Agent, the unreleased PS3 exclusive, gets trademark abandoned by Take-Two

Agent, the unreleased PS3 exclusive, gets trademark abandoned by Take-Two 1

Agent, the Rockstar Games title that’s been in “development” ever since its announcement back in Sony’s E3 2009 press conference, has finally been abandoned and has been scraped by Take-Two Interactive.

The game that’s become a running joke for the past 11 years or so finally got axed in 2018. Take-Two abaonded the trademark for this unreleased PS3 exclusive with the US Patent and Trademark Office. I guess it’s safe to say that it’s now up for grabs- should any devleoper want to pick it up.

The USPTO says that the trademark was abandoned for the following reason:

“no Statement of Use or Extension Request timely filed after Notice of Allowance was issued,”

In other words, nothing was done with the trademark by Take-Two Interactive and therefore it’s been forfeited and defaulted. Now, considering that the PS3 is outdated and the PS5 is already on the way, there really shouldn’t be any surprise as Rockstar has never really commented on the game in the past 11 years.

You can still find it being tossed around as a joke or meme on Rockstar Games and even Take-Two’s websites. Rockstar did have a former artist post a bunch of game environments on Reddit, which gave the world its first look at Agent. Now, it’s pretty much just nothingness. At least the world will know whatever happened to that one game.

Now, commence with the memes.

Rumor: Two new map variants coming to Black Ops 4; Firing Range Night, Seaside Sunset

Rumor: Two new map variants coming to Black Ops 4; Firing Range Night, Seaside Sunset 2

Two new maps have been leaked and will be coming to Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 in the near future.

Well, they’re not exactly new maps, but rather, map variants. Variants are nothing new to CoD games, as Modern Warfare Remastered had multiple seasonal variants of game maps. This feature is also coming to BO4 as two new game files have been leaked from the game’s data.

Call of Duty fanatic NecrosCinema claims that a friend reported information about two new map variants added to the game after the latest Black Ops 4 update:

  • Firing Range Night
  • Seaside Sunset

From these map names, we can already see which newly modified maps and what variant they’ll receive. Firing Range will get a Night mode and Seaside will get a Sunset mode.

And he claims to have footage of these new variants. You can see the footage attached to the end of this post- straight from NerosCinema. There’s no set release date for these maps right now, but they’ll likely be going live soon enough because they’ve been added to the game already and there’s no point in keeping them there to hog up resources and make download unnecessarily lengthy for players, right?

These are the first few map variants in Blacks Ops 4, following the launch of Nuketown which is a whole new map released for all platforms last week- with PS4 owners getting the map a week ahead as part of a Sony/Activision deal.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is available on PS4, PC, and Xbox One and is now a little over a month old. You can check it out 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 generic, store brand.)

Black Ops 4 major update 1.07; Weapon balancing, Nuketown, and bug fixes

Black Ops 4 major update 1.07; Weapon balancing, Nuketown, and bug fixes 3

Another huge update for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 has been dropped today that features some major game changes to every single mode. The update spans 9GB on PS4 and 10.95GB on the Xbox One. PC players will get a delayed update that’ll come later today.

Treyarch released a number of game improvements for Blackout, Multiplayer, and Zombies mode. Nuketown has also been added to both Xbox One and PC as the 7-day mark has now been completed and the rest of the playerbase can now get their hands on the Russian map. For those unaware, Sony and Activision have a partnership where PS4 owners get content one week earlier than other platforms.

For the Multiplayer mode, various Scorestreaks were adjusted. The Dart and Lightning Strike were both reduced while the Hellstorm and RC-XD were buffed. Zombies mode was adjusted like crazy with a huge list of bug fixes that relieve game crashes (over 70) and enhanced stability.

The update includes bugs across all four maps, UI enchamcents, and more. Treyarch states that they want to “take care of the remaining stability issues in high-round play” and that they’ve “bolstered our ability to research and investigate these issues” and that they have “several fixes int he works that will be rolled out in the near future.”

The update has some major weapon balancing. On consoles, the ABR 223 and the Swordfish have received buffs to diminish recoil, which is what Treyarch originally planned for that specific class of weaponry. They also noted that SMG buffs from the previous balance patch were too powerful for PC users and thus nerfed them again. They stated that this is “best [to] suit the needs of [the] PC community.”

 

Here are full patch notes for the 1.07 BO4 update:

Today’s title update is another big one, and we’re celebrating the long holiday weekend with our first QUAD FEED in Black Ops 4! Starting 10AM PT tomorrow, all players get 2XP in MP and Zombies, 2X Tier Boost, 2X Merits, and 2X Nebulium Plasma on all platforms through Monday, Nov. 26. Now, onto what’s coming to the game today…

Nuketown arrives on Xbox One and PC! Join the chaos in the dedicated Nuketown Featured Playlist this week, featuring 6v6 Team Deathmatch, Kill Confirmed, Domination, and Hardpoint in Nuketown. Also live on Xbox One and PC: Zombies invade Nuketown Island in Blackout for a limited time, and Blackjack’s Shop opens in the Black Market.

Big improvements to Multiplayer are here with today’s update! We’ve fixed several MP-specific crashes, increased the delivery speed of Care Packages, updated several modes and Challenges, enabled Mastercraft camos instantly on Signature Weapons, updated the visibility of Clan Tags and Kill Counters, adjusted the costs of several Scorestreaks based on current performance to ensure players are getting the most bang for their buck, and more. Remember to visit the Scorestreaks selection menu to adjust your equipped Scorestreaks accordingly after downloading today’s update.

We’ve also added TDM 100 as our latest Featured playlist on all platforms, bumping up the score limit for Team Deathmatch to 100 by popular demand. Hardcore Mercenary Moshpit, Mercenary Moshpit, and Gun Game round out the Featured category for the week. Jump into this week’s Featured playlists today and get those wins.

For our Zombies players, we’re delivering 70+ crash fixes and gameplay improvements today, making this stability pass even bigger than last week’s major update. See below for the full list, including fixes for crashes and bugs across all four maps, UI improvements, and more. As we continue to identify and address more specific Zombies gameplay scenarios that could cause the game to crash, our primary focus is now on taking care of the remaining stability issues in high-round play. We have bolstered our ability to research and investigate these issues, and have several fixes in the works that will be rolled out in the near future.

In Blackout, we’ve addressed issues with screen jittering when moving and changing attachments or healing, and made the Bowie Knife now available in Equipment Stashes, as a random drop from killing Zombies, and as a randomized item spawn in Zombies-themed locations on PS4, with other platforms to follow.

Finally, our PC update is coming later today, including its own set of unique changes in addition to the ones listed below. In this update, we’ve decided to roll back the SMG balance changes from last week’s update that did not translate as well to the PC meta. See below for full details in the dedicated PC section of the patch notes.

XBOX ONE / PC

The following updates are now live on Xbox One, with PC to follow shortly:

Multiplayer

  • Nuketown added to rotation in MP playlists.
  • Nuketown Featured Playlist added (6v6 Team Deathmatch, Kill Confirmed, Domination, Hardpoint).

Blackout

  • To celebrate the launch of Nuketown, Zombies now spawn on Nuketown Island with a new Zombies Stash spawn location behind the Nuketown sign for a limited time.

Black Market

  • Blackjack’s Shop added to the Black Market.

