The critically acclaimed game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has received another positive review—this time from Neil Druckmann, the head of Naughty Dog and the game director of The Last of Us: Part II.
Druckmann shared on social media that he recently finished playing the French JRPG and was thoroughly impressed, especially by its story.
With indie game hit Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 capturing the minds (and wallets) of gamers on consoles and PC, those who primarily game on the Nintendo platforms might be feeling a little left out.
Update: For those who haven’t played and finished Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, some details shared by Druckmann might spoil the game for you, so proceed with caution. We apologize for any inconvenience this might have caused.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is ‘One of the Most Moving, Creative Stories’ Says Neil Druckmann
In a post on Instagram, Druckmann expressed how deeply the story moved him, calling it one of the most moving and creative stories he’s played in a long time. He said, “Rolled credits on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. I’m in awe. One of the most moving, creative stories I’ve played in a long time.”
When fans asked which character he played as, Druckmann responded with a lighthearted comment, “Since a few of you are asking… I fought as Verso. Sorry… sometimes you need to leave your creations behind and spend time with your family.”
The fact that this praise comes from the person who directed The Last of Us Part II, a game known for its emotional story and deep characters, makes it even more meaningful. Coming from someone with his storytelling background, that says a lot about how special this game is and how it might even raise the bar for other story-driven games.
Funcom has released a new update for Dune Awakening this July 7, and this isn’t a patch that just squashes bugs, but there are even new features added for free to all players.
Chief among the new features and changes in Dune Awakening update 1.1.15 include Tier 6 resources are now easier to obtain in PvE, an element of randomization was added to the respawn timer of unique loot containers in the Deep Desert, and more.
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When it comes to bug fixes, contract rewards dropping on the ground if a player’s inventory is full has been fixed, and there’s also a fix for an exploit that would allow building a vehicle with items from another player’s inventory.
Dune Awakening’s Patch for July 7 Plugs Explolit, Applies New Features
FEATURES AND CHANGES
Deep Desert, End Game, and Landsraad
Tier 6 resources can now be collected across wider areas in the PvE part of the Deep Desert.
We added an element of randomization to the respawn timer of unique loot containers in the Deep Desert.
The plastanium tier crafting components were split up to drop based on the content location: Imperial Testing Stations, Caves, or Shipwrecks, with each of them dropping their own selection of components. Fallen Shipwrecks and Buried Treasure can drop components from any location.
Added a chance of a different selection of Uniques drop in PvE loot in Deep Desert.
The spawn rate of medium fields increased from 5 back to 8, and of the small spice fields increased from 22 to 30.
The delay for leaving a PvP security zone increased from 5 to 30 seconds to prevent border camping and allow PvP players to protect their area.
Changed Landsraad tasks to allow for Kill and Delivery Contribution to happen after the task has been completed but awarding only personal contribution. (i.e., which faction won and how many guild votes were awarded are unaffected by contributions made after the task was completed by one faction).
Other:
Improved game stability.
Reduced the cases where the sandworm can push vehicles under terrain.
Added a new audio alert for the PvP zone change.
FIXES
Fixed an issue where the Harkonnen faction recruitment contract “Do you have what it takes?” could sometimes get stuck and couldn’t be completed if you exited the dialogue with Maxim Kazmir before selecting the line “It says here that you’re looking for recruits“ to complete the contract.
Fixed an issue where contract rewards dropped on the ground if your inventory was full, which could lead to situations where you would miss them. Now rewards can only be claimed when there is enough space in your inventory.
Fixed an issue where vehicle modules wouldn’t highlight properly after the player had applied a customization variant.
Fixed an issue where the positioning of a pentashield surface could overlap with an existing pentashield surface.
Fixed an exploit that would allow building a vehicle with items from another player’s inventory.
Not a bad patch for a Monday! Expect a lot more updates to be released for the game given the success Funcom has seen with it.
While classic Call of Duty games getting hacked isn't anything new, what's happening now in Call of Duty: WW2 is unprecedented, as it has now moved past in-game hacks and has become such a security risk that is forced Activision to take the game offline
Just days after the game has been added to Game Pass, the shooter is now offline, with no timeframe on when it'll be back.
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing fans are having quite the year as the series celebrates its 30th anniversary since its anime first aired in 1995. Since its initial run, the series has garnered a massive following, becoming one of the most popular Mobile Suit series in the franchise, especially in the West.
To the surprise of no one, Bandai Namco is going big on collaborations, and this next one they just announced is perhaps one of the biggest, as they’ve teamed up with HYTE to deliver an all-new Gundam Wing collaboration set.
In case you missed the news, HYTE is launching a new series of PC cases this Summer that aims to deliver a "modern" look while having top-notch cooling performance.
HYTE Takes to the Sky With New Gundam Wing-Themed PC Case and Accessories
By now, you should know that HYTE is no stranger when it comes to collaborations, especially with anime and other Japanese media. Their latest, being with Bandai Namco, sees the PC case and accessories maker introduce a new wave of colorways to some of their biggest products, all to celebrate Gundam Wing’s 30th anniversary.
First up on the list, and undoubtedly the most exciting (not to mention expensive) offering, is the all-new Gundam Wing HYTE Y70 Touch Infinite Limited Edition case that features a custom white colorway with stylized black trim across the case, and a variety of accented components based on the XXXG-00W0 Wing Gundam Zero’s color scheme. It will feature a Y70 touch infinite display with a custom start-up visual inspired by the anime.
