Home > News

Six Days in Fallujah Gameplay Reveal Gives a More Serious Take on Warfare

Ever since it’s re-reveal earlier this year, some people (including this guy) have wonder how would Six Days in Fallujah play, given it won’t (and shouldn’t be) your standard bombastic military first-person shooter campaign. Well, today, we got a hint of that with the Six Days in Fallujah gameplay trailer!

Check out six minutes of footage (gameplay mixed in with real vets telling their experiences) where we see the shooting mechanics, sound design, and more dsiplayed. This is definitely not Call of Duty, as it’s slower paced, and there are teamwork involved as well.

United States military veteran Sgt. Jason Kyle and the developers at Victura and Highwire Games walk you through the first-ever gameplay video of Six Days in Falljuah, the tactical first-person shooter with procedurally generated mission spaces based on real-life events from 2004’s Second Battle for Fallujah in the Iraq War.

Six Days in Fallujah will be released this 2021 on PC and consoles.

Avatar photo

Alex Co

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

Home > News

New Red Dead Online Weekly Update for Today March 23, 2021

Cowboys and cowgirls (and everything in between), Rockstar Games has released the new Red Dead Online weekly update for today, March 23, 2021! Same as before, read on below for the list of activities refresh and new discounts.

New Red Dead Online Weekly Update for Today March 23, 2021:

  • Double RDO$ and XP in all Missions for A Land of Opportunities and A New Source of Employment
  • Double RDO$ and XP in all Races, as part of this week’s Featured Series
  • Posse Rewards: An Offer for 30% off a Stable Slot for anyone who plays in a Posse this week, plus all Persistent Posse setup fees are waived
  • New Discounts: 50% off all Saddles and Horse Equipment (Saddlebags, Stirrups, Blankets, Horns, Bedrolls), 40% off everything at Wilderness Outfitters (including Camp Dogs), all Moonshiner Bar Themes and the Band Expansion, plus 30% off all Horses, Coats, Ponchos, and Bandoliers
  • Returning Limited-Time clothing is still available: The Fernwater Coat, Hopeman Vest, Morning Tail Coat, Strickland Boots, Vaquero Baroque Spurs, Squat Stovepipe Top Hat, Hitched Skirt, Concho Pants, and the Gardenia Hat
  • Ongoing Prime Gaming Benefits: Rewards for a free Bounty Hunter License, an Award for the Trimmed Amethyst Bounty Wagon Livery for all players who connect their Social Club accounts
  • Prime Gaming Discounts: Players who connect to Prime Gaming before April 12th will receive an Offer for 40% off any Saddle, plus 30% off select Multi-Class Horses and select Horse Care Pamphlets from the Fence

Discounts

Still looking for a pedigreed steed to carry you across the finish line? Swing by your local Stables to take 30% off all Horses, as well as half off all Saddles and Horse Equipment, including Saddlebags, Stirrups, Blankets, Horns, and Bedrolls.

Give your wardrobe a quick refresh at a discount — pay your local Tailor a visit and try some Coats, Ponchos and Bandoliers on for size — all are 30% off until March 29th.

Moonshiners looking to outfit their Shack can knock 40% off all Moonshine Bar Themes and the cost of the Band Expansion. Go ahead and customize your décor and keep the hooch flowing — your guests will thank you in kind. Wilderness Outfitters, meanwhile, is offering 40% off all their offerings, including Camp Dogs, in case you’re looking for a little companionship by the fireside.

That’s it for this week.

Avatar photo

Alex Co

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

Home > News

Watch Dogs Legion Update 1.14 March 23 (v1.090) Deployed for Tactical Op Patch 3.25 Today

As expected, Ubisoft has rolled out the Watch Dogs Legion update 1.14 March 23 patch (v1.090 on PS5), to bring Tactical Op for Watch Dogs Legion’s Online mode! Tactical Op will launch later today at 8 a.m. PDT/11 a.m. EDT/3p p.m. UTC. In addition to the mode, there are various fixes included in this patch for today as well. Head on below for the full patch notes.

