indefinite delay. The company cited parts shortages and closures at manufacturing facilities related to the global health situation as the cause. Read More: Can you play FFXIV on Steam Deck? – Fortunately, such setbacks will have no effect on the production schedule for the Steam Deck itself; the two products feature different parts and are produced at separate factories. Valve didn’t offer an updated release timeline for the Docking Station but promised to “work on improving the docked experience.” When prospective buyers can hope to receive new details on the matter presently remains unknown. Steam Deck owners patiently awaiting the official Steam Deck Docking Station’s release may also want to look into third-party options. The Wavlink 13 in 1 Multiport and UGreen USB-C Multiport Adapter offer fairly priced alternatives, for example. Read More: Will Hogwarts Legacy be on Steam Deck? – Valve’s Steam Deck launched earlier this year, allowing Steam users to play much of their game libraries on the go. While the handheld console still has some quirks to work through, Valve President Gabe Newell already expressed an interest in pursuing a second version of the device.

Valve finally announces new Half-Life game but there’s a catch In a surprise announcement on November 18, Valve revealed that a brand new Half-Life game is in the works after a 12-year hiatus for the beloved FPS series. While it has become somewhat of a joke in the gaming community to constantly address just how long it has been since Half-Life 2: Episode 2 released in 2007, prayers of fans around the world may have finally been answered by the almighty Valve Corporation. Unfortunately, Half-Life 3 has not been confirmed nor has Valve addressed the long-awaited title, but the company did announce a new series entry. In a November 18 post, Valve revealed the name of the next Half-Life iteration. Referred to as Half-Life: Alyx, the upcoming release is set to serve as their “flagship VR” title. Little was provided outside of a unique graphic aligning Valve, Steam VR, and the Half-Life logo. Despite the massive announcement, fans will have to wait for more information to be divulged in a proper unveiling later in the week. We’re excited to unveil Half-Life: Alyx, our flagship VR game, this Thursday at 10am Pacific Time. Can’t wait to share it with all of you! pic.twitter.com/BupFCxSrTw — Valve (@valvesoftware) November 18, 2019 It was previously indicated that the title would be announced on December 12 at Geoff Keigley’s The Game Awards show. Wanting to control the flow of information and step in front of any leaks in the build-up however, it is now confirmed that Valve will formally unveil the title on Thursday November 20 at 10AM Pacific Time. There’s no telling just how intricate the presentation may be however. From a brief teaser trailer to an in-depth breakdown and a release date, no information has been provided just yet. While obviously, a VR title was unexpected, any update on the franchise has fans extremely excited and anxiously awaiting any further information. Considering how long the developers had remained in silence though, it’s a safe bet to assume that with this official confirmation, they’re finally ready to lift the veil on the future of the Half-Life series on Thursday.

Valve accidentally leaks Left 4 Dead’s earliest prototype in a new CS 1.6 update ValveValve just accidentally leaked Left 4 Dead’s earliest prototype in a new CS 1.6 update, and you can check it out too. During the late 2000s to early 2010s’ surge of zombie games, there was no other title that stood out like Left 4 Dead. Valve’s innovative zombie shooter essentially laid the groundwork for many subsequent clones in the genre, though it’s still beloved to this day. However, Left 4 Dead wasn’t always the way it was, as obviously early versions were made to test out the devs’ concept. And it seems Valve has now accidentally leaked one of the earliest versions of Left 4 Dead in a surprise update. Found in a recent Counter-Strike 1.6 patch, L4D prototype is almost completely foreign to the end product, however, it gives us some insights as to how L4D got its start. Revealed by Valve leaker Gabe Follower, but first found by Twitter user PDylan, the early prototype was called “Terror Strike”, however, it played quite differently to the eventual L4D. As written in the gameplay description with the prototype, “The terrorist with the bomb must make it to the house and plant the bomb. Zombies will respawn a little but after being killed. “Once the bomb is planted, every zombie will respawn and a horde will come for the survivors. The survivors must survive the horde by killing all the zombies. The round is won when all zombies are killed while the bomb is planted.” Obviously, bomb planting is not exactly a main feature of L4D, it was adopted from CS, but we can see the beginnings of L4D’s core structure here. Eliminating zombie hordes while focusing on an objective. This early version is extremely rough, with CT models standing in for the zombies, the map having no textures other than simple tiles, and you don’t even spawn in the iconic safe room. But with all that in mind, this early version is now playable for those who want to check it out.

Valorant update 7.10 patch notes: Deadlock buffed, Deathmatch changes & more Riot GamesValorant patch 7.10 has arrived, marking the first update since Episode 7 Act 3 dropped. Here’s a rundown of everything included in the 7.09 patch notes. The first Valorant update following the arrival of Iso in Valorant patch 7.09, kicking off Episode 7 Act 3, is now here. Heading into the new Act, updated 7.10 brings buffs to Deadlock after players demanded changes to the Sentinel, claiming she’s the “worst agent in the game by a mile.” Not only that, we’ve seen some small tweaks to both Reyna and Fade in patch 7.10. With that said, let’s dive deep into what’s changed. Valorant update 7.10 patch notes As aforementioned, patch 7.10 brings some much-needed attention to Deadlock. The Sentinel, who was released just earlier in Episode 7 has struggled to keep up with other Agents, especially after Cypher received several buffs in the last patch. Notably, Deadlock’s GravNet (C) now requires anyone captured by it to manually remove the net in order to remove the effect. Before this, if you or the enemy were captured, you were able to remove it by moving out of the net radius or waiting for the effect to expire. “We think this unlocks a unique power profile while making it a more interesting interaction on both sides, as enemies must put down their weapon and make a noise to deal with the debuff,” said Riot. “In addition, we’ve made the ability more reliable for Deadlock to execute by increasing its radius while also ensuring that Agents like Jett and Raze can’t trivialize getting caught in it with their mobility. Agent Updates Deadlock Anyone caught by GravNet will now be debuffed indefinitely until they remove it. – Anyone caught by GravNet will now be affected by increased gravity and a reduction in mobility (example: GravNet now reduces Jett’s Tailwind (E) distance.) – GravNet removal time increased 0.85s >>> 1.5s. – GravNet radius increased 6m >>> 8m. – Jett Jett’s third-person animations while Blade Storm (X) is equipped have been adjusted to help with combat clarity. It should now be easier to understand her movement when she’s running and when she’s throwing knives. – Team Deathmatch Reyna Reyna’s Leer (C) has proven specifically potent in the close confines of Team Deathmatch since it doesn’t affect allies and Empress (X) lacking a time constraint if she’s rolling has proven extremely powerful. These changes are meant to create more downtime between these power moments and push Reyna to prioritize orbs if she wants to try and take over with Empress. Team Deathmatch only changes: Leer (C) cooldown increased 44s >>> 51s – Empress (X) will charge 14% slower – – Fade In Team Deathmatch, Fade’s utility can feel a little hard to use and capitalize off of. These changes aim to help her track down her enemies and close in on them. Team Deathmatch only changes: Prowler (C) cooldown decreased 44s >>> 36s – Seize (Q) cooldown decreased 51s >>> 48s – – Performance Updates Presets have been added to the stats page. – Bug Fixes General Fixed a bug where reverb was not being applied reliably to some types of sounds, including gunshots and footsteps. – Fixed an issue where Viper’s Pit (X) did not correctly block vision for enemies on the minimap and megamap. – Fixed issues with Fade’s Prowler (C) passing through certain objects. – – Fixed a bug where reverb was not being applied reliably to some types of – Player Behavior Fixed an issue where the report button text was cut-off for the Arabic language on the Player Report menu – – That’s all for Valorant 7.10 patch notes. For more about the game, make sure to check some of our other Valorant content: VCT 2024 rostermania tracker | What is Valorant Premier? | How to play Valorant Premier Stage 1 | What is the Night Market? | How to get Gun Buddies | All Valorant skin bundles | Best Valorant Agents | When is Valorant on Mobile coming out? | Best Sentinels | Best Initiators | What is Econ Rating? | How to get free loot drops | Best Duelists | Is Valorant on Mac? | Best Controllers

Valorant update 7.09 patch notes: Iso release, Cypher buffs, weapon balances, more Riot GamesValorant patch 7.09 is here, kicking off Episode 7 Act 3, and bringing a whole lot of agent balances, as well as the latest addition to the roster Iso. Here’s a rundown of everything included in the 7.09 patch notes. Episode 7 Act 3 is finally here, and similar to other major updates we’ve seen, patch 7.09 is packed full of changes. Not only introducing us to a new Agent hailing from China with the release of Iso, Valorant’s seventh duelist but also some familiar faces have seen some tweaks. Heading into the new season, it seems the creepy Morrocan Sentinel Cypher will be at the top of the meta, receiving some huge changes which players look to be over the moon with. Valorant update 7.09 patch notes After making considerable changes to smokes in the last patch, 7.08, adding a 1.5-second audio and visual cue when they are about to fade, Riot is back at it again with more tweaks. This time around, the devs have targeted several Agents, massively buffing Cypher and making the Sentinel more deadly than ever with his improved Trapwires. Skye and Fade also saw a few nerfs in favor of Cypher, with their utility being adjusted for collision with his Trapwires. Not only that, but Raze also saw some widespread nerfs, as Riot targeted the duelist’s abilities across the board. Let’s jump into everything Valorant patch 7.09 has to offer. Agents Iso Iso goes live! – Cypher, Skye, Fade and Raze This patch, we’re looking to address some issues in the balance of power between Sentinels, especially Cypher, and some other Agents on the roster. Sentinels often craft very deliberate setups only to have Agents like Raze, Skye, and Fade destroy them with typical utility use. In this patch, we’re updating Cypher’s Trapwire (C) to try to sway these interactions more in his favor, and to encourage enemy Agents to have to be more intentional and deliberate if they aim to use their utility to counter Sentinel setups. Cypher Trapwire (C) Decreased the time until the trap concusses a captured enemy 3 >>> 1.5 seconds. – After concussing an enemy or an enemy in the trap being killed, the Trapwire (C) no longer destroys itself but instead re-arms after 0.5 seconds, allowing it to ensnare another enemy. – Duration of tag slow when hit by the trap increased 0.75 >>> 2 seconds. – – “These changes force attackers to actively destroy traps to break Cypher’s setups and push interactions with utility like Prowlers (C) and Trailblazer (Q) more in Cypher’s favor. In addition, the potency of the traps when they snag an enemy has been increased slightly to make sure opponents have to respect their threat.” Skye Trailblazer (Q) Adjusted Trailblazer’s collision so that it goes under Trapwires placed at mid-height. This won’t affect the hitboxes for weapon damage. – – Fade Trailblazer (Q) Adjusted Trailblazer’s collision so that it goes under Trapwires placed at mid-height. This won’t affect the hitboxes for weapon damage. – – These changes to Skye and Fade are meant to add more strategic depth to the placement of Cypher’s Trapwire. Raze Raze will have to be more precise with her Paint Shells (E) in order to deal damage to enemies, including destroying enemy traps. Additionally, Raze will need to be more intentional in picking between using the Blast Pack (Q) for mobility or damage Paint Shells (E)■ Primary grenade explosion radius 6m >>> 5.5m.■ Secondary grenades explosion radius 6m >>> 5.25m.■ Primary grenade explosion minimum damage 15 >>> 1.■ Secondary grenades explosion minimum damage 15 >>> 1.■ Damage multiplier to enemy utility 250% >>> 100%.○ Blast Pack (Q)■ Satchel doesn’t deal damage until fully armed.■ Satchel arm time increased 0.5 seconds >>> 1.5Paint Shells (E) Primary grenade explosion radius 6m >>> 5.5m. – Secondary grenades explosion radius 6m >>> 5.25m. – Primary grenade explosion minimum damage 15 >>> 1. – Secondary grenades explosion minimum damage 15 >>> 1. – Damage multiplier to enemy utility 250% >>> 100%. – – Blast Pack (Q) Satchel doesn’t deal damage until fully armed. – Satchel arm time increased 0.5 seconds >>> 1.5. – – Weapon Updates Judge With the changes below, we’re sharpening the Judge’s identity as a hunker-down style shotgun by reducing some of its effectiveness while moving. With the reduced mag size, we’re hoping to create more opportunities for enemies to catch a person reloading their Judge as well as nudge the person with the Judge to be more efficient in order to get multi-kills. Judge Reduced max mag size from 7 >>> 5 – Increased Jumping spread from 1.25 >>> 2.25 – Increased Running spread from .10 >>> .75 – – Player Behavior Updates When reporting others in game, there is now an added option to also mute who you’ve just reported. – Social Updates Updated the icons that appear in the Friends List when friends are playing other Riot Games.We now detect people in Riot Mobile and TFT, and display unique icons for people playing these games.People who are online in Riot Mobile have a “gray dot” Player Card Image. – – People who are online in Riot Mobile have a “gray dot” Player Card – The failsafe “Unknown Product” icon is now a red Riot fist instead of the gray dot. – Updated the icons shown for people in LoL, LoR and WildRift – – We now detect people in Riot Mobile and TFT, and display unique icons for – Premier Updates Premier Stage E7A3 is live with a few updates and new features! As always, good luck in your games! Premier Practice There will be windows of time where you can queue for practice on select non-match days, check your calendars for the schedule! These matches will follow Premier match structure, but will not affect your Premier Score. – Enrollment Updates Teams created before or during the new ‘Team Creation Window’ will now be able to recruit members and participate in Premier at any point during the Stage! – Timeouts Every match, teams will have one timeout per side and an additional time out in Overtime. – Premier Crests Crests will now reflect your team’s performance and evolve over the entire stage. – Playoff Qualification Threshold We’re lowering the qualification threshold in this stage to 600 points. We recognize that during this busy time of the year, it can be harder to schedule your team’s matches so we wanted to make it more forgiving if you have to miss a week. – Matchmaking We’ve made some slight adjustments to find you fairer matches during the weekly matches. – Zones Some regions can’t support the same number of divisions, so we’ve made adjustments to certain zones to support generally healthier queue times and improved match fairness. – So, there you have it — that’s everything included in the Valorant 7.09 patch notes. For more about the game, make sure to check some of our other Valorant content: VCT 2024 rostermania tracker | What is Valorant Premier? | How to play Valorant Premier Stage 1 | What is the Night Market? | How to get Gun Buddies | All Valorant skin bundles | Best Valorant Agents | When is Valorant on Mobile coming out? | Best Sentinels | Best Initiators | What is Econ Rating? | How to get free loot drops | Best Duelists | Is Valorant on Mac? | Best Controllers

Valorant update 6.05 patch notes: Gekko updates, bug fixes & more Riot GamesValorant‘s new patch 6.05 is live and brings subtle changes related to Gekko. It also includes several bug fixes, performance updates, and more. So, here’s a rundown of everything included with the new 6.05 patch notes in Valorant. With only a week since Gekko’s introduction to Valorant, Riot has a new batch of reinforcements ready to improve the gameplay. Valorant’s Episode 6 Act 2 went live with the release of patch 6.04 and that included the sixth initiator, along with several other new additions. Valorant’s patch 6.05 brings several updates for Gekko and his creatures, performance updates, bug fixes, and a lot more. Having said that, let’s dive in and check out all the changes and new additions with update 6.04 in the game. Valorant update 6.05: Gekko updates and bug fixes Riot has improved Wingman’s Plant and Defuse targeting for higher locations. They have also improved the audio cues for his other abilities like Mosh Pit and Dizzy. You can now distinguish whether opponent Gekko‘s plasma blasts are directed toward you or an ally. Along with Gekko’s updates, this patch also focuses on several other issues that include a crosshair fix, social bugs, and a lot more. A new metric will also now allow players to track when their machines are Render Thread bound. Here are the full patch notes for update 6.05 according to the official release from Riot Games. Agent Updates Gekko Wingman’s (Q) Plant and Defuse targeting has been improved in order to target higher locations. – Audio Improvements Added audio variations for Mosh Pit’s (C) explosions – Audio improvements for Dizzy’s (E) plasma blasts, which will help you easily identify if it’s flying towards you or towards an ally while in the air – – VFX Improvements Added VFX to when Gekko is reclaiming an orb, as well as when the globule reclaim is complete – Improved visuals for enemy creature globules – Improved performance in Agent Select – – Performance Updates Added “CPU Wait GPU Time” metric to performance settings in order to help players track when their machines are Render Thread bound – Bugs Agent Gekko Fixed a bug where Wingman wasn’t taking melee damage – Fixed a bug where ally Gekko orbs were showing up as white outside of custom Replication. – Fixed multiple animation issues across all abilities. – Fixed UI on Gekko’s ultimate staying on screen if the round ended while you’re possessing Thrash. – Fixed a bug where Wingman wasn’t able to defuse the Spike after using Swap Team command in a Custom game. – Fixed a bug where Wingman Spike plant casting allowed him to run too far of a distance if cast in midair. – Fixed a bug where damage from Mosh Pit was avoidable while crouch jumping in the pit. – Fixed bug where Wingman’s torso wouldn’t trigger Cypher’s Trapwire (C). – Fixed a bug where the wrong animation played while casting Wingman. – Fixed a bug where Gekko wasn’t able to plant in Spike Rush if Wingman was stopped from planting. – Fixed display name of “Mosh Pit” showing up as “Mosh’s Pit”. – Gameplay Systems Fixed a crosshair issue where the Import button is grayed out if the you have 10 or more saved crosshair profiles The maximum number of profiles is still 15. – – Fixed a bug with damage-over-time area abilities where players could crouch jump to avoid damage. – Performance Used Memory performance metric now updates when Total Memory performance metric is disabled. – Social Fixed a bug where in cases of bad platform disconnection, players would appear more than once in the friends list. – Fixed a bug where voice tooltips were sometimes incorrectly rendered when turning Party/Team voice chat on and off. – Fixed a bug where the invite menu would sometimes flicker. – Fixed a bug where unfriending an online player wouldn’t update the count of online friends. – Fixed a bug where when a player enables Auto-Reject friend requests, any pending friend requests would still appear. Pending friend requests will now be auto-rejected when this setting is enabled. – Fixed a bug where the system notification confirming a sent friend request would sometimes show whitespace. – Fixed a bug to add a message notifying players that they will also be banned from playing competitive queue if they currently have a comms ban. – So, there you have it — that’s everything included in Valorant update 6.05 patch notes. For more about the game, make sure to check some of our other Valorant content: What is the Night Market? | How to get Gun Buddies | All Valorant skin bundles | Best Valorant Agents | When is Valorant on Mobile coming out? | Best Sentinels | Best Initiators | What is Econ Rating? | How to get free loot drops | Best Duelists | Is Valorant on Mac? | Best Controllers

Valorant update 6.01 patch notes: Lotus map changes, bug fixes & more Riot GamesValorant’s first patch for Episode 6 Act 1 is here with update 6.01 and there aren’t too many changes after the launch of a brand new Episode. Here is everything you need to know about the latest patch notes for Valorant. Valorant update 6.01 has arrived as the first patch for Episode 6 Act 1 and has brought the new map, Lotus into the active matchmaking pool for both, unranked as well as competitive. However, no Agents have been affected by this patch, thus leaving our Agent tier list unchanged. Given that 6.01 is the first patch of this Episode, a fairly small update was widely expected and that is exactly what Riot has delivered. Having said that, let’s dive in and check out everything that was implemented with the new update. Valorant update 6.01 patch notes One of the smaller patches in Valorant’s history, update 6.01 not only brings the introduction of Lotus to regular matchmaking but also removes the Replication game mode for the time being. However, you can still try out the Replication game mode using the custom game option. On top of these, Riot has also implemented several bug fixes with this update that not only affect the Gameplay Systems but also make several quality-of-life improvements to Lotus. With that being said, here’s the full list of changes in Valorant update 6.01 according to the official patch notes. Map Updates Lotus The volume for the rotating doors has been reduced while rotating. – The Lotus-only queue has been removed. – Lotus will now be included in the map rotation for Unrated and Competitive. – Modes Updates Replication Replication has been removed from the Modes queue. – Although we are shelving Replication temporarily, it is still available via the custom game option. – Bug Fixes Gameplay Systems Fixed a bug where occasionally the third-person flashed visual indicator on an Agent’s head wasn’t in sync with the actual flash duration. (i.e. Omen’s Paranoia [Q], Phoenix’s Curveball [Q]). – Fixed a bug where the Spike would be invisible and attempting to equip the Spike would fail after changing from Defender to Attacker in a Custom Game and picking up the Spike. – Fixed a bug where you were unable to plant the Spike after reconnecting to a match where they died while disconnected. – Fixed a bug that, while using the Marshall, prevented full reloading between shots if auto-scoping is enabled. – Maps Lotus The boost exploit in the back of B Site has been removed. – You can no longer get stuck in the rotating doors. – Breach can now use abilities on both rotating doors. – The destructible door located at A Link now has working vision cones. – The Spike can no longer get lost in the back of A Site. – Fixed a broken Spike plant spot on A Site. – – So, there you have it, that’s everything included in Valorant update 6.01 patch notes. For more about the game, make sure to check some of our other Valorant content: What is the Night Market? | How to get Gun Buddies | All Valorant skin bundles | Best Valorant Agents | When is Valorant on Mobile coming out? | Best Sentinels | Best Initiators | What is Econ Rating? | How to get free loot drops | Best Duelists | Is Valorant on Mac? | Best Controllers

Valorant update 2.04 patch notes: Astra, Escalation changes, rank updates Riot Games, DexertoA new Valorant Act is upon us, and with that comes a whole host of new content. Patch 2.04 will introduce new the Agent Astra into the game, as well as some changes to Escalation Mode and rank updates. Valorant Episode 2, Act 2 has become highly anticipated by players worldwide. With Astra finally being showcased in her full cosmic glory, there’s a lot to break down in this patch. Due to complaints regarding camping at the teleporters on Bind in Escalation mode, a whole host of fixes have been introduced to ensure that the map is playable. Additionally, it’s been returned to normal pick rate after having been cut to avoid this issue. Finally, a whole host of Ranked updates have been implemented for Radiant and Immortal players coming into the new season. Valorant Patch 2.04: Full Patch Notes AGENT UPDATES Astra goes live! – MODES UPDATES Escalation Bind Teleporter exit doors are now permanently jammed open—if you want to camp it, get ready to fight for it! There was a frustrating strategy going around where a team would gain mid TP control and then…never leave. The opposite team couldn’t reliably contest it without doing a highly coordinated “5-person YOLO TP,” or by getting lucky and advancing to nade level and blasting away. We like the focus in this area (you’ll always find a fight here!), but it can feel unfair if you’re not the team inside the TP. With this change, we’re looking to give you an avenue to contest the teleporter by preventing others from being able to stall a game. – – Bind’s pickrate is again evenly weighted During Patch 2.03 we reduced Bind’s pick rate for Escalation. We’re returning it to normal levels, but if Bind continues to be frustrating to play, we’ll look into changing its pickrate again and go back to the drawing board. – – COMPETITIVE UPDATES This patch marks the start of Competitive Episode 2: Act 2! Placements have changed for the start of an Act. Now, if you have already placed this Episode, then: – Your rank will no longer be lowered at the start of an Act If you were Radiant or Immortal rank you will keep your position on the leaderboard, but your Rank Rating(RR) will be reduced by 90% and all Radiant players will be bumped down to Immortal, because you will need to again prove that you are the best of the best in the new Act.Achieving Radiant now requires both being in the top 500 players in your region, as well as having a minimum amount of RR (See below for details). – You must finish your placement game to display on the Leaderboard again for the new Act – – You’re only required to play 1 placement match to display your rank Your RR (and potentially rank) may change based on how you perform in your placement game, but the maximum change will be based solely off of that game. – – Players who have not previously placed in Competitive this Episode will still need to play 5 placement games to earn their initial rank. – Radiant will be more challenging to earn. You must achieve a certain level of RR before being able to ascend to Radiant. This is adjusted per region based on rank population size and RR distribution. Regional requirements for Radiant cut off: LATAM & KR: 100 RR – BR: 200 Rank Rating – NA & APAC: 300 RR – EU: 400 RR – – The web leaderboard will be disabled briefly for maintenance at the start of this patch, expect it to be re-enabled within 24–48 hours – Later this patch, we’ll reduce the total amount of average RR per win/loss by 5 This is focused on reducing how often a player’s Rank gets above their MMR and leads to inconsistent RR games and a wider delta between their displayed rank and MMR. These small math tweaks will be common as we try to find the correct balance for RR based on issues we are seeing in the community. – – During this patch we will change demotion logic for players to start at 70RR(Previously 80RR). See context above – – Ranks will no longer be displayed in Agent select or in-game. You will still be able to see ranks on the end of the game screen. – You can now queue with a wider group of friends and teammates if you are at the lower ranks (see below image) At the lower ranks we have a very large number of you in our matchmaking pool, so we’re confident we can make balanced matches. As you rank up, you’ll find a tighter disparity to ensure we continue to maintain balanced matches and protect the competitive integrity of the higher ranks. – We also hope this helps combat smurfing by reducing the incentive to make a new account to play with lower rank friends. – – QUALITY OF LIFE Added Tactical Voice Over – In service of improving team coordination and information sharing, we’ve added more context to some of the automated Agent VO lines that play during the round. Announcer lines like “Spike spotted” or “Enemies spotted” will also say a map “Super Region” afterwards. (e.g., “Spike spotted C” or “Enemies spotted B”). – We hope to provide richer information to the player with these changes. Tactical VO is not meant to be a full replacement for voice comms, so callouts will be ducked in volume when a teammate is speaking over VOIP. – Overall, we hope this helps improve the quality of information that teams not heavily using voice comms are able to expect. We also believe this will improve the experience for those players who have muted another player for any reason. – – Additionally, we’ve added an option to place Tactical VO messaging into the Chat window. The toggle for this option is available under Accessibility options. With this enabled, when Tac VO lines are triggered, a Chat message will be sent relaying the information. The lines are modified to best communicate who said what. For example, instead of Sova verbally saying “Enemy spotted B”, the chat message will read “Sova spotted an ENEMY in B”. – – Tactical VO FAQ Tactical VO will not be enabled in modes – Tactical VO can be disabled via toggle – Tactical VO being ducked by VOIP can be disabled via toggle – Tactical VO Chat messages can be enabled via toggle – – Improved Client framerate by 3% on average for medium to high spec machines in 10-player games, by optimizing inventory management – BUG FIXES Fixed a bug that caused the Custom game server dropdown to loop infinitely – Fixed parts of Reyna’s Soul Orb feedback triggering when assisting kills on non-players – Fixed Reyna’s Soul Orb timer not properly syncing with its actual duration – Fixed issues where teleporting into narrow areas created by Sage’s wall with Omen’s Shrouded Step pushed him into a wall – Fixed ult active indicators not working for Killjoy, Cypher, Brimstone, Sage, Breach, Jett and Viper –

Valorant trick reveals how you can easily boost teammates to high ground Riot Games / YouTube: Sovereign GuidesBoosting isn’t a proper feature in Valorant, though this surprisingly simple trick will ensure you get to the high ground with ease every time. While the likes of Counter-Strike enabled players to boost on top of their teammates, the interaction has never played a major role in Valorant. Jumping on your allies’ heads will simply push you off to the side. You’ll never peek a corner and see two players standing on top of each other in Riot’s tactical FPS. However, boosting can come in handy when trying to reach some innovative spots on a number of maps. Rather than having to rely on a particular movement ability, there’s actually a simple way to reach the high ground through a new boosting trick. Here’s how it’s done. “It almost seems like Riot intentionally cut boosting out of the game,” Valorant YouTuber ‘Sovereign Guides’ admitted. While the standard approach won’t work, they’ve figured out a new method that “works every single time.” For this trick to work, you’re obviously going to need two players on the same page in the pre-round phase. One player needs to wedge themselves into a corner between a wall and a higher ledge. Next, turn and face that ledge you’re trying to boost up towards. Meanwhile, the other player follows in a similar fashion. The Agent helping you reach the high ground needs to wedge themselves next to you and the ledge. Once again, they must aim at the ledge before crouching, holding down their ‘W’ key, and then a directional input – either ‘A’ or ‘D’ depending on which side the ally is on. If they are to your right, they will hold down the ‘A’ key as though they’re trying to walk into you. While they have all three keys held down, it’s back to you to make this trick work. You’ll have to hold ‘W’ while looking at the ledge. Jump and then immediately hold down your crouch key until the ‘apex of your jump.’ Doing this just right will get you onto the high ground on your first attempt every time. It can take a few seconds to set up, but it’ll be the most consistent method of boosting teammates. There’s no questioning whether or not it’ll work or leave you in a rough spot as the next round begins. It’s a proven, consistent method.

Valorant pros slam new smoke changes in patch 7.08 ValorLeaksValorant pro players are hitting out and slamming Riot over the new smoke changes coming in patch 7.08. For better or worse, since Valorant‘s launch in 2020, we’ve seen a ton of changes to the popular first-person shooter. More often than not, the changes are mostly just minor tweaks to maps, weapons, and Agents to help balance the game. However, it’s fair to say some tweaks and changes aren’t well received by the community, with pro players now putting Riot on blast over the new smoke changes coming in the next patch. Valorant players slam patch 7.08 smoke changes Starting from patch 7.08, Astra, Brimstone, and Omen’s smokes will now play an audio and visual cue lasting 1.5 seconds before the smokes fade. Players have since voiced their concerns, with pro’s hitting out the update which they claim is lowering the skill ceiling. “Riot is just following their usual M.O. of lowering the skill floor to make playing at lower ranks more enjoyable and easier,” said G2’s coach JoshRT. “You still need to call out smoke timings at the pro level but it’s less punishing now.” Others claimed the devs are focusing on the wrong changes, and called on them to work on other things instead. “You’re focusing on the wrong changes,” s0m hit out. “Fix the Judge first then we can worry about the other things.” “I dislike this change a lot, feels like we are lowering the skill ceiling for controller players which sucks,” Evil Geniuses’ ScrewFace wrote. He added: “Should be interesting to see how this shakes up gunfights at least.” “Not really a big fan of this change. It gave controller players a huge advantage to know exactly when smokes fade. Overall will change a lot of fights in my opinion,” said BcJ. The 7.08 patch is now available on Valorant’s PBE, where players can test out the changes before they hit the live servers on October 16.