“A lot of us at HYTE closely follow the gaming and anime scene, and one of the companies we admired was Bandai Namco Entertainment, as they are responsible for many popular games and series we enjoy,” said King Perez, Marketing Executive Producer of iBUYPOWER / HYTE. “It was very humbling to be chosen as an official licensee for Mobile Suit Gundam Wing. We poured a lot of love, detail, and attention into the case’s design, and we are excited to bring another way fans can celebrate the anime’s anniversary.”
Are you ready to take a peek at what it looks like?
Honestly, and maybe it’s because I’m such a massive fan of the Gundam franchise, but this might be the best-looking collaborative case I’ve seen from HYTE thus far. The Gundam Wing HYTE Y70 Touch Infinite Limited Edition case is available for pre-order now (as with all the other listed products below) and will set you back a pretty penny, as it costs $400.
If you aren’t looking to spend that much on a case, HYTE is also offering other collaborative items which you can read up below.
HYTE Gundam Wing Limited Edition Keycap Set $109.99
After its first collaboration featuring the Persona franchise earlier this year, PC peripheral and case maker HYTE is preparing to launch an all-new collaboration with ATLUS again, this time with the studio's newest original IP, Metaphor: ReFantazio.
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.
While classic Call of Duty games getting hacked isn’t anything new, what’s happening now in Call of Duty: WW2 is unprecedented, as it has now moved past in-game hacks and has become such a security risk that is forced Activision to take the game offline
Just days after the game has been added to Game Pass, the shooter is now offline, with no timeframe on when it’ll be back.
Xbox has been hit with yet another wave of layoffs, as Microsoft announced today that it would be cutting 9,000 jobs across its entire company, impacting several industries in which it operates.
COD: WW2 PC Hacking Situation Is So Severe Activision Has Been Forced to Take the Game Down
Gamers have reported how Call of Duty: WW2 on PC has been hacked, and it’s one that not only affect gameplay, but it even allows hackers to gain remote control access of your PC! Players have reported Remote Code Execution (RCE) exploits, which allows hackers to gain control of your hardware and install malware.
Activision is finally aware of this and has said they are taking Call of Duty: WW2 offline on PC on the Microsoft Store while they investigate this issue. Chances are, it’ll require a client-side patch to fix, and there is no timeframe for when we can expect one to be released.
For now, the game is offline on PC, and with good reason. Hopefully, this gets sorted out soon for the sake of gamers.
Call of Duty: WW2 was released in 2017 on PS4, Xbox One and PC, and was developed by Sledgehammer Games. It’s the first Call of Duty game to be set during the World War 2 era since Call of Duty: World at War by Treyarch was released in 2008.
I had the pleasure of reviewing the game when it was released all those years ago, and said, “Make no mistake: COD: WWII is a Call of Duty game. It looks like one, it feels like one, and it plays like one, too. Regardless if that’s a good or bad thing for you, it does do a lot of things right. From a value proposition, a full-fledged campaign, a deep multiplayer Zombies mode experience, and of course, multiplayer, makes it well worth the price of admission.”
While Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 was recently revealed at the Xbox Games Showcase, its existence wasn't a complete secret, as files for the game were spotted in Call of Duty HQ and had been leaked as far back as eight months ago.
Zenless Zone Zero fans are eating good, no, seriously, as Operation Yum continues to be underway worldwide, giving fans a chance to try out some delicious Zenless Zone Zero-themed entries in real life. But that’s not the topic of today’s story, as the next wave of content for the game is soon set to arrive, giving players even more to play through.
Zenless Zone Zero Version 2.1 has a release date, along with some early details on what players can expect.
In case you didn't know, Season 3 of Marvel Rivals is set to kick off on July 11.
Grab Your Bathing Suit, We’re About to Go on a Summer Vacation
Here’s a breakdown of what’s been confirmed for Zenless Zone Zero Version 2.1:
The story continues with a new chapter.
Two new locations: Sailume Bay and Fantasy Resort
Spook Shack faction will be introduced.
Ukinami Yuzaha (S-Rank physical support agent) joins the roster with a new banner.
Alice Thymefield (S-Rank physical anomalky agent) joins the roster with a new banner.
Void Hunter Miyabi and Yanagi will have a rerun during this update.
New fishing spots, with new species.
Special Summer outfits for the new characters and protagonists.
New Bangboo Auto Battler Event “En-Nah” Chess Legend will be added with a PvP mode.
New Simulated Battle Trial refresh with a new scoring system.
As with any updates for the game, you can expect other things, such as some improvements and bug fixes, though all those details will be revealed once we get close to the release of 2.1. Speaking of, Zenless Zone Zero Version 2.1 is officially launching on July 16! So if you haven’t already, be sure to mop up any remaining 2.0 events.
We’ll be seeing you all in the coming weeks when the update becomes available.
It's been five long years since Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot was first released, and despite being a single-player game, the DLC support the game has gotten over the years is rather impressive, especially when compared to other, more online-focused Dragon Ball games.
Last week, Microsoft announced that it was laying off over 9,000 employees across all its sectors, with its Xbox Gaming division seeing project cancellations and studio closures.
With many now out of a job and struggling to find new employment, one Xbox higher-up has decided to chime in on the devastating news and has now found themselves in hot water as the advice they offered to those affected by the layoffs has come off rather “tone-deaf,” and completely heartless.
The recent round of large layoffs at Microsoft affected thousands of workers and took place during a tough time for both the gaming industry and the economy.
Xbox Producer Advises Those Laid Off to Use AI to Help With the Emotional and Cognitive Load
In a now-deleted post on LinkedIn (archived), Matt Turnbull, an Xbox Executive Producer, shared a lengthy post offering helpful tips to those affected by the layoffs. The issue is that the advice he gave wasn’t particularly sound, especially given the news that the layoffs were driven by increased AI investment. As a result, he suggested that those struggling to utilize AI to assist them during these challenging times.
The post reads:
These are really challenging times, and if you’re navigating a layoff or even quietly preparing for one, you’re not alone and you don’t have to go it alone. I know these types of tools engender strong feelings in people, but I’d be remiss in not trying to offer the best advice I can under the circumstances. I’ve been experimenting with ways to use LLM AI tools (like ChatGPT or Copilot) to help reduce the emotional and cognitive load that comes with job loss.
Here are some prompt ideas and use cases that might help if you’re feeling overwhelmed:
Career Planning Prompts:
“Act as a career coach. I’ve been laid off from a [role] in the game industry. Help me build a 30-day plan to regroup, research new roles, and start applying without burning out.”
“What kinds of game industry jobs could I pivot to with experience in
[Production/Narrative/LiveOps/etc.]?”
Resume & LinkedIn Help
“Here’s my current resume. Give me three tailored versions: one for AAA, one for platform/publishing roles, and one for startup/small studio leadership.”
“Rewrite this resume bullet to highlight impact and metrics.”
“Draft a new LinkedIn ‘About Me’ section that focuses on my leadership style, shipped titles, and vision for game development.”
Networking & Outreach
“Draft a friendly message I can send to old coworkers letting them know I’m exploring new opportunities.”
“Write a warm intro message for reaching out to someone at [studio name] about a job posting.”
Emotional Clarity & Confidence
“I’m struggling with imposter syndrome after being laid off. Can you help me reframe this experience in a way that reminds me what I’m good at?”
No Al tool is a replacement for your voice or your lived experience. But at a time when mental energy is scarce, these tools can help get you unstuck faster, calmer, and with more clarity. If this helps, feel free to share with others in your network.
Stay kind, stay smart, stay connected.
Yeah, I’m not sure if the best advice to give to employees your company just laid off is to use the very tools that they may have just been laid off for. The words “read the room” come to mind, and although it has since been deleted due to the backlash it received, one really has to wonder why this was posted in the first place. It’s understandable that Matt probably had good intentions, but this came across more as heartless than a place of good faith.
This is another one of those times wherein it seems an executive is out of touch with reality. I mean, given that even a studio that’s been around for more than 20 years is seemingly closing down, the last they want to hear is how AI can help them given AI is one factor why some jobs are getting reduced in the first place.
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.
The recent round of large layoffs at Microsoft affected thousands of workers and took place during a tough time for both the gaming industry and the economy. In total, Microsoft let go of 9,000 employees in a single stroke. While less than half of these layoffs impacted the gaming division, the effects were still significant.
This news surprised both players and game developers. Sean Noguchi, the President of EA Japan, shared his thoughts on the situation. He mentioned that while “restructuring” might sound positive in the West, in Japan, it’s simply seen as “layoffs.”
In April last year, we reported on a rumor that Sony was in "very early" talks to bring Helldivers 2 to Xbox platforms.
EA Japan’s Response to Microsoft’s Layoffs
In a lengthy post on X (formerly Twitter), Noguchi said (machine translated), “In recent years, foreign-affiliated companies have become more inclined to seek short-term results from large-scale investments, and there are many cases where they change direction to meet shareholders’ expectations before enough time has passed. We believe this incident is a result of such a structure.”
Noguchi expressed his disappointment with Microsoft’s decision, emphasizing that the industry is shaped and supported by each game developer. It’s frustrating that developers may never release the projects they have worked on for years, and gamers will miss out on long-awaited games.
He explained, “What supports the game industry are the creators and staff who have been working sincerely on development. As someone in the same industry, I feel a deep sense of pain from this decision. The regret that something built over a long period of time will not be released to the world, and the reality that gamers who were looking forward to it will never even have the chance to experience it.”
While we just got a patch for Apex Legends this week, Respawn Entertainment has released another one, and on a Friday too. Players will see this as Apex Legends update 2.89 / 1.000.103, which is a surprise patch available on all platforms.
This patch should resolve some of the issues that affected the game after the previous update was released, including graphical issues that resulted in maps being pulled.
When it comes to mega gaming franchises, there's none bigger than perhaps Call of Duty and Fortnite.
Apex Legends Gets Emergency Update Version 2.89 / 1.000.103 on July 4
The patch released earlier this week, which fixed issues with Wattson, also introduced an issue of its own, as it affected textures on trees and other foliage, causing them to appear slightly different. As a result, the studio announced they have “temporarily removed Broken Moon and Encore from the map rotations” while a fix for the tree textures was being developed.
Aside from that problem, we’ve also listed the known items the developers are working on via the official Apex Legends Trello board:
INVESTIGATING
[Newcastle] No shield with first revive after drop.
Inactive EVO Harvester maintains hitbox from active state
Reports of high CPU usage while running the game
[Xbox] FPS drops with Bloodhound Ult
Founder’s badge shows as locked, but can still be equipped
FIX IN PROGRESS
[Retro Packs] Visual error with progress bar, still tracking in backend
Crash after opening Apex Packs then immediately switching tabs
[Alternator] Reports of some skins missing iron sights
Outside of the issues mentioned above, Respawn has not said anything about todauy’s sudden update. Once we receive an announcement, we’ll update the article with the information.
Sony has launched a surprise sale on the PlayStation Store, and this one is called the July Savings promotion! The highlight of the sales is undoubtedly Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, as the hit RPG goes on sale for the first time on the digital storefront.
Turn 10 Studios, the team behind Forza Motorsport, has been hit hard by the layoffs imposed by Microsoft on its Xbox division. The division responsible for developing the series is said to have been shut down, with the remaining employees reassigned to support roles.
Remember the rumors that surfaced back in February on how Microsoft was planning on releasing Xbox-exclusive games like Starfield and even Indiana Jones and The Great Circle on competing platforms (ie.
Turn 10 Studio Reportedly Downsized to Support Role
Now, there is another piece of concerning news, though it should be taken with caution. Fred Russell, a former employee of Turn 10, suggests that the Motorsport division has indeed been shut down, and the remaining team is now working on supporting the Forza Horizon series. This claim is partly backed by statements from former employees, gathered by members of the series’ forum, including the person in charge of the live service program.
If this is true, it means that Forza Motorsport might not get any more updates or new content, possibly ending support for the game earlier than expected. The future of the series would also be unclear. However, it’s important to remember that these are unconfirmed rumors, and Microsoft has not officially announced Turn 10’s closure or its transition into a support studio. As of now, we must wait for any official statements before jumping to conclusions.
For over 20 years, Turn 10 has focused on creating the Forza Motorsport series with realistic, traditional track racing, while many other racing games embraced the open-world trend. Turn 10 has remained focused on delivering that classic racing experience, which is highly appreciated by players who enjoy the traditional racing experience. On the other hand, Playground Games brought a different feel with Forza Horizon, offering an open-world racing experience.
In other news, the PS5 version of Forza Horizon 5 was released this April, and MP1st’s review gave it a score of 9.5 out of 10, stating, “Forza Horizon 5 was already a standout in the franchise when it was released in 2021, and it is still every bit as good as it was then in its new release on PS5.”
Remedy Entertainment has released FBC: Firebreak update 1.003.001, which is for v1.3.1 on consoles and PC. This is a minor update that aims to improve online matche while sorting a few bugs too.
For the complete patch notes, head on below what got changed.
Improved connection stability, fixing issues related to the automatic reconnect feature introduced in patch 1.3.0.
Fixed a bug where a countdown briefly and incorrectly appeared after a completed match.
Added additional backend support to enable future updates without requiring downtime.
Today’s patch is a minor one, which is understandable given that we received a major update just a few days ago that changed how perks work. Per Remedy, “We’re updating the Perk economy in the 1.3 patch to make progression smoother, more rewarding, and better paced. The goal is to help players reach their builds faster, experiment more freely, and make more meaningful choices with their Crisis Kits.”
If you haven’t played the game yet, it’s a mixed bag of good ideas marred by muddy execution, which we hope will be sorted out with updates. Our review takes note of this and states, “I think it has a lot of promise, and seeing what Remedy is already doing with the feedback provided by the game’s community, it seems like they are working on making the game better than it currently is.”
When it comes to mega gaming franchises, there's none bigger than perhaps Call of Duty and Fortnite.
If you’re unfamiliar with Zelda Notes, it’s a game-specific server exclusive to the Switch 2 version of the Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom that players can download on their smart devices that helped with navigation, item sharing, game data and more.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Update for July 3 Applies Version 1.4.2 Fixes
Per Nintendo, here’s what got changed in today’s update:
Nintendo Switch 2 Edition: Fixes related to ZELDA NOTES
Fixed an issue in which the player was unable to use the Daily Bonus effects “Health Recovery” or “Hearty Meal” if they had increased their hearts to the maximum number.
Several other issues related to ZELDA NOTES have been addressed.
*The latest update data is required to play elements related to ZELDA NOTES.
General
Fixed an issue in which the background music would not be played correctly in certain battles in the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition.
Several other issues have been addressed to improve the gameplay experience.
Xbox has been hit with yet another wave of layoffs, as Microsoft announced today that it would be cutting 9,000 jobs across its entire company, impacting several industries in which it operates.
Digital Extremes has released Warframe update 2.42/1.050, which is for Isleeaver Hotfix #4! This is a relatively small patch compared to what Digital Extremes usually hands out for the shooter.
Not only are gameplay bug fixes part of the patch, but various gameplay changes are also included.
When it comes to mega gaming franchises, there's none bigger than perhaps Call of Duty and Fortnite.
Warframe Isleweaver Hotfix for July 3 Brings It to Version 2.42/1.050.000
PlayStation Exclusive Fixes:
Fixed an issue where the Accessibility option “Fire Manual Trigger Weapons Continuously” used the Controller value, even when playing with Keyboard and Mouse.
Fixed a variety of rare crashes.
Changes:
Dreamer’s Bond is now unsellable, as it is required to complete Junction Tasks.
If you unintentionally sold or dissolved your Dreamer’s Bond, please contact our support team to have it returned to you.
Optimized server load from 1999 Calendar Challenges.
Inbox attachments will no longer show the number of owned blueprints, as it was leading players to think they received more items than were attached to the message.
Improved spotloading when tabbing through Inventory categories.
Top Fixes:
Fixed missing Velimir & Minerva KIM conversation after completing all Isleweaver Fragments.
Fixed health modifiers from Steel Path and Archimedea missions applying twice to The Fragmented Boss enemies.
Fixed all Mods being unequipped after Upgrading a Mod equipped on an Exalted Weapon via the Loadout sidebar in Navigation.
Fixed the “Crouch Button is Toggle” causing Oraxia to end bullet jumps in a long slide with Silken Stride active.
Fixed the “Visit Maroo’s Bazaar on Mars” Phobos Junction task not specifying that players must talk to Maroo to complete it.
Fixed a rare case of the “Fund All Decorations” option leaving Dojo Decorations in a broken state.
We are currently working on a retroactive fix for those that got in a bad state before this Hotfix.
Fixes:
Fixed various issues with the Hildryn Sarcostema Skin, at the artist’s request:
Fixed the helmet appearing darker than the body.