ALL PLATFORMS

We’ve made the following updates to the game on PS4 and Xbox One, with PC to follow shortly:

Multiplayer

  • General
    • Nuketown added to rotation in MP playlists.
    • Updated Clan Tag and Kill Counter Weapon Prestige rewards to use an LED display for higher visibility on weapons.
    • Players can now equip Mastercraft camos on their Signature Weapon as soon as they acquire the Signature Weapon.
  • Playlist Updates
    • TDM 100 added to Featured Category (Team Deathmatch with a score limit of 100).
    • Mercenary Moshpit added to Featured Category (Team Deathmatch, Kill Confirmed, Hardpoint, and Domination, no parties allowed).
    • Hardcore Mercenary Moshpit added to Featured Category (Hardcore Team Deathmatch, Kill Confirmed, and Domination, no parties allowed).
    • Gun Game remains in Featured Category.
    • Endurance Chaos Moshpit remains in Featured Category (PS4).
  • Stability
    • Fixed crashes that could occur:
    • When using the Reactor Core.
    • When a Firebreak player left the game after using their Reactor Core.
    • When a Nomad player left the game after using their Mesh Mines.
    • While freezing in the water in Icebreaker.
    • When piloting the Hellstorm.
    • When selecting a Specialist in the Specialist Draft.
    • When the player picked up a weapon in Multiplayer.
    • If the Transport Helicopter was destroyed while delivering a Care Package or Mantis.
    • Related to the Drone Squad’s wing-drone turrets animating incorrectly.
    • When failing to play a sound when picking up dog tags in Kill Confirmed.
    • When a player left a match while being shocked by the Tempest.
  • Scorestreaks
    • Care Package
      • Adjusted delivery chopper entry and exit points across all maps to reduce delivery times.
      • Increased the entry and exit speeds for the delivery chopper.
      • Reduced how often high-end Scorestreaks can be received in Care Packages.
      • Reduced the amount of roll on the smoke marker to ensure that the end position is a more accurate representation of where the Care Package will drop.
    • Score Adjustments
      • Dart reduced from 500 default to 450 / 350 with COMSEC Device.
      • RC-XD increased from 450 to 500 default / 400 with COMSEC Device.
      • Lightning Strike reduced from 900 to 850 default / 600 with COMSEC Device.
      • Sentry reduced from 950 to 900 default / 700 with COMSEC Device.
      • Hellstorm increased from 850 to 950 default / 750 with COMSEC Device.
      • Sniper’s Nest reduced from 1100 to 1050 default / 850 with COMSEC Device.
      • Mantis increased to 1100 default / 900 with COMSEC Device.
      • Thresher reduced from 1250 to 1200 default / 950 with COMSEC Device.
      • Attack Chopper increased from 1200 to 1300 default / 1000 with COMSEC Device.
      • Reduced score given for all Scorestreak kills from +25 to +10.
  • Game Modes
    • Hardcore
      • Resolved an issue where teammate names were not displaying properly in Hardcore Search & Destroy.
      • Teammates that die to a friendly bombsite explosion will no longer count toward the teamkill kick limit.
      • Care Package team kills will no longer count towards the teamkill kick limit.
    • Hardpoint
      • Reduced the score given for Hardpoint Secured to +50.
      • Resolved an issue that would prevent players from owning the Hardpoint while using the Lightning Strike tablet.
    • Search & Destroy
      • Silent Plant setting in Custom Games should now make planting and defusing the bomb completely silent.
    • CWL Custom Games
      • Addressed an issue where Specialist Weapons and Equipment would not update when players switched Specialists.
  • Specialists
    • Seraph’s Tac Deploy will now only allow 1 respawn per use in Free For All.
  • Challenges
    • Atomic Drop
      • The player’s death by their own Reactor Core will no longer track toward this Challenge.
    • Spotter
      • Kills in Free For All will no longer track toward this Challenge.
    • Air Cover
      • Resolved an issue where progress was not awarded in Hardpoint or Control.
  • Miscellaneous
    • Manually destroying the Tac-Deploy now gives Score.

Weapon Balance (MP Only)

Burst Tactical Rifles have been adjusted slightly to better define their role as ranged power-position weapons. With these changes in place, weapon balance on consoles is where we want it to be after the first month of changes, and we’ll allow the meta to stabilize before making additional balance passes.

  • Tactical Rifles
    • Swordfish
      • Reduced upward recoil to achieve a more accurate burst.
    • ABR 223
      • Slightly reduced upward recoil.
      • Extended 4-hit kill range from 25m to 32m.

Zombies

  • Stability
    • Global – Fixed crashes that could occur:
      • While Zombies spawned into the map.
      • While the Mystery Box loaded into the map.
      • When interacting a second time with an object that should only be used or interacted with once.
      • When an enemy climbed or mantled over railing or terrain in order to spawn into the playable space.
      • When updating player stats in the After Action Report screen.
      • When disconnecting and reconnecting the controller during a match, leaving the player stuck on the “Please reconnect controller” message.
      • After disconnects while one player was reviving another.
      • When triggering the Winter’s Wail explosion FX.
      • When a player disconnected within a certain time after joining the game.
      • When Zombies were moving away from downed players.
      • When a player was downed while using the Ragnarok DG-5.
      • When a Bot decided to kill the last enemy in the round.
      • When the player disconnected after using Point Drops and before they were picked up.
      • When a player disconnected as the Hellfire’s Infernal Tempest disappeared.
      • When a player used the Burned Out Elixir.
      • When the inventory updated while picking up an item.
      • When a player’s grenades were restored as the next round started.
      • When a player disconnected while a power-up dropped.
      • When the player disconnected from their party while in the Custom Games screen.
      • When calculating the player’s final score at the Game Over screen.
      • When interacting with the crafting table to craft any item for the first time.
      • When Dying Wish and Winter’s Wail cooldown UI elements were on-screen.
      • When updating the player’s stats and score when tracking Rush multipliers.
      • When the player disconnected while opening a door.
      • When killing Zombies with the Ragnarok DG-5.
      • When triggering Kill-O-Watt’s FX.
      • When triggering Frostbite’s FX.
    • Blood of the Dead – Fixed crashes that could occur:
      • When a player disconnected as the next Hellhound round was being determined.
      • Related to the UI at high rounds.
      • While following the Warden from the cellblock during the Main Quest.
      • When a player disconnected while looking at the bird during the Main Quest.
      • When killing Zombies during the banjo ghost event in the Main Quest.
      • When the player disconnected while following the ghost dog during the Main Quest.
      • When the player disconnected while riding the gondola.
      • When player was downed as they grabbed the Magmagat from the fireplace.
      • While running the unfinished Magmagat across the map.
      • When the furthest player in the catwalk during the gauntlet event disconnected.
      • For the host during the final boss battle.
      • When a power-up was dropped.
      • When loading into Blood of the Dead.
    • Classified – Fixed crashes that could occur:
      • Related to the UI at high rounds.
      • When the metal detector sounds played as the player walked through them.
      • When the player exited a teleporter.
      • When a player disconnected after being the first one to teleport into the Panic Room.
      • When a player disconnected while in a metal detector.
      • During a match of Classified Rush.
      • While the Mystery Box moved.
      • When placing the teleporter modifier while playing splitscreen with 3 or 4 players.
    • Voyage of Despair – Fixed crashes that could occur:
      • When spawning enemies in the first round of the boss battle.
      • When reaching the first Stoker-spawning round with the Wonder Weapon quest disabled in Custom Mutations.
      • When using the Kraken upgrade table.
      • When the Flying Car takes damage during the Upgraded Shield Quest.
    • IX – Fixed crashes that could occur:
      • When special enemies spawned during certain parts of the Main Quest.
      • When helping other players complete their challenges.
      • When a player disconnected and their Blade Trap became deactivated.
    • Tutorial
      • Fixed a crash that could occur with Bots in the tutorial.
  • Gameplay
    • Global – Resolved issues where:
      • Text for XP earned from each challenge tier was missing from the After Action Report.
      • The player could be permanently stuck when grabbed by the Blightfather’s tongue.
      • Concoctions UI remained on screen when switching from the Laboratory to the Identity screen.
      • UI incorrectly indicated to the player that Prestige unlock tokens could be spent on permanently unlocking Custom Class slots.
      • If a Prestige Master player did not gain any XP during a match (by launching the game and immediately quitting, for example), the displayed ranks would be incorrect, the XP bar would be completely filled, and there would be no indication of how much XP was required until the next level.
    • Blood of the Dead
      • Resolved an issue where the Hell’s Retriever could not pick up a power-up when thrown at certain angles.
      • Fixed incorrect subtitles stating that the voice for obtaining power-ups is the Warden.
      • Closed an exploit in Michigan Avenue that allowed players to use the Ragnarok DG-5 to jump on the railing on the top floor.
      • Resolved a rare issue where players were unable to progress the New Industries Portal in the Main Quest, despite having a fully-drained ghost killed in the Blade Trap.
    • Classified
      • Closed an exploit in the War Room that allowed players to use the Ragnarok DG-5 to jump on a terminal.