Valorant players want Riot to copy classic Counter-Strike mode Riot GamesValorant players are desperate for the Riot devs to copy Counter-Strike’s classic casual mode. Releasing back in 2020, Valorant certainly put a dent in the first-person shooter genre, and the game has only improved over time thanks to constant updates from Riot. Since release, players have suggested a ton of different features to be added, such as the highly-requested replay mode, as well as many ideas from other games such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. With that said, players now want a more “casual” game mode to play and are calling on the devs to take another idea from Valve’s Counter-Strike. Valorant players want “casual” CS game mode In a Reddit post on February 21, one Valorant player suggested that the devs take a page out of Valve’s book, and create a more casual mode for players to enjoy without needing to worry about being penalized if they need to leave the match. “Why doesn’t this game have a casual mode like Counter Strike? I can join a game where it’s like 8v8 or 10v10 or something in Counter Strike. I can leave whenever I want and am not penalized for it,” they wrote. The player added: “Why is there not a similar mode in Valorant? Where It’s more than 5v5 and people can come and go as they please? I’d play this game so much if there was a mode like that. But I find myself too scared to play this game. In the replies, many supported the idea, explaining it’d be useful for players who can’t commit to a full-length match. Although, as many noted other game modes such as Spike Rush and Swift Play don’t last as long, offering a quicker way to get a few games in. It isn’t the first time we’ve seen Valorant players want a feature from another game. The community has pleaded for several elements of Counter-Strike, one of the world’s biggest first-person shooters. Notably, fans have asked the devs to copy numerous ideas from CS, such as the ability to let players take control of AFK teammates, and even take mechanics from the game and turn them into an Agent. With that said, we’ll just have to wait and see if the devs take the suggestion on board in a future update.

Valorant players want new Controller Agent after Iso release Riot GamesValorant players are calling on Riot for a new Controller Agent after the latest addition to the roster ‘Iso’ has been set for release. Since Valorant‘s launch in 2020, we’ve seen a ton of new agents added to the popular first-person shooter. While starting with just 10 Agents, there are currently a staggering 22 playable Agents in the game, all with their own unique traits and quirks. Now with the next Agent ‘Iso’, a Duelist hailing from China, slated for a release with Episode 7 Act 3, players are calling on Riot to introduce a new Controller Agent for their next release. Valorant players call for new Controller after Iso In an October 24 Reddit thread, one Valorant fan put out a question to the community, asking players what Agent they’d like to see next. “Well, we just saw that Iso got released. What will be next?” they asked. “I think it should be as a Controller as Valorant has not released a Controller since a long time.” Most of the community agreed, with many admitting they’d like to see a new Controller join the ever-growing roster of Agents. “I would like to have a Brim/Omen competitor. Someone who can place the smokes precisely anywhere he wants,” said one “Hopefully a controller as the role keeps getting nerfs,” another added. “Controller. I just hope it’s not another wall like controller,” said a third. With Iso set for release with Episode 7 Act 3, it’s likely we won’t be seeing another Agent release for quite some time. However, a new Controller sometime in Episode 8 wouldn’t be completely out of the question.

Valorant players discover “CSGO” easter egg in new Black Market butterfly knife FlexinjaValorant fans are shocked after finding an easter egg with the new butterfly knife that copies CSGO knives. Being a free-to-play title it’s no wonder Riot puts so much focus into in-game cosmetics, which drives a ton of revenue for the devs. Since Valorant’s release, we’ve seen hundreds of cosmetics, and the Black Market bundle is among the latest skins to be released on April 12. Many have shown distaste towards the new bundle, accusing the skins of being a straight copy of weapons from CSGO. To add to the fire, an easter egg has been found that gives the knives a striking resemblance to rare knives in CSGO. Valorant players Black Market knife easter egg Content creator Flexinja was one of the first to notice the easter egg, with the Valorant YouTuber noting the melee’s variety of variants that take more inspiration from Counter-Strike — looking similar to the Fade and Blue Gem chromas. “Apparently Riot added an easter egg to the new Black Market butterfly knife where the blade can become Fade, Blue Gem, or Tigertooth colored, similar to CS,” he wrote. “Not sure how to do the easter egg, but it seems like a missed opportunity to add these as buyable variants.” According to notable dataminer ValorLeaks, the new Black Market knife does have a random chance to become a Fade or Sapphire variant — although it’ll only stick around for one round. However, it seems like the variant is quite rare to find in-game, with odds of it appearing being extremely low. While some players have claimed to find the variants in as little as 50 rounds, it’s taken others hundreds. “Took me about 600 rounds to get the blue gem,” said one player. “It stays for the whole half, if you switch sides like in overtime it goes away.” Some haven’t been lucky at all, and are still yet to find the variants, leading them to believe the whole thing is actually a joke. “I don’t know if this is a joke or not, I was 600 rounds in and didn’t get anything,” one wrote. It certainly seems to be a rare occurrence to stumble across the variants, so think yourself lucky if you managed to see it for yourself in-game.

Valorant players demand replay system in 2022 to improve competitive play Riot Games, DexertoValorant players are demanding Riot Games add a long-desired replay system to the game in 2022 to improve the competitive scene moving forward. Valorant’s release in 2020 left out a crucial feature that many players were astonished to find wasn’t in the game – a replay mode that allows players watch previous matches and analyze them. A replay system has been introduced in many competitive games such as Fortnite, Counter-Strike, Call of Duty, and others. Its purpose is to allow players and coaches to examine their matches. However, after almost two years since Valorant’s release, the feature that was promised to “definitely” come still hasn’t arrived, and fans are becoming impatient. In a January 21 Reddit post, Valorant player Runiten demanded the devs add the replay system in 2022 after it was promised by the devs during the beta that it would be added. “We need replays,” said Runiten. “From the esports side of things, teams would get the analysis tool they deserve with a replay system, instead of having to watch a VOD or a recorded game from a single perspective. “From the competitive, ranked ladder side of things, individuals would no longer have to record their games and could also learn from watching the enemy’s perspective of their own actions. From the casual side of things, that friend who popped off one round and killed the whole enemy team with the bucky could watch it again and again and again.” Other fans agreed, and are confused why it was never added during the game’s development: “How this wasn’t built into the game’s development process is mind-blowing to me,” said one player. Another added: “I was surprised it’s not in the game after pulling a few good plays without having OBS running. You’d think a feature like that would be in by default.” In April 2020, during Valorant’s beta, a Riot dev confirmed that a replay mode won’t be at launch, but will definitely be added at some point. However, it took Riot seven years to develop a replay mode for League of Legends, so it could be a little while longer till we see it in Valorant. Players, though, want it as soon as possible.

Valorant players demand Deadlock rework to fix “worst agent in the game by a mile” Riot GamesValorant fans are demanding a rework for Deadlock, which they claim is the “worst Agent in the game by a mile.” With 23 Agents now in the game, Valorant is vastly different from what it was at launch. Thankfully, the devs have done a solid job at keeping the game balanced, continuously making tweaks to various maps, weapons, and Agents as they see fit. The community has always had its say too, calling on Riot to make changes and suggesting ideas to improve the game overall. Now, the community is calling for Riot to rework one of the game’s newest Agents Deadlock, where despite releasing just a few Acts ago, they claim she’s the worst out of the current roster. Valorant players call for Deadlock rework In a November 11 Reddit thread, one Valorant player started a discussion regarding whether or not Deadlock needs a rework to keep up with other Agents. The player noted that while the Agent is meant to have a different play style from the rest in its class, the Sentinel simply falls behind compared to others. “In a world where Cypher’s trips slows you down, stun you, spots you, deal damage, and reactivate after a short period. We have deadlocks stun that, stuns (sometimes),” they wrote. “I know she is meant to have a different play style, but it don’t seems right to me.” In the replies, others agree that the Agent desperately needs a rework, with some even claiming the Norwegian is the “worst by a mile.” “I mean yeah it’s the worst agent in the game by a mile,” said one. “She doesn’t need a buff she needs a rework,” wrote another. “She needs like 5 buffs,” a third added. According to some in higher elo’s and pro play, the Agent is practically nonexistent — further proving she needs changes. “Deadlock might even need a rework and not just a few buffs. In high elo and pro play she practically does not exist,” one noted. It’s unlikely we’ll see some significant changes to the Agent anytime soon. However, with Episode 8 set to be the next major update, there’s a chance we could see some tweaks then.

Valorant players blast “sh**test” battle pass after Episode 8 launch Riot GamesValorant fans are taking aim at the battle pass, claiming it’s the worst when compared to any other game following Episode 8’s launch. Valorant has seen an absolute ton of cosmetics be added to the game ever since its launch. Every patch consistently includes a brand-new skin bundle, while every Act always brings a new battle pass for players to grind through to unlock various weapon skins, buddies, and more. However, following Episode 8’s recent launch on January 9, the Valorant community has put the Riot devs on blast, claiming they have the worst battle pass out of any game. Valorant fans criticize “worst” battle pass In a Reddit post on January 11, one player kicked off a discussion amongst the community after criticizing Valorant’s battle pass. “I am sure the game has the sh**test battle pass among all of the games,” they wrote. “The radiant point should not be the main item in the battle pass.” They added: “There should be some skins with low animation effects in the battle pass. But not those sh*t skins that no one would like to equip with.” In the replies, others agreed that Valorant’s battle system has its flaws. Some pointed out that games such as Fortnite and Apex Legends give back currency that can be used to purchase the next battle pass, unlike Riot’s first-person shooter. Others hit out at how long it takes to complete the battle pass in its entirety, while many aimed at the “trash” skins it contains. “Only thing I complain about is how much XP it takes to complete. If I’m playing any other game in my spare time that basically means I’m not gonna finish the pass,” said one. “Or it comes down to the very last day. Not joking I’ve completed at least 3 passes on the last day.” “As much as I love the game, I f**king hate the battle pass skins,” wrote another. “Valorant battle pass skins are trash to be honest,” they added. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen the community fire their shots at the battle pass. While Riot is known for listening and taking on feedback, it’s unlikely we’ll see any changes soon.

All Agent buffs and nerfs in Valorant update 1.11: Killjoy, Breach and Cypher Riot GamesWhile Skye is clearly the most exciting aspect of the new Valorant 1.11 update, let’s not forget the other agents who have received some attention this patch. [jwplayer H8KK3r5D] Patch 1.11 has seen a wealth of updates to the Valorant world but the game’s newest agent, Skye, has certainly managed to steal the limelight from her fellow agents. Hailing from Australia and taking the concept of eco warrior to a whole new level, Skye is certainly something to be excited about. Yet there a lot of other things to be excited (and slightly disappointed) over regarding the game’s newest patch. S-Tier character Cypher has seen some game-changing nerfs that may possibly end his current reign of terror, and there’s been a bit more balance introduced to stabilize Killjoy and Breach. So yes, get excited about Skye but spare a thought to some of our favorite Sentinels and Infiltrators. Check out the full patch notes for all of the information regarding some of our favorite agents. Agent Changes: Infiltrator Breach The main change to the Infiltrator class comes in the form of changes to Breach. The increase in his Full Flash time from 1.75 – 2 makes him a slightly less dominant force, but he still remains one of the game’s most powerful agents. Breach: Full flash time increased from 1.75 >>> 2 – Read more: Valorant players call for big changes to Rank system in Act III. Sentinel Killjoy It’s the Sentinel class, however, that’s seen the biggest amount of adjustment this time around. This was to be expected, considering Killjoy was earning a bit of a reputation for being overpowered. The main changes taking place are to her turret, which as less cooldown but a now deactivate when she moves out with a 40m radius of the tiny bundles of bullet infested joy. This also applies to her Alarmbot, which has seen significant buffs. The cooldown of the Alarmbot after pickup has been reduced from 20 seconds to 7, with the radius at which they are detected being decreased from 9m to 7m. A final change has been made to her Nanoswarm, whose detection range has been decreased from 5m to 3.5m but the damage has been buffed from 40/s to 45/s. The damage also ticks much more smoothly, ending the burst damage that the Nanoswarm does and simplifying how it does damage. Deactivation Range Alarmbot and Turret now deactivate if she is more than 40m away from them—reentering the 40m range reactivates her little friends. – Turret Cooldown after pickup reduced from 20 seconds >>> 10 seconds – Nanoswarm Range at which Nanoswarm can be detected decreased from 5m >>> 3.5m – Damage increased from 40/s >>> 45/s – Damage now ticks smoother and faster while in Nanoswarm, instead of in chunks of 10 every ¼ of a second – Alarmbot Range at which Alarmbot can be detected decreased from 9m >>> 7m – Cooldown after pickup reduced from 20 seconds >>> 7 seconds. – Cypher The other agent who has seen quite significant nerfs is Cypher, whose Trapwire and Spy Cameras are now visible and destroyed after the agent is killed. This ends his reign of silent terror, allowing the other agents to tread a little heavier – but not too heavy, after all. Trapwire – disabled and revealed upon death. – Spy Cameras – disabled and revealed upon death. – So while Skye is a particularly exciting new addition to the Valorant agent roster, this collection of buffs and nerfs could see the game’s meta start to change. It’ll be exciting to watch how the meta changes around Skye and changes to adapt to these new buffs and nerfs, and this is made even more exciting by the imminent esports scene. Strap in, it’s going to be wild.

Valorant fans propose genius Chamber nerf to finally balance overpowered Agent Riot GamesValorant fans have suggested a genius Chamber nerf that will finally balance the overpowered Sentinel. One agent has dominated the game since its release. Of course, we’re talking about Chamber, the French Sentinel that has been at the top and tearing up the meta since the end of Episode 3. While the Riot devs have tried numerous changes across various patches to try to balance Chamber, he remains to be one of the most popular Agents in the game. With a high pick rate of 47%, according to stat tracker site Valorbuff, it’s clear that changes are needed, and fans have suggested a few nerfs that they think will finally balance him. Valorant fans suggest ultimate Chamber nerf As a solution to balance him once and for all, Valoant player ‘iTCHYTRIGGERZ’ suggested that the devs introduce a 1.5-2 second cooldown on the activation of Rendezvous ability immediately after firing a droppable weapon inside the anchor radius. “The combination of Chamber’s abilities allow for far too much safety for how much control the agent can exert,” the player said in a detailed Reddit thread. “The big design ‘problem’ for Riot to consider is that Chamber’s design is very closely related to his gadgets and their functionality. Simply taking away Chamber’s teleport would destroy the basis of his design. “No matter what purchasable/droppable weapon Chamber is holding an angle with, he should be forced to stay engaged in any gunfight if he chooses to use that weapon.” Also, giving him a bit of a boost, it was proposed that there should be a decrease from 0.3 to .10 or .15 seconds in the Headhunter ability equip time. “By making the equip time faster, would also lend well to emphasizing the player’s ability to use Chamber’s special weaponry,” the player noted. The suggested changes got a ton of support from the community, with many fans agreeing that’d like to see the changes implemented. “First time in a while I’ve seen someone suggest an actual good change on Reddit. Good job, mate,” one fan said. “As a chamber main, I like these nerf ideas, some of the best I’ve seen,” said another. It’s no secret that Riot is looking to make further changes to Chamber. Though it’s likely, we’ll be waiting a bit longer before we see any, as the devs need to take their time to get him balanced.

Valorant Evori Dreamwings skinline: Release date, price & weapons Riot GamesEvori Dreamwings is the first premium skin bundle released with Valorant Episode 9 Act 1. Here’s everything you need to know about the bundle, from its price to the weapon skins you get. Valorant has finally stepped into Episode 9 Act 1 with the release of patch 9.00. While the cute companions from the Evori Dreamwings bundle are sure to steal hearts, the new Battle Pass will also be an economical purchase for players. The Evori Dreamwings bundle is colorful, magical, and has animations involving creatures like cat, bunny, bear, mouse, and butterfly – taking inspiration from the Star Guardian universe of League of Legends, making players fall in love with the “magical girl” in it. Valorant Evori Dreamwings bundle release date and price The Evori Dreamwings bundle will be released on June 27, 2024. Considering you need to have 9,900 VP for the bundle, it will cost roughly $105. The bundle will release exactly two days after Episode 9 Act 1’s launch. Riot has confirmed on their June 20 post that starting patch 9.00, skins will arrive roughly two days after an official patch drops. While Battlepasses will come one day later instead. Here are the full details of the Valorant Evori Dreamwings bundle: Bundle Cost: 9,900 VP (includes four gun skins, one melee weapon, one gun buddy, five animated cards, and five titles) – Weapons: Evori’s Spellcaster (melee): 4,850 VP – Ghost: 2,475 VP – Odin: 2,475 VP – Spectre: 2,475 VP – Vandal: 2,475 VP – – Variants: Pink variant (finisher VFX also changes) – Green variant (finisher VFX also changes) – Orange variant (finisher VFX also changes) – – Both the PC and console versions of Valorant will get the bundle on June 27. If you’re new to Valorant, especially on consoles, check our best controller settings and the best crosshairs pros use in VCT.

Valorant’s controversial RGX 11Z Pro skins re-enabled after devs fix FPS issues The release of Valorant’s RGX 11z Pro skin bundle with patch 3.07 caused a stir. Dubbed as the “pay to lose skins,” players experienced FPS drops in-game while using the new cosmetics, forcing Riot Games to temporarily disable the premium cosmetics until a fix was deployed one week later. Inspired by gaming hardware, the RGX 11z bundle are the latest skins to join the vast collection in Valorant. Including all-new features such as a kill counter, along with reactive gun buddies and color changes on the various weapons, the latest bundle is the first of its kind. Though with the arrival of the bundle in Valorant patch 3.07 came some in-game performance issues, with the skins being labeled “pay to lose” as players experienced frame rate drops while using them. New #VALORANT skin bundle: RGX 11z Pro, with a Katana melee! This bundle is inspired by “”high end gaming hardware.”” 🔺 Kill counter 🔺 Bullets holes match LED color 🔺 Color changes on inspect 🔺 Gun buddy reacts when you fire pic.twitter.com/gsmqWXnnpQ— Valorant News (@ValorINTEL) October 5, 2021 The bundle announcement was met with hype from the community, but the release was met with disappointed players. Immediately we saw reports of performance issues flooding in across social media, and a post on Valorant’s subreddit highlighting the problems climbed to the top. More and more players began pouring in with their experiences, with even Valorant pro Shahzeb ‘ShahZaM’ Khan tweeting that he got 100 less FPS when using the new Vandal skin. A Riot dev shorlty followed up to the reports, revealing in a Reddit comment that there’s an ongoing investigation that will determine if a hotfix is required. “We’re doing some investigation into the full severity of it and will determine if we hotfix this or push an update in the next patch. We’ll make sure we communicate what we decide to do.” Hours later and the official Valorant Twitter account announced the highest tier variants would be blocked altogether. Players were unable to purchase “Level 5 and variants for the gun in this skin set,” Riot explained on October 8. As a stopgap, we’re disabling purchases of Level 5 and variants for the guns in this skin set. You can still purchase all other levels and all the melee levels. A full fix is still in the works. Stay tuned. https://t.co/SrpEset3SO — VALORANT (@VALORANT) October 8, 2021 Other variants were still accessible over the following days, though the problematic tier wasn’t fixed until October 12. All tiers of the RGX 11Z Pro gun skins were finally re-enabled seven days after their troublesome introduction. We’ve deployed a fix for the performance issues with the RGX 11Z Pro gun skins. You should now be able to purchase all levels and variants. Apologies for the hassle! https://t.co/paE5SIdezN — VALORANT (@VALORANT) October 12, 2021 “You should now be able to purchase all levels and variants,” Riot confirmed. We’ll be sure to keep you up to speed right here if any further issues continue after the October 12 fix.

Valorant devs explain how Indian mythology inspired new agent Harbor Riot GamesIn a recent Twitch interview, the Valorant Character and Narrative dev team spoke about upcoming agent Harbor, discussing the progress in ensuring the Indian agent was an authentic and realistic representation of the culture and heritage. Valorant has made a name for itself with how developer Riot Games has been able to capture and bring to life different cultures through each new Agent that is brought into the game. New hero Harbor is the next example of this, with members of the Riot Games development team detailing how the character has been brought to life, why they chose now as the time to introduce an Indian agent, and what sort of research was done in order to flesh out Harbor. Ryan Clements – one of devs on Valorant’s character and narrative team, spoke during the October 17 dev team stream about why they “weren’t interested in the Western concept of an adventurer and treasure hunter.” “We wanted something different”, began Clements. “We wanted something that felt right for engaging from India so that’s why we really wanted to lean into this special operative, military guy that is an expert and has integrity.” Clements then added that, “obviously he is a big, muscular force on the battlefield but we wanted him to be able to come in there and to do things that are much more about the academic as well.” For the character team, it was also important that Harbor was a reflection of the heroes that are seen in Indian culture. “When you look at Indian myth and Indian literature, their heroes are much more multifaceted than traditional Hollywood action heroes…You have this amazing tradition that we wanted to honor and celebrate.” Expanding on Clements’ points, developer John Goscicki broke down the original concept for the new Agent and how the team decided that now was the right time to bring an Indian hero to Valorant. “When we started the exploration for Harbor, India had been coming up over and over again. There’s tonnes of history, culture that should be celebrated and looked at when it comes to how we create agents and we represent all of the players around the world and so it was more of a matter of when are we going to make an Indian agent not if we’re going to make one.” To ensure that Harbor was as authentic as possible, Goscicki revealed that there was “a tremendous amount of research” that went into bringing the new Indian Valorant agent to life. “We watch a lot of movies, we read books, we look up as much stuff as we can online. We hired an academic consultant to talk to. We met with a lot of Indian writers around the office and so it’s just about coming from a place of, we need to learn and know more to respect the culture and the history and the players themselves. So when they’re picking this agent they are seeing parts of their culture represented in them.” Harbor is officially set to release as part of Episode 5 Act 3 on Tuesday, October 18. He joins the game alongside all new content in the latest battle pass.

Valorant devs explain how Harbor is different from other controllers in-game Riot GamesIn a recent Twitch interview, members of the Valorant dev team spoke about new agent Harbor, discussing how the character shapes up in-game when compared to the other controllers characters. It’s always an exciting time when a new agent is added to Valorant. As part of Episode 5, Act 3 of the game, players can expect to finally get their hands on Indian hero Harbor. A character who has been heavily inspired by Indian mythology and draws from the country’s culture in a big way. And while the Valorant community won’t have to wait long to test out the character, the dev team has provided some insight into what the community should expect from Harbor as he begins to be fully integrated into the game. Alexander Mistakidis – one of devs on Valorant’s character and narrative team, spoke during the October 17 dev team stream about how Harbor is unique to his fellow controller counterparts. What sets him about from the others as well as the way he does overlap with other pre-existing characters. “I think that is something I hope players experiment with. There are maps where you really need a wall controller to control the area and make those executes work.” And while Harbor will be unique to other controllers, Mistakidis adds that he will also play in a similar way to Viper. “We think that Viper has historically been the only one that can fulfill that purpose” Mistakidis then explains how “Harbor is similar in that they both have this wall smoke almost on the other side of the spectrum.” However, it appears Valorant players should expect Harbor to play as one of the more aggressive controllers in-game. “He can somewhat help with the defense but he’s really good at taking ground and being more aggressive.” Later describing him as the “good big brother,” players can expect Harbor to be “spending his resources to get you to move forward as a team.” Harbor is officially set to release as part of Episode 5 Act 3 on Tuesday, October 18. He joins the game alongside all new content in the latest battle pass.

Valorant devs accidentally leak new ‘Daedalus’ skin bundle Riot GamesValorant devs have accidentally leaked an upcoming skin bundle named Daedalus. Riot Games’ first-person shooter Valorant is filled with tons of weapons skins that allow players to add a bit of flair to their account. Even with hundreds of skins in the game to choose from, more keep on coming, and fans keep on buying. The latest cosmetics to be released was the Reaver 2.0 collection — as the devs brought back Valorant’s most popular skins which were first released during the game’s beta in 2020, and it’s fair to say the community loved it. Now, it looks like we’ve got a sneak peak at what cosmetics are in store going forward, as the devs accidentally leaked a new bundle named Daedalus. Valorant devs leak new skin bundle In a now deleted tweet on the official Valorant account, it seems as if the Riot leaked an upcoming skin bundle by accident. As shown by credible leaker ValorLeaks who screenshotted the tweet, the new skin bundle — which is named Daedalus — seems to be a recreation of the Asgard collection that was datamined during the game’s beta. The Asgard skins, also known as Drips, were never released for players to buy, but it seems like they’ll get their chance soon according to the deleted tweet. “The ‘horrendously ugly’ Drips skin from Valorant Beta was originally a high concept god-like piece of weaponry internally known as Asgard. Daedalus is the team’s chance to give that skin the redemption arc it deserves,” the tweet read. In a now deleted tweet. VALORANT accidentally announced an upcoming Skinline: Daedalus | #VALORANT pic.twitter.com/OVCYsU20qb — ValorLeaks | Valorant Leaks & Info (@ValorLeaks) August 12, 2022 Earlier this year, dataminer known as xtr leaked three different Vandal skins, one of which named Daedalus. It’s clear that the skin was still a work in progress, with no variants or upgradeable options available. Now, a few months later, it seems like its ready to be released. It’s unknown when we might see the new bundle released. Typically, Riot releases a new skin collection with every patch. If Riot continues with their typical schedule, the next update is expected to release on August 23, meaning we could see Daedalus skins arrive then.

Valorant dev shuts down Shroud’s ‘Losers Queue’ theory A Valorant dev has shut down Michael ‘shroud‘ Grzesiek’s theory regarding Riot Games purposely having a “Losers Queue” which tries to keep players on the game. The idea of a “losers queue” isn’t exactly a new concept. With the goal of keeping you hooked for as long as possible, some players believe you’re purposely placed into a lobby with others that have also lost their previous matches to give you better odds of winning. While there’s no proof of such thing existing, it can certainly sometimes feel like it. If you’re a gamer who keeps chasing the win all night, it may feel as if the lobbies are getting easier with each soul-crushing defeat. However, a Riot Games dev has confirmed to the community that the idea of a “losers queue” in Valorant is simply just a myth after shroud discussed the theory on stream. Valorant dev shuts down ‘Losers Queue’ claims During a recent broadcast, shroud caught wind of the losers queue theory through his chat. While he was reluctant to believe at first, the 28-year-old streamer came round to the idea. “That makes a lot of sense actually,” shroud said, before asking his teammates if they’d lost their previous game. Further supporting the idea, they all did, leaving shroud absolutely puzzled as he did as well. However, according to Valorant’s Senior Competitive Designer Jon ‘EvrMoar’ Walker, losers queue isn’t actually a thing. “Game analytics, for every game I’ve worked on, has shown ‘losing matches consecutively is one of the main reasons players quit’; because of this reason, there is no ‘Losers Queue’ in Valorant,” the dev said. Ranked Fact Friday! — EvrMoar (@RiotEvrMoar) July 22, 2022 I saw a video featuring @Shroud, and I wanted to talk about it! Game analytics, for every game I’ve worked on, has shown “”losing matches consecutively is one of the main reasons players quit””; because of this reason, there is no “”Losers Queue”” in VALORANT. He continued in a thread: “The rumor is that we are trying to get you addicted, to get you to play more. I personally do not think this is good for the game, but it also does not meet our goals of just wanting to make a great game,” EvrMoar explained. “It would be in our best interest to actually make sure you win a game after starting to lose streak, which is why you see mobile games put you into bot matches if you lose a ton. I don’t have an answer as to why it might feel like ‘Losers Queue”‘ is real sorry. “To finish this out, we do not manipulate queue. It’s very straightforward and just tries to find two teams that provide a 50:50 chance of either team winning and pitting them against each other. Research shows fair matchmaking keeps players, not unfair manipulated matchmaking.” While many are still unconvinced, we’ve heard it from the source themselves. We may never know why it feels like losers queue exists, but rest assured its all just a myth.

Valorant continues smurf crackdown with Ranked change coming patch 1.13 Riot GamesRiot Games has announced yet another step to reduce the number of smurf accounts in Valorant’s ranked experience, with the next change coming in patch 1.13. Smurfing is always going to be an issue in highly competitive titles. Especially games that are free to play with no added costs for making multiple accounts. Players that want to grind at different ranks, or have multiple Radiant accounts, have been able to do so without much difficulty thus far. Up until now, so long as you register a separate email address, playing on a fresh account couldn’t be easier. 10 Unrated games and you’re off to the races, tearing it up in the competitive playlist. However, Riot has just announced the next step in its plan to combat the issue. While it may seem like a simple change, patch 1.13 should help cut back on the ever-growing number of smurf accounts in the FPS. As soon as the next major update arrives, things will be a little different for fresh accounts. Whether you’re swapping over to a new smurf, or booting up the game for the first time, all Valorant accounts will need to meet one criteria; rather than playing 10 Unrated games, every account will now have to win 10 Unrated games. This may come across as a minor tweak at first, though it should lead to a bigger impact than first meets the eye. When creating a smurf, grinding out those 10 games can be done fairly quickly. There’s no need to play well and no need to strive for a victory. You could theoretically hold your ‘W’ key down each round and be done in a few hours. That won’t be the case once patch 1.13 is deployed. Smurfs will need to actively pursue wins no different to everyone else in the lobby. There won’t be anymore handouts on the grind to unlocking the competitive mode. As the community suggested such a change, Riot’s very own Game Producer ‘npcSara’ confirmed that “[they’ll] be doing this in the next patch.” There’s no date set in stone just yet, but we’re now three weeks removed from the latest Valorant update. So expect to see 1.13 relatively soon. If you’re wanting to create a secondary account in future, this change should give you pause. It’s a much bigger time commitment to win 10 games than it is to simply play 10 games. So the increase of smurfs should be noticeably smaller moving forward. Keep your eyes peeled for any additional tidbits over the coming days as we approach the next update. Valorant’s 1.13 patch could be the last before Episode 2 kicks off in mid-January 2021.

Valorant community torn as Riot elects Sage as the game’s “mommy” Riot GamesRiot has all but made it official, labeling Sage as the game’s “mommy” on social media, and such a groundbreaking announcement has left the Valorant community torn. In an effort to flesh out Valorant’s lore, Riot has been releasing official art of its games’ characters in various missions on their Twitter over the past few months, even officially revealing a relationship between two of its female characters, Killjoy and Raze. In the latest lore tweet, they have officially elected Sage as the game’s “middle seat mommy”, with a picture of Neon and Jett sleeping on Sage’s shoulders. The picture is part of a series of official art depicting the three characters on a Lunar New Year-based adventure. The term, Mommy Sage, has been a long-running meme in the Valorant community, with Twitch streamer sagemommy69 popularizing it. It plays off the fact Sage was the game’s original healer and constantly took care of the team. And now Riot has playfully labeled her as such. The community reacted quite positively to it as Riot recognizes one of its game’s long-standing memes. Reacting with memes of their own at the absurdity of Riot calling one of their beloved characters “mommy”. One such response came from NRG player thwifo tagging his teammate, aridiis, saying, “you’re my middle seat mommy.” Others questioned who is posting it on the main Valorant account, such as VCT Caster Brennon Hook playfully asking, “naaah whos running this?”Others such as Valorant Streamer WestJett jokingly said they are succumbing to the Edaters and that he’s going to play Minecraft instead. Poking fun at another ongoing joke in Valorant about how the game has turned into a quasi-Edating platform. Of course, the post was not meant to be taken seriously, as it is just Riot’s attempt to expand Valorant’s lore, as they have done in League of Legends. And they generally have a good track record of in-game lore writing, creating the critically acclaimed Arcane, which was based on League of Legends.

Valorant dev reveals long-awaited Chamber nerf after agent dominates meta Riot GamesRiot Games’ Jeff Landa has unveiled PBE nerfs to Chamber, following weeks of players pleading with the devs to nerf the FPS’ runaway favorite agent. Chamber was added to Riot Games’ acclaimed FPS back in Act 3 Episode 3, bringing charm, style, and charisma into Valorant. Since his November 2021 addition, he has established himself as a comfortable favorite in terms of pick-rate and win-rate – especially at the recent Masters Copenhagen event. His abilities generally center around firepower with utility secondary but, in the midst of his relative strength, the game’s player-base has been calling for a meaningful nerf for some time. It appears they will be getting their way too, with Riot Games dev Jeff Landa revealing full details of a Chamber nerf currently being tested in public beta. Riot reveal Chamber nerf being tested in Valorant In a July 30 tweet, Landa revealed the nerf currently available in beta ahead of its expected implementation in the full game. Testing agent balancing in closed environments beforehand is typical and, assuming the stats reflect Riot’s thinking, it’s likely to be added in a future update. The first changes relate to Chamber’s Signature Ability ‘Rendezvous’, seeing it’s base and recall cooldown increased by 50%, from 20 seconds to 30 seconds. The cooldown will also be set at the lengthier time of 45 seconds when an anchor is destroyed, and its radius reduced from 21 meters to 15 meters. On Chamber’s Basic Ability ‘Trademark’, its slow duration has been decreased from 9.5 seconds to 6 seconds. His other Basic Ability ‘Headhunter’ has also been nerfed, with its bullet cost increased from 100 to 150. Finally, the powerful Ultimate ‘Tour De Force’ will now require 8 Ultimate Points as opposed to 7, as well as seeing its slow duration decreased in an identical way to ‘Trademark’; from 9.5 seconds to 6. Because such changes have been in demand for a while, players generally seemed please at their announcement. With every aspect of his kit weakened it does seem that, assuming they ultimately translate to the full game, Chamber’s era of dominance will be no more.

Valorant and Genshin Impact players need to get this anime shooter on their wishlist now iDreamSkyStrinova is an upcoming third-person shooter that blends Valorant’s tactical gameplay with the vibrant character design of Genshin Impact. While it’s still early days for the new game, it’s certainly one that should be on your radar. If you haven’t heard of Strinova, then you’d be forgiven – after all, the anime game is still in beta on Steam. However, you’ll be in for a treat if you’re lucky enough to get access. While Strinova may look like Genshin Impact with guns, it has more similarities with the tactical FPS Valorant. Strinova is a 5v5 shooter that puts heavy emphasis on its Genshin Impact-style characters. The game is currently home to 15 units, named Superstrings, who are tied to three factions (Painting Utopia Security, The Scissors, and Urbino). Strinova is more than a Valorant clone Both Genshin and Valorant players will feel instantly at home here, as each unit has its own active, passive, and ultimate, which can give you an edge over your foes. These abilities range from deadly defensive turrets to helpful intel-based beacons that reveal enemy locations. Unlike Valorant, Strinova’s characters come equipped with their own primary and secondary weapon. The usual arsenal of assault rifles, speedy SMGs, close-range shotguns, and high-precision snipers are found here, so there’s plenty of choice. Weapons can be either fired in third-person or first-person mode, and you’ll need to master their recoil and firing patterns if you want to land those all-important headshots. While you may be unable to switch between weapons, they can be upgraded using Energy Points during matches. This allows you to purchase new optics, improve your armor, and upgrade your character’s abilities. However, the real fun begins when you utilize the game’s clever multidimensional ability – Stringification. By pressing CTRL, your character’s model will instantly switch from 3D to 2D. Once you’ve changed to 2D, your character can glide from high locations, stick to walls, and evade enemy bullets. You can even slip through areas that would otherwise be impossible to pass through when in 3D mode. Not only does this open up unique ways to traverse your environment, but the outplay potential here is extremely high. Whether it’s simply going 2D to evade enemy bullets, sticking to walls to flank around your foes, or simply using it to hide from those frustrating 2v1 situations. It’s definitely one of the most interesting mechanics I’ve seen from a third-person shooter since Splatoon switched things up with its colorful ink swimming feature. In fact, I found myself questioning why no one has tried adding a Paper Mario-style ability to an FPS game before – it’s an absolute game-changer! While Strinova’s ranked TDM, Overwatch-style escort mode, and battle royale scrimmage playlists won’t win any awards for their originality – the devs have revealed that more maps and modes are in the works. Either way, Strinova’s characters and multidimensional gameplay make it an easy recommendation for Valorant and Genshin Impact players. Strinova doesn’t have a release date, but you can sign up for the beta test on Steam or via the official website.

Valorant Agent 17 delayed: Riot announce change to Act 3 plans Riot GamesValorant’s next Agent, suspected to be named ‘Deadeye’, has been delayed for two weeks, as devs reveal they can’t meet quality expectations in time for the Episode 3, Act 3 update. It’s been quite some time since we’ve seen a release of a new Valorant agent. With the last release being KAY/O with Episode 3 Act 1 in June, players are eagerly awaiting the release of Agent 17. However, a Riot announcement has revealed that the next Valorant agent has been delayed for two more weeks beyond the initial planned release date. Riot’s announcement revealed that the devs have made the decision to delay the release of the agent to ensure quality is of a standard that players would be happy with. “As development progressed on the new Agent, it was clear to us that they were not at the quality bar you’ve come to expect from us. It’s why we’ve opted to hold the Agent for an additional two weeks, while we work on polishing up those final aspects,” the devs revealed. “Our concern is that gameplay clarity, such as visual cues of what the Agent is doing, was not quite there yet.” We’re delaying the release of our next Agent for two weeks (one patch cycle) after the start of Episode 3 Act III. Get the full details, including when you’ll get to see them, from @RiotMEMEMEMEME here: https://t.co/u3kohI8EV4 pic.twitter.com/8f3alxRbwf — VALORANT (@VALORANT) October 28, 2021 Originally expected on November 2 with the release of Act 3, Agent 17 will now instead release a patch later with 3.10 on November 16. Although this delay is a huge blow to the players that desperately want new Valorant content, it isn’t all bad news. We should still expect a slew of new changes with the Episode 3 Act 3 patch, which will of course arrive with a whole new battle pass.

Valkyrie Elysium: Release date, platforms, gameplay & everything we know Square EnixValkyrie Elysium, the latest title in the beloved action-RPG series is on the horizon. Here’s everything you need to know about the release date, launch platforms, trailer, and more. Square Enix has announced the release of Valkyrie Elysium, a brand new entry in the ever-growing RPG series. The first game was originally released on the PlayStation back in 1999 and since then, these Norse-themed games have enjoyed a cult following in the west. However, Square Enix aims to bring the Valkyrie franchise to even more fans with the arrival of Valkyrie Elysium. So, if you’re interested in this upcoming game and wish to know more about it, then our release date hub has outlined everything you need to know. Contents Valkyrie Elysium release date and platforms – Valkyrie Elysium details – Valkyrie Elysium gameplay trailer – Release date and platforms Valkyrie Elysium will release on September 29, 2022, on PS5 and PS4 consoles. The title will also make its way to PC via the Steam Store on November 11, 2022. No news has been announced on whether the game will eventually make its way to Xbox, but we’ll update this section as soon we hear any details. Make sure to check back regularly for any updates on the release window. Gameplay trailer Valkyrie Elysium’s trailer showcased the game’s real-time combat system, which focuses on quick reactions and strategic thinking. The protagonist can be seen utilizing both magical abilities and melee-based attacks to crush her foes. Just like previous titles in the series, the game also features flashy finishing moves and combos – some of which are showcased in the footage above. Make sure you check out the trailer below to get a glimpse of the game before release: Valkyrie Elysium details According to the official press release, the game “draws on the richness of Norse mythology to present an original story set in a world on the brink of destruction, full of danger and fast-paced action combat.” Players will have encounters with the very gods themselves and take up arms against the evil forces trying to crush humanity. So, there you have it, everything we know about Valkyrie Elysium. Be sure to check out our other release hubs to get the latest updates on all the upcoming launches. The Elder Scrolls 6 | GTA 6 | Overwatch 2 | Assassin’s Creed Infinity | Wolverine | Spider-Man 2 | Forspoken | KOTR Remake | Wonder Woman | DokeV | Avatar Frontiers of Pandora | Sonic Frontiers | Dragon Age 4 | Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild sequel | The Witcher 3 next-gen patch | God of War Ragnarok

Valkyrae loses it as Fall Guys troll won’t leave her alone Popular YouTube streamer Rachell ‘Valkyrae’ Hofstetter lost it on stream due to a cheeky Fall Guys troll. Streaming can often be a difficult career, especially when you just want to chill and play games with your friends. Valkyrae is all too familiar with this problem. The fame and success can be enticing, but streamers are often recognized in-game. This can lead to teammates or opponents trolling or griefing a streamer for attention. While these trolls rarely do anything that harmful in-game, dealing with players whose sole goal is to get noticed by a streamer can be exhausting. It can push even the cheeriest streamers to snap, as Valkyrae demonstrated recently. Valkyrae snaps at Fall Guys troll Recently, Valkyrae was playing the popular battle royale obstacle course game ‘Fall Guys’ with several friends on stream. Fall Guys is a difficult enough game to navigate even without trolls, and the obstacles can cause plenty of frustration for players all on their own. However, in this particular game, another player seemed to have recognized Valkyrae and made it their sole goal to annoy her. This fellow bean spent the entire round in the video following Valkyrae, grabbing, and shoving her. Usually, the grab and shove commands are used by players who want to get an advantage over an opponent so they can beat them to the finish line. This player, though, didn’t appear to be at all interested in getting to the finish line. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ck5QxrsPX9g In response to getting grabbed by another bean, Valkyrae snapped and yelled, “I get it, you’re f***ing clingy! You’re so f***ing annoying! Die, just die!” Her friends pointed out that she had a bit of an overreaction, but it seems this wasn’t an isolated incident; the player had actually been grabbing Valkyrae in games “all day,” which would certainly be quite frustrating for anyone. Eventually, Valkyrae started laughing along with her friends, making it clear she wasn’t being serious with her outburst. It may have been for laughs, but even the brightest streamers can get annoyed by a troll.

Valkyrae becomes fastest-growing streamer “in the world” with Among Us 100 Thieves / Innersloth100 Thieves content creator Rachell ‘Valkyrae’ Hofstetter has become the world’s fastest-growing streamer, according to YouTube Gaming’s Ryan ‘Fwiz’ Wyatt. This is after incredible success on the platform following a move from Twitch, partly thanks to the massive hype around Among Us. Among Us has recently exploded in popularity on Twitch and YouTube, with plenty of streamers and content creators flocking to the 2018 indie party game since its resurgence in late August. The social deduction, ‘murder mystery’ type game has quickly become a fan-favorite and, due to the large party size of each match, it has seen many of the top creators such as Valkyrae, PewDiePie, xQc, and more, collaborating with one another. While many of the biggest names in gaming have started to create content around the game, 100 Thieves member Valkyrae, whose channel was already growing at a rapid pace before the Among Us hype, is coming out on top. The rising YouTube star has peaked at over 66,000 viewers during her livestreams and she has now released some of the ridiculous stats behind her success in a Tweet on October 16. With the “how it’s going” posts trending on Twitter in recent weeks, Valkyrae adopted the format to highlight her streaming success after first making the switch to YouTube in early January. How my switch to streaming on YouTube started VS how it’s going o__0 pic.twitter.com/76XeyU5Ade — RAE (@Valkyrae) October 16, 2020 The popular streamer revealed that her broadcasts have now started to pull in an impressive total of 11 million live views per month, shattering her records in previous months. YouTube’s Head of Gaming Ryan ‘Fwiz’ Wyatt also revealed that Valkyrae had reached some incredible milestones during her climb, claiming that she is now “fastest-growing live streamer in the entire world.” https://twitter.com/Fwiz/status/1317121188003393537 He also followed up with claims that she was now also the “biggest female gaming streamer in the world,” celebrating Valkyrae’s “superstar talent” and recent success on the platform. Fwiz recently also highlighted the insane viewership which Among Us has accrued on YouTube in general. In September, he totaled it at 4 billion (with a b) views across the platform. https://twitter.com/Fwiz/status/1316477200539897857 While Twitch superstars like xQc, Trainwrecks, and TSM Myth are booming on the Amazon-owned platform thanks to Among Us, the equally-competitive YouTube livestreaming game is now being led by Valkyrae. As she is now one of the biggest content creators in the World, Valkyrae is showing no signs of slowing down and will look to continue breaking records.

Valheim update 0.145.6 patch notes: Forest Crypt fixes, save system tweaks, more Iron Gate ABThe latest update for Valheim has just dropped, bringing with it a host of new bugfixes and quality of life improvements. Valheim continues to prove incredibly popular as players from around the world flock to its procedurally generated biomes. Not only does this brutally hard game offer the usual base building and crafting, but it also features numerous bosses and enemies that aim to make your Viking adventure far from smooth. Just like every early access game, Valheim is constantly receiving a steady stream of content updates. The latest 0.145.6 patch may be small, but it has helped to iron out a few of the game’s kinks. There are fixes for the forest crypt, dedicated server CPU usage, and changes to the save system. Hopefully, this update will make Valehim more of a smoother experience, so make sure you download the patch and check out the notes below. Valheim 0.145.6 patch notes While the Valheim patch notes may be relatively small, they have helped to fix a lot of areas that proved to be rather frustrating. Perhaps the biggest fix is to the game’s broken world handling, which exits instead of loading up an empty world. There’s also the addition of a dedicated server CPU usage fix that should help clear up any nasty FPS drops. You can see the full list of Valheim patch notes below. Disable google analytics – Updated Unity engine – Forest crypt fixes – Credits updated – Save system returned to old-new – Pickables sync fix (stones,carrots etc) – Dedicated server CPU usage fix (Framerate limiter) – Hearth smoke building fix – Save system tweaks – Console “save” function can be used remotely if player is added to admin list – Autosave every 20min (instead of 30min) – Manual join IP function (dedicated servers only) – Extra tombstone checks ( to prevent them from disappearing ) – Better broken world handling ( crash/exit instead of loading an empty world ) – Localization fixes – So, there you have it, a list of the changes in the Valheim 0.145.6 update. For more Valheim news and guides, be sure to check out our hub.

Valheim player perfectly recreates Diablo’s Old Tristram Blizzard Entertainment, Iron Gate StudiosBoth Old and New Tristram have become iconic parts of the Diablo franchise and one player has flawlessly recreated the former in Valheim. Despite all of the hell that Diablo’s iconic Tristram goes through, the town consistently manages to rise from the ashes (literally) and regrow into some form of its former self. The jumping off point for the both the Diablo I and Diablo III stories, it’s etched itself into Diablo history. While it’s assumed that the town will make some kind of appearance in Diablo IV, the highly anticipated sequel, one fan has decided they couldn’t wait until 2022 to see Tristram reborn. So, they’ve decided to jump into Valheim’s Norse themed open world universe to rebuild the iconic town once more. Fan recreates Tristram in Valheim Renowned for letting fans unleash their creative juices, Valheim has provided Racnuslock the perfect foundations from which to resurrect Old Tristram. As seen in a series of screenshots, Old Tristram’s iconic nexus with its fountain marking the center is recreated in incredible detail. Everything from the stony pathway that frames the structure to the surrounding trees and buildings are perfectly reconstructed. The stonework in every building matches the medieval atmosphere that Diablo is set in, and the dark, dreary feel captured in the photos replicates the horror style vibe of the original game. Where this mod shines, however, is the Cathedral. The site of many an unfortunate event, it lurks on the horizon overlooking the town. Diablo fans love this Valheim mod With a whole host of fans jumping into the comments, it’s pretty clear that Diablo players are loving this blast from the past. Prising the creation as ‘awesome,” “incredible” and “really neat,” this Valheim Tristram mod has become a hit. Hopefully it survives a little longer in Valheim than it did in Diablo, but at the end of the day Tristram never gives up. It keeps on coming back, so maybe it’s Valheim that needs to worry. After all, here there be monsters.

Valheim items list: Valheim Guck, Wishbone, trader seed, more Iron Gate ABValheim’s Viking-filled world is brimming with all kinds of items and rare treasures, but knowing where to find key crafting components can prove difficult. Just like most survival games, Valheim features loads of items for players to collect and craft with. From goopy Guck to wonderful wishbones, there are countless materials scattered around each of Valheim’s biomes. If you wish to survive against the game’s deadly bosses and become the best battle-hardened Viking, then you’ll need to get your hands on the best gear. Whether you’re looking to craft Valheim’s Pickaxes or just want to build the strongest base, the game’s materials will enable you to do just that. Of course, knowing where to find every Valheim item can take a while, so if you’re tired of scrolling through the game’s wiki, then check out our item list. Valheim items list While locating common items like wood and leather are incredibly easy to find, there are a number of items that are a little more elusive. There’s nothing worse than trudging through Valheim’s vast biomes in order to find that one specific item. This is particularly true when you have just started up your Viking adventure. Read More: OfflineTV Rust server creator teases new map – After all, Valheim is at its best when you’re busy adding new additions to your base or fighting the game’s mythical bosses. In order to stop any tiresome treks, we’ve outlined a number of the game’s most searched for items. Valheim Guck Description: “It smells like fermented fish.” Location: Guck can found in Gucksacks in the Swamp biome. They are located on trees and give off a green glow. Usage: Used to brew Meads and can stop the poison status effect. Valheim Wishbone Location: The Wishbone is dropped by Bonemass, the third boss in Valheim. The Bonemass boss is found in Valheim’s Swamp. Usage: When activated, it allows the user to find nearby treasures. Valheim Trader Seed While Valheim’s world seeds aren’t exactly an item, they do enable you to use other players’ biomes. Many Valheim Vikings have struggled to find Haldor, the game’s NPC trader. Haldor found in the Black Forest biome, but he doesn’t always appear there. Fortunately, one helpful Reddit user has helped alleviate this issue. Simply enter the seed code below and use the map to locate Haldor. Valheim Trader Seed: 42069lolxd Valheim Silver ore Location: Silver ore can be found in mountainous regions and is located using the game’s Wishbone item. The Wishbone will glow green, indicating that a Silver ore deposit is below you. Simply begin digging with your Pickaxe to claim your prize. Usage: Silver sword, Silver Arrows, Silver shield, Lox Cape, Fang spear, Drake helmet, Wolf armor chest, Wolf armor legs, Wolf fur cape, and Frostner. Valheim Flax Location: This plant can be found around Fuling camps and can also be grown in the Plains biome. Usage: Can be placed in the Spinning Wheel and turned into linen. Valheim Ymir flesh Location: These fleshy remains can be purchased from Haldor for 120 coins. Haldor is located in the Black Forest biome. Usage: Five pieces of Ymir flesh are needed to make the one-handed Frostner Hammer. Valheim Black Metal Description: “A twisted hunk of dark metal.” Location: Black Metal Scrap can be found in the Plains and is dropped by Fulings, Fuling Berserkers, and Fuling Shamans. Usage: Can be smelted into Black Metal bars via the Blast Furnace. The bars can then be used to create Blackmetal weapons and shields. Valheim Obsidian Location: Obsidian ore can be found from mining the rocky outcrops in the Mountains. Usage: Used to craft Obsidian Arrows, Frost Arrows, and Poison Arrows. So, there you have it, a list of the most useful Valheim items and where you can find them. Make sure you follow Dexerto for more Valheim guides and updates.

Is Valheim cross-platform? Crossplay & cross-progression on Xbox & PC Iron Gate ABAre you wondering whether Valheim has crossplay between Xbox and PC? Well, our handy hub has everything you need to know. Valheim continues to prove popular amongst survival game fans, with Xbox and PC users enjoying the brutal environments of the Viking-themed title. However, many players will be wondering whether Valheim supports crossplay between Xbox and PC copies of the game. After all, being able to team up with adventurers across both platforms is incredibly useful, especially if you have friends spread across both Xbox and PC. So, if you’re aiming to start a server or make a crossplay clan, then our handy hub has all the details. Does Valheim support crossplay on PC & Xbox? Yes, Valheim does support cross-platform play on PC and Xbox. This means you can team up with players from both platforms without any problem. However, if you wish to use Valheim’s crossplay feature, you’ll need to ensure you meet the following requirements: All players must have the same game version, so be sure to update your game to the latest version. – Make sure your server has the crossplay feature on to allow players from all platforms to join you. – Additionally, players on Xbox need to ensure that cross-network play is enabled in their console settings. You can enable this feature by heading over to the Homescreen and following the path outlined below: Head over to Settings – Online safety & family – Privacy & online safety – Xbox privacy – View details & customize – Communication & multiplayer – Does Valheim support cross-progression? No, Valheim does not support cross-progression. At present, players are unable to maintain their gameplay progress if they switch between Steam and Xbox platforms. However, given that the game is still in its early access phase and the feature of crossplay has only been introduced recently, it’s likely that the cross-progression capability will be added in the near future. As always, we’ll be sure to update this page as soon as the developers give any new details on this highly-requested feature. In the meantime, be sure to check out our other Valheimn guides below: Best Valheim mods to download | How to repair tools and weapons in Valheim | All Valheim bosses & how to summon them | How to get Valheim pickaxes | How to tame a wolf in Valheim | How to fish in Vahleim | Valheim items list: Valheim Guck, Wishbone, trader seed, more

V Rising Sunflower Seeds: Locations & how to farm StunlockSunflower Seeds may seem at odds with the dark, twisted universe of V Rising, but they’re an important resource nonetheless. Here’s a rundown of their locations and how to farm them efficiently in the game. Alongside the likes of Leather, Stone Dust, Stone Bricks, and Whetstone in V Rising, seeds and plants are essential to building out your vampiric empire, allowing you to craft and upgrade items at a whim. But where can you get Sunflower Seeds in V Rising? And how do you plant them to farm them efficiently? Here’s a rundown of all of their locations in-game. Contents V Rising Sunflower Seeds: Location Vardoran is a big place, so finding resources quickly is no easy task. While Sunflowers stand out from the pack given their size and iconic circular shape, locating them in this chaotic world is no walk in the park. Below we’ve listed the main locations where you can find Sunflower Seeds in V Rising: Sunflower Seeds can be found through Dunley Farmlands, with Cotton Farms being the best place to find them. – You can buy Sunflower Seeds from Berk the Travelling Trader for 45 Silver Coins. He’s located in Dawnbreak Village near Dunley Farmlands (see image below). – How to build a farm & plant seeds in V Rising You can build a farm on your castle grounds in V Rising to ensure all of your resources are within arm’s reach. To build a farm and plant seeds here’s what you need to do: Place a new Border where you want your field to be. Borders are accessed via the Build menu under ‘Fundamentals,’ ‘Production.’ – Drag the seed you want to plant into the Action Bar. – From here, simply select the seed and plant it wherever you want. – Allow a few in-game days to pass, then you can harvest your resources. – How to use Sunflower Seeds? You can plant Sunflower seeds in growing plots to grow Sunflower plants, you can then use Sunflower to craft the following items: Best base locations | How to build a Castle | How to get Blood Essence | How to get Dark Silver Ingots | How to get leather | Is V Rising free-to-play?

V Rising: Secrets of Gloomrot gameplay trailer reveals new biome, boss, enemies and more Stunlock StudiosV Rising’s free expansion, Secrets of Gloomrot, is coming soon. Its first gameplay trailer dropped today, revealing a closer look at the new biome and the creatures it plays host to. V Rising has been out for almost a year now in early access, and fans have been waiting since the game’s initial release for more content. Stunlock Studios announced their plan to release a feature-packed expansion free to all players, dubbing the update ‘Secrets of Gloomrot.’ After becoming one of the most played games on Steam almost as soon as it hit the platform and even overtaking the likes of Elden Ring, it’s no wonder that the V Rising developers had more content planned for the future. From new building mechanics to new enemies, it seems players can expect to pour in a good few hours when Secrets of Gloomrot releases. While the team behind the hit title has shown off a bit of the upcoming expansion via their recent cinematic trailer, they have now revealed Secrets of Gloomrot’s first gameplay trailer. If you want to know more about what features were revealed, read on below. V Rising: Secrets of Gloomrot first gameplay trailer While the gameplay trailer for Secrets of Gloomrot is just above a minute long, it still manages to pack in a good look at the expansion’s upcoming content. The first noticeable feature shown is a shadow-y new steed that your vampire will be able to ride. It appears to differ from the older horses, acting perhaps as an ability summon. Another big part of Secrets of Gloomrot is on full display in the trailer, the new biome. Stunlock Studios has detailed the area, stating that it will be as big as the Dunley Farmlands. The trailer showcases Gloomrot and its new weather system, with striking lightning that players must avoid. Other elemental effects to watch out for include the forest’s spreading deadly mist and strong winds. The upcoming spell school overhaul will also bring with it a new type of magic that harnesses the power of storms, perhaps to help players combat the harsh environment Gloomrot offers. The gameplay trailer also presents players with new enemies such as exterminators, live experiments, mutants, and technologists. The experiments-gone-wrong are influenced by the expansion’s primary boss himself, a mad scientist known as Doctor Henry Blackbrew. Clearly inspired by the likes of Victor Frankenstein, the boss encounter with Blackbrew is teased in the trailer. He laughs maniacally, threatening the player’s character and stating that he “ripped the lightning from the sky itself.” Unfortunately, no specific information has been given yet about what Blackbrew’s V Blood rewards will be. Players can experience these features first-hand and see the science combine with seance when the Secrets of Gloomrot expansion drops on May 17. It will be downloadable precisely one year after the base game’s early access release.

V Rising patch 0.5.41669 notes: White screen fix, new items, respawn keybind StunlockV Rising patch 0.5.41669 implements a plethora of bug fixes (including one for the infamous white screen), new items, and a new respawn keybind. Here’s a rundown of everything you need to know and the full patch notes. Set amid the emerald pastures of a rolling Transylvanian-inspired landscape, Stunlock’s horror survival title, V Rising, continues to go from strength to strength, attracting hordes of vampires from across the globe. While the previous patch saw the introduction of offline and LAN play, as well as a slew of new console commands, this update deals with bug fixes – specifically the one that was leading to a white screen crash. Other highlights include new items and the option to add the ‘respawn’ option to your keybinds; here’s what’s included in V Rising patch 0.5.41669. V Rising white screen fix Stunlock initially deployed a hotfix on May 30, but were quick to repeal it following waves of player complaints that their game would simply show a white screen when logging in. Patch 0.5.41669 implements all of the fixes that accompanied its pesky predecessor, but thankfully without the white screen! After today’s patch, some players reported a white-screen issue. We have now reverted the update and it’s safe to play again. We will try to figure out why this happened and fix it before patching again. Sorry for the inconvenience! — V Rising (@VRisingGame) May 30, 2022 V Rising patch 0.5.41669 notes Below are the full patch notes for V Rising’s 0.5.41669 update, via Stunlock. This patch includes general client optimizations to improve stability and performance, as well as the changes from yesterday’s reverted hotfix. The last hotfix came with a white screen crash issue with some users, but we’ve investigated the issue and it shouldn’t occur any longer. We’ve also included significant additional adjustments. – The patch is expected to go live at 11:15 UTC on Official Servers, and there may be a small amount of downtime. – Added ‘Texture Quality’ to the ‘Graphics Options’ menu, which can greatly reduce texture memory usage. – Added FPS Limit Option to Advanced Graphics Options. – Changed Low-Quality Atmosphere to High-Quality Atmosphere to keep the options menu consistent. – Fixed a bug where the antialiasing option could not be set to anything other than TAA from the main menu. – Stairs have been added to the ‘Castle Floors’ tab in the build menu to make it easier for players to find them. – Fixed missing meshes on particular world objects. – Fixed an issue that caused performance drops when hitting Night Marshal Styx the Sunderer with specific abilities (ex. Mirror Strike). – Added ‘Respawn’ hotkey to the ‘Controls’ settings menu. – Maximum clan size has been increased to 50 (game client hosting is capped at 20), If there are more than 10 players online, only the 10 closest and online will appear in the clan HUD. – Clan HUD will now properly show names with different colors depending on if the clan member is online or offline. – ‘Server Details’ will now show the amount of in-game days the server has been running for. – Fixed an issue where a Soul Shard could be put in a container if the user swapped another item in the container with a Soul Shard in the player’s inventory. – Fixed an issue where duplicate armor buffs could be applied to a player, causing their gear level to increase above max. – Altering the ‘Refinement Cost’ and ‘Refinement Rate’ server settings no longer affects the blood essence consumption rate of the Castle Heart. – The drop rate of the following items has been slightly increased: Seeds for various plants Schematics (tier 3 research) Golden Jewelry – The following items can now be found in-game: Razer Hood Razer Cloak (T1/T2/T3) – Occurrences of multiple spawns of the same V Blood units will now be repaired upon server restart. – Fixed an issue where the Castle/Player PvP indicator in the escape menu was using game clients’ local time instead of being retrieved from the Server. – Cooldown is now applied correctly when swapping weapons while having a recast active. This means that players can no longer reset cooldowns by swapping the spear or the sword to a different weapon during the recast window. – Optimized server memory by removing data from disconnected users. – The client no longer tries to load old config files and will not get stuck in a white screen if the config files are invalid. – Any player can now dismantle castles, structures, and floors if a castle exists without a heart (this could occur due to an issue that was fixed in hotfix Patch 0.5.41448.) This allows players to clean out structures that would otherwise exist forever due to the missing castle heart link. – Added a loading screen when starting up which replaces the white screen that was previously there. – Fixed the issue where some computers rebooted when connecting to a game. –

V Rising May 25 patch notes: Offline play (LAN mode) & new admin commands StunlockV Rising patch 0.5 41448 adds a slew of highly requested features to the survival title, including offline play (LAN mode) and a collection of new admin commands to manage enemies, gear durability, and server time. Having taken the gaming universe by storm with its Dracula-style universe and strategic survival challenges, Stunlock Studios’ V Rising has skyrocketed in popularity since its early access release. One of the main issues players have had with the game, though, is its lack of offline mode, meaning that players have to play with others whether they like it or not. The devs have had their ear to the ground, and have rectified this coming into patch 0.5 41448, adding LAN mode for those who prefer to dive into the darkness by their lonesome. It also adds three new admin commands (cheats, effectively) to help players manage their universe and its inhabitants. Excited to dive in? Here are the full patch notes for V Rising patch 0.5 41448. V Rising: Offline play & LAN mode Ever since its early access release, vampires from across the plains of V Rising’s Transylvania-inspired universe have been asking for a way to play offline. Looking to expand their empire without disruption, players who are looking to grind solo have had their wishes granted – LAN mode has been added to the game. Read More: Is V Rising coming to console? – All you have to do is select ‘Go offline‘ on your Steam account, load into the game, and voila! You’ll be able to play offline. If you’re feeling social, you’ll also be able to create LAN servers to play offline with your friends. V Rising patch 0.5.41448: Full notes Below are the full patch notes for V Rising’s 0.5.41448 update, courtesy of Stunlock: V Rising Patch Notes 0.5.41448 We have now enabled LAN Mode, allowing players to play V Rising without an internet connection. Players can activate this mode within the host game screen and when starting up the server. LAN Mode can be played solo or with friends on the same local network. Please keep in mind that we will work on improving the LAN Mode as we continue to develop V Rising during Early Access. – We also added the feature to send server-wide messages. On GPortal servers, a message will show up in the chat when a server restarts as part of its maintenance routine, warning players to get to safety before the server shuts down. The expected downtime for server restarts can last up to a minute. Other server hosts can use this new feature to send important messages to players on a particular server. – This patch also includes several fixes to the “Authentication Error” that hindered players from getting back onto specific servers. – Salvaging cloaks no longer returns the total crafting cost, players can no longer make a material profit by crafting and salvaging certain cloaks in combination with the tailoring floor bonus. – Previously, if a player placed a soul shard in a container, it would despawn after a few hours and reset, leading to confusion. Players may no longer place soul shards in containers. Instead, the game clarifies that players need to build the soul shards within their castle to keep them. Also, players can no longer hide soul shards in lockboxes before being raided. – This patch also fixes the following issues: Players can no longer send the same servant on multiple hunts by placing several thrones. – Castle floors will no longer disconnect from the Castle Heart when two players dismantle connecting floors simultaneously. – Players will no longer get multiple equipment buffs by equipping two weapons simultaneously under certain circumstances. – Some characters in Simplified Chinese, Korean, and Japanese used to display incorrectly at times. We updated the font used in the game to prevent this from happening. – Steam Cloud can now store V Rising Server History. The automatic save is enabled by default. To disable it, please go to the Steam Properties for V Rising. This will solve an issue with “missing character” that could occur when joining a server from a different PC. Admin Commands To improve management of privately hosted servers, we have added new admin console commands: changehealthofclosesttomouse: This command modifies the health of the target unit/object closest to the admin’s cursor, allowing admins to deal damage or heal targets. – changedurability: This command modifies the durability of equipped items. Note that it cannot be used to repair broken items that are not equipped. – addtime – This command adds up to 12 in-game hours to leap in time, affecting the current in-game hour and the respawn timers of units and objects. Use this command in quick succession to add more time. Please note that a server can never go back in time. – LAN/Offline mode To play V Rising without an internet connection you need to follow these steps: Before you disconnect from the internet you need to Start Steam – Go Offline on Steam (Steam -> Go Offline…) – After this, you can disconnect from the internet – Start V Rising – If you are hosting a local server you need to start the server in LAN Mode by using the checkbox in the UI or starting the dedicated server with the “-lan” parameter – If you are connecting to a LAN server you need to check the “LAN Server” check box in the Direct Connect to Server window or by using the “ConnectLan” console command –

V Rising: Early Access, platforms, trailer, gameplay, more Stunlock StudiosV Rising is a new vampire-themed survival MMORPG that aims to wow players with its punchy combat and satisfying crafting mechanics. Here’s everything we know so far about the new title. V Rising is the latest game from the developers behind Battlerite, the colorful free-to-play MOBA. However, unlike its previous venture, V Rising has a much darker theme that enables players to live out their vampire fantasies. From slaying supernatural monsters to crafting gothic castles and dueling fellow bloodsuckers in multiplayer PvP – V Rising has plenty of content for fans to delve into. So, if you’re looking to build your very own vampire kingdom and wish to know more about Stunlock Studios’ latest title, then we have everything you need to know. Contents What is V Rising? V Rising is a vampire survival game that contains open-world exploration, crafting, building, and punchy combat. In order to regain strength after centuries of slumber, players must hunt for blood and rebuild their kingdom. Doing so won’t be easy though as holy soldiers and supernatural creatures inhabit the gothic open world. Alongside the various NPCs and PvE content, players can also duke it out in deadly PvP duels. Like most MMORPGs, V Rising features unique abilities that can be obtained from leveling your character. There’s also the ability to craft powerful armor and weapons, which can give you the edge in your bloody plight for world dominance. V Rising platforms V Rising is currently only available on PC via the Steam Store. Those on Xbox One, Series X|S, PlayStation, and Switch won’t be able to duke it out in the vampire-themed survival game. Of course, we’ll update this section should the developers make any announcements of a console port. How to play V Rising? For those that wish to get a head start before the game’s official launch, the developers have released an Early Access build. As of writing, the game can be purchased for $19.99/£15.49 via the Steam Store page. Purchasing the title will give players instant access to the current build and full version upon release. Read More: Best Lost Ark Destroyer builds – Like most Early Access games, V Rising is not yet complete and various new content will be added throughout this phase. The developers currently aim to finalize the game and release it within 12 months. The full version of V Rising will contain the following: More biomes and dungeons – New weapons and spell kits – New enemies – More Castle decorations and cosmetics – More crafting recipes – Additional features and increased performance to improve the entire experience – V Rising gameplay trailer V Rising’s official Early Acess trailer showcased a number of the game’s spooky environments, castle-building mechanics, and deadly enemies that players will encounter. Everything from colossal bears to holy soldiers that roam around the environment. It’s here where V Rising’s combat is showcased, with flashy abilities and spells being used to overwhelm even the most stalwart of opponents. With plenty of spell kits and unique traits on offer, there is a playstyle for every kind of playstyle. So, there you have it, everything you need to know about V Rising. Make sure you check out our other V Rising guides below to get a good headstart in the MMORPG. Is V Rising free-to-play? | How to get leather in V Rising | How to get Blood Essence in V Rising

V Rising devs float PvP Duels inventory durability update after player concerns Stunlock StudiosThe V Rising devs have floated a durability decay update coming to the survival title that aims to make PvP Duels much more accessible for players. However, its exact release isn’t locked in yet. The debut title for Stunlock Studios, V Rising, has been a major hit with RPG fans as they explore the vast world of Vardoran. The multiplayer survival game has impressed players with its ample content offerings in the early access alpha while having an enjoyable PvP setting to boot. There’s been an annoying problem for people who want to dive into the competitive side that makes it very off-putting for vampires who just want to tussle though: V Rising’s equipment durability taking a hit after PvP Duels. Many players think the game would be better off without the feature – and the devs agree. A Twitter user asked Stunlock if there was a way to eliminate the durability loss in the game when both players agree to a confrontation. “Could you please make a way for clans and players in general on both PvE/PvP servers to be able to ‘duel’ and do so without durability loss?” they said. “There’s so much potential for dueling and organized PvP but the durability hit when both parties want to duel is negative.” The devs were quick to confirm that they are indeed interested in the feature but it may not come as soon as some may hope. “This is definitely a cool suggestion and one we’ve had banked for a bit,” they said. “A lot of these things are a matter of when we can get to them, and we’re watching the community closely for what we can prioritize.” This is definitely a cool suggestion and one we’ve had banked for a bit. A lot of these things are a matter of when we can get to them, and we’re watching the community closely for what we can prioritize. — V Rising (@VRisingGame) May 27, 2022 A change like that would immensely open up V Rising’s PvP potential for people who’ve been wanting to dip their toes in fighting other players across their journey. Read more: V Rising May 25 patch notes – We’ll have to wait and see when Stunlock Studios intends to bring the feature to V Rising as the game continues in its early access phase.

How to get Dark Silver Ingots in V Rising: Recipe, Boss drops Stunlock StudiosDark Silver Ingots are tricky to come by in V Rising and it’ll take a combination of boss clearing and farming, but here’s how to get the material’s recipe to start crafting high-tier loot. As new players explore the reaches of Vardoran for the first time, some of the more experienced vampires are looking for ways to craft endgame loot to take on more difficult challenges. Take a look below for everything you need to know about Dark Silver Ingots, from the crafting materials needed to the location of the recipe that you’ll have to get before making them for yourself. Contents Where to get the Dark Silver Ingot recipe in V Rising To get the Dark Silver Ingot recipe, players are going to have to hunt down and defeat Octavian the Militia Captain who should drop it with ease. But that’s only to get the recipe for the Dark Silver Ingots, players will still need to get all the required materials to actually craft the item. How to craft Dark Silver Ingots in V Rising To craft a Dark Silver Ingot in V Rising you’ll need to plug 1 Scourgestone and 20 Silver Ore into your Furnace to make a single bar. The best place to find Scourgestone is in the Dunley Farmlands, where you can loot it from chests or drawers. Silver ore, on the other hand, can be found in the Sacred Silver Mine, located in the northern part of the Silverlight Hills region, west of the Waygate. Repeat the craft-making process until you have enough for the item you want, some of which need up to 20 ingots to make in the first place. V Rising items with Dark Silver Ingot High-level V Rising players will want to craft as many Ingots as they can to make themselves Dark Silver weapons as well as Golden Castle Keys to mess with other players’ keeps. Below are all of the items you can craft using Dark Silver Ingots, but given that they’re some of the strongest items you can make it’ll take a while to grind and gather all of the materials you’ll need. Best base locations | How to build a Castle | How to get Blood Essence | How to get leather | How to get Stone Dust, Stone Bricks & Whetstone | Is V Rising free-to-play?

V Rising admin commands: How to enable cheats & best console commands Stunlock StudiosV Rising has numerous admin commands that you can use – but how do you enable them in-game, and which console commands are the best? For many players, plowing hours and hours into V Rising simply isn’t feasible, meaning you’ll often lag behind because you’re missing out on items like Leather, Stone Dust, Stone Bricks, or Whetstone. Enter admin commands, a series of helpful in-game cheats that can cut down how much grinding you’ll have to do. So, here’s a list of all the known console commands for V Rising, as well as how to enable them. How to enable console commands in V Rising Thankfully, enabling console commands isn’t a particularly difficult task in V Rising. All you have to do is: Boot up V Rising – From the main menu, select ‘Options‘ – Ensure that you are on the ‘General‘ tab – Check the box next to ‘Console Enabled‘ (see image below) – Enter your world – Press the ` key below ‘ESC (Escape)’ on your keyboard – Type ‘adminauth‘ and click ‘Enter‘ If you exit the game and return later, you’ll need to type this in again – – You can now start using console commands! Type ‘List‘ to bring up the full selection of commands – Best admin commands in V Rising While there’s a whole host of different commands at your disposal, there are some that are simply more useful than others. Below we’ve listed the best console commands in V Rising to help you expand your empire at speed: Give – This allows you to spawn a chosen amount of any item in the game, negating the need for resource management. – Giveset – This allows you to spawn any armor set in the game, again allowing you to bypass grinding for high-tier gear. – Changedurability – This means you won’t have to worry about repairing weapons. Any broken weapons must be in your inventory if you want to fix them, though, so bear that in mind! – – Banuser / Bancharacter – If any pesky bloodsucker becomes a thorn in your side, you can ban them easily using these two commands. – GatherAllAllies – Teleports you and all of your allies to your cursor location to save you trekking through the piercing sunlight. – TeleportPlayerToMe / TeleportToPlayer – Both of these make finding friends to hunt with a lot easier. – All V Rising admin commands: Full cheat list Below is a list of all of the current console commands in V Rising. As the devs continue to release commands, we’ll be sure to add them to this list, so keep an eye on this page! General Commands Debug commands Best base locations | How to build a Castle | How to get Blood Essence | How to get leather | Is V Rising free-to-play? | V Rising: All Difficulty settings

US politician denies selling Activision stocks hours before Microsoft acquisition block Activision BlizzardA US politician, Seth Moulton, has denied selling Activision stock for $250,000 just hours before the Microsoft acquisition was blocked by the FTC. On June 13, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed to block Microsoft from buying Activision Blizzard, seeking to stop the deal from going through as various other appeals come to light around the historic $69 billion acquisition. Due to the complications of the buyout, Activision Blizzard’s stock price has fluctuated as a result for the past six months. Most notably, the price often takes a hit with every attempted block by regulators around the globe. However, just hours before the block from the FTC, Seth Moulton, a US Representative from Massachusetts, allegedly sold $250,000 of Activision Blizzard stock. Though he has since denied these reports. According to Unusual Whales, a crypto and stock data tool which also “exposes market-wide corruption”, they recorded that Moulton sold off Activision Blizzard stocks worth six figures on June 13, hours before FTC’s block. However after a day after the tweet by Unusual Whales, a representative of Moulton sent a response to the website. The direct response to Unusual Whales reads as follows: “The Congressman’s wife was previously employed by Activision and received stock grants as part of her income. The news of the FTC’s intention to ask a court to block that merger was already publicly reported on the 12th. “Her sale was made the next day. They had zero advance knowledge, truly sold it without knowing what would happen.” Moulton’s public statement further reiterates the same information. According to Unusual Whale’s record of Moulton’s sales history, this was not the first time he has sold Activision Blizzard stock, selling off $100,000 worth in March as well.

US marines use Metal Gear Solid cardboard box trick to avoid detection KonamiReal US marines have hidden under cardboard boxes to hide from their colleagues and AI systems while out on tactical maneuvers – a bit like Snake from Metal Gear Solid. Anyone who’s played Metal Gear Solid and its various sequels may fondly remember being able to hide in a cardboard box to try and trick guards. The ruse rarely ever works, but even so, has become a classic Metal Gear moment. Now, according to a new book called ‘Four Battlegrounds’ by author Paul Scharre, actual US marines have been using the cardboard box trick to hide from military AI systems. The story was originally picked up by the Economist’s Defense Editor, Shashank Joshi, and shared on Twitter. While Joshi added a Star Wars reference to the surreal passage of Scharre’s book, it didn’t take long for gamers to compare the trick to Solid Snake’s exploits in the Metal Gear Solid series. Snake doesn’t usually use the trick to hide from AI, mostly just enemy soldiers, however, he does sometimes use it to hide from AI-controlled robots – who fall for the trick even less than their human commanders. According to the book, the box trick apparently worked when applied in real life, tricking AIs into thinking US Marines were simply inanimate objects rather than professional soldiers. Metal Gear fans were quick to jump on the story and point out the similarities to Hideo Kojima’s epic series, including its silliest moments – such as hiding inside a cardboard box. It remains to be seen if the US Marine Corp. will use this trick in actual combat zones though. If they do, let’s hope those they’re hiding from haven’t played Metal Gear Solid.

US Labor Board claims Activison-Blizzard illegally threatened staff Activision BlizzardProsecutors from the US Labor Board have claimed that Activision-Blizzard “illegally” threatened staff and had a social media policy that went against worker’s rights. On Monday, May 23, the US Labor Board said that their prosecutors had determined Activision-Blizzard illegally confronted staff trying to unionize. In addition, they claimed the company also had a social media policy that went against workers’ rights. Now, Activision Blizzard is being asked to settle or face more consequences. Activision Blizzard faces US Labor Board complaint According to a report from Bloomberg, unless the company settles, the National Labor Relations Board will issue a complaint from the Los Angeles-based regional director. How much money Activision-Blizzard would be required to settle for to avoid having a complaint filed is unknown at the time of writing. The publisher has yet to comment on the NLRB’s claim. The latest complaint against Activision-Blizzard comes the same day that the Labor Board starts to count votes from Raven Software employees on whether or not to unionize. Raven employees previously asked Microsoft to support unionization efforts when news of the merger between them and Activision Blizzard went public as well.

US court slaps Roblox troll with $150k fine for making terrorist threats RobloxAn infamous Roblox troll has not only been permanently banned from the popular online game, but also slapped with a $150,000 fine by a US court for making “threats of terrorist activity.” It’s one thing to get banned from a game by a publisher, but Roblox troll Benjamin Simon, AKA Ruben Sim, is now barred from playing by US courts. In November 2021, Roblox sued Simon, who’s also a content creator for the game, for terrorizing the platform and its developers, along with a likeminded “cybermob.” Not only is Simon permanently banned from Roblox – he’s also been ordered to pay $150,000 to the publisher, as well. Roblox troll ordered to pay $150,000 Documents posted by Arstechnica from the US District court of Northern California indicate Roblox’s complaint was settled on January 14, 2022. The court’s judgement “permanently restrains the Defendant (Simon)” from “Making, publishing, or re-publishing false threats of terrorist activity relating to Roblox; Knowingly making false statements of fact about Roblox; Glamorizing or encouraging violence against Roblox, its employees, or facilities;” and more. Simon is also barred from “accessing the Roblox Platform other than those public portions of the Roblox website that do not require an account to access,” and must stay 100 feet away from any Roblox office or facility, as well. In the original suit from 2021, Roblox lawyers claimed Simon made “terrorist threats” that caused the Roblox Developers Conference in San Francisco in October to temporarily shut down. According to a report from Polygon, the threats posted included one that read, “Don’t come to RDC (Roblox Developers Conference) tomorrow.” On Twitter, Simon acknowledged the ruling, and said he wouldn’t be accessing the platform anymore per the judgement. However, in his tweet on the matter, he said he hadn’t paid Roblox any money. Roblox has yet to comment on the situation, but it seems this decision will finally get rid of one of the publisher’s biggest headaches for good.

How to upgrade weapons in Resident Evil Village CapcomUpgrading your weapons is key to survival in Capcom’s next big release Resident Evil Village, as you’ll be able to increase their power and buy attachments to boost performance. The world’s most popular survival horror franchise Resident Evil is returning for another round of thrilling action in its eighth mainline outing known as Village. The game is set a few years after Resident Evil 7, and players will once again control Ethan Winters. While the game is set to release on May 7, 2021, there has already been plenty of information teased about what to expect. One of the big features in the game is the extensive upgrade system, which means players can boost their firepower for those difficult boss fights. While recent Resident Evil games have put upgrades on the back burner in an attempt to increase the tension of their survival horror gameplay, Village is putting more emphasis on crafting and upgrading to help you on your journey. Here’s everything we know about upgrading weapons in Village so far, including the weapon upgrades and attachments you can buy, and how to earn enough Lei to purchase them. How to upgrade weapons in Resident Evil Village In order to upgrade weapons, players will need to earn Lei, which is Village’s currency. This can be obtained by killing off enemies, who will drop cash as well as other valuable items that can be sold off. Once players have enough Lei, they can upgrade their weapons by visiting the Gunsmithy section at The Duke’s Emporium, which is Resident Evil Village’s equivalent of an in-game store. The Duke is a mysterious character who will be found wandering around at set points in the game, a bit like the popular Weapons Merchant character from Resident Evil 4, so it’s wise to save up Lei in preparation. The following upgrades can be purchased for each weapon: Power – Rate of Fire – Reload Speed – Ammo Capacity/Magazine Size – These upgrades vary in price depending on the weapon in question and the level of the upgrade being purchased. It’s also possible to buy weapon attachments, such as a Cheek Rest to make aiming with a Sniper Rifle more accurate. How to earn Lei in Resident Evil Village As we mentioned before, if you want to upgrade your weapons in Village, you’ll first need to earn enough of the game’s currency, Lei. There are a couple of different methods to do this, which we’ll go over below. Killing enemies The main method of earning Lei is to kill off your enemies. As you’ll already be doing this while you play through the game, it’s probably the easiest way to get your hands on more cash. Enemies will often drop Lei when you take them out, but they’ll also drop valuable items that can then be sold off to The Duke by visiting The Duke’s Purse section of the shop menu. Trading hidden treasures As well as items dropped by enemies, players can find hidden treasures while exploring the world of Resident Evil Village. These can also be traded in by visiting the Duke’s Purse section of the shop menu. We’ll update this page with details of every weapon upgrade once the game drops on May 7, 2021. In the meantime, here’s everything we know about Resident Evil Village.

Upcoming XDefiant Factions: Leaks hint at Assassin’s Creed, Rainbow Six Siege, more crossovers UbisoftWhat is the next Faction coming to XDefiant? Here’s what we know about future characters joining the FPS along with a range of leaked intel from early datamines. XDefiant was finally released in full on May 21, 2024, and did so with five Factions. Characters from The Division, Splinter Cell, Far Cry, Ghost Recon, and Watch Dogs are all mixing it up already, with some far better than others in the Pre-Season phase. But as XDefiant evolves as a live-service title, we know for certain the roster will continue to expand, bringing in a wide range of Factions from all sorts of games under the Ubisoft umbrella. Though exactly which Faction can we expect next? Here’s what we know about not only the next XDefiant Faction, but a number of future Factions on the way. Contents: Do we know XDefiant’s next Faction? No, nothing has yet been confirmed regarding the next Faction to debut in XDefiant, however, we do have some early leaks to run with. Prominent dataminer ‘AgainTx’ has listed off several Factions allegedly on their way to Ubisoft’s new FPS, with one, in particular, leading the charge. GSG 9, a special operations unit from the Rainbow Six series, is reportedly next up for XDefiant. R6: Siege currently includes four Operators under the GSG 9 group, Bandit, Blitz, IQ, and Jäger. Exactly which characters might make their way over to XDefiant remains to be seen, though devs certainly have plenty of options. As always though, do take this early information with a grain of salt as nothing has been set in stone just yet. We’ll be sure to update you here with all the latest as new details emerge. When does the next XDefiant Faction release? We know for certain XDefiant’s next Faction is set to arrive on Tuesday, July 2, as part of the Season 1 update. XDefiant is currently in the midst of its Pre-Season phase following its May 21 release. Although it’s still early days yet, devs have already laid out the road ahead with the game’s first four seasons loosely detailed. Each is set to bring a new Faction, meaning new characters with new abilities. Season 1, codenamed ‘Ruby,’ kicks it all off. All upcoming XDefiant Factions As mentioned above, XDefiant is set to roll out one new Faction with each new season moving forward. The first four have already been teased with the following codenames: Ruby, Buzz, Orchard, and Horde. Beyond that, nothing else has been made official just yet, though further intel from datamines suggests a wide range of Ubisoft IP-spanning characters on the way. First up is the reported Rainbow Six Siege crossover with the GSG 9 Faction, and then things get a little interesting. A Faction based around The Crew is supposedly next in line, though how driving-based abilities may work in a shooter is anyone’s guess for now. Then we circle back to the Highwaymen, a group from Far Cry New Dawn, and one that’s already been teased in XDefiant. Further down the lines comes Factions from Assassin’s Creed, more from the Watch Dogs series, some from The Division, Splinter Cell, and Ghost Recon: Phantoms as well. Until confirmed by Ubisoft, take these early rumblings with a grain of salt. There’s no doubt devs are toying with ideas from all manner of franchises, but until they’re revealed in an official capacity, nothing is locked in.

Upcoming LEGO Ninjago sets in 2024 Brand new LEGO Ninjago sets are on their way very soon, breaking out their sick ninja moves in early 2024. As the new year looms and fans enjoy the new LEGO x Fortnite collaboration event, it’s important to remember that new LEGO sets are also on their way next year. While this is worth discussing, you’ll be hard-pressed to avoid fans mentioning LEGO Ninjago. LEGO Ninjago may not be as recognizable to the general public as Star Wars, Marvel, or Harry Potter. Still, it has achieved cult status among its fanbase through its various shows and movies and can also make excellent gifts for young LEGO fans. After all, whether humans or turtles, ninjas are wicked cool. LEGO Ninjago sets coming in 2024 Plenty of sets are being added to the LEGO Ninjago line early next year, so fans had best make some shelf space for these fantastic sets. LEGO Ninjago Egalt the Master Dragon – 71809 The LEGO Ninjago Egalt the Master Dragon set contains 532 pieces making up the mighty dragon and features five minifigures of young ninjas ready to battle the forces of evil. This set is priced at $69.99 and will become available to order from January 1, 2024. LEGO Ninjago Sora’s Elemental Tech Mech – 71807 The LEGO Ninjago Sora’s Elemental Tech Mech set contains 209 pieces, making up the mech and a small cherry blossom tree. The set also features two minifigures of Sora and a Wolf Mask Claw Warrior battling it out. This set is priced at $19.99 and will make its way to store shelves starting January 1, 2024. LEGO Ninjago Kai’s Elemental Fire Mech – 71808 The LEGO Ninjago Kai’s Elemental Fire Mech set contains 322 pieces, making up the firey mech and Wolf mech. The set also features four minifigures of Kai, Jordana, Zane, and a Wolf Mask Warrior ready to bring a mech to a ninja fight. This set is priced at $29.99 and will become available to order on January 1, 2024. LEGO Ninjago Cole’s Elemental Earth Mech – 71806 The LEGO Ninjago Cole’s Elemental Earth Mech set contains 235 pieces, making up the mighty machine and its Earth-shattering hammer. Two minifigures of Cole and a Wolf Mask Warrior, who’s most likely fleeing for his life, are included in the set. This set is priced at $19.99 and will make its way to store shelves starting January 1, 2024. The LEGO Ninjago Elemental Mech sets can swap specific body parts and weapons for fans to create their desired mech piloted by their favorite LEGO Ninjago Ninja. While this may appeal to younger LEGO fans, mature LEGO enthusiasts may want more complex builds for their collection. LEGO Ninjago Arin’s Battle Mech – 71804 The LEGO Ninjago Arin’s Battle Mech set contains 104 pieces making up the mech, Wolf Mask Glider, and small build of a crystal cave. The set also features two minifigures, Arin and a Wolf Mask Warrior, fighting for the magic hammer within the cave. This set is priced at $15.99 and will become available to order on January 1, 2024. LEGO Ninjago Jay’s Mech Battle Pack The LEGO Ninjago Jay’s Mech Battle Pack set 78 pieces, making up the stud-shooting mech. The set also comes with four minifigures: the Wolf Mask Claw Warrior, Wolf Mask Guard, Master Lloyd, and Jay piloting the mech. This set will be released on January 1, 2024, and is priced at a low $9.99. LEGO Ninjago Kai’s Rising Dragon Strike – 71801 The LEGO Ninjago Kai’s Rising Dragon Strike set contains 24 pieces, making up the rideable dragon attack. This set also comes with two minifigures, a crossbow-wielding Wolf Mask Guard and Ninjago Kai. This set is priced at $9.99 and will be available to order starting January 1, 2024. LEGO Ninjago Arin’s Rising Dragon Strike – 71803 The LEGO Ninjago Arin’s Rising Dragon Strike set contains 27 pieces, making up the rideable dragon attack. This set also comes with two minifigures, a sword-wielding Wolf Mask Warrior and Ninjago Arin. This set is will be available to order starting January 1, 2024 and is priced at $9.99. LEGO Ninjago Nya’s Rising Dragon Strike – 71802 The LEGO Ninjago Nya’s Rising Dragon Strike set contains 26 pieces, making up the rideable dragon attack. This set also comes with two minifigures, a claw-wielding Wolf Mask Claw Warrior and Ninjago Nya. This set will be available to order starting January 1, 2024, and is priced at $9.99. LEGO Ninjago Kai’s Source Dragon Battle – 71815 The LEGO Ninjago Kai’s Source Dragon Battle set contains 120 pieces, making up the articulated ferocious dragon, small forest trap, and makeshift cannon. The set features four minifigures: Climber Kai, Wyldfyre, Wolf Mask Warrior, and a Wolf Mask Guard. This set is priced at $37.99 and aims for a release date of March 1, 2024. Those are all the new LEGO Ninjago sets heading our way in early 2024, though we may not see them enter or leave the shelves with their ninja stealth. For now, check out the upcoming sets in the LEGO Technic collaboration with NASA coming next year, and learn how to save on retiring LEGO Star Wars sets before they’re gone forever.

New Apple Arcade games (October 2022): NBA 2K23, The Gardens Between & more Apple Inc.Apple Arcade includes dozens of titles. Much like Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Plus, you get access to exclusive games without ads or paywalls. Here’s everything being added in October 2022. Apple’s subscription service for its iPhone App Store provides a way for casual and hardcore gamers to enjoy exclusive titles and well-loved classics from anywhere, all from the comfort of their own phone, iPad, or Apple TV. Apple Arcade contains over 200 games with Apple constantly adding new titles to its service. October 2022 has already seen some popular additions with more exclusive Apple Arcade games coming later in the month. We’ve detailed just what Apple Arcade is as well as what games you can look forward to in October. What is Apple Arcade? Apple Arcade is a service provided by Apple for the iPhone App Store. It essentially gives you original and exclusive title’s without any ads or paywalls. It also has some timeless classics with the same perks. Apple Arcade works in the same way as Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Plus. You pay a monthly or yearly subscription and get access to over 200 games for free and without any ads. While there may be currently over 200 games, new titles are being added to the service regularly, with bigger names coming to Apple Arcade soon. All confirmed games coming to Apple Arcade Some extremely popular titles, along with some anticipated exclusives are coming to Apple Arcade in October. Here are all the currently confirmed games for October and when they will launch on Apple Arcade: Spider Solitaire: October 7 – Gin Rummy Classic+: October 7 – The Gardens Between+: October 14 – NBA 2K23 Arcade Edition: October 18 – stitch: October 28 – When more titles are announced we will be adding them to this article so be sure to check back regularly.