Adjusted the rigging on the helmet “whiskers” to behave more like the Spicularis series by the same artist.
Fixed the tendrils on the back of the head appearing to float — now they look more like hair, as intended.
Fixed various Junction tasks not tracking progress if completed in a Dojo.
Fixed the Thalys’ icon in the Arsenal displaying its Incarnon form.
Fixed the default energy color of various Octavia skins changing depending on which helmet was equipped.
Also fixed the Octavia Prime helmet not properly inheriting tints from equipped skins.
Fixed cases of the Operator appearing in the Transference Chair if the Drifter is selected after completing a Quest that features the Operator (The War Within, etc.).
Fixed <IOS_BLOCK> appearing instead of the icon for Block input in the Melee Combo screen.
Fixed the Spinnerex Blade and Scyotid Gauntlet being tradeable.
Fixed a small dot appearing on the screen with the Quick Access Wheel opened.
Fixed a script error when installing Ayatan Stars into multiple Ayatan Treasures in quick succession.
Fixed a script error when petting Krubies in Duviri.
Fixed a script error when opening Chests in Duviri.
Fixed a script error related to Hydroid’s Tempest Barrage.
Fixed a script error when casting Kullervo’s Recompense.
Fixed a script error in the Railjack Customization screen.
In case you didn’t know, Season 3 of Marvel Rivals is set to kick off on July 11. This brings a new hero in the Phoenix (Jean Grey), a new map, and of course, a host of hero balance changes too.
Check out an overview of what thew new Duelist hero can do, as well as the official word on the new Team-Ups being added, and the hero balance changes being made for Season 3.
Marvel Rivals Season 3 New Hero The Phoenix Abilities Showcased
Based on the gameplay shown, her primary attack applies and triggers a mark, and it seems that hitting two shots on the marked target explodes and deals heavy damage. We see an area-of-effect on nearby enemies when the mark explodes, and this even heals Phoenix for added survivability.
Her abilities involve free flight, a dash that leaves what seems like a ghost behind that can deal damage when hit.
Don’t forget, Blade is entering the roster as another Duelist in the mid-season refresh as well, though the character’s kit hasn’t been revealed yet.
In April last year, we reported on a rumor that Sony was in "very early" talks to bring Helldivers 2 to Xbox platforms.
Marvel Rivals Season 3 Hero Balance Adjustments and New Team-Ups
The new season of Marvel Rivals applies some much-needed nerfs to Iron Man, the Punisher and more! Before that, check out the new Team-Ups being added, as some are being removed.
TEAM-UP ABILITIES
NEW
Ever-Burning Bond (Human Torch – Spider-Man)
– With great friendship comes great firepower!
As the Team-Up Anchor, Human Torch gains a 5% boost in damage output.
– Spider-Man unlocks the new Inferno Blast ability through his team-up with Human Torch.
Primal Flame (Phoenix – Wolverine)
– Snikt! Now with a side of cosmic fire.
As the Team-Up Anchor, Phoenix gains a 10% boost in damage output.
– Wolverine gains the new Phoenix Warrior ability through his Team-Up with Phoenix.
ADJUSTED OR REMOVED
ESU Alumnus (Spider-Man – Squirrel Girl)
– Time for these two to graduate on to bigger and better things.
The Team-Up Anchor effect for Spider-Man has been removed, along with the ESU Alumnus Team-Up Ability.
– Squirrel Girl loses the Webbed Acorn ability previously gained from her Team-Up with Spider-Man.
Stark Protocol (Iron Man – Ultron/Squirrel Girl)
– Squirrel Girl joins this tech Team-Up!
Squirrel Girl gains the new Squirrel Missile ability from her Team-Up with Iron Man.
Storming Ignition (Storm – Human Torch)
– The fire is out and the storm has passed on this Team-Up.
– Storm loses the Burning Hurricane ability gained from her Team-Up with Human Torch.
– Human Torch loses the Omega Fire ability gained from his Team-Up with Storm.
Symbiote Shenanigans (Venom – Jeff the Land Shark/Hela)
– The Goddess of Death joins in on the shenanigans.
Hela gains the Hel Tendrils ability through her Team-Up with Venom.
We’re slightly reducing the usage coverage of this Team-Up as even the Guardians need to pace themselves.
– Increase Leader’s Soul and Nature’s Soul ability cooldown from 120s to 135s.
Symbiote Shenanigans (Venom – Jeff the Land Shark)
We’re slightly increasing the power on Jeff’s end of his Team-Up Ability. Maximum mayhem, now with extra bite!
– Increase Guardian of the Deep maximum Bonus Health from 50 to 100 and max tendril link period from 3s to 5s.
Sony has launched a surprise sale on the PlayStation Store, and this one is called the July Savings promotion! The highlight of the sales is undoubtedly Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, as the hit RPG goes on sale for the first time on the digital storefront.
HERO ADJUSTMENTS
VANGUARD
Emma Frost
Looks like the White Queen is trading a bit of offense for more glam! Her Damage and her Survivability in Diamond Form are taking a slight hit.
– Reduce Telepathic Pulse Damage at 99 energy from 120/s to 110/s and from 150/s to 140/s at 100 energy.
– Reduce Diamond Form Damage Reduction from 30% to 25%.
– Reduce the energy cost of Psionic Seduction (Ultimate Ability) from 3700 to 3400.
The Thing
We’re not afraid to say it… IT’S CLOBBERIN’ TIME! Now with smoother moves and more utility! Time for more pain with your brothers and sisters in arms!
– New Ability Battle Blitz: The Thing leaps toward enemies, gaining 25% Damage Reduction. Leap targeting distance to enemies is 20m.