Blackout

  • Gameplay
    • Resolved an issue causing screen jittering when moving and changing attachments, or when moving and healing.
    • Bowie Knife now available in Equipment Stashes, as a random drop from killing Zombies, and as a randomized item spawn in Zombies-themed locations on PS4.

PC

In addition to the global changes above, the following updates are coming to the game on PC later today:

Weapon Balance (Multiple Modes)

We strive to provide a similar experience between PC and console whenever possible, making platform specific changes when appropriate. In our last weapon balancing pass, we made critical SMG balance changes that were needed on console. These changes did not translate as well to PC, where mouse-and-keyboard players already saw success with SMG weapons. We’re rolling these changes back to best suit the needs of our PC community, and taking it a step even further for the Spitfire. The above changes to the Swordfish and ABR 223 also apply to PC.

  • Submachine Guns
    • Spitfire
      • Reduced damage within 9m range. (MP only)
      • Restored previous ADS move speed.
    • Cordite
      • Reduced damage within 3m range. (MP only)
      • Restored previous ADS move speed.
    • MX9
      • Reduced damage within 6m range. (MP only)
      • Restored previous ADS move speed.
    • GKS
      • Reduced damage within 3m range. (MP only)
      • Restored previous ADS move speed.

General

  • Gameplay
    • Tilde key (~) can now be assigned in the keybinds menu.
    • Removed the slight camera roll from head bobbing when sprinting.
    • Resolved multiple issues with the Gesture Wheel.
    • Updated the recommended NVIDIA driver version to 416.81.
  • Stability
    • Fixed a source of hitching when video memory is full.
    • Fixed a rare crash during the first seconds after the game window appears.

Multiplayer

  • Resolved an issue where spawn selection would not be set to the Tac-Deploy by default when available.

Blackout

  • Added an in-game UI indicator for when a Perk is being activated.
  • Resolved an issue where a Stash would close when dropping a weapon.

-Treyarch

 

Skybound updates progress on The Walking Dead: The Final Season

Skybound updates progress on The Walking Dead: The Final Season 4

Telltale Games announced that it would shutting down a few months back and has since dissolved into pretty much nothingness. On September 21st, they released news that they would no longer be able to continue making games due to not enough sales figure to support the company. They said they would lay off staff and keep a skeletal staff of 25 or so, but they’ve been laid off also.

Fans were upset and wondered what would happen to their project they were working on- The Walking Dead: The Final Season. Robert Kirkman then came in to the rescue with Skybound Entertainment, which announced that they would complete the series with the original developers of the game for consistency and complete the game.

Since then, all we’ve heard is that they’ve picked up the title and nothing much else- other than Telltale’s Minecraft: Story Mode series on Netflix getting delayed and failed to launch on debut day.

Today, Skybound has come around and updated fans on their official page announcing that they’re resuming development for the final episode of the game:

“It’s been a ton of work logistically and legally to get us to a place where we’re able to roll up our sleeves and get to the actual work. We’re excited to let you know that many of the talented, passionate team members who originally worked on the game are resuming development efforts today!”

Skybound will release the details about both episodes, including release dates, shortly and make it clear to fans that they’re working on finishing up the game. Fans who’ve bought the entire season before Telltale shut down won’t have to buy the same episodes again. The wheels are in motion now for sure.

Telltale’s final project will be completed and we’ll get a final closure to Clementine’s story. Although Telltale is no more, their developers still have the same touch and probably are finding new jobs elsewhere- with the community being very supportive of these ex-employees and some even offering jobs to them.

With Skybound picking up the original developers, we should get a good, emotionally-gripping storyline that fans have come to expect from The Walking Dead: The Final Season. Stay tuned for updates.

Fortnite (V.6.30) Week 9 loading screens leaked; A.I.M skin is the hunter

Fortnite (V.6.30) Week 9 loading screens leaked; A.I.M skin is the hunter 5

Fortnite’s V.6.30 update released today, November 14, shows some new data for the Week 9 Hunting Party. This new update featured the official release of the Mounted Turret and the Food Fight LTM.

Data miners have already uncovered the Hunting Party loading screen by completing challenges that took place throughout Season 6. The challenges are the extra ones like the Blockbuster and Road Trip challenges that spanned over the the current and previous season. Players who complete all 7 weeks worth of challenges got the A.I.M robot skin as a special reward.

Right now, data miners have dug up the Week 8 loading screen and leaked it. It features the A.I.M skin who appears to be using a handheld map to look for something specific. The Week 9 loading screen features the same character with a Calamity skin and another character. The Calamity skin is in a nature field enjoying some the scenery while the A.I.M skin is standing in the background, seemingly plotting something at the Calamity skin and the other character- who happens to be saluting the sunset. You can see it below:

Fortnite (V.6.30) Week 9 loading screens leaked; A.I.M skin is the hunter 6

While A.I.M is clearly in view through a gap in the foliage, we can’t tell exactly what he’s doing. Is he hunting these two characters enjoying the scenery? Or is it the other way around? With a leaked loading screen like this, we can only assume for now. But common sense says that A.I.M is the bad guy and he’ll be here to take down Calamity and her friend. You can clearly see that A.I.M is carrying something while appearing to be “hunting” for someone or something. And there are only two other characters in the loading screen, so it’s safe to assume who’s the prey and predator, right?

A.I.M could actually be the “bad guy” who’s hunting the two characters. This would kind of give way tot he Hunting Party titles for the S6 challenges and make a lot of sense. The “Hunting Party” title would imply that A.I.M is hunting Calamity, but he’s not a party. He’s just one dude. So then who’s the “party” in “Hunting Party?”

Fortnite updates Save the World mode with “Fork Knife” character named “The Major”

Fortnite updates Save the World mode with "Fork Knife" character named "The Major" 7

Fortnite, while being the most popular game in the world right now, is still hard to spell. The most common misspelling is “Fornite” which I myself constantly have to retype when I go back to proofread. With the game being so popular, you can assume a share of memes have spawned over the game’s spelling and pronunciation.

One way to say the name is “Fork Knife,” which I presume all the cool kids are saying these days. If you’re not a Fortnite player or you don’t keep up with gaming news, you’ll probably be confused when a group of players are talking about playing with their “Fork Knives” all last night.  Isn’t that funny?

Regardless, Epic Games seems to know about this and they’re updating the Save the World portion of the game (the paid part) to get a new UI. This update includes a character featured with a “fork knife” arm. Literally. His arms are a fork and knife. And he shows up in the menus screens.

He’s debuted as “The Major” and he’ll be the ref of the game’s Training Room after you meet him in the game’s campaign. He’ll help you unlock your character’s abilities, level, do expeditions, and even customize loadouts.

He’s part of a massive UI update for Fortnite that makes the whole game a little more user-friendly with character names, story-driven personalities, and a little more surreal with an in-game event that had a cutscene.

Fortnite is really trying to be more than just a battle royale game. Even though it is the most popular battle royale game on the market right now, the Save the World mode has a lot of offer even if it’s paid and not part of the core game.

Epic seems to be mixing real-life concepts into the game, with its recent deal with NFL jerseys so players can play as their favorite NFL player in a battle royale. Halloween costumes, realistic cutscenes, and real-life gear are all becoming a part of the game. Fortnite is seemingly blending real life and game life into one experience.

Where are they taking this, exactly? We’ll have to find out. While we’re waiting, I need to get back to saving the worl- I mean, playing Fortnite.

Fornite’s V6.22 leaked new vehicle may just be the A.I.M skin

Fornite's V6.22 leaked new vehicle may just be the A.I.M skin 8

The A.I.M skin that’s given as a reward to Fortnite players who’ve completed a whole seven week’s worth of S6 characters just launched today. The skin is regarded as a Legendary skin and was released just before the Week 7 Challenges rolled out.

