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Rainbow Six Extraction Director on Why There’s a Sudden Resurgence of PvE Shooters

With Rainbow Six Extraction set to be released later this month, it seems gamers now have a lot of games to choose from for their PvE (player vs. enemy) fix.

During our chat with the Rainbow Six Extraction dev team, we asked the studio why there seems to be a sudden resurgence when it come to PvE shooters, and here’s what Technical Director Bruno Lalonde had to say about it.

Q: Kind of an off-topic question here: we’ve recently seen a resurgence of sorts of PvE shooters such as Back 4 Blood, GTFO, Aliens Fireteam Elite, etc. Why do you think, in your opinion, is that the case?

BL: From my personal point of view, I will say that, PvP offers more intensity, and there are many players in the FPS genre that want a less intense experience, and also a more welcoming experience for new players. There’s also the safe environment, where they can experience co-op gameplay as opposed to a PvP game. In this game, players are also able to control the level of difficulty. Of course, less difficulty means less rewards, but it’s also a tool we give to the players to be able to control the level of intensity, something that you cannot really control in a PvP game.

Lalonde does have a point there. PvE games are a less stressful way of enjoying multiplayer games, and we’re glad it’s getting some much-needed love these days.

Stay tuned for our complete Rainbow Six Extraction interview hitting the site this week.

Rainbow Six Extraction is firing out this January 20, 2022 on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

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Alex Co

Father, gamer, games media vet, writer of words, killer of noobs.

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Phil Spencer: Xbox Series Sold More Than Any Previous Xbox, Says Transaction Still Bigger Than Subscriptions

Are you still having a hard time getting an Xbox Series X|S? If you are, you’re not alone, and Microsoft knows about it! The Xbox Series of consoles are so highly in demand that they have sold more than any previous Xbox console according to Xbox boss Phil Spencer.

In a recent interview with the New York Times (paid subscription to access), Spencer talked about the supply issues the next-gen console is suffering through, and mentions that the issue isn’t really supply, but rather that demand is exceeding this supply.

Supply is actually as big as it’s ever been. It’s that demand is exceeding the supply for all of us. At this point, we’ve sold more of this generation of Xboxes, which is Xbox Series X and S, than we had any previous version of Xboxes. So it’s our job to get the supply there to meet that demand.

Given how popular the Xbox Game Pass has been, some might be wondering whether this subscription-based revenue model would overtake the traditional standalone game when it comes to revenue. Well, apparently, it hasn’t. This was confirmed by Spencer in the same interview.

Transaction is bigger than subscription. Subscription is growing faster, just because it’s relatively new. And with Game Pass, we were one of the first movers in that space. But the transaction business is very large. We still sell physical disks.

Even if supply is the issue with the Xbox Series, there’s still an on-going global chip shortage and the pandemic, which I gather adds to the supply and demand issue as well. Hopefully that’s sorted out soon, so anyone who wants an Xbox Series X|S will be able to snag one.

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Alex Co

Father, gamer, games media vet, writer of words, killer of noobs.

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Franchise Narrative Director Wants to Know Battlefield 2042 Roadmap Too, Wants to Make Things Right

If you’re looking forward to the Battlefield 2042 roadmap, you’re not alone. However, it seems that even the franchise’s new Narrative Director doesn’t know it, which is a bit odd (and concerning).

Over on Twitter, Battlefield franchise Narrative Director Marcus Lehto went on to engage with the community before taking a vacation (and going dark on Twitter). One of the things Lehto was asked about was the Battlefield 2042 roadmap, which he confirmed he “genuinely” wants to know as well, and will be “pressing hard” to get answers.

 

When pressed by one fan if Lehto’s engagement with the community is not yet another “acting in vein” (vain), Lehto assured the fan that he is not, and will do his damndest to make things right.

In case you missed it, just a few days ago, Lehto publicly acknowledged that fixing Battlefield 2042 won’t be easy, but EA and DICE’s willingness to do so is there. Hopefully, we’ll see more of this kind of transparency from the devs soon. That said, it is a bit worrying that one of the franchise’s top devs doesn’t even know the BF2042 roadmap — regardless if he was involved in developing the game or not.

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Alex Co

Father, gamer, games media vet, writer of words, killer of noobs.

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Report: Horizon Forbidden West Has Leaked Online as New PS4 Screenshots Surface

While Horizon Forbidden West isn’t due for release until February 18, 2022, it seems parts of the game leaked early, as new screenshots have surfaced which are reportedly from the PS4 version of the upcoming action sequel.

Posted on EU social site VK, there are two images of Horizon Forbidden West on a TV, and I have to admit, even in off-cam shots, it’s looking solid so far.

https://imgur.com/a/bBCCoSk

The post with the images mention the following text (translated): Gameplay screenshots of Horizon: Forbidden West which could run on the hacked PlayStation 4

We’re unsure whether this is the full game, a preview build, or something else. All we know is, these are new screenshots from the sequel, and we’ll take what we can get.

For the latest action-packed gameplay, check out this footage showcasing the Slitherfang! There are also official PS4 screenshots of the game released before, which can be seen here.

Thanks, BladerKoyotte!

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Alex Co

Father, gamer, games media vet, writer of words, killer of noobs.

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NBA 2K22 Update 1.09 Dribbles Out This January 10 (Update)

Visual Concepts has released the first NBA 2K22 title update of 2022! The NBA 2K22 update 1.09 patch is out for last-gen (PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC) this January 10, and this seems to bring in new content, and as one might expect, improvements.

NBA 2K22 Update 1.09 Patch Notes:

Update: Visual Concepts has released the official patch notes for the last-gen title update today!

  • Season 4 is coming this Friday, January 14th!  Are you ready for glory?

Updated Player Likeness:

  • NBA
    • Isaac Okoro
    • Malachi Flynn
    • Jalen Johnson
    • Arnoldas Kulboka
    • McKinley Wright IV
    • Mac McClung
    • Luke Jackson
    • Pepe Sanchez
    • Lamond Murray
    • Oliver Miller
    • Grant Long
    • Xavier Tillman
    • Naji Marshall
    • Anthony Lamb
    • Jaden Springer
    • Santi Aldama
    • Isaiah Todd
    • Jeremiah Robinson-Earl
    • Devin Booker
    • Killian Hayes
    • Trey Murphy III
    • JT Thor
    • Jared Butler
    • Luka Garza
    • Sandro Mamukelashvili
    • Aaron Wiggins
    • Scottie Lewis
    • Desmond Bane
    • Corey Kispert
  • WNBA 
    • Sabrina Ionescu
    • Yolanda Griffith
    • Candace Parker

GAMEPLAY

  • The user is now required to press the steal button in order to successfully intercept a pass.

MyCAREER/NEIGHBORHOOD 

  • Continued stability fixes and improvements have been made for the MyCAREER and Neighborhood experiences.

Unfortunately, while it might be the new year, Visual Concepts seems to have stuck to the studio’s same routine of releasing a patch, and the actual changelog being released hours after. For now, no official patch notes have been released just yet.

However, there is an announcement regarding last-gen that has been mentioned previously:

As is the case with some patches, a bug has been spotted alongside today’s patch:

New Patch Update
byu/kingjames1993 inNBA2k

 

We’re on the lookout for any changes made in today’s update, and once we know the official notes, we’ll be sure to update the post. It’s uncertain for now whether next-gen platforms, but once we know more, we’ll let our readers know. So make sure to refresh this post regularly.

Update: Post has been updated with official patch notes.

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Alex Co

Father, gamer, games media vet, writer of words, killer of noobs.

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PUBG Update 1.94 Patch Notes; Delivers F2P 15.2 Update This Jan. 10

As expected given the previous announcement, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) is going free-to-play later this week on all platforms! With this in mind, PUBG Corp. has released the PUBG update 1.94 patch this January 10 (or also called the 15.2 patch), and this includes gameplay improvements, and of course, the massive shift from premium game to F2P experience starting Jan. 12!

Check out the patch notes as well as the F2P roll out schedule below.

PUBG Update 1.94 Patch Notes | PUBG Update Today Patch Notes | PUBG F2P Patch Notes | PUBG Update 15.2 Patch Notes:

Live servers will go down for maintenance starting:

  • January 10 10am PST;
  • January 10 7pm CET;
  • January 11 3am KST.

The maintenance will take approximately 38 hours to complete due to the transition to Free-to-Play. More information regarding Free-to-Play can be found here.

Live servers are expected to go back up at:

  • January 12 12am PST;
  • January 12 9am CET;
  • January 12 5pm KST.

Gameplay Updates

New Feature: Tactical Gear

We’ve decided to introduce a whole new category of tactical items, Tactical Gear, that strays from pure gunplay to provide our players various options for improving their in-game performances.

As Tactical Gear will be taking up players’ primary weapon slots, we hope this will allow players to come up with more creative long-term strategies.

Tactical Gear: Drone

The Drone is a Tactical Gear that allows players to scout a far distance safely and even pick up an item without facing the risk of direct combat.

  • Drones will spawn in every map.
  • Drones will be available in Normal Matches, Custom Games, Training Mode, and Sandbox Mode.
  • Once players loot and equip the drone, they can hold the Drone Tablet in their hands.
  • Players can then toggle in and out of Drone View.
    • The Drone will launch into the air once players toggle into Drone View.
    • A Drone in flight will make noise and have a distinctive blinking light.
    • A deployed Drone will be identifiable by a unique drone icon both on the map and minimap.
    • In Drone View, players’ characters will stop moving and give up control of their body as they fly around in the perspective of the Drone.
    • If players toggle out of Drone View, the Drone will remain hovering in its current position.
  • Players can recall a Drone in flight.
    • When a recall is initiated, the Drone will attempt to fly back in a straight line to the spot the player recalled it.
    • The Drone will fly back to the location the player first recalled it.
    • When the recall is in progress, the recall will be stopped if the player attempts to use the Drone Tablet.
    • When the recall is in progress, the recall will be stopped if the player uses the recall feature again.
    • The Drone can not avoid obstacles or move through solid objects while being recalled.
  • The Drone has a large 300m operation radius that players must stay in while flying the Drone.
    • The Drone alerts players with a warning message and a static screen when it’s within 90m of its maximum operation radius.
    • If the Drone leaves its operation radius, it will get destroyed and players will need to retrieve it and repair the Drone to use it again.
  • The Drone has a maximum HP of 35 and can take damage from various things.
    • A Drone can be damaged by
      • Gunfire
      • Explosions
      • Fire
      • Water
      • Flying outside of the operation radius
      • Vehicle collision
    • When the Drone’s HP reaches 0, it will fall to the ground and get destroyed. Players must retrieve the Drone and repair it to use it again.
  • A Drone can loot a single item to its single inventory slot.
    • For example, a stack of bandages (5) is also considered a single item.
    • Drones can not pick up items from Care Packages, deathboxes, and trunks.
    • Players in Drone View are also able to drop the held item any time.
    • Players can receive the Drone’s held item by recalling the Drone.
  • Players will be able to ping normally while toggled in Drone View.
    • The ping icon will be displayed as a regular ping.

​

Situation Drone Action PC Console (PlayStation®) Console (Xbox) Console (Stadia)
Player has the Drone equipped and Drone Tablet in hand Switch to Drone View Left Click (fire key) R2 Button Right Trigger (RT) Right Trigger (RT)
– Recall Drone Right Click (alt action key) L2 Button Left Trigger (LT) Left Trigger (LT)
Player has a damaged Drone in hand Repair Drone Left Click (fire key) R2 Button Right Trigger (RT) Right Trigger (RT)
In Drone View Fly forward W L3 Stick Left Stick Left Stick
– Fly backwards S L3 Stick Left Stick Left Stick
– Fly left A L3 Stick Left Stick Left Stick
– Fly right D L3 Stick Left Stick Left Stick
– Fly up Spacebar (jump key) R2 Button Right Trigger (RT) Right Trigger (RT)
– Fly down C (crouch key) L2 Button Left Trigger (LT) Left Trigger (LT)
– Fly faster Hold Left Shift (sprint key) R1 Button Right Bumper (RB) Right Bumper (RB)
– Fly slower Hold Left Ctrl (walk key) L1 Button Left Bumper (LB) Left Bumper (LB)
– Pick up item F (interact key) Square Button X X
– Drop holding item F (interact key) Square Button X X
– Switch to Player View Left Click (fire key) Circle Button B B
– Map Ping Middle Click (map ping key) R3 Button Right Stick Button Right Stick Button

​

Tactical Gear: EMT Gear

The EMT Gear is a Tactical Gear that allows players to opt into increased healing potential for both themselves and their team at the cost of reduced combat flexibility.

  • The EMT Gear will spawn in every map.
    • 2 stacks of bandages (10) will spawn alongside the EMT Gear.
  • The EMT Gear will be available in Normal Matches, Custom Games, Training Mode, and Sandbox Mode.
  • Players will receive numerous passive benefits with the EMT Gear, regardless of if they’re holding it or have it stowed away.
    • It will only take 3 seconds to use healing items such as bandages, First Aid Kits, and Med Kits.
    • It will only take 3 seconds to revive a knocked down teammate.
    • Players can walk much faster when using healing items than when normally using healing items.
    • Bandages and First Aid Kits can heal players to max health.
    • Med Kits will give full boost to players.
  • Players with the EMT Gear equipped will gain an ability to interact with damaged teammates.
    • Players can spend one of their own healing items on their teammate.
    • Players can toggle between different healing items on the bottom screen where a weapon’s fire mode would normally be displayed.
      • The display would also show the number of the selected heal item that the player has in their inventory.
  • The EMT Gear will NOT grant the following boosts when used in the Blue Zone:
    • Healing boosts (teammates can still be healed)
    • Shortened revival time

​

Situation EMT Gear Action PC Console (PlayStation®) Console (Xbox) Console (Stadia)
Player has the Trauma Bag equipped and in hand Player heals self Left Click R2 Button Right Trigger Right Trigger
– Toggle selected healing item Right Click / B key L2 / ‘Left’ D-pad Left Trigger / ‘Left’ D-pad Left Trigger / ‘Left’ D-pad
– Use selected heal or boost item on self ‘-‘ (minus) key ‘Down’ D-pad ‘Down’ D-pad ‘Down’ D-pad
– Player heals teammate in range F Square Button X X
– Player revives knocked down teammate F Square Button X X
In the Inventory Player heals self using highlighted heal item Right Click X Button A A

New Mode: Tutorials

To create a richer gameplay experience for not only new players but also for returning players, we are adding two in-game tutorial modes that provide a step-by-step process. As for returning players who haven’t accessed our game for months, these tutorials will help you revive your rusty battle skills before you’re ready to plunge back into action.

Tutorial 1: Basic Training Mode

  • Players will go through five stages in this mode:
    • Basic character movements
    • Looting and shooting guns
    • Looting and throwing throwables
    • Using healing items
    • Reviving knocked down teammate
  • New and returning players must complete this mode first to proceed to the next AI Training Match tutorial.
  • Current players who feel the need to practice are also free to access this mode in the Training tab.

Tutorial 2: AI Training Match

  • Players will be facing 99 bots in this mock game mode to grasp the flow of how an actual normal match would look and feel like.
  • Map: Erangel
  • Only supports TPP.
  • During each situation and phase, messages will pop up in the upper left corner of the screen to guide players on what to do.
  • Players can complete this mode by satisfying one of the following conditions:
    • Play 10 AI Training Matches (Players must play longer than a certain time each match to be counted.)
    • Complete every mission
      • Players can find the mission list in the game mode selection screen and/or in the System Menu.
  • Current players may also play up to 10 AI Training Matches per account.
    • Since PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS provides the fun of coming up with strategies to use against real enemies in a battle royale setting, we believe the 10 match limit in AI Training Matches is just enough for players who need the practice.
  • New and returning players who complete this mode before playing all 10 matches will still be able to play the remaining matches left.
  • AI Training Matches will NOT affect/provide:
    • Career (Stats/Match History/Medals/Survival/Weapons/Replays)
    • Pass Missions
    • Event Missions
    • Battlestat
    • BP Rewards
    • XP Rewards
    • Custom Match

New and returning players will not be able to play other game modes before they complete the tutorials. (However, you’ll be able to play normal matches if you’re in a party.)

Lobby Tutorial Missons

  • We have prepared extra missions to help players get used to our game once they are done with the two tutorials.
  • Players can check the Events page to see their mission lists and each mission’s progress.
  • All missions will be automatically accepted.
  • Players who complete the missions will be able to receive various rewards.
    • Once players receive every reward, the mission list will disappear.
  • Lobby tutorial missions and their rewards are only provided once per account.

Training Mode

We’ve made some big improvements to our current Training Mode based on our community’s feedback to create a more effective and efficient space for players wanting to hone their skills.

Training Helper

In the current Training Mode, we noticed that players had to roam about finding and looting needed weapons, ammo, and attachments. Furthermore, in order to practice using several guns, players had to stay near the gun spawning area to conveniently switch weapons.

Therefore, we would like to introduce the new Training Helper! With this feature, players will be able to whip up any weapon or item any time, anywhere.

  • To bring up the Training Helper, press:
    • PC: ‘,’ (comma) key
    • PlayStation®: Touchpad button hold
    • Xbox: View button hold
    • Stadia: Google Assistant button hold
  • The maximum number of items a player can summon is 200.
    • Each item summon will be counted as 1.
      • For example, even if a player summons 30 rounds of ammo, it will be counted as 1 summon.
    • Vehicles and specific throwables can not be summoned.
  • Players will now be able to adjust sensitivity with the Training Helper right away without having to go in Settings every time.

Practice Range

As we observed players practicing their aiming and shooting on the walls, we decided to implement a proper system where players could practice all they want without any interference.

Therefore, a private indoor target practice area has been built into Training Mode.

  • Players can enter this private area through the indoor range door.
  • Even if multiple players enter simultaneously, players will end up arriving at their own training domain alone – like magic.
  • Once inside, players can use the buttons in front of the shooting target to adjust the target’s distance or to reset its state.
  • Two monitors will be available on the left for further assistance: the lower monitor will display a close-up of your shots while the upper monitor will present your scores.
    • The left side of the scores is the number of bullets that hit the target; the right side is the percentage of your bullets landing within the target’s circle.
  • The score will not calculate the shots that miss the target.

Shooting Target Improvements

We’ve modified and improved the shooting targets scattered around Training Mode.

  • We’ve added moving targets.
    • The speed and moving direction are set to random.
  • We’ve also added pop-up targets to the Practice Range.
    • Out of a total of 18 targets, 2 random targets are raised.
    • Once the player successfully hits one target, another random target will pop up.

Background Noise Reduction

To reduce the inconvenience players feel when getting distracted by other players’ noises, a noise reduction feature has been implemented.

  • This feature will reduce the noise of other players such as gun shots, movements, vehicles, and more.
  • This feature is enabled automatically and players will not be able to turn it off.
  • This feature will not reduce every background noise as we have set our priority to reducing the main noises that bother other players. However, we will continue to improve this feature.

Adding Mortars

Mortars and their ammo have been added to Training Mode.

Action Queuing

With the Action Queue feature, players can queue up their next desired action by pressing and holding the button while a certain action is in progress. The action will immediately perform after the action in progress ends. For example, if you hold the firing key while reloading, the gun fires immediately after the reload action ends. We already have various action queues applied, but we want to respond to a long-requested community feedback by applying them to more cases to improve the flexibility and responsiveness of game controls.

  • Action Queuing is added to shooting, inventory navigating, various moving actions and etc.
  • The action bound to the key held will activate after queuing.
  • This feature is turned off as default. Please turn on from the Settings.
    • Go to Settings – Game Play – Functionalities to turn on/off the feature.

Win94 & VSS Improvements

Win94

We wanted to allow fans of the Win94 to use the Iron Sight again, especially for very close combat where a scope is less ideal.

  • Players can switch between the scopes and iron sights with the help of a functional flip sight.
  • The Win94 will continue to have no sight attachment slot as the Iron Sight is attached by default.

VSS

The VSShad a ~3.5X Scope, and this was the only available sight to fire the weapon in ADS with no sight attachments allowed. It has the potential to be useful on short range, however it can be a bit awkward to fight ADS in close quarters with the Scope. We hope this update allows players to fight more easily in close quarters.

  • Now you can attach a Canted Sight on the VSS.

World

PGC feature removal

We hope to see you all in the next PGC!

  • Switched the lobby theme.
  • Removed the digital display and graffiti.
  • Removed the plane banner.
  • Removed the 2021 PGC loading screen.
  • Removed the live stream screens.

KAKAO FRIENDS and Christmas theme removal

We previously planned to provide “Christmas Weather” only during the collaboration with KAKAO FRIENDS. But, due to the request from the community, we decided to keep it with a slightly lower probability.

  • Removed KAKAO FRIENDS Collaboration-theme.
  • Replaced the current digital display image with the default image.
  • Brought back the previous Vikendi minimap.
  • Removed the Christmas theme.

DBNO Balance

Have you ever been in that awkward situation where you got killed shortly after entering DBNO by being attacked? It gets frustrating when you’ve just looted all the things you need but soon die, especially in the early stages of the match. This DBNO adjustment focuses on decreasing the amount of annoying DBNO executions which may ruin the game experience.

  • Extended entering the DBNO time.
    • Lengthen the ‘going into DBNO’ animation time which would increase the invulnerability time from 1 to 1.5 seconds.
  • Tweaked the DBNO bleed out time.
    • 1st knock: 83 seconds → 90 seconds
    • 2nd knock: 25 seconds → 30 seconds
    • 3rd knock: 13 seconds → 30 seconds
    • 4th knock: 9 seconds → 10 seconds
    • 5th knock: 7 seconds → 7 seconds(no changes)
    • 6th knock: 5 seconds(new)
    • 7th knock: 4 seconds(new)
    • 8th knock: 3 seconds(new)
    • 9th knock: 2 seconds(new)
  • Increased DBNO movement by 10%.
    • Movement speed while DBNO underwater remains the same.
  • Reduced the Frag Grenade damage when in DBNO by 20%.
  • DThe damage received while wearing level 3 armor is now applied in all conditions, including when not wearing anything.
  • SR guns and crossbows, including Win94, are not affected by the DBNO balance, and damage has been increased.
    • SR: 35% increase
    • Crossbow: 12.5% increase
    • SR and Crossbows apply damage by armor conditions.
  • There are no changes in damage received from weapons not mentioned above.

QoL

Screen Ping Marker

We’ve improved the existing ping system and added the ability to display the ping on the screen where the player can see. We expect this will enable faster and more clear communication between squad mates.

  • Available in all Solo, Duo and Squad Modes.
  • Not available in Ranked and Esports Modes.

How to place a screen/map ping marker

  • Point your crosshair where you want to ping and click the mouse wheel, click on the world map or press the insert button.
    • Xbox/Stadia: R Stick
    • PlayStation: R3
  • Ping markers are distinguishable by the following three categories.
    • Vehicles
    • Location
    • Everything else

Hows to remove Screen, Map Pick Markers

  • One player can place one Ping Marker at a time.
  • Previous Ping Marker is removed when placing a new Ping Marker.
  • Previous Ping Marker is removed when creating a tactical marker.
  • Press the Delete key to remove both Screen and Map Ping Markers at the same time.
    • When you remove pings with the Delete button after placing them with Radio Message, the Radio Message will remain.
    • This feature is not supported on Consoles.

Minimap Improvements

We have improved the quality of the minimap so that the terrain is displayed more intuitively.

  • We have applied the same quality of curves in the map to the mini-map. In addition, the bridges are displayed in the same way as the roads.

Lobby Updates

UI/UX 2.0

PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS’ entire out-game appearance has nicely groomed itself to transform into a fresh new look for all current, returning, and new players. With this huge UI/UX update, players will find both in-game and lobby interfaces to be more accessible, convenient, and complete.

Lobby Interface Improvements

Our main lobby had maintained its interface since the good old Early Access days… therefore, we have tucked the current destructive, dystopian atmosphere away and applied dark green and sandy colors, dense and subtle dotted textures to express a more modern theme.