Watch Dogs Legion Update 1.14 March 23 (v1.090) Patch Notes:

Patch Notes:
Global

  • Additional fixes for the missing masks players had reporting after TU3.0. Masks should be available in the wardrobe after the update is live.
  • Fixed an issue that could cause the “Recruit an Operative” objective to not correctly update during the Online Mode onboarding mission, causing players to be unable to complete the mission.
  • Fixed an issue that could prevent players from recruiting an additional operative with a “Team is full” message during the Online Mode onboarding mission, making it impossible to complete.
  • Fixed an issue that would allow enemy NPCs to target and shoot players through the floor.
  • Fixed an issue that could cause an infinite loading screen when trying to join another Spiderbot Arena match after finishing a match and joining via the leaderboard screen.
  • Fixed an issue that could cause a player to lose control over the camera after joining a new Spiderbot Arena match when joining via the leaderboard screen.
  • Fixed an issue that caused the text chat to not properly work on PlayStation systems. Text chat has been re-enabled.

PlayStation 5

  • Fixed an issue that could cause the game to crash when launching the PlayStation 4 backwards compatible version of Watch Dogs: Legion.
  • Fixed an issue that could cause the game to crash when leaving a Spiderbot Arena match and joining a public free roam session.
  • Fixed an issue that could cause the game to crash when disconnecting from a Spiderbot Arena match.
  • Fixed an issue that caused the Text To Voice Chat option to not work.
  • Fixed an issue that could cause the game to crash during combat or while driving.

Xbox Series X/S

  • Fixed an issue that could cause the game to crash when disconnecting from a Spiderbot Arena match

That’s about it for this title update. Once Ubisoft announces a new one, we’ll be sure to cover it.

Source: Ubisoft forums

Avatar photo

Alex Co

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

Home > News

A Japanese Company is Giving Its Employees a Vacation Day to Play Monster Hunter Rise

We all know how big Japan is about gaming, especially when it comes to popular titles. Take the  Monster Hunter franchise for example, always charting the top spot in the region. With Monster Hunter Rise releasing this Friday, it seems one company is handling its release as a work holiday, as it has given all its employees the day off to enjoy it.

In an email issued to employees and shared on Twitter, company director Masaki Hiyama issued a Holiday off for this upcoming Friday, so that employees can focus on playing Monster Hunter Rise on the Nintendo Switch.

We did a rough translation of the email, which reads:

Since March 26th (Friday) will be the release date of MONSTER HUNTER RISE (CCAPCOM) and it is expected that we will not be able to concentrate on our work, we will call it “Monster Hunter Holiday” and make it a vacation.

Talk about awesome! This wouldn’t be the first time a Japanese company took the day off for the launch of a popular game. Japanese developers PeroPero Games took the day off to celebrate the launch of Cyberpunk 2077 last year, and before that there were many other cases of an employer issuing no work because of a game release.

Will we see similiar practices adopted by other countries? Probably not, but one can hope.

Avatar photo

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

Report: Microsoft In Talks With Discord for Massive Acquisition Valued Over $10 Billion

As if the $7.5 billion dollar purchase of Bethesda wasn’t enough, it seems that Microsoft may be setting it’s sights on the massive gaming voice & text chatting platform, Discord as reports have surfaced that the two companies are in current talks over a potential acquisition.

The report comes from Bloomberg, who says that Microsoft is in the running to acquire the company. Sources close to the situation state that Discord reached out to Microsoft in order to gauge interest. Xbox Chief Phil Spencer is apparently in discussion with the company, though no deal has been reached. Discord has also allegedly held discussion with both Epic Games Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. over a potential offer. 

However, according to another source of Bloomberg, Discord is likely to go public rather than sell. If the company is talking, it’s possible it’s for a deal or partnership of some sort, though nothing has been stated about that. 

As with any reports and rumors, we suggest you take this with a grain of salt until an official announcement is made. Still, such a big purchase like this will certainly shake the industry up, given how popular the service is on PC. For Microsoft, this could mean potential full integration of Discord in their Xbox Services. While Xbox Live does support Discord to a small degree, it is rather lackluster compared to the version found on PC. 

Hopefully we hear on some sort of confirmation, or debunking real soon. 

Avatar photo

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

SMITE Update 11.72 March 23 Claws Out for Talons of Tyranny 8.3

Hi-Rez Studios has deployed the SMITE update 11.72 March 23 patch, or what’s also known as update 8.3 Talos of Tyranny! This patch houses the Heroes of the Wild Battle Pass, the Plushiemax Chest and more! Head on below for the complete patch notes.

SMITE Update 11.72 March 23 Patch Notes:

  • 8.3 Talons of Tyranny Update
    • Heroes of the Wild Battle Pass
    • Plushiemax Chest
    • Birthday Bash Event
    • Talons of Tyranny
BATTLE PASS
Battle Pass: Heroes of the Wild  (600 gems)
Battle Pass: Heroes of the Wild Plus  (1200 gems)

Paid Track Items:

  • Heroic Husky Fenrir Skin
  • Chibi Inu Amaterasu Skin
  • Nekomancer Zhong Kui Skin
  • Heroes of the Wild Loading Frame
  • Nekomancer Announcer Pack
  • Chibi Inu Loading Screen
  • Doggo Playtime Recall Skin
  • Heroes of the Wild Music Theme
  • Kitty Tears Death Stamp
  • Nekomancer Loading Screen
  • Doggo Snacks Level Up Skin
  • Corgi Butt Jump Stamp

Free Track Items:

  • Nekomancer Avatar
  • Oh Lawd He Comin! Global Emote
  • Heroic Husky Avatar
  • Bandit Kitty Ward Skin
  • Sushi Neko Bacchus Skin
  • Cat Lover Title
  • Dog Lover Title
QUALITY OF LIFE

NA-West Server Region

  • NA-West Server Region
    • We will be testing this again in PTS
    • A new UI Element will prompt NA players to choose between East and West has been added to help people be aware of the region
    • Live launch of this region in 8.3 will be considered after PTS testing

General

  • Isis is being renamed to Eset (Ee-set) to decrease concerns of demonetization of content videos and to remove content algorithm confusion issues
    • This is an ancient Egyptian alternate spelling
    • This spelling has appeared in Encyclopedia Britannica, Museums, and Universities
    • This Goddess has many other names that could have been acceptable
  • Uses of the word “Mayan” are being fixed to “Maya” which is the proper term
  • Updated queue images to use art from the current maps.
BUG FIXES

UI

  • Fixed an issue where if players had the item store open when the enemy team called for a pause, the player would be unable to close the Item Store.
  • Fixed an issue where Ranked Reward screen is not showing the correct progress
  • Fixed an issue where new started items had no text in the console item builder
  • Fixed an issue where the Babylonian Pedestal was facing the wrong direction in the god lobby
  • Fixed an issue where players sometimes could not trade in Assault lobbies
  • Fixed an issue where Arena and Siege Juggernauts had unintended large yellow outlines

General Gameplay

  • Fixed an issue where minions would sometimes ignore players
  • Fixed an issue where MMR gains and losses were inconsistent between game modes
  • Conquest
    • Fixed an issue in Duo lane where the first Brute minion was spawning one wave too early
    • Fixed an issue where some abilities could damage the HP of “downed” lane scorpions. This is intended to only take damage from basic attacks.
    • Fixed an issue where god health bars would sometimes disappear as gods entered/exited lanes
    • Fixed an issue where some MOTDs were on the previous versions of the Conquest Map or not working at all

Gods

  • Thoth
    • Fixed an issue where the Book of Nightmares skin was missing the deep voiced warmup audio on Thoth’s Ultimate Ability
  • Tiamat
    • Fixed an issue where her serpents would not take damage from certain gods who had recently stance-swapped
    • Adjusted Tiamat’s passive description for more clarity
    • Fixed an issue where the icon would show “?” when Tiamat used Spead of the Magus
  • Tsukuyomi
    • This god can no longer go through Janus portals while firing his ultimate. This could cause Tsukuyomi to get into a broken state
  • Danzaburou
    • Fixed an issue where FX could attach the the wrong part of his body in some occasions
  • Persephone
    • Fixed an issue where her ultimate vines would not be visible to all players sometimes
  • Kumbhakarna
    • Fixed an issue where Warlord Kumbhakarna could get in a broken state while walking and using the VXG
  • Anubis
    • Fixed an issue where the Jackal tech skin would spawn a single FX particle outside the ability areas
  • Agni
    • Fixed an issue where Agni’s passive was providing more than 1 stack on items like Soul Gem and Blood Soaked Shroud
  • Thanatos
    • Fixed an issue where his scythe would clip through his body when going into his out of combat animations
  • Xbalanque
    • Fixed an issue where his lobby animations and FX didn’t line up as intended
  • Sobek
    • Fixed an issue where the Dragon’s Light skin had no AoE FX on ability 3, sickening strike
  • Merlin
    • Fixed an issue where the Flicker ability could be lit up in the UI as if it was usable even when it had no point ranked in it

Items

  • Seer of the Jungle
    • Fixed an issue where this buff could be gained permanently
  • Fixed an issue where Blessings and Blessing Upgrades were not showing stats on console item builder.
  • Fixed an issue where Popular Items were showing some items multiple times.
BALANCE LIVE WITH THE 8.3 UPDATE LIVE MARCH 23

Items

  • Stone of Fal and Mail of Renewal Rework
We saw that Stone of Fal and Mail of Renewal were often overlooked in builds and we wanted these items to carve out a stronger identity and feel like solid options specifically for support players.

 

T2 SAGE’S STONE (REWORK)
Sage’s Stone stats were adjusted to smoothly build into the reworked Stone of Fal. Health combined with both Protections gives Support players a solid Tier 2 that gives them a bit of extra power to maintain pressure and Protections so that they can take increased damage from both magic and physical gods during the laning and roaming phases of a match.
  • Cost: 1400g
  • +50 Health
  • +20 Magical Power
  • +15 Physical Protection
  • +15 Magical Protection

STONE OF FAL (REWORK)
We felt that Stone of Fal’s Passive and stats provided strong tankiness to Supports but it was very hard to feel that tankiness in a fight. In our rework we wanted to push Stone of Fal into the direction of being an active Support item where the player is able to actively weave in basic attacks to increase their Mitigation and Crowd Control Reduction in order to stay engaged in a fight. The item now also provides both Protections giving the item increased versatility for Support builds to fight a variety of team compositions in the early and late game. We wanted to move the item away from its niche application and reliance on friendly player proximity and Protections in order to pave the way for a more well rounded item that the Support player actively engages with.
  • Cost: 2500g
  • +150 Health
  • +35 Magical Power
  • +30 Physical Protection
  • +30 Magical Protection
  • PASSIVE – When you hit an enemy god with a basic attack you gain a stack of Fal’s Blessing giving you 2% damage mitigation per stack. At 3 stacks you gain double the damage mitigation and 20% CCR. This effect lasts for 10s.

MAIL OF RENEWAL (REWORK)
We felt Mail of Renewal provided a strong heal but far too niche of condition to trigger the Passive. This was especially true for the early game when kills occur less frequently. By the time we reach the late game where kills are more frequent, Mail of Renewal would be overshadowed by well rounded items that did not rely on kills from your team to gain the benefits of the passive. The goal of this rework is to clearly shift Mail of Renewal in the direction of Support players while giving them more rounded Protections to encourage picking up the item in the early or late game. The item retains its Healing properties for the player while also providing healing to their allies by taking hits from enemy gods for their teammates. This allows players to either maintain a frontline by receiving more Protections when gaining stacks and a heal that is useful when laning or in the teamfight stage.
  • Cost: 2400g
  • +300 Health
  • +15 HP5
  • +20 Physical Protection
  • +20 Magical Protection
  • PASSIVE – When you are hit by an enemy god you gain a stack, up to once a second, increasing your protections by 4. Max of 5 stacks, lasts for 5s each. At max stacks, upon being hit you are immediately healed for 15% of your maximum health. Allies within 35 units heal for 15% of their maximum health over 20s. This effect can only occur once every 60s.

ATTACK SPEED ITEM CHANGES
Attack Speed Slows should not stack with other Attack Speed Slow effects, but many items such as the newly introduction Manikin Scepter and Mace ignored this. The stacking nature of these effects were especially tricky in how these stacked with each other and which should win.
In 8.3 these effects will no longer stack, instead choosing the strongest Attack Speed Slow to apply. In the case where you are effected by Witchblade and a single stack of Ichaival you will be slowed only by the Witchblade. If Ichaival gets to 3 stacks however it will take over as the slow being applied while Witchblade will be ignored until Ichaival falls off. This will prevent players from stacking these effects to fully shut down Basic Attack reliant gods.
  • Players may only have one attack speed slow from items applied to them at a time. The debuff icons can stack on a player for tracking purposes, but only the current strongest debuff (high atk speed slow%) will be active at one time.
  • This affects: Ichaival, Manikins, Midgardian, Witchblade, Frostbound, etc

BENEVOLENCE
We want to encourage our players to be more benevolent. With the efficiency of Sentinel’s Gift combined with some situations where gold and experience were being tossed away it made it difficult to be. With a few adjustments this item will better compete as a Support starter item.
  • Increase Health from 75 to 100
  • Increase GP5 from 2 to 3
  • This item now has a minimum bonus gold and bonus XP value of 1

MANIKIN SCEPTER
Manikin Scepter and Eye of the Jungle provided a choice. Tradeoff sustain for different tools as a Jungler. While sound in principle it often made gods going this item have to play quite passive early on as they didn’t have enough health to play with to utilize these tradeoffs. Even though they were well statted (including seeing use outside of the Jungle) the tradeoff was too severe. Bumba’s Dagger will still triumph as the safe Jungle starter but Manikin and Eye of the Jungle are getting some sustain to help them compete.
Manikin Scepter specifically is losing its flat damage reduction in favor of sustain from defeating Jungle Monsters. This further addresses Manikin Scepter controlling many solo lane matchups while keeping it strong as a Jungle choice.
  • No longer provides 3 flat damage reduction
  • When you defeat Jungle Monsters who is burned you restore 15 Health and 15 Mana

EYE OF THE JUNGLE
Eye of the Jungle is seeing a slew of changes. First, the Magical Power provided didn’t bring enough for Mage Junglers to really feel it. The Base HP5 and Attack Speed pushed this item well outside of the Jungle role as we have seen a rise in many roles (including some mid picks) to prioritize it. These tweaks better focus its identity as a Jungle start while the new sustain while in the Jungle solidifies that focus.
  • Increased Magical Power from 20 to 25
  • While in the Jungle you gain 15 HP5 and 10 MP5
  • Decreased HP5 from 15 to 10
  • Decreased Attack Speed from 15% to 10

PROTECTOR OF THE JUNGLE
Protector of the Jungle as a whole was also too efficient. The raw Power, Attack Speed, and Protections provided were often solid even before considering the boost while in the Jungle.
  • Decreased Physical Power from 65 to 55
  • Decreased Magical Power from 100 to 80
  • Decreased Attack Speed from 35% to 25%

SANDS OF TIME
Sands of Time suffered from a Jack of All Trades, Master of none situation. Sands of Time should allow mage players to cast often and worry less about their Mana pool, but even as low Mana it struggled to keep up. A cost reduction and boost to MP5 puts it closer to its promised playstyle.
  • Decreased Cost from 800 to 750
  • Increased MP5 from 5 to 10

SENTINEL’S GIFT
Sentinel’s Gift was clearly the go to option for Supports. Cheap, efficient, and solid stats made this a clear winner. This was OK as we want to ensure Support players feel solid in their choices but we do want to give Support players options to play around with the new Starter system more freely. With Benevolence and War Flag improvements we feel safe in making this item a little less efficient to better match the other items.
  • Increased Cost from 500 to 600

TAINTED STEEL
Tainted Steel is a counter matchup item. In fights against gods who rely on sustain to win their lane this should be a solid go to but most players found themselves better off sticking to the more traditional starters. This item was simply too inefficient even in its best matchup scenarios. Some extra power and more gold to play with at the start will help here.
  • Decrease Cost from 750 to 700
  • Increase Physical Power from 10 to 15
  • Increase Magical Power from 15 to 20

DEATH’S TOLL
Death’s Toll and Vampiric Embrace offer high sustain at the cost of lane pressure or damage. While a solid idea these items provided too much base sustain and as we have watched players healing overall believe they create too much safety. We are shifting these items to focus more on offense and less on defense. They still bring their sustain as a strong strength but we would expect players to more often find themselves not quite maxed out on HP each minion wave.
  • Decreased Cost from 750 to 650
  • Decreased Health Restore scaling from 0.75% of your Maximum Health to 0.4%
  • Decreased Mana Restore scaling  from 1.5% of your Maximum Mana to 1%
  • Increased Physical Power from 10 to 15
  • Increased Magical Power from 20 to 25
  • No longer heals off of towers and phoenixes.

DEATH’S EMBRACE
Late game Death’s Embrace allowed split pushing with little risk. While slower than committing to a siege a slow and steady push even without minions would eventually topple over enemy defenses. This change will require players to be more thoughtful about their health as they engage in split pushes.
  • No longer heals off of towers and phoenixes

VAMPIRIC SHROUD
As stated above we are shifting Vampiric Shroud to focus more on offense and less on defense. Mage players who are worried about Physical Damage or need a little extra sustain will find this item more attractive due to the lowered cost and better clear while opponents can better create damage that sticks. –
  • Decreased Cost from 850 to 750
  • Decreased Health restore from 6 health to 4 health
  • Decreased Physical Protection from 15 Physical Protection to 10 Physical Protection
  • Increased Magical Power from 15 to 25

WAR FLAG
War Flag and War Banner provide strong offensive capability. The window to utilize this power was shorter than a similar effect making them not stack cleanly. This will make similar effects even and allow players more time to get use out of their power play window.
  • Increased buff duration from 8s to 10s

WAR BANNER
  • Increased buff duration from 8s to 10s
Gods
CUPID
The god of love is getting a long awaited quality of life change. Cupid’s Heart Bomb ability will now have a different audio and visual treatment on the ticking bomb and AoE FX to indicate to all players that it’s going to be a stunning bomb. This added clarity should be a big improvement to the decision making processes that surround the ability.

HEART BOMB
  • This ability now has an added audio and visual elements on the AoE to signify if the Heart Bomb will stun the hit target. This information is shown to all players.
HACHIMAN
Hachiman and Rama received changes to ensure they landed and players their animations correct when going from their ultimate to their movement ability. Hachiman however still felt clunky even if it was ‘accurate’. We are lowering the time it takes for him to exit his ultimate while doing some tweaks to make sure the transition from ulting to dashing looks and feels good. –

MOUNTED ARCHERY
  • Decreased the post-fire of his Ultimate from 0.73s to 0.4s
  • He still needs to complete his post-fire animation before he can take further actions
SET
Set and Bumba’s Hammer paired VERY well together. With a multi-charge rapidly regenerating ability combined with the ability to further amplify how often the cooldown returned Set could reliably trigger Bumba’s Hammer on all of his Basic Attacks. Given how unique Spawn of Set’s situation is, we are removing this ability from triggering Bumba’s Hammer and other similar items. While many other gods can utilize it very well (Looking at you Tsukuyomi) this case was a step above the rest.

SPAWN OF SET
  • This ability will no longer trigger item effects that activate “after using an ability” (Hydra’s Lament, Bumba’s Hammer)
MULAN
Mulan has undergone further training to master her weapons. Spear Thrust slows enemies for longer, she can reload her bow faster for Grapple, and she learned the mystical art of ‘stop swinging your weapon and RUN you are doing to die if you don’t’ in her Ultimate. These combined give Mulan more control over her combat at all stages of the game.

SPEAR THRUST
  • Increase slow duration from 2s to 3s

GRAPPLE
  • Decreased Cooldown from 16s to 16/15.5/15/14.5/14s

DIVINE MASTERY
  • This ability can now be canceled early
ATHENA
Athena was a force to be reckoned with…a few years ago. While memories of her dominance still remain strong she has struggled to compete in the last few seasons after many rounds of nerