David Wong

Writer and journalist for almost a year. Doing this for fun. Learned a lot along the way. I'm interested in businesses and the moves they make, tech and how it changes the world, and of course, enjoy playing some video games! I enjoy console and PC, but mostly RPGs, FPS, and League of Legends.

Final Fantasy Dissidia NT: Yuna revealed to be the next DLC fighter

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Final Fantasy Dissidia NT: Yuna revealed to be the next DLC fighter 1

Final Fantasy X’s Yuna is making her return in Final Fantasy Dissidia NT. She’ll be the next DLC character released coming this December, which was revealed through a brand new trailer that shows off her new magical abilities and the awesome summoning of Valefor for some extra damage. She’ll be joining Jecht and Tidus as the representation for FFX in this new crossover fighter.

The trailer shows off her moves and we can see that she’ll likely be a ranged fighter with plenty of combo abilities that combine her magical spells, abilities, and Valefor. She can do some homing abilities for fast-moving targets and ranged burst attacks.

Yuna seems fitting because there aren’t many other characters that can both home on enemies and link combos together from a distance. The DLC release will confirm this assumption we can only wait and see! She’ll be excellent for matchups that require lots of zoning.

Yuna will have an extra costume to go alongside her basic, default one. She’ll get her wedding dress with Seymour from FFX. She’ll be the second-to-last DLC character from this season pass. As of the next and last character for this season, there’s no solid speculation as of yet.

Final Fantasy Dissidia NT is available for the PS4. The game is a crossover fighter that features more than 20 playable characters. Stay tuned for the next reveal. You can check out Yuna’s trailer below:

Black Ops 4: Nuketown release date has been confirmed

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Black Ops 4: Nuketown release date has been confirmed 2

The signature map to the Black Ops series, Nuketown, has been confirmed for release.

This time around, the map will take place in a Russian, snowy setting based on previously hinted tweets and screenshots. Treyarch had previously teased the map in the newest Black Ops entry title, but there was no official word on when players would be able to duke it out on Nuketown.

Today, the official Call of Duty Twitter account announced that the map would launch for the PS4 on November 13. Fans have already begun to express their excitement over the news with comments and shares. The tweet reads in Russian with a caption that translates to “Welcome back” which further solidifies that Nuketown will take place in a Russian setting.

There was also a video posted with the tweet that shows a few scenes of the map that players will get to duke it out on in just a few days time from now.

Nuketown will be exclusive for PS4 players at first due to the deal Sony has with Activision. One week later, the map will be available for Xbox One and PC on November 20. Nuketown will be available for all digital and physical copies- you only need to buy the base game to be able to play on the map.

Nuketown is known for being hectic, crazy, and one fast-paced map due to the CQC-centered setting of the map every time it’s released in a new Call of Duty entry.

 

Fortnite fans want to bring back Blitz LTM

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Fortnite fans want to bring back Blitz LTM 3

Epic Games announced that the popular Blitz mode, a faster version of the classic battle royale mode would be removed in just a few days after it was added back- being replaced by Disco Domination.

Fortnite players on Reddit are asking Epic to bring Blitz back and keep it there permanently as a game mode. The faster gameplay allows players to get a similar gameplay experience with a shorter time commitment. It’s kind of like a “quick play” mode but rather than throwing you into a server that’s ready to go, the gameplay is also drastically changed for faster gameplay. The storm closes in on players much quicker and there’s plenty of loot to go around.

Redditors believe that Epic Games should bring Blitz back as a solo playlist called Quick Play, where players will be forced to play along in a shrinking play arena rather than a squad of players- which is how Blitz currently works. This idea would be good for players who just want to get some Fortnite action in before work or school, as it’ll run just about 15 minutes rather than normal game matches which last about 30 minutes. This idea was suggested by a Reddit user with plenty of support form other Fortnite players on Reddit.

The Disco Domination mode that has replaced Blitz is a limited time mode that has teams of 50 players against each other with the objective of securing various dancefloors around the map. The team holding the most control points will be declared the victor.

With this much support for Blitz and Epic being a community-centric developer, we just may see Blitz return to the world’s most popular battle royale game.

Red Bull and PAC-MAN team up for special, limited edition cans

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Red Bull and PAC-MAN team up for special, limited edition cans 4

Like PAC-MAN? Like Red Bull? Then here’s the perfect beverage for you.

A partnership that no one saw coming is now live in retail stores near you. Red Bull and PAC-MAN have teamed up to make PAC-MAN-themed Red Bull cans- a special, limited time can with a slick new design featuring the classic PAC-MAN 80’s look.

You’ll see a maze with those ghosts in the background headlined with a special code under each can. These codes unlock free Red Bull-themed levels for the PAC-MAN mobile game (which is free to play).

PAC-MAN is published by BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment. Director of Mobile, Toshihiko Naoe said in a press release:

“We’re excited to unite these two revolutionary brands for an electrifying partnership. We can’t wait to see fans take a bite out of the brand-new in-game content, available via Red Bull Energy Drink PAC-MAN cans.”

The mazes also have a special powerup to get PAC-MAN energized. Can you guess what those powerups are?

Red Bull cans.

Red Bull and PAC-MAN team up for special, limited edition cans 5

They’re littered around the new mazes and allows PAC-MAN to eat ghosts without turning blue. Although this may make the game too easy, it’s all in good fun. The ghosts don’t run away like they usually do, and PAC-MAN doesn’t get wings. After he eats them, they get sent to the prison. The Cherry fruits are also replaced by various Red Bull letters around the maze.

Grab a limited edition can at your local store and download the free game if you’re up for it. These cans will surely go up in value later on given that the fan base for PAC-MAN is still huge. Collectors may shell out a pretty penny for these cans later on when they’re no longer being sold in stores.

PUBG on Xbox One is free for a limited time

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PUBG on Xbox One is free for a limited time 6

With the rumor that PUBG will be appearing on PS4 in December and with Xbox’s XO18 event on Saturday, November 10, the once most popular battle royale game is now free on Xbox One.

The game is free to download for a limited time, which is perfect for players who were always tempted to buy the game on console but couldn’t decide between console and PC. With a normal price tag of $29.99, the game is now absolutely free to download. And keep forever.

PUBG on Xbox first released on September 4 with the V1.0 game update, but was previously available as early access or “game preview” ever since December 2017.

The weird part is that even though a smash hit like this is free, there has been no news from PUBG or Xbox yet making the announcement. But if you go to the Xbox Store, the game is listed as free for a limited time. This likely has to do with the “big PUBG news” announcement that’ll take place at XO18 this weekend- alongside the PUBG on PS4 rumor.

With the battle royale market being so fiercely competitive, this could be a marketing attempt to pull more players back to the game. Although it’ll likely never reach its former glory, there’s still a decent playerbase.

Fortnite, which is king in sheer number of players, is already free to play and always has been with no disadvantageous microtransactions. This is probably why the game took off. And Blackout mode from Call of Duty is another competitor that does battle royale to the extreme, but it comes with a hefty one-time payment of $60 ($45 at Target on Black Friday).

XO18 will take place this Saturday and the major announcements will roll out. Stay tuned for details and coverage of the panel.

Get the game free on the Microsoft Store right now for a limited time only.

Black Ops 4: November 6 update full details; 9-Bang removed, LMGs/SMGs buffed

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Black Ops 4: November 6 update full details; 9-Bang removed, LMGs/SMGs buffed 7

The latest update for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 was a major one. It adjusted for game settings in the Blackout mode to better balance out the game based on player and community feedback and technical analysis directly from Treyarch.

The update buffed SMGs by increasing the muzzle velocity for all weapons in the Submachine Gun class so they can pit against ARs more effectively. Treyarch states:

“This should provide more consistent gunfights when in SMG range, along with ensuring that SMGs perform as expected in their intended power band when compared to Assault Rifles in Blackout.”

No Assault Rifles received any buffs except the Rampart 17. The Auger DMR and Swordfish both also got improvements from the tactical Rifle category. The buffs were decent and should make them much more effective to fulfill their roles.

LMGs have also been buffed. Treyarch knows this class of weaponry has potential if used correctly, though it’s tricky to master.

They’ve buffed them to make them a little easier to use for players. Treyarch states that:

“While some players have found success with the LMGs in Blackout, they’re still being passed over by the large majority of players. These changes should help make LMGs more manageable when providing cover fire or engaging targets at range.”

The VKM750 and Titan now have increased recenter speed and reduced recenter pattern offsets. In other words, they have less recoil and improved accuracy. This buff was also applied to the Hades. The Titan has a more predictable recoil pattern too.

With these changes, LMGs may become more competitive against SMGs and ARs.