Up to 40% off on Harry Potter Neville Longbottom Funko Pop Escape to Hogsmeade & save up to 40% on Neville Longbottom’s Honeydukes candy shop Funko Pop deal for Harry Potter collectors. Calling all Hogwarts students – it’s time for a sweet trip to Hogsmeade! Everyone’s favorite herbology hero Neville Longbottom has arrived at select retailers with a major markdown of up to 40% off his Funko Pop Deluxe figure. As Harry, Ron and Hermione’s fiercely loyal friend, Neville brings heart and humor to the wizarding world franchise. Now Funko captures the courageous Gryffindor studying his favorite treats at Honeydukes candy shop in a nearly 7-inch sculpt brimming with magical details. Complete your Hogsmeade setup and save with this timely Neville Longbottom deal. The discount makes expanding your Harry Potter Funko entourage easier than ever before. The vinyl figure set depicts an Off-duty Neville sporting a cozy jacket as he holds a lollipop in his hand. Signature elements Honeydukes sign overhead immediately places fans in the beloved wizarding candy store. Save up to 40% on Harry Potter Neville Longbottom with Honeydukes Deluxe Funko Pop! Funko Pop! is renowned for its playful take on iconic characters, and this Neville Longbottom depiction channels the genuine charm behind J.K. Rowling’s universe. Creative collectors can stage academic adventures and tasty treats with this newest magical addition. So hurry over to Hogsmeade and box up some major Funko savings before Ron eats all the discounted Chocolate Frogs! This Honeydukes deal on Neville Longbottom won’t last long, so grab it faster than a Golden Snitch to complete your Harry Potter crew. If you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.

Untitled Goose Game: Everything you need to know about the viral hit PanicSeptember’s viral hit, the Untitled Goose Game, has taken the gaming world by storm with its bizarre premise and now famous lack of a name. Here’s what you need to know about it. The Untitled Goose Game released on September 20 and instantly raised eyebrows. This game puts you in control of wild goose as you work to complete a series of random objectives. Somehow, it’s best described as Metal Gear Solid game, but instead of being Snake, you’re a goose who has to be stealthy and solve various puzzles. The title itself comes as a result of not knowing what to name the game, but thanks to social media, it stuck. What platforms is it on? On September 20, the Untitled Goose Game released on PC and Nintendo Switch, leaving PS4 and Xbox One out in the rain. There are plans to bring the game to those consoles, but nothing concrete as of yet. This gets tossed around a lot, but this game does feel right at home on the Switch, but don’t feel bad if you play it on PC, the madness is just the same no matter where to play it. How much does it cost? If what you’ve heard so far has you wanting to make the leap into the world of geese, then you’ll be delighted to hear the game is only $20. Of course, that means you shouldn’t be expecting a full-length AAA game, but don’t worry, there’s still plenty to enjoy here. On PC, you can purchase it through the Epic Games Store, but a release on Steam is planned. What are people saying about it? On the Switch, the Untitled Goose Game is sitting at a solid 81 on Metacritic with 31 critics, and it has a 78 on PC. Those are pretty good scores considering what the game is about, but it surprisingly works pretty well. In fact, many of the reviews with it was a longer game. There has been a lot of buzz on social media about the game, people even wanted the goose to appear in Smash Ultimate! YouTuber videogamedunkey, a creator who makes comedic videos about games, came out with a video about the game, showcasing many of the goose antics you can do in the game. Even Rudeism, known for his exotic ways to play games, leaned into the hype and became a goose during a stream of his. There you go! That’s what you need to know about the game that has everyone talking, now what are you waiting for? Give it a look!

Until Dawn remake confirmed for release on PS5 & PC in 2024 PlayStationThe Until Dawn remake has been given a new trailer and a release timeline as part of Sony’s State of Play event. Developer Supermassive Games is known for its cinematic horror titles. Each and every project of theirs features a roster of well-known actors and forces players to dictate their own path in the hopes that their choices save as many people as possible. And while Supermassive has had success with all their games, their first major title in Until Dawn remains a cult classic and favorite amongst fans. The game first released in 2015, with the likes of Hayden Panettiere, Rami Malek, Brett Dalton, and more all starring as the various playable characters. At Sony’s January 31, 2024 State of Play event, it was revealed that a remake of Until Dawn will be released for PlayStation 5 and PC later in 2024. The announcement trailer for the remake showed off some major visual improvements, however, it is unclear if this remake will include any new content or if it is simply an updated version of the original game. During Sony’s State of Play on May 30, a new trailer for the upcoming remake showing off more of the game’s story and the improved graphics and effects. Unfortunately, they did not give a firm release date, but did mention that the Until Dawn remake is aiming to release sometime in Fall 2024. The trailer still doesn’t specify any new changes to gameplay that could be coming with the remake, however. It simply showcases what the expect from playing it.

All unreleased characters in Zenless Zone Zero: Everything we know HoYoverseZenless Zone Zero still features a lot of unreleased characters, so here’s everything you need to know about the game’s upcoming units. Every major Zenless Zone Zero version update adds new characters to the game’s ever-growing roster. Not only does this keep the game feeling fresh, but each new unit creates gameplay opportunities that shake up the meta. After all, having access to the best characters can greatly improve your overall damage output in the game. So, whether you’re saving your Polychromes for future banners or just want to know which units are scheduled to be released, then our handy hub has you covered. Qingyi Qingyi is an upcoming S-rank Electric who uses her extendable nunchucks to deliver shocking surprises to her enemies. She’s also a member of the Criminal Investigation Special Response Team, the faction in charge of keeping New Eridu’s streets safe. She famously appeared alongside Jane Doe, Seth Lowell, and Zhu Yuan in the ZZZ release trailer. While the devs have yet to reveal her element, leakers have found that Qingyi is an Electric character. You can read more about her leaked kit and abilities via our Qingyi hub here. Jane Doe According to reliable leaks, Jane Doe also known as “mouse girl” is an S-tier Physical Anomaly character. Like Qingyi, Jane Doe is a Criminal Investigation Special Response Team member. This S-tier unit is known for her lightning-fast attacks and crit-based abilities that drastically raise her lethality in combat. If that wasn’t exciting enough, Jane Doe’s Special Skill enables the character to leap into the air, juggling her enemies with lethal kicks. You can read more about Jane Doe here. Seth Lowell Zenless Zone Zero leakers have revealed that Seth is an Electric Defense character who can utilize tanky shields and deadly parries. His charged attacks also send out high amounts of electrical energy, while also giving him brief periods of invulnerability. Seth Lowell is also the final member of the Criminal Investigation Special Response Team. You can read all about his leaked abilities and full kit breakdown here. Hoshimi Miyabi Hoshimi Miyabi is a Slash-type Ice character and head of Section 6, a Faction that is known for its dealings with the Hollows. Miyabi is also the youngest member of the Void Hunter group and the successor of a renowned martial arts family in New Eridu. As expected from a character with so many accolades, Miyabi is extremely skilled in the ways of the blade and uses her master swordsmanship to deliver a flurry of slashing attacks. Read all about Hoshimi Miyabi’s abilities and full kit here. Asaba Harumasa Asaba Harumasa is a member of Section 6 and also appears to wield a weapon that looks like a sword/bow. During the ZZZ trailer, we see Harusama seemingly firing an arrow into his enemy before detaching the two blades. It’s currently unclear whether he will use both ranged and melee attacks, but he could be classified as a sword unit while still having access to bow abilities. After all, HoYoverse has used a similar playstyle before in Genshin Impact, where Childe summons both swords and a bow. Yanagi Yanagi is also a member of Section 6 who appeared in the ZZZ’s official release trailer. According to current leaks, the pink-haired character will be an S-rank Electric Anomaly unit. She also appears to wield a long polearm, giving her extra reach when it comes to attacking her enemies. Lighter Lighter is another character who appears in the release trailer. He doesn’t seem to have a weapon but is instead shown with a golden gauntlet. In the brief moment we see him, Lighter is shown readying a punch which suggests he will rely on his fists in combat. Idol faction members Back on May 14, 2024, HoYoverse officially revealed details about the new Virtual Idol faction that will be coming to the game. The developers announced this news on the official Zenless Zone Zero BiliBili account, where they unveiled official concept art for the three members. While we don’t know much about these mysterious characters, the devs did give the following descriptions: A lead singer who wants to ignite everyone’s enthusiasm with his singing. – An artist who is born to be the focus of the stage. – A creator with delicate emotions and great talent. – If you want to know more about the Zenless Zone Zero’s Idol faction, be sure to check out our hub here for more information. As always, we’ll update this article as and when new characters and details are released, so be sure to check back here regularly. In the meantime, head over to our Zenless Zone Zero codes page to get your hands on some free items.

Unreleased Apex Legends weapon spotted in Season 8 dev stream Respawn Entertainment/EADuring the Apex Legends Season 8 dev livestream, what appears to be a brand new weapon can be seen for a brief moment in the background, prompting speculation that this could be a future gun in the game. While this trend has certainly slowed down over the past year, Respawn do like to introduce new weapons at the start of seasons, like the 30-30 Repeater rifle for Season 8. However, we may have gotten a sneak peek at another gun the devs have lined up for a future release. From the brief moment when it’s visible in the dev stream, the unreleased weapon is shown to have a bullpup design, which means the action and the magazine are located behind the trigger. It seems to be incredibly bulky but it’s hard to tell considering how short it appears on screen. Not surprisingly, the devs never show the gun in action, mention it, or even draw attention to it in any way, so there’s really nothing to tell about the weapon itself. Given its size, it is most likely some sort of an assault rifle, which would make sense considering there’s only been one AR added post-launch – the Havoc, right before Season 1, all the way back in February of 2019. If this does end up being a teaser for some future weapon, it wouldn’t be the first time Respawn have engaged in such tactics. The aforementioned 30-30 Repeater was actually first spotted in the Season 6 dev stream, so two seasons prior to it being released, which means this mysterious new one might not be unveiled until Season 10, or even beyond that. Or the devs could be just sending everyone on a wild goose change, not like they haven’t before… right? (ahem, Forge anyone?) Here’s hoping we learn more about the weapon soon, however, as fans will surely be eager to get their hands on it after their done with the Repeater.

Unreal Engine 5 lets artist create a short film that looks too good to be real YouTube: 3DystopiaA clip made in Unreal Engine 5 shows a POV shot that viewers swear looks completely realistic, but it was created using a technique called photogrammetry. With the recent trend of AI and hyper-realistic images, the skies are the limit for any creator looking to make their own movie, game, or other content from scratch. Unreal Engine 5, the free-to-use linear content creation tool, has already become one of the most popular tools in this new landscape. Games like The Matrix Awakens, Tekken 8, and the Witcher remake are all being built on Unreal Engine 5. But UE is also great for creating gorgeous movies, as one 3D artist showed in a film that’s almost indistinguishable from reality. Unreal Engine 5 short film looks realistic The film in question is a two-minute video on YouTube from artist 3Dystopia. The creator states, “Uploading real world to Unreal Engine 5 to create a super small metaverse. A short video but a long process based on 1500 pictures to recreate the alley. Full photogrammetry from 6k videos. I think that’s what the metaverse should look like a few years from now if a company decides to put the work into that challenge.” At 14 seconds, viewers can see the Unreal Engine logo appear in the upper-righthand corner of the screen, but that is the only indication that the location is now being generated instead of recorded – that and the strange objects appearing and vanish on ledges. “Bro, this is actually bonkers. If it wasn’t for the movement, I couldn’t’ve told the difference” one commenter replied, while another added, “This is way too real man damn”. With Unreal Engine recreating real-world places in such stunning detail, the applications for film and gaming are incredible, especially with the advancements in VR technology. More than one commenter expressed how a VR horror game, built in Unreal Engine with these graphics, could provide the ultimate horror gaming experience. While 3Dystopia was only able to generate a 19-second clip here, the future of gaming could be just as beautiful.

Unreal Engine 5 gameplay leaves gamers craving P.T. horror game An artist recreated a real-life train station in Unreal Engine 5 graphics and its unsettling realism has left gamers craving more P.T. style horror games. In April of 2022, Epic Games released Unreal Engine 5, the latest in groundbreaking video game development software. The launch was met with the Matrix Awakens tech demo which blew people away. The hyper-realism that developers are able to achieve in Unreal Engine 5 was on full display in the Matrix demo. And just a month later, artist Lorenzo Drago has shown off what the game engine is truly capable of. Drago would recreate the Etchu-Daimon train station in Toyama, Japan. Viewers would remark that the footage looked indistinguishable from real life, and this level of realism would have them craving ultra-realistic horror games. Gamers want P.T. horror games in Unreal Engine 5 Specifically, viewers would point out how Drago’s project reminded them of P.T., the famed 2014 horror experience. Known for its stunning graphics and disturbing environment, players have vigorously requested more P.T. content since its release. Now, with Drago’s footage, the want for a more realistic horror experience has flared back up. User Yurukuyaru posted the footage to Twitter, and the comments are filled with players demanding a horror game be made in Unreal Engine 5. One user stated, “Horror games are going to be impossible to play with this kind of fidelity” while others shared their sentiment. Shiraz, the social lead for Twitter Gaming, posted: “Horror games of next gen will literally give me a heart attack, I’m gettin too old for this level of realism” Horror games are going to be impossible to play with this kind of fidelity lol — sean (LadyDevimon Respecter) (@sharkerteeth) May 9, 2022 horror games of next gen will literally give me a heart attack, I’m gettin too old for this level of realism lmao (this is just a lighting demo using the new Unreal Engine 5) https://t.co/Qg8j7xDQKr — shiraz (@shiraz) May 9, 2022 All in all, Drago has blown the gaming community away with their recreation of Etchu-Daimon station. And who knows, maybe Hideo Kojima and Guillermo del Toro will team up once again to create another P.T. style experience in Unreal Engine 5. Until then, check out how CD PROJEKT RED thinks Unreal Engine 5 will impact The Witcher 4, and stay tuned for more news and guides.

How to unlock Overwatch 2 Lunar New Year Moira Legendary Skin with Twitch drops BlizzardWith Overwatch 2’s Lunar New Year event on the horizon, we know for certain fans will be able to unlock a fresh Legendary Skin for Moira. Here’s how you can grab the Mask Dancer Skin through Twitch drops. Ever since Overwatch 2 came into focus, replacing the original game in the process, events have been handled in a unique way. Rather than supplying a wide range of new Skins in loot boxes as the first title did, many new cosmetics in Overwatch 2 are either locked in the store or exclusive to Twitch. Just by watching along on the streaming platform, fans have been able to unlock a number of Legendary cosmetics, including the recent Sleighing D.Va Legendary skin during the Winter Wonderland event. Next up comes the Lunar New Year celebration and as is tradition at this point, one more Legendary Skin is set to be available through Twitch. This time Moira and her Mask Dancer Skin are in focus and fans may notice it’s the same skin from the 2020 iteration of the event. Here’s how you can unlock the Legendary cosmetic for yourself in Overwatch 2. When are Overwatch 2 Lunar New Year Twitch drops available? The Lunar New Year event is set to go live on Tuesday, January 17 in Overwatch 2, but the Twitch drops will begin a bit sooner on January 11 and run until the 25th. This means fans have roughly three weeks in which to tune in on Twitch and nab the Moira Skin. How to link your Battle.net account on Twitch Before watching along on Twitch, however, it’s essential that your Battle.net account is connected on Twitch. Without your accounts linked, you simply won’t unlock the Legendary Moira Skin. Be sure to follow the steps below to link the two accounts and ensure you’re ready to go when Lunar New Year Twitch drops go live. Log in to your Battle.net account – Go to your Battle.net Connections page – Click Connect next to Twitch and follow the instructions – How to unlock Moira Mask Dancer Legendary Skin Once your accounts are linked, it’s all just a matter of watching eligible streamers on Twitch. As usual, many of the most popular Overwatch 2 personalities will have drops enabled on their broadcasts, meaning you just have to tune in for a set amount of time to claim the new Skin. As usual, two unique items are up for grabs on Twitch during the Lunar New Year event. Alongside the Moira Skin, players can also get their hands on a festive Pose too. Below is a quick rundown on the requirements for both rewards: Watch 2 hours: Unlock Moira Lion Roars Victory Pose. – Watch 4 hours: Unlock Moira Mask Dancer Legendary Skin. – That’s all there is to know about unlocking the Twitch-exclusive Moira skin in Overwatch 2. As it’s only available for a limited time, be sure to follow the steps above and grab it before it’s gone.

How to unlock Evil Dead: The Game characters – Amanda Fisher, Pablo Simon Bolivar & more Saber InteractiveOne of Evil Dead: The Game’s best features is the ability to play as some of the franchise’s most iconic characters, but just how do you unlock the likes of Amanda Fisher and Pablo Simon Bolivar? Here’s everything you need to know. Designed in a similar asymmetrical style to the likes of Behavior Interactive’s Dead by Daylight, Evil Dead: The Game challenges players to survive in a campy, horror-inspired universe inhabited by fearsome, bloodthirsty Kandarian Demons. One of the game‘s main perks is the ability to control some of the franchise’s classic characters, including the likes of Ash vs The Evil Dead’s Amanda Fisher and El Brujo Especial himself, Pablo Simon Bolivar. But just how do you unlock these familiar faces in Evil Dead: The Game? Here’s a rundown of how to add characters to your roster of hardened Survivors. How to unlock characters in Evil Dead: The Game In order to start expanding your roster, you’ll need to complete certain missions in single-player mode. These are accessible via the ‘Mission‘ tab on the main menu. While only five missions are available at the moment, a sixth is listed, implying another hero may be joining the fray very soon. Each character has a dedicated mission, which we’ve listed below. Note that all Ash skins will only be usable on the Leader version of the character: So that’s how you unlock new characters in Evil Dead: The Game, and add the likes of Amanda Fisher to your merry band of misfits. Looking to purge some demons and look good doing it? Be sure to check out our other Evil Dead: The Game guides: Is Evil Dead: The Game coming to Xbox Game Pass? | Is Evil Dead: The Game crossplay?

University student surprises professor by showing up as his Persona 5 character IMDB: Jamieson Price / AtlusA university student went viral on TikTok after showing up to his last day of class cosplaying as a character his professor voiced in Persona 5. The TikToker in question goes by the name LGCrusader on the platform and posted the video with the caption, “Sojiro Sakura meets Sojiro Sakura.” The TikTok opens with the student dressed in his Sojiro Sakura cosplay, complete with a pink collared shirt, half-moon glasses, and a pinstripe black apron. The TikToker then walked into class and greeted his professor, acting instructor and voice actor Jamieson Price, before heading to his seat. A classmate gathered his attention after Price returned to his podium without noticing the cosplay. “Whoa what are you? Who are you, man?” the classmate asked in a loud, exaggerated voice. Once the voice actor finally noticed, he said, “Oh my god,” before he and the rest of the class burst out laughing at the student’s cosplay. Clearly amused by the outfit, Price asked the student to pose for a picture to commemorate the prank. Jamieson Price, the voice actor and professor featured in the TikTok, has voiced numerous characters in anime and video games, including Rashard Zangan in FF7 Rebirth, Paul Phoenix in Tekken 8, and, of course, Sojiro Sakura from Persona 5. Fans in the comments were stunned to see Price in the classroom setting. “Your professor is the voice actor for Sojiro Sakura I’m so jealous,” said one user, while another said, “PAUSE UR PROF VOICES SOJIRO SAKURA??? THATS SO COOL.” Others shared stories of their own professors having worked in the voice acting industry before as well. “One of my professors voiced a character in LA Noire. Honestly fricking hilarious,” said another user. This professor in question voiced a character known as Benny Cluff in the 2011 title. While students may come and go from university, Price likely won’t forget this cosplaying pupil anytime soon.

Unity set to lay off 1,800 employees in its largest “company reset” ever UnityUnity reportedly intends to lay off 1,800 employees in their ‘company reset’ in what will be the largest round of layoffs ever for the video game software developer. An internal company memo obtained by Reuters has revealed Unity will lay off 1,800 employees by March this year. The layoffs form part of the plans for a “company reset”, announced last year by new Unity CEO, Jim Whitehurst. In the memo dated January 8, 2024, Whitehurst tells employees Unity will be “reducing the number of things” the company was doing to “focus” on their “core business” and “long-term success.” The company also told Reuters the “deep job cuts will affect all teams, regions, and areas of the business”. The first phase of the “reset” began in November last year, with Unity terminating their agreement with Peter Jackson’s visual effects company. The last 12 months have not been easy for Unity, the massive developer found itself in hot water last year, after it tried to impose a controversial “Runtime Fee”. The fee would have forced devs to pay up each time their game was installed on a PC. The fee was later walked back by then interim CEO, Marc Whitten, who apologized to developers and promised to heed their concerns. Unity has been an integral part of the game industry for years. Its engine has been used to build a slew of smash indie hits, including Cult of the Lamb, Among Us, Cuphead, and Fall Guys to name a few. It also powers popular mobile games like Pokémon Go and Call of Duty: Mobile too. The layoffs from Unity are a concerning start to the year for the gaming industry, which saw record layoffs last year from companies including Microsoft, Ubisoft, and Relic Games.

Unity pledges to alter Runtime Fee policy after widespread backlash Shedworks/UnityUnity has responded to the widespread community backlash of late, pledging to make changes to the controversial Runtime Fee announced just days prior. Unity, the company responsible for the widely industry-used game engine of the same name, announced on September 12 that it would be introducing a Runtime Fee that charges devs each time a game using their engine is downloaded. Planned to start in January 2024, the game dev community near-unanimously protested the incoming changes as some of the plans would mean thousands if not millions of dollars owed to Unity depending on the size and success of the project. And now, after a week of backlash, Unity has pledged it will be changing the Runtime Fee policy. “We have heard you,” read the September 17 announcement from Unity. “We apologize for the confusion and angst the Runtime Fee policy we announced on Tuesday caused. We are listening, talking to our team members, community, customers, and partners, and will be making changes to the policy.” Unity added that it will be revealing the exact adjustments in the coming days. This change of plans came after a week of Unity attempting to explain its reasons for the incoming fees, which saw massive backlash. Indie games like Cult of the Lamb threatened to pull their title after the announced fees, with Unity even being forced to close their offices after receiving death threats. The charge rate of the Runtime Fees would depend on which Unity plan a dev is on, but when a dev reaches $200,000 in revenue over 12 months, they could be subjected to charges as much as $0.20 per install. The Runtime Fee caused concern for many games in development and dev teams’ futures as many high-profile projects run on the engine. Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, Pokemon Go, Rust, and Hearthstone all run on Unity to name a few, with indie titles such as Cuphead, Hollow Knight, Risk of Rain 2, Among Us, and Outer Wilds also utilizing the engine.

Unity employee reportedly forces office closure with death threats over installation fees UnityAs backlash for Unity’s proposed Installation Fee Policy continues, indie developers continue to voice their concerns. Now, the software company has closed two North American offices over death threats amid the drama. Unity announced on September 12 that they planned to begin charging developers using their engine a fee based on software downloads. Numerous developers, including the team behind Cult of the Lamb, are now threatening to erase their games to avoid the fees. Following the wave of criticism from developers using the Unity Engine, the company had prepared to host a Town Hall meeting to straighten things out. The event has since been canceled following death threats to Unity staff. Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier reported on September 15 that Unity was forced to close its San Francisco and Austin offices due to the threats. Following initial reports, Polygon reporter Nicole Carpenter tweeted images of a police report alleging that a Unity employee was the one who made the threats. Unity death threats allegedly came from inside the company “Today, we have been made aware of a potential threat to some of our offices,” a Unity spokesperson explained in the press release. “We have taken immediate and proactive measures to ensure the safety of our employees, which is our top priority.” While not mentioned in Unity’s press release, a report from the San Fransico Police Department mentions an employee of Unity as the source of the threat. “When officers arrived on scene, they met with a reporting party that informed them that an employee had made a threat to his employer via social media,” the police report read. “We are closing our offices today and tomorrow that could be potential targets for this threat, and are fully cooperating with law enforcement on the investigation,” Unity’s spokesperson finished in the press release. Unity’s announced policy is to charge developers using their engine $0.20 for every new installation after 200,000 units. Multiple developers have expressed their misgivings, threatening to switch engines or delete their games entirely. Whether they hold true to those threats however, obviously remains to be seen. Games that could be impacted by the new policies include Pokemon Go, Honkai Star Rail, and Genshin Impact. Unity has since attempted to calm its partners by claiming that “more than 90%” of its customers will not be affected by the changes. If Unity does not abandon the move entirely, the controversial Installation Fees will come into effect on January 1, 2024.

Unity boss shares updates to Runtime Fee amid controversy: “I am sorry” UnityUnity boss Marc Whitten has issued a statement regarding the recent Runtime Fee controversy, apologizing in the process. On September 12, 2023, Unity sparked backlash throughout the game development community by revealing an update that would see devs facing fees for every install of their game. Just days later, the company pledged to make changes to the plan, stating that they had been listening to the community. On September 22, Unity boss Marc Whitten issued a statement revealing the changes to the Runtime Fee policy. Unity makes massive changes to Runtime Fee policy In a blog post on the Unity website, Whitten apologized. “We should have spoken with more of you and we should have incorporated more of your feedback before announcing our new Runtime Fee policy,” he said. “Our goal with this policy is to ensure we can continue to support you today and tomorrow and keep deeply investing in our game engine. “We have heard your concerns, and we are making changes in the policy we announced to address them.” Whitten went on to note that the Unity Personal plan will remain free, and there will be no Runtime Fee for games built using that plan. He also shared that they will be increasing the earnings cap from $100k to $200k and will remove the requirement to use the “Made with Unity” splash screen. Finally, there will be no fee for any game that makes less than $1M in 12-month revenue and it will not affect currently shipped games at all unless they update to the next version of Unity. With the announcement, plenty of devs took to social media to share their thoughts. “Now this actually makes sense,” one user replied. Another commented: “This all seems fair enough to be honest, and glad to see it, for the sake of the community.” However, it appears the trust has been broken between Unity and some devs. “You gotta regain the trust of devs after this mess. Steps in the right direction but I don’t see how you didn’t see this backlash coming in the first place,” another Twitter user replied. For more gaming news and other viral stories, head over to check out our coverage.

Undisputed boxing game roster: All male & female fighters in every weight class Deep SilverThe highly anticipated Undisputed boxing game is drawing close to its full release and we’ve got the full rundown on every fighter set to appear on the roster at launch. It’s been quite some time since boxing games reigned supreme. The last Fight Night release from EA was well over a decade ago. But now, a new contender is rising up the ranks. Announced in 2020, Undisputed garnered plenty of attention during its early access period. Now gearing up for its full release on October 11, 2024, we already have a good idea of what to expect from the full roster. With dozens of legendary figures rounding out “the largest roster ever”, there’s plenty for boxing fans new and old to be excited about. From modern icons like Oleksandr Usyk, Terence Crawford, and Canelo Alvarez to Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, and many more, it’s a stacked lineup. Here’s the full overview to get you up to speed. Male fighters Heavyweight Muhammad Ali – Tyson Fury – Oleksandr Usyk – Larry Holmes – Riddick Bowe – Tommy Morrison – Floyd Patterson – Joe Luis – Deontay Wilder – Rocky Marciano – David Adeleye – Joe Frazier – Roy Jones Jr – Joe Joyce – Eddie Hall – Frank Bruno – Cruiserweight Oleksandr Usyk – Rocky Marciano – Patrick Rokohl – Roy Jones Jr – Johnny Nelson – Lyndon Arthur – Lawrence Okolie – Enzo Maccarinelli – Light Heavyweight Canelo Alvarez – Lerrone Richards – Joe Calzaghe – Patrick Rokohl – Roy Jones Jr – Lyndon Arthur – Enzo Maccarinelli – Nigel Benn – Middleweight Canelo Alvarez – Amir Khan – Lerrone Richards – Joe Calzaghe – Daniel Jacobs – Sugar Ray Leonard – Shawn Porter – Ryan Rhodes – Patrick Rokohl – Roy Jones Jr – Sugar Ray Robinson – Kell Brook – George Groves – Carl Froch – Conor Benn – Nigel Benn – Welterweight Canelo Alvarez – Terence Crawford – Arturo Gatti – Amir Khan – Sugar Ray Leonard – Shawn Porter – Ryan Rhodes – Ricky Hatton – Sugar Ray Robinson – Micky Ward – Kell Brook – Josh Taylor – George Davey – Michael McKinson – Conor Benn – Dalton Smith – Lightweight Terence Crawford – Arturo Gatti – Amir Khan – Kevin Kelley – Xu Can – Aadam Hamed – Vasiliy Lomachenko – Ryan Garcia – Ricky Hatton – Sugar Ray Robinson – Micky Ward – Josh Taylor – Jorge Linares – Jono Carroll – Jordan Gill – Anthony Crolla – Dalton Smith – Featherweight Arturo Gatti – Kevin Kelley – Xu Can – Carl Frampton – Vasiliy Lomachenko – Scott Quigg – Ryan Garcia – Jorge Linares – Jono Carroll – Jordan Gill – Hopey Price – Anthony Crolla – Josh Warrington – Kid Galahad – Bantamweight Carl Frampton – Scott Quigg – Jorge Linares – Hopey Price – Charlie Edwards – Sunny Edwards – Kid Galahad – Female fighters Welterweight Katie Taylor – Claressa Shields – Franchon Crews Dezurn – Terri Harper – Natasha Jonas – Jessica McCaskill – Alicia Napoleon – Cecilia Braekhus – Lightweight Katie Taylor – Seniesa Estrada – Heather Hardy – Terri Harper – Sophie Alisch – Natasha Jonas – Jessica McCaskill – Delfine Persoon – Ebanie Bridges – Chantelle Cameron – Jelena Mrdjenovich – While that’s the full Undisputed boxing game roster as it stands for now, there’s every chance we’ll see more fighters join the mix in future updates. We’ll be sure to keep you posted here as any new details emerge.

Undisputed boxing game: Release date, full roster, early access details, more Deep SilverUndisputed, formerly known as eSports Boxing Club, is finally making its way to the ring and we’ve got the early tale of the tape. From a look at the roster of playable fighters to a breakdown of core gameplay systems, here’s all there is to know. Throughout the early 2000s, EA kept boxing fans happy with a flurry of authentic boxing games under the ‘Fight Night’ banner. These titles were regarded as some of the best in the combat sports realm before they ultimately vanished. Boxing has largely missed the last few hardware generations while the likes of WWE and UFC games have taken over instead. Fortunately for those eager to step back in the ring and compete in the ‘gentleman’s sport’ once again, a new contender is finally emerging. Undisputed, an upcoming release from a new team at Steel City Interactive promises to bring a “world-leading” boxing simulation to various platforms in the near future. From when you can play it to a look at the boxers on the roster, here’s everything you need to know. Undisputed boxing game: Release date Undisputed is set to release in full on October 11, 2024. This follows an early access release that first kicked off on January 31, 2023. Players have already been able to go hands-on, and by the time the final build hits store shelves, it will have been 21 months in total between early access and the full launch. Undisputed boxing game platforms While Undisputed first arrived on PC in early access, the full game is launching on PS5 and Xbox Series X | S as well. There are no plans for a release across previous-gen hardware. This means new-gen console players will be able to get in on the fun, but it’s currently unclear if crossplay will be supported across all versions of the game. Undisputed boxing: Gameplay details Striving to be the “most authentic boxing game to date,” Undisputed puts the biggest emphasis on raw gameplay mechanics and polished visuals. On the former, devs have implemented unique movement systems, dozens of punching types, and countless animations to ensure every fighter feels different. All of these aspects have been gradually tweaked over time with player feedback in mind, to ensure the most polished experience at launch. In moment-to-moment fighting, players will notice a unique physics system that allows punches to “go around or even through the guard” depending on a range of variables in the heat of combat. There are multiple venues to compete out of, multiple weight classes, and a women’s division too, plus real-world referees to add that extra layer of authenticity. On top of that, the game features a well-rounded lineup of many of the sport’s most influential figures today, which you can find below in the full roster. Undisputed boxing game trailers First gameplay trailer Name change from Esports Boxing Club to Undisputed Announcement trailer Release date announcement trailer Undisputed boxing: Confirmed roster The Undisputed boxing game is set to feature dozens of veterans and modern stars alike across its eight weight classes. With a female lineup to boot, there are plenty of iconic figures to pick from. More contemporary fans of the sport will recognize the likes of Deontay Wilder, Ryan Garcia, and Terence Crawford while older heads may be thrilled to see names like Sugar Ray Robinson and Micky Ward. There are even a few surprises in the mix like former world’s strongest man Eddie Hall featuring in the Heavyweight division. You can find the full Undisputed roster here for the complete breakdown.

Undertale players convinced Deltarune hints are hidden in early Valentine’s artwork DexertoUndertale creator Toby Fox has uploaded Deltarune Valentine’s Day artwork, and fans think there could be hints hidden in the drawings. While the story of Undertale has technically concluded, its characters live on in Deltarune, a quasi-sequel game set in an alternate universe or timeline, where events have played out differently, and familiar faces have lived different lives. Deltarune is an episodic game with several chapters still waiting to be released, so fans are chomping at the bit for any information about the upcoming story. This means that any social media posts made by the game’s creator, Toby Fox, are swiftly examined for clues. There haven’t been many updates since the Undertale/Deltarune crossover with Among Us, but that has now changed, thanks to a strange post that fans think has hidden clues, causing them to take a CSI approach. Deltarune fans think Valentine’s Day artwork might have a secret image Despite being a month early, Toby Fox posted some Undertale & Deltarune Valentine’s Day drawings on his Twitter/X account. These drawings were done on paper and photographed, with fans quickly noticing visible drawings beneath the page. A user on the Deltarune Reddit highlighted the artwork beneath the page, showing what appears to be a reindeer girl. They speculated that this is a drawing of Noelle, one of the playable characters in Deltarune, as she might appear in a future chapter. Other users have speculated that this character is actually Noelle’s sister, Dess, who is either missing or deceased during the events of Deltarune. “DESS DESS DESS THAT’S NOT WHAT NOELLE’S HAIR LOOKS LIKE THAT’S DESS,” one overly excited user pointed out on Twitter. While Dess’ fate is unclear, many fans speculate that she is somehow “lost” in the code of Deltarune and is trying to escape or contact someone about her plight. This is due to strange messages found by datamining the game from someone trapped and alone. The drawing could hint that she’s set to appear in a future chapter of Deltarune. Either that or it is some obscure reference to her fate, as she’s always just out of bounds, in a place where the player can never find her. If any of this seems farfetched, then it bears mentioning that Toby Fox is absolutely the kind of creator who would include a hint like this. Fox is the kind of person who puts secret messages in the code for the Undertale website, so hidden ink drawings are right up his alley.

Undertale creator references infamous Game Theory in farewell to MatPat DexertoMatPat has announced his retirement from content creation, and Undertale creator Toby Fox has said his farewells with a reference to an infamous Game Theory video. The Game Theorists YouTube channel is commonly associated with series like Five Nights at Freddy’s, but it also produced some massively popular videos based on Undertale, which is a game that’s ripe for theories and fanon. The second most popular Undertale Game Theory video (with over 13 million views) claims that Sans is actually Ness from EarthBound, or rather the version of Ness who never returned home in Toby Fox’s EarthBound Halloween Hack. Undertale fans have mocked the “Sans is Ness” theory for years due to various inaccuracies and assumptions it makes, to the point where it has gained memetic status among the fanbase. Now, the creator of Undertale is getting in on the fun for one last goodbye. Toby Fox said goodbye to MatPat with a reference to the infamous “Sans is Ness” theory MatPat has announced his retirement from content creation, having worked on Game Theory and other channels for over thirteen years. Toby Fox has said goodbye with a message on his Twitter/X page, referencing the infamous Undertale Game Theory video. The tweet depicts Sans and Papyrus wearing Ness-style outfits, sporting his red cap and striped yellow shirt. Fortunately, the tweet doesn’t confirm whether Sans is actually Ness, which would have been one final gift from Fox to MatPat. Funnily enough, Sans and Ness did eventually meet, in a manner of speaking, as Sans became a Mii Gunner costume in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. One of Sakurai’s Twitter posts actually showed Ness and Sans together, which some thought was a reference to the Game Theory video. While Toby Fox and MatPat did have minor Twitter drama years ago (regarding a game called Heartbound), there’s no denying that the Game Theory videos brought a ton of attention and promotion to Undertale, regardless of whether you agreed with them. MatPat retired while Deltarune (Undertale’s quasi-sequel in an alternate universe) is ongoing, so we’ll never hear his theories about its story. Fortunately, plenty of YouTubers will be willing to take up the mantle and possibly make strong arguments for Susie secretly being Terra from Final Fantasy VI.

Underrated Warzone AR could replace NZ-41 in Season 4 Reloaded meta ActivisionWarzone Season 4 Reloaded is right around the corner and players are preparing for the dominant NZ-41 to be nerfed after weeks at the top of the meta. Luckily, CoD expert WhoImmortal has picked out the underrated Assault Rifle that might take the NZ’s crown. The mid-season update for Warzone Season 4 is almost here, and players are expecting the usual wave of new game modes and weapons. Season 4 Reloaded is set to bring zombies back to the battle royale in Rebirth of the Dead, as well as killer machines in a Terminator crossover. There will also be a ton of nerfs and buffs to the current lineup of weapons in an effort to shake up the meta. After weeks as Warzone’s most popular gun, the NZ-41 is the prime suspect for another nerf. This will likely leave many players with a hole to be filled in their loadout, but Warzone expert WhosImmortal has picked out the slept-on Assault Rifle that could step up in Season 4 Reloaded. In his July 25 video, WhosImmortal explained that the Nikita AVT has a great chance of replacing the NZ-41 as Warzone’s best weapon in the new season. The Vanguard AR has been a solid yet uninspiring weapon since it was added in Vanguard Season 3, but the YouTuber believes its time has come. “This thing is actually absurdly, absurdly good,” he said in his video. “It’s a little trickier to use, it’s not this no recoil laser like the NZ or the STG, but it has got very very spicy damage.” He acknowledged that the recoil pattern on Nikita AVT is a little tricky to handle at first, but felt that its stats make it more than worth persevering with. When comparing its TTK with the NZ-41, he found that the Nikita AVT is over 0.15 seconds faster at dispatching enemies until you hit the 45-meter range, at which point the two are neck and neck. This is before the NZ has been nerfed, so Nikita is only going to extend its lead in Warzone Season 4 reloaded. WhosImmortal’s Nikita AVT loadout for Warzone Season 4 Reloaded Muzzle: MX Silencer – Barrel: Empress 613mm BFA – Optic: G16 2.5x – Stock: Empress Notch – Underbarrel: Carver Foregrip – Magazine: 7.62x54mmR 50 Round Mags – Ammo Type: Lengthened – Rear Grip: Hatched Grip – Perk 1: Perfectionist – Perk 2: On-Hand – This build is centered around making the Nikita AVT a beast in long-range fights by keeping its tricky recoil in check, while retaining its ridiculous damage and low TTK. Most of the attachments selected here boost recoil control, making it far easier to land shots at a distance. However, WhosImmortal noted that you could easily switch the Nikita AVT into a sniper support option by switching to the Kovalevskaya 548mm Precision Barrel, Kovalevskaya Folding Stock, and 6.5 Sakura 60 Round Drum. These boost the AR’s hipfire accuracy and mobility at the expense of some recoil control, to make the Nikita AVT dominate close-quarters engagements. With this build, we could see a brand-new weapon at the top of the tree as we head towards Warzone Season 5.

Underrated Cold War AR “decimates” enemies after Warzone Season 5 Reloaded buff Treyarch/ActivisionWarzone guru WhosImmortal has unveiled a loadout for an underused Cold War AR that “decimates” enemies after receiving a damage buff in Season 5 Reloaded. The arrival of Season 5 Reloaded marks the end of an era as Warzone’s final major update before Raven Software moves onto the game’s upcoming sequel. In this last patch, the devs took the time to buff and balance many of the title’s forgotten weapons, bringing old guns from the past back into the fold. Well, realizing this, Warzone guru WhosImmortal began experimenting with some of these guns and identified that one particular Cold War rifle was the perfect rifle for Rebirth Island. Revealing that the weapon “decimates” opponents after its Season 5 Reloaded buff, this gun is well-worth using if you want an option that deletes enemies at medium range. Best EM2 loadout in Warzone Season 5 Attachments Muzzle: Agency Suppressor – Barrel: 25.8″ Task Force – Optic: Axial Arms 3x – Underbarrel: Field Agent Grip – Magazine: 40 Rnd – While evaluating the best Warzone loadouts for Rebirth Island, WhosImmortal took the time to highlight the power of the recently buffed EM2. Claiming that the Cold War AR “decimates” at medium range thanks to buffs to its headshot multiplier in Season 5 Reloaded, this gun is perfect for racking up countless kills. Not only that, but the EM2 also has the highest KD ratio in the game according to WZRanked, despite only having a 0.3% pick rate. To capitalize on the gun’s powerful TTK, WhosImmortal’s build maximizes the weapon’s damage and attempts to bolster its heavy recoil pattern. Topic starts at 6:22 Alongside the EM2, we recommend utilizing the Overkill perk so you can run a meta SMG. This will give you an extremely versatile loadout that can outmatch enemies in any location on Rebirth Island. While there are countless SMG options available, WhosImmortal opts for the Marco 5, but the MP40 and Armaguerra 43 are also great choices. So, don’t hesitate to test this setup out in your Warzone matches, and see if you can pick a few wins with this loadout on Rebirth Island. Who knows, you may even end up breaking your own personal kill record if this class fits your playstyle.

Under Night In-Birth II Sys: Celes – Release Date, platforms, characters Arc System WorksUnder Night In-Birth II Sys: Celes is the hotly anticipated sequel to the 2012 fighting game of the same name. We’ve rounded up everything you need to know about the game, including release date, platforms, and characters. Under Night In-Birth II Sys: Celes is developed by FRENCH-BREAD and Arc System Works. This game is a sequel to a title originally released in arcades by SEGA in 2012. The game was later released on consoles by Arc System Works in 2014, and it made its way to PC in 2016. It is a popular franchise that features amazing visuals, nail-biting matches, and some fascinating characters. The upcoming sequel develops on its predecessors in numerous ways, which makes the title more newbie-friendly, as well as adding crucial online components such as rollback netcode. As always, veterans will also have a lot to look forward to as the game will add new moves, brand-new mechanics, and new characters to try. Here is everything you need to know about Under Night In-Birth II Sys: Celes. Contents Under Night In-Birth II Sys: Celes – Release date – Under Night In-Birth II Sys: Celes – Platforms – Under Night In-Birth II Sys: Celes – Characters – Under Night In-Birth II Sys: Celes – Editions – Under Night In-Birth II Sys: Celes – Release date Under Night In-Birth II Sys: Celes will be released on January 24, 2024, worldwide. Under Night In-Birth II Sys: Celes – Platforms Under Night In-Birth II Sys: Celes will be available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Steam. Unfortunately, there is no information regarding an Xbox release for the title. Under Night In-Birth II Sys: Celes – Characters You will be able to access a total of 24 characters with brand-new visuals. The characters you will get to play are as follows: Hyde – Linne – Waldstein – Carmine – Orie – Gordeau – Merkava – Vatista – Seth – Yuzuriha – Hilda – Chaos – Nanase – Byakuya – Phonon – Mika – Wagner – Enkidu – Londrekia – Tsurugi – Kaguya – Kuon – Eltnum – Akatsuki – Under Night In-Birth II Sys: Celes – Editions There are two different editions of the game available for purchase. One of them is the standard edition and the other is the “Deluxe” edition. As of the time of writing, the Deluxe Edition of the game is limited to digital versions only. You also receive bonuses for pre-ordering the game. The rewards for all of them have been listed below: Pre-order bonus Character Season Pass – Deluxe Edition bonus Under Night In-Birth II Sys: Celes base game – 25 Announcer Characters Set – Character Season Pass – Where to buy Under Night In-Birth II Sys: Celes Amazon currently has pre-orders available for the game, across all platforms. Just note that the Deluxe Edition is currently digital-only. This is all you need to know about Under Night In-Birth II Sys: Celes. If you found it informative, do not forget to check out the hubs for some of our other games at Dexerto. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 | Assassin’s Creed Mirage | The Elder Scrolls 6 | GTA 6 | | Wolverine | KOTR Remake | Wonder Woman | DokeV | Dragon Age 4 | Avatar Frontiers of Pandora | Metal Gear Solid 3 Remake | Counter-Strike 2 | Mortal Kombat 1 | AEW: Fight Forever | Starfield | EA Sports FC | Alan Wake 2 If you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.

Under a Rock: Trailer, platforms & everything we know GameforgeUnder a Rock boasts a mass multiplayer open-world survival game with tons of twists and laughter. Here’s everything we know about Under a Rock. Developed by indie company, Nordic Trolls and published by Gameforge, Under a Rock boasts some hilarious open-world survival gameplay that seems heavily inspired by the likes of Ark Survival Evolved, Rust, and many more classics. So, does Under a Rock have a release date yet, can you play it on your chosen platform, and what’s the game even about? Here’s everything we know about the upcoming title, Under a Rock. Contents: Does Under a Rock have a release date? – Under a Rock trailer – Under a Rock gameplay – Under a Rock platforms – Does Under a Rock have a release date? Currently no, Under a Rock doesn’t have a release date yet. However, when one is announced, we will be updating this article so be sure to check back soon for more information. Under a Rock trailer When Under a Rock was revealed, fans were treated to a short announcement trailer, featuring a glimpse into the gameplay, story, style, and some of the adorable creatures you’ll come across in the game. You can watch it below. What kind of game is Under a Rock? Essentially, Under a Rick is a brand new open-world survival game with a focus on adorable animals and so much more. Players can head into a mysterious land and explore caves and underwater environments, build bases, complete challenges, craft, fish, and farm as they fight to end the terrifying curses that lie in wait. On top of this, you’ll be able to enjoy the game with more than ten different players, creating an ideal environment for mass collaboration or a chaotic world to survive in. What platforms can you play Under a Rock on? You’ll be able to play Under a Rock on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation — so, a vast amount of players will be able to dive into the exciting new world. There’s no word on whether Under a Rock will be coming to Nintendo Switch or Mac, but as always, we will be updating this article as soon as there’s more information. So, there you have it. That’s everything we know about Under a Rock. While waiting for the release date to be announced, take a look at some of our other handy game hubs for titles coming out in the future: The Elder Scrolls 6 | GTA 6 | Wolverine | KOTR Remake | Wonder Woman | DokeV | Dragon Age 4 | The Witcher 3 next-gen patch | Avatar Frontiers of Pandora | Phantom Blade Zero | Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine 2

Uncovered video shows 1999 Spurs playing StarCraft during NBA Finals Blizzard Entertainment/NBAVideo of the 1999 San Antonio Spurs playing the original StarCraft between games of the NBA Finals has been shared on Reddit, and it’s an absolutely awesome blast from the past. Just before the Millennium, the Spurs, led by the legendary Greg Popovich, dominated the New York Knicks in the 1999 NBA Finals, walking away with a 4-1 win in the series. Newly uncovered video seems to show that several of the Spurs legends from that team kept their skills sharp by playing one another in the original StarCraft. Legends playing a legendary game The video was posted to r/NBA by user cacacunty and it shows David Robinson, Sean Elliot, Malik Rose and Tim Duncan playing 2v2 StarCraft on LAN. It’s about as 90s as a video can get, and the huge laptops, along with the trackball mice bring up memories of a simpler time in gaming. It’s revealed that Robinson, who was given the nickname “The Admiral” after his prior service as an officer in the U.S. Navy, also used the moniker as his Battletag for StarCraft. Turns out Robinson also liked to talk trash during StarCraft matches, maybe even almost as much as he liked to throw down massive dunks on any and all opponents on the court. The 2v2 was an epic matchup of Malik Rose and Tim Duncan facing off against Sean Elliot and David Robinson, with the duo of Elliot and Robinson walking away victorious. It would be really interesting to know if any of these superstars has kept up with StarCraft in the two decades since this was filmed. Maybe they gave StarCraft 2 a shot or have hopped back in to the original with StarCraft: Remastered. Unfortunately, Dexerto was unable to interview any of the legends before this story was published to find out. Did playing StarCraft help the Spurs win the 1999 title? It’s impossible to say, but there’s no doubt that if it were a best of five StarCraft series, the Spurs still would have won handily.

Uncharted fans think Sony’s latest PS5 ad features new game tease SonyDespite recent news about the series, Sony’s latest ad for PlayStation 5 has some fans convinced that a new Uncharted game is in development. Last week, studio Co-President Neil Druckmann confirmed Naughty Dog is officially “moving on” from Uncharted. The adventures of Drake and friends have seemingly come to an end, then. But since Uncharted has constituted nothing short of a runaway success for Sony over the last 15 years, many wonder if the platform-holder will indeed hang it all up. Interestingly enough, a new PS5 ad managed to recently spark yet another wave of speculation on this front. Is the PS5’s latest TV spot teasing a new Uncharted game? PlayStation’s newly released “Live from PS5” ad campaign features a host of references to first and third-party titles, including Marvel’s Spider-Man, Horizon Forbidden West, and The Callisto Protocol. But eagle-eyed viewers have honed in on one moment, in particular, which features a torch-wielding young woman exploring an ancient underground site. The woman appears for but a split second at the 43-second mark. Considering the epilogue of Uncharted 4: A Thief’s end, some think the lady in question is Nathan and Elena’s daughter, Cassie. If this does serve as an Uncharted tease of some sort, it raises several questions. For one, who would lead the charge on developing a new Uncharted game since Naughty Dog moved on? Years ago, a not-so-secret Sony studio based out of San Diego was rumored to be working on an Uncharted adventure. No further details have surfaced since late 2020, however, when one departing developer noted that, as far as they knew, both the studio and its unannounced project remained “ongoing.” Though it’s worth mentioning that job listings for the team in October 2022 referenced its partnership with Naughty Dog on a “beloved franchise.” It’s possible the franchise is The Last of Us, given Naughty Dog’s efforts with the Factions multiplayer game. And it’s also possible the young woman in the “Live from PlayStation” ad is Tomb Raider’s Lara Croft, since the video features third-party titles as well.

Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection PC review – Technically sound but something’s missing The Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection finally brings Nathan Drake to PC, but it’s a bizarre choice of games that don’t always hold up. Sony’s current plan to bring their latest and greatest titles to the PC has been a success. Each port has been great, with a bounty of options and fantastic support for lower-end machines. With great ports, regardless of the quality of the game itself, they’ve all at least made some kind of sense. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Remastered is an excellent showcase, while God of War could be seen as a soft reboot, with the displaced Kratos having only stringent connections to previous games. Horizon and Days Gone and the rest of Sony’s crop all stand alone. Bucking this trend, the Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection features Uncharted 4, in addition to Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. While The Lost Legacy is a better standalone game, Uncharted 4 heavily relies on having some kind of interaction with the series prior to that. Some PC audiences might feel slightly left out of the loop if they’d not played titles in the series prior. Uncharted Legacy of Thieves: Key Details Developer: Naughty Dog – Price: $49.99/£39.99 – Release Date: October 19, 2022 – Platforms: PC (also available on PS4 and PS5) – Uncharted Legacy of Thieves trailer A missing link Nathan Drake’s last adventure feels a little empty on PC. Sure, Uncharted has been around for 15 years, but the idea of bringing a collection of games to a platform that has never had an Uncharted game on it without three of the main titles still feels slightly odd. What’s stranger is that there’s already a ‘Nathan Drake Collection‘ on PS4, which collates all of Nathan Drake’s earlier adventures. It clearly shows that the work has been done to bring the games over to industry-standard x86 architecture and higher resolutions, from the PS3’s complex Cell architecture. The decision to first release the newer titles left us scratching our heads. It’s an easy open goal for Sony, and preserving the older titles with PC ports would have been a welcome addition. However, this new PC port is also missing Uncharted’s multiplayer mode. The PS5 version of the collection also omitted these modes. That means that you’ll have to reach for your dusty Dualshock 4 if you want to get in on the arcadey action on PS4. That’s not to say that these are the only issues with the games. Uncharted 4 has aged in ways that Naughty Dog probably won’t ever realize. Uncharted 4 on PC: A Writer’s Issue We’re six years on from Uncharted 4. The fifth in the series was the once star of the show on PS4. A new, modernized, and realistic-ish take on Nathan Drake lead the charge for what would become not only Naughty Dog’s modus operandi but also Sony’s. From The Last of Us onwards, Naughty Dog has become slightly more self-serious, departing from the campy tones of previous games. Nathan Drake no longer just goes on rip-roaring adventures and instead becomes Neil Druckmann’s self-insert on exploring his feelings towards fatherhood. However, while Druckmann and his team craft an intricate and genuinely thrilling treasure-hunting tale, the game’s focus on the now-aging Nathan Drake can get grating, especially when the journey is so lengthy. It was the style at the time Perhaps it isn’t Naughty Dog’s fault as a whole, as Uncharted 4 was written during the true ‘dadification’ of the gaming industry. As the predominantly male leadership grows up and starts families, it too has influenced the wider gaming sphere. Bioshock, God of War, and Death Stranding, all focus on the male perspective when it comes to their creative output. The heavy reliance on Druckmann’s direction and the removal of the previous creative director, Amy Hennig, changed Uncharted 4’s focus. Hennig’s controversial departure from Naughty Dog led to a complete redo of the narrative. While we don’t have details on exactly what Hennig did or did not work on, it’s clear to see that Uncharted 4 has a bit of an identity crisis when it comes to tone. The high-octane adventure can suddenly hit you with tonal whiplash as the narrative shifts towards an introspective look at its characters. Uncharted 4 has not aged as well as hoped, as Naughty Dog’s attempt at a Godfather III ”they pull me back in” tale can come off as feeling disjointed at times. Thankfully, The Lost Legacy manages to improve on Uncharted 4’s misgivings through the strength of a new direction. A strong spin-off Nadine and Chloe’s adventure is a lighter affair. It isn’t trying to be deep, or stretching too far out of the Indiana Jones inspiration. It is a testament to how not all franchises need to be dark or gritty to be good. The lighthearted anti-heroes aren’t bogged down by the main game’s overburdening of weighty, tired themes. You never feel as if you’re about to be coerced into an unwanted emotional moment. It also proves that brevity is key. While it can get away with a lack of setup due to its spin-off nature, Lost Legacy’s snappy introduction and into the general loop of the game, rather than 4’s nearly four to five-hour tutorial, is something to take note of. While repetitive in nature, it never gets dull thanks to highlighting the best bits of Uncharted 4: its moment-to-moment gameplay. A penchant for murder Yes, the cast of Uncharted has pretty much-committed genocide by thinning out the gene pool with their previous adventures. However, it was with Uncharted 4 that the team managed to finally get things right. A common issue with the previous games was that Drake’s guns either culled humanity like badgers or did nothing at all. Headshots, general shooting, and punching now all have the intended effect. The lack of introduction of supernatural enemies (always the worst parts of prior games) helps by keeping combat flowing. A shift from shooting galleries and reliance on cover shooting, to small, intricate areas that require a slow mastery of every aspect of the combat systems make for fun pit stops. The game is also technically sound, with both titles plopping us right where we died, after several failed attempts at some tricky jumping puzzles. We can only think of this kind of technical prowess as wizardry. Uncharted PC port performance We tested Uncharted across three different systems. A desktop featuring an Nvidia RTX 2070 and AMD 2700X, a Steam Deck, and a Razer Blade 15, with a 3070 Ti and Intel 12900K inside. On both the laptop and desktop, we managed a solid 60FPS, at ultra. Uncharted’s port work, provided by Iron Galaxy, is stupendous. Although, it is important to note that PC gaming hasn’t been a niche for a while. These ports, while excellent in multiple ways, shouldn’t be getting brownie points for providing the consumer with what is expected. Even though this excellent port functions incredibly well, it still feels as if some options have been held back. While we thought that the options weren’t as deep as we’d like, the port is absolutely solid. You’ll get higher refresh rates on monitors that provide those features, but on the Blade 15’s 240Hz panel, this style of the game begins to stop benefiting at some point. The ability to see Drake clamber something at 144Hz has the same effect as seen at 60, or 30. Uncharted PC on Steam Deck What surprised us the most was Uncharted’s complete support on the Steam Deck. It is yet another verified title for Sony, and yes, it’s a great way to play. We didn’t bother with the 40FPS/40Hz business, instead opting to try it out without any major changes. What we found was a game that, when playing on Medium, still gave us around 45-50FPS and a solid 30 once limited. A few more tweaks will get you that illustrious 60, but again, this is a game that functions just as well at 30 as it does at 60. Uncharted: DLSS vs FSR Where the Steam Deck fails isn’t even due to the hardware at all. In fact, it’s barely a Steam Deck issue at all. AMD’s supersampling, FSR, which renders a much lower resolution of a game and blows it back up with machine learning, reduces a large portion of the game into a moving smudge. If you’re playing on the go, it is more noticeable in cutscenes, while docking the Deck – or using it on a desktop – will force you to bear witness to its full ugliness. Even upping the sharpness never helped. Over on the desktop though, reducing the game down to the same resolution and using Nvidia’s DLSS, produced much better images. AMD’s FSR just doesn’t compete. Despite this, FSR helped the Steam Deck play the game with ’ultra’ settings on ’Quality’ mode. Verdict on Uncharted PC Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection on PC works just as intended. It’s another solid Sony first-party port, even if Uncharted 4’s writing isn’t aging particularly well. We can only recommend the collection with some caveats. PC players will be missing out on the whole Nathan Drake saga, and absent multiplayer modes make this something that we can only recommend to those willing to experience it with those particular asterisks. 7/10 Reviewed on PC (with time spent on Steam Deck)

Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection system requirements for PC – Minimum & recommended specs Naughty DogUncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection brings Nathan Drake and Chloe Frazer’s own set of adventures to PC on October 19, 2022, so here are the minimum and recommended PC system requirements to help your rig get the best out of your upcoming adventure. Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection’s release on Windows via Steam and Epic Games Store is just around the corner, adding an all-new way to experience the title, whether you’re revisiting it or playing for the first time. The collection includes both the single-player stories from Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. So, here are the full requirements of Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection that you need to know about on PC, with detailed breakdowns for minimum, recommended, performance, and ultra specs. Contents Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection system requirements on PC – Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection system requirements on PC Below, we’ll break down the minimum requirements that Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection needs to run on PC. Following that, we will give an insight into the recommended specs needed to enjoy the game optimally. We will also provide full details for Performance and Ultra specs as detailed by Naughty Dog via the title’s Steam page further down. Minimum specs Here are the minimum requirements to run Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection at 720p/30fps on PC. Recommended specs Next, we have the recommended specs to run Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection at 1080p/30fps. Performance specs Here we have the specs needed to run Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection at 1440p/60fps. Ultra specs Here are the specs to run Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection at 4k/60fps or Ultra settings. So, there you have it — that’s the Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection PC system requirements for you to be able to explore the best of both games when it arrives on October 19, 2022.

Unbox Therapy explains why PS5 is better than Xbox Series X Unbox Therapy, Sony, MicrosoftPopular YouTube channel Unbox Therapy has managed to get their lucky hands on both Sony and Microsoft’s latest technological behemoths. The video features a proper in-depth look at each console, and UT suggests why the PS5 is better than the Xbox Series X. [jwplayer sdEiSVZH] One of the world’s longest and fiercest ongoing debates is in the battle for supremacy between Sony and Microsoft. Who is better? With each company on the verge of releasing their brand new consoles, people are scrambling to squeeze every bit of information they can find. People want to make a fully-informed decision, and Unbox Therapy may be able to help. The famous YouTube channel became famous for its systematic unboxing of products and providing insight and reviews on them. The channel – which now boasts a whopping 17.5 million subscribers – has been fortunate enough to be sent both consoles. Co-creator, Lewis Hilsenteger, explores them and a selection of accessories and games to review. PS5 vs Xbox Series X key differences With millions of pre-orders already in for each console, it’s now a case of waiting for that brand new baby to arrive. But for the less savvy consumer, what is the actual difference apart from them being different colors? Lots of people are already accustomed to and feel brand loyalty to one or the other. This can stem from each console’s respective controller, the software, and other factors. The controllers each have different nuances that make them totally different. Each piece of hardware has specific agreements in place with companies – allowing for exclusive titles that can only be experienced on one console. The hardware itself also has different menus and aesthetic differences that people will naturally gravitate to. Another key sticking point is the social connectivity between groups of people. If two or three friends have a PlayStation, then other close friends will feel inclined to get the same console so they can all play Call of Duty together. There are many aspects that go into determining the “console wars.” The console designs One of the things that Lewis complimented, repeatedly, was how good the PS5’s design was – and it’s accessories. On its design, he said: “This feels newer to me” and that the console is “going to command a little bit more attention.” It’s been well documented how extreme and innovative the PlayStation 5 looks. It does legitimately look like a console sent from the future. Whereas he felt the Xbox Series X was perhaps a little more safe. For the X, he said: “I like simple forms, I could get behind this one to.” This is inferring that Microsoft has kept the basic design of their consoles very similar, as far back as the original console. The 360 was the only one to really experiment with the color palette, but even then the Elite went back to being black. Sony, on the other hand, has gone from grey to black to silver to even white with the PS5. The controller The general sentiment about the base controllers was largely the same as the console designs. Lewis seemed blown away by the ingenuity and cutting-edge of the PS5’s revolutionary features. He had this to say: “This controller ends up becoming the story of the whole thing, when you see it and feel it, you realize that’s something new.” On the other hand, he didn’t criticize by any stretch of the imagination, but he felt the Xbox’s controller was “a little bit less exciting on the Microsoft side”. He noted how similar the controller felt to previous iterations of the system. One minor mark against the controller was the fact that it still requires batteries. He thought “it seems a little bit odd in 2020.” This argument felt more conclusive with Lewis suggesting that the PS5 controller is “this is the more advanced controller.” The accessories The PS5 was partnered with the new Sony Pulse 3D wireless headset, a charging cradle, and the PS Camera. Lewis felt the cups for the headset were “not the most isolating experience ever,” but pointed out that the headset itself was “crazy lightweight.” He loved the charging station, saying, “This is super simple, wow, wow,” and couldn’t say much on the camera apart from its complementary design. The Series X came with an Elite Series 2 controller and an Adaptive controller. Lewis raved about the Elite Series 2, citing it as being a “good looking controller” and on “another level of configuration.” Its price point was questioned as it’s nearly approaching the $200 mark, but he was complimentary of the adaptive one, saying, “that is a cool thing that Microsoft has that doesn’t exist on the Sony side.” Overall, it’s a tough one to gauge. Microsoft offered fantastic products, but just controllers. Sony offered a fuller range of accessories, but were they as desirable as its competitor’s? The software Lewis demonstrated Spider-Man: Miles Morales and the pre-installed Astro’s Playroom. He pointed out that “you notice the shadows, the lighting, the detail” and “everything is quick, everything is a generation ahead.” He spoke highly of the quick load times and appreciated Astro’s use of motion controllers, the haptic feedback, and overall functionality. The Series X has no discernible launch titles so he used Forza Horizon 4 to show-off the visual representation. He commented on how good it looked and talked about the impressive capabilities of the system in that games like Gears 5 can reach 120 frames-per-second. With regards to software overall, Lewis said, “maybe at the moment, PlayStation has a bit of an advantage.” This points to the PS5’s launch day exclusives, and upcoming games that can only be played on Sony’s console. The verdict When it came to breaking down both consoles and giving a definitive answer, Lewis was able to answer with certainty. He said: “I’m gonna go ahead and take the PlayStation…There’s something about the styling, it’s a little bit more ambitious from a styling approach.” He seemed very enthusiastic and impressed with Sony’s attitude to adopt a true next-gen feel and do something different. Additionally, he thought “Xbox feels a little bit more utilitarian,” due to its simplistic but equally functional design choices. To conclude, Lewis took a somewhat impartial stance by saying: “I pick the PlayStation, but they’re both fantastic.” He clearly enjoys both consoles, but thinks the PS5 just has the edge. Unbox Therapy full showdown If you’d like to see the entire video in which Unbox Therapy discusses the console comparisons then check out the video below. It may help to give you a better idea of which piece of hardware to go for! The Xbox Series X is due to launch first on November 10, and the PS5 will release two days later on November 12 in certain countries.

Unbelievable controller setups at EVO 2022 captivate fans While most competitors at EVO 2022 are using either a controller or an arcade stick, there are a select few players that have some unorthodox controller setups. There’s a long history of weird controllers in the FGC. Some players are in pursuit of creating their perfect controller, while others are there to have fun with strange, gimmicky controllers from the past. EVO 2022 is no different. Here are a few of the weirdest controllers spotted at this year’s competition. Heavily Modified Guitar Hero Controller The first strange controller on the list is a modified Guitar Hero controller. Modified how, you may ask? The buttons on the bridge of the guitar are untouched, but the button used to strum on the controller has been replaced with an arcade joystick. As soon as twitter user yohseph was spotted in the Melty Blood pools at EVO 2022, viewers around the world took to social media any time this bizarre controller was shown on stream. As more and more people spotted yohseph, we got a closer look at what exactly this Guitar Hero controller looked like. While it doesn’t look like the most practical controller ever, it certainly is eye-catching. yohseph won a few games in the Melty Blood category, but was unfortunately able to break out of the pool for day 1 of EVO. However, this competitor has entered to compete in a wide range of fighting games over the course of EVO 2022, so keep an eye out for them in your favorite fighting game. Resident Evil 4 PS2 Chainsaw Controller Gimmicky and impractical controllers have been a thing for decades, as one EVO 2022 competitor showed by bringing in an almost 20 year-old Resident Evil 4 Playstation 2 controller. The controller is a very limited collector’s item bundled with a special edition of Resident Evil 4 on the PS2. There’s also a Gamecube version of the controller with a yellow chassis instead of the PS2 controller’s red one. The price for this collector’s item ranges from around $500 USD for an unboxed version to upwards of $1000 USD that comes with the original packaging. The competitor, twitter user Ecydis, competed in Street Fighter V with the controller and unfortunately got knocked out in the first round of matches. At least they went out in style. A Shoebox With Almost 50 Buttons This Hitbox-style setup is in what appears to be a shoebox. It certainly isn’t the most flashy setup, but there appears to be a method to the madness. For those unfamiliar, Hitbox controllers get rid of the standard joystick with face buttons design in favor of having only face buttons. Twitter user Anklegator1’s custom made controller takes that design philosophy to the extreme. This controller has been custom-made by Anklegator in order to play Potemkin, their main character in Guilty Gear: Strive. Rather than rebinding individual buttons, Anklegator has chosen to arrange the buttons on their controller in a way that allows them to execute combos. The different colored buttons on the controller are color-coded to an individual command in-game for (relative) ease of use. Many buttons have been modified and added to this controller in Anklegator’s pursuit of finding an ideal controller setup that works for them. In a brief twitter video, Anklegator showed what the process of adding a new button looks like, as well as the complex network of wiring that exists under the hood. This EVO competitor has clearly put a great deal of time and effort into building their ideal controller, an effort that allowed them to make it past the first hurdle of competition and into the Top 384 pool for Guilty Gear: Strive.

UltraGear’s Gear Up Game On 24-hour marathon saw massive streamers at the top of their game During UltraGear’s 24-hour Gear Up Game On stream, three of the biggest names in Fortnite’s competitive scene went head to head using top-of-the-line gear. On July 22, streamers across YouTube and Twitch teamed up with LG to put on a 24-hour marathon full of gaming and challenges. Each event hour featured a different content creator participating in a unique challenge or game. All of the streamers used new LG UltraGear monitors to show how having the best gear can ensure a dub. The stream featured a variety of content from some of the biggest creators on the net. TimTheTatman played Warzone while giving away a $100 Amazon Gift Card for every Gulag win, and Lachlan took his viewers on a Fortnite World Tour. BoxBox streamed an unboxing and setup of their monitor, Fextralife showed off the monitor’s functionality, and Symfuhny participated in a quiz regarding his hardware. Tech creators such as The Tech Chap, Shortcircuit, and Spawnpoint discussed the monitors, and each creator involved gave honest reviews of the monitors that were provided. The main event took place during the last two hours of the stream. It was a 1v1v1 battle between three of the biggest names in Competitive Fortnite: Clix, Mongraal, and BenjyFishy. Clix, Mongraal, & BenjyFishy monitor specs Competitors ditched their old monitors to use some of LG’s best gear for gaming. While they were all using different monitors, their bout’s results proved that any UltraGear peripherals are fit for highly competitive gamers. Here are the monitors that each of the Fortnite pros competed on: Clix – 48GQ900 with OLED – Mongraal – 32GQ850 which features 240hz – BenjyFishy – 32GQ950 with 4k – Evenly matched across all screens With a combined total of 50k viewers watching the three compete in build battles; Clix, Mongraal, and Benjy put on a show. The event featured four rounds, each pro player facing off in Fortnite build battles. In round one, Clix and Benjy kicked off the competition with Clix immediately blaming lag for his lack of performance. “I am on 100 ping! It’s not fair!” shouted Clix after dying to Benjy. But his opponent had been away from Fortnite for two months, while Clix has consistently played the battle royale. In round two Clix would face Mongraal, with the first to three kills winning. Clix would take round two sending Mongraal to face BenjyFishy in round three. Benjy would come out on top leading to a rematch between Benjy and Clix for Round 4. Having argued his point about bad ping, the two agreed to switch from EU servers to NAE. And it seems that was the edge Clix needed to shut down his opponent and come out victorious. While the three were initially going to compete to see who could win three 1v1 rounds, the trio decided to jump into a squads match, racking up 32 kills and easily securing the dub. Each player streamed their own perspective while the UltraGear Twitch channel streamed all three. Through the matches, commentary was provided by esports host and caster Katie Bedford. LG posted a compilation showcasing the best moments from the 24-hour stream. This features each creator’s experience as well as an explanation of the products used and the glowing reviews from those involved. For more tech content or to keep up with the latest LG gear, give their Twitter and Instagram a follow. This won’t be the last time they put on such a fun and star-studded show.

Ultimate Gran Turismo 7 settings guide: Best options for the smoothest drive Polyphony DigitalAs the ‘real driving simulator,’ Gran Turismo 7 gives players dozens of intricate settings to experiment with in order to fine-tune the perfect driving experience. From in-game assistance to visual fidelity, it can be a lot to digest so here’s a full breakdown of the most important settings to change. Unlike some more arcade-style racing games, the Gran Turismo series has always strived for the most authentic racing experience possible. As a result, you have a lengthy list of settings to tweak before even so much as getting behind the wheel. From optional assists that help guide your car to general gameplay tweaks, there’s plenty to wrap your head around. It can all be overwhelming to begin, especially if it’s your first time with the franchise. So here’s an in-depth breakdown of the most important settings in Gran Turismo 7 and why you should change them. Contents General Settings – Assist Settings – General Gran Turismo 7 settings Before you dive into the more complicated settings, it’s worth looking over the general Gran Turismo options. These can be found by navigating to the top left of the main menu. Up first are the Display Settings. This allows you to pick between a performance mode that prioritizes smooth gameplay or a Ray Tracing mode that improves visuals. Given how incredibly polished Gran Turismo 7 already is, we recommend that you prioritize Ray Tracing here. You may as well get the most out of your PS5 with this title considering performance is never a concern, even in the most visually demanding situations. Next up is the Race Difficulty setting. This option appears when you first boot up Gran Turismo 7, but if you happened to miss it, or simply want a change, you can always find it again in the general settings. Three difficulty options are available and each targets the game’s AI drivers. On the easiest settings, you’ll be racing against fairly standard bots. On the hardest settings, however, you’ll be pushed by some formidable racers on any given track. Read More: Gran Turismo 7: Top 10 fastest cars – If Gran Turismo 7 is your first taste of the franchise, we recommend the Easy setting. Normal is a solid middle ground if you’ve had some experience. While Hard should only be selected if you’re a veteran of the racing sim genre. Prize money is not impacted by these settings, so there’s no consequence for playing on a lower difficulty to get your bearings. General Gran Turismo 7 Assist settings Now that you’re ready to race, it’s time to look over your Assist settings. These can be found in the menus before you start a particular activity, meaning you can always change them around before entering a specific track. Before diving into the nitty-gritty options here, you first have to change your Assist Preset Selection. Change this to custom in order to access some of the smaller settings below. With that out of the way, your first real order of business is addressing the Auto Drive setting. By default, Gran Turismo takes control of your vehicle at various moments. If you’re approaching a corner too quickly, your breaks may automatically kick in. If you’re veering off course, AI may grab the wheel and get you back on track. To truly master Gran Turismo, however, you’ll want this set to ‘Off’ as soon as possible. This gives you full control of your car and is hands down the best way to play. Next is the Driving Line Assistance setting. If you’re familiar with most racing sims, you’ll recognize this feature right away. A glowing trail along the ground will help guide you along the optimal path through any course. This helps with timings on corners, how you should approach a long drift, and every little movement in between. It’s especially helpful for your first few times visiting a track. Therefore, we suggest you keep this in effect with the ‘Set to All’ option. Once you’ve mastered a particular track and know every turn before it arrives, you can then feel safe turning this option off. With 11 settings to pick through in this category alone, there’s a ton to customize as you gain more experience. Below is a full list of our recommended Assist settings for the smoothest drive in Gran Turismo 7: Gears: Automatic – Assist Preset Selection – Custom – Traction Control – Default (5) – ABS – Default – Auto Drive – Off – Driving Line Assistance – All – Braking Indicator – On – Braking Area – On – Replace Car After Leaving Track – On – Active Stability Management – On – Countersteering Assistance – Weak – So those are the best settings to get you on your way in Gran Turismo 7. The more you play, the more you’ll tweak the finer options, but this is an ideal starting point. Without too much handholding from the AI assistants, you’ll be mastering tracks and setting record laps in no time. For a bunch of other Gran Turismo 7 guides and content, check some more out down below: How to change the camera in Gran Turismo 7 | Gran Turismo 7: Most expensive cars | How to earn Credits fast in Gran Turismo 7 | Gran Turismo 7: Most expensive cars | Ultimate Gran Turismo 7 settings guide: Best options for the smoothest drive | How to wash your car in Gran Turismo 7: Squeaky Clean Trophy guide | Gran Turismo 7 Speed Archdemon Trophy guide: How to reach 600km/h

Ultimate battle royale game – The best parts of Apex, Fortnite, Blackout and PUBG The battle royale genre has taken the gaming world by storm, with each successive title containing new gameplay mechanics and features. Based on all of the best parts of Apex Legends, Fortnite, Blackout and PUBG, we’ve come up with what could be the ultimate battle royale game. Gameplay Gameplay is a broad term so there is no right answer. Furthermore, players have different opinions as to what constitutes good gameplay. Excitement vs reality is often a conundrum that developers are trying to balance. There is also balancing the speed of the game, which is tough in its own right. The cartoon, fast-paced style of Fortnite has obviously proven extremely popular, as it has resulted in it being most one of the most played games of all time. Conversely, PUBG retains a loyal hardcore fan base due to its minimalist approach whereby the game mechanics lean on the side of realism. Then, of course, there is CoD: Blackout. Call of Duty’s entry into battle royale games was unsurprisingly highly anticipated, and overall it didn’t disappoint. It isn’t a stretch to say that Blackout is the most polished battle royale experience to date, even with the release of Apex Legends. Due to how well it runs and its smoothness (FPS), Blackout gets the tick for the best gameplay. Moreover, it offers a good balance between fast-paced excitement while retaining at least somewhat realistic gun mechanics. Maps The map, or setting, of a game is often understated as to how important it is to the enjoyment of the game. The best map can be defined by a multitude of reasons, including: number of them, size, variation and how iconic they become over time. In terms of size and number there is only one winner, PUBG. Elsewhere, while the Fortnite map (as a whole) has remained the same, it is constantly being updated. The Call of Duty Blackout map has also received changes albeit on a less frequent basis. Fans of the respective games will all argue each map now has iconic locations. The Blackout map, however, did have iconic maps from previous Black Ops games from the outset. The nostalgia of seeing these places, such as Firing Range and Nuketown, definitely gets a Blackout a tick. With all this said, because the game has four maps in circulation of varying setting and size, PUBG is the clear winner. The original map, Erangel, is already legendary and the latest map, Vikendi, has been well received also. Guns With any type of shooting game, guns are an important part of it. The number of them, the balancing between different categories of gun and most importantly, their mechanics contribute to how good a game is. Firstly, games are given an era. For example, PUBG appears to be based on today, Blackout slightly in the future, Apex Legends very much in the future and where Fortnite is cartoon based doesn’t have to be as strict on a time period. These different time periods determine the type of guns that are available. Discussions on forums would indicate gamers prefer older style guns, which interestingly haven’t been utilized in a battle royale format yet. No doubt this will come soon, though. However, the initial success of the Halo-esque, Apex Legends shows that futuristic guns have a fan base. Today’s guns are probably best represented by PUBG, while Blackout is in between the two. In terms of the guns themselves, it is hard to give one game the overall edge. Determining the game with the best guns arguably comes down to which game you question the least when killed. As a result, Blackout gets another tick on this category. Items and Circle The various items available often have a big effect on the game as a whole. PUBG remains consistent in this regard with its minimalist approach having just health and grenades available. Fortnite and Apex Legends go for a more extravagant approach with not only an array of items but levels, too. Blackout, as it appears the overall strategy of the development team was, is to once again go with the middle ground. Items like mesh mines offer a chance to get a little more tactical but nevertheless, the emphasis is on gunplay. Read More: Respawning teammates in Apex Legends – The circle also varies in damage severity and how quickly it closes in between the games. It even varies between maps in PUBG. The damage inflicted by the circle (or zone) is highest in PUBG. This means it is harder to play the circle, especially in the later stages. In contrast, the other games are more forgiving. The developers of Fortnite, Apex Legends and Blackout clearly saw the circle mechanic in PUBG and thought a less aggressive, slower moving circle would result in more enjoyable gameplay. As with all of these categories, the best game comes down to preference. Blackout once again may prevail due to its well-paced circle and not overly convoluted item system. However, due to the additional features of automatic attachments, alongside stowed attachments, we’re giving this category to Apex Legends. Extras Battle royale games can be broken down into a large number of categories. To save going through each of these, they’ll be encapsulated in extras. Vehicle use in battle royale is still relatively primitive in comparison to games based on the mechanics of driving. Despite not being great by any means, PUBG probably leads the field in this regard. Blackout and Fortnite while fun, have car mechanics which would greater resemble games from previous generations. Apex Legends has recently brought a new feature to the table. The ping system allows you to talk with teammates without being on a headset. Furthermore, you can ping enemy locations by simply clicking the ping button twice. Then there is the new concept of getting killed teammates back in the game. A problem battle royale games have had, has been fallen teammates having to wait a long time to get back into the game if dying early. Apex Legends has resolved this problem with respawn beacons. The ping system and the ability to bring your team back to life is intuitive and shows development in battle royale games. As a result Apex Legends wins this category. Updates and Support The discussed battle royale games have all had some semblance of an update schedule. Updates are coming for Apex Legends soon, as Respawn promised in their February 15 developer blog post. PUBG has had the aforementioned maps added following its 1.0 release after a lengthy beta stage. Read More: Fortnite Season 8 reportedly leaked! – Blackout has been updated throughout since its respective release. These updates have included significant balances to gameplay, most notably armor and the looting system. It has also had points of interest added with more confirmed in the coming weeks. However, it is Fortnite that clearly wins this topic. Epic Games have been constantly adding new weekly content, as well as including various events that have occurred which alter the map. Fortnite is no doubt the example to follow when it comes to keeping a game fresh. Overall Nobody is going to agree on the perfect battle royale game. New ideas and concepts will be introduced in the coming months and years. New hardware will also increase what’s possible. With that said, it seems battle royale fans want a game as pure as PUBG that performs more in line with current hardware. Apex Legends has introduced new features such as the discussed ping system which could become a mainstay in battle royale. Finally, Fortnite’s updates, along with its shallow, but developing story, are another aspect which future games should copy. It will be interesting to see if a WW2 battle royale game could encapsulate all these features. Next up is Firestorm, Battlefield’s attempt at battle royale. This has been confirmed to be 64 players, a number similar to Apex Legends, so it will worth watching to see whether that proves as popular. Read More: MW4 leaked alongside MW2 Remastered? – Beyond that is the rumored Modern Warfare 4, which could be a treat for battle royale enthusiasts, if the battle royale mode is as polished as Blackout. Who knows, we might even get a PUBG 2 down the line.

UK school explains why it’s added a video game class Unsplash: Nicole Honeywill/MinecraftA BBC Newsbeat report has shed light on a special education school in England, which explains why it has become one of the world’s first to implement a video game class. The Richard Cloudesley School for special educational needs, located in north London, has innovated its curriculum through the inclusion of video games – arguing pupils benefit from them in a variety of ways. Video games – it seems – have been getting an increasingly bad reputation of late. Many political commentators are keen to place the blame on video games for the United States’ gun control issues. This culminated in US supermarket chain Walmart telling staff to take down ads for violent video games. Just across the pond however, video games are not being scapegoated – instead being used to positively influence young people. The BBC Newsbeat report has interviewed numerous staff and pupils as they explain why they have made the bold step. The school is introducing ‘gaming class’ alongside more traditional school subjects – arguing it encourages social interaction between students, who otherwise have difficulty maintaining relationships. One student, Jack, explains that “(video game class) is more interesting and fun”. He also says that it gives him a chance to “play with friends a lot”, and he feels “happy” because of the increased communication opportunities provided by the gaming class. Even casual gamers will recognize some of the games played, with juggernaut Minecraft one of the games the school is using to teach. The school pays tribute to the development of gaming controllers specifically for disabled people, allowing social inclusion where it was previously much more difficult. The school’s headmaster, Francis Gonzalez, argues that the video game class is still “very much about learning”, and that it is helping the pupils to understand “all of those things that actually have a huge impact on the rest of your life”. The report comes at a time when video games are being widely criticized for negatively influencing young people, and encouraging violence. However, if the Richard Cloudesley School’s precedent is anything to go by, we may see far more video game classes up and down the UK.

How to play UFL open beta: Free-to-play EA FC 24 rival Strikerz IncUFL is an upcoming football game from Strikerz Inc. and an open beta session is scheduled for early June. Here’s how to play and pre-load the open beta. UFL is a free-to-play rival to EA FC 24 and eFootball, featuring Cristiano Ronaldo as its primary investor. It will have other real footballers as well, just like EA FC, along with skill-based gameplay and realistic club management. Before the game gets officially released, you can play an open beta session to get a taste before the final iteration of the game comes out globally. So, here are all the details you need to get started with the UFL open beta. UFL open beta start and end dates The UFL open beta opened up on June 7 at 12 UTC and will end on June 9, 2024. The game went live on June 7 in the following time zones. 1 pm BST / 8 am EDT / 5 am PDT. As noted earlier, it’s a two-day event. UFL open beta platforms The UFL open beta is available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S only. There’s no news of any test sessions for PC at the time of writing. How to download beta To download the UFL open beta, simply: Head over to the store page of your PS5 or Xbox Series X|S. – Search for UFL. – Choose the ‘UFL Open Beta’ build and click A or X, depending on platform, to download the game. – UFL’s preload size is 28.23 GB on PS5 and 21.19 GB on Xbox consoles. All game modes Players can access both the main online and offline local match modes during the open beta weekend. In the main online mode, you can compete against other players online after creating your own football club with FIFPro-licensed players. The more matches you win, the more in-game resources you’ll earn. The offline mode will be local only where you can compete with your buddy on a single console. UFL is yet to release fully, and once that happens, it will have more features than the beta. Additionally, players will be able to check out the game’s market, customize their club, as well as buy player skins for already-acquired players. If you’re a regular EA Sports FC player, be sure to check our Ultimate TOTS guide, and for the best loan players to sign in EA FC 24 Career Mode, check this guide right here.

UFC cover curse continues as Israel Adesanya dethroned just days after UFC 5 reveal Electronic ArtsThe notorious UFC cover curse seems to have struck again, with Israel Adesanya losing the UFC Middleweight Championship just days after being unveiled as a UFC 5 cover athlete. Despite entering the UFC 293 main event as a -650 betting favorite on most betting sites, Adesanya was outclassed by Sean Strickland over five rounds, losing by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46). The timing of Adesanya’s loss is particularly eerie, given that he was just unveiled as the cover athlete for UFC 5’s Premium Edition earlier this week. This has reignited discussions around the so-called “EA curse,” a playful narrative suggesting that athletes who grace the covers of EA Sports games face subsequent misfortunes. Strickland, the #5 ranked middleweight, showcased a masterclass in strategy and strength on his way to defeating Adesanya in what is regarded as a massive upset. He defended Adesanya’s attacks for five rounds, consistently pressuring him, and even managed to drop Adesanya in the first round with a heavy punch that had many believing the fight was over. The curse’s history is hard to ignore. After gracing the UFC 4 cover in 2020, Jorge Masvidal suffered a loss to Kamaru Usman. Conor McGregor, the face of UFC 3 in 2018, faced a crushing defeat against Khabib Nurmagomedov. Ronda Rousey, shortly before the release of UFC 2 in 2016, experienced a shocking knockout loss to Holly Holm in what is regarded as one of the greatest upsets in MMA history. And Jon Jones, after appearing on the cover of EA Sports UFC in 2014, encountered legal troubles and was stripped of his title. The recent UFC 5 cover reveal faced criticism, with fans likening it to a “mobile game” knockoff. The cover features featherweight champion Alexander “The Great” Volkanovski and former flyweight champion Valentina “Bullet” Shevchenko. Given the curse’s track record, fans are now anxiously waiting to see how they handle their next fights. While some might brush off the idea of a curse as mere superstition, the series of unfortunate events following EA cover reveals is becoming hard to ignore.

UFC 5 will include doctor stoppages & enhanced damage system in new gameplay changes Electronic ArtsThe UFC 5 development team spoke with Dexerto and talked about a number of notable changes coming to franchise. Gameplay, in particular, is set to receive an significant overhaul. EA Sports is set to revisit the Octagon this October, as UFC 5 will be released next month for the Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. This will mark the first installment of the franchise on these consoles, so expect much to change on the gameplay side of things. Recently, the UFC 5 development team spoke to us about what to expect from the gameplay. UFC 5 gameplay set to look very different In an interview with Dexerto, UFC 5 producer Raman Bassi highlighted some of the more notable changes that are coming to the franchise for 2023. One of those is that UFC 5 matches can be ended via a doctor stoppage. Per Bassi, though, don’t expect these to happen very often. “Our goal with doctor stoppages was to find a sweet spot where it’s very rare, but it’s still a treat,” he told Dexerto. The development team stated its “sweet spot” is about one in every 50 fights on average. Bassi also noted that the damage system is “significantly” different as compared to what’s been seen in the past from the franchise. And thanks to the new Real Impact System, players will now need to hunt for a different kind of win condition. “If you’re going to take a huge shot or an accumulation of strikes in a certain region, it’s going to cause a cut or swelling just like it would in real life… and then that damage will lead to vision or breathing penalties, kind of like they would in real life.” He added, “So on UFC 4, you could run in, and all you’re fishing for are health events. Right? On UFC 5 there’s a new meta, which is cuts, bruises, swelling. So if you get hit this year, you’re going to see a cut open up, and you’re not going to want to get hit again in that same spot. So you’re going to want to intelligently defend, move in and out, and not just swing and bang.” Among other gameplay notes, the Grapple Legacy HUD will return for UFC 5 with new button prompts. Additionally, this year’s game will feature new two-button spinning attacks, 600 new animations to submissions, and new ground-and-pound animations. It’s also worth noting that for UFC 5, the franchise will be moving over to the Frostbite engine. Many of EA Sports’ titles, including Madden and NHL, make use of this engine.