  • Lobby Menu
    • The navigation bar has been moved from the left to the very center to minimize players’ movements when moving between the menus and tabs.
    • The area for fixed menus and irregular menus (such as Esports) have been divided up.
    • The currency area (G-COIN, BP, etc.) have been banished from the navigation bar as they couldn’t coexist with the lobby menus.
  • Matchmaking Settings
    • Players will no longer have to waste time opening up a pop-up just to change the game mode. They can now select game modes in the lobby.
    • However, players will still be able to change game modes through the current pop-up system – when they do, details on the selected map will now be available as well.
  • News Page/Patch Notes Area

  • The upper right corner of the lobby has a new popover feature that shows News previews.
  • Numerous layouts have been applied so they could shift accordingly to fit and show the increasing amount of new community and events news.
  • A button that directs players to social channels or community sites has been added.
  • Players can now read the Patch Notes in the lobby.
    • As for console players, they will be directed to the Patch Notes on the official website.
    • Multiple languages have been added to specific languages.

In addition to the changes stated above, players will be able to discover updates we’ve made to other out-game elements such as the Notification Center, Store, Create Your Character screen, the Hideout, the Setting Menu for consoles, etc. and other in-game elements as well such as the Settings, Report User window, in-game messages, and so much more!

Store

  • Indication of the number of new items in each category on the left side of ITEMS for five days.
    • Notification marker does not go away even after checking out the new item.
  • The icon displayed in the set item slot has been improved so that it displays the same as the actual icon of the component.
  • Item slot will change colors when there is less than a week left and then highlighted when there is less than 24 hours of time left before the sale ends.

QoL

Match History Improvements

Based on our analysis, we found that the Survivor tab didn’t create a lot of views. So, we’ve simplified the menu to improve player convenience.

  • Improved Match Report
    • Removed the Survivor Tab.
    • The acquired Survival Mastery XP will be displayed in four different categories.
      • Total XP
      • Combat, survival, item loot, item use.

Ranked SMS Authentication System (PC Only)

SMS authentication was required to play Ranked matches. Previously, only one account was eligible for verification with one phone number. We will continue to block the numbers which were used by banned accounts for verification purposes. However, we have enabled multiple account SMS authentication with one phone number.

Settings

We have changed the default settings to the following for the convenience of new players:

​

Options Default
Default Firing Mode for SMGs Full Auto
Default Firing Mode for Handguns Full Auto
Default Firing Mode for ARs Full Auto
Auto Reload Enable

​

This update will only apply to new players’ accounts that never accessed PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS before.

Lobby Theme

  • The main lobby has been updated to a new theme of an inside of a plane in flight.
  • A new background music has been applied.
    • Players may change the background music in the Settings.
  • This lobby theme will not be applied to other lobbies such as Ranked, etc.

WSUS

  • Polymers are sold in the Scrap Broker.
  • Progressive Weapon Skin level display is improved.
  • Preview page received more lighting.

Xbox Cloud Gaming Service End

  • As introduced in the Free-to-Play announcement, PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS is excluded from Xbox Game Pass due to the F2P service transition. As Xbox Cloud Gaming is a service offered to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers, PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS is no longer supported through Xbox Cloud Gaming. Thank you for playing PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS on Xbox Cloud Gaming.

Known Issues

Team Invite Message

The Profile button from the team invite message is temporarily turned off to improve the feature. It will return in the future update, and we will inform you through the patch notes at a later date.

Bug Fixes

Gameplay

  • Fixed the issue of characters moving awkwardly after looking at their feet after using a boost or healing item in a prone stance.
  • PC Only: Fixed the issue of players unable to use the Ctrl + V key in-game.
  • PC Only: Fixed the issue of Ranked Match Safe Zones of Phase 4 and Phase 8 being set in the water.
  • PC Only: Fixed the issue of the Porter turning black when moving under a shadowy area.
  • PC Only: Fixed the issue of the Sandbox mode setting being turned to Off when a Partner account creates custom matches.
  • Fixed the issue of the character moving awkwardly after switching to primary weapon right after using a throwable item.
  • PC Only: Fixed the issue of crashes occurring when spectating players with animated nameplates equipped.
  • Fixed the issue of guns’ ammo reverting to its default number of loaded ammo when replacing an attached Extended Mag to an Ext.QuickDraw Mag.
  • Fixed the issue of the Blue Zone animation in Taego’s Comeback Arena looking awkwardly disrupted when the Play Area gets restricted.
  • Fixed the issue of the character maintaining the stance of holding a gun even after dropping a weapon in a vehicle.
  • Fixed the issue of players being able to loot items from the Secret Room while using vehicles.
  • Fixed the issue of a player’s ADS mode shaking severely after using a throwable item and crouching and standing repeatedly.
  • PC Only: Fixed the issue of the gun barrel of PGC 2021 Contingent Chaos – Beryl M762 shaking awkwardly when used.
  • Fixed the issue of C4s and BZ Grenades included in the care packages in Taego’s Ranked Matches.

World

  • General bugs such as collision issues, texture issues, performance issues, etc have been fixed in Miramar.

UI

Items & Skins

※ Clipping issue: Graphics that are shown outside the visible part of an image/object.

 

  • Fixed the clipping issue when a male character equips the Mazarin1k’s Hoodie with Utility Belt.
  • Fixed the issue of the shoes’ accessory vanishing when a female character equips the Pom Pom Slips.
  • Fixed the issue of the texture of the “Baby Bear” Sleep Mask getting distorted when a character uses the APEACH’s Heart Ceremony emote with the item equipped.
  • Fixed the issue of the character’s hands turning transparent when equipping the Luna Piena Dress with the Jeremy Lin Jacket.
  • Fixed the issue of the armpit area of the character with the APEACH’S Nightie equipped getting stretched when using emotes that make the character’s arms go up.
  • Fixed the issue of the model representation data (level of detail) missing from Hairstyle 27.

Source: Reddit

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Alex Co

Father, gamer, games media vet, writer of words, killer of noobs.

Home > News

Rainbow Six Siege Creative Director Vacates Position, New Director Pens Message to Community

With Rainbow Six Siege’s Year 7 right around the corner, players are eagerly awaiting what’s next for the super-succesful shooter. Before anything else, though, Ubisoft has announced that there’s a major shift in Rainbow Six Siege’s dev team.

Siege Creative Director Leroy Athanssoff has announced that due to “personal reasons,” he is vacating his spot as Creative Director to puruse other projects at Ubisoft. Replacing Athanssoff is Alexander Karpazis, who’s been around the project since its Alpha stage. Check out his letter to the community:

Hello Operators,

My journey with Siege started all the way back when the project was in its Alpha. I joined some friends and competed in Siege’s first internal tournament where we made it to the finals. Even in the early stages of the game I knew there was something special about Siege, but at the time I had no idea how profound of an impact it would have on my life. Fast-forward to the present: I’ve spent the last four years working with an incredible team of people, on one of the most successful competitive shooters in the world. The next step of that journey starts today, and I couldn’t be more excited about the future of Siege.

I’m truly thankful for Leroy’s mentorship over the years. He’s taught me what exemplary leadership, creativity, and passion look like in the position of Creative Director. Leroy’s hard work will be visible in future seasons as the team and I prepare for one of the most ambitious years in Siege’s history. I’m extremely humbled by the team’s trust in me, and I hope to earn the trust of the community in my new role as well.

Here’s to an incredible year of Siege to come, and many more to follow.

{-}7

Alex

As for Siege, we’re expect a new wave of content planned for 2022! Once we know more, we’ll let our readers know. Aside from Siege, another Rainbow Six game is nearing launch, and that’s R6 Extraction! Read up and watch our hands-on impressions of the game right here.
Source: Ubisoft
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Alex Co

Father, gamer, games media vet, writer of words, killer of noobs.

Home > News

Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem Arrives for PC This January 25

Unleash all the guns and mayhem you have at your disposal for a new Serious Sam adventure, as Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem arrives for PC this January 25, bringing with it a new standalone expansion for fans looking for more action and adventure after the events of Serious Sam 4!

Here’s the trailer for the new PC first person shooter game coming to PC at the end of the month!

Set in the Russian landscape and seeing Sam pursuing his enemy General Brand, here are the key features of the expansion as detailed in the game’s Steam page.

Key Features

  • Welcome to Siberia – …the heart of Russia. This place is huge, cold, and so unpredictable even the alien invaders feel lost. Travel through five new levels set in a beautiful and dangerous world, from Arctic coastlines and desolate forests to abandoned villages and a chilling ghost town. Siberia is large enough for you to fight & explore for as much as you want.

  • Beasts of the Apocalypse – Only the strongest souls survive in Siberia, and Mental knows it well. A new set of dangerous foes and bosses join the Horde in Siberian Mayhem. Including some of the most advanced and intimidating creatures you never expected to see.

  • Tempered Steel – There’s only one thing that stands between Serious Sam and his enemies—a gun. Treat yourself with a deadly arsenal of new weapons, from the legendary AK to experimental “Perun” crossbow, and more! Do you want to cause death from above or become one with 50 tons of first-class firepower? New gadgets and vehicles are locked, loaded, and ready to fulfill your most destructive dreams.

  • At Home Among Strangers – When you think the journey is over and there are no more stories to tell, the universe gives you a second chance. Meet a gang of new outcasts and unexpected characters who will help Sam on his journey to Tunguska. Complete side-missions in order to uncover new chronicles these wild places uphold. And pay attention to your surroundings—the world itself can tell you something you never expected to hear.

  • Siberian Mysteries – The lands of Siberia are huge, desolate, and full of secrets. Useful, silly, weird, familiar… you name it. Can you find them all?

If you haven’t played Serious Sam 4 and need to backtrack on that game, you can check out our archives on that sequel here.

Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem hits PC on January 25.

Tim Villasor

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Street Fighter 35th Anniversary Logo Revealed by Capcom

This year marks a big celebration for one of the most recognizable fighting game franchises ever made, as the Street Fighter 35th anniversary logo has been revealed by Capcom, honoring three and a half decades of the world warriors and beyond!

Here’s the brand new logo as seen in the official Street Fighter Twitter page.

First released in August of 1987 in Japanese arcades, the first Street Fighter game was not the revolutionary fighter that many would recall instantly, but it did introduce mainstay characters Ryu and Ken, as well as their iconic special moves such as the Hadouken and Shoryuken. A few years later in 1991, it would get a direct sequel in Street Fighter 2, which evolved the concept and introduced mechanics that would serve as the template for the fighting game genre as we know it today. Street Fighter 2’s success would spawn several more sequels and spin-offs, as well as direct competition in the form of rival companies creating their own iconic franchises such as SNK’s Fatal Fury and King of Fighters series of games.

While the series continues to thrive and remain relevant to this day with its latest installment in Street Fighter 5, that game has more or less finished its run of new content, especially with the release of its final Season 5 DLC character Luke. All eyes are locked towards the inevitable release of a brand new sequel, and hopefully Capcom takes advantage and brings us a 35th anniversary celebration to remember with surprises later this year!

Source: Capcom

Tim Villasor

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Black Desert Online Update 2.17 Out for Character Reboot & More This Jan. 10

Pearl Abyss has released the Black Desert Online update 2.17 patch notes this January 10, and this one is quite huge as it includes the Character Reboot and more! Check out the Black Desert Online January 10 patch notes below.

Black Desert Online Update 2.17 Patch Notes:

Character Reboot

● Skills of classes will be reset during the January 10th maintence, as announced through the notice: Here.
– Due to the skill reset, GM Silver will appear near the Supply Manager NPC, Robb, at the Battle Arena, allowing characters regardless of where they currently are.
– Interact with GM Silver to conveniently use Learn Skill, Skill Add-on, and Preset functions.

[GM] Silver Appearance Period
After the January 10th Maintenance ~ January 26th Maintenance

[Event] Secret Book of Old Moon (3 Days) x1

 

Coupon Code: US9M-O5GA-56IE-U6QU

* Coupon and the mail the item comes in is available until January 26th.

* You cannot register the coupon once it expires. Please take note that the items stored in your Web Storage and Mail will also disappear once they expire.

* The coupon can be registered once per Family.

* Please take note that you will not be able to use the coupon for 1 hour when you enter the wrong coupon code 10 times in a row.
* You can only redeem this coupon with accounts which are linked to the Black Desert Console Website

How to Link Accounts

– Create an account on the console.playblackdesert.com website.

– In-game, go to Start>Character>My Info.

– Press the △/Y button to select ‘Link Account’.

– Enter the Email Address and password that you used to sign up to the official Website.

All Classes

● Added Unyielding Might, a passive skill you can learn once you reach Lv. 62.

● Added the “Class Damage Ratios” to the Adventurer’s Guide categories so that you can check the damage rate applied for each class when each class attacks its enemies.

* Increased the amount of damage applied by 34.09% when Shais attack Ninjas.

– We are planning to make constant updates when a new class is released so that you can now check the damage rate via the Adventurer’s Guide.

 

● Changed to apply an upper limit or a lower limit for the increase and decrease in Movement Speed, Attack Speed, and Casting Speed that can be applied all at once to your character (With the assumption that your character’s default speed is at 100%.)

– Changed to get up to a total of an extra 150% for Movement Speed, Attack Speed, and Casting Speed that increase with buffs, enhancement levels, and skill add-ons.

* Therefore, the maximum stats for your character’s Movement Speed, Attack Speed, and Casting Speed are 250%.

– Changed to apply a total of up to 50% for the stats for Movement Speed, Attack Speed, and Casting Speed that decrease due to debuffs.

* Therefore, the minimum stats for your character’s Movement Speed, Attack Speed, and Casting Speed are 50%.

* Therefore, only up to 50% will be applied for decrease in Movement Speed, Attack Speed, and Casting Speed even if you can get more than 50%.

For example, when the “Movement Speed -80%” effect is applied when your character’s Movement Speed is at 160%, only “Movement Speed -50%” will be applied and your character’s Movement Speed will be at 110%. (The extra 30% that exceeds the 50% will not be applied.)

 

Another example would be when your character’s Movement Speed is at 100% and “Movement Speed -80%” is applied, only 50% will be applied, which means your character’s Movement Speed will be at 50%. (The extra 30% that exceeds the 50% will not be applied.)

 

Previously, even if your character’s Movement Speed was at 250%, it could drop to 50%, the lowest stats that would be applied for speed, when the Movement Speed decrease effect was applied. However, with the added upper limit and lower limit applications, it was changed so that the increase and decrease effects (especially decrease) wouldn’t be applied after a certain point.

 

● Changed to apply up to Resistance +80% in PvP and changed Ignore Resistance to ignore starting from the +80% Resistance applied in PvP.

Before After
– Apply up to Resistance +60% in PvP

– Ignore enemies’ Max Resistance (Max +100%) instead of Max Resistance in PvP (60%)

– Apply up to +80% Resistance in PvP

– Ignore Max Resistance in PvP (Max +80%)

 

● Made changes to the grab skills for all classes as follows:

Before Reboot
–  Super Armor while using skill for certain classes only – Super Armor on Grapple for all classes

– Decreased lateral attack range

* Attack range in front is the same as before

 

● Changed for all classes to have “No Guard Gauge recovery” and display a guard break motion in s-block or Guard skills.

– Changed to not apply Forward Guard when moving backward while your Guard Gauge is at 0.
– Changed to not apply Forward Guard during the guard break motion.

● Changed the rules for the AP applied to summons.

– Removed all summons’ AP and changed to now apply the summoner’s AP and extra AP to them instead. Therefore, the damage of the summons’ attack skills was adjusted.
– Changed to apply the exact Critical Hit Rate of the summoner’s to the summons.

● Reduced the CC points of Knockback skills from 1.0 point to 0.7 point.

●Improved attack decision effects to match differences in elevation when performing the following skills.

Classes Skills
Ranger Fire an arrow after Evasive Explosion Shot

Descending Current, Ultimate: Descending Current

Dark Knight Black Spirit: Obsidian Ashes
Sage Spatial Collapse

● Alleviated the issue where the falling motion would be displayed in certain topography while using a movement skill.

 

● Please refer to the following notices for more information.

Part 1. Warrior, Sorceress, Ranger, Berserker

Part 2. Tamer, Musa, Maehwa, Valkyrie

Part 3. Ninja, Kunoichi, Wizard, Witch, Dark Knight

Part 4. Striker, Mystic, Lahn, Archer, Shai

 

Conquest War Pre-Season Ends

● Pre-season for Conquest War has ended.
– Therefore, all current Conquest regions have been reset.

2021 Winter Season Graduation Begins!

● Fughar has begun helping Season+ characters graduate and adjust to the normal server with the Season+ Graduation.

Graduation Period January 5th 2022 After the Maintenance ~ March 2nd 2022 Maintenance
Requirements – For Adventurers that did not purchase the Black Spirit Pass, complete and collect all the rewards from the Season Pass Challenges

– For Adventurers that purchased the Black Spirit Pass, complete and collect all rewards from the Season/Black Spirit Pass Challenges

– No longer in possession of the Fughar’s Timepiece

– The path to graduating the Winter Season is as follows:

Quest Name Starting NPC Objectives Completion NPC
[Season Server Graduation] At the Crossroad Leyla located by the Velia Workshop Talk to Fughar after completing the quest ‘[Season] Fughar’s Special Timepiece’ Fughar
[Season Server Graduation] Into the Big Wide World Fughar Use the Honorable Adventurer’s Certificate Fughar

– The season character will convert to a normal character when using the Honorable Adventurer’s Certificate.

– You can obtain the items [Season] Tuvala Conversion Stone Box, Gift Box Full of Memories, and Fughar’s Letter of Encouragement by completing the quests above.

– The item “Gift Box Full of Memories” contains the following items:

Gift Box Full of Memories
[Season] Boss Gear Exchange Coupon x1
Graduation Cap x1

Advice of Valks (+60) x1

Golden Graduation Gown x1

Cron Stone x100

[Event] Secret Book of Old Moon(7 Days) x1

[Event] Elion’s Tear x10

[Event] Item Collection Increase Scroll x5

[Event] Giovan Grolin’s Support Scroll x5

[Event] Tachros’ Spirit Stone x1

Blessed Message Scroll (100 min) x5

Premium Elixir Box x3

Finto’s Filling/Sweet/Fresh Juice x10 of each

 

※ Graudation Precautions!

NEW PLAYERS
*If you have not already completed the ‘[PEN (V) Boss Gear]: The Old Moon Guild’s Best Deal’, you can exchange all PEN (V) Tuvala Gear with Jetina for TET Boss Gear that is guaranteed to go to PEN when following the steps laid out in the notice here: (Link to Patch Note with it in: )
* The gear obtained through this method cannot be sold on the Central Market, and cannot be enhanced in the usual fashion.

Those who have previously completed the Old Moon Guild’s Best Deal questline
* The [Season] Boss Gear Exchange Coupon acquired from previous seasons is available to be used.
* If you have already completed the ‘[PEN (V) Boss Gear]: The Old Moon Guild’s Best Deal’ and exchanged PEN Tuvala for TET Boss Gear through this method before, you will only be able to use the ‘[Season] Boss Gear Exchange Coupon’ acquired through seasons.

Other Notices
– The ‘[Event] Black Spirit Pass’ can no longer be used after graduation. Please ensure that you use the item, and collect all the rewards from the Season Pass.
– You cannot graduate while you have ‘Fughar’s Timepiece’ in your inventory.
– The Honorable Adventurer’s Certificate you obtain during the Graduation Quest must be used on a regular server.

TIP! The Fughar’s Timepiece is an incredibly powerful item that can be found in Seasons. While you can throw it away, it is advised that you make use of it if you are able to do so.  

※ Want to find out more about Graduation? Check the notice here ‘LINK’

 

● The ‘[Season Special Gift] Dreaming Beyond Auroras’ has been added, which will reward you with special items.

Quest Name Starting NPC Conditions Objectives Rewards
[Season Special Gift]
Dreaming Beyond Auroras
Fughar Character must be level 20 or higher and have completed the ‘[Season Server Graduation] Into the Big Wide World. Talk to Fughar Season Special Gift Exchange Coupon x1
Cron Stone x50
Fresh Orange Juice x10
Sweet Wild Berry Juice x10
Sour Green Grape Juice x10

– The item “Seasonal Special Gift Exchange Coupon” mentioned above can be exchanged for 1 of the 5 special reward groups available through the NPC Fughar.

* However, if you already obtained an item from a previous season, you cannot get another item from that season.

– The item “Seasonal Special Gift Exchange Coupon” can be used after Season+ ends to exchange it for a special reward.

– Adventurers that have yet to obtain some of the previous season special rewards can obtain them by completing a season server in the future.

 

Rewards Available with the Season Special Gift Exchange Coupon

[Group A]

PEN(V) Capotia Earring

PEN(V) Capotia Ring

Select one of the above
[Group B]

Perilla’s Star

[Group C]

PEN (V) Capotia Belt

[Group D]

Advice of Valks (+100)

[Group E]
PEN(V) Capotia Necklace

※ You can only receive rewards from each group once.

 

● You can exchange Tuvala Gear for Boss gear through the quests below once you have the ‘[Season] Boss Gear Exchange Coupon’.

– If you visit Fughar with the ‘[Season] Boss Gear Exchange Coupon’, you can proceed with the following quests. You cannot pick up another quest from Fughar until you have completed the quest.

Quest Name
[Season] Even Sharper Weapon: Main Weapon
[Season] Even Sharper Weapon: Sub-weapon
[Season] Even Sharper Weapon: Awakening Weapon
[Season] Even Sturdier Armor: Helmet
[Season] Even Sturdier Armor: Armor
[Season] Even Sturdier Armor: Shoes
[Season] Even Sturdier Armor: Gloves

 

Optimization + Stabilization

● Carried out optimization on the Party UI

● Modified memory usage when first loading the game to improve stability.

 

 

Character Changes

● When deleting characters below level 45, or Trial Characters, the waiting time has been reduced to 3 minutes.

 

Wizard, Witch

● Absolute: Blizzard – The snowstorm which is produced by the skill has been modified to appear more naturally.
● Resurrection is now able to be used.

 

Guardian

● The following skills have been modified to apply their intended status effects when used during mounted combat.

– Mutilation, Beast Demolisher, Avalanche Strike, Axe Throw, Black Blood Circle

● Fixed an issue where linking Prime: Boulder Crush with Fierce Disdain would hit more than intended.

● Improved the following skills to process hits better on uneven heights.

– Scornful Slash, Dragon’s Maw, Pulverization, Mutilation, Black Blood Slaughter

 

Main Weapon, Succession

● Made changes to the following skills:

Skills Before After
Prime: Claw Reveal – Hit Damage 816% x 3 – Attack damage 1216% x 5
Absolute: Omua’s Objurgation – Hit Damage 705% x 8 – Attack damage 1131% x 8
Absolute: Black Blood’s Descent – Hit Damage 801% x 5 – Attack damage 1447% x 5
Flow: Black Blood Eruption – All damage applies Black Blood Circle damage x4 – All damage applies Black Blood Circle damage x6
Bone Freezing Wind – Critical Hit Damage +11.5% – Critical Attack damage +10%
– All AP +12
Chokeslam (I to Absolute) – 8/8/7 sec cooldown – 16/16/15 sec cooldown
Prime: Black Blood Circle – Hit Damage 519/667/815/1107% x 10
– I to III: Damage -35% in PvP
– IV: Damage -43.5% in PvP
– Attack damage 667/815/1107/1456% x 10
– I to III: Damage -44.75% in PvP
– IV: Damage -52% in PvP
Prime: Savage Hack – 1st, 2nd Hit Damage 741/906/1071% x3
– 3rd Hit Damage 741/906/1071% x4
– 4th Hit Damage 741/906/1071% x5
– Attack 1, 2, and 3 damage 906/1071/1256% x5
– Last attack damage 906/1071/1256% x7
Prime: Boulder Crush – 1,2 Hit Damage 813/1045/1277/1509% x 1, Max 3 Hits
– 3,4 Hit Damage 813/1045/1277/1509% x 1, Max 4 Hits
– Damage -30% in PvP
– Attack 1 and 2 damage 813/1045/1277/1509% x4
– Attack 3 and 4 damage 813/1045/1277/1509% x6
– Damage -37% in PvP
Prime: Mountain Slam – Hit Damage 508/653/798/1086% x 9 – Attack damage 653/798/1086/1332% x9
Prime: Avalanche Strike – Hit Damage 748/914/1080% x 7 – Attack damage 914/1080/1236% x9
Omua’s Objurgation – Damage -35% in PVP – Damage -45% in PVP

 

● Prime: Mutilation, Prime: Black Blood Slaughter – Changed to apply their max hits within the entire area of effect.

● Fierce Disdain – Improved to combo smoother into other skills when Fierce Disdain is used laterally.

● Mutilation, Black Blood Slaughter – Fixed the issue where comboing into Savage Hack after using these skills would activate Avalanche Strike first.

● Omua’s Objurgation – Improved to combo into other skills more moothly after using this skill.

● Omua’s Objurgation – Changed the falling speed to appear more natural when the skill is used on a slope.

● Juggernaut, Sturdy Step, Guard – Fixed the issue where trying to combo into Avalanche Strike, Boulder Crush, Savage Hack during the skills would activate Juggernaut: Smite.

● Sturdy Step – Improved to combo into other skills more smoothly after using it.

 

Awakening

● Made changes to the following skills:

Skills Before After
Scornful Slash – 1,2 Hit Damage 564/682/793/910% x 3
– Trail of fire Hit Damage 451/546/634/728% x 2, Max 4 Hits
– Air Attack
– Removed attack 1 and 2 damage
– Trail of fire attack damage 851/1013/1215/1431% x 5, max 2 hits
– Changed so max hits apply for all attack ranges
Searing Fang – 1st Hit Burn Damage 415/549/682% x2, Max 5 Hits
– Trail of fire damage -30% in PvP
– Attack 1 trail of fire damage 518/686/852% x8
– Trail of fire damage -65% in PvP
Neck Impaler – Cooldown 7 sec – 15 sec cooldown
God Incinerator – Hit Damage 593/751/909% x 14 – Attack damage 751/909/1056% x 14

 

● Guard – Changed to be unavailable when the Guard Guage is 0.

● Searing Fang – Changed to apply its max hits in its entire area of effect.

● Searing Fang – Fixed the issue where comboing into Fierce Disdain during the skill activated Flow: Suppress.

● Searing Fang – Improved to combo into certain skills more smoothly after its attack 1 and 2.

● Flow: To Ashes – Improved to combo more smoothly into Glorious Advance after using it.

 

Hashashin

● Fixed an issue where after learning Core: Collapse, Aal’s Dominion would be activated before Silent Breach.

Hashashin Awakening’s movements appeared much heavier compared to his Succession. However, compared to how much slower he was, his skills didn’t feel that much more powerful. Therefore, we improved his Awakening by distinguishing its features to show a different kind strength from his Succession. We improved Constriction, which is only available in Awakening, increased the power of the slower skills like Ensnaring Sands and Serpent’s Coil to keep his Awakening’s uniqueness but maintain the characteristics of Hashashin.

● Pilgrim of the Sands – Changed the effects gained at all levels of the skill.

– The other passive skill (Savior of the Sands) and the effects that can be obtained by leveling the skill were folded into Pilgrim of the Sands.
Before After
Increase All Accuracy Rate +10%
All Evasion Rate +5%
All AP +12
All Evasion Rate +10%

● Aal’s Protection – Changed to be unavailable when Guard Guage is 0.
● Aal’s Mirage – Changed to not display the guard break motion when the Guard Gauge is depleted during the skill.
● Aal’s Mirage – Made the following changes:

– Improved to activate the skill immediately as a combo after using another skill, regardless of the hand that is holding the weapon.
* However, this excludes skills that it could not be comboed with previously like Aal’s Grace, Ensnaring Sands, Flow: Condemnation, and Flow: Voracity.

– Increased the skill cooldown from 13 sec to 18 sec.

● Dune Slash – Changed the damage and cooldown of the skill to the following:

Skills Before After
Dune Slash I Hit damage 695% x 4
Last hit damage 835% x 3
9 sec cooldown
Attack damage 928% x 4
Last attack damage 928% x 3
8 sec cooldown
Dune Slash II Hit damage 695% x 4
Last hit damage 1075% x 3
8 sec cooldown
Attack damage 1194% x 4
Last attack damage 1194% x 3
7 sec cooldown
Dune Slash III Hit damage 695% x 4
Last hit damage 1346% x 3
7 sec cooldown
Attack damage 1496% x 4
Last attack damage 1496% x 3
6 sec cooldown

 

● Flow: Dune Strike – Improved to combo more smoothly into Collapse.
● Flow: Dune Strike – Made the following changes:

– Added the Down Smash effect.
– Added the Air Attack effect.
– Removed the cooldown.
– Removed the All Evasion Rate reduction effect.
– Adjusted the damge reduction in PvP from -50% to -40%.

● Collapse III – Adjusted the damage reduction in PvP from -54% to -45%.
● Collapse – Added the All Evasion Rate reduction effect.
● Collapse – Changed to apply to all targets regardless of the attack 1 range.
● Ensnaring Sands – Made the following changes:

– Increase the skill activation speed.
– Changed the pulling hits to apply damage. Therefore, the skill description was changed.
– Changed the Movement Speed reductions from -40% to -30% at level IV. Now, it will reduce Movement Speed, Attack Speed, and Casting Speed.

● Flow: Sand Warp – Changed to activate all the attacks of Retribution when comboing into it after using Flow: Sand Warp backward.
● Flow: Hourglass of Recall – Changed to apply “Invincibility → Super Armor” during the skill.
● Flow: Condemnation – Changed the damage reduced in PvP from -45% to -40%.
● Silent Breach – Made the following changes:

– Changed the command for the skill from “LS↑+LB/L2 during certain skills” to “A/X during other skills”.
* Therefore, Silent Breach will take priority in activating during all Awakening skills over Aal’s Dominion.
– Increased the attack range.
– Changed the damage to the following:

Before After
Hit damage 802% x 4

Damage -40% in PvP

Attack damage 1239% x 5

Damage -50% in PvP

– Changed the “Floating on hits” effect to “Bound on hits (PvE Only)” effect.
– Added Forward Guard to apply during the skill.
– Added the Down Attack effect.
– Improved to combo more smoothly into other skills during the skill.

● Serpent’s Coil – Made the following changes:

– Removed the “reduce All Accuracy Rate on hits” effect.
– Changed to not consume Stamina while holding the skill.
– Changed to no longer be able to use repeatedly and adjusted the damage accordingly.
– Added the increase All Evade for 5 sec effect.
– Increased the area of effect.

● Flow: Voracity – Made the following changes:

– Improved to be able to activate quicker at the start of Serpenet’s Coil.
– Increased the area of effect.
– Change the damage to the following:

Before After
Hit damage 1477% x 8
Damage -55% in PvP
Attack Damage 1625% x 8
Damage -60% in PvP

 

● Crown Kick – Made the following changes:

– Removed the “Bound on spin hits” effect.
– Added “increase Attack Speed when using skill” effect.
– Improved to recover MP per hit.
– Improved to attack while turning towards the direction of the camera.
– Improved to combo more smoothly into Crown Kick after using Flow: Sand Warp, Constriction, and Piercing Fang.
– Improved to combo more smoothly into other skills after using Crown Kick.
– Adjusted the damage, Critical Hit Rate, and PvP damage reduction to the following:

Before After
Spin hit damage  770% x 5

Last hit damage 770% x 2

Damage not reduced in PvP

Critical Hit Rate +0%

Spin attack damage 1078% x 5

Last attack damage 1078% x 2

Damage -35% in PvP

Critical Hit Rate +50%

 

● Retribution – Adjusted the damage and damage reduction in PvP to the following:

Before After
Hit damage 811% x 7

Last hit damage 1201% x 1, Max 4 Hits

Damage -20% in PvP

Attack damage 1014% x 7

Last attack damage 1441% x 1, max 4 hits

Damage -37% in PvP

 

● Aal’s Grace – Added All AP +20 for 30 sec, Critical Hit Damage +15% for 30 sec.
● Prime: Blade’s Pact – Added Critical Hit Rate +30% for 30 sec.
● Aal’s Breath, Prime: Aal’s Breath – Fixed the issue where all the damage dealt by the summon were being applied to double the hits.

 

Nova

● Quoratum’s Aura – Changed the effects gained at all levels of the skill.

– The other passive skill (Quoratum’s Adjuvant) and the effects that can be obtained by leveling the skill were folded into Quoratum’s Aura.

Before After
All DP +12

Max HP +200

All DP +20

Max HP +300

 

● Absolute: Quoratum’s Protection – Changed to consume guard gauge faster.

– However, Succession: Quoratum’s Protection was not changed.

● Punishing Trap (I and Absolute) – Changed each of their cooldown from 20/15 sec to 25/20 sec.
● Quoratum’s Protection – Changed to be unavailable when guard gauge is 0.
● Removed the Critical Hit Rate of summons from the following skills in PvE as the Critical Hit Rate of the summoner will now apply to summons:

– Guards and Axian summoned from Passed Pawn, Prime: Passed Pawn, Prime: King of the Dead

● Passed Pawn, Prime: Passed Pawn, Prime: King of the Dead – Changed the damage reduced in PvP to the following:

Skills Before After
Passed Pawn
(I to Absolute)
Damage -48% in PvP Damage -70% in PvP
Prime: Passed Pawn
(I to III)
Damage -55% in PvP Damage -65% in PvP
Prime: King of the Dead Damage -60% in PvP Damage -70% in PvP

 

Awakening

● Accel: Royal Fencing: Fleche – Improved to be able to combo into Royal Fencing: Lunge during the skill.
● Changed the following skills:

Skills Before After
Frozen Ring (I to IV) Critical Hit Rate +25% (PvE Only)
IV: Hit damage 876% x 2, Max 12 Hits
* Damage -55% in PvP
Critical Hit Rate +50% (PvE Only)
IV: attack damage 1051% x 2, max 12 hits
* Therefore, adjusted damage -63.9% in PvP
All DP -10 for 10 sec
Brutal Ring Hit damage 1031% x 6
* Damage -60% in PvP
Critical Hit Rate +50%
9 sec cooldown
Attack damage 1340% x 10
* Therefore, adjusted damage -80% in PvP
Critical Hit Rate +100%
6 sec cooldown
Combust Life Recover +50% Star’s Breath when using skill
Consume 1000 HP when using skill
Recover +25% Star’s Breath when using skill
Consume 500 HP when using skill

 

● Quoratum’s Guard – Changed to be unavailable when Combust Life is learned.
● Combust Life – Added the Super Armor for 10 sec effect that used to be applied by using En Garde.

 

Sage

Sage Succession received a nerf on his PvE efficiency. We did increase the PvE efficiency of other classes through the reboot, however, Sage Succession still showed a much higher efficiency compared to the other classes. Therefore, we were forced to lower his PvE efficiency to match it to the rest of the classes. We hope you understand our decision. We will continue to monitor the data after the nerf and supplement certain details that may be required.


Main Weapon, Succession

● Ancients’ Wisdom – Changed the effects gained in all levels of the skill.

Before After
All Accuracy Rate +10%

Casting Speed +5%

All Special Attack damage +2%

All Accuracy Rate +5%

Casting Speed +10%

 

● Illusion Barrier – Change to be unavailable when Guard Gauge is 0.
● Realm of Anguish – Removed the Critical Hit Rate of summons from the skill in PvE as the Critical Hit Rate of the summoner will now apply to summons.
● Changed the PvE damage of the following skills, however, their PvP damage remains the same as before.

Skills Before After
Form Shift
(I to Absolute)
Hit damage 240% x 2, Max 7 Hits
Hit damage 454% x 2, Max 7 Hits
Hit damage 668% x 2, Max 7 Hits
Hit damage 882% x 2, Max 7 Hits
Hit damage 1176% x 2, Max 7 Hits
Attack damage 209% x 2, max 7 hits
Attack damage 395% x 2, max 7 hits
Attack damage 581% x 2, max 7 hits
Attack damage 767% x 2, max 7 hits
Attack damage 1023% x 2, max 7 hits
Prime: Form Shift
(I to IV)
Hit damage 843% x 2, Max 7 Hits
Hit damage 1013% x 2, Max 7 Hits
Hit damage 1182% x 2, Max 7 Hits
Hit damage 1352% x 2, Max 7 Hits
Attack damage 717% x 2, max 7 hits
Attack damage 861% x 2, max 7 hits
Attack damage 1005% x 2, max 7 hits
Attack damage 1149% x 2, max 7 hits
Ator’s Fist
(I to Absolute)
Hit damage 374% x 4, Max 4 Hits
Hit damage 495% x 4, Max 4 Hits
Hit damage 547% x 4, Max 4 Hits
Hit damage 656% x 4, Max 4 Hits
Hit damage 758% x 4, Max 4 Hits
Attack damage 318% x 3, max 4 hits
Attack damage 421% x 3, max 4 hits
Attack damage 465% x 3, max 4 hits
Attack damage 558% x 3, max 4 hits
Attack damage 664% x 3, max 4 hits
Prime: Ator’s Fist

(I to III)

Hit damage 803% x 4, Max 4 Hits
Hit damage 963% x 4, Max 4 Hits
Hit damage 1156% x 4, Max 4 Hits
Attack damage 683% x 3, max 4 hits
Attack damage 819% x 3, max 4 hits
Attack damage 983% x 3, max 4 hits
Prime: Rift Storm Hit damage 1221% x 3, 1221% x 8 Attack damage 1099% x 3, 1099% x 8
Illusion Expansion
(I to Absolute)
Hit damage 335% x 4, Max 2 Hits
Hit damage 426% x 4, Max 2 Hits
Hit damage 527% x 4, Max 2 Hits
Hit damage 651% x 4, Max 2 Hits
Hit damage 768% x 4, Max 2 Hits
Hit damage 1145% x 4, Max 2 Hits
Attack damage 302% x 4, max 2 hits
Attack damage 383% x 4, max 2 hits
Attack damage 474% x 4, max 2 hits
Attack damage 586% x 4, max 2 hits
Attack damage 691% x 4, max 2 hits
Attack damage 1031% x 4, max 2 hits
Prime: Illusion Expansion Hit damage 1291% x 4, Max 2 Hits Attack damage 1162% x 4, max 2 hits

 

● Prime: Overdrive – Made the following change:

– Reduce the cooldown of Reset by 5 sec instead of Prime: Optimization when Overdrive is stacked 10 times.

● Illusion Expansion, Prime: Illusion Expansion – Fixed the issue where the number of hits in the skill description did not match the actual number of hits of the skill.

Awakening

● Seize – Increased the cooldown from 13 sec to 20 sec.
● Enlightening Bolt III – Fixed the issue where casting the skill in a normal state would cause the Arkanon to apply the damage of Lv. II.
● Removed the Critical Hit Rate of summons from the following skills in PvE as the Critical Hit Rate of the summoner will now apply to summons:

– Enlightening Bolt, Flow: Aftershock, Radiant Annihilation

● Flow: Aftershock – Changed the damage reduction of Arkanon in PvP from -40% to -62%.
● Radiant Annihilation – Changed the damage reduction of Arkanon in PvP from -30% to -58%.

Corsair

● Fixed an issue where the skill description for the ‘Pirate’s Life For Me’ did not show the full skill effects.

Succession Corsair could remain protected with Invincibility effects by continually comboing her mermaid transforming mareca skills and deal tons of damage at the same time. Thanks to this combination of protection and damage, which gave her a rather huge advantage over other classes, we decided to adjust her accordingly. While she retains her powerful damage, her Invincibility window has been shortened so that Corsair will need to be more strategic with her skills.
Main Weapon, Succession

● Sword Song – Changed the effects gained in all levels of the skill.

– The other passive skill (Cap’n on Deck) and the effects that can be obtained by leveling the skill were combined to Sword Song.

Before After
All AP +10

Critical Hit Damage +2%

All Evasion Rate +4%

All AP +12

All Evasion Rate +10%

 

● Changed the defensive effects when using the following Mareca skills so that Invincible is applied only when Corsair is underwater and Super Armor is applied in all of the other situations.

– Mareca: Jet Stream, Mareca: Whale Song, Mareca: Spiral Soak, Mareca: Spiral of Dreams, and Mareca: Sea of Dreams

● Mareca: Sea of Dreams – Changed the cooldown from 60 sec to 45 sec.
● Mareca: Spiral of Dreams – Changed the cooldown from 45 sec to 30 sec.
● Prime: Mareca: Spiral Soak – Changed the cooldown for the “No Guard Gauge recovery on hits” from 15 sec to 8 sec.
● Increased the damage in PvE and number of hits in PvE for the following skills. However, the damage and number of hits remain the same in PvP.

Skill Before After
Prime: Mareca: Jet Stream 1st Hit Damage 1239% x 8 (PvE Only)

2nd Hit Damage 1304% x 6

Last Hit Damage 1304% x 5

Attack 1 damage 1239% x 13 (PvE only)

Attack 2 damage 1568% x 6

Last attack damage 1568% x 5

Prime: Mareca: Whale Song 1st Hit Damage 1308% x 6

2nd HIt Damage 1308% x 10

Attack 1 damage 1528% x 6

Attack 2 damage 1528% x 10

Prime: Mareca: Spiral Soak 1st Hit Damage 1402% x 1, Max 6 Hits

2nd Hit Damage 1402% x 10

Attack 1 damage 1652% x 1, max 6 hits

Attack 2 damage 1652% x 16

-6 last attack hits in PvP

 

● Prime: Ocean’s Allure – Changed the first attack motion to where your character draws in her rope and leaps, and added a “Forward Guard before attack” effect.
● Prime: Ocean’s Allure – Improved to perform attacks in the direction of the camera angle when it rotates before moving to perform slash attacks.

 

Awakening

● Heart-catcher Patraca – Changed the cooldown from 15 sec to 17 sec.
● Removed the Critical Hit Rate applied in PvE to the summon of the following skill, due to the summoner’s Critical Hit Rate stats being applied to the summon.

– The Slippery Scallywags effect applied when casting an Awakening skill.

● Changed the Damage Reduction Rate in PvP from -40% to -60% for all the Slippery Scallywags that appear when casting an Awakening skill.

 

 

Item Changes

● Changed so that you cannot use the Item Copy and Single Copy functions with a character that has Karma below 0.

● Bring the Secret Scroll of Equilibrium to Alustin in Velia to exchange it for an [Event] Chest of Equilibrium.

– You can obtain the Secret Scroll of Equilibrium via Challenges (Y) when logging in from Dec 11, 2021 (Sat) at 00:00 to Feb 9, 2022 (Wed) before maintenance.

Required Item Exchanged Item

▲ Obtained via Challenge Windo

▲ Can be exchanged with [Event] Chest of Equilibrium

– The [Event] Chest of Equilibrium and the Secret Scroll of Pure Equilibrium obtained from opening the [Event] Chest of Equilibrium will be removed following the Mar 2, 2022 (Wed) maintenance.

* However, the Strength EXP Exchange Coupon, Breath EXP Exchange Coupon, and Health EXP Exchange Coupon obtained from opening the [Event] Chest of Equilibrium will not be deleted

[Go to Secret Scroll of Equilibrium Event Announcement]

 

● Separated [Tamer] Daru Gloves from [Tamer] Daru Armor.

– Therefore, you’ll also get [Tamer] Daru Gloves when you open the outfit box containing the [Tamer] Daru Armor.
* Adventurers in possession of the [Tamer] Daru Armor will find [Tamer] Daru Gloves in their storage in Heidel.

● Changed Atoraxxion: Vahmalkea so Krahtenn now has a 100% chance to drop “Searing Heart Piece”.

 

 

NPC, Background and Sound Changes

● Changed so that the sound from Grace Lauren’s voiced dialog and base dialog wouldn’t overlap during the Atoraxxion main questline.

 

 

UI Changes

● Fixed an issue where the titles of the Season Pass objectives could exceed the UI.

● Fixed the issue where the Navigate function would activate even when selecting a completed objective.

● Fixed an issue where the ordering of the Chat Groups was incorrect.

● Fixed an issue where the character portaits in the Party window UI looked abnormal.

● Changed so that you can always press the Copy button when using the Item Copy UI.

– However, when you are not able to use the Item Copy function, you will get a notification on when you can use it.

* To use the Item Copy function, you must complete [Marni’s Suspicious Device] consecutive quests from the Black Spirit’s (,) Suggested quests with a Lv. 56 or higher character and the character you want to copy items from and the character you want to copy items to should be linked via the Tag Character function.

● Fixed an issue where icons could appear incorrectly when removing the slot from the Edit Ring Menu UI

● In the Pet Exchange UI, the skills that can be learned through the exchange will now display the odds of obtaining said skills.

 

Other Changes

● Fixed various issues with the area surrounding Trent village.

● Fixed an issue where character’s feet would sink under the floor when in the corridor of the 2nd floor of Epheria 2-5 residence.

● The horse icons shown in the stables have been improved.

● Fixed an issue where the minimap would display incorrectly in certain locations of the Blood Wolf Settlement area.

● Fixed an issue where the Ranger’s ‘Sweet Dreams’ underwear would display differently compared to other classes

● Fixed the exposure of abnormal graphics which displayed with the Sweet Dreams outfit.

That’s about it for the patch.

Source: Play Black Desert

MP1st Staff

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Report: Armored Core 6 Screenshots Leak Online Following Survey

Before they built upon the legacy that is the Souls series, FromSoftware was best known for the Armored Core series. It has been years since a new entry into the mech action title has been released, but now it appears that the Japanese developer is once again gearing up for a new entry, as a new Armored Core game, Armored Core 6, screenshots leak online following a consumer survey sent out to players. Check out the screenshot below and see if we truly have Armored Core 6 on our hands.

The screenshots comes from a Resetera thread discussing a recent consumer survey sent out to some players relating to Armored Core. The survey, according to the original poster, included details, screenshots, and two 30-second clips, although none were posted as they were watermarked, meaning that they could very well be protected by copyright. However, a commenter later in the thread managed to grab the screenshots, which you can check out below:

The poster also shared some details based on their time with the survey:

The screenshots were not huge and 8 in total.
1. More snowy area, player character in the air firing down on a street with vehicles below (tanks? cars?)
2. A smoke-filled aerial shot with an enemy in the distance.
3. A darker green/grey toned area gunfire and light/fire coming from the combat everywhere.
4. Snowy area again, ground-based combat against a similar sized enemy (pvp?)
5-8: These four looked like boss fight shots:
5. A bigger humanoid mech, white/grey. Player character has red lights on their mech, on ankles, shoulders and lower back.
6. A huge, tall armoured tank boss.
7. Difficult to make out, player on right, enemy another humanoid mech on left a yellow/gold slash(?) effect I think the player is attacking the enemy with a melee attack.
8. Gunfire battle with a circular yellow effect in front of player character – blocking the gunfire with shields or some attack? Shape and colour reminds me of the Heal miracle in Dark Souls, golden circle.

As is with everything unconfirmed, take this one with a grain of salt until officially confirmed.

FromSoftware’s latest upcoming title, Elden Ring, is coming out on February 25 for the Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. That game made it to our most anticipated list of upcoming games this 2022, and you can check out the full list here.

Source: Resetera

MP1st Staff

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FIST Update 1.21 Punches Out This January 10

Developer TiGames has released the first title update for FIST Forged in Shadow Torch this 2022! The FIST update 1.21 (PS5 version 1.201) is live, and seems to be a rather small download, and doesn’t seem to add new content.

FIST Update 1.21 Patch Notes | FIST Update 1.201 Patch Notes | Forged in Shadow Torch Update 1.21 Patch Notes:

Per the PS4 update history:

Bug fixes:
– Fixed various minor bugs.

That’s about it. So far, TiGames has not released any new info regarding today’s title update, and the community has not mentioned anything either. Once we know more about it, we’ll be sure to let our readers know.

In case you still haven’t picked the game up yet, it’s a massive hit for TiGames per the company’s confirmation. Our review places it at 8.5/10 and states, “F.I.S.T. Forged In Shadow Torch rethreads a lot of familiarity of the Metroidvania genre, but it does so gracefully that fans of the genre will no doubt come to love its offering. Its challenging, fun-filled combat will undoubtedly serve as a highlight, as with it’s engaging exploration, and charming story and characters. Ti Games debut title is one not to skip out on, and is rousing continuation to the PlayStation Heroes Project, proving that you don’t need to be a big studio to pull of high production values into a game”

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Alex Co

Father, gamer, games media vet, writer of words, killer of noobs.