Regarding the news announcement hinted by Treyarch yesterday, the 9-Bang stun was removed from Blackout due to complaints from the community that it was just overpowered. So as of now, the 9-Bang is removed temporarily and the Concussion Grenade has been buffed to make up for the 9-Bang.

The ‘nade now has an increased throw distance and stacks to 2. Though it’s not nearly as powerful, it’ll suffice for the time being as Treyarch continues to work on balancing the game’s kit.

The game is still very new and has gone through multiple major updates already. They’re working hard to balance out their one and only battle royale mode to ever appear in a CoD game. Players have praised the mode so far even though it’s had a share of bugs and weapon balance issues. The game continues to sell and has broken records already in total sales.

Perhaps next update they’ll nerf the dogs, which have been shown to do some pretty deadly attacks.

The full patch notes for the November 6 Black Ops 4 update follows here:

Nov. 6 Update: Blackout Tuning, Blightfather Event, Chaos Character Missions, New MP Playlists, Black Market Progression

Following last week’s Multiplayer weapon tuning, we’ve introduced extensive new Blackout-specific tuning in today’s update, including various tweaks across several weapon classes, the removal of the 9-Bang from Blackout, and more. Read on for the full list of changes in the patch notes below.

For a limited time, the fearsome Blightfather has been transported from IXto haunt the Graveyard just south of the Asylum. Those of you who took him on during the Blackout Beta know he won’t go down without a fight – and the victors will be handsomely rewarded this time around. This event is now live in all Blackout playlists on all platforms, so keep an eye out for the red pillar of light for a chance to slay the Blightfather… or pick off those who dare try.

We’ve also unlocked the Blackout Character Missions for our Black Ops 4 Chaos Storyline crew and increased Character Mission quest item spawn rates, so get out there and complete those hidden challenges to drop in as Bruno, Diego, Scarlett, and Shaw.

In Multiplayer, new playlists have arrived in the Featured category, including the debut of Team Tactical Moshpit, Mercenary Chaos Moshpit, and Mercenary Hardcore Moshpit. Read below for all the details on these new playlists and let us know what you think. As a reminder, playlists will be rotating into the Featured category on a weekly basis, so keep an eye out for fresh new game types and the return of fan-favorites each week.

We’re also kicking off our first 2X Tier Boost Weekend in Multiplayer and Blackout starting on Friday, along with 2X Nebulium Plasma in Zombies on all platforms from 10AM PT Friday, Nov. 9 through 10AM PT Monday, Nov. 12! Players will earn Contraband Tier progression twice as fast during this event, and we’ve got new ways to boost your Contraband Tier progression coming very soon. Stay tuned.

For our Zombies players: game stability has remained our #1 priority, and while we’ve implemented additional crash fixes listed below in today’s update, we know we’ve still got more to deliver for the Zombies community. To that end, we will have more shortly from the Zombies team that will address current development, as well as how we’re prioritizing stability and gameplay improvements.

And now, onto what’s new in the game:

We’ve made the following updates to the game (Global) since Friday’s update:

Blackout

Playlist Updates

  • Blightfather added to all playlists.
  • 100-Player Quads added to the Featured playlist.
  • Maximum players in Solo and Duos playlists changed to 88.

Character Missions

  • Zombies Chaos Storyline Character Missions now available (Bruno, Diego, Scarlett, and Shaw).
  • Increased drop rates of Character Mission items.

Weapons (Blackout Only)

  • Submachine Guns
    • Increased muzzle velocity on all SMGs. This should provide more consistent gunfights when in SMG range, along with ensuring that SMGs perform as expected in their intended power band when compared to Assault Rifles in Blackout.
    • Spitfire
      • Reduced recoil.
  • Assault Rifles
    • Rampart 17
      • Reduced ADS sway.
      • Reduced recoil.
  • Tactical Rifles
    • Auger DMR
      • Increased re-center speed. We slowed down the re-center due to high performance in our Blackout beta, but have seen the AUGER slightly underperform since release.
      • Slightly increased muzzle velocity. This should make for more predictable shots when firing at a moving target within the Auger’s intended ranges.
  • Swordfish
    • Tightened the spread pattern. This should allow more shots to land on target at range.
  • Light Machine Guns
    • While some players have found success with the LMGs in Blackout, they’re still being passed over by the large majority of players. These changes should help make LMGs more manageable when providing cover fire or engaging targets at range.
    • Titan
      • Increased re-center speed.
      • Reduced re-center pattern offsets for more predictable recoil.
    • VKM 750
      • Increased re-center speed.
      • Reduced re-center pattern offsets.
    • Hades
      • Increased re-center speed.
      • Reduced re-center pattern offsets.

Equipment (Blackout Only)

  • 9-Bang
    • Removed the 9-Bang from Blackout while we evaluate its place in the gameplay loop.
  • Concussion Grenade
    • Increased throw distance.
    • Increased stack count to 2.

Multiplayer

  • Playlist Updates
    • Added Team Tactical Moshpit to Featured Playlist (3v3 TDM, Kill Confirmed, and Search & Destroy).
    • Added Mercenary Chaos Moshpit to Featured category (6v6 TDM, Domination, Kill Confirmed, and Hardpoint, no parties allowed).
    • Added Mercenary Hardcore Moshpit to Featured category (Hardcore TDM, Domination, and Kill Confirmed, no parties allowed).
    • Gun Game and Control now in Featured category.
  • Gameplay
    • Resolved an exploit in Search & Destroy where players could change classes after the start of a round to regain Scorestreak progress from the previous round before death.
    • Resolved an issue in Heist where navigating the Buy Menu with the d-pad could display the description for the previously highlighted item.
    • Resolved an issue where meleeing friendly Razor Wire in Hardcore game modes would damage players, potentially causing the player who placed the Razor Wire to be kicked for friendly fire.
  • Miscellaneous
    • Corrected the description for “Fast Reflexes” Challenge to inform players of requirement to get 5 EKIA in a game shortly after switching weapons with Dexterity, Overkill, and Laser Sight.

Zombies

  • Stability
    • Resolved 2 specific crashes in the IX Main Quest.
    • Resolved a crash related to banner challenges in IX.
    • Resolved a crash that occurred when the Shield broke while the player had the Victorious Tortoise Perk active.
  • Gameplay
    • Resolved an issue where players could end up in a permanently downed state if they are revived as a self-revive is being completed.
    • Resolved an issue where picking up the Max Ammo power-up while Bandolier is active did not give additional ammo if the weapon was at its normal Max Ammo capacity.
  • Miscellaneous
    • Resolved UI issues caused by opening the Paintshop after personalizing a weapon in the Armory.
    • Resolved an issue where players could equip Talismans in Local Play.
    • Changed Aftertaste Elixir description to reflect its 5-minute duration.
    • Changed Arsenal Accelerator Elixir description to reflect its 2-minute duration.

General

  • Challenges
    • Resolved an issue where level-restricted Challenges could be locked again after Prestiging.

We’ve also made the following changes to PC since Friday’s update, in addition to the ones listed above:

  • General
    • Added Audio Presets to Options.
    • Resolved an issue where the rotation icon would appear when highlighting any items in the Black Market.
  • Zombies
    • Resolved an issue where players would be forcefully defeated when using the Fast Travel from Transverse Tunnel to reach the Cafeteria before opening its door in Blood of the Dead.
    • Resolved an issue where Warpaints could not be removed after being applied.

Jump in and let us know what you think of the new Blackout weapon tuning, Blightfather event, new MP playlists, and everything else that’s new in today’s update!

DICE releases official Battle 5 PC requirements – Are you ray trace ready?

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DICE releases official Battle 5 PC requirements - Are you ray trace ready? 8

Battlefield 5 rolls out later this month, and EA has published the official PC requirements for the game.

As with any other game, DICE has posted the minimum requirements on the recommended requirements for Battlefield 5. If you played the beta, you’ll already know how gorgeous the graphics are with ultra-realism. For maximum eye candy, you’ll definitely want to play on the recommended requirements.