UFC 5 Roster – Full list of fighters, classes, more EA SportsThe UFC 5 fighter list has a vast majority of characters ranging from legends such as Mike Tyson to Conor McGregor. Here’s a full look at the UFC 5 roster, sorted by class. UFC 5 is the first installment of the franchise for the Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. Not only does the game come with new features, but also a roster filled with past and present fighters. Female fighters are also featured in UFC 5 allowing you to choose from a huge character roster. But what exactly does the UFC 5 roster look like? Here’s a look at the full UFC 5 roster, which includes a listing of fighters in each class. Heavyweight Heavyweights in the UFC range from 205 to 265 pounds (93-120.2 kg.). Muhammad Ali – Andrei Arlovski – Tom Aspinall – Curtis Blaydes – Daniel Cormier – Junior dos Santos – Fedor Emelianenko – Ciryl Gane – Walt Harris – Jon Jones – Ilir Latifi – Derrick Lewis – Stipe Miocic – Minotauro Nogueira – Aleksei Oleinik – Alistair Overeem – Sergei Pavlovich – Jairzinho Rozenstruik – Dan Severn – Kimbo Slice – Stefan Struve – Tai Tuivasa – Mike Tyson – Cain Velasquez – Alexander Volkov – Light Heavyweight Light heavyweights range between 185 to 205 pounds (83.9-93 kg.). Israel Adesanya – Sam Alvey – Magomed Ankalaev – Vitor Belfort – Jan Blachowicz – Jared Cannonier – Misha Cirkunov – Mark Coleman – Daniel Cormier – Paul Craig – Rashad Evans – Forrest Griffin – Alexander Gustafsson – Dan Henderson – Jamahal Hill – Curtis ‘Rampage’ Jackson – Anthony Johnson – Jon Jones – Nikita Krylov – Ilir Latifi – Chuck Liddell – Lyoto Machida – Volkan Oezdemir – Tito Ortiz – Alex Pereira – Jiri Prochazka – Aleksandar Rakic – Dominick Reyes – Khalil Rountree – Shogun Rua – Ovince Saint Preux – Gokhan Saki – Anderson Silva – Anthony Smith – Glove Teixeira – Johnny Walker – Chris Weidman – Dana White – Middleweight Middleweights range from 170 to 185 pounds (77.1-83.9 kg.). Israel Adesanya – Omari Akhmedov – Sam Alvey – Vitor Belfort – Michael Bisping – Tom Breese – Derek Brunson – Bruce Buffer – Jared Cannonier – Khamzat Chimaev – Paulo Costa – Paul Craig – Nick Diaz – Dricus Du Plessis – Kelvin Gastelum – Royce Gracie – Uriah Hall – Dan Henderson – Jack Hermansson – Kevin Holland – Krzysztof Jotko – Robbie Lawler – Lyoto Machida – Bo Nickal – Alex Pereira – Luke Rockhold – Edmen Shahbazyan – Anderson Silva – Wanderlei Silva – Anthony Silva – Chael Sonnen – Jacare Souza – Georges St-Pierre – Sean Strickland – Brad Tavares – Darren Till – Marvin Vettori – Chris Weidman – Dana White – Robert Whittaker – Welterweight Welterweights range from 155 to 170 pounds (70.3-77.1 kg.). Ben Askren – Tom Breese – Matt Brown – Gilbert Burns – Donald Cerrone – Michael Chiesa – Khamzat Chimaev – Carlos Condit – Colby Covington – Jack Della Maddalena – Nate Diaz – Nick Diaz – Rafael dos Anjos – Leon Edwards – Tony Ferguson – Mickey Gall – Kelvin Gastelum – Royce Gracie – Johny Hendricks – Kevin Holland – Matt Hughes – Li Jingliang – Alan Jouban – Robbie Lawler – Bruce Lee – Kevin Lee – Vicente Luque – Neil Magny – Demian Maia – Jorge Masvidal – Jake Matthews – Conor McGregor – Tim Means – Yancy Medeiros – Belal Muhammad – Gunnar Nelson – Alex Oliveira – BJ Penn – Mike Perry – Anthony Pettis – Santiago Ponzinibbio – Shavkat Rakhmonov – Georges St-Pierre – Diego Sanchez – Stephen Thompson – Darren Till – Kamaru Usman – Dana White – Tyron Woodley – Lightweight Lightweights range from 145 to 155 pounds (65.8-70.3 kg.). Eddie Alvarez – Edson Barbosa – Gilbert Burns – Renata Carneiro – Donald Cerrone – Michael Chandler – Michael Chiesa – Beneil Dariush – Marc Diakiese – Nate Diaz – Rafael dos Anjos – Frankie Edgar – Josh Emmett – Paul Felder – Tony Ferguson – Rafael Fiziev – Justin Gaethje – Mateusz Gamrot – Bobby Green – Clay Guida – Alexander Hernandez – Max Holloway – Daniel Hooker – Al Iaquinta – Michael Johnson – Rustam Khabilov – Joe Lauzon – Bruce Lee – Kevin Lee – Islam Makhachev – Jorge Masivdal – Jake Matthews – Conor McGregor – Yancy Medeiros – Jim Miller – Khabib Nurmagomedov – Alex Oliveira – Charles Oliveira – BJ Penn – Anthony Pettis – Paddy Pimblett – Dustin Poirier – Jeremy Stephens – Diego Sanchez – Arman Tsarukyan – Alexander Volkanovski – Featherweight Featherweights range from 135 to 145 pounds (61.2-65.8 kg.). Jose Aldo – Arnold Allen – Makwan Amirkhani – Raphael Assuncao – Edson Barboza – Mirsad Bektic – Alex Caceres – Renato Carneiro – Giga Chikadze – Dooho Choi – Frankie Edgar – Darren Elkins – Josh Emmett – Urijah Faber – Clay Guida – Max Holloway – Daniel Hooker – Dan Ige – Michael Johnson – Chan Sung Jung – Calvin Kattar – Bruce Lee – Zabit Magomedsharipov – Conor McGregor – Charles Oliveira – Brian Ortega – Anthony Pettis – Dustin Poirier – Yair Rodriguez – Charles Rosa – Jeremy Stephens – Cub Swanson – Diego Sanchez – Ilia Topuria – Alexander Volkanovski – Sodiq Yusuff – Bantamweight Bantamweights range from 125-135 pounds (56.7-61.2 kg.). Jose Aldo – Thomas Almeida – Raphael Assuncao – Renan Barao – Henry Cejudo – Dominick Cruz – TJ Dillashaw – John Dodson – Merab Dvalishvili – Frankie Edgar – Tim Elliott – Urijah Faber – Rob Font – Cody Garbrandt – Bruce Lee – Marlon Moraes – Pedro Munhoz – Sean O’Malley – Jimmie Ribera – Raul Rosas Jr. – Cory Sandhagen – Aljamian Sterling – Marlon Vera – Song Yadong – Petr Yan – Flyweight Flyweights range from 115 to 125 pounds (52.2-56.7 kg.). Joseph Benavidez – Henry Cejudo – TJ Dillashaw – John Dodson – Tim Elliott – Deiveson Figueiredo – Jussier Formiga – Demetrious Johnson – Kai Kara-France – Brandon Moreno – Alexandre Pantoja – Alex Perez – Brandon Royval – Bantamweight (W) Bantamweights range from 125-135 pounds (56.7-61.2 kg.). Irene Aldana – Alexis Davis – Germaine De Randamie – Holly Holm – Lauren Murphy – Amanda Nunes – Raquel Pennington – Julianna Pena – Ronda Rousey – Valentina Shevchenko – Miesha Tate – Ketlen Viera – Flyweight (W) Flyweights range from 115 to 125 pounds (52.2-56.7 kg.). Jessica Andrade – Viviane Araujo – Erin Blanchfield – Cynthia Calvillo – Katylun Cerminara – Manon Fiorot – Alexa Grasso – Joanna Jedrzejczyk – Jennifer Maia – Molly McCann – Maryna Moroz – Lauren Murphy – Rose Namajunas – Amanda Ribas – Taila Santos – Valentina Shevchenko – Tatiana Suarez – Paige VanZant – Joanne Wood – Strawweight (W) Strawweights have no minimum weight and a maximum of 115 pounds (52.2 kg.). Jessica Andrade – Cynthia Calvillo – Mackenzie Dern – Carla Esparza – Claudia Gadelha – Alexa Grasso – Angela Hill – Joanna Jedrzejczyk – Karolina Kowalkiewicz – Amanda Lemos – Randa Markos – Maryna Moroz – Rose Namajunas – Jessica Penne – Amanda Ribas – Tatiana Suarez – Tecias Torres – Paiva VanZant – Michelle Waterson-Gomez – Zhang Weili – Joanne Wood – Note that several fighters can compete in multiple classes. Also, some were made available via pre-order and/or DLC. It should be noted that EA stated shortly after the launch that new fighters will be added over the weeks and months to come. Here are the fighters that the UFC team has stated will be added, plus when to expect each: December 2023: Yan Xiaonan, Amir Albazi – January 2024: Ian Machado Garry, Mike Malott, Charles Jourdain, Mayra Bueno Silva, Jailton Almeida – February 2024: Bryce Mitchell, Mayce Barver, Joe Pyfer – March 2024: Sean Brady, Jalin Turner – April 2024: Tracy Cortez, Geoff Neal, Umar Nurmagomedov, Diego Lopes, Serghei Spivac, Muhammad Mokaev, Marina Rodriguez, Movsar Evloev, Brendan Allen, Drew Dober, Natalia Christina da Silva, Michael Page, Matheus Nicolau, Virna Jandiroba, Manel Kape, Stephen Urceg, Marcin Tybura, Nassourdine Imavov – May 2024: Roman Dolidze, Anthony Hernandez, Benoit Saint-Denis – June 2024: Kayla Harrison, Jonathan Hernandez, Michel Pereira, Maria Godinez Gonzalez, Caio Borralho, Norma Dumont, Tagir Ulanbekov, Alexandr Romanov, Mario Bautista, Pannie Kianzad,, Joaquin Buckley, Randy Brown, Chris Curtis – July 2024: Carlos Ulberg, Kyler Phillips, Gillian Robertson, Jack Shore – August 2024: Payton Talbott, Ricky Simom, Vitor Petrin, Karine Silva – Additionally, UFC Hall of Famers Jens Pulver, Bas Rutten, and Kevin Randelman were added as part of a late-June 2024 update. During September 2024, Alter Egos for Cain Velasquez, Yair Rodriguez, Alexa Grasso, and Brandon Moreno were released. This will be updated to reflect future additions. Be sure to check how to block and defend takedowns in UFC 5.

UFC 5 review – A flashy but all too predictable gameplan Although UFC 5 certainly packs a punch in terms of visual fidelity as a current-gen exclusive, an overall lack of new innovations has this year’s release feeling more like a Stockton slap than a full-fledged knockout. It’s been over three years since the last UFC title from EA Sports hit store shelves, and while the sport itself has evolved a great deal in that period, the same can’t exactly be said for the video game series. While ditching last-gen hardware and pivoting to an M rating definitely helps UFC 5 stand out from earlier entries, it’s fundamentally still very much the same experience. An identical roster to previous entries, the same hit-and-miss online component, along with a lack of new modes and gameplay features, all have this year’s entry struggling to make an impact. If you were hoping for a championship-winning pivot in round 5 like Leon Edwards, you might be sorely disappointed here. UFC 5 is a solid contender, just not one leaving us blown away like a head-kick knockout. UFC 5 – Key details Price (Standard Edition): $69.99 USD | £69.99 GBP | $109.95 – Developer: EA Sports – Release date: October 27, 2023 – Platforms: Xbox Series X | S & PS5 – UFC 5 trailer Round 1: A few upgrades step into the cage Let’s start the fight by laying out what’s actually new in UFC 5. Naturally, the first thing you’ll notice is the improved visuals. Thanks to the shift to EA’s Frostbite engine, the series has genuinely never looked better. Be it the finer details on individual character models or the spectacle of enormous arenas, it’s all a much more polished presentation than in previous years. Even if plenty of assets have been reused from earlier titles. Taking the bold step to abandon the past-gen console install base and focus exclusively on current hardware is a risk for any title, let alone a sports game with widespread appeal. One that could be leaving millions of dollars on the table in doing so. But it’s a bold step that’s paid dividends as UFC 5 is without a doubt the best-looking MMA game to date. Adding to the presentation this year is a new KO replay feature. Score a devastating knockout over your opponent and rather than the traditional replays of yesteryear, we now have a custom system in place to spotlight the brutality in a new way. Fading out the background noise, dimming lights in the crowd, and giving us camera angles you just can’t get in real life, this new addition is a fantastic step forward in making your every move feel all the more important. At least, that’s the case when it works. Given the often hilariously over-the-top ragdoll animations, KO replays can be more of an amusement than anything. It is worth noting, however, that this replay feature does feel like a first draft. Occasionally the odd knockout would awkwardly send the camera out of frame, or get caught behind the cage, missing key parts of the victory. This is hopefully something that can be ironed out in the weeks and months to come. Also fresh in UFC 5 is the addition of doctor stoppages. Receive a nasty cut over your eye or have your face swell like McGregor’s foot, to the size of a balloon, and there’s a chance the doctor might halt the action and step into the cage. Much like in the real world, docs can stop fights altogether if a fighter is deemed unfit to continue. Yet while this was quite a big focus in the marketing this year, it seems exceedingly rare in practice. Through roughly 20 hours of play, we’ve seen the doctor just a handful of times, and even then, the fight is very rarely stopped. So don’t expect this feature to be a game changer by any stretch. Though after the chaos of UFC 294, perhaps that’s a good thing. Last but not least, we get to the most important and the most impressive new innovation in UFC 5. The violence. Making the ‘Just Bleed’ gods happy, UFC games are finally a violent delight once again. Thanks to some complex tech under the hood, there are now thousands of possible damage combinations to radically alter the state of any fight. Cuts can appear all over the face in a far more realistic manner than before, while the body and legs can both bruise and swell if targeted appropriately. Sustain a wound of any kind and it can change the course of a fight. A cut on the opponent’s nose could become a key target, for instance. And in focusing on that specific area, you can reduce the stamina of your rival, making it harder for them to breathe through the bloody wounds. Similarly, focusing damage on the lead leg of your opponent might limit their movement, making them slower to react as the fight goes on. With effectively countless variations, no two fights feel exactly the same now. Replay value feels just like it did in the Undisputed days where anything can happen at any moment to change the course of a fight. Round 2: Playing it safe Beyond the few changes and improvements listed above, UFC 5 is very much near-identical to what you’ve played before. The same modes and mostly the same mechanics, albeit with slightly different control schemes. Having blitzed through a Career Mode run in a single day, we can say with certainty it’s the exact same Career Mode from previous years, just with the most insignificant of adjustments. A handful of brief, instantly forgettable cutscenes, the same fight week menus balancing promotion with training, and the same path to the title then GOAT status. There’s nothing new here to write home about and certainly nothing to grab your attention despite the game’s premium price tag. Another largely formulaic single-player experience. With five games in the series now, it feels time to finally push things forward and shake up the formula. Where’s the GM/Matchmaker sim letting us control the cards and live a life in the shoes of a UFC exec? Where’s the showcase mode letting us relive the greatest moments of a Hall of Famer’s career like in the WWE2K games? There’s plenty of room for innovation, but once again, UFC 5 sticks to the same old formula with little innovation this time around. Even the Online Career Mode is as bland as can be. Simply offering a new matchmaking tool as you play with your own custom fighters and evolve their skills. Not exactly the most enticing hook. Also rather peculiar is this year’s roster. While we’ll never begrudge developers for re-using assets, especially assets as time-consuming to make as entire new fighter models, movesets, winning animations, and the like, UFC 5’s roster is identical to what fans have grown accustomed to in recent entries, just with a handful of new character models dropped in. In particular, a few questionable inclusions almost feel somewhat overlooked. Why is ONE Champion Demetrious Johnson still in the mix when Mighty Mouse hasn’t been on the UFC roster since 2018? Why is Mike Perry still here when he’s essentially the face of a rival company in Bare Knuckle FC? And Ben Askren too, is one of the more bizarre members of the UFC 5 roster given his trajectory since the UFC days. While you can argue in favor of their legacy, it’s nonetheless an odd look having them involved while more fresh faces fall short of making the cut. Plenty of ranked UFC fighters sitting in the top 15 have been left out, making us question exactly what took three years to get this iteration out the door. Round 3: Same old hit-and-miss online play Similar to offline play, online feels it has barely been improved in UFC 5. With much of the same returning features and with it, the same quirks, you’d be forgiven for mistaking this year’s new release with any previous UFC title from EA. Still the biggest gripe here is the game’s matchmaking system. At least as an Australian, being matched up with fellow Aussies for fair fights is a rarity. More often than not you’re dropped into high-ping situations and in a game where every moment matters and reaction timing is everything, it doesn’t exactly lead to the most thrilling experience. This leads to not only a rough time on the feet, but a grueling time on the mat as well. Being unable to counter transitions means you’re effectively defenseless on the ground, suffering at the will of your opponent. Bizarrely, even when testing private matches between fellow Aussie staff here at Dexerto, we still noticed choppiness in these online matches, with ping sitting at 50+ despite our close proximity. It’s also worth noting how matchmaking can often just fail altogether as well. Given the number of playlists and modes splitting the community up, it can occasionally be difficult if not impossible to find a specific matchup. This was most noticeable in the game’s Blitz mode where, after winning a few rounds, we were left stuck with no other option but to abandon our run as the game failed to match us with another competitor time and time again. Coming across more like an update for a previous title than a full-fledged new release in its own right, UFC 5 does little to justify its premium price tag. While a handful of flashy presentation improvements keep the experience fresh for a few hours, there’s not a great deal to keep you around in the long run. The Verdict – 2/5 If this is what three years of development amounts to, perhaps it is time for EA to go back to their corner, sit on the stool for a while longer, and enter the next round with a different gameplan.

UFC 5: Release date, cover athlete, more Electronic ArtsUFC 5 is on the horizon. Electronic Arts began to tease the fifth installment of the UFC franchise on social media in July. With weeks to go before the game’s release, we now have firm information on the title’s release date and other features. UFC 4 was released on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One three years ago and its lifecycle is set to come to an end in the near future. Naturally, fans are excited to get their hands on the next installment of the series. EA has begun to tease the next installment of the franchise on social media, and now we have firm details on the title. Here’s what we know at this moment about UFC 5. Is there a release date for UFC 5? EA confirmed on September 7 that UFC 5 will be released on October 27, 2023. This came two months after the EA Sports UFC team teased an upcoming announcement for the game on Twitter. In the tweet, EA stated that a “full reveal” will come in September 2023. Is there a cover athlete for UFC 5? EA Sports announced the UFC 5 cover athletes on September 5. Valentina Shevchenko and Alexander Volkanovski will be on the cover of the standard edition, while Isreal Adesanya will grace the cover of the deluxe edition. UFC 4, which was released in 2020, featured Jorge Masvidal and Israel Adesanya as the two cover athletes. This will mark the second straight release that Adesanya is on the cover. Those who pre-order the Deluxe Edition, for what it’s worth, will also be eligible to receive three special fighters in Fedor Emelianenko, Muhammad Ali, and Mike Tyson. Which consoles will UFC 5 be available for? UFC 5 will be available for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The development team confirmed to Dexerto that no last-gen release of the title will happen. UFC 5 will not include crossplay. When UFC 4 was released, EA released the game for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. That, however, was in 2020 and just months before the release of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. What features will come with UFC 5? UFC 5 will come with a brand new damage system, one that emphasizes cuts and bruises, in order to mimic a real UFC fight. UFC 5 will also come with the addition of Seamless Submissions, which will remove the mini-games from submissions. It’s a system that EA believes will create a “smoother, more authentic ground game.” Additionally, the new game will come with hundreds of new animations, doctor stoppages, refined controls, character models, and a move to the Frostbite engine. The developers have also added new cinematic K.O. replays and camera looks that will make UFC 5 look much different visually than its predecessor. EA showcased these presentation changes in detail on October 6 as part of a deep dive into the new title. Online play will also be different, thanks to online career mode. Here, individuals will compete for titles across four different divisions and will be able to use their created fighters to take on other real-world fighters. UFC will also come with Alter Ego attires that can be unlocked through in-game action. This is part of the UFC 5’s live content schedule that will also include Fight Week challenges and Fight Picks. Individuals can make predictions for the main card of every PPV and have the opportunity to obtain additional customizable assets. The announce team will feature Jon Anik and Daniel Cormier, but sans broadcast partner Joe Rogan. While you’re waiting for more news on the new UFC game, be sure to check out our other release hubs: The Elder Scrolls 6 | GTA 6 | Assassin’s Creed Infinity | Wolverine | Spider-Man 2 | KOTR Remake | Wonder Woman | DokeV | FFXVI | Avatar Frontiers of Pandora | NBA 2K24 | Lies of P

UFC 5 players slam EA Sports for “extremely lazy” Muhammad Ali animations EA SportsUFC 5 fans are slamming EA Sports over the “extremely lazy” inclusion of Muhammad Ali in the franchise’s latest game. EA Sports UFC 5 arrived with a handful of significant new features and improvements including its overhauled damage system, revamped submissions, and cinematic KO replays, promising a more immersive and realistic gaming experience. However, the excitement has been short-lived for many players who quickly discovered a baffling lack of new fighters in the game’s roster. The absence of active fighters such as Ian Garry, Bryce Mitchell, Manel Kape, and Yan Xiaonan has left fans wondering if the game is truly worth upgrading to. Despite the lack of new active fighters in the game, three legendary fighters are now available as playable characters, two of whom are playable for the first time in the franchise’s history. Mike Tyson and Fedor Emelianenko are now available in UFC 5, but it’s Muhammad Ali’s “extremely lazy” inclusion in the game that has been met with backlash. A viral TikTok clip by creator ‘eyegameuwatch’ highlights the stark contrast between the legendary boxer’s iconic style and the in-game representation “EA was extremely lazy with Muhammad Ali,” they said. “I do not like the character model and as far as the animations, they are awful. It feels nothing like Muhammad Ali.” Fans who were excited by the opportunity to move like a butterfly and sting like a bee inside UFC 5’s virtual octagon instead found what appears to be a re-skinned heavyweight version of ex-UFC fighter Nate Diaz. “They literally took Nate Diaz and put Muhammad Ali’s skin on top of him and put him in heavyweight,” the creator said. “That is exactly what we got.” The clip shows side-by-side gameplay footage of both Diaz and Ali’s in-game models throwing the exact same strikes. “We have Muhammad Ali and Nate Diaz side-by-side in a video game that promises to be as real as it gets, doing the exact same animation,” the creator exclaimed. The EA Sports UFC community quickly rallied behind the criticism, with fans on Reddit echoing the sentiment of the creator. Many have pointed out the lack of fighters in UFC 5 compared to its predecessor, while others have labeled the game as a “complete copy and paste of UFC 4.” While it remains to be seen how EA Sports will address the backlash surrounding Ali’s inclusion in the game, they’ve recently announced a plan to add more fighters to the roster, including Bryce Mitchell and Maycee Barber, who will be added in February.

UFC 5 November patch notes: Stamina changes, AI tweaks, more Here’s an overview of what’s in the patch notes for the November UFC 5 update. EA Sports released UFC 5 in October 2023, but there have been problems with the launch of the game. On November 9, the UFC team announced that changes are ahead. While no fighters are set to be added, a number of gameplay-related tweaks are headed to the game. Here’s a look at what came in the November UFC 5 update, including full patch notes. A look at the notable changes One of the more common issues that UFC players had upon the release of the game was stamina, in particular with how easy it was to spam moves without any significant fatigue. In a November UFC 5 update, the development team stated that it has increased the cost of long-term stamina cost when striking from the stand-up. Additionally, it has retained the dominant fighter stamina drain in the headlock clinch position but removed the drain to the submissive fighter. This is to encourage players to go for a submission straight away. Additionally, it has addressed an inconsistency between the different types of straights and jabs and decreased how often the AI spins and uses spinning strikes. UFC 5 November 9 patch notes Here are the patch notes for the November UFC 5 update: Increased the long term stamina cost of strikes in the stand-up. – Fixed an issue that applied too much vulnerability on the return from side sways. There will now be a lot less vulnerability, even significantly less than in UFC 4, which was our intent along with the sway buffs at launch. – – Fixed an inconsistency between the different types of jabs and straights. The regular version/skin had received some nerfs at launch, but these hadn’t been applied to the alternate versions. All versions now have the proper nerfs. – – Removed the stamina drain applied to the submissive fighter in the headlock (standing guillotine) clinch position. The dominant fighter still has their stamina drained. This is likely to encourage the strategy of starting the guillotine submission right away, unless you’re close enough to the cage to quickly walk up to it, as starting the submission by reaching the cage results in a slightly stronger entry. – – Decreased how frequently the AI spins and uses spinning strikes. – Fixed an issue that caused the lead hook to rear leg kick combo to be too slow. The combo should now have a reasonable speed. – Reduced the range of Major Lunging Punches. All four of these major lunging punches now have less range: jab, straight, lead hook, and rear hook. These used to have the same range as when you perform them sprinting. But from a major lunge, such range looked exaggerated and made the moves look way too fast. They should now behave in a much more authentic manner. The sprinting version of these strikes was not nerfed. – – Prevented the flying knee from the submissive fighter in kick catches to be used when the attacker is throwing certain strikes. It was possible to throw the flying knee in situations that didn’t make sense, which led to some janky and unfair interactions. The submissive fighter can no longer throw a flying knee when it doesn’t make sense, most notably when the dominant fighter is kicking and already letting go of the submissive’s leg. – – Make sure to check out more of our UFC 5 coverage.

UFC 5 June 24 patch notes: New fighters, customization changes, more EA SportsThe June 24 patch for UFC 5 will see cosmetic and customization options, as well as the addition of several new fighters to the roster. Among those fighters are Kayla Harrison, who defeated Holly Holm in UFC 300 in what was her debut for the organization, and Michel Pereira, a veteran fighter who’s been in the ring for over a decade. Additionally, this update will see new stances added to Create-a-Fighter and a glove update that will see the UFC Official 3EIGHT Fight Gloves become the official glove for all non-champion fighters. Here’s a look at what UFC fans can expect from the latest update. June 24 patch notes Here’s a look at the notes for the June 24 update in UFC 5: New Fighters Kayla Harrison (#4 WBW) – Michel Pereira (#13 MW) – Joaquin Buckley (#11 WW) – Caio Borralho (#12 MW) – Chris Curtis (#15 MW) – Tagir Ulanbekov (#12 FLYWEIGHT) – Mario Bautista (#12 BW) – Jonathan Martinez (#14 BW) – Loopy Godínez (#10 WSW) – Randy Brown – Alexandr Romanov (#13 HW) – Norma Dumont (#9 WBW) – Pannie Kianzad (#11 WBW) – UFC 303 Fight Week Challenges, Alter Egos, and some “legendary” surprises These will be added on June 25, 2024, at 10 am PT – Gameplay Updates Added a new custom stance for Micheal “Venom” Page and a signature jab-straight combination. – Added Michael “Venom” Page’s and Khalil Rountree Jr’s stances to Create-A-Fighter. – General Updates Updated Conor McGregor’s likeness at Welterweight. – Added several new color options to default CAF vanity bottoms. – UFC Official Fight Glove 3EIGHT/5EIGHT Update UFC Official 3EIGHT Fight Gloves are now the default gloves for all non-champion active fighters. – Active UFC Champions will wear the UFC Official 5EIGHT Champion Fight Gloves in all modes except for Online Career, Career, and Ranked Championships. – Selecting Champion Kits in Fighter Select will apply UFC Official 5EIGHT Champion Fight Gloves to any active fighter. – UFC Official 5EIGHT Champion Fight Gloves will be enabled in Fight Now – Championship gameplay and Championship fights in Career Mode for both corners. – Active Ranked Championship Champions will wear UFC Official 5Eight Champion Fight Gloves to all fights. – Both fighters in Ranked Championships will wear UFC Official 5EIGHT Champion Fight Gloves in all Contender vs Contender, Contender vs. Champion, and Champion vs Champion fights. – 3EIGHT Dana White Contender Series gloves added to DWCS fights in Career Mode. – Misc. Additions and Updates New assorted vanity rewards added. – Updated Career Mode Rankings. – This update will go live on June 24 at 1 PM ET/10 AM PT.

UFC 5 Feb 8 patch notes: Stamina & grappling changes, new fighters added EA SportsHere’s a look at the patch notes for UFC 5 Patch 3, which will be released on February 8. On February 7, EA Sports confirmed that changes to UFC 5 are coming during the month of February. UFC 5 Patch 3 will go live on February 8 and will see several new fighters added, as well as changes set to be made to striking and grappling. Here’s a look at what’s come to come. A look at the changes The upcoming patch will add three new fighters that were previously confirmed to be coming to UFC 5 in February. Women’s flyweight Maycee Barber and flyweight Bryce Mitchell will be added to the roster, as will middleweight Joe Pyfer. Aside from the new additions to the roster, the latest update will increase the short-term stamina cost of any blocked, missed, or evaded strikes while in the stand-up. Long-term stamina has also been tweaked, but the ratio is set to remain the same. UFC 5’s career mode has also been tweaked, as Online Career Mode received an update. Now, knockouts and KO’s will yield more XP. UFC 5 patch notes for February 8 Here’s a look at the notes for the UFC 5 February 8 patch: STRIKING Increased the short-term stamina cost of blocked, missed, and evaded strikes in the stand-up. The long-term stamina cost is also increased, even though its ratio stays the same. The math for the increase is a bit nuanced, but here is a “before and after” example of a strike that would cost 10 stamina on a clean hit. Hit: 10 to 10 (unchanged) – Blocked: 11.5 to 11.75 – Missed: 17.5 to 18 – Evaded: 26.5 to 27.75 – – – The long-term stamina cost is also increased, even though its ratio stays the same. The math for the increase is a bit nuanced, but here is a “before and after” example of a strike that would cost 10 stamina on a clean hit. – Fixed an issue with ground and pound strike-tracking. – Reduced the damage of Full Guard Postured Up strikes to the head by 20%. – Reduced the frequency of leg kick checks by the AI. – Reduced the frequency of ground and pound elbows by the AI. – GRAPPLING Improved the AI’s use of the Struggle in Submissions on higher difficulty levels. – Increased the differences in submission tactics between different fighting styles. For instance, fighters focusing on ground and pound will more likely use submission attacker transitions to get to ground and pound positions. – Fixed a camera issue on late denials against pulling guard. – MISC. ADDITIONS AND UPDATES New vanity rewards – Updated Online Career mode to award move XP from more gameplay events (e.g., Knockdowns, stuns, KOs, etc.) – Fixed Bobby Green’s stance. – Fixed a variety of visual glitches in the Store tab – Fixed various text inaccuracies across several modes – Fixed a rare crash in practice mode. – Fixed a rare crash in gameplay. – Fixed a rare crash when attempting to restart a fight. – As noted previously, the patch will go live on February 8 at 10 AM PT. Additionally, new Fight Week and Alter Egos will be added on February 13.

UFC 5 fans slam new cover reveal as a “mobile game” knockoff: “You can’t be serious” EA SportsEA Sports just dropped the cover for the highly-anticipated UFC 5, and fans are not pulling any punches with their criticism, calling it a “mobile game” knockoff. Fans of the UFC video game series had been buzzing with anticipation for the UFC 5 cover reveal before the game’s “full reveal” on September 7. But when EA Sports proudly unveiled current featherweight champion Alexander “The Great” Volkanovski and former flyweight champion Valentina “Bullet” Shevchenko as the UFC 5 cover athletes, the reaction was not what they might have hoped for. Usually, it’s the choice of athletes that stirs the pot after a cover reveal. This time, however, it was the presentation as EA Sports opted to use character models of Volkanovski and Shevchenko for the cover in a decision that has left fans baffled and disappointed. “Is this official? Why the f*** would they use CG models lol,” one Reddit user says. Another chimed in with, “What’s up with this weird ass cartoonish style?” highlighting the community’s general frustration with the cover’s aesthetic. The criticism didn’t stop there. Some fans went as far as to label it the “ugliest EA Sports cover” they’ve ever seen. The cover’s design has led to comparisons with mobile game artwork, a far cry from what fans expect from a new-gen console game. Some fans are even speculating that the lackluster Standard Edition cover is a ploy to push sales for the Deluxe Edition, which features Israel Adesanya in a cover that the majority of fans prefer. “They make the standard ugly so you buy the Izzy deluxe edition,” suggested one fan. The controversy has even sparked theories about EA Sports’ motives. “Not even willing to pay them for a photoshoot,” one fan noted. This isn’t the first time EA Sports has taken a non-traditional approach to cover design. Their upcoming EA FC 24 also features CG models of a staggering 31 athletes, indicating a possible shift in the company’s strategy. “My guess is it’s cheaper to just throw CG models on the cover than paying for a photoshoot with athletes,” speculated a fan. Amidst the uproar, some fans are holding out hope that the revealed cover isn’t the final version. The wording of EA Sports’ tweet, “Your #UFC5 Standard Edition cover athletes Alexander Volkanovski and Valentina Shevchenko,” has led to some confusion and hope for a more traditional cover down the line. As EA Sports counts down to the UFC 5 release, they find themselves in the center of a social media storm that shows no sign of letting up.