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Rainbow Six Extraction Frame Rates and Resolutions for Last & Next-Gen Revealed

Wondering what the final Rainbow Six Extraction frame rates and resolutions are for last-gen consoles, and next-gen platforms? Thankfully, we know the exact answer to that, which was relayed to us via the game’s developers themselves.

In an interview with MP1st, we asked Rainbow Six Extraction Technical Director Bruno Lalonde what players can expect performance-wise from the game at launch.

MP1st: What’s the final target for framerates and resolutions for last-gen (PS4, Xbox One) and next-gen (PS5, Xbox Series X|S)?

Bruno Lalonde: For old-gen consoles, we are aiming at 30fps solid at 1080p. Next-gen is at 60fps, which is at 4K, HDR, and it will run up to 120fps on high-end PCs.

There you have it. We’ll be posting the full interview from the R6 Extraction team real soon.

In case you haven’t seen the game yet, go watch loads of gameplay from us (raw footage, no commentary) here, and we also wrote about our experience playing the game early in our hands-on impressions.

Rainbow Six Extraction is firing out this January 20, 2022 on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

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Alex Co

Father, gamer, games media vet, writer of words, killer of noobs.

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Respawn Explains Apex Legends Move While Looting Not on Consoles, Controller Tap-Strafing

For those playing Apex Legends on consoles (or with a controller), you might be wondering why the Apex Legends move while looting feature is not available on consoles (or controllers) still, or why tap-strafing isn’t available to controller players. Well, Respawn has commented on that recently.

Over on Twitter, Apex Legends Live Balance Designer John Larson has posted a rather long tweet that talks about these things and more! Read on to see the studio’ reasoning for some of the controller design choices in the game.

Apex Legends Move While Looting Not on Consoles; Controller Tap-Strafing, Aim Assist Tuning and More Explained by Respawn:

Make tap-strafing accessible on controller:

Even before reading the rest of this, I encourage curious minds to revisit my MOVEMENT TECH AND MOBILITY IN APEX twitlonger, as our stance here is pretty much the same.

My gripe with tap-strafing isn’t that it’s only accessible by MnK. As I mentioned in the post, it exists as a design problem (not a balancing mechanic) where the lack of readability and how it compounds with movement abilities are the biggest causes for concern. Take something like Path grapple, arguably the highest skill-ceiling ability in the game. There are identifiable cues and constraints where players can learn, “If grap attaches at x point and Path is moving in y direction, he’ll move roughly along this arc.”

In most trivial examples, sure, I can learn a player will tap-strafe around corners to cut off LoS faster. But add things that enhance mobility, and learnability and counterplay quickly become clouded. If a sweaty Path is grappling near me with a shotty, I know the tap-strafe into my face is coming, but even with the quickest of reflexes how can I improve my chances? And aside from the fact that I’m slow and washed up, mobility creep is a real concern. If something feels good (i.e. movement in Apex), doubling down on that too much can warp gameplay in the grand scheme of things.
_________________________________

Allow controller players to move while looting:

This may come as a surprise to some, but moving while looting is a bug. Is it a bug we’ll ever fix? No. If I were to rewind to early Apex development, I suspect I’d agree with the design decision of stationary looting. Soon after Apex released though, I saw an efficient looting meta-game emerge pretty quickly (this was before joining Respawn, and as a player I thought, “Huh, I bet they never thought this whole shield swapping mechanic would end up being such an integral part of combat!”).

Fast forward a bit, and stuff like menu cursor speed options and gold armor/finisher reworks signaled acceptance of this emergent looting gameplay. In an effort to improve parity between input types, it seems reasonable to think moving while looting on controller should be an option. I’ll defer to fellow dev @rappstar’s replies to a control scheme Snip3down proposed (looting cursor with right stick, moving with left):

“So this type of UX control is more my wheelhouse than @RSPN_JayBiebs. And absolutely yes I’ve thought about your suggestion. I like it. But I also like a lot of the other – incompatible – suggestions for how to solve it. That’s the primary issue with this. Either need overly cumbersome & intractable customization menu that’s hard to maintain & is used by v. small minority. Or pick system that minority of small minority likes & others hate. We have 16 inputs for controller; that’s a huge obstacle for nuanced problems like this. But @Snip3down absolutely I’ve read your suggestions, talked them through with design leadership, explored technical implementation, etc. Happy to talk more (Twitter isn’t great for discussion).”

TLDR; it’s not as simple as adding a menu option for “loot with right stick.” The fact that the left analog stick moves the cursor when menus are open is very much hardcoded, and adding it (along with other advanced interact controls) requires UI, code, and design support that isn’t a top priority right now for the aforementioned reasons.

+1 that Twitter isn’t great for discussion. I leave my DMs open and even if I don’t reply, I am reading your comments.
_________________________________

Implement more options for interact/keybind separation on controller:

If this is referring to the classic controller conundrum of having to reload on a door with a knocked teammate by your feet, I hear you. I’m exploring options here in improving the interact system’s design, but keybind separation is a little trickier as @rappstar points out.
_________________________________

Revisit aim assist tuning:

We hear you loud and clear. Considering we offer different input options, it’s not awfully surprising that there are gameplay-affecting variations between MnK, controller in PC lobbies, and console in PC lobbies. Anyone who’s experimented with different platforms or input types can attest to this. So while I can’t make any promises or provide specifics at the moment, I can say we’re actively evaluating it.
_________________________________

In conclusion, many of the ideas I see for reaching parity between the feel of different input types are perfectly reasonable. They SHOULD NOT BE thought of as balancing mechanics that we manipulate to favor one over the other. Apex is designed to be one game that is both highly accessible AND competitive. The above ideas SHOULD BE thought of as feature requests, often requiring input and resources from multiple teams. In a live service game, juggling priorities is part of the nature of the beast, and as I see community feedback, I take note.

Does this mean nothing will change for controller players? We can’t say for sure, but it’s still a nice move by the devs to explain the gameplay design decisions and why some things are handled the way they are.

In other Apex Legends news, a new event — Dark Depths — is out this Tuesday! Once the title update is out, we’ll be sure to let our readers know. Go check out what’s new incoming here.

Source: John Larson (TwitLonger)

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Alex Co

Father, gamer, games media vet, writer of words, killer of noobs.

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Dying Light 2 Skill Trees for Combat & Parkour Revealed

Techland is gearing up for their big release in February, and now the developer has revealed the Dying Light 2 skill trees for combat and parkour! Check out the video below, as well as a breakdown of some of the notable skills found in both trees.

Here are some of the more notable skills from the Dying Light 2 skill trees:

Combat

  • Block Charge – when blocking, charge at an enemy in front of you and knock them to the ground.
  • Perfect Parry – parry at the last moment to stagger enemy.
  • Ground Pound – perform a powerful attack while in mid-air.

Parkour

  • Far Jump – use any obstacle to spring from it and jump further.
  • Bash – bash through obstacles and enemies without stopping.
  • Tic Tac – run alongside horizontal surfaces.

In case you missed it, Techland has also announced that Dying Light 2 last-gen gameplay will be shown this month, although the exact date is not yet known. Dying Light 2 will be released for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

MP1st Staff

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PSVR2 Specs Comparison to Other VR Headsets

Just a few days ago, Sony blew the lid off the next-generation PlayStation Virtual Reality headset dubbed the PlayStation VR2. If you game on other platforms, chances are, you’ve seen or encountered other VR headsets as well. Given that we know almost all the technical details of Sony’s upcoming headset, here’s a handy PSVR2 specs comparison to the other ones out in the market!

Thanks to ResetEra member Primal Sage, check out this PSVR2 comparison where the screens, lenses, and other details are compared to other headsets like the Quest 1 & 2, and more.

PSVR2 Specs Comparison:

Console headsets like PSVR and PSVR2: These only work with a console. PSVR with PS4, PS4 Pro and PS4. PSVR2 with PS5.
PCVR headsets: Like the name implies, they only work with PCs powerful enough to render VR games.
Quest 1 and Quest 2: Works standalone (onboard computer) as well as with PCs powerful enough to render VR games.

The specs (winners noted):

Screens (Clear win for PSVR2. Most people can’t render 144hz, for most 120hz is plenty and IMHO OLED trumps all. HDR is gravy on top):
PSVR2: 2000 x 2040 per eye. OLED with HDR. Up to 120hz refresh rate. (winner)
Valve Index: 1600 x 1440 per eye. LCD. Up to 120hz refresh rate (144hz experimental)
Quest 2: 1832 x 1920 per eye. LCD. Up to 120Hz refresh rate.

Lenses (clear win for Index):
PSVR2: 110 degrees field of view. Fresnel lenses. IPD settings Unknown.
Valve Index: 130 degrees field of view. Fresnel lenses. IPD settings 58-70. (winner)
Quest 2: 100 degrees field of view. Fresnel lenses. IPD settings 58, 63 or 68.

Tracking (win debatable, Index. External sensors provide better tracking, but might not be practical unless you have a dedicated vr room):
PSVR2: Inside out tracking via 4 cameras in the headset. No external sensors needed. Controllers only tracked when in view of headset cameras.
Valve Index: 2 external sensors needed for tracking of headset and controllers. Can track controllers behind your back. (winner)
Quest 2: Inside out tracking via 4 cameras in the headset. No external sensors needed. Controllers only tracked when in view of headset cameras.

Eye tracking (clear win for PSVR2):
PSVR2: Cameras inside the headset tracking your eye movement. This makes it possible to render at full resolution where your eye is focusing and lower res in the periphery. Thus freeing up resources. Essentially making it possible to have vr games at PS5 fidelity. (winner)
Valve Index: None.
Quest 2: None.

Controllers (win debateable, PSVR2. I factor dual sense features higher since they ought to be utilised more often than the finger tracking of Index has been):
PSVR2: Haptics in the controller – it knows which buttons you are touching and thereby semi finger tracking. Dual sense features, which means improved rumble and resistive triggers. Might be easier to track than the others due to the orb design of the tracking rings. (winner)
Valve Index: Haptics in the controller – it knows which buttons you are touching and thereby semi finger tracking. Individual finger tracking.
Quest 2: Haptics in controller – it knows which buttons you are touching and thereby semi finger tracking.

Haptics in headset (clear win for PSVR2)):
PSVR2: Actual feedback in the headset. Crashing a car in vr can be jarring because the view shakes, but you feel nothing. Headset haptics will help with immersion and reduce discomfort. Also, cool gameplay opportunities. Feel the raindrops on your head. Sense something whizzing past your head. Feel a spider crawling on your hea….. Oh no. (winner)
Valve Index: None.
Quest 2: None.

Sound (win for Index but debatable if you have high end headphones. Having them built in I think is a win since it’s more practical/less hassle):
PSVR2: You connect your own headphones.
Valve Index: Built-in high quality headphones. (winner)
Quest 2: Built-in low quality headphones and the option to use your own.

Ergonomy – how pleasant is it to wear (win TBC):
PSVR2: Unknown. We know nothing of how the headset looks and how it is to wear. The predecessor was one of the most pleasant ones on the market as well as one of the few you could comfortably wear glasses in (though at a slight FOV cost). So PSVR2 would win if they change absolutely nothing in the design.
Valve Index: By all accounts, rather pleasant to wear. Lens inserts recommended for people with glasses.
Quest 2: Most agree that it is unpleasant to wear/too front heavy unless you get a strap with weight at the back. Lens inserts recommended for people with glasses.

Wireless/Corded (Clear win for Quest 2):
PSVR2: Uses a single USB-C cord connected to the PS5.
Valve Index: Uses a bulky proprietary cable to the PC.
Quest 2: Uses a single USB-C cord connected to the PC. Also able to connect wirelessly to a PC but this does not work stably in all setups. Standalone/native apps run on the headset do run perfectly well wireless. (winner)

Bear in mind, the PSVR2 isn’t out yet, and these are just based on the data released. Also, the best gaming headset will boil down to which one has the games you want to play the most.

Source: ResetEra

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Alex Co

Father, gamer, games media vet, writer of words, killer of noobs.

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Back 4 Blood New Characters to Be Tied to DLC, No Plans for More PvP Content

For fans of Turtle Rock Studios’ Back 4 Blood, Studio co-founder and Creative Director Phil Robb just held a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) regarding the game to ring in the new year, and it’s full of new info! Robb talks about Back 4 Blood new characters, whether there’s more PvP content being developed, new difficulty mode possibilities and more!

To make the questions and answers more palatable, we’ve compiled the important ones and formatted ’em to be a text-only version. Enjoy, zombie hunters!

Back 4 Blood January 2022 AMA – New Characters, New Weapons, Future PvP Content and More Discussed:

Q: Is there a possibility of adding new weapons, wether it be via DLC or a free content drop. Such as a lever action shotgun or a bow? I love B4B. And there is a sizable arsenal. I just wish it.could be expanded upon more.

Robb: I’ll probably get yelled at for this but fuck it, yes, there will be new weapons.


Q: Hey Phil Robb,

Thank you to you and the rest of Turtle Rock for putting together such a fantastic game! Here’s my list of questions:

  • I’ve really been enjoying unlocking the customizations but would love to see more. Can you tell us about future possibilities when it comes to cosmetics? Are emotes something that is being considered?
  • Are there any plans to sell a squeaky turtle toy? I want one!
  • If you could add or fix one thing with the game “magically” (as in, it just works magically suddenly without having to work at it) – what one thing would you choose to add or fix and why?
  • There’s been a lot of comparisons to L4D (1 & 2) by some in the community. Personally, I find them unfair due to B4B being a new release vs L4D being a finalized game. Is there anything you’d like to say to those that are making those sort of

Robb: Thank YOU for your support!

  • The only thing I can really say at this point is that more cosmetics are coming. We’ve got some fun stuff in the works. Emotes are not currently planned.
  • Great idea for a merch item!
  • Can I only have one thing? I’m one of those people that would try and figure out how to maximize wishes when I was a kid… I wish for an infinite number of wishes!
  • I think it’s fair to make comparisons. B4B builds on a lot of what we learned on L4D. We expected it, and in some ways invited it. They both share the same DNA so comparisons are inevitable. It was a risk too. We knew it would set expectations high, but fuck it! Dare to be great, right!? We’ve always been about challenging ourselves. It was a lot of pressure, but you need pressure to make diamonds.
    Look, for the record, Chris, myself and the rest of the guys from the original TRS team are immensely proud of our work on L4D. We were intimately involved in the conception of that game and we aren’t going to shy away from it. At the end of the day only a handful of people can say they were there when that seed was planted.
    That doesn’t mean that there wasn’t a lot of very talented people that contributed greatly to the success of that product. TRS was a team of 11 people at the time, no way we could have pulled it off on our own. It would not have been the success that it was without Valve’s support. They took our rough diamond and polished the fuck out of it.
    With that out of the way… I’d also say that it’s okay to love them both! Our purpose was never to replace L4D. We were just happy to have the opportunity to dive back into a space that we dearly love! It’s okay to like one and not the other! I love them both but its okay if you don’t! I’ll be the first to admit that there are areas that we weren’t quite able to recreate the magic of L4D, but other areas where we surpassed it. I do know that we have a solid foundation to build on and the future looks bright for Back 4 Blood.

Q: When should we expect the first bunch of new cards? (None Burn Cards)

As I’m sure many people are excited to get new cards that can really change the way you play the game.

Also when you do plan to release new cards how many should we expect? (I feel like 10-30 is a good amount but perhaps you plan to try and keep card numbers low?)

Robb: All I can say at this point is that new cards are coming.


Q: Will there other weapons besides the ones we have like maybe a gernade launcher and a chainsaw

Robb: No spoilers but… yes, there will be new weapon types.


Q: Hello TRS! I love this game! Would it be possible to have the option to delete the starter deck or at least be given the option to add 10 additional cards to the 5 already preselected that way we can utilize 8 full decks? Also, while on the topic, is there any talk of having more than 8 decks total? Thank you for reading!

Robb: Yep. We are planning to raise the number of decks you can have saved. I’m not sure about the starter decks. Brandon might be able to give more info.


Q: Hey! Just wanna say love the game and just wanted to ask when new characters get added will they be exclusive to season pass holders or can players unlock them?

Robb: Thank you! We love that you love the game!

New characters will be tied to those DLC drops, so you will need to own the DLC to be able to use those characters. You won’t necessarily have to own the season pass, you will be able to buy the DLC on it’s own when it comes out.


Q: Is there any plans for more pvp content besides swarm?

Robb: Not currently.


Q: not here to make any drama or being ”rude”, but how did you guys feel about Tencent buying your studios..?

Robb: We would not have done the deal if we didn’t see value in it.

Tencent brings a lot of things to the relationship that we have had to do without for a long time. Resources that will allow us to grow the team and make better games. Strong financial backing that provides a level of stability that we’ve never had as an independent. This isn’t the first time we been approached by someone looking to acquire, but it’s the first time we were offered a deal that we felt offered us the opportunity to keep our culture, and improve the studio across the board.


Q: Is there anything you wish could’ve been added but just couldn’t happen for whatever reason?​

What do you personally think are the strengths and weaknesses of this game?​

Will there ever be a ranked mode for swarm?​

Is there any plasn for an alternate swarm game mode?

Robb: There are a ton of things that we wanted to do but weren’t able to fit into the schedule. I have a pretty extensive list that I update almost every time I play.

Everyone on the team would likely have a different view of strengths and weaknesses. Personally, I really enjoy the card aspects of the game (Honestly, I was skeptical at first), the guns feel great, mowing down the hordes is very satisfying, and I love being in this world. I also love that there is enough stuff to find that it’s worth exploring the environment.
I’ll also be the first to admit that we’ve got some rough edges that need smoothed out. There are areas that need more polish and that really bugs the shit out of me. It’s something that I’m always pushing on.

There are no plans for ranked or alternate swarm at this time.


Q: Will you be adding a more detailed stats page for users? We all know about the file and I’ve recently found a leaderboard that shows the info. It’s kinda buggy though and it’s getting bogged down now that I shared it. If the game is saving all these stats, why not include them into the game. I know I love looking at my stats and getting all the zwats is a pain without seeing progress. Especially for console players since we can’t get the file easily.

There was a tweet that the Christmas event ends on the 11th. Does that mean we will be getting a update like December / November? Or is this just to end the event? Since the holidays probably had limited staff, should we expect a smaller update compared to Decembers?

Phantom Shots, when will I be able to love the tac again?

Any kind of info on the harder difficulty? I loved the challenge from old nightmare. I understand the need to change things and I’m in a small minority.

Any word on fixing waiting out the timer for extra cards? It’s annoying having to wait for people to exploit in both pve and pvp. Especially act 1.

Is there a reason why blocked players are just perma muted and can still matchmake with you?

Are we going to get more in game lore related things? I would not even mind collectibles!

Have you guys thought about adding games modifiers like halo skulls to the hidden trophies around the maps?

Robb: Stats- We want to and we’re trying to find space for it. No promises unfortunately, but we do think it would add a lot of value.

The holiday stuff will just end via server side update. It’s not associated with a whole client patch.

Currently working on the ghost bullets issue… it’s in test at the moment.

We’re working on the new difficulty right now.

I’ll come back later and see if I can answer the rest… time’s a ticking…


Q: Can you tell us anything about the new cleaners coming out? Will they have interactions with the o.g. cleaners like the base game? Are we getting more voice lines? How much interaction does the team have with their VA?

Robb: No spoilers!

They will haver interactions with the o.g. cleaners.

There is new v.o. in the works! Not sure when it’ll be out yet though.

Our writing team interacts with the voice actors a lot.

Now that’s a lot of new info regarding Back 4 Blood in just the first week of 2022, no? In other Turtle Rock Studios news, the studio has been acquired by mega-corporation Tencent, which was announced a couple of weeks ago.

In case you haven’t bought Back 4 Blood yet, our review gave it an excellent thumbs up score of 8.5/10, and mentioned how fun the co-op aspect was, and how aried the zombie enemy types are.

Source: Reddit

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Alex Co

Father, gamer, games media vet, writer of words, killer of noobs.

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Dying Light 2 100% Completion Estimated to Take 500 Hours; 70-80 Hours for Story and Side Quests (Update)

Dying Light fans hoping for the sequel to be jammed with content may be happy to learn that Techland has officially given a rough estimate to achieve 100% completion in Dying Light 2 Stay Human.

How Long Will it Take to Achieve 100% Completion in Dying Light 2?

According to developer Techland, players can expect to sink in at least 500 hours of game time if they are trying to 100% Dying Light 2. This means finishing every quest, obtaining all endings, exploring every area, as well as getting every collectible.

For players who are just looking at finishing the main campaign, as well as all the side quests, Techland also commented on this matter suggesting that it will take somewhere between 70-80 hours. That is assuming you aren’t rushing through everything, meaning it is possible to finish all of that in less time. Lesser if you are just playing for the campaign only.

Talk about a content-filled game! Though we aren’t surprised given that the first game was filled with tons to do, as well as plenty of post launch support. Plus, we learned last week that Dying Light 2 would feature over 500 pieces of unique gear that players can collect. Either way, expect a lot!

In related Dying Light 2 news, be sure to check back later this month as Techland will be debuting the first-ever gameplay footage for last-0gen consoles. We will be sure to keep you posted once that has arrived so stay tuned!

Dying Light 2 Stay Human will be launching on February 4 PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch (cloud streaming), and PC.

Update: Techland has issued a clarification on the amount of hours it’s required to complete the game:

I assumed that was the case, but the devs felt the need to clarify it anyway.

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James Lara

A gamer at heart, James has been working for MP1st for the last decade to do exactly what he loves, writing about video games and having fun doing it. Growing up in the 90's gaming has been in his DNA since the days of NES. One day he hopes to develop his own game.

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Days Gone 2 ‘Dead’ After Shawn Layden’s Departure, According to Director

Days Gone Game Director Jeff Ross went over on Twitter a couple of days ago to vent his frustration on the game’s sales in comparison to Ghost of Tsushima, which recently celebrated the eight  million mark. However, it seems that Ross had much more to say, as he mentions in a recent interview that Days Gone 2 was officially ‘dead’ the moment Shawn Layden departed from Sony.

The interview was conducted and posted by David Jaffe, best known for the Twisted Metal and God of War series. In the interview, Jaffe talks to Ross and John Garvin, another Days Gone creative lead, on the recent developments following Ross’ posts on Twitter.

At around the 13:32 mark, Jaffe points to a comment on the Twitter thread, where a commenter states maybe that “there’s better leadership now,” which Ross flatly responds with a “No.” Jaffe then asks Ross if he is trying to throw “anybody under the bus” with this comment, and if there was a significant change when Jim Ryan came in to replace Shawn Layden. Ross states that it was the local management of Bend Studio that he had problems with in the end and not Ryan, but he did add:

“What I will say though, regarding Shawn [Layden], as soon as Shawn was gone, Days Gone 2 was dead. The two events were almost simultaneous.”

The interview continues for another four or so hours, in which Ross and Garvin discuss stuff about Days Gone and their thoughts on the treatment of the game after Layden’s departure.

In case you missed it, the studio behind Days Gone also pitched an open world Resistance game, as well as expressing disinterest in a potential Syphon Filter reboot. Check out our piece on that here.

MP1st Staff

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Rainbow Six Extraction Lore Trailer Sheds Light on ‘Archaean’ Threat

Following its announcement as a Day One title for the Xbox Game Pass, Ubisoft has now revealed a new Rainbow Six Extraction lore trailer, showcasing the Archaean threat that players will face in the game. Check out the trailer below.

The Rainbow Six Extraction lore trailer shows off Dr. Elena “Mira” Alvarez in action, who is one of the more crucial characters in the game.

Dr. Elena “Mira” Alvarez, director of REACT R&D, leads the team gathering critical information on the evolving Archaean threat. Every enemy has its own capabilities and mutations. Learn, adapt, and work together to survive. Rainbow Six Extraction is coming January 20, 2022. Pre-Order Now. Friends Play Free for up to 14 days with Buddy Pass.

In case you missed it, Ubisoft also released a 4K DLSS trailer for Rainbow Six Extraction, showcasing the Nvidia tech running on the game for PC. You can check that out here.

Rainbow Six Extraction is releasing for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One consoles, Xbox Series X|S, Amazon Luna, and Google Stadia on January 20, 2022.

MP1st Staff

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