Regardless, here they are:

Battlefield 5 Minimum Requirements

  • OS: 64-bit Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10
  • Processor (AMD): AMD FX-8350
  • Processor (Intel): Core i5 6600K
  • Memory: 8GB RAM
  • Graphics card (NVIDIA): NVIDIA GeForce® GTX 1050 / NVIDIA GeForce® GTX 660 2GB
  • Graphics card (AMD): AMD Radeon™ RX 560 / HD 7850 2GB
  • DirectX: 11.0 Compatible video card or equivalent
  • Online Connection Requirements: 512 KBPS or faster Internet connection
  • Hard-drive space: 50GB

Battlefield 5 Recommended Requirements

  • OS: 64-bit Windows 10 or later
  • Processor (AMD): AMD Ryzen 3 1300X
  • Processor (Intel): Intel Core i7 4790 or equivalent
  • Memory: 12GB RAM
  • Graphics card (NVIDIA): NVIDIA GeForce® GTX 1060 6GB
  • Graphics card (AMD): AMD Radeon™ RX 580 8GB
  • DirectX: 11.1 Compatible video card or equivalent
  • Online Connection Requirements: 512 KBPS or faster Internet connection
  • Available Disk Space: 50GB

With a 50GB size requirement, it’s a decent chunk of Battlefield primed for release on launch day. The majority of even casual FPS gamers these days would meet the GTX 1050 requirements I’d assume, as the GTX 10 series has been out for quite a while now and is already considered to be “last gen” with the release of the new ray tracing Nvidia cards that are slowly leaking into the mainstream scene.

DICE has also listed separate requirements for those who want the ray tracing technology. For those who are unaware of this, ray tracing is a new feature that allows light particles and beams to be rendered individually like in real life. This will be one of the first games ever made with ray tracing technology. And it’ll be glorious.

For the best experience in Battlefield 5, you’ll need to have top-end hardware to indulge in the latest technology.

And for those blessed with this kind of setup, here’s what you’ll need:

Recommended Requirements for DXR

  • OS: 64-bit Windows 10 October 2018 Update (1809)
  • Processor (AMD): AMD Ryzen 7 2700
  • Processor (Intel): Intel Core i7 8700
  • Memory: 16GB RAM
  • Graphics card (NVIDIA): NVIDIA GeForce® RTX 2070
  • DirectX: DirectX Raytracing Compatible video card
  • Online Connection Requirements: 512 KBPS or faster Internet connection
  • Available Disk Space: 50GB

Battlefield 5 is set to release November 20 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. The game is currently available for pre-order on Amazon.

 

This post contains affiliate links where barrelrolled may receive a small commission upon sales. (This helps us feed our writers the good brand of ramen noodles rather than the generic, store brand.)

Bethesda VP Pete Hines: Fallout 76 will last “forever”

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Bethesda VP Pete Hines: Fallout 76 will last "forever" 9

Based on a recent interview with GameSpot, Pete Hines, the VP of Bethesda, talked about the future of Fallout 76. He seems very confident that Bethesda has a planned-out future for the first online Fallout game and one that the developer doesn’t seem to be “nuking’ anytime soon.

Fallout 76 is the first Fallout game that has multiplayer online and requires an active internet connection to play. The entire game is online-based. GameSpot asked a few questions about what would happen when they finally shut down the servers.

When asked about how long the game would be up, Hines replied “forever” citing World of Warcraft as an example:

“I don’t know how to give an answer other than that. It’s not like anybody makes a game and goes, ‘Well this is going to make it for 10 years if we’re lucky.’ Nobody thinks that way. How long has WoW been up now? Is that game planning to sunset in a year? I seriously doubt it.”

Hines said the support for Fallout 76 will be “never-ending” and that Bethesda may stop operating if people stop playing the game. But he’s pretty sure the game will never stop slowing down:

“We’re going to keep going as long as people keep playing it and it shows no sign of slowing down,”

“Once we get to private servers or whatever happens in the years following; I don’t know. Maybe there’s a point where it doesn’t matter. But … this is a massive franchise and a massive undertaking, and our commitment to it is it is never-ending, and that it continues on an ongoing basis.”

Fallout 76 will be launching on November 14, and fans are pumped. The game has two final beta sessions left– one starting today at 1PM ET and the last one on November 8. There have been some bugs already found in the game, but that’s what a BETA is for. There was a speed hack and a bug that wiped 50GB worth of data. Some popular streamers will be streaming the game on the final beta test day, including Ninja.

Fallout 76 will release on PC, Xbox One, and PS4. There won’t be a Switch release because it’s simply not possible. You can pre-order a copy right now at Amazon.

 

This post contains affiliate links where barrelrolled may receive a small commission upon sales. (This helps us feed our writers the good brand of ramen noodles rather than the generic, store brand.)

Bethesda announces final two Fallout 76 B.E.T.A. sessions

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Bethesda announces final two Fallout 76 B.E.T.A. sessions 10

Fallout 76 has finally reached the last two sessions for its BETA (Break-it Early Test Application) and they’ve finally announced the last two start and end times for eager fans.

On Tuesday, November 6, players will be able to join the second-to-last BETA test session for a mere two hours from 1-3PM ET. Fans have already expressed concern on Twitter saying that the short time frame makes it difficult to play since they’re likely trying to get as much playtime as possible during the BETA so they can have some powerful equipment in the actual game (gear is carried over to the full release).

The last session will be on November 8, where players can explore West Virginia one last time for a much more reasonable time limit of 6 hours.

Both sessions will apply to all platforms simultaneously.

Bethesda likely made the time frames short on purpose so it forces all players to log in around the same time. This will ensure server stability for the launch day when the entire globe begins bombarding their servers with requests. Rather than have a game offline on the first day, which is especially important for Fallout 76 since it’s a fully online game, Bethesda is being proactive about stress testing their hardware to guarantee a smooth launch.

With player progress carrying over to the retail version of the game, some players will already have an advantage from day one. However, players starting fresh don’t have ot opt-in to PVP until level 5, so this safeguards us newbies who didn’t have time (or access) to the specific BETA test times and dates.

Fallout 76 is less than two weeks from release and will go live on Nobemver 14th. You can pre-order the game on Amazon here. Are you ready for the next Fallout entry? I’ll be no-showing at work that day.

 

This post contains affiliate links where barrelrolled may receive a small commission upon sales. (This helps us feed our writers the good brand of ramen noodles rather than the generic, store brand.)

Blizzard reveals Overwatch Nerf gun replica lineup; McCree’s Peacekeeper added

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Blizzard reveals Overwatch Nerf gun replica lineup; McCree's Peacekeeper added 11

Overwatch developer Blizzard Entertainment has teamed up with Hasbro to create a full line of Nerf gun replicas to some of the game’s most popular weapons.

During BlizzCon 2018, several new guns to the upcoming lineup were revealed to the public. Before, Nerf replicas of Reaper’s Hellfire Shotguns and D.Va’s Light Gun (Bunny Blaster) were announced. At BlizzCon, they expanded the product line to include replicas of Torbjörn’s Rivet Gun and Tracer’s Pulse Pistols. These will be part of the “Micro Shots” range of Nerf products.

Fans will also be able to get ahold of McCree’s Peacekeeper, which personally is the best gun of the bunch so far. Overwatch tweeted “Buckle up, this gunslinger’s loaded” while touting a product shot of the weapon, which just looks so freakin’ badass.

The Peacekeeper joins the Hellfire Shotguns in the Nerf Rivals product line- which are the elite blasters that use pellets rather than sticky darts and designed to shoot far with accuracy. McCree’s Peacemaker will launch projectiles up to 80 feet per second (FPS).

The reveal of McCree’s weapon comes paired with the Overwatch animated short Reunion, which features him taking on the Deadlock Gang on Route 66.

The Overwatch Nerf replicas will be available sometime in January 2019. They’re already available for pre-order through GameStop. You can view their product pages here.

Fortnite: Lil’ Kev Challenges now live

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Fortnite: Lil' Kev Challenges now live 12

With Kevin the Cube finally destroyed in the one-time live event Epic Games hosted just a few hours ago, the mysterious and ominous Purple Cube has marked the end of Fortnitemares.

Players that attended the live event saw a feat of glory, with Kevin finally breaking apart and imploding upon himself. A Butterfly then appeared, which data miners have already speculated that this event would start off the new event- Butterfly. The daily message was then updated in the game with new “Lil’ Kev Challenges” for all players.

The challenges are nothing new to those who keep up with Fortnite news. They were first leaked after the V6.21 update and only a trio of them are available- which should be pretty easy to complete and only will take a few hours to complete.

This was likely done intentionally by Epic Games because they’re only available until November 11 at 1 PM ET. Players can also earn some XP for each task (500XP each) and once they’re all completed, each player gets the Lil Kev back bling, which is rated as a rare item (pictured above).

The Lil’ Kev Challenges are as follows:

  • Play Matches (0/15) – 500 XP
  • Gain 5,000 XP (0/5000) – 500 XP
  • Outlive Opponents (0/500) – 500 XP

As of this writing, you only have 7 days (1 week) to complete all the challenges, which should be more than enough time even for the causal Fortnite player. You’ll want to get started on them as soon as possible so you can secure your piece of Kevin. Epic Games will likely have more limited-time challenges to boot with the Butterfly event, which is the next event in line for Fortnite.c

Fortnite’s purple cube debunked; Data miners show off game files

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Fortnite's purple cube debunked; Data miners show off game files 13

With zombies and goblins causing chaos all over the map in Fortnite during their Fortnitemares event, no one seems to be paying attention to the purpose cube sitting around at Loot Lake.

Season 6 is already upon us and players have been wondering what’s up with the purple cube and its ominous glow which was first spotted back in August. Traveling to Loot Lake and destroying it followed by spawning zombies all around, the purple cube is starting to do something.

Fortnite streamer Dakotaz saw the cube break open during a Playground match earlier today. The cube suddenly broke apart and the substance inside it has begun leaking out into the whirlpool around the cube.

This is on-par with the current event going on in Fortnite right now- called Butterfly, which will go live today tomorrow, November 4th. The cube seems to be setting up for the event.

The video of the cube splitting was tweeted on his Twitter account:

Soon afterward, another event took place. The cube shows something leaking from the core and drop directly into the split below.

Later on, Fortnite data miners at Silox discovered some game files that show what happens to the ominous purple cube. If you don’t mind spoilers, here’s what happens:

The cube will split into a trio of fragments as shown by texture files based on leaked data from Silox. A tweet was posted with the fragments two days prior on November 1st.

The Butterfly event will take place tomorrow, November 4th at 1PM ET. Epic said the live game event won’t be visible in Playground mode.

So far, we’ve seen some weird butterfly shapes and some weird sounds from sources around the web, but we’re not exactly sure what they’ll be used for. We’ll have to sit tight for a little over 11 hours from now until the event goes live to see what it’s all about.

 

Little Big Planet level recreated perfectly in Dreams by Media Molecule

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Little Big Planet level recreated perfectly in Dreams by Media Molecule 14

Media Molecule has been working on Dreams for a long time now. The game has released some artwork and screenshots here and there and definitely looks impressive so far. There’s been discussion across the internet speculating the plot, gameplay, and comparison of Dreams to Little Big Planet.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Little Big Planet, one of the best-selling games on the PS3, Media Molecule released a perfect recreation of a level in Little Big Planet in their newest project, Dreams. The video shows off how closely the game resembles that of the original title. The colors, physics, and gameplay are pretty much identical to the original game. The tweet has garnered over 3.2K likes and 118K views at the time of this writing, which shows there’s still a loyal fanbase following the development of #DreamsPS4.

You can check it out for yourself here:

Dreams were unveiled during Sony’s E3 press conference back in 2015. Since then, the project has only had spurts of news here and there, but many followers are still devoted to following the game until its release, which is scheduled for an exclusive PS4 debut sometime in 2019.

The game was first mentioned back in Gamescom in 2012, believe it or not, where the studio said they were only working on two games at once. One was Dreams, the other was Tearaway for the PS Vita.

The game has been in development for quite a while now and isn’t what players might expect from a first-party studio.

Public beta demos have been announced many times already only to be pushed back or lost in the void. Either the demo was never released or Media Molecule simply never followed-up.

Now that we’ve heard directly from Media Molecule, perhaps we’ll get some more concrete news on their latest project. Stay tuned for updates.

Target unveils Black Friday ad; Blacks Ops 4 for $45

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Target unveils Black Friday ad; Blacks Ops 4 for $45 15

The holidays are upon us once again, which means Black Friday is quickly approaching to kickstart the festivities.

As such, everyone’s favorite shopping day of the year (or as it appears so) is around the corner. Target has released its Black Friday ads and features some very decent deals on games today. Their catalog shows us just what they’ll be marking down for the event and there’s really something for everyone.

The most notable sales are Marvel’s Spider-Man PS4 bundle marked down to just $199.99. This isn’t nearly as feature-full as the PS4 Pro Special Edition which was debuted alongside Spider-Man a few months back, but it’s a good bundle for those looking to finally get a PS4.

There’s also a 2DS package with Super Mario Maker priced at just $79.99. And a PS VR bundle at $249.99, which comes with all the basic accessories like the PS Camera and Move controllers with Creed: Rise to Glory and Superhot VR– a perfect setup for those looking for a fully-working VR experience who don’t want to shell out hundreds more for an Oculus or Samsung VR.

Starlink: Battle for Atlas will also be available for just $39.99 which includes the starter kit for Switch and has Fox McCloud and the Arwing included in the neat package.

Lastly, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 will be marked down to just $45. Perfect pickup for this current-gen FPS that’s all the rage today and is constantly making headlines. Considering the game just came out, this price is a steal.

Black Friday officially begins on November 23.

Here’s what’s on Target’s Black Friday ad:

$35

  • NHL 19
  • SoulCalibur VI
  • We Happy Few
  • Forza Horizon 4
  • Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
  • Sea of Thieves

$29.99

  • WWE 2K19
  • Shadow of the Tomb Raider
  • Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker
  • F1 2019
  • Fallout 4: GOTY Edition

$25

  • Detroit: Become Human
  • Assassin’s Creed Origins
  • God of War
  • Nickelodeon Kart Racers
  • Far Cry 5
  • LEGO The Incredible
  • Call of Duty: WWII
  • Dragonball FighterZ
  • Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle
  • Just Dance 2019
  • Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
  • MLB The Show 18

$15

  • NBA Live 19
  • LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2
  • Overwatch
  • PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
  • Skyrim: Special Edition
  • DOOM
  • Star Wars Battlefront II
  • Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
  • The Evil Within 2
  • LEGO Jurassic World
  • Farming Simulator

Halloween Black Ops 4 update: Game settings, PC bug fixes, and CoD Points

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Halloween Black Ops 4 update: Game settings, PC bug fixes, and CoD Points 16

Treyarch has released a new game settings update for Black Ops 4 that includes some major changes to the Black Market and PC bug fixes. The V1.04 October 30th update that was released yesterday has a follow-up patch today. Treyarch released another round of updates to BO4 with this October 31 game settings update.

PlayStation 4 and PC players were targeted for this update with plenty of changes for players to get accustomed to. This update follows the big update that was received earlier for PS4 players that added CoD Points to the Black Market as redeemable currency.

Treyarch added Special Orders that brings even more cosmetic items to BO4. These orders can only be bought with CoD Points which allows players to stack each Black Market tier with rewards that can be unlocked at once.

The features are only available on PS4 as of now until a week later when they’ll debut for PC and Xbox One. The V1.04 patch was the biggest Black Ops 4 update so far in its short history, and this update is no competitor. It simply adds some game settings and additional bug fixes following the previous, major update.

Special Orders can be described as a rotating library of skins based on tiers. As Treyarch states:

Special Orders provide a new content stream to unlock in the Black Market with their own set of cosmetic items. With Special Orders, players can stack each tier with multiple items to unlock at once, allowing everyone to maximize item unlocks with two items per Tier at all times and up to three items per Tier when Special Events are live (like the Halloween event live right now!). Players can choose when to acquire and start progressing through Special Orders, and only one can be active at a time. Though Special Orders will rotate on a regular basis, they will stay in your inventory once acquired until they’re completed, and you can switch between active Special Orders at any time. Once a Special Order is activated, you’ll see the new content drop in starting on the Black Market Tier you’re currently on.

PC players will get a separate balancing patch as specific weapons perform differently on PC than consoles. This is still in the works and Treyarch hasn’t confirmed when this will drop.

Here are full patch notes for the October 31 (Halloween) update for Black Ops 4:

Happy Halloween from all of us here at Treyarch! Keep an eye on @Treyarch on Twitter today as we share some of our favorite Halloween-themed content from the Call of Duty community. Tag us with your spookiest cosplay, artwork, and clips showcasing your new Halloween Event cosmetics, and you might find yourself featured in front of millions of Black Ops fans. No pressure.

Today’s update brings new Black Market content for PS4 players with the introduction of Special Orders, plus a new bonus for Black Ops Pass owners on all platforms, a host of stability improvements on PC, and more. Read on below for the full list of updates.

COD Points are also now live on PS4, with availability on other platforms to follow next week. COD Points can be used to acquire additional Nebulium Plasma in Zombies, advance through cosmetic Black Market Tiers, and access new Special Orders in the Black Market. Note: COD Points availability will be rolling out globally throughout the day on PS4.

Special Orders provide a new content stream to unlock in the Black Market with their own set of cosmetic items. With Special Orders, players can stack each tier with multiple items to unlock at once, allowing everyone to maximize item unlocks with two items per Tier at all times and up to three items per Tier when Special Events are live (like the Halloween event live right now!). Players can choose when to acquire and start progressing through Special Orders, and only one can be active at a time. Though Special Orders will rotate on a regular basis, they will stay in your inventory once acquired until they’re completed, and you can switch between active Special Orders at any time. Once a Special Order is activated, you’ll see the new content drop in starting on the Black Market Tier you’re currently on.