Players have discovered a chimney over at Flush Factory with a parachute draped upon it. The ‘chute has the same logo on it as the A.I.M skin, and theories have sprouted across the web with high regard that the character used the parachute to land on the Fortnite map.

Data miners have uncovered that the item name for the parachute is “Robo_Chute” which seems fitting that the parachute was used by the A.I.M robot character so it holds the popular theory. But then again, there’s no actual solid evidence of whether or not Epic Games just placed it there or if an actual in-game event took place. Player reports state that noises every half hour were heard that sounded like an incoming plane from the skies.

A tweet on Twitter by a player named VSuntzu14 captured this plane sound effect, and players pointed out that it sounds very similar to the leaked V6.22 files. You can hear the mysterious sound effect here:

Note that all the of files were bundled in the same directory called “vehicles” so it could just be a plane that they plan to add later on. Possibly a new Fortnite vehicle rather than the A.I.M story. Epic has said nothing about this and posted no new updates, so we’ll just have to wait until an official word comes out of the horse’s mouth.

Stay tuned for updates (as always).

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

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

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!

Fortnite update V6.22 full patch notes; New weapons, limited time modes, and more

Fortnite update V6.22 full patch notes; New weapons, limited time modes, and more 10

Fortnite’s November 6 update (V.6.22) brings some major changes to the game, with the most notable update being the new Heavy Assault Rifle.

The new AR is described as a “powerful Assault Rifle that is most useful when fired in short bursts.” This was teased before the patch by Epic, and fans have been looking forward with eager anticipation to try it out.

With short bursts, it’s likely a powerful weapon with a pretty strong recoil, so one must learn how to aim properly to maximize its effectiveness. There’s no probably no spraying and praying here- unless you’re doing CQC.

The update includes a few new notable things:

Team Terror for Battle Royale

Two teams will duke it out with little cubes running around in a large team matchup. This is a limited time mode, so check it out while you can.

NFL Outfits for Battle Royale

The NFL and Fortnite have teamed up and released some themed outfits so you can represent your favorite team. They’re available in the store starting November 9 at 7PM ET. This is actually pretty cool, as each player looks like an actual football player from an actual team. Who says Tom Brady doesn’t play Fortnite?

Fortnitemares Part 2 for Save the World

This special mode lets players use two new Heroes and battle against Vlad with an exclusive new weapon, the Candy Corn LMG.

 

Other than those major updates, here are all the bug fixes and patch notes for Fortnite V6.22:

KNOWN ISSUES

Wanting to track the top community issues? Head over to our Fortnite | Community Issues Trello board here.

BATTLE ROYALE

LIMITED TIME EVENT: TEAM TERROR

Summary
Monsters have invaded the Battle Royale island! Two teams will battle it out as Cube Monsters monsters join the fight. Defeat the other team to earn a Victory Royale.

Mode Details

  • Two teams of 32 players. Eliminate the other team to win.
  • Monster spawners are scattered throughout the map and also appear each time the storm closes in to a new circle.
  • Monsters can drop weapons or ammo when destroyed. Gold monsters and monster spawners drop Legendary items when destroyed.
  • Farming resources increased 75% over default.
  • Increased floor loot spawn likelihood by 15%.
  • Floor loot spawns double ammo.
  • Ammo boxes spawn triple ammo.
  • Chests spawn double ammo & consumables.
  • Supply drops spawn double ammo, and an extra consumable, resource drop and trap.

LIMITED TIME EVENT: BLITZ!

Summary
Blitz is a faster-paced version of Battle Royale. The match begins with the storm moving towards the island, and the delay between each circle is shorter than normal, creating matches that are 15 minutes long or less. The map also has extra loot and resources. Profile Stats count in this mode, so fight hard for the Victory Royale!

Mode Details

  • The storm is already moving in at the beginning of the match, choose your landing spot carefully!
  • Wait time between storms is significantly shorter than usual; maximum match length is 15 minutes.
  • Increased chances of treasure chests spawning from 50-70% to 80-90%.
  • Increased chances of ammo boxes spawning from 65-80% to 85-95%.
  • Reduced empty floor loot spawn chance from 21.5% to 3.55%
  • Resource harvesting amounts increased by 50%.
  • Increased materials found on the ground from 30 to 60 per instance.
  • Increased number, spawn rate & the descent speed of Supply Drops.
  • Increased number of llamas spawned by 4x.
  • Removed shopping carts.

WEAPONS + ITEMS

  • Heavy Assault Rifle
    • Can be found in floor loot, chests, Vending Machines, and Supply Drops
    • Available in Rare, Epic and Legendary Variants
      • Deals 44 / 46 / 48 damage
      • 3.75 Fire Rate
      • Has a magazine size of 25
  • The Pumpkin Launcher has been reverted back to the standard Rocket Launcher.
  • We’ve reduced the spawn rate of Balloons from 12.2% to 2.3%.

GAMEPLAY

  • Storm max damage cap changed back to 8 damage from 10 damage.

Bug Fixes

  • Players hit by a Boogie Bomb while holding Balloons will no longer have physics issues. They will now properly drop the Balloons.

SAVE THE WORLD

MISSIONS + SYSTEMS

  • Fortnitemares Part 2 quests are now available!
    • Complete the epic storyline of Hexsylvania.
      • Now includes the Vlad miniboss and the final fight to put him to rest.

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed an issue where the quest Supply Run would improperly launch players into Hexslyvania resulting in quest items not spawning.
  • Fixed an issue where two survivors could possibly spawn next to each other in the same camp.

HEROES

  • New Mythic Ninja – Werewolf Dire
    • A wild Ninja that becomes more fearsome and energetic at night.
    • Available in the Event Store November 7th at 7 PM EST.
    • New Perks:
      • Nightstalker – During Evening and Night, gain 25% bonus movement speed.
      • Midnight Stalker – Increases the movement speed bonus of Night Stalker by an additional 25%.
        • Abilities cost 50% less energy during Evening and Night.
  • New Legendary Outlander – Sanguine Dusk
    • Uses Phase Shift to steal health from enemies.
    • Available as a quest reward from Fortnitemares Part 2.
    • New Perks:
      • Phase Siphon – Phase Shifting through enemies deals 11 base damage and heals 6 base health.
      • Super Siphon – Increases the healing of Phase Siphon to 32 base health.

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed an issue where glowing effects on Ninja characters would stop glowing after entering Shadow Stance.

UI

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed an issue that caused players to appear in your lobby even after they have left.
    • This may have caused incorrect power level restrictions on missions.

WEAPONS + ITEMS

  • The Candy Corn LMG is now available as a quest reward from Fortnitemares Part 2.
    • A heavy, festive weapon with a huge magazine full of candy shaped bullets. Most effective at mid-range engagements when aiming down sights from a fixed position.
    • Weapon Perk:
      • Eliminating enemies with this weapon can spawn healing candy pickups.

GAMEPLAY

Bug Fixes

  • Reviving defenders will no longer leave them indestructible but unable to shoot or take any action.
  • Re-summoning a revived defender will no longer leave an invisible, indestructible copy of the defender behind.

AUDIO

  • Added additional sounds for Vlad Taker and ambient sounds for his coffin.
  • Updated Atlas Victory sequence movie sound mix.

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed multiple volume and missing sound issues with the Atlas.
  • Fixed mix issue with Lars music suppressing ambient music.
  • Fixed sound playback issues with the Flamegrill trap.
  • Fixed issues with Frontend reward music not playing consistently.
  • Fixed audio issues with active encampments not triggering.

Source: Epic Games.

Treyarch releases (another) update for Black Ops 4: Hitching, Blackout draws fixed

Treyarch releases (another) update for Black Ops 4: Hitching, Blackout draws fixed 11

Treyarch has announced yet another new update for BO4 today, November 1st.

