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PlayStation Accidentally Reveals Bluepoint Games Acquisition

  by   Tim Villasor  
June 29, 2021 12:51 pm in News

Looks like Sony may have let the cat out of the bag too soon in announcing some big acquisitions to their PlayStation Studios front, as PlayStation accidentally reveals getting Bluepoint Games while tweeting about the Housemarque acquisition.

As revealed by Nibellion, PlayStation Japan uploaded a number of images to their Twitter page to welcome Housemarque to their PlayStation family — but they also added an image that accidentally reveals them welcoming Bluepoint Games as well.

https://twitter.com/Nibellion/status/1409822833631502338

Soon after, the images were quickly taken down, but Tweetdeck still has the evidence and trail of the posts and it has quickly gone viral through the internet.

For those who have yet to know about Bluepoint Games, here’s an overview about the company from their official website.

Established in 2006, with a team now over 90 people, Bluepoint has developed a history of delivering the highest quality remasters and remakes in the industry. But that’s not enough for us. Our latest project is the largest in our history, and aims to define the visual benchmark for the next generation of gaming hardware.

Our founders were part of the Metroid Prime engineering team, and have been in the industry for over 20 years, while the majority of the team has been in the industry for at least 10 years.

With each game, we set out to achieve industry-defining visuals and gameplay, while fostering the growth and success of our team.

Along with Housemarque and once Sony announce it officially, acquiring Bluepoint Games will definitely bolster their line-up of offerings for the PlayStation library.

Check out our archives and see just how Bluepoint Games has contributed to PlayStation here.

Thanks Nibellion!

Tags: Bluepoint Games housemarque PlayStation

Tim Villasor

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Predator Hunting Grounds Update 2.22 Patch Notes for June 29

  by   Alex Co  
11:58 am in News

Ilffonic has released the Predator Hunting Grounds update 2.22 June 29 patch, which includes free content, as well as paid DLC. Head on for the patch notes below to see the official list of changes.

Predator Hunting Grounds Update 2.22 Patch Notes for June 29:

Paid DLC

  • New playable Fireteam member – Isabelle
  • Early Access to new Fireteam weapon – NRV-E (Sniper Rifle)

Free Update

  • New Map – Headquarters
  • New Collectibles – OWLF Tape series 2

General

  • Addressed an exploit spot in Airstrip
  • Fixed an issue in Airstrip where certain parts of the map did not have the proper lighting
  • Fixed an issue in Airstrip where the downed helicopter not always showing up during certain missions
  • Fixed an issue in Airstrip where the reinforcements may sometimes spawn Fireteam members in the incorrect location

Fireteam

  • General
    • Fireteam members can no longer muddy up in Clash mode
    • Fixed an issue where Dutch 1987 was not working properly in custom private matches, ‘Big Head Mode’
    • Fixed an issue where certain cosmetics were not properly displaying on Dutch 2025
    • Fixed an issue where Dutch’s beard was floating over his body during certain cinematics

Predator

  • Weapons
    • Battle Axe
      • Fixed an issue where the Battle Axe was not properly being sheathed when entering Predkour
    • Plasma Caster
      • Fixed an issue where the Plasma Caster reticle was not properly focusing while charging

Source: Ilffonic forums

Tags: Illfonic Games Predator Predator: Hunting Grounds
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Alex Co

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

Home > News

Risk of Rain 2 Update 2.07 Patch Notes – Anniversary Content Live on Consoles

  by   James Lara  
11:57 am in News

The much anticipated Risk of Rain 2 anniversary update has arrived for console players after a 3 month wait from the PC release. This major update adds a ton of new items, including a new survivor, boss, and more! Read the full Risk of Rain 2 Update 2.07 patch notes now!

Risk of Rain 2 Update 2.07 Patch Notes

Size: roughly 2.7GB for PS4 and Xbox One. Switch users will get the update a bit later. 

Console Specific:

  • New Map added: Sundered Grove

Risk of Rain 2 Update 2.07 Major Content:

  • Added System: Morgue + Account Stats

    • Browse past runs and all of your account stats – like favorite survivors, progress to completion, or your favorite equipment – now in the Logbook!

  • Added New Survivor

    • New Survivor: Bandit

  • Added New Survivor Skin

    • New Survivor Skin: Bandit Skin

  • Added 5 New Items

    • New Lunar Item: Hooks of Heresy

    • New Lunar Item: Essence of Heresy

    • New Boss Item: Empathy Cores

    • New Boss Item: Charged Perforator

    • New Boss Item: Planula

  • Added 5 New Skill Variants

    • New Skill Variant: MUL-T Special

    • New Skill Variant: Mercenary Utility

    • New Skill Variant: REX Special

    • New Skill Variant: Loader Special

    • New Skill Variant: Captain Utility

  • Added 1 New Monster

    • New Monster: Lunar Chimera (Exploder)

  • Added 1 New Elite

    • New Elite: Perfected

  • Added 1 New Boss

    • New Boss: Grandparent

  • Added New Interactable

    • New Interactable: Lunar Shop Refresher

  • Added 9 New Challenges

    • New Class Challenge: Bandit: Sadist

    • New Class Challenge: Bandit: Classic Man

    • New Class Challenge: Bandit: B&E

    • New Class Challenge: Bandit: Mastery

    • New Class Challenge: MUL-T: Seventh Day

    • New Class Challenge: Mercenary: Flash of Blades

    • New Class Challenge: REX: Full of Life

    • New Class Challenge: Loader: The Thunderdome

    • New Class Challenge: Captain: Smushed

  • Added 93 New Lore Entries

    • New Lore Entry: Monster Tooth

    • New Lore Entry: Lens-Maker’s Glasses

    • New Lore Entry: Paul’s Goat Hoof

    • New Lore Entry: Bustling Fungus

    • New Lore Entry: Crowbar

    • New Lore Entry: Tri-Tip Dagger

    • New Lore Entry: Warbanner

    • New Lore Entry: Cautious Slug

    • New Lore Entry: Stun Grenade

    • New Lore Entry: Backup Magazine

    • New Lore Entry: Armor-Piercing Rounds

    • New Lore Entry: Bison Steak

    • New Lore Entry: Focus Crystal

    • New Lore Entry: Item Scrap, White

    • New Lore Entry: AtG Missile Mk. 1

    • New Lore Entry: Infusion

    • New Lore Entry: Hopoo Feather

    • New Lore Entry: Ukulele

    • New Lore Entry: Leeching Seed

    • New Lore Entry: Red Whip

    • New Lore Entry: Harvester’s Scythe

    • New Lore Entry: Berzerker’s Pauldron

    • New Lore Entry: Razorwire

    • New Lore Entry: Brilliant Behemoth

    • New Lore Entry: Frost Relic

    • New Lore Entry: Happiest Mask

    • New Lore Entry: 57 Leaf Clover

    • New Lore Entry: Dio’s Best Friend

    • New Lore Entry: Wake of Vultures

    • New Lore Entry: Resonance Disc

    • New Lore Entry: Defensive Microbots

    • New Lore Entry: Titanic Knurl

    • New Lore Entry: Pearl

    • New Lore Entry: Irradiant Pearl

    • New Lore Entry: Genesis Loop

    • New Lore Entry: Artifact Key

    • New Lore Entry: Corpsebloom

    • New Lore Entry: Gesture of the Drowned

    • New Lore Entry: Beads of Fealty

    • New Lore Entry: Defiant Gouge

    • New Lore Entry: Mercurial Rachis

    • New Lore Entry: Empathy Cores

    • New Lore Entry: Essence of Heresy

    • New Lore Entry: Effigy of Grief

    • New Lore Entry: Spinel Tonic

    • New Lore Entry: Disposable Missile Launcher

    • New Lore Entry: Foreign Fruit

    • New Lore Entry: Primordial Cube

    • New Lore Entry: Royal Capacitor

    • New Lore Entry: Radar Scanner

    • New Lore Entry: Eccentric Vase

    • New Lore Entry: Volcanic Egg

    • New Lore Item: Hooks of Heresy

    • New Lore Item: Essence of Heresy

    • New Lore Item: Empathy Cores

    • New Lore Item: Charged Perforator

    • New Lore Item: Planula

    • New Lore Entry: Lesser Wisp

    • New Lore Entry: Lemurian

    • New Lore Entry: Hermit Crab

    • New Lore Entry: Solus Probe

    • New Lore Entry: Brass Contraption

    • New Lore Entry: Bighorn Bison

    • New Lore Entry: Stone Golem

    • New Lore Entry: Clay Templar

    • New Lore Entry: Greater Wisp

    • New Lore Entry: Elder Lemurian

    • New Lore Entry: Lunar Chimera (Exploder)

    • New Lore Entry: Beetle Queen

    • New Lore Entry: Stone Titan

    • New Lore Entry: Aurelionite

    • New Lore Entry: Wandering Vagrant

    • New Lore Entry: Magma Worm

    • New Lore Entry: Grovetender

    • New Lore Entry: Imp Overlord

    • New Lore Entry: Scavenger

    • New Lore Entry: Overloading Worm

    • New Lore Entry: Grandparent

    • New Lore Entry: Distant Roost

    • New Lore Entry: Rallypoint Delta

    • New Lore Entry: Scorched Acres

    • New Lore Entry: Siren’s Call

    • New Lore Entry: Hidden Realm: Gilded Coast

    • New Lore Entry: Hidden Realm: Void Fields

    • New Lore Entry: Hidden Realm: Bazaar Between Time

    • New Lore Entry: Hidden Realm: A Moment, Whole

    • New Lore Entry: Sundered Grove

    • New Lore Entry: Commando

    • New Lore Entry: Engineer

    • New Lore Entry: Acrid

    • New Lore Entry: Loader

    • New Lore Entry: Mercenary

    • New Lore Entry: Bandit

Risk of Rain 2 Update 2.07 Gameplay Changes:

• General

• Final Stage

• :cloud_with_rain: The final stage has been redone entirely, with unique objectives and a new, large arena to play in. We won’t spoil it. Please let us know how you feel!

• Low Health Threshold

• 20%⇒ 25%

• NPC AI

• All AI now have dramatically improved pathfinding

• All AI now gets position updates on targets who are invisible only every few seconds, rather than losing the target entirely

• Minions

• Drones no longer have resistance to AOE attacks

• :cloud_with_rain: All minions now teleport to their owner if they stray past 400m

• :cloud_with_rain: All Minions now scale to the ‘ambient level’ of the run

• Developer’s Notes: The ‘ambient level’ is the level of the run that grows over time. Previously, the enemy team used the ‘ambient level’ to set their level. Now, all enemies AND minions are at ambient level. The result of this is that player minions, like ghosts from Happiest Mask, purchased Drones, and yes – the Squid Polyp – will scale much better over time. This matches drone scaling in RoR1.

• Survivor

• Commando

• Update VFX of Double Tap, Phase Round, and Suppressive Fire

• Double Tap

○ * Now fires a single bullet per click

  • ○ Bloom Reset Time: 1s ⇒0.7s

  • ○ Damage: 90% ⇒ 100%

  • ○ Duration: 0.2s ⇒ 0.15s

• Tactical Dive

  • ○ Duration: 0.5s ⇒ 0.4s

• Phase Round

  • ○ Now deals 40% more damage every time it passes through an enemy

• Huntress

• Now unlocked by default alongside the Commando! Her previous unlock condition (beat the 3rd stage) now unlocks the Bandit.

• Engineer

• Both Gauss Auto-Turret and Carbonizer Turret now also inherit your equipment. They won’t activate it, but they will hold it.

• Grenades now have slight anti-gravity.

• Artificer

• Nano-Bomb

  • ○ Tendril Damage: 20% of explosion ⇒ 10% of explosion

  • ○ Tendril Fire Frequency: 0.25s ⇒ 0.125s

  • ○ Tendril Same Target Frequency: 2s ⇒ 1s

  • ○ Developer Notes: This change is made specifically to avoid the Artificer’s Nano-Bomb tendrils proccing Ice and Fire Bands. The tendrils will now fire twice as often, but at half the damage.

• Mercenary

• Blinding Assault

  • ○ :cloud_with_rain: Now has a lingering 0.2s invincibility to help chain together Blinding Assaults in high-latency online games

• Items

• Bustling Fungus

• Start Delay: 2s ⇒ 1s

• Now heals at a higher tick rate – overall healing is the same, but the healing is smoother over time

• :cloud_with_rain: Now has small visual mushrooms that grow over the area

• Energy Drink

• :cloud_with_rain: Speed Boost: 30% (+20% per stack) ⇒ 25% (+25% per stack)

• Developer Notes: Mathematically, the Energy Drink was worse than the Goat Hoof for speed after the first pickup, even while sprinting. This change will consistently make Energy Drink stronger when sprinting, and also makes its stacking behavior more consistent. This may make the Energy Drink too strong, but it’ll at least make a bit more sense now.

• AP Rounds

• Improve visual effects to be more noticeable

• Focus Crystal

• Damage Boost: 15% (+15% per stack) ⇒ 20% (+20% per stack)

• Now shows radius for ‘nearby’ distance

• Now causes numbers to be pink when active

• Developer Notes: There are many characters and builds where the Focus Crystal should shine through – however, it never seems to be quite high priority enough for the effort required. We’re hoping that by making it both flashier and stronger, players will prioritize it.

• Rusted Key

• :cloud_with_rain: Now subtly glows and pulses

• Now grants items at the same rarity as a Large Chest

• Now spawns a Lockbox per player with a Rusted Key

• Now consumes a Rusted Key when a lockbox is opened, and requires a Rusted Key to open

• No longer scales reward chance with the number of Keys in your inventory

• Developer Notes: People have always been a bit confused about the behavior of the Rusted Key, so we made it make a bit more sense by actually consuming a key to open. 1 Key = 1 Box. Since the item no longer gives ‘infinite’ items, we can also make it a bit stronger and make the lockbox more noticeable.

• Crowbar

• Damage Boost: +50%(+50% per stack) ⇒ +75% (+75% per stack)

• Improve visual effects to be more noticeable

• Update pickup text to include the damage threshold

• Developer Notes: Same reasoning as Focus Crystal – there are many heavy-hitter builds and characters, but Crowbars aren’t prioritized.

• Gasoline

• Now deals 150% base damage on detonation alongside the burn effect

• Stun Grenade

• Added visual effect when the item procs

• Bison Steak (New! Yum!)

• Replaced ‘Fresh Meat’ item

• No longer grants regeneration on kill

• Now grants 25 (+25 per stack) max health

• Tri-Tip Dagger

• Bleed Chance: 15% (+15% per stack) ⇒ 10% (+10% per stack)

• Developer Notes: Right now, bleed is okay until you can stack it infinitely, in which case it becomes incredibly strong. We want to smooth out the power curve a bit, increasing the number of daggers required for ‘infinite’ bleed to match the number of Glasses required for 100% crit.

• Lepton Daisy

• :cloud_with_rain: Now activates in all ‘holdout zones’, like Void Fields, and not just during the Teleporter Event

• Old War Stealthkit

• Now activates when falling to low health, rather than as a chance when hurt

• Stealth Duration: 3s (+1.5s per stack) ⇒ 5s

• Stealth Cooldown: 0s ⇒ 30s (-50% per stack)

• Bandolier

• :cloud_with_rain: Packs now restocks skills by the amount a full cooldown would

• :cloud_with_rain: Packs now also apply to stashed skills, like MUL-T’s second primary

• Radar Scanner

• :cloud_with_rain: Now details if an interactable is a Barrel, Chest, Drone, Shrine, or something unknown

• Frost Relic

• :cloud_with_rain: Now applies ice slow debuff

• :cloud_with_rain: Now has a softer visual

• Damage Coefficient: 150% ⇒ 300%

• Radius: 3m (+1.5m per kill) ⇒ 6m (+3m per kill)

• H3AD-5T v2

• :cloud_with_rain: Now calculates damage from distance traveled, not speed on impact

• Developer Notes: Even though this makes less sense from a physics standpoint, it will align better with player expectations. Super long fall = big boom.

• Resonance Disk

• Redo firing logic to be more understandable

• Now grants 1 stacking buff per kill, lasting 5 seconds

• Now fires the Disk at 4 stacks, resetting all stacks

• Defiant Gouge

• :cloud_with_rain: Monster Spawn Points: 100 (+100 per stack) ⇒ 40 (+40 per stack)

• Developer Notes: A single Gouge would spawn way too many monsters. Now, having 1 or 2 Gouges should be a reasonable option.

• Focused Convergence

• :cloud_with_rain: Now activates in all ‘holdout zones’, like Void Fields, and not just during the Teleporter Event

• Queen’s Gland

• Limit of deployed Beetle Guards now doubles for Artifact of Swarms

• Halcyon Seed

• Changed summoned Aurelionite pre-stack scaling from current-difficulty-based hp + damage bonuses to leveling up to the ambient level like other summoned characters

• Summoned Aurelionite attention span: 5s ⇒ 15s

• Developer Notes: Aurelionite’s raised attention span should make it less likely to get distracted by weaker monsters attacking it so it’s more likely to spend its time fighting stronger monsters.

• Mired Urn

• No longer capable of targeting and healing from allies

• Monster

• Hermit Crab

• Base Damage: 4 (+0.8 per level) ⇒ 12 (+2.4 per level)

• Mortar Projectile Count: 3 ⇒ 1

• Mortar Projectile now has more visible trail

• Developer Notes: When fighting Hermit Crabs, it’s always been difficult to parse where and how many there are. To help clarify their behavior, we made it clearer so 1 mortar = 1 crab.

• Parent

• Health: 900(+270 per level) ⇒ 585 (+176 per level)

• Update visuals to match closer to RoR1 design

• Update animations

• Greater Wisp

• :cloud_with_rain: Can now be stunned and frozen

• Lunar Chimera (Golem)

• Health: 1900 (+570 per level) ⇒ 1615 (+485 per level)

• Twinshot Attack

○ * Total Shots: 4 ⇒ 10

  • ○ Damage Coefficient: 2 ⇒ 1

  • ○ Force: 8000 ⇒ 1000

  • ○ Now fires in series, rather than all at once

  • ○ Update visuals to be less noisy

  • • Raised the aim origin to be closer to its cannons so it can fire more accurately

  • • Lunar Chimera (Wisp)

  • • Tracking Bomb

  • ○ Damage Coefficient: 6 ⇒ 5

  • ○ Speed: 90 m/s ⇒ 60 m/s

  • ○ Update visuals to be less noisy

• Beetle Queen

• Summon Beetles

  • ○ Beetle Count: 5 ⇒ 2

  • ○ :cloud_with_rain: Now summons Beetle Guards instead of Beetles

• Scavenger

• Now properly spawn as elites

• Developer Notes: Apparently, Scavengers were already spawning as elites – with their health and damage buff – but did not have their elite equipment (Burning, Glacial, etc). Now they will.

• Void Reaver

• Added a minimum distance between bombs

•SPOILERS! Final Boss, Last Phase. SPOILERS!

• Base Health: 1000 (+300 per level) ⇒ 1400 (+420 per level)

• Added stagger state triggered by taking high damage

• Item Steal

○ * Now consistently returns items as you deal damage, rather than randomly, i.e if you have him at 50% health, you will have 50% of your items back

  • ○ Now consistently returns items to players in multiplayer in order (1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4) rather than per-player damage

  • ○ Now returns items in the order that you found them, rather than in reverse order

  • ○ Now utilizes Crowbars

• Stages

• Bazaar Between Time

• Now allows you to reroll shop contents, at the cost of 1/2/4/8… lunar coins

• Wetland Aspect

• Altered stage layout to add more identifiable landmark areas

• Sky Meadows

• Reduce initial map monster spawns by -24%

Risk of Rain 2 Update 2.07 Bug Fixes:

  • Fixed boss items spawning more frequently than intended, especially when more items drop from multiplayer or Mountain Shrine bonuses

  • Fixed large rocks in Titanic Plains clipping into the camera

  • Altered geometry slightly to make more difficult to accidentally go out of bounds on many stages

  • Abandoned Aqueduct now has defensive tar fully circling outside of the play area

  • Fixed korean language characters missing in certain cases

  • Fixed some animation issues on the Loader

  • Fixed physics issues with Commando’s Frag Grenades

  • Fixed certain drones not having 360° vision, causing them to attack or heal less

  • Fixed Lunar Chimera’s death animations not matching the sound timings

  • Fixed more occlusion issues in Sundered Grove and other maps that cause objects to disappear at certain camera angles

  • Fixed certain survivors not removing their limbs when picking up Paul’s Goat Hoof or the Royal Capacitor

  • Fixed Helfire Tincture’s burning effect being offset

  • Fixed Chain Lightning and Razorwire making trail renderers that were not being cleaned up, potentially causing infinite objects in the scene

  • Fixed Mini Mushrums making hitboxes that were not being cleaned up, potentially causing infinite objects in the scene

  • Fixed certain effects incorrectly rendering while the player has invisibility

  • Fixed enemy Beetle Guards not appearing in Void Fields or with Artifact of Dissonance

  • Fixed Vultures having base health regeneration

  • Fixed the ending sequence explosions missing an authority check, causing it to fire additional projectiles for every client in the game

  • Fixed Stone Titan and Aurelionite missing an authority check, causing them to fire an additional projectile for every client in the game

  • Fixed broken drones spawning underground

  • Fixed several monsters playing death sounds and creating the usual visual effects when vanished by Void Reavers

  • Engi Grenades now properly play impact sounds

  • Fixed Alien Head particles not being affected by invisibility

  • Fixed Titan’s laser lock-on only being calculated once, rather than continuously re-evaluating

  • Fixed Titan’s laser lock-on not respecting invisibility

  • Fixed clients not being able to use the exit portal in A Moment, Fractured

  • Fixed 3840×1080 resolutions being unable to navigate the Server Browser

  • Fixed the final boss’s crystals not being correctly colored

  • Enemies who are stunned, frozen, or shocked no longer continue to turn

  • Fixed dedicated server sometimes capturing the mouse cursor

  • Fixed transparent blue spawn point debug visualizers for certain map objects (like explosive pots) being visible to non-host players

  • Fixed game browser not filtering out lobbies and servers running on a different version of the game

  • :cloud_with_rain: Fixed Solus Control Unit not being selected as a boss due to a misconfigured spawn card

What a big update! That’s all for the Risk of Rain 2 Update 2.07, but if the community find anything more we will be sure to update this post as always. Now get out there survivors, you have some new runs to complete. 

Source: Gearbox Software

Tags: Hopoo Games risk of rain Risk of Rain 2
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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.

Home > News

Dead by Daylight Update 2.25 Patch Notes for June 29; Out for Hotfix 5.0.2

  by   Alex Co  
11:50 am in News

Behaviour Interactive has released the Dead by Daylight update 2.25 June 29 patch, or also known as hotfix 5.0.2! This includes a host of bug fixes, and no new content. There’s also specific fixes for the Nintendo Switch version too.

Dead by Daylight Update 2.25 Patch Notes (Hotfix 5.0.2):

Performance Issues

This update contains a few changes that should improve performance for many players. That said, some performance issues still remain. The team is still actively working on more fixes across multiple platforms, including consoles. We will be monitoring the changes made within this bugfix patch for stability.

We’re hoping this update will also help performance on the Raccoon City Police Station map, but we want to ensure it is stable enough to be reinstated for live games. We will be monitoring how the map is doing in custom games with these new changes and provide you all with an update soon.

Thank you for your patience as we continue to work on further improvements to the game’s performance!

PatchNotesDividerSmolWhite.png

Switch Performance

We have reduced the overall visual quality on Switch to help improve performance. The game may still crash when played on the Raccoon City Police Station map, but less frequently. Rest assured, we are still working on ensuring that the new map does not crash on this platform.

PatchNotesDivider.png

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed an issue that could prevent The Nemesis’s tentacle from appearing in the menu during his idle animation.
  • Fixed an issue that could prevent downed survivors from being picked up when near certain walls or corners.
  • Fixed an issue that could display the wrong Dwight’s head icon in a Tutorial Hud if a legendary outfit was equipped before starting the Tutorial
  • Fixed an issue where no Player Statuses were displaying in Spectate mode
  • Fixed an issue with the analog cursor speed in the Onboarding menu
  • Fixed an issue in the Customization menu where multiple customization could remain highlighted as selected
  • Fixed an issue where a synchronization error would sometimes occur when completing a Survivor tutorial.
  • Fixed an issue where players could load into a public match through a custom lobby.
  • Fixed an issue that would sometimes occur where players get a server connection error when opening their friends list.
  • Fixed an issue where the cursor pointer would change to gamepad mode too early.
  • Fixed an issue where completing a tutorial match with bots would cause customization and perks to be unequipped for all characters.
  • Fixed an issue that could cause Nemesis’s Tentacle strike to hit the Survivor through some of the windows and main buildings.
  • Fixed an issue where the generator cannot be repaired on one side in the Pale Rose.
  • Fixed an issue that could cause a global flicker in the environment while moving around the maps.
  • Fixed an issue that could cause a Zombie getting stuck on a collision at the entrance of the foundry in the Ironworks of Misery.
  • Fixed an issue where players could walk on a pallet in Yamaoka map by climbing a rock.
  • Fixed an issue where a cleansed totem skulls remain floating at the back of the truck in the Junkyard map.
  • Fixed an issue where the Survivors can’t be picked up by the killer near the logs next to the Mother’s Dwelling building and the corner of Gideon Meat Plant.
  • Fixed an issue that could cause crashes due to OOM (out of memory) issue.

For more on Dead by Daylight, head on over here.

Source: Dead by Daylight forums

Tags: Behaviour Interactive Dead By Daylight
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Alex Co

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

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Tribes of Midgard Brings 10-Player Co-op Viking Action This July

  by   James Lara  
11:42 am in News

Ragnarök is coming! And no, not God of War, but a whole new co-operative game from Norsfell Studio that is set to bring all it’s battle axes for one epic adventure. Watch the debut trailer now, and read up on all it’s juicy Norse mythology details.

Tribes of Midgard Trailer

About Tribes of Midgard:

Tribes of Midgard is an upcoming game in which players will have to thrive in the wilderness and become a Viking legend in order to defend their village against enemy forces during Ragnarök.

Set in a world full of dark creatures, hidden gods and abundant materials to be uncovered, play together as a Viking clan living in a village that harbours the Seed of Yggdrasil; a tree that holds the promise of everlasting life.

Explore the wilderness to craft new weapons and be prepared to protect the delicate tree of your village from the grim shadows that prey upon its power. All the while, giants stalk ever closer to your village, seeking to destroy Midgard and fulfill the prophecy of the end of the world.

Inspired by Norse mythology and winner of the 2017 Ubisoft Indie Series, Tribes of Midgard is in development by Norsfell games and published by Gearbox Publishing.

Features included in the game:

Up to 10 Player Co-Op
Form a tribe, from 1 to 10 players, and thrive together as long as you can.

Explore Midgard

Discover ancient relics, meet wandering merchants, and face treacherous enemy camps.

Craft Legendary Equipment

Use your gathered materials to forge new equipment and reinforce your village.

Defend Your Home At Night

Work together to stop the legions of Hel from invading your village at nightfall.

Build Anywhere

Build structures to reach cliffs, cross rivers, and create entire base layouts to protect your village.

Fight Together In The Wild

Face a variety of enemies while exploring the world and loot them for rewards.

Stop The Giants To Prevent Ragnarök

Engage menacing Giants and defeat them before they destroy the Seed of Yggdrasil.

Tribes of Midgar will be launching on July 27 for the PS4, PS5, and PC via Steam. It is currently available for pre-order for just $19.99.

Tags: Norsfell Tribes of Midgard
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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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R6 Siege Update 2.08 Patch Notes; Out for June 29 Y6S2.1

  by   Alex Co  
11:40 am in News

Ubisoft has rolled out the R6 update 2.08 June 29 patch, which is for the Rainbow Six Siege Y6S2.1 title update! There are bug fixes, operator tweaks and more all listed in the patch notes below.

R6 Siege Update 2.08 Patch Notes (Y6S2.1):

Y6S2.1 PATCH SIZES

Below you will find the download sizes for each platform.

  • Ubisoft Connect: 1.35 GB
  • Steam: 1 GB
  • Xbox One: 2.85 GB
  • Xbox Series X: 3.04 GB
  • PS4: 1.45 GB
  • PS5: 1.18 GB

BUG FIXES

GAMEPLAY

  • FIXED – Timers are set to old values in Quick Match and Newcomer playlists.
  • FIXED – Bulletproof camera uses old FOV.
  • FIXED – Players lose control of first-person view if they join a Custom Game while under an Abandon Penalty.
  • FIXED – Players who leave a Ranked or Unranked match might be unable to rejoin due to infinite loading.
  • FIXED – Battle Pass ‘Sweeper’ challenge can be completed by destroying friendly gadgets.
  • FIXED – Players who enter Support Mode while there are no available Observation Tools are not able to see the Operator model for the player they are viewing.
  • FIXED – Missing torso or head can be observed during death replay if Operator was eliminated with explosives.
  • FIXED – Timer for Post-Action Report is short by 10 seconds.
  • FIXED – Thunderbird is counted in the Battle Pass ‘Work for Hire’ challenge.
  • FIXED – Minor EOR Replay issues.
  • FIXED – A shield can be placed into a reinforced wall and used to pass through walls.

LEVEL DESIGN

  • FIXED – Various defuser planting and retrieval issues in specific areas on Favela map.
  • FIXED – Multiple clipping, collision, lighting, and navigation issues on Favela map.
  • FIXED – Multiple LOS issues on Favela map.
  • FIXED – Multiple LOD issues on Favela map
  • FIXED – Various LOD, asset, and clipping issues on multiple maps.
  • FIXED – Various issues with Kapkan’s Entry Denial Device on specific maps.
  • FIXED – Devices can be placed on a ceiling fan in 1F Customs Inspection on Border map.
  • FIXED – Oryx can’t climb or grip the hatch in B Wine Cellar on Villa map.
  • FIXED – Defenders cannot reinforce 2 soft walls while standing on the reinforced hatch in 1F Public Bathroom on Consulate map.
  • FIXED – When a player destroys a barricade and vaults through it, the barricade does not replicate properly.

OPERATORS

  • FIXED – Thunderbird is locked in-game but unlocked in the Operator album.
  • FIXED – Thunderbird’s Kóna Station marker is visible to Attackers.
  • FIXED – Thunderbird’s Kóna Station is inverted during deployment animation.
  • FIXED – Montagne’s Le Roc Shield appears in front of him when he uses Observation Tools.
  • FIXED – Smoke’s Remote Gas Grenade disappears from view when the observer is over 18 M away.
  • FIXED – Visual HUD for Jackal’s Eyenox Model III is missing.
  • FIXED – Thunderbird’s Kóna Station can generate debris or be destroyed during deployment or retrieval.
  • FIXED – If Warden walks over a hatch while a teammate is reinforcing, the reinforcement animation is cancelled.
  • FIXED – Lights on Ace’s S.E.L.M.A. Aqua Breacher blink while device is in disabled state.
  • FIXED – When Doc’s Stim Pistol heals a player affected by Lesion’s GU, the GU is removed.
  • FIXED – IQ’s device is automatically reequipped after placing a Breach Charge.
  • FIXED – When eliminated, Maestro can move the Evil Eye camera.
  • FIXED – Animation glitch occurs if IQ switches between primary and secondary weapons while Electronics Detector is equipped.

USER EXPERIENCE

  • FIXED – Enabling RAW input affects mouse movement randomly.
  • FIXED – Host cannot kick another player in a Local Custom Game.
  • FIXED – Multiple text and voice chat issues.
  • FIXED – Multiple customization issues.
  • FIXED – Multiple UI, menu, and localization issues.
  • FIXED – Various VFX issues.
  • FIXED – Multiple Caster HUD issues in Spectator Mode.
  • FIXED – Abusive Chat report option is not displayed for teammates unless PC chat is set to All.
  • FIXED – Voice Abuse report option is missing for teammates who are not in the player’s Squad.
  • FIXED – Infinite loading occurs after cinematic for Situation Cold Zero.
  • FIXED – Flash hider and compensator have old descriptions.
  • FIXED – Generic drone antennas are not fully black.
  • FIXED – There are no controls displayed in-game when using a PS5 controller on PC.

For more on Rainbow Six Siege, head on over to our hub page.

Source: Ubisoft

Tags: Rainbow Six Rainbow Six Siege
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Alex Co

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

Home > News

Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut for PS4 and PS5 Rated by the ESRB

  by   Tim Villasor  
11:32 am in News

Looks like one of 2020’s critically acclaimed action-adventure games is getting a enhanced release, as Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut for PS4 and PS5 has been rated by the ESRB — suggesting that this rerelease is going to be announced officially pretty soon.

As revealed in the official Entertainment Software Rating Board, the director’s cut has obviously been rated M for mature for the blood and gore, partial nudity, and intense violence and language the game has. The game has also been given a rating summary, which you can read below.

Rating Summary
This is an action game in which players assume the role of a samurai (Jin Sakai) on a quest for vengeance against Mongol invaders in 13th century Japan. Players traverse open-world environments, interact with characters, complete quests (e.g., assassinations), and infiltrate enemy strongholds. Players use samurai swords, poison darts, and arrows to battle enemies in third-person melee-style combat. Some attacks result in dismemberment/decapitation of enemy soldiers, often accompanied by large blood-splatter effects. Players can also perform assassination kills (e.g., neck stabbing, sword impalement) to dispatch enemies quietly. Cutscenes depict additional acts of intense violence: a soldier lit on fire and beheaded; bound civilians lit on fire and burned at the stake; a decapitated man’s head held up towards the screen. The game also depicts a man’s exposed buttocks as he bathes in a hot spring. The word “sh*t” appears in the game.
While no release date has been given for the director’s cut, a rumor has also been floating around that a follow up  called Ghost of Ikishima will be coming out this 2021. That could be a part of the director’s cut package, but we’ll only find out if that’s true once Sucker Punch Productions and PlayStation announce something down the line.
Read our review on Ghost of Tsushima and see why it’s a must play experience.
Source: ESRB
Tags: Ghost of Tsushima Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut PlayStation sucker punch productions

Tim Villasor

Home > News

DOOM Eternal Update 1.17 June 29 Patch Fires Out (PS5 1.001) – Update

  by   Alex Co  
9:55 am in News

Developer id Software has released the DOOM Eternal update 1.17 June 29 patch, which is also live on PS5 as update 1.001! Yes, this means that DOOM Eternal is now live on the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S!

DOOM Eternal Update 1.17 June 29 Patch Notes (PS5 1.001):

Update: id Software has released the official notes!

Size: 50GB for Xbox, 60-70GB on PS5 (total game size with update)

DOOM Eternal: Next Gen Versions – Release Notes

Now Available on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PlayStation 5

We are very excited to launch the DOOM Eternal and The Ancient Gods – Part One and Two as native applications on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PlayStation 5. Any DOOM Eternal product purchased on Xbox One or PlayStation 4 is eligible for a free Next Gen upgrade on the same console family. The Next Gen versions are also available for direct digital purchase from Next Gen platforms on the (Xbox) Microsoft Store and the PlayStation Store. Additionally, free upgrades are available to Xbox Game Pass members who have the Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S.

These Next Gen versions bring the following upgrades to each respective platform, achieving new performance and graphical fidelity not yet experienced on any DOOM console version.

Xbox Series X

  • Ray Tracing Graphics Mode running at 1800p/60 FPS
  • 120 FPS Graphics Mode running at 1800p
  • Balanced Graphics Mode running at 4K/60 FPS
  • HDR 10 in any Graphics Mode
  • Ultra-Quality Style Graphics Settings
  • Cross-Gen BATTLEMODE support with XBox One
  • Variable Refresh Rate
  • Variable Rate Shading

Xbox Series S

  • 120 FPS Graphics Mode running at 1080p
  • Balanced Graphics Mode running at 1440p/60 FPS
  • HDR 10 in any Graphics Mode
  • Cross-Gen BATTLEMODE support with XBox One
  • Variable Refresh Rate
  • Variable Rate Shading

*Ray Tracing Graphics Mode is not available on Xbox Series S

Playstation 5

  • Ray Tracing Graphics Mode running at 1800p/60 FPS
  • 120 FPS Graphics Mode running at 1584p
  • Balanced Graphics Mode running at 4K/60 FPS
  • HDR 10 in any Graphics Mode
  • Ultra-Quality Style Graphics Settings
  • Cross-Gen BATTLEMODE support with PlayStation 4
  • DualSense™ adaptive trigger support added for a new dimension to the Slayer’s iconic arsenal

Newly added settings for Playstation 5 DualSense™ adaptive triggers:

  • Enabling/disabling the adaptive triggers
  • Enabling/disabling the adaptive trigger resistance
  • Tuning with a slider the intensity of the adaptive trigger vibrations

Playstation 5 DualSense™ adaptive trigger examples:

  • While charging the Ballista’s Destroyer Blade mod, the charge meter ticks can be felt as vibrations in the trigger
  • Firing the Combat Shotgun’s Full Auto mod, the trigger will kick back with each shot
  • Activating the Chaingun’s Energy Shield mod, makes the trigger harder to pull

Newly added settings for the Playstation 4 DualShock®4 and Playstation 5 DualSense™ controller speaker:

  • Enabling/disabling controller audio
  • Master volume for all controller speaker sound
  • Volume sliders for individual controller sound components: HUD Alerts, Weapon Feedback, and Voice-Over
  • HUD Alerts includes sounds like: Blood Punch ready, Frag Grenade/Ice Bomb ready, low ammo, etc.
  • Weapon Feedback includes sounds like: Sticky Bomb recharge, Precision Bolt reloaded, Heat Blast charge ready, etc.
  • Voice-Over includes any sounds where characters are speaking to the Slayer through comms, such as Samuel, VEGA, and the Intern
  • *Compatible monitor required for Graphics Modes and HDR
  • *All resolutions listed above have dynamic resolution scaling enabled
  • *Update 6 content is included in all Next Gen versions

 

Ray Tracer Ballista Skin

RayTracer.NR

This incredibly reflective new Ballista skin is a free login reward waiting for every Slayer in Update 6. Equip the Ray Tracer today and see new demonic dimensions down the barrel of the Ballista!

Free New Master Level – Taras Nabad

DE.TN.ML 960x540

The capital of Argent D’Nur, Taras Nabad was once the victim of a major demonic invasion that further cemented the legend of the DOOM Slayer. Now it’s time to return to the city in the Master Level challenge to show those demons that the first time wasn’t a fluke!

  • An entirely new combat experience, built from the ground up, meant to challenge the player beyond anything seen in the base campaign
  • Brand new environmental hazards and conditions keep the player on their toes and change the way they think about approaching combat
  • All new rewards like player icons, nameplates, and cosmetics all earnable through completing Taras Nabad Master Level in different difficulties and modes

Classic Mode

  • Start the Master Level with only the Combat Shotgun. You’ll need to find the rest of the weapons and mods throughout the level in order to fill out your arsenal and have a chance to survive!

Extra-Life Difficulty

  • We’ve added Extra-Life mode for those looking to hone their skills and take on a higher challenge as it’s permadeth once you run out of Extra Lives. This is a great new option for those training for an Ultra Nightmare run. Time to go hunting for secrets!

Ultra Nightmare Difficulty

  • For the ultimate test of skill for those black belt Slayers, we’ve added Ultra Nightmare difficulty for this new Master Level. This means permadeath without the chance to gain Extra Lives.

Complete the Taras Nabad Campaign mission to unlock

Campaign Updates

General Gameplay

  • Ice Bombs now freeze the DOOM Hunter boss variants
  • Adjusted hit detection volume for Tentacle to be more accurate to what player sees, making it easier to hit
  • Reduced welcome message duration by 1 second

Difficulty Level Balance Adjustment

  • Chainsaw kills now refill 100% of player ammo on I’m Too Young to Die
  • Reduced projectile speed for the Archvile’s Rolling Fire attack on I’m Too Young to Die and Hurt Me Plenty
  • Reduced Carcass projectile and tracking speeds on I’m Too Young to Die and Hurt Me Plenty
  • Reduced speed of DOOM Hunter gatling gun and arm cannon projectiles on I’m Too Young to Die and Hurt Me Plenty
  • Reduced Whiplash projectile and tracking speeds on I’m Too Young to Die and Hurt Me Plenty

DOOM Eternal: Campaign

FORTRESS OF DOOM

  • Added UI pop-up to remind players that they have unspent Sentinel Batteries

DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods – Part One & Part Two

  • Lowered damage values for Blood Maykr cruciform and javelin attacks by 15%
  • Reduced the Plasma Rifle’s Microwave Beam ammo cost to dispatch Spirits

DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods – Part One

UAC ATLANTICA

  • Reverted balance changes introduced with Update 5 that removed some AI to the first arena after the timed fan puzzle that launches you across the channel and the destroyed oil rig arena that follows shortly thereafter

BLOOD SWAMPS

Trial of Maligog Boss Fight

  • Increased respawn timer for Hell Knight and Pinky spawns for all phases
  • Removed Mecha Zombie and Shield Soldiers
  • Increased resource drops when hitting the Cubes
  • Increased damage values for Chaingun, Micro Missiles, Precision Bolt and Automatic Shotgun against the Eye
  • Raised the Eye’s projectile attack sound effects in audio mix so they are more audible
  • Increased the Eye’s projectile attack VFX size so they are easier to see
  • Reduced direct damage from the Eye’s projectile attack
  • Decreased the Eye’s projectile attack speed by 20%
  • Increased size of hit detection for the Eye

THE HOLT

Samur Boss Fight Balance Adjustments

  • Added more health packs and vials to final arena
  • Added some plasma pickups to final arena
  • Adjusted respawn time for Dreadknight and Pain Elemental in final phase from 4 to 10 seconds

DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods – Part Two

  • Added a distinct sound cue to indicate when Cursed Prowlers spawn into the world
  • Player now automatically receives a Blood Punch charge after being Cursed
  • Reduced amount of health that the Dark Lord receives after hitting the player during boss fight
  • General quality of life improvements to Demonic Trooper
  • Stone Imp no longer takes damage from the Chaingun Energy Shield

Doom BattleMode Logo Keyable 500

New BATTLEMODE Arena: Corrosion

DE.BM.Corrosion 960x540

BATTLEMODE’s latest arena: Corrosion is a forgotten fortress that’s been ravaged by a hellish swamp. Players will engage in frenetic firefights through the outer Battlements and ambush deep into the inner Catacombs. The Courtyard acts as the arena’s centerpiece, and provides cover with plenty of mobility options. Expect high showdown potential between the Demon Players and DOOM Slayer in this new arena.

DE.BM.Corrosion.Areas.960x588

BATTLEMODE Updates – All Platforms

Performance

  • Bandwidth utilization optimizations to help mitigate game-related server hitches
  • We are hopeful for best case scenario network performance previous to Update 6 to feel like worst case scenario network performance in Update 6

General

  • Added jump pad cooldowns to specific groups of jump pads that could be exploited through constant use in Forsaken, Penance and Celestial
  • Increased teleporter cooldown to from 10 sec to 15 sec

BATTLEMODE Balance Updates – All Platforms

BATTLEMODE Characters Slayer.245x278

SLAYER

Added Primary Charger Heavy Cannon Micro Missiles upgrade to Slayer base kit

  • Primary Charger – Kills with the Heavy Cannon will boost Micro Missiles damage by 30% for 5 sec

Added Salvo Extender Combat Shotgun Full Auto upgrade to Slayer base kit

  • Salvo Extender – Killing a demon with the Full Auto mod will drop shell ammo

Removed Faster Recovery upgrade from the Chaingun’s Energy Shield, which has increased the Energy Shield’s recharge time by 37.5%

  • Increased damage dealt to Chaingun Energy Shield by Demon Players from 2.5x to 4x

(With the exception of Revenant Rocket Barrage & Mancubus Flamethrower attacks still deal 2.5x damage)

  • Increased Flame Belch cooldown with Burning Hate upgrade to 15 sec up from 12.5 sec
  • Fist of fury behavior updated to allow the Slayer to get a Blood Punch charge from one glory kill and reduced damage resistance to 35%, down from 50%
  • Reduced Endless Rage duration from 5 sec to 4 sec

DAMAGE FALLOFF FOR PRECISION BOLT AND BALLISTADMGfalloff.ESRB

  • The Slayer’s Precision Bolt and Ballista do less damage at certain distances when used against Demon Players

DEMON PLAYERS

  • Demon Players can now summon AI and place rad hazards and healing zones on the floating platforms in Tundra
  • On respawn, Demon Players are given Haste and deal half damage for 5 seconds (on top of their typical armored/damage reduction status effect)
  • Removed ability for healing zones to double stack and heal more
  • Increased Noxious Hazard damage to from 12 dmg to 15 dmg

BATTLEMODE Characters Archvile.245x278

ARCHVILE

  • Adjusted flame shield VFX to be more consistent with shield hitbox
  • Added invulnerability during teleport animation
  • Reworked Fire Specialist round upgrade to cause increased damage when the caster’s projectile passes through the upgraded shield (indicated by a purple-ish colored shield & projectile)
  • Summoner Loadout name changed to Defensive
  • Replaced Shield Soldier with Maykr Drone in Defensive Loadout

BATTLEMODE Characters Revenant.245x278

REVENANT

  • Increased vertical ascension speed by 50% after a short delay for the jetpack
  • Remove Armored from Defensive loadout and replaced with Haste
  • Replaced Shield Soldier with Prowler in Defensive loadout
  • Added 50% damage reduction during Rocket Barrage attack

Replaced Acrobat with the new Sadist round upgrade

  • Primary fire deals 20% more damage and fires 25% faster at or below 30% health
  • These rockets cause knock back and significant self-damage if detonated too close to the Revenant
  • Rocket Barrage should not trigger knockback

BATTLEMODE Characters PainElemental.245x278

PAIN ELEMENTAL

  • Replaced Shield Soldier with Carcass in Summoner loadout

BATTLEMODE Characters Mancubus.245x278

MANCUBUS

  • Improved Mancubus smoke mortar concealing demon player outlines when inside the smoke
  • Updated Team Heal power upgrade to stack with the Bigger Bar round upgrade
  • Doubled health return per hit for Thieving Hand round upgrade

BATTLEMODE Updates – Consoles Only

BATTLEMODE Characters Slayer.245x278

SLAYER

  • Reduced starting cell ammo from 225 to 200 (now the same as on PC)
  • Reduced Super Shotgun damage cap to 900 dmg against Demon Players (now the same as on PC)
  • Increased Super Shotgun per trace damage against Marauder & Revenant (dmg still capped at 900)

BATTLEMODE Characters Archvile.245x278

ARCHVILE

  • Reduced teleport cooldown by half a second

BATTLEMODE Characters Mancubus.245x278

MANCUBUS

  • Added delay between smoke bomb mortar shots
  • Reduced cooldown on smoke bomb from 13 sec to 11 sec
  • Increased Flamethrower range by 25%

BATTLEMODE Characters PainElemental.245x278

PAIN ELEMENTAL

  • Increased Pain Elemental shield duration by half a second (now the same as on PC)

BATTLEMODE Characters Revenant.245x278

REVENANT

  • Increased Rocket Barrage cooldown by 5 seconds (now the same as on PC)
  • Increased Rocket Barrage cooldown with Unstable Trigger upgrade by 15 seconds (now the same as on PC)
  • Increased self-damage taken from Rocket Barrage from 0.5x to 5x

BATTLEMODE Updates - PC Only

DEMON PLAYERS

  • Increased damage reduction from demonic onslaught from 10% to 20%

Campaign Fixes – All Platforms

DOOM Eternal: Campaign

  • Fixed Modbot issue where the Slayer animated for the currently equipped mod, not for what was acquired, then didn’t switch to new mod

DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods – Part Two

  • Fixed issue where Savagery rune was not applying to Armored Baron and Chaingunner

Dark Lord Boss Fight

  • Fixed issue where players were not getting rewarded XP for completing the level
  • Fixed loot drops from a daze to now recharge the Blood Punch meter slightly when player is at full health
  • Fixed issues where the Dark Lord was recovering health from accidental chip damage

General Gameplay

  • Fixed issue on attacks where the Dreadknight smashes the ground or uses both arms to swipe were dealing more damage than intended

BATTLEMODE Fixes – All Platforms

  • Resolved bug in which VFX persisted when demon players were killed during Team Heal
  • Fixed an issue where the Slayer would use Chainsaw fuel after an unsuccessful swipe on a ledge grabbing demon AI
  • Fixed an issue where the Slayer’s weapons could deal damage through map geometry under specific conditions
  • Updated Sentinel Infused description – it no longer gives full ammo during a Chainsaw attack. This is now part the Slayer’s base kit.
  • Fixed an issue where Demon Player vertical camera control was not unified (all characters now have 180-degree vertical camera control)
  • Fixed an issue where Loot Blocked did not affect armor shards dropped on flame belched Demon Players
  • Fixed an issue where bunny hopping with the Archville was easier than expected

Known Issues BATTLEMODE – All Platforms

BATTLEMODE

  • Archville Flame Wall color may look inconsistent when activated in the air after taking the Flame Specialist upgrade

FAQs – All Platforms

BATTLEMODE

  • Issue: While playing BATTLEMODE as a demon with ray tracing enabled (on supported hardware), I noticed my teammate’s Playable Demon was invisible and that I could only see their profile name on-screen after my first respawn. Is there anything I can do about this?
  • Resolution: We will be addressing this issue in a future patch. In the interim, this issue will self-resolve once your teammate respawns or the round has ended

FAQs – Xbox Only

  • Issue: While playing BATTLEMODE as a demon, I noticed that my controller configuration image in the Settings menu hasn’t updated after changing Controls during a match. Is there anything I can do about this?
  • Resolution: Until this issue is resolved, avoid changing demon Controls during BATTLEMODE matches.

FAQs – PC Only

  • Issue: I have an NVIDIA GPU and have experienced decreased stability on DOOM Eternal since installing the 471.11 drivers. Is there anything I can do about this?
  • Resolution: Restarting your computer should resolve this issue.
  • Issue: I have the ray tracing drivers installed and my GPU meets the minimum spec for ray tracing but experience performance issues when running in Ray Tracing Graphics Mode. Is there anything I can do about this?
  • Resolution: Please consult the DOOM Eternal Ray Tracing PC specs for guidance on what settings are appropriate for your system. Also, avoiding excessive Alt-Tabbing will help mitigate performance issues from happening while running the game in Ray Tracing Graphics Mode
  • Issue: I have a ray tracing compatible AMD GPU and am experiencing visual artifacts and/or stability issues when playing with ray tracing enabled. Is there anything I can do about this?
  • Resolution: Please update to the latest AMD drivers as they become available
  • Issue: I am playing the Microsoft Store PC/PC Game Pass version with an Xbox Series Controller but see an image of an Xbox One controller in-game
  • Resolution: This is a known issue – the button mappings are still accurate

Currently, id Software has not released any official details regarding today’s patch, which surely brings in some bug fixes. While we wait on that, here are the confirmed enhancements for the free next-gen upgrade!

NEXT-GEN UPDATE FEATURES BREAKDOWN

Xbox Series X
  • Performance Mode: 1800p – 120 FPS
  • Balanced Mode: 2160p – 60 FPS
  • Ray Tracing Mode: 1800p – 60 FPS
Xbox Series S
  • Performance Mode: 1080p – 120 FPS
  • Balanced Mode: 1440p – 60 FPS
  • Ray Tracing Mode: Not Available
PlayStation 5
  • Performance Mode: 1584p – 120 FPS
  • Balanced Mode: 2160p – 60 FPS
  • Ray Tracing Mode: 1800p – 60 FPS
PC

  • Ray Tracing Mode: Availability and performance depends on a user’s PC hardware.

     

Once Bethesda releases the full changlog for today’s DOOM Eternal patch, we’ll update the post. If you haven’t gotten the game yet, now is the perfect time, as it’s a top-notch shooter, and even managed to make our best games of 2020 list!

Update: Post updated to reflect today’s complete patch notes.

Tags: Doom DOOM Eternal id Software
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Alex Co

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

Home > News

Fortnite Update 3.22 June 29 Sneaks Out

  by   Alex Co  
9:40 am in News

Epic Games has released the Fortnite update 3.22 June 29 patch today, which is an unannounced title update for the game. Head on below to see what issues got fixed today.

Fortnite Update 3.22 June 29 Patch Notes:

Update: Here’s what Epic Games has to say regarding today’s update:

Epic Games has not released any official patch notes for today’s title update, but the studio did relay some of the issues they are fixing (via the offiical Fortnite Trello board):

General:

Cosmic Summer Quests are unlocking early

We’re aware that the Cosmic Summer Quests are unlocking early for some players. The Cosmic Summer Quest LTMs will be live for players daily at 9 am ET until July 5th, 2021.

Crew Members to be unable to proceed past the Battle Pass “Claim” screen

Description
We’re investigating an issue that is causing some Crew Members to be unable to proceed past the Battle Pass “Claim” screen on some platforms.

Workaround

We’ve discovered a workaround for Xbox and PlayStation console players:

If you have a USB mouse, you can plug it into your console and use the mouse to click the “Claim” button.

Battle Royale:

Epic Chests may sometimes not provide any weapons in Arena.

Description
We’re aware that sometimes players may search an Epic Chest in Arena and receive no weapon. We’re investigating the issue.

Creative:

Losing Island progress when switching Islands

Update
We’ve resolved the issue that caused players to lose their Island progress.

Description
We’re aware of an issue in Creative mode that is causing some players to lose their Island progress when they switch Islands while another player is with them.

We recommend players create a backup of their Island often in order to minimize lost progress.

If Epic releases any official list of changes or fixes outside of the ones mentioned above for Fortnite, we’ll update the post.

Tags: Epic Games Fortnite
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Alex Co

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

Home > News

Deathloop Devs Says Level of Ambition Not Possible If Not for Next-Gen, PS5 a “Breath of Fresh Air”

  by   James Lara  
9:05 am in News

It seems that moving on to next-gen is proving to be very beneficial for Deathloop developers, Arkane Studios, as they discuss PS5 development, along with revealing new details around their upcoming game.

In the latest issue of Play Magazine, Arkane Studios discusses some of the benefits of moving on to next-gen platforms, citing that they believe the level of ambition they have for Deathloop would have not been possible were it developed on last-gen (PS4, Xbox One).

“I don’t think that we would have been able to preserve the level of ambition of this game were it not for the move to next-gen.” Said Game director Dinga Bakaba.

He goes on to add that the PS5 has allowed them to created a world bigger, and more denser than the one found in Dishonored 2, and how the console feels like a ‘breath of fresh air” from the development side of things, citing having to cut content from previous projects.

“It’s always heartbreaking when you get to the end of a project, and you have to optimise things, and now you have to cut your map in half and you have to justify why it’s in two parts.”

Other new information on Deathloop can be found in the summary down below.

  • No non-lethal takedowns.
  • Havok ability – Allows Colt to absorb incoming damage that can be sent back.
  • Ether ability – Makes you invisible.
  • Shift ability – Allows you to teleport. Very comparable to Corvo abilities in Dishonored.
  • Carnage ability – Allows you top throw Eternalists around.
  • Nexus ability – Allows you to link enemies together.
  • Nexus and Carnage can be paired together.
  • Reprise ability – described as a “game changer” and gives Colt breathing room during loops.
  • Loadouts can be customized with buffs such as double jumping.
  • Hacker-ma-jig – A devices that seizes turrets and other things.
  • Each new run you can spend currency known as Residuum to buy weapons.
  • Residuum is the only currency in the game.
  • The team rewards players for style, playing creatively, or playing cautiously.
  • Character rewards are all randomized, so your hours put into a character will be different to someone else.
  • Multiplayer mode is how you unlock unique cosmetics.
  • Each costumes expresses one element of the personality of Colt or Julianna, or one aspect of the themes on the island.

Deathloop is schedule to release September 14, for both PC and as a timed console exclusive for the PS5. No details on the Xbox Series release has been given yet.

Tags: Arkane Studios deathloop
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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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Ghostwire Tokyo DualSense Features and Other Details Revealed

  by   Alex Co  
8:20 am in News

Tango Gameworks’ has revealed some new information about the upcoming PS5 exclusive (timed,) Ghostwire Tokyo, including some details on around the features of DualSense controller.

This was revealed in the latest issue of PLAY magazine (issue #2), where it also talked about how the game will use the new technology available in order to make the game feel more immersive.

Some of the key features the game will employ comes from the PS5’s DualSense controller.

  • Haptic feedback will enable players to “feel” their way through deserted streets
  • Eerie voices will emanate from the controller’s speakers
  • Tango Gameworks is aiming for DualSense to be the “sixth sense” for gamers, and will help in finding clues and solving puzzles
  • Tango claims players can close their eyes and “feel” the different attacks (bursts of wind will have a different sensation to the flow of water, etc.)
  • Some spirits require you get up close to defeat them, and these will have their own DualSense sensation
  • Upgrading your character’s powers, the DualSense will let the player feel the change in their abilities; as the player’s power grows, so does the feedback from the controller, which will let players “feel” their progress.

Ghostwire Tokyo is set for release sometime in 2022.

Tags: Ghostwire: Tokyo Tango Gameworks
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Alex Co

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

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Dying Light 2 DualSense Features Detailed, 3D Audio to Heighten the Horror

  by   James Lara  
8:07 am in News

It seems that developers Techland is making use of of all it can with the PS5 version of Dying Light 2 as they have revealed some brand-new details, including what players can expect to see and feel from playing Dying Light 2 with the PS5’s DualSense controller!

Dying Light 2 DualSense Features Detailed by Techland

In the latest issue of PLAY magazine, Techland details that players will be able to feel each weapon they use, all while teasing that 3D audio will offer a heighten level of horror over the original Dying Light.

The sequel uses PS5’s powerful tech to deliver a unique experience. Speaking to PLAY last issue, the team revealed the new-gen version of the game makes use of the DualSense to enable us to feel each melee weapon, bow, and homemade gun in our hands. Ray tracing brings extra depth to the world, while 3D audio heightens the horror the original game hinted at.

The magazine goes on to further say that the new infected enemies “feel” far more threatening on the PS5.

Other tidbits of information include how the team is leaning more on the RPG side of things, stating that building relationships in the world of Dying Light 2 is going to play an important role, with it unlocking the ability to craft more weapons and such.

This is certainly excellent news for PlayStation 5 owners, although that isn’t to say that everyone else won’t have a good experience. Still, the DualSense is one of the most game changing next-gen feature that Sony introduced with the PS5. Many titles have already made great use of it, with Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart being a major highlight, as with Astro Bot’s Playroom and many others.

I for one cannot wait to see how Techland makes use of the DualSense in the final release, as with the 3D audio. For those who haven’t yet, I highly suggest you get yourself a nice pair of headsets, as the 3D audio offered from the PS5 is one that feels out of this world. 

Dying Light 2 is scheduled to release on December 7 for the PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC.

Stay tuned to this week’s devstream scheduled for July 1!

Tags: Dying Light Dying Light 2 Techland
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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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SMITE Update 11.86 Released for June 29 Bonus Update 8.6

  by   Alex Co  
7:51 am in News

Hi-Rez has released the SMITE update 11.86 June 29 patch, or what’s also known as the Bonus Update for patch 8.6 (The Dark Enchantress update)! There are new god skins, as well as item tweaks and character changes which are listed below.

SMITE Update 11.86 Released for June 29 Bonus Update 8.6:

BONUS BALANCE (LIVE JUNE 29)
Items

SOUL GEM
  • Soul Gem brings both strong burst and strong utility combined into one package. The overall potency of this combo, especially on gods capable of quickly stacking its effect. A soft adjustment to its damage output should make sure its overall power is in line with more focused choices.
  • Decreased Bonus Damage from 30% of your Magical Power to 25% of your Magical Power

CHARON’S COIN
  • Charon’s Coin has seen a huge influx in overall play since our last buff. At the time we increased Magical Power and decreased its cost. We are reverting one of these buffs to find the middle ground for that buff.
  • Decreased Magical Power from 90 to 80

STONE OF GAIA
  • Stone of Gaia provides a large influx of health and restoration in addition to bring a strong counter to a slew of gods. The passive should feel like a strong bonus when built in the right situation but at its current strength certain gods are better off not engaging. A reduction puts it closer to being a strong bonus.
  • Decreased max health restored from passive from 15% over 5s to 8% over 5s
Gods
MORGAN LE FAY
The Dark Enchantress and array of spells have definitely made their mark on the battleground. While her early numbers were looking close to balanced we have seen a notable rise as players have learned what they can do with Morgan Le Fay. Her overall damage is very high and her win rate is climbing. Her primary damage and control comes from Sigil Mastery and its low cooldown makes it a constant threat to enemies. A cooldown increase should make this threat more manageable.

SIGIL MASTERY
  • Increased Cooldown from 10s to 12s
PERSEPHONE
Persephone has been harvesting some wins with her recent rework. In particular she can generate a lot of Harvest Flowers and when combined with Flourish she can unleash a large amount of burst quickly. Harvest will now happen less frequently and we are removing scaling on the Bite and Flourish, lowering how often and how powerful this combo is when executed.

HARVEST
  • Increased cooldown from 14s to 15s
  • Decreased Bite Scaling from 40% to 35%

FLOURISH
  • Decreased Scaling from 65% to 55%
KING ARTHUR
King Arthur has had a spotlight on him for some time, with him and Cu Chulainn running the solo lane at high levels of play. Our last adjustment brought down his performance overall but didn’t alleviate his overall impact. The high amount of abilities with high base damage means King Arthur doesn’t have to choose between tankiness and being a threat that can run down enemy carries. A reduction to his base damage across the board and the lethality of Excalibur’s Wrath should take some of this pressure off unless King Arthur has invested in more offensive choices.

OVERHEAD SLASH
  • Decreased Base Damage from 60/115/170/225/280 to 60/110/160/210/260

HAMSTRING
  • Decreased Base Damage from 60/120/180/240/300 to 60/115/170/225/280

SUNDERING STRIKE
  • Decreased Jab Damage from 100/160/220/280/340 to 100/155/210/265/320

EXCALIBUR’S WRATH
  • Decreased Landing Hit Base damage from 50/110/170/240/290 to 50/100/150/200/250
  • Decreased Landing Hit HP damage from 5/7/9/11/13% to 5/6.5/8/9.5/11%
  • Added ‘per hit’ to the 2% HP damage
CU CHULAINN
Similar to King Arthur, Cu Chulainn brings high offense with his base damage, making him difficult to damage and difficult to survive against at the same time. We are bringing down his free survivability from Berserk and toning down his largest burst in both forms. Spear of Mortal Pain in particular is also gaining a longer cooldown which lowers how often he can contribute large CC to a fight while staying outside of Berserk.

BERSERK
  • Decreased Bonus Health Shield from 10+20 per level to 10+10 per level

SPEAR OF MORTAL PAIN (WAR CRY)
  • Decreased Base Damage from 175/250/325/400/475 to 165/235/305/375/445
  • Increased Cooldown from 85s to 100s
  • The damage change is for both Spear and War Cry. The cooldown is only for Spear
SUN WUKONG
Sun Wukong may not have the same attention as King Arthur and Cu Chulainn, but we had and heard concerns about him potentially taking their place once they were nerfed. This might prompt questions about why not nerf Bluestone rather than Sun Wukong but in general we feel we have found a solid spot for its overall power level and would rather bring other starters and build paths to its level than nerf it more.

MASTER’S WILL
  • Decreased base damage from 90/145/200/255/310 to 90/140/190/240/290
GILGAMESH
The King of Uruk has lived up to his name, sporting a very potent win rate, pick and ban rate, and a resilience to the nerfs we have already implemented. Drop Kick in particular had an issue causing it to deal significantly more damage than intended in moments that matter the most; when a god is kicked into a wall. Fixing this alone is a large nerf but probably not enough on its own. We are also increasing the cooldown on Drop Kick and lowering the initial burst on Winds of Shamash. These changes should lower the frequency and impact Gilgamesh can bring in a fight.

DROP KICK
  • Fixed an issue where this ability did 15 additional Base Damage and 15% additional Physical Power Scaling to gods kicked into a wall. This only applied to Ranks 2, 3, 4, and 5 of Drop Kick. This damage should now match the “Burst Damage” listed on the description
  • Increased Cooldown from 14s to 16s

WINDS OF SHAMASH
  • Decreased Initial Damage from 90/150/210/270/330 to 90/145/200/255/310
SOL
Sol previously had a significant amount of time that was baked into these abilities, resulting in a significant delay before she could throw Stella Burst and a significant delay from taking other actions after throwing. This broke, causing these to be instant. Overall this bug was received so well that we have feedback that players would rather he see nerfs elsewhere than to have this delay return. These delays we are re-introducing are minor and overall preserve the feeling of the bug while also providing a small window for things like animations to play without breaking. In short this should result in less clunky visuals but preserve the clunk-free gameplay.

STELLAR BURST
  • Added 0.1s Setup Time to the activation of this ability
  • Added a 0.2s Postfire time to Stellar Burst
    • This functionally adds a 0.03-0.06s delay to the Basic Attack fired after Stellar Burst’s projectile due to how this Postfire time is considered.
JANUS
Janus’ ability to consistently engage a fight with a close range Through Space and Time and delete players’ health while opening a path to engage makes him an incredibly potent pick in the SPL. Combined with some item synergy around Soul Gem and Staff of Myrddin it is no wonder he is seeing the play he is. Through Space and Time is seeing a decent hit to its damage, lowering just how devastating this ability is when it connects and bringing its strength more in line for the level of utility this ability brings to a team.

THROUGH SPACE AND TIME
  • Decreased Base Damage from 300/400/500/600/700 to 300/375/450/525/600
  • Decreased Magical Power Scaling from 75% to 65%
RAIJIN
Raijin brings the thunder at the top levels of play. Consistent damage combined with strong burst and a powerful CC ultimate makes him a potent threat. We are increasing the cooldown on his consistent damage while lowering his long duration CC on Raiju, enabling enemies to better avoid the incoming skillshots from Raijin.

PERCUSSIVE STORM
  • Increased cooldown from 9s to 10s

RAIJU
  • Decreased Mark Duration from 4/4.5/5/5.5/6s to 4s at all ranks

For the new god skins, head on over here.

Tags: Hi-Rez Studios Smite
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Alex Co

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

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Battlefield 2042: Playing With AI Will Still Add to “Overall Progress,” Hazard Zone “Will Move Battle Royale Concept”

  by   Alex Co  
7:37 am in News

While we already know that Battlefield 2042 will feature AI soldiers (bots) to fill up servers, it seems that even playing with and against AI will move your character’s “overall progress.”

This tidbit of info was shared in the latest issue of PLAY (#2), where DICE shared info about Battlefield 2042. While most of the stuff covered have been discussed by DICE before, the magazine does mention this, “Dice has confirmed you can play both Conquest and Breakthrough with AI teams, which still adds to your overall progress,” which sounds like players will be able to progress their rank and such, even if they are playing with or against AI bots.

In the same issue, DICE mentions that Hazard Zone — which the studio has confirmed is NOT a battle royale mode — will “move the battle royale concept in a way only Battlefield can.”

Thast last bit about battle royale is intriguing. It sounds like it has similarities to battle royale, though won’t exactly be like the genre.

Interestingly enough, allowing players to progress (rank up) against bots is a good idea, though one that can be exploited, no? We’ll know for sure once we’ve had some hands-on time with the game later this year during the beta.

Tags: Battlefield Battlefield 2042 DICE
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Alex Co

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

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Dreams Update 2.27 June 29 Patch Notes; Bits & Bobs

  by   Alex Co  
7:16 am in News

Media Molecule has releaseds the Dreams 2.27 June 29 patch, or what the studio calls the Dreamiverse Bits & Bobs update! There are a couple of new features introduced, improvements, and of course, bug fixes! Head on for the patch notes below. Note that according to the studio, the 2.26 and 2.27 update has been rolled into one, so don’t get confused.

Dreams Update 2.27 June 29 Patch Notes:

What’s New?#

  • Message of the Day Location – To keep as many dreamers up to date as possible, you’ll now find our Message of the Day within DreamSurfing, as well as from the main menu.
Message of the Day now visible in DreamSurfing
Message of the Day now visible in DreamSurfing
  • Multiple Cover Page Photos – You’ll now be able to select multiple photos to be presented as cover pages, and these will auto-scroll when a player is hovering over your creation in the Dreamiverse, or when they’re on your cover page. Set the photos to be shown by selecting Customise/Background Photo on a creation’s cover page.
Select the images you want to display when a dreamer is viewing your creation’s cover page.
  • Playlist Scrolling – You’ll now be able to scroll through the creations in a playlist via the cover pages, instead of needing to return to the main DreamSurfing screen, using L1 & R1.
Scrolling playlists from their cover pages.
  • Auto Guide New Tweak – Auto Guide gadgets now feature an ‘Apply to all Parent Groups’ tweak. Originally, the settings in the gadget would apply to every group that it resides within. With this new tweak, it will apply to the specific group it’s attached to (but you can still go back to the old way by disabling it).
Apply to all Parent Groups tweak in the Auto Guide gadget.
Apply to all Parent Groups tweak in the Auto Guide gadget.

Other Improvements#

  • VR Paging – VR users will now be able to select a preference that will enable paging, rather than scrolling, while in DreamSurfing. The setting can be found in My Preferences/VR.
  • New Thumbnail Layout – In order to better display the cover pages on some of the creations you see in DreamSurfing, you may start seeing different thumbnail layouts in this space.
New thumbnail layout on DreamSurfing.
New thumbnail layout on DreamSurfing.
  • Dreamiverse Notifications – We’ve animated the notification icon when a new piece of information is added to Highlights and Message of the Day.
  • Collection Thumbs Up Button – You can now give a Collection a thumbs up from within the Collection, rather than having to return to its cover page.
Giving a Collection a thumbs up from within the Collection.
Giving a Collection a thumbs up from within the Collection.
  • Notifications UI – Added an option to view notifications either in a grid view, or the original horizontal design.
Switching between the two views.
  • Review Thumbs Up – Giving a creation a thumbs up will now show a thumbs up icon next to your review of the creation if you’ve made one.
A thumbs up icon next to your review.
A thumbs up icon next to your review.

Bug Fixes#

  • Fixed: Various bugs that were causing game crashes.
  • Fixed: We fixed a number of issues that were stopping people from publishing their creations.
  • Fixed: A bug dreamers would encounter when saving a new element from a scene. The default grab point would not be based on the relative grid position but the bounding. When brought back into the scene the new element appears off grid.
  • Fixed: Players play later queue would not display in order of recently added

Source: Dreams

Tags: Dreams Media Molecule
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Alex Co

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

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Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order Update 1.003 Force Pushed Out (Update)

  by   Alex Co  
7:05 am in News

Respawn Entertainment has pushed out the Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order update 1.003 (version on PS5 should state 1.003.000) June 29 patch, and this seems to be for current-gen (PS5, Xbox Series X|S) platforms only.

Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order Update 1.003 Patch Notes:

Update: Respawn has shared the official patch notes!

Fixes & Improvements

PlayStation 5:

  • We’ve updated the photo mode filters to be more consistent with the previous generation versions of the game.
  • Fixed a couple of minor audio issues during the AT-AT sequence on Kashyyyk.
  • Fixed various instances of clipping with Cal’s character model and poncho.
  • Fixed a camera bug that was occurring in a very specific location on the planet Zeffo.
  • Fixed a bug where Cal could appear in his standard outfit upon obtaining a force ability despite entering initially in the Inquisitor outfit.

Xbox Series S|X:

  • We’ve updated the photo mode filters to be more consistent with the previous generation versions of the game.
  • BD1 no longer unintentionally appears briefly in a forest as he jumps to distract the AT-AT pilots during a specific cutscene.
  • Fixed a number of various visual and audio bugs to improve the experience.

Currently, Respawn Entertainment has not shared any details on today’s patch just yet, and don’t expect it until after morning or early afternoon PT. Once they do share info, we’ll be sure to update the post.

One of the issues we’re hoping to get fixed is a possible Swamps of Sacrifice chest glitch as outlined by the community:

Swamps of Sacrifice chest glitch
byu/rowdy-riker inFallenOrder

The last patch released was on June 16, and it was for the following:

We just released an update for #StarWarsJediFallenOrder to fix some bugs:

D-1 can again use his overcharge/scomp link ability after exiting combat
Wonky animations and texture rendering issues solved
arious other minor performance glitches

If you want to check out the upgrades made to the game compared to the PS4, Xbox One versions, head on over here.

Tags: Respawn Entertainment Star Wars Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order
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Alex Co

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

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Returnal Dev Housemarque Now Part of PlayStation Studios

  by   Alex Co  
6:54 am in News

In a move that seems logical (and honestly, most have seen coming), Housemarque, the devs behind Returnal, Dead Nation, and more, have been acquired by Sony, and is now part of PlayStation Studios!

This announcement was made today by Head of PlayStation Studios Hermen Hulst, who made the announcement over on Twitter:

Thrilled to announce @Housemarque has officially joined PlayStation Studios! The extremely talented studio with a proven track record and best-in-class gameplay has a bright future and we couldn’t be more excited to be part of it!

Given that Housemarque’s past games have been synonymous with PlayStation platforms, this is a no-brainer move — especially if you consider how well received Housemarque’s games have been in the past.

Ilari Kuittinen, Co-Founder of Housemarque had this to say regarding the new venture (via the PlayStation Blog):

Today is a big day for Housemarque and it has been over 26 years in the making. Our strong partnership with Sony Interactive Entertainment started with Super Stardust HD on PS3 and since then we have made arcade inspired games for all of the PlayStation platforms. With Returnal for PS5, our most recent release, our biggest foray into third-person action gaming solidified our voice and brand in the industry as delivering unique and quality player experiences.

We are so excited to finally join the PlayStation Studios family! This gives our studio a clear future and a stable opportunity to continue delivering on gameplay centric approaches, while still experimenting with new methods of narrative delivery and pushing the boundaries of this modern artform. Locally here in Helsinki, this also means that we will officially expand the PlayStation family to a growing industry hub and secure the legacy of the oldest game studio in Finland.

Finally, what this means for our fans? We at Housemarque are gamers, and we have grown from the need to perfect and tinker with facets of games that we have found most fascinating. We are also not known for shying away from running our own course and trying out new combinations. With the backing of SIE and its family of studios supporting us, we can truly grow into our place in the industry and show what Housemarque can create with no limitations. We can’t wait to show everyone what will be in store in the upcoming years, and we hope to usher in more lasting memories and exhilarating titles for the next quarter century and beyond.

Congrats to both parties, and we can’t wait to see what other games they brew together next!

Speaking of Returnal, if you haven’t checked the game out yet, go read our review and see why we feel the title is a potential Game of the Year contender!

Tags: housemarque PlayStation PlayStation Studios
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Alex Co

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

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Could a Free-to-Play Monster Hunter Title Work?

  by   Jamie Moorcroft-Sharp  
5:30 am in News

Monster Hunter is a franchise that Capcom has built from the ground up to be one of the most popular in the world. For the price of a single game, players are given hundreds of hours of potential content. More if they enjoy playing around with the various potential builds on offer. On paper, these games shouldn’t be as good as they are; they have a lot of flaws. But for one reason or another, there’s a budding community who adore them all.

When I say issues, I mean that the gameplay is deliberately clunky. It’s difficult to wear armor that’s made of bone and scales and thrust impossibly large swords into colossal beasts. The movement and combat are clunky because of that, so players are tasked with mastering the moveset of every weapon they like from the offset. This is a barrier to entry, but it’s not the only one. Price is often an issue since Monster Hunter games are rarely cheap until they’re old, and three new titles have come out since it did. That’s why I wonder if a free-to-play Monster Hunter game could work.

You’re right to scream Dauntless at your screen right now. That game was literally built to be a free-to-play Monster Hunter title. It had a rough start, but now it’s got a large enough player base that the developers can justify ongoing development throughout the year and even launch massive expansions. It’s a wonder that Capcom hasn’t caught on yet. The only problem is that if the company makes one free-to-play Monster Hunter game, it would need to go on making them forever.

The wisest thing to do would be to make this free-to-play game for mobile devices. The biggest market for free-to-play games is there, so it makes total sense. Usually, these games start off by pushing so much in-game currency at players that they don’t know what to do with it. Before too long, though, it’ll be so scarce that they’ll long for the glut they had at the start. In a way, it’s similar to online casinos work. Some offer free spins on registration no deposit. That’s because they’re doing the same thing. First, they want to get people into the game with free currency, but then, they want players to still be interested when that currency is gone.

With the beloved franchise being what it is, I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to say that Monster Hunter would definitely work as a free-to-play game. The fans are there, and they’re always hungry for more. This is a community that devours all new content within hours of its release, much like Destiny 2 players with every weekly update. Capcom could make a real splash if it went for this model in a mobile Monster Hunter title. It’s also already proven that it’s possible to put a great looking Monster Hunter game on a portable platform with the Nintendo Switch. Mobile devices are incredibly powerful these days, so this free-to-play game really has no barriers.

Tags: Capcom Monster Hunter

Jamie Moorcroft-Sharp

Trying to be a games journalist, dad, and master of Destiny 2. Author

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Apex Legends Update 1.73 Patch Notes for June 28; Genesis Collection Event (Starts 6/29)

  by   Alex Co  
June 28, 2021 5:26 pm in News

Respawn Entertainment has released the Apex Legends update 1.73 June 28 patch, which is for the Genesis Collection Event kicking off for tomorrow! While the event itself will start tomorrow, June 29, the studio has released the patch today. Head on for the full patch notes below.

Apex Legends Update 1.73 Patch Notes for June 28 (Genesis Collection Event):

Schedule: The Genesis Collection Event kicks off June 29, 2021 and runs until July 13th, 2021.

Recap:

Here’s a recap of what’s coming along with a more detailed explanation below.

  • Original Kings Canyon and World’s Edge Return – Season 0 Kings Canyon and Season 3 World’s Edge are returning for a limited time in lieu of the normal Trios and Duos queues in one- hour rotations. Players can celebrate victory with these iconic maps and hot drop in Kings Canyon at Skull Town, score loot on the moving train as it barrels through Capital City in the era before the Harvester landed in World’s Edge and engage in epic multi-team throwdowns in Fuel Depot.

  • Skull Town Arrives to Arenas – Skull Town will be added to the Arenas map rotation in one hour increments during the Genesis Collection Event. Players can circle the towers as Valkyrie & Pathfinder or trap up the bottom floors as Caustic & Wattson as this location offers a wide variety of tactics and plenty of mayhem.

  • Rewards Track – Genesis Collection Event brings a rewards track with all-new earnable cosmetics, including legendary Charge Rifle and EVA-8 weapon skins. Additionally, players can earn 1,600 points per day with challenges refreshing daily throughout the event. There are also stretch challenges that reward four unique badges if completed during the event. Genesis also introduces a brand new set of 24 themed, limited-time cosmetics that are available through direct purchase (for Apex Coins or Crafting Metals) and in Genesis Event Apex Packs for the entire duration of the event. If you collect all 24 event items, you’ll unlock the Revenant Heirloom set.

  • Legend Balance Updates – Octane, Revenant, Lifeline, Bloodhound and Wattson are all getting updates that will ensure a bloodsoaked good time for all.

  • Weapons Balance Updates – The Spitfire, the 30-30 Repeater and the Longbow are all receiving balancing updates to even the playing field.

ORIGINAL KINGS CANYON AND WORLD’S EDGE RETURN

Head back to where it all started with the Legacy Maps Apex Takeover.

Season 0 Kings Canyon and Season 3 World’s Edge return for a limited time, taking over the normal Trios and Duos queues in 1 hour rotations. What better way to celebrate the Legacy of Apex Legends than to visit the first iterations of these iconic maps?

Hot drop in Kings Canyon at Skull Town (we know you will) and Thunderdome! Grab that sweet loot on the moving train as it barrels through a pristine Capital City in the era before the Harvester landed in World’s Edge. Show your new Apex friends the terror of rotating through Bridges or the epic multi-team throwdowns in Fuel Depot. It’s all coming back now, isn’t it?

We hope everyone enjoys this throwback Takeover during the Genesis Collection Event!

SKULL TOWN COMES TO ARENAS

We heard you! Five minutes after we announced Arenas, we were seeing pleas for a Skull Town Arena. Well, here it is!

This original Apex hotzone has seen a lot of combat through the years, but this is the first time we can say it hosts a fair fight. Circle the towers as Valkyrie & Pathfinder or trap up the bottom floors as Caustic & Wattson. This location offers a wide variety of tactics and plenty of mayhem.

Skull Town will be added to the Arenas rotation in one hour increments during the Genesis Collection Event. Get in there and break some bones.

GENESIS REWARDS AND COLLECTION EVENT

Preview the rewards track here

REWARDS TRACK

It ain’t a Collection Event without new unlockables. Let’s start with the freebies. As usual, the Genesis Collection Event brings a rewards track with all-new earnable cosmetics, this time including legendary Charge Rifle and EVA-8 weapon skins among the goodies.

You can earn 1,600 points per day and challenges refresh daily. There are also stretch challenges that reward four unique badges if you complete them during the event. All of these challenges also stack with your Battle Pass, so you can complete multiple at once.

And of course, Genesis also introduces a brand new set of 24 themed, limited-time cosmetics.

All 24 items will be available through direct purchase (for Apex Coins or Crafting Metals) and in Genesis Event Apex Packs for the entire duration of the event. If you collect all 24 event items, you’ll unlock the Revenant Heirloom set.

REAP SOULS WITH REVENANT’S HEIRLOOM

Everyone’s favorite spooky murder robot has a new toy. And good golly is it sharp.

Preview the heirloom here

After the Genesis Collection Event ends, the Revenant Heirloom will become available via heirloom crafting.

GENESIS COLLECTION EVENT PACKS

Each Event Pack will come with one event item and two non-event items at the following drop rates:

Other than that, it’s not too complicated! If you want to learn more about how Event-Limited Cosmetics work, visit our FAQ.

STORE OFFERS

LEGEND BALANCE UPDATES

Octane

  • Launch Pad cooldown increased from 60 seconds to 90 seconds.

Dev Note: Octane remains the most popular legend by a large margin even after the stim nerf. Turns out jump pads are fun, but with the added utility from the two launch options, it’s only fair to bump up the cooldown.

Revenant

  • Slightly slimmed down hitbox (specifically his midsection, arms, and upper legs).
  • Stalker climb height significantly increased. It’s not literally unlimited now, but… that boy can really climb.
  • Silence duration decreased from 20 seconds to 15 seconds.
  • Reduced the duration of death protection by 5 seconds while using the Death Totem.

Dev Note: Revenant’s large frame places him at a significant disadvantage in gunfights, particularly against smaller legends who no longer have Low Profile. We’re shrinking some of his hitboxes to counteract this disadvantage, while also improving his ability to climb up walls and attack from unexpected angles. (We know this can be frustrating given how silent he is, so we’ll continue to monitor and add sound if necessary.) That said, we’re taking this opportunity to reduce some of the frustration that comes when playing against his tactical and ultimate.

Lifeline

  • Increased hit box size, mostly in the legs and waist.

Dev Note: Unlike Revenant, Lifeline excels in gunfights given her small hitbox. Even with the res shield gone, it’s no surprise the smallest character in the game saw an uptick in performance with the removal of Low Profile. She remains small, but these hitbox changes bring her closer to the medium sized legends.

Bloodhound

  • Eye of the Allfather scan revealed time decreased from 4 seconds to 3 seconds.
  • Beast of the Hunt duration decreased from 35 seconds to 30 seconds. Time can still be added by downing enemies.

Dev Note: Bloodhound has remained a popular and powerful pick for multiple seasons now, mostly because of the sheer amount of information that can be gained with one tap of their tactical. Shortening the scan duration still provides a snapshot of information for Bloodhound’s team without stifling all enemies caught anywhere in the large range for a full 4 seconds.

Wattson

  • Major Buff: Wattson can now place more than one Nessie on the map at a time with her Epic emote.

Dev Note: There can now be up to 20 Nessies active at once on any given map. Until that cap is reached, any Wattson can place as many as she likes. When the cap is hit, the oldest Nessie belonging to the Wattson who currently owns the most Nessies is removed.

WEAPONS BALANCE UPDATES

P2020

  • Increased Fire Rate from 6.25 -> 7.0
  • Increased Base Ammo from 12 -> 14
  • Increased Lvl 1 Mag from 14 -> 16
  • Increased Lvl 2 Mag from 16 -> 18
  • Increased Lvl 3 and Lvl 4 Mag from 18 -> 21

Spitfire

  • Increased Hip Fire spread

Dev Note: The Spitfire has continued to over perform so we’re hitting it’s close range hip fire accuracy which should help bring it in line.

30-30 Repeater

  • Slightly increased projectile speed
  • Reduced charge time from 0.5s -> 0.35s

Longbow 

  • Damage increased from 55 -> 60

ARENAS UPDATES

ARENAS PRICE ADJUSTMENTS

The figures below represent changes to the cost in materials to unlock or upgrade weapons, utilities, and Legend abilities in Arenas matches.

Weapon Prices

  • P2020 Lvl 1 Upgrade: 50 -> 25
  • P2020 Lvl 2 Upgrade: 125 -> 75
  • P2020 Lvl 3 Upgrade: 200 -> 150
  • RE45: 250 -> 200
  • EVA: 250 -> 300
  • Mastiff: 500 -> 400
  • R99: 550 -> 500
  • Volt: 500 -> 550
  • Spitfire: 550 -> 600
  • L-Star: 400 -> 500
  • R301 Lvl 2 Upgrade: 300 -> 350
  • G7 Scout: 350 -> 400
  • G7 Scout Lvl 3 Upgrade: 250 -> 200
  • 30-30: 350 -> 400
  • 30-30 Lvl 3 Upgrade: 250 -> 200

Utility Prices

  • Arc Star: 100 -> 125
  • Gold Backpack: 250 -> 300

Legend Ability Prices

  • Crypto EMP: 600 -> 500
  • Crypto Drone: 100 -> 50
  • Revenant Death Totem: 600 -> 500
  • Lifeline DOC Drone 50 -> 75
  • Fuse Knuckle Cluster 150 -> 75
  • Bloodhound Ult 350 -> 450

ARENAS BALANCE CHANGES

Legend Ability Adjustments

  • Pathfinder’s Grapple starting charges reduced to 2 charges from 3.
  • Pathfinder’s Zipline round cooldown increased from every round to every other round.
  • Rampart’s Sheila round cooldown reduced from every 3 rounds to every other round.
  • Wattson’s Interception Pylon round cooldown increased from every round to every other round.
  • Octane’s Launch Pad cooldown increased from every round to every other round.
  • Octane’s Stim starting charges reduced to 2 charges from 3.

Other

  • Added a scoreboard to the map screen.
  • You can now report players by pressing [SPACE / Y] in the map screen
  • From Round 3 and onward, you’ll now start with a shield battery in addition to 2 syringes and 2 shield cells.
  • Care packages will also land 5s earlier to make the contained weapons a more viable option before the round closes out.
  • 6x scope moved from base sniper weapons to Lvl 1 upgrade.

ARENAS MAP ADJUSTMENTS

Party Crasher

  • Adjusted circle logic to favor downtown a bit more.
  • Simplified the minimap’s visual language.

Phase Runner

  • Raised cover height on certain props throughout the map to prevent unfair advantages to large rig Legends.
  • Added a few trees to reduce the ease of spawn sniping (looking at you, Reptar…).

ARENAS BUG FIXES

  • The UI for Purple devotion now shows the attached turbocharger.
  • Players will no longer be chosen as Jump Masters during the legend select screen.
  • Updated the sniper stock to show an empty slot when needed.
  • Can no longer get stuck in the crouch position after dying while reviving a teammate during a round in Arenas.

QUALITY OF LIFE CHANGES

Valkyrie

  • Updated fuel gauge UI to better indicate when you’re using fuel and when you’re running low.

Rampart

  • Will now have custom animations for LMG reload. These have no impact on her current reload times.

MISC

  • Added VO for when your Ultimate is ready, or not ready.
    • When your Ultimate gets to 100%, you’ll be prompted to tell your team with new VO for each Legend.
    • At any point in time, you can ping your Ultimate icon (in your inventory) to show your teammate what percentage you’re at (in quickchat).
  • Added VO for when you enter a Replicator, so your teammates know you are crafting and won’t leave you behind! Probably.
  • Added VO for pinging a friendly Trident, in addition to the neutral and enemy states that already existed.
  • You can now turn off FOV scaling when certain abilities are used. Look in the options.
  • Reduced the frequency of Ring endings near out-of-bounds areas (like canyon walls or map edges).
  • Healing items will now play the entire healing sound when used by other players, instead of just the beginning and ending.
  • Muting players will now also mute text to speech.

BUG FIXES

Bloodhound

  • Passive tracker icons will no longer be shown in the end-of-game screen.

Caustic

  • Fixed an issue with enemies not getting highlighted when in Caustic’s Nox Gas.

Fuse

  • Players can now see the number of grenades in the grenades stack when viewed on floor.
  • Fixed the 1P arm color on “Board to Death” to match the 3P view.
  • Fuse will no longer produce a third arm when ADS’ing and using the tactical at the same time.

Gibraltar

  • Being struck by a direct hit of Fuse’s Knucklecluster will no longer cause Gibraltar’s Gun shield to take unnecessary damage.
  • Gibby’s Ultimate will no longer damage a friendly’s Horizon’s Ult.
  • Gun Shield will no longer take additional bleed through damage.

Horizon

  • Horizon’s tactical will no longer ascend Caustic’s gas traps or Octane’s Jump pads to the heavens.
  • Fixed an issue with the appearance of Horizon’s teeth when using the “Golden Boson” skin.

Lifeline

  • Lifeline will no longer use Wraith’s animations while in the boxing ring.
  • Enemy Care packages will now have loot if the enemy Lifeline leaves the game before it lands.
  •  Fixed an issue that was preventing Lifeline’s tactical from functioning properly while in Caustic gas.

Loba

  • Completed another pass to prevent Loba from getting into unallowed areas.
  • Fixed an issue causing Loba’s tactical to improperly fail on the Phase Runner map in Arenas.
  • Fixed an issue that caused Loba’s tactical to be improperly disrupted by Horizon’s gravity lift.

Mirage

  • Corrected an issue with Mirage flickering while in the Lobby.

Octane

  • Fixed obstructed ADSing while using the Compound bow and the 3x sight.

Pathfinder

  • Can no longer swap weapons faster if the holster animation is canceled.
  • Did a Zipline pass on Arena Maps to prevent Pathfinder getting into unfair positions.

Rampart

  • Fixed a logic error when using Wraith’s Portal and Sheila at the same time.
  • Did a pass to allow more places to place Amped Walls on Olympus.
  • Fixed an audio issue with Rampart’s Tactical when in close quarters.
  • Fixed an issue with Sheila disappearing off of Rampart’s back if shot during an emote.
  • Players no longer fall under the ground when using Shelia on certain slopes.

Revenant

  • Death Totem can now be damaged in Firing Range.

Valkyrie

  • Did an environment pass to prevent Valk from entering areas not meant to be entered.
  • Amped cover will no longer push players into geo if Skyward Dive is initiated near it.
  • Valkyrie’s Ult UI no longer remains on screen if observer switches to another POV.
  • First person view no longer obstructed when using a shield battery.
  • Fixed an issue with players not being able to cancel being hooked up to Valks Ult.

Wattson

  • Wattson no longer uses Wraith’s animation in the boxing ring.
  • The Nessie that Watton leaves behind with her Epic emote should no longer fall over dead when using a Legendary skin.

Wraith

  • Addressed a bug that sometimes caused Wraith’s portal to improperly appear as open after a player entered it just before it closed.

Other

  • Fixed a bug where players have to play one Ranked game after a Season or Split reset for the reset to fully take effect. Note that players who have not played a Ranked game recently before this update will still have to play one more game of Ranked with their RP changing before this bug is completely fixed.
  • Matchmaking will be canceled if the party leader changes the playlist to a mode that a party member is not eligible for.
  • Fixed an issue preventing Switch users from scrolling through all their emotes while in handheld mode.
  • Resolved an issue that was sometimes slowing down controller players’ turn speeds when running at high FPS.
  • Addressed some audio issues with Phoenix Kits.
  • Entering the Fight Night ring on Olympus should no longer cause you to experience glitches with gunfire audio.
  • Solved a performance problem caused by having large numbers of friends via Steam and/or Origin.
  • Knocked legends can now open the inner door inside Explosive Holds as normal.
  • Your scope sight should no longer flicker when ADSing using the Bocek Bow while riding a Trident.
  • Similarly to the above, ADSing with the Bocek Bow while riding a zipline should no longer cause flickering.
  • Resolved an issue that was preventing ping VO from playing when at a distance from teammates.
  • Fixed an issue that sometimes prevented players from joining a friend’s lobby when using the “join” button from the Friends tab.
  • Solved an issue that was preventing Respawn beacon audio from triggering properly.
  • Fixed some buttons with weird “hitboxes” in the Clubs tab.
  • Rejecting invites from the Clubs tab should now work as expected.
  • Fixed an issue that sometimes prevented loot from appearing as expected in death boxes.
  • The consumables interface should no longer show up on the podium screen.
  • Resolved a rare bug that allowed you to use a Shield Battery even when shields were full.
  • Fixed an issue preventing some colorblind settings from appropriately changing the color of enemy HP bars.
  • Colorblind settings are now properly applied to trackers in the Legends tab.
  • Addressed an issue that sometimes caused the ring to become silent for recently-respawned players.
  • Solved a bug with “Death UI” being shown to players who reconnected early in the match.
  • The “random” music pack should no longer play default music on the match summary screen or the lobby.
  • Fixed some VFX issues with Legendary knockdown shields.

Once another Apex Legends event is announced, we’ll be sure to let our readers know.

Source: Reddit

Tags: Apex legends Respawn Entertainment
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Alex Co

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

Home > News

Turtle Beach Recon 500 Review: Bang for Buck

  by   James Lara  
4:38 pm in News

When it comes to gaming headsets, the first brand that immediately enters most people’s mind is Turtle Beach. There’s a good reason to, as they’ve earned their household name by delivering excellent headsets, all at reasonable prices. If there’s a brand where you truly feel like you got your money’s worth than it would have to be Turtle Beach, and that’s how we feel about their latest headset, the Recon 500, a low-priced gaming headset that packs quite a lot of value behind it.

The Design

For those familiar with the Recon line of Turtle Beach, you’ll know that it’s considered to be one of their entry level headset. They’re cheap, and it’s likely if you’ve walked into a Walmart, Bestbuy, or GameStop looking for a headset that you’ve seen one of the many variants in the headset section. In fact, I picked up a Recon 70 a few years ago. It’s not the greatest headset when you stack it up against higher tier ones, but for $40, it’s hard to complain, and at least they sounded good with a decent microphone.

Of course since then, Turtle Beach has released new models of the Recon headset, all eventually leading to the Recon 500, the latest in their headset arsenal.

Visually, the Recon 500 is rather basic, definitely something that doesn’t scream that it’s a gaming headset. It’s not awful looking by any means, and personally I like the simple and clean design that could fit in any environment it’s in. The small stripe of silver (featured on the standard black edition) does add a bit of a popping look to it, but nothing crazy.

Material wise, a majority of the headset is covered in plastic, which feels very durable. Adjusting the headband will reveal some of the internal metallic skeleton, giving some strength to the overall frame. The headband features some soft, sweat resistance leather pad that rests comfortably on top of your head. Interesting, the ear pads themselves aren’t made of the same material, opting for athletic weave fabric. I will say this does make it a bit harder to clear, as dust and other particles are easier to stick to it. Internally, both the ear pads and headrest use memory foam cushioning, with the ear pads feeling great as they wrap comfortably around the ear. It’s not an air tight feeling, but it does a decent job at blocking sound.

One of the more cooler (at least to me) design choices is that the ear pad doesn’t have an internal speaker cover. That is instead placed directly onto the 60mm speaker. I liked this because it allowed me to look at the speaker itself without actually needing to remove the ear pad. It’s a small touch, probably one that’ll go unnoticed, but one I liked.

With this being a wired headset, one of the best decisions Turtle Beach made with the design is offer a removable cable and microphone. If you have ever stored a headset before, wrapping a cable around it feels like a hassle, and it certainly isn’t all appealing once you look at it. Being able to remove the cable and store it makes organization all the better. And as mentioned, the microphone is also removable, so for those who just want to use this strictly for sound and not talking, you can without the worry of accidently unmuting yourself.

The microphone itself is also encased in “unbreakable” rubber, allowing full flexibility for free positioning.

As for the button features on the Recon 500, like I said it’s basic with there only being a big mute button and a volume scroll. There really isn’t much to go with in the visual department for the Recon 500, and I would at least suggest going with the Artic Camo variant if you’re looking for something with a bit more style. None the less, it’s still a very comfortable headset that does block a decent amount of outside sound, which speaking of, the real reason you’re here is to know how good the Recon 500 sound, and surprisingly it’s very good.

Performance

One of the unique standout features of the Recon 500 is that it comes with a beefy dual 60mm driver, a first for its kind. For a comparison, a majority of headsets are equipped either the market standard 40mm, or the 50mm drivers. Now one would suspect that because they’re using bigger drivers that sound would come out muddled or distorted, but in actuality the Recon 500 produces some of the best, clearest audio in its priced ranged of headsets.

Turtle Beach has fined tuned these 60mm drivers to deliver exceptional sound. To test these bad boys out, I played Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, a game known to have many unique sounds, both in the high and low ranges. Despite the audio being loud (fixed by lowering) with the Recon 500, I never once found there to be any distortion whatsoever. Everything came in crisped, with enough boom and excitement through them to feel immersed. This really is the big selling point of the Recon 500, because for the price it’s at, it’s hard to come by anything else within it’s range unless you go pricier.

And while some competitor headsets in it’s price range may have more built in features, such as chat/audio mixing, and other neat enhancements, that sound is just too good to compare to. I wouldn’t be surprised if we start seeing these 60mm start showing up in Turtle Beach’s newer, higher premium models.

The microphone itself produced some pretty clear vocals, though from some of the feedback I received there was a bit of distortion here and there. It’ll definitely get the job done if you are looking to lead a squad in an online match, and for many that’s all you really need.

The Verdict

The Recon 500 may not boast a lot in its looks and features department, but what it lacks, it more than made up in its exceptional high booming sounds. It’s comfortable enough for long sessions of play, with the microphone being decent enough for others to understand you. If you’re looking for a great starter headset, enough to get you immersed in the world of gaming, then the Recon 500 is by far one of the better options. However, if you are looking for something with some wireless compatibility, and in general with more features, then we do suggest saving a bit more for Turtle Beach’s excellent 50mm headsets such as the Stealth 700 Gen 2, or even pricier Elite Pro 2. Either way, they’re all money well spent.

Pros

  • Audio sounds amazing with no distortion.
  • Design wise – Nothing flashy
  • Detachable mic and cable.
  • Durable and light weight.
  • Cushions feel comfortable

Cons

  • We noticed the earpads would attract dust easier and be a bit harder to clean.

Hardware provided by the publisher for review purposes. You can read SP1st and MP1st’s review and scoring policy right here.

Tags: Featured Recon 500 Turtle Beach
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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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