Now, onto everything that’s new today:

We’ve made the following updates to the game today (Global):

General

  • Black Ops Pass owners now receive a one-time bonus of 1,000 COD Points and 300 Nebulium Plasma.
  • COD Points can now be used to advance Black Market Tiers, access Special Orders in the Black Market, and acquire Nebulium Plasma in Zombies on PS4 (other platforms to follow next week).
  • Special Orders now available in Black Market on PS4 (other platforms to follow next week).

Multiplayer

  • Create-a-Class
    • Resolved an error associated with equipping a Signature Weapon, equipping an attachment, then re-equipping the same Signature Weapon.
    • Resolved an error associated with removing a Signature Weapon with any attachment equipped.

Miscellaneous

  • Full parties of 6 can now play in Chaos Domination.

Zombies

  • Miscellaneous
    • Resolved an issue where Camos did not apply properly to weapons.
    • Resolved an issue where the incorrect Pack-a-Punch Camo was applied to a weapon with attachments equipped.

We’ve also made the following update specific to PC:

  • General
    • Incorporated changes detailed in yesterday’s console game update.
    • Enabled Timeline Editor in Theater.
    • Resolved an issue that triggered a UI error when editing an Emblem.
  • Stability Improvements
    • Resolved crashes during the first seconds after launching the game.
    • Resolved crashes when exiting the game.
    • Resolved crashes when dropping from a match.
    • Resolved crashes when changing the graphics settings.
    • Resolved crashes in the Battle.net checkout page.
    • Resolved rendering issues with some special effects when playing with a wide FOV.
    • Resolved rendering issues with “missing” grass in Blackout.
  • Weapon Balancing
    • Additional PC-specific weapon balancing is in the works, as some weapons have performed differently in the PC meta compared to consoles. Please keep an eye on /u/TreyarchPC for full PC update details.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is the latest entry to the long-running Black Ops game series. The game is available for PS4, Xbox One, and PC, with PS4 getting content a week earlier due to a partnership between Sony and Activision. You can buy the action-packed title on Amazon here.

 

This post contains affiliate links where barrelrolled may receive a small commission upon sales. (This helps us feed our writers the good brand of ramen noodles rather than the store brand.)

Capcom unveils “Classic Costumes” for Resident Evil 2 remake

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Capcom unveils "Classic Costumes" for Resident Evil 2 remake 17

Capcom is giving Resident Evil 2 fans a real treat for Halloween.

A new trailer released this morning shows off new, classic costumes that both Leon and Claire will be able to wear from the original Resident Evil 2 game in this RE2 remake. Both characters have their character models overhauled completely with costumes from the original game. But the costumes have a twist.

They’re not identical to RE2, but rather, new suits using the same textures and patterns that any original fan will recognize.

These outfits are part of a lineup of other unlockable costumes in Resident Evil 2 remake that players can get for free. No microtransactions or DLC needed. Any RE fan will go for these Halloween treats- no tricks.

You can see the costumes in action dubbed the “Classic Costumes” in the trailer here:

Resident Evil 2 remake will release on PS4, Xbox One, and PC January 25, 2019. With all the anticipation surrounding the remake, Capcom is expecting high sales for the game.

Old-School RuneScape comes out on mobile

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Old-School RuneScape comes out on mobile 18

Old-school RuneScape (OSRS) launched for mobile platforms today on both iOS and Android. The game comes with cross-platform support and allows players to reminisce in the nostalgia of woodcutting, frustrating, or fishing. Players can even play with their PC account of OSRS and use the same character by synching their accounts.

The game originates from a mouse/keyboard combo, so on the phone, controls will be a little different. Jagex wanted to preserve the mobile experience as much as possible, as they said in a dev blog back in August:

We want to make OS Mobile feel as much like you’d naturally expect from a mobile app as possible; sliding in a direction to rotate the camera, pinching to zoom and quick touch gestures to interact with entities or open a menu.

The game is free to play and is a near perfect replica of the PC version. There are currently two other versions: Old-School RuneScape and RuneScape. Old-school RuneScape is the 2007 version of the MMORPG and RuneScape is the enhanced version running on an HTML5 client. But they both share the same gameplay principles, but vary in quests, armor, skills and more. There’s also a paid version that has exclusive content.

Even though RuneScape still has a raging fanbase, it’s not nearly as popular as it once one. OSRS has about 100K players, while the new RuneScape has just 30K recently. The mobile version should get some players back as its a modern engine to render the game in a portable way.

For players looking to get back into RuneScape on the go, try out RuneScape mobile.

You can check out a demo of the UI here:

Version 1.04 now live for Black Ops 4 on consoles; PC update tomorrow

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Version 1.04 now live for Black Ops 4 on consoles; PC update tomorrow 19

Treyarch stated that they’ll be releasing a major update about a week ago following the last major update for Black Ops 4, which took place on October 24th. No date was specified, but it appears that the BO4 update went live today, October 30th, on consoles.

Update 1.04 went live on Xbox One and PS4 today with Treyarch confirming on their official Twitter account that the PC won’t go live until Halloween- October 31st.

The Xbox version weighs just 12.36GB and the PS4 version is about 11GB. Version 1.04 is a pretty big update and many changes have been added to the game (which you can view below).

The most notable change to the game was weapons balancing with ARs gettings nerfs and SMGs gettings buffs to even out the game’s weaponry. Other changes include weapon attachments, specialists, gear, and perks with various items getting buffs and nerfs to balance the game.

Blackout and Zombies both got minor changes to balance out the gameplay. This is the largest update to date so far for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4.

Blacks Ops 4 V1.04 Patch Notes

Multiplayer

  • Playlist Updates
    • Featured Playlists
      • “Gun Game” playlist added to Featured Playlist (no parties allowed).
      • “Mercenary Deathmatch Moshpit” playlist added to the Featured Category (TDM and Kill Confirmed, no parties allowed).
      • “Chaos Domination” playlist to Featured Category (3-second captures, 150-point rounds, 6v6).
    • Hardcore TDM / Hardcore Kill Confirmed
      • Player count increased to 6v6.
      • 2 Specialist limit per team.
  • Assault Rifles
    • We’re dialing back some previous buffs to Assault Rifles to help close the gap in effectiveness between ARs and SMGs, allowing SMGs to be more effective at firing on the move.
    • Slight reduction to ADS move speed for all Assault Rifles.
    • Slight reduction to ADS-in transition speed for all Assault Rifles.
    • ICR-7
      • Reduced headshot damage.
      • Slight reduction to reload speed.
    • VAPR-XKG
      • Reduced close-range headshot damage.
      • Damage now falls off sooner.
      • High Caliber: Reduced headshot multiplier, eliminating the possibility of a 3-hit kill.
  • Submachine Guns
    • Mobility is the primary strength of SMGs, speeding across the map to engage or disengage quickly. Some of the close-range SMGs were performing quite well, while others struggled to compete with the rest of the category. This week’s balancing pass levels the playing field between SMGs.
    • MX9
      • Extended all damage ranges.
      • High Caliber: Reduced headshot multiplier, eliminating the possibility of a 4-hit kill.
    • Cordite
      • Extended all damage ranges.
      • Belt-Feed Operator Mod: Increased overheat rate.
    • GKS
      • Quad Shot Operator Mod: Slight time increase in between bursts.
    • Saug 9mm
      • Dual Wield Operator Mod: Reduced hip-fire accuracy.
  • Tactical Rifles
    • We’ve buffed the ABR to be more competitive with the other Tactical Rifles, while stepping down its Operator Mod to keep it from becoming a crutch Attachment. The Swordfish received some Attachment adjustments, as well.
    • ABR 223
      • Extended maximum damage range.
      • Repeater Operator Mod: Now takes longer to accelerate fire rate.
      • Stock: Slight reduction in movement speed bonus.
      • Laser Sight & Laser Sight II: Improved hip-fire accuracy.
    • Swordfish
      • High Caliber: Reduced headshot multiplier, eliminating the possibility of a 3-hit kill.
      • Penta Burst Operator Mod: Reduced extra granted clip-size.
  • Sniper Rifles
    • The other Sniper Rifles needed help to fight King Paladin. We’re giving these rifles reduced idle sway and upping their damage to help finish off wounded targets more consistently.
    • Removed turn sway when aiming down sights on all Sniper Rifles to better ensure the weapon reticle stays centered when turning.
    • Paladin HB50
      • High Caliber II: Hitting the lower torso on a full Tak-5-boosted enemy will no longer be a 1-hit kill.
      • FMJ II: Improved damage against Scorestreaks.
      • Stabilizer II: Player can now hold breath sooner after the previous hold breath.
    • Outlaw
      • Improved base damage from 110 to 130.
      • Reduced idle sway.
      • Increased base movement speed.
      • Stock: Slight increase in ADS movement speed bonus.
    • SDM
      • Increased clip size from 10 to 12.
      • Reduced idle sway.
    • Koshka
      • Improved Damage from 120 to 140.
      • Stock: Slight increase in ADS movement speed bonus.
  • Light Machine Guns
    • Some in the community have discovered that the Titan and VKM 750 are extremely effective weapons! We’re toning them down before everyone jumps on the bandwagon. While they’ll still be scary to face off against, players will now have a more reasonable chance to defend themselves against these LMGs.
    • Titan
      • Reduced headshot damage.
      • Reduced hip-fire accuracy.
      • Stock: Reduced ADS movement speed bonus.
    • VKM 750
      • Reduced movement speed while firing.
      • Reduced damage slightly.
      • Fat Barrel Operator Mod: Reduced bullet tracer size.
    • Hades
      • Cross Bar Operator Mod: Reduced movement speed and accuracy.
      • Steady Grip: Improved recoil mitigation.
  • Pistols
    • Slight reduction to ADS-in transition speed for all Pistols.
    • RK 7 Garrison
      • Slight increase to the time between bursts.
      • Slight reduction to reload speed.
  • Shotguns
    • This weapon class is close to where we want it, with only a couple of specific Attachments performing better than intended. Shotguns in Black Ops 4 play a different role than in past Call of Duty titles, and those who have practiced cat-and-mouse gameplay can be highly effective with them.
    • MOG 12
      • Choked Barrel: 1-hit-kill range reduced.
      • Dragon’s Breath Operator Mod: Resolved an issue where the Dragon’s Breath occasionally triggered incorrect visual and sound FX on targets.
    • SG12
      • Strobe Light Operator Mod: Addressed an issue with the Strobe Light where it would remain on after death.
      • Live update coming soon to reduce the range at which the Strobe Light interferes with enemy aim.
  • Attachments (All Weapons)
    • Grip II
      • Reduced ADS flinch mitigation.
    • Suppressor
      • Reduced damage falloff ranges.
    • Holographic Sight Optic
      • Reduced ADS recoil.
    • Dual Zoom Optic
      • Reduced ADS recoil.
    • Recon Optic
      • Reduced ADS recoil.
    • ELO Optic
      • Slightly increased ADS recoil.
  • Specialists
    • Ajax
      • We’re providing more strategic options to counteract Ballistic Shield, and to help ensure the Shield isn’t activated too often in the same game.
      • Explosives now apply partial damage to the front of a deployed Ballistic Shield user.
      • Ballistic Shield now takes longer to earn.
    • Nomad
      • We want to encourage Nomad to work more closely with his K9-Unit to maximize effectiveness.
      • Reduced K9-Unit health by 10%.
    • Crash
      • While we’re happy that our Support Specialist is so popular, he was a bit too effective as a Scorestreak farmer.
      • Reduced “Teammate Used Pack” score event from +50 to +25.
    • Firebreak
      • Purifier has been restored to its former glory.
      • Increased Purifier flame damage to be a guaranteed eventual kill against a player who doesn’t have Tactical Mask equipped.
    • Recon
      • Intelligence wins wars, and Recon is living proof. We have intelligence that Recon’s intelligence is too good, so we’re re-classifying some of his sources.
      • Reduced Sensor Dart duration.
      • Resolved an issue where voiceover would incorrectly state that the player’s Sensor Dart was destroyed.
    • Torque
      • Many in the community have embraced Torque with inventive playstyles, though he’s still struggling on a broader scale. We bolstered the effectiveness of his Barricade to ensure he stays relevant in team compositions.
      • Increased earn rate for Barricade.
      • Increased hit points for Barricade.
      • Addressed an issue that prevented TAACOM from telling the player that their Barricade was taking damage.
    • Prophet
      • Prophet’s Tempest needed an upgrade to stand a chance of competing with the rest of the Specialists.
      • Greatly increased Tempest projectile speed.
      • Slightly increased Tempest chain distance.
      • Resolved an issue where being hit by an explosive charge would disable the Tempest charge, preventing further arcing.
  • Spawns
    • Team Deathmatch
      • Tuned spawn logic around how enemies impact where the game chooses to respawn the player.
      • Spawn adjustments made for Slums, Summit, Militia, and Firing Range.
    • Domination
      • Spawn adjustments made for Icebreaker, Contraband, Hacienda, Payload, Gridlock, Slums, Summit, Militia, Jungle, and Firing Range.
    • Hardpoint
      • Tuned spawn logic tuning around how the active Hardpoint affects nearby spawns. This should provide more predictable spawns when battling over an active Hardpoint.
      • Additional global spawn adjustments to improve the ability for a player to anchor a location for their team’s respawns relative to an active Hardpoint.
      • Spawn adjustments made for Frequency and Seaside.
    • Free For All
      • Spawn adjustments made for Slums, Summit, Militia, and Firing Range.
    • Control
      • Spawn adjustments made for Slums, Summit, Militia, and Firing Range.
  • Gear
    • Stim Shot
      • Increased time to fully heal the player.
    • Armor
      • Resolved an issue where Armor protected from more damage than intended when hitting areas of the body that have damage multipliers, such as the head or upper chest. This primarily affects weapons with chest modifiers, such as Sniper Rifles or weapons with High Caliber II.
    • Acoustic Sensor
      • Reduced the range at which sprinting enemies are detected.
  • Perks
    • Dead Silence
      • Reduced player movement volume and distance that players equipped with Dead Silence can be heard by enemies. The intention for Dead Silence is not to be completely silent, but also not to allow enemies to hear your movement from longer distances.
    • Engineer
      • Extraction helicopter in Heist will no longer be highlighted by the Engineer Perk.
  • Scorestreaks
    • Mantis
      • Resolved an issue where the Mantis could be destroyed by touching the Out-Of-Bounds area of a map.
    • Dart
      • Increased explosion radius and damage.
      • Players can now use a second Dart when earning two Dart Scorestreaks.
    • Strike Team
      • Prevented Strike Team kills from contributing towards owner’s kills without dying medals.
  • Gameplay
    • Reduced ranges required for Longshot Medals for Assault Rifles, Tactical Rifles, Submachine guns, and Light Machine Guns.
    • Resolved an issue where the “Hard Stop” Challenge could reset before reaching 300.
    • Resolved an issue where the “Marksman Mastery” Challenge would not give 10,000 XP upon completion.
    • Resolved an issue where destroying friendly Scorestreaks would award score.
    • Players can no longer crouch or go prone while performing a Gesture.
  • Game Modes
    • Increased XP earn rate in Heist.
    • Increased amount of XP earned per kill in Free For All.
    • Resolved an issue where Hardcore wins were not counted toward Challenges.
    • Resolved an issue in Free For All where Recon players could receive Vision Pulse assist score.
    • Silent Plant option in Custom Games should now make planting and defusing bombs completely silent.
  • Maps
    • Icebreaker
      • Adjusted cover pieces to discourage players from spawn-camping.
      • Added cover to the lower respawn side.
    • Slums
      • Adjusted cover pieces to discourage players from spawn-camping.
    • Miscellaneous
      • Several map fixes to address exploits that allowed players to leave the intended play space.
  • Theater
    • Theater files recorded before this update will no longer be viewable due to significant architectural changes to the system. As noted in our previous major update, we will make every effort to keep instances of incompatibility to a minimum.
    • Added a watermark in the HUD that only displays when in Theater mode.
      • Why this change? We often see players posting videos recorded from Theater as a demonstration of “poor hit detection” or other issues that appear to be incorrect. While Theater represents what happened in a match in a general sense, it does not reflect with 100% accuracy all of the details as they were experienced live. Live recorded gameplay footage is the more accurate method for reporting behavior in the game that is not performing as expected. With this change, we can better identify Theater clips when reviewing community videos and therefore filter them out for the more accurate live recorded clips.
  • Audio
    • Resolved issues that caused footsteps to sound muffled when they shouldn’t be.

Blackout

  • Playlists
    • 100-Player Solos added to Featured playlist.
    • Maximum player count set to 88 for Duos and Quads.
  • Audio
    • Tweaked settings to ensure friendly teammates’ footsteps are now quieter than enemy footsteps.
    • Adjusted footsteps for all Armor types in first-person and third-person to give better directionality and distance information.
    • Resolved an issue that occasionally caused footsteps to be silent.
    • Resolved issues that caused footsteps to become muffled when they shouldn’t be.
  • Armor
    • Armor now allows more damage to pass through to areas of the body that have damage multipliers, such as the head or upper chest. For example, headshots now do more damage against Level 3 Armor.
  • Character Missions
    • Unlocked remaining Specialist Character Missions (Battery, Firebreak, Nomad, Prophet, Ruin, Seraph)
  • “Item Found” Notifications
    • To tag an item for your teammate, approach the Item and select the bottom center command on your Command Wheel. This will display the Item in text on your team’s HUD and highlight the item in the world for your team.
    • Increased the brightness of Items when a teammate tags them as “Item Found” via the Command Wheel.
    • Increased duration that Items tagged using “Item Found” are displayed in the world to your team.
  • Calling Cards and Challenges
    • Resolved an issue where completing Dark Ops Challenges would not unlock their associated Calling Card.
    • Resolved an issue where certain Challenges rewarded the same Calling Card.
  • UI
    • Resolved an issue where the Altimeter could disappear during Infiltration.
    • Resolved an issue where incorrect Inventory items could be shown while spectating another player.
  • Miscellaneous
    • Resolved an issue that allowed players to shoot through certain rocks.
    • Improved visual quality of the grass.
    • Resolved an issue where the After Action Report would show double damage when in Squads.
    • Resolved an issue where Echelon Ranking wasn’t showing properly at Max Rank.

Zombies

  • Gameplay
    • Increased XP earn rate for Hardcore and Realistic difficulties.
  • Blood of the Dead
    • Addressed an issue where the New Industries portal ghost remained visible from the start of the step.
    • Fixed lever animation on the Power House ghoul in the Main Easter Egg Quest.
  • IX
    • Resolved an issue where players could be tossed outside the intended play space of the Boss Battle Arena.
    • Resolved an issue where earning Mule Kick could take away all player weapons and money.
  • Miscellaneous
    • Resolved an issue preventing players from applying their Clan Tag or using the Kill Counter after weapon Prestige.
    • Resolved an issue where the SG12 lost all attachments when Pack-A-Punched.
    • Fixed multiple exploit spots in the maps.
    • Fixed several stability issues associated with entering and exiting the Alchemy Lab at specific times.
    • Earning additional Perks will now be displayed on the player’s HUD.
    • Resolved issues with Prestige Master not functioning correctly.
    • Resolved several issues with Custom Mutation options not working correctly.
    • Resolved an issue where the wrong Camo could be displayed on a weapon.
    • Resolved an issue where players were not getting revived when the DG-5 Power Plant ability had been enabled.
    • Resolved several instances of Anywhere But Here not working when activated on a moving platform, like the gondola in Blood of the Dead.
    • Fixed an exploit where players could keep their Special Weapon out indefinitely.

General

  • Social
    • Players can now invite players who are online, but not in the game, to their in-game party.
  • Miscellaneous
    • Resolved an issue where particular weapon Camos would overlap weapon Optics.
    • Resolved multiple issues with Paintjobs not showing up in-game.
    • Resolved an issue where your Gun Rack would show up when inspecting other players.
    • Resolved an issue where Emblems for other players would appear in lower resolution than expected in the Social menu.
    • General stability fixes and performance improvements across Multiplayer, Blackout, and Zombies.

No Man’s Sky update “The Abyss” goes live today; Get the details

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No Man's Sky update "The Abyss" goes live today; Get the details 20

Hello Games announced earlier this month that No Man’s Sky will be getting a free content pack update called The Abyss. Other than a spooky and ominous background splash art for the event, not much else was said. Sean Murray said that it “focuses on some of the eerier elements of No Man’s Sky, in keeping with the theme of this season.”

The update will go live for all platforms today and will be a combination of horror and underwater gameplay. This is the first titled update since NEXT was released earlier this year. There are more updates in the works and it’s nice to see Hello Games keeping their fans happy with free content updates. The Abyss will bring aquatic environments with a ton more variety, creature behavior pattern updates, and a redone UI when underwater.

Some rare, exotic biomes are also available for the explorer as you swim around. There are also more frequent creatures lurking around the depths with some nasty ones on the ocean floor. You’ll also find sunken wrecks with possible treasures or abandoned buildings that have been submerged with water. With the terrain manipulator, you can excavate hidden treasures. Players will also be able to fix broken ships and recommission them once again.

The Abyss will also have a new story called The Dreams of the Deep, which brings a new, but a dark narrative to the game. Players will find out what happened to a troubled crew when their ship went awry.

Players will also get access to a new submarine type Exocrat called the Nautilon, which can be summoned to any ocean in the world and docked at underwater ports. The ship can be customized to your liking. There have also been a dozen new base parts added to the game for further underwater construction.

Marine shelters, glass corridors, and viewing bays will also be available for players. Multistory submersible view domes are also new and awesome which lets players get large viewing windows to view outside. And there’s an indoor aquarium to top it off.

The Abyss update for No Man’s Sky goes live today. No Man’s Sky is available for PS4, PC, and Xbox One. You can view the trailer for the update following this article.

.hack//G.U Last Recode sold over 300,000 copies; CyberConnect2 releases artwork

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CyberConnect2’s .hack//G.U. Last Recode‘s anniversary was a special occasion for the developer, as they announced that the game sold over 300K copies worldwide physically and digitally. The team released two new artwork pieces to thank fans for their support of the game series.

hack//G.U. Last Recode is a collection of PS2 JPRG titles. The story was spread over multiple volumes and it was expensive to buy them separately- nonetheless physical copies of each. This collection was a hoot for fans that wanted to play all the games at a “bundle” price, which included gameplay enhancements and full HD 1080P graphics and 4K support with a smooth 60FPS.

The game is told over a trio of titles with Volume 3 having a firm ending. The collection game players even more with a fourth volume that follows the third. The pack has a ton of content for players to enjoy and totally makes it worth it. Completing the game entirely takes over 100 hours to see and get all the achievements.

Wolfenstein: Youngblood or Wolfenstein III could be coming to Nintendo Switch

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Wolfenstein: Youngblood or Wolfenstein III could be coming to Nintendo Switch 22

Wolfenstein: Youngblood has been confirmed for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC. But the Switch so far hasn’t gotten any word about a release yet.

But GameSpot recently stated that Bethesda Marketing Executive Pete Hines said that “the next Wolfenstein game” is also coming to the Switch at PAX Aus. Besides Wolfenstein: Youngblood, Bethesda has already said that Wolfenstein III is on the way, but no platforms have been confirmed yet.

Bethesda has been trying to bring all of their new games to the Nintendo Switch if possible, and this could be mean that the Switch will be receiving both Wolfenstein games. Doom Eternal will also be available on the hybrid handheld.

Wolfenstein: Youngblood will release sometime n 2019 and has been confirmed for the PS4, Xbox One, and PC so far. But don’t be surprised to see it on the Switch.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 will have online multiplayer, voice chat, and customization

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Dragon Quest Builders 2 will have online multiplayer that supports up to 4 players online. You can travel, quest, and adventure together in the game’s huge overworld.

Players can use the game’s vehicle to move around the world quickly, which can transport all 4 players to make travel very easy for all players and eliminates wasted time and speeds up the game’s actual action segments. Just like travel in real life, I’d rather quick travel in-game whenever possible.

Building lets players show off their creations to other players and can be set to be non-destructible so other trolls can’t destroy your creations. Builders can communicate online via gestures if voice chat isn’t available to you. The game will also have a dresser to let you customize your unique look. Multiplayer is a welcome addition to the game as four players will allow for larger projects and obviously more fun.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 will be released on the PS4 and Nintendo Switch on December 20th in Japan. Localization to the US still hasn’t been announced yet. Dragon Quest Builders 1 is already available for a ton of platforms including PS4, PS Vita, and the Switch.

Microsoft’s Game Pass may be coming to PC

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Microsoft's Game Pass may be coming to PC 24

Microsoft recently had a conference call for its Fiscal Year 2019 Q1 earnings. A transcript from the call at SeekingAlpha noted something pretty exciting for PC gamers who want to get a piece of the action. Satya Nadella, an employee at Microsoft, said that “bringing Game Pass to the PC is going to be a big element of that.”

The Xbox Game Pass is a subscription service that allows players to pay $9.99/month and get unlimited access to a rotating library of games. The service has added in new game monthly, and many of them are console exclusives. Players also get all first-party titles on launch day as part of the payment plan.

Eurogamer reports that Game Pass may be on PC soon enough. The transcript reads:

“So given that structural position, we are going to make sure that we keep increasing the strength of the community. You see that already with Minecraft going to all platforms and that increasing the intensity of the community and you’ll see us do more of that. Obviously, bringing Game Pass to even the PC is going to be a big element of that.”

The program has been very successful since its debut on June 1st this year, and it seems like a good move to move it to PC to capture more of the market. But questions like what games? PC games only? Does it include console games? And will it be a separate version compared to the console version? Hopefully, we’ll see some answers to these burning questions as we get more details regarding the news.

Treyarch speeds up tier progression in The Black Market; Raises server tick rate to 30hz

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Treyarch speeds up tier progression in The Black Market; Raises server tick rate to 30hz 25

Treyarch has released a new update to Black Ops 4′s new progression system to make it easier to level up for players. The Black Market allows players to unlock emotes, sprays, skins, and battle through 200 tiers of leveling. This system is currently only available on the PlayStation 4 and is limited time, so Treyarch has decided to basically increase the level curve.

Progression is mainly based on time played rather than performance, so just by playing the game will unlock you the goodies even if you’re a total beginner (read: noob) to Call of Duty games. However, players have been complaining that the progression system has been way too slow.

The game would take about 400 hours out of your life in order to unlock all 200 tiers and the first wave of this system lasts just 52 days. This would mean you’d have to play BO4 a full 8 hours a day- every day. That’s about 22 games per day.

Treyarch said that the earn rate for unlocking the tiers “did not perform as we intended” and they’ve updated the leveling rate to make it faster. Though the final speed isn’t confirmed yet across all modes, they said they’ll adjust it as needed. They’ll also be adding ways to accelerate the progression via event and challenge-based tier skips in the near future. Players have reported that the system is working a lot better now and seems more rewarding.

Treyarch has also recently lowered the server tick rate to 20hz from 60hz in the beta test. Then they increased it to 30hz just a few days ago. Wha this means is that players will get a more responsive game experience. A higher tick rate creates a faster signal sent to the server from the player, which means “faster” server reactions every second. Treyarch states:

“We are carefully monitoring overall performance to ensure that these updates are working as expected before completing the next phase of updates.”

New Call of Cthulhu trailer released: “Preview to Madness”

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New Call of Cthulhu trailer released: "Preview to Madness" 26

Publisher Focus Home Interactive has received a lot of fan excitement over the news of their upcoming game Call of Cthulhu. The game rolls out on October 30th for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. They released a new trailer showing off some short footage from the game called “Preview to Madness.” Like the former games, the trailer has some Lovecraftian ambiance to get your appetite ready for some insanity.

There was a previous video released last month with an hour-long gameplay segment. The developers did insert some discussion points while talking about how the game was made to provide the viewer some insight into the game.

Focus Home Interactive and Cyanide Studio, the developer, released yet another gameplay video showing Edward Pierce’s investigation of the Hawkins Mansion.

You can see the newest trailer that teases the perfectly-crafted Call of Cthulhu Lovecraft gameplay here:

Tekken 7 sells over 3M copies; World Tour Finals announced

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Bandai Namco’s Tekken 7 has confirmed a whopping 3M copies. The announcement was made by Tekken’s Game Director/Chief Producer Katsuhiro Harada on Twitter this morning.

Tekken  now has totaled over 47M copies total in its long-running series. Compared to Street Fighter, it’s slightly in the lead with just a mere 45.8M copies. Tekken 7 received positive praise overall with its fluid combat and movement mechanics. Bandai is a giant in the fighting space, with games like Dragon Ball FighterZ and SoulCalibur VI both under its belt.

Tekken 7 will also have a Season 2 pass at this year’s EVO FInals, which will have balance changes, new characters (Anna Williams, Lei Wulong, and Negan from The Walking Dead), and the Tekken World Tour Finals are in December which will surely have more announcements soon.

Treyarch releases hotfix after first major BO4 update; Patches loot bug

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Treyarch has announced a new update on top of yesterday’s first major patch. A bugfix patch was confirmed for BO4’s special Blackout Halloween event. The event is now available to all PS4 users and is accessible via the Black Market. Seasonal gear is present which may be used across all modes- not just limited to the game’s blockbuster Blackout mode.

Developer Treyarch has also made a new Halloween Calling event for Zombies mode. The special event includes a new bunch of challenges in Zombies, which allows players to earn special rewards by completing them. The event will last the same duration across both PS4 and Xbox One and PC.

There’s been a host of bug fixes to the new patch, which includes the infamous bug where players couldn’t loot an enemy if their backpack was a full capacity.

You can read the full list of bug fixes for latest Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 patch as follows:

  • Blackout
    • Death Stashes
      • Fixed an issue where players were sometimes unable to loot items from a Death Stash.
  • Multiplayer
    • General
      • Addressed an issue that prevented players from earning Contraband Tier progress.
      • Addressed an issue that prevented players from earning the proper amount of Contraband Tier progress in round-based games.
      • Addressed an issue with some MP matches ending in “Game Session No Longer Available”.
      • General stability improvements in the Black Market.
    • Create-a-Class
      • Addressed an issue with Attachments applying to the GKS.
    • Special Issue Equipment
      • Resolved an exploit that led to unlimited Seeker shock mines.

Cuphead confirmed for Mac; Studio MDHR releases animated short

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After a long-time, non stop requests from fans, the rage-inducing, retro platformer Cuphead has finally been released on Mac. And Studio MDHR went one step ahead and even released a new animated short for its release on Macintosh.

Cuphead was released a little over a year ago on Xbox One and PC and was one of the best platformers of 2017. With its new take on traditional side scrolling platformer by going backwards in time, the game was unique and offered something fresh to the platforming genre that’s often dominated by newly released games from indie developers.

While the industry is filled with platformers that release on a daily basis, only a few of them are good. Platformers seem to be a favorite amongst indie developers, but a lot of them are just rushed, sub-par creations.

Cuphead was one of the few gems that sparked some interest back into the genre. Now, Mac owners can get a piece of the action on their computers. Studio MDHR has ported the game over to Mac players with the same experience you’d find on Xbox One or PC versions.

And to top it all off, they’ve marked down the price to just $15.99- a 20% discount to celebrate Mac glory. The sale will run until October 22nd. So if you’re a Mac owner who missed out on the fun, it’s your chance to get in on the action right now.

Studio MDHR animated short features Cuphead, Mugman, and a new character with an apple for a head. The short is called “Crisp Apples” and is a silly little video as this apple guy stumbles upon Cuphead and Mugman eating apples and he freaks out. This is just what you’d expect from this developer.

Cuphead is now available for PC, Xbox One, and Mac.

You can watch the new launch trailer here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gKRzuNcwdIF

Fortnite’s new customization options coming in future patch (leaked)

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Some genius data miners at FNBRLeaks have discovered that Epic Games could soon be adding a new set of options to customize the Playground mode in Fortnite.

They found some info in various game files that direct suspicion to new customization options for players in the near future. Epic is looking to add custom loot rates, modifiers to move speed, damage options, and more.

A list of all customization options that’ll be released in a future Fortnite patch (Via DualShockers);

  • Friendly Fire
  • Glider Redeploy
  • Loot Levels
    • Scarce Loot
    • Regular Loot
    • Lots of Loot
  • Movement Speed Multiplier
  • Damage Multiplier
    • Half Damage
    • Regular Damage
    • Double Damage

Epic Games had already made many changes to the Playground LTM in the V6.01 update. Some changes to Fortnite in this new patch included  a series a seven customization options which allow players to change settings like starting HP, shield HP, fall damage, gravity settings, and even the time of day.

These options were added recently to the game, but the leaked options don’t have a confirmed release date yet- so we don’t know which patch they’ll eventually show up in. Stay tuned for updates.

Source: DualShockers.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 still has no sign of COD points from Treyarch

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Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 still has no sign of COD points from Treyarch 31

Treyarch’s Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 has been a massive success. The game sold more copies on day one release in Activision’s entire history. And the game is being fine-tuned with player feedback via social accounts.

The next thing players seem to be waiting for them is the ability to use their COD points (Call of Duty points) to make in-game purchases. They can buy a variety of products each giving them some unique way to stand out.

Players have been using COD points as premium currency for a year now and expect that each release of the game will allow them to buy COD points for cosmetics, weapon skins, and some unique weapons.

But in BO4, there hasn’t been any mention of COD points, even though the currency was part of the game’s pre-order specials. The special editions of the game that cost over $100 promise a large sum of COD points on launch. But players were reporting that their premium points were nowhere to be found. And right now, players can’t even check how many points they have.

Treyarch still hasn’t said anything about when players will get access, so players still aren’t sure exactly what they can buy with $100. The game has no signal of microtransactions so far, with Blackout. Zombies mode has some microtransaction details, but not much. There’s a place where you can buy Concoctions with currency earned through matches- and only this way, but other than that, there’s no mention of COD points right now.

We’ll have to see what Treyarch has planned.