– Stone Haymaker New Effect: Knocks down hit flying enemies.
Venom
Venom’s got a stickier grip! His control after diving in is now slightly more terrifying.
– Increase Cellular Corrosion enemy slow effect from 15% to 25%.
DUELIST
Human Torch
Flame on… but mind the heat! Johnny’s getting a Team-Up Anchor effect but a little less firepower to balance things out.
– Reduce Fire Cluster Damage per projectile from 6 to 5.5.
– Reduce Supernova (Ultimate Ability) activation shockwave Damage from 80 to 75 and Fire Tornadoes DoT from 120/s to 110/s.
– Add Team-Up Anchor bonus 5% Damage boost.
Iron Man
Tony’s slightly powering down with reduced Damage output and a longer wait for his Ultimate.
– Reduce the first two Repulsor Blast hits from 40 to 35 and from 50 to 45 while in Armor Overdrive.
– Increase energy cost of Invincible Pulse Cannon (Ultimate Ability) from 2800 to 3400.
Mister Fantastic
The stretchy genius gets slightly less tanky in his Inflated state.
– Reduce Inflated state Bonus Health from 400 to 350.
Namor
The Sub-Mariner surges forward with smoother aim and slightly sharper tridents!
– Increase Trident of Neptune Projectile Damage from 70 to 75 and Projectile Speed from 120m/s to 150m/s.
– Increase Wrath of the Seven Seas Projectile Speed from 120m/s to 150m/s.
Scarlet Witch
Wanda’s Ultimate just got a little more hex-tra!
– Reduce max slow rate during Reality Erasure (Ultimate Ability) charge period from 35% to 25% and increase Damage from 750 to 850.
Spider-Man
Web-warriors rejoice! Spidey loses his Team-Up Anchor bonus but gains a new Team-Up Ability and a bit more bite.
– Increase ‘Get Over Here!’ kick Damage when pulled to enemies from 50 to 55.
– Increase Spider-Power midair Damage from 50 to 55.
– Increase Amazing Combo Damage from 55 to 60.
The Punisher
Frank’s turret is losing some sting, and his Ultimate is going to need more juice.
– Reduce Culling Turret Projectile Damage from 12 to 10, and decrease the Spell Field Damage from 12 to 10.
– Increase the energy cost of Final Judgement (Ultimate Ability) from 3400 to 3700.
Winter Soldier
Bucky’s getting a little more dangerous from downtown.
– Adjust Roterstern Damage Falloff maximum at 40m from 60% to 70%.
Wolverine
Logan’s control frequency is taking a slight hit as he now needs more time to sharpen those claws between leaps.
– Increase Feral Leap strike duration from 4s to 5s and increase its cooldown from 12s to 15s.
STRATEGIST
Invisible Woman
Sue’s healing is a little more reliable, now that’s fantastic!
– Increase Orb Projection healing on launch from 40 to 45 and damage from 20 to 25. Reduce healing on return from 40 to 35 and damage from 20 to 15
Loki
The God of Mischief needs slightly more energy for his Ultimate. Guess he’s been up to too many tricks!
– Increase the energy cost of God of Mischief (Ultimate Ability) from 4000 to 4300.
Mantis
Mantis’s healing touch grows, and her Ultimate is more potent, but its frequency is reduced.
– Healing Flower New Effect: Heals allies by 2.5%/s. Reduce base healing from 20/s to 12.5/s.
– Increase energy cost of Soul Resurgence (Ultimate Ability) from 3700 to 4300. Increase Bonus Max Health from 100 to 150.
Ultron
Ultron’s going to have to update his software as his defenses are taking a slight hit, and he’s a little less of a team player (which seems fine by him) in this patch.
– Reduced Dynamic Flight acceleration effect time from 8s to 6s.
– Reduce Imperative: Firewall Bonus Health to self from 75 to 65 and to allies from 55 to 50.
We also get our first look at the new Klyntar: Celestial Husk map!
Everything melts when NetEase launches Season 3: The Abyss Awakens on July 11.
When it comes to mega gaming franchises, there’s none bigger than perhaps Call of Duty and Fortnite. Could Battlefield stand toe-to-toe with these behemoths? Publisher Electronic Arts (EA) seems to think so.
A new report that talks about the development of the new Battlefield game mentions how expensive the project has become and EA’s lofty goals for it.
While DICE and EA have remained mum about the new Battlefield game (which we're referring to as Battlefield 6 even there's very slim chance that's the actual title), a ton of info about the game has surfaced from the closed Battlefield Labs playtest.
All the info from the report comes from developers purported to be connected to the game, though under the condition of anonymity (understandably why).
New Battlefield Game in Development Is the Most Expensive Series Entry of All-Time
The report from Ars Technica states that the new Battlefield game, currently working under the codename “Glacier,” has a broader scope than its predecessors and boasts the largest budget of any Battlefield game to date.
It mentions that the project had a budget of more than $400 million as of early 2023, and it has already exceeded the original budget. However, major setbacks have said to have disrupted production, with “hundreds of additional developers” brought in from various EA-owned studios to help get the same back on track, which significantly increased the project’s overall cost.
“Multiple team members” with knowledge about the project’s finances have shared that current projections are now well north of the $400 million amount.
With that significant amount of money sunk in, EA has lofty goals to go along with it.
The report claims that EA’s “executive leadership” believes Battlefield has the potential to stand alongside heavy hitters such as Call of Duty and Fortnite if the “right calls were made and enough was invested.” The target? A lofty 100 million players over a set period of time that included post-launch.