With so many updates in a row, it’s like they’ve been working nonstop around the clock since the game was released just about 3 weeks ago on the 12th of October. The last major patch was on October 30 (V1.04), which was the largest update so far in its short history. There was also a minor update on Halloween that updated game settings for PC and enabled players to buy stuff with CoD Points on the Black Market.

Today, another update was released that focused on major issues that players have been facing. The full patch notes weren’t releasd this time around, but Treyarch posted a new tweet that annouced some major changes coming with today’s update. This is Treyarch’s third update for the game.

Xbox One players have been saying that Blackout was unplayable due to hitching issues. This update addresses those problems and allows them to play the game a little smoother so they can be the last man standing in Call of Duty’s version of battle royale.

Also, the bug that caused Blackout games to end in draws was fixed in this update- though this isn’t exclusive to Xbox One players. All versions had this bug and it’s now been corrected.

The full patch notes for the November 1 update will be posted when we get confirmation.

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

Treyarch speeds up tier progression in The Black Market; Raises server tick rate to 30hz 12

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.”

No Man’s Sky Halloween update “The Abyss” coming soon

No Man's Sky Halloween update "The Abyss" coming soon 13

Hello Games just released their biggest update for No Man’s Sky earlier this year with the NEXT program. This was the update that brought the game back on track and earned the gameplay hours from fans that previously exited the game. Next week, Hello Games announced that the first titled update following NEXT will arrive next week and will be related to the timed holiday event- Halloween.

Hello Games’ Sean Murray announced a new update called The Abyss which is completely free for No Man’s Sky that brings a “handful” of members at Hello Games to the table. They’ve been working on this update for a while and it’ll go live next week across all platforms. Murray said it’s just one small step in the larger content plans they have for NMS.

He hinted that it’ll be related to Halloween:

“Focuses on some of the eerier elements of No Man’s Sky, in keeping with the theme of this season.”

There’s no confirmed date as for when The Abyss update for No Man’s Sky will go live, but we’ll hear from Hello Games regarding the patch sooner or later. You’ll find details about it here as soon as it goes up.

The update will be free for existing players and will be out for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Just looking at the update art gives it away that the patch will be something dark and scary with the neon lights and background. But what the update contains, we’ll have to see next week. Stay tuned.

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

Fortnite's new customization options coming in future patch (leaked) 14

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.

Fortnite Battle Bus moves faster with V6.10 update

Fortnite Battle Bus moves faster with V6.10 update 15

Fortnite’s Battle Bus doesn’t really get too much attention, but it looks like now Epic Games is doing a major update to the Bus with their latest patch to the game.

Fortnite posted a tweet to let fans know that the Battle Bus will now travel a whole 25% faster than previously when flying.

While the Bus has gone through some minor updates here and there, this is the first time when it’s gotten praise directly- and in a tweet. Players have gotten some special ballons for the game’s anniversary and the ability to even thank the driver, but now with faster movement speeds, this will only add for more fast-paced action. This update affects gameplay because the speed adjustment will affect the game ever so slightly.

The update was announced just a single day after Epic Games detailed the new changes to Fortnite in its V6.10 update, which also was featured alongside other major changes like map adjustments and the new vehicle: The Quadcrasher.

Dragon Quest XI update for PC and PS4; What’s new?

Dragon Quest XI update for PC and PS4; What's new? 16

The Dragon Quest XI team released a new patch for PS4 and PC yesterday. The update adds a bunch new improvements and adjustments to both versions- with PC players getting the benefit of the patch. Square Enix has gone ahead and added some features and settings PC players will surely appreciate, such as FPS settings and key bindings.

Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age was launched last month. The story is an epic adventure with a JRPG format. A Nintendo Switch version has been planned, but there’s no word about the game yet- or at least very little. Rumors say it’ll be based off a PS4 version and will be titled Dragon Quest XI S with special goodies not found in the original PS4 game.

Regardless, here are the full patch notes:

PC

  1. We’ve identified a bug which can sometimes cause the game to crash when the player is 300m away from their horse on the field, this has been fixed.
  2. Players are now able to send log data to the DRAGON QUEST XI development team in cases where the game crashes.
  3. Players are able to choose between three (Low, Medium, High) pre-set graphic settings before launching the game (see below for details).
  4. People’s names (such as “Robert”) have been removed from the list of prohibited words when selecting the main character’s name at the beginning of the game.
  5. Multiple text bugs have been fixed.
  6. It’s now possible to move the command selection cursor using the left stick, and by extension WASD on keyboards, with very few exceptions in certain screens.
  7. It’s now possible to select which key exits the game (by default this is set to Esc) and it’s also possible to bind the Esc key to a different function.
  8. More frame rate options have been added; 90 fps, 120 fps, 144 fps as well as the option to leave the frame rate unlocked.

PS4

  1. We’ve identified a bug which can sometimes cause the game to crash when the player is 300m away from their horse on the field, this has been fixed.
  2. People’s names (such as “Robert”) have been removed from the list of prohibited words when selecting the main character’s name at the beginning of the game.
  3. Multiple text bugs have been fixed.

CoD: Black Ops 4 new patch on launch day; What’s new?

CoD: Black Ops 4 new patch on launch day; What's new? 17

Treyarch has released a new launch day patch for Call of Duty: Blacks Ops 4 that covers everything from UI to FPS to player count. This is the first major update Treyarch has released so far, and it just so happens that’s it on the launch of CoD: BO4.

Let’s dive in and see what’s new.

The major change is for FPS for PC players. Originally, it was capped at 120FPS. Now Treyarch has raised that to 160FPS this afternoon and eventually plans to remove the FPS cap in the coming days. Now PC gamers can enjoy BO4 without stutter and get that silky smooth G-Sync or FreeSync gameplay they crave.

The right-click bug where a UI would appear in the Personalization menu was fixed. This was pretty annoying to deal with. A few other UI bugs were fixed with menus being persistent when the game starts or Socials/Settings menus being not accessible during Blackout.

Razor Wire also now won’t trigger “team kill” detection in Hardcore modes.

Spawning locations in Domination were fixed.

Some general stability improvements have also been made.

Some other minor fixes were also released to all platforms today. Various UI enhancements for the menus were updated and some stat tracking problems were fixed in Blackout mode. Apparently, some players had XP issues for multiplayer which has also been resolved.

Some mode changes for Zombies have also been added. Easter eggs are now live for all regions so you can hunt down and find the hidden eggs all over the Zombies game modes in Voyage of Despair, IX, Classified, and Blood of the Dead.

And a few other fixes were also done: FFA players would also sometimes appear on a team together, this has been fixed. Players can also now get extra XP for unlocking Reactive and Mastercraft camos. And some game descriptions for Challenge modes were fixed.

Treyarch is monitoring the BO4 subreddit for player feedback and will have another detailed update coming tomorrow, October 13th. Right now, they’re actively listening to suggestions, bugs, and other posts by players across their social channels based on a post on the BO4 subreddit:

“First off: we’re currently tracking everything you’ve been sharing with us here on the subreddit and across our social channels. We’ll have a more detailed update coming tomorrow, so please keep your feedback coming in the comments below in the meantime. We see you.”

Here are the full patch notes (via Reddit):

Welcome to Launch Day! 

After three years, two Betas, and an incredible amount of feedback from the Call of Duty community, we’re finally able to celebrate the official launch of Black Ops 4 with you all!

This only the beginning…

You can expect regular updates and frequent communication from us going forward, just like during our MP and Blackout Betas. The big difference today: October 12th marks the beginning of a living, breathing game that we’re fully committed to over the long haul. There’s going to be a lot to talk about, starting with today’s game update.

First off: we’re currently tracking everything you’ve been sharing with us here on the subreddit and across our social channels. We’ll have a more detailed update coming tomorrow, so please keep your feedback coming in the comments below in the meantime. We see you.

Also, a hugely important piece of news for our Zombies players: we’ve enabled Easter Eggs worldwide in Voyage of Despair, IX, Blood of the Dead, and Classified! Good hunting out there.

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

  • General
    • Made many stability and UI improvements based on early tracking of live issues prior to official launch.
  • Multiplayer
    • Fixed an issue where Free-for-All players could sometimes appear on a team together.
    • Players are now granted bonus XP for unlocking Reactive and Mastercraft camos.
    • Corrected some inaccurate Challenge descriptions.
  • Zombies
    • Turned on Easter Eggs for all Zombies levels.
  • Blackout
    • Addressed some issues with Merits and stat tracking.

We’ve also made the following additional fixes specific to PC:

  • Framerate
    • Framerate cap increased to 160 FPS; uncapped framerate planned in the coming days.
  • Menus
    • Fixed an issue causing a UI error to appear when right-clicking characters in the Personalization menu.
    • Fixed an issue that caused UI elements to persist on screen when opening the Player menu at the same time as a match starting.
    • Fixed an issue causing the Social and Settings menus to be inaccessible when spectating in Blackout.

And of course, there are many other improvements in the works based on reporting from the community. Here are just a handful of the big topics that we’re working on for future updates:

  • We’re aware that players have been able to use Gestures (often referred to by the community as “Emotes”) to peek around corners in modes where that can create an unfair advantage. We’re currently working on an update that creates two systems for Gestures – the default system that is in the game now, and a competitive version that disables free look and applies different camera settings to prevent using it to see around corners. The default system will be used in parts of the game where corner peeking won’t affect gameplay balance (like the staging area of Blackout), and the competitive version will be used in modes where a more restrictive camera system is needed. We want players to always have fun with Gestures as intended, but never at the expense of fair gameplay!
  • There have been reports of sub-optimal spawning in Domination. We’re aware and working to improve that immediately.
  • Razor Wire should never trigger “team kill” detection in Hardcore modes. This is unintentional and will be fixed.

These and many other improvements are in progress, so stay tuned to this subreddit for future updates. This post is just the first of many. Remember to tag your craziest clips with #CODTopPlays on Twitter, stay hydrated out there, and enjoy everything all three modes have to offer! We’ll see you online.

-Treyarch

No Man’s Sky – Update V1.63: What’s new?

No Man's Sky - Update V1.63: What's new? 18

No Man’s Sky has kept their promise and is consistently pushing out new content for players ever since their last big update- No Man’s Sky Next. With the objective of having content roll out with every patch, players have been very pleased with this commitment to constant content.

The latest patch, V1.63, was released just a few days ago and works alongside the 5th Development Update for the game and is packed with new content. The most exciting part is probably the new Exocraft- the Pilgrim.

This vehicle is described to be very “rugged and fast moving.” Just from the looks of it, it really does. It’s like a speed bike equipped with some gnarly technology. Something from the future with off-road tires and antennas out the rear. The Pilgrim’s blueprints are widely available for anyone to purchase who can afford them, so anyone can buy them as long as they have the capital.

Hello Games is also improving the Exocraft Summoning Stations. Previous patches would require a separate station to be built for it, but now players will only need a single station per planet which has unlimited range.

Other improvements include a larger and expanded inventory, fixed races between vehicles, new upgrades for Exocrafts (including the Pilgrim) that changes handling, speed, boost power, and other stats, which are similar to the ship modules and multi-tool which will run nanites with each upgrade.

There are also a ton of bug fixes, visual upgrades, and object highlighting when the Analysis Visor is used. The game performance has also been upgraded with terrain tessellation on the PC version.

You can check out the full patch notes for No Man’s Sky V1.63 here. The game is available for PS4 and Xbox One and PC.

FromSoftware Game Event Fall 2018; Details and schedule

FromSoftware Game Event Fall 2018; Details and schedule 19

FromSoftware is going to be hosting the FromSoftware Game Event Fall 2018 on October 14th, 2018 in Osaka. The event will feature four playable games and is completely free to attend for everyone who wants to attend.

The event is mainly for fans to catch up on FromSoftware titles. There will be live presentations on stage at the scheduled times throughout the day:

  • 12:30 Deraciné stage presentation
  • 13:10 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice stage presentation
  • 14:00 Dark Souls Remastered stage presentation
  • 14:50 Metal Wolf Chaos XD stage presentation
  • 15:30 Armored Core 20th Anniversary Sound Request
  • 16:50 FromSoftware Cult Quiz Championship

One even worth mentioning is the Armored Core event, which is currently undergoing a vote to let fans decide on their favorite tracks int eh giant 20th anniversary OST. The tunes will be compiled into a special set and will be voted in completely by players.

There will also undoubtedly be the anticipated news surround the new Armored Core game that’s being developed right now. This event will likely be the reveal fans have been waiting for.

Stay tuned for updates. FromSoftware fans have a lot to look forward to.

Nightdive releases October update for System Shock remake

Nightdive releases October update for System Shock remake 20

Nightdive Studios’ System Shock remake is making some excellent progress even with the few obstacles the studio has encountered this year. Stephen Kick, CEO of Nightdive, talked about some development issues they were going through.

They had to pause everything and reevaluate their approach for this remake- possibly straying from their previous path. Then, after a long hiatus, they went back on track with their original plan.

The October update for the remake looked pretty good. Fans who backed the project got a small taste of the final remake- they were able to roam around Citadel Station’s retro environment and do a variety of basic things like “pick up items, listen to audio logs, read emails and complete the game’s objectives from start to finish.”

Although this isn’t that impressive for a game that’s been in development with crowdfunded capital for so long, it’s still progress given that they’ve had some turmoil over the past year or so.

The update was posted by Kick, and he stated the following:

“We launched the Adventure last week to the first round of backers and so far the reception has been extremely positive! Our dedicated group of Adventurers helped us track down a number of issues such as malfunctioning doors, missing key cards, holes in the geometry that lead to the infinite void of space, etc! We’ve been hard at work patching up the issues and will be pushing a new build today and will be selecting more backers to join in!”

Players could view a screenshot of various objects in Citadel Station, such as doors and walls. Compared to the original game, the remake looks amazing. Nightdive has remained true to the original System Shock even when the graphics are rendered in Unreal Engine 4.

Backers will be getting an invite the System Shock remake alpha soon.

Fortnite’s Dark Bomber skin rolling out today; Epic Games “confirms” with tweet

Fortnite's Dark Bomber skin rolling out today; Epic Games "confirms" with tweet 21

The Dark Bomber skin is a Fornite skin that was first teased on the loading screens of Fortnite Season 5’s Battle Pass. The skin is finally here after a month-long wait.

Dark Bomber is a doppelganger to the Bright Bomber that was first released to Fortnite back in January of this year. The skin has a lore connection to Kevin, the cube with a glowing aura that has been present in the past few weeks.

Other than that, no details were given, even with the loading screen that was first released last month. But Epic went ahead with a tweet on their Twitter account using a set of emoticons to signal the new Dark Bomber skin.

The clouds and lighting must be the opposite o the rainbow and sun. There’s no doubt about it hat’s they’re referring to the Dark Bomber skin that’s now going to finally be released. The comments range from excited remarks from fans already, which means that Epic is rolling in it. Fans can now purchase the Dark Bomber skin tonight during a launch with a Thunder Crash pickaxe and Dark Glyph glider, which were both detailed in the leaks earlier this week for the V6.01 patch notes.

The game shop updates in about 30 minutes from the time of this writing. Get ready for the slew of new, awesomely grotesque skin this patch. Here comes 6.01! Are you ready for some flashy, dark skins?

CoD: BO4’s Blackout Mode gets a new option for picking up items

CoD: BO4's Blackout Mode gets a new option for picking up items 22

Call of Duty: Blacks Ops 4′s Blackout Mode (the battle royale mode) has been changed slightly. This isn’t the first time it’s been changed. Ever since the player feedback from the successful beta, the game has evolved to meet player demand and to balance the game.

Blackout Mode is CoD’s take on the battle royale mode which many games are jumping upon the bandwagon. Players will be dropped onto a map and compete to be the last one standing. The mode includes all maps from previous CoD games and combines them all into one giant map. A few revisions have been made since the beta that took place from September 10-17th. Player counts increased and several balancing issues were addressed.

Previously, players would have to hold the item pickup button in order to add a new item to their inventory. This was annoying since players would have to stop and stare at an item to pick it up, which wastes valuable time and makes you vulnerable to enemy fire. Now, instead of holding down the button, you can now have the option to simply press it instead to grab loot, but you won’t reload your weapon.

This comes from Game Design Director at Treyarch, David Vonderhaar, who posted a tweet on his Twitter account with an image showing off the new item swap option. He lets players know that this means reloading while looking at items isn’t possible if it’s toggled on:

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 rolls out on October 12th for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

 

XCOM 2: War of the Chosen DLC Pack free on 10/9; New maps, weapons, modes

XCOM 2: War of the Chosen DLC Pack free on 10/9; New maps, weapons, modes 23

XCOM 2 will be getting a new, free DLC content pack next week that’s literally packed with new content. XCOM 2 and its expansion XCOM 2: War of the Chosen – Tactical Legacy Pack will be free on October 9th, 2018 for gamers who own the base game. But it’s not free forever- on December 3rd, the DLC will be had for $7.99. So act fast!

War of the Chosen – Tactical Legacy Pack will include three new gameplay modes: Legacy Ops, Resistance Archives, and Skirmish. Legacy Ops is the connection between XCOM: Enemy Uknown and XCOM 2, which takes place 20 years in the future where an alien threat has broken out.

Here’s a video showing off the pack:

Legacy Ops includes 5 missions where you control Central officer Bradford, Lily Shen, and other XCOM personnel as you wade through mission and defeat hordes of aliens hungry to eat you up. This mode will have no base management and is a combat only mode.

Resistance Archives will be somewhat of the same, but with missions that get harder and harder each time you beat them. And Skirmish mode sounds exactly like what it reads- you can “create and play your own custom XCOM tactical missions using the included editor that allows you to modify various settings (map, squad loadouts, objective, enemies, and more.)”

There will also be new maps in the Central Archives mission alongside these new game modes. The developers are remasting several battlefields from the 2012 XCOM: Enemy Uknown and its expansion Enemy Within. Weapons and armor will also be included in the mission. After you complete the mission in Legacy Ops, you can use the weapons and armor in the base game.

There will also be new helmets, soldier attitudes, and photobooth options. There will also be new soundtrack options that includes tracks from the previous game and a new UFO Defense-like track. Lastly, there will be an Offline Challenge Mode that allows players to fight in any of the game’s 100+ War of the Chosen challenges as often as you want to play them again.

Stay tuned for updates.

Splatoon 2 update Version 4.1.0: What’s new?

Splatoon 2 update Version 4.1.0: What's new? 24

Another update just went live for Splatoon 2. Since its inception on the Switch, Splatoon 2 has sen a bunch of new updates packed with fixes, content, and more. Yesterday, the latest update just rolled up. Find out what’s new in Version 4.1.0.

For starters, players will get access to the game’s final arena called the Skipper Pavillion, which is themed as an old magical temple located somewhere outside the land of Inkopolis. Players will also get a new Booyah Bomb and a new selection of special weapons known as the Kensa Collection.

Lastly, there will be four new music tracks featuring music from artists SashiMori and Diss-Pair.

The latest update can be downloaded by going online on your Switch or manually updating it via the Options menu tucked in the Software icon. Although the 4.1.0 update isn’t much, it’s still worth trying out Skipper Pavilion just for fun. The new music tracks are also pretty cool and catchy. And the new set of weapons are neat to look at.

Splatoon 2 is Nintendo’s latest entry into the ink-slinging domination game and has gone as far as hosting esports events. Although it’s not as popular as other leading esports game and genres, it’s still a decent and competitive game for the Nintendo Switch. If you still haven’t played this game yet and you’re interested in it, you can easily find it for cheap online (eBay, Amazon, etc.).

Here are the game features from the product’s sales page (from Nintendo):

  • Turf War – Team up in fierce 4-on-4 multiplayer battles* to see which team can cover the most turf with ink
  • Salmon Run – 2-4 players* can team up for co-op fun and defeat waves of enemy Salmonids.
  • New weapons – Dual wield the new Splat Dualies and avoid getting splatted with the new Dodge Roll move. Mainstays like the Splat Roller and Splat Charger have been remixed to include new gameplay mechanics, and all special weapons are brand-new.
  • Local and Online Multiplayer – In a first for the series, compete in local multiplayer Turf War battles*, whether in TV mode or on-the-go in handheld or tabletop modes. Online battles also make a return**
  • New ways to play – Play with the Joy-Con™ controllers or the Nintendo Switch™ Pro Controller (sold separately), both of which support motion controls for better aiming
  • Fresh Updates – Similar to the Splatoon™ game for the Wii U™ console, updates will roll out post-launch, adding new content and in-game events.
  • Smart Device Support** – An upcoming smart-device application for the Nintendo Switch system will allow players to set play appointments with friends and teammates, as well as voice chat with friends during play sessions.
  • LAN Play – Up to 10 docked systems – eight players and two spectators – can connect via wired LAN (additional accessories required; sold separately). This feature allows players to create local Private Battle tournaments without the need for an internet connection. Local wireless play is perfect for your regular gaming get-togethers, but LAN Play is where it’s at when you want to organize a serious tournament.
  • Customize – Change your Inkling’s style with different weapons, headgear, clothes, and shoes. Gear isn’t just aesthetic; it offers different boosts in battles.
  • amiibo – Compatible with all Splatoon™ series amiibo™ figures. By tapping these amiibo, the figure’s character will appear in the game and befriend players. Befriend an amiibo character and they will remember favorited weapons, gear, outfits and option settings.

Patch 1.06 is now live for Marvel’s Spider-Man – What’s new?

Patch 1.06 is now live for Marvel's Spider-Man - What's new? 25

Marvel’s Spider-Man gets a new patch on the PS4 today. Insomniac Games has released patch version 1.06 and the download went live earlier today.

The patch varies in size, but the full patch notes are available on Reddit (and for your convenience, listed below). The game is still going strong in sales, especially in the UK, and there will be continual updates for the web-slinging hero and new DLC rolls out next month.

Here are the full patch notes:

New Features
-Added the option to invert the camera horizontally

Fixes & Updates
-Addressed an issue where the game could on load of a save game
-Addressed an issue where players could get stuck inside the Empire State Building spire
-Addressed various issues with Research Stations locking incorrectly
-Addressed an issue where puzzles would be locked out in the lab after investigating an audio recorder.
-Addressed a progression stopper when completing Demon Bases and quitting out of the end
-Addressed a progression stopper when knocking Mr. Negative out of the arena during his boss fight.
-Addressed a progression stopper during point launch tutorial
-Further improved stability
-Addressed various UI issues
-Addressed various animation pop issues
-Addressed various additional issues

Spider-Man was released this month and has been shattering records on the PS4- being the fastest-selling PS4 game of all time and beat out all other games for the PS4’s history. There have also been rumors of more Marvel games coming out due to the success of Spider-Man. This could be the beginning of something awesome.

Anyway, patch 1.06 went live today. Sign in and download the update and get your sling on!

Nintendo Switch Online: Required check-ins and no grace period?

Best indie games. Ever. Nintendo shows off their list.

Nintendo just released an online FAQ page with updated information about their Nintendo Switch Online service. After a rather vague description that was released on Nintendo Direct, a much more detailed page was created to make some necessary clarifications. But the wording is still subject to interpretation.

For starters, it turns out that players will lose their cloud saves if they choose not to renew their Switch Online subscription. While some games, like NES games, will be available offline, there will be an online check-in with a frequency of once per week. This seems to be required or else access will be blocked to the game. A “check-in” is possibly required in order to preserve this data.

Compared with other consoles, cloud saves on Xbox One are completely free. PS4 requires a PS Plus subscription but players have half a year for players to access it should they choose to subscribe again within that grace period. The Switch seems to be the worst of the bunch- it costs cash to save to the cloud and possibly has no grace period.

After my Nintendo Switch Online membership expires, will my online save data and my Nintendo Entertainment System™ – Nintendo Switch Online data be erased?

Save data stored via the Save Data Cloud backup is available for as long as you have an active Nintendo Switch Online membership.

Can NES – Nintendo Switch Online games be played offline?

Yes, these games can be played offline for up to 7 days as long as you have an active Nintendo Switch Online membership.

As for classic NES games, the FAQ states that players will have offline access to the classic titles for seven days if the subscription is active. But doesn’t clarify on what exactly will be required- a check-in? However, data will be saved locally unless the user chooses to do so manually. An online subscription is still required in order to play the games.

CoD: WWII Covert Storm event is live – new weapons, challenges, and events

CoD: WWII Covert Storm event is live - new weapons, challenges, and events 26

Earlier this week, Sledgehammer Games revealed a new in-game event for Call of Duty: WWII gamers. It’s called Covert Storm. And it’s a decent one. This event is now live for Xbox One, PC, and PS4.

Unlike the previous events, this one adds a ton of content for free, though it’s just a tad less than normal. Three new weapons have also been added:

  • AS-44 AR
  • Prot X-1 SMG
  • VMG 1927 LMG

The AS-44 can be earned by reaching the max level in the Commando Division.

Aside from weapons, newly animated camos and a community challenge are also now live in CoD. This content pack, however, has no new maps with the update. But then again, this is more likely the last event before the next Black Ops game rolls out in October.

For players who’ve already played their share of WWII, you may want to check out the trailer to see what’s new while your game is updating. It pretty much highlights everything that’s new in this update.

Fortnite 5.30 released – New items, gameplay modes, and the Blunderbuss AR

Fortnite 5.30 released - New items, gameplay modes, and the Blunderbuss AR 27

Fortnite has just hit version 5.30, which brings some big additions to both the Battle Royale and Save the Worlds gameplay modes. The main features are the Rift-To-Go item, which was teased previously by Epic Games, and a new LImited Time mode dubbed “Score Royale.”

They work exactly as they’re named. Rift-To-Go is a place that exists in the player’s equipment which allows the player and their allies to fly out from the sky and make a surprise ambush. However, other players can also pull the same move and use the same portals. This adds a new level of complexity to the game and new strategies that will ultimately be centered around these portals.

Score Royale will be a new mode where players gain points for completing various tasks like collecting items, loot crates, and killing enemies. It scores you for doing things like opening ammo boxes, llamas, supply drops, treasure chests, using an apple/mushroom, and more.

Here’s the scoring guide from Epic Games:

  • Winning Score (Solo) 2000
  • Winning Score (Duos) 3000
  • Winning Score (Squads) 4500
  • Use an Apple or Mushroom 10
  • Open an Ammo Box 25
  • Open a Llama 50
  • Open a Supply Drop 100
  • Eliminate an Enemy 100
  • Open a Treasure Ches t50
  • Find a Bronze Coin 30
  • Find a Silver Coin 50
  • Find a Gold Coin 100

The Save the World campaign is last but not least. It has a new weapon called the Blunderbuss Assault Rifle (BAR) which does a hefty amount of damage with a giant clip to spare.

The patch is now available on all platforms and no issues have been reported so far.

You can check out the full details here.

 

Patrick Söderlund steps down as EA’s CDO

Patrick Söderlund steps down as EA's CDO 28

Earlier this week, Electronic Art’s CDO Patrick Söderlund has stepped down and left the company. A memo shared by the current CEO Andrew Wilson, he states that Patrick was a “pioneer” with over 20 years of experience for EA. He was also known to be a great friend and an “inspiring leader” for EA as a whole.

Söderlund recently was promoted to the office of Chef Design Office back in April of 2018. Before that, he was the CEO of DICE. When he entered EA, he was appointed to the Worldwide Studios where he oversaw many franchises in EA’s household. He’s also credited for advocating the Frostbite engine and making it EA’s primary in-house game engine.

Last year, he was also given a bonus of $20M USD in 2017, based on a SEC filing and a report by Jason Schreier of Kotaku. His total salary for 2018 totaled to $48M. The median salary for the typical employee at EA is $96K. His position demands this level of pay and his expertise was priceless. This was to keep him working for the company.

Even with this level of pay, he’s left the company. Wilson noted that some teams within EA will definitely see changes following his departure. The SEED team which is currently led by Johan Andersson will join the studio’s group along with EA Originals and EA Partners Programs joining the Strategic Growth group.

No other news has been reported about the other executives at EA regarding changes. They’ll likely stay in their current positions. As for a when and who the new CDO will be and when this person will be appointed is TBA.

Steam copies Discord’s chat system; Discord copies Steam’s store

Steam copies Discord's chat system; Discord copies Steam's store 29

A few weeks ago, Steam rebuilt their chat system and added some features that looked like they were ripped right out of Discord. Now, the VoIP giant for gamers is retaliating by releasing a game distribution platform. That’s right, Discord now sells games.

The Discord Store is an experience that’s built by curated content that’ll automatically suggest games based on player interests. It’s like the Steam front page, but more personalized and catered for each individual player instead of the general population’s tastes. Discord staff curates the content that appears in the store in order to prevent Steam’s issue with game saturation and competition for virtual sell space.

Right now, players can buy a variety of games like Hollow Knight, Moonlighter, Starbound, This is the Police 2, The Banner Saga 3, and more.

Discord is making a bold move by competing directly with Steam, but they probably would’ve done so regardless of whether or not Steam copied their chat system’s layout and design.

The most interesting news is the First on Discord section. They plan to show off indie games they’ve helped support and develop and launch them exclusively only on Discord fora limited period of time. This is typically a period of 90 days before the game devs can sell it anywhere else, like Steam. Discord also takes 30% of sales just like the DRM giant. So far, the only game that’s premiering on this program is Bad North, an indie real-time roguelike. The post states:

“To be very clear, First on Discord games are temporarily exclusive. They’re literally first on Discord — usually 90 days and then the developers can sell anywhere else they want. This beta won’t have any First on Discord titles, but we’ll be showing off some soon.”

Discord Nitro is also getting revamped. Subs will see a curated list of popular titles picked by the staff, such as Super Meat Boy and System Shock Enhanced Edition. And the new Discord also has a Universal Library tab that scans your computer for games on all platforms like Steam, UPlay, and Discord itself. It then links them to this singular tab so you can play directly from Discord no matter where the game is housed. It’ll just launch the other launcher and then continue the game automatically.

Discord Store is currently in beta and will roll out worldwide slowly over time. It’s currently available to Canadian users only at a cap of 50K players. US players should soon be able to try out the full version.

Valiant Hearts: The Great War and Child of Light coming to Switch

Valiant Hearts: The Great War and Child of Light coming to Switch 30

Child of Light and Valiant Hearts: The Great War are both coming to the Nintendo Switch this Fall. They were confirmed for the Switch in a news post on the official Ubisoft site. Child of Light will release on October 11th and Valiant Hearts will release on November 8th.

Child of Light features amazing artwork and players must save their kingdom from evil forces. The game is a turn-based RPG in a fantasy world where players must take the role of a hero named Aurora who happens to reside in the kingdom of Lemuria. The game has a skill-tree progression system for all characters and allows the freedom to tailor each character to suit different roles or playstyles.

The isn’t the first game in this series on a Nintendo console, as it was also available for the Wii U back in 2014. This game won’t have any new Switch exclusives, but a second player can join in with a Joy-Con to control Aurora’s companion Igniculus to allow players to play in co-op. However, this feature is available in other releases of the game.

Valiant Hearts: The Great War will ship with integrated touch controls just like the iOS, Android, and Windows versions. Switch owners will have Valiant Hearts: Dogs of War which is an interactive comic that was previously available on mobile platforms.

This is a point-and-click adventure game which focuses on multiple strangers during WWI. You’ll guide a character through many puzzles with a trusty dog as your companion to infiltrate enemy bases, investigate different events, and discover WWI history. Valiant Hearts for the Switch is the first time it’s ever been on a Nintendo console.

Stay tuned for more news upon release.