The unnamed EA employee said, “Obviously, Battlefield has never achieved those numbers before,” admitting the number is a little too high to be a realistic target. “It’s important to understand that over about that same period, 2042 has only gotten 22 million,” shared another dev, who also added that even 2016’s Battlefield 1—the most successful game in the franchise by numbers—had achieved “maybe 30 million plus.”
While it might seem like EA is dreaming for even wanting to hit that mark, the publisher is said to believe that a free-to-play model such as what Fortnite and Call of Duty battle royale modes offer, that number is attainable.
Are you tired of seeing goofy operators in military shooters? If so, the initial images of Battlefield 6's factions should make you happy somewhat, as there's none of that to be found.
DICE Skeptical 100M Is Achievable
It’s said that “very few people” working in the studios behind the new Battlefield believe this 100-million -player target was achievable. Many veteran developers of Battlefield who worked at DICE in Stockholm, Sweden, were said to be skeptical of it.
One developer shared, “Among the things that we are predicting is that we won’t have to cannibalize anyone else’s sales…That there’s just such an appetite out there for shooters of this kind that we will just naturally be able to get the audience that we need.”
When it comes to the lofty player count and revenue targets, one source mentioned that “nothing in the market research or our quality deliverables indicates that we would be anywhere near that.”
Those who own the PS5 Pro and plan to play the new Battlefield game are in for one buttery experience that's usually only available for PC gamers.
As of press time, EA has not commented on the report, nor do we think they ever will. While what we’ve seen of the new Battlefield game is looking great so far, targeting a super-high number is never a good thing, since anything below it is considered a failure. The last thing the Battlefield franchise needs right now is to shoot for the stars, since franchise fans just want a core Battlefield experience without any gimmicks.
And when you factor in how the battle royale craze has flattened out, even if EA offers the new Battlefield game’s battle royale mode as a F2p game to shooter fans, it’s still not a guarantee that it will work. Aside from Fortnite and Warzone, multiplayer gamers also have mainstays such as Marvel Rivals, Overwatch 2 and more to keep them occupied.
Let’s hope that when EA finally reveals the new Battlefield game this summer, they knock it out of the park. Perhaps then, we can start talking about lofty player counts.
While we've already seen countless gameplay of the new Battlefield game via Battlefield Labs, one thing we havent' seen a lot of is the game's gadgets.
In April last year, we reported on a rumor that Sony was in “very early” talks to bring Helldivers 2 to Xbox platforms. It seems whatever talks Sony had proved fruitful, as Arrowhead Game Studios has today confirmed the Helldivers 2 Xbox Series X|S versions.
Due on August 26, Xbox gamers can finally play the hit multiplayer survival game the same day PlayStation gamers will be able to experience Gears of War on PS5! Talk about synergy and all that, right?
While DICE and EA have remained mum about the new Battlefield game (which we're referring to as Battlefield 6 even there's very slim chance that's the actual title), a ton of info about the game has surfaced from the closed Battlefield Labs playtest.
August 26 Will Be a Remarkable Day for Xbox and PlayStation Fans
In the announcement,Arrowhead confirmed that crossplay will be available. which means the Helldivers 2 player base should be bolsterered significantly come August.
Xbox gamers can buy two variants of the game, which is the standard version, and the Super Citizen Edition. Pre-ordering both will net players armor sets outlined below.
Pre-Order Bonuses:
Players who pre-order will receive three armor sets:
‘TR-7 Ambassador of the Brand’ – Promotional armor made by SUMY Corp. as part of a highly successful marketing campaign for frozen yogurt.
‘TR-62 Knight’ – Crafted to deliver Justice to the darkest crevices of the galaxy.
‘TR-9 Cavalier of Democracy’ – Bearers of this armor ride no equine mount
If you’re interested in the Super Citizen Edition, it will house
‘DP-53 Savior of the Free’ Armour Set
‘Will of the People’ Cape
MP-98 Knight’ Weapon
Super Citizen Status
Stratagem Hero Ship Game
Premium Warbond Token
For anyone wondering, yes, you will need an active Game Pass subscription in order to play online.
As for PS5 gamers, August 26 is also an important date, as that’s when Gears of War: Reloaded is unleashed, which marks the first time the franchise will be playable on a non-Xbox console.
Thankfully, PS5 players won’t be required to sign up for a Microsoft account unless they are looking to utilize “full cross-platform functionality.”
Were’ hoping this is the start of more PlayStation games appearing on Xbox platforms, so that more gamers can enjoy these excellent experiences. Who knows? Maybe this will open the door for Helldivers 2 collaboration with Xbox-owned properties,which we’ll see appear on PS5? One can dream, right?
Mark the date, helldiver! August 26 is an essential date for the survival of Super Earth!
Xbox has been hit with yet another wave of layoffs, as Microsoft announced today that it would be cutting 9,000 jobs across its entire company, impacting several industries in which it operates.
World War 2 shooter Hell Let Loose just got a new hotfix on July 3, which console gamers will see as download version 1.045 (complete revision 1.045.000). This is a small update that introduces fixes to the major 17.1 patch released last week.
Note that this doesn’t fix all the bugs from last week’s major content patch, though it does fix some nagging issues pertaining to servers, building access issues, and more.
Just a few days ago, Team Jade finally reconfirmed the existence of Delta Force's console versions.
Hell Let Loose Update on July 3 Brings It to Version 1.045.000
The list of changes for today’s patch include:
Occasional server side crash on some community servers.
Re-tune the flares for daytimes.
Panther Heavy Tank spawning on North Africa maps.
Buildings access issues on Kharkov.
Bipod ping being off-center to Lewis Gun sights.
Admin Camera “Toggle Auto Orbit” option missing from Admin Camera UI.
If you haven’t logged in recently, the 17.1 patch added new features such as medic improvements, explore mode, admin camera features, and a lot more. It’s the biggest patch Expression Games has released for the shooter to date, unless we’re mistaken.
Chances are, given the scope of the 17.1 patch, we’ll be getting another update dealing with various balance changes, bug fixes and whatnot. Once we know more, we’ll be sure to let our readers know.
While DICE and EA have remained mum about the new Battlefield game (which we're referring to as Battlefield 6 even there's very slim chance that's the actual title), a ton of info about the game has surfaced from the closed Battlefield Labs playtest.
San Diego Studio has released patch 17 for MLB The Show 25, and this is update 1.017 for PS5. On Xbox, it’s update 1.0.76, and on Nintendo Switch, it’s update 1.17.
The main purpose of today’s update is to update the player models for many MLB athletes in the game. Check out the complete list of patch notes below.
Known for their critically-acclaimed single-player titles like Max Payne, Alan Wake, and Control, Remedy Entertainment is venturing into new territory.
MLB The Show 25 Update 1.017 Updates the Player Models
Gameplay:
Removed a blank screen that could appear when substituting a pitcher in the bullpen.
Diamond Dynasty:
Fixed the team filter for Diamond Quest rewards when selecting a map.
Updated Player Models:
A few players will be updated after the content deployment at 12pm PT.
Spencer Arrighetti
Adrian Morejon
Akil Baddoo
Llover Peguero
Corbin Burnes
Brandon Pfaadt
Mike Burrows
AJ Puk
Jac Caglianone
John Rave
Logan Cerny
Garrett Reed
Kennedy Corona
Jose Ramirez
Jose Deleon
Jordan Romano
Chase Delauter
Brent Rooker
Christian Encarnacion-Strand
Keibert Ruiz
Gordon Graceffo
Gabe Speier
Romy Gonzalez
Matt Strahm
Tyler Glasnow
Marcus Stroman
Mitch Keller
Dansby Swanson
Nick Kurtz
Eugenio Suarez
Dylan Lesko
Kyle Teel
Ronny Mauricio
Victor Vodnik
Angel Martinez
Tyler Wade
Dustin May
Ryan Zefferjahn
Christian Moore
Christian Yelich
MP1st will update its readers once another patch for MLB The Show 25 is released soon, which has become more consistent these past few weeks.
During the 85th Annual General Meeting of Nintendo shareholders, President Shuntaro Furukawa was asked how long the company plans to support the Nintendo Switch 2, the new console launched in early June.
Kojima Productions has released a new patch for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, but sadly, this isn’t the one players were expecting. There are no significant sweeping bug changes in the patch.
This minor patch will be visible to players as Death Stranding 2 update 1.006 (complete revision 1.006.000), weighing in at just 490 MB. Read on for what’s new in the official changelog available below.
Sony has launched a surprise sale on the PlayStation Store, and this one is called the July Savings promotion! The highlight of the sales is undoubtedly Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, as the hit RPG goes on sale for the first time on the digital storefront.
Death Stranding 2’s Update for July 3 Aimed for Performance Improvements
The latest from the PlayStation Studios XDEV account mentions, “Patch 1.06 for DEATH STRANDING 2 has been delivered. This patch addresses stability improvements and minor bug fixes.”
It doesn’t go in detail what minor bugs were specifically fixed, though there’s at least one player claiming that their progress was lost due to the patch. Over on the game’s subreddit, user BossPi lanents, “Just lost about 2hr of hard work due to the new patch(I think?). I think my last auto save is when the patch dropped and the game just refused to make new save files.”
Continuing, “Just lost about 2hr of hard work due to the new patch(I think?). I think my last auto save is when the patch dropped and the game just refused to make new save files. When I logged back on there is a pop up that says something like “there is a new save file format and your old safe cannot be read.” Has this happened to anyone?”
If you were also affected, please leave a comment below so that other players are aware of this issue.
Death Stranding 2 was released on June 26, and is easily one of the year’s best-reviewed games. It currently has a 90 review score average on Metacritic, and a “Mighty” rating on Open Critic with the same review score average.
Kojima Productions hasn’t said anything on when we can expect the game’s first major patch to drop or what fixes will be in it. However, once we have more information, we’ll be sure to share it with our readers.
Saber Interactive has released patch 8.1 for Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 today. For console players, this is update 1.008.001, and it’s available now on all platforms.
Players can expect fewer crashing issues as well as several bug fixes. Read on for the full patch notes below.
It's been five long years since Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot was first released, and despite being a single-player game, the DLC support the game has gotten over the years is rather impressive, especially when compared to other, more online-focused Dragon Ball games.
Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 Update 1.008.001 Prevents Crashes
The 8.1 Hotfix is now live on every platform. It fixes various crashes and connectivity issues, as well as a bug preventing the Helmet reward for Siege Mode to unlock.
Fixed several crashes
Fixed several issues causing disconnects
Fixed Siege Mode rewards from wave 25+
Lots of small fixes to Siege Mode map geometry
Fixed bug that was causing random enemies to get stronger much faster in infinite waves, causing one shot deaths randomly (Note: enemies are still going to get stronger but it will be not random and more consistent)
Fixed a bug in Siege Mode that occurred when a player would join a game in progress, the game would not apply difficulty modifiers correctly.
Fixed a bug in UI that was causing inability to change colour presets
Minor localization fixes
MP1st will post more updates about Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 in the near future when additional patches are released.
Sony has launched a surprise sale on the PlayStation Store, and this one is called the July Savings promotion! The highlight of the sales is undoubtedly Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, as the hit RPG goes on sale for the first time on the digital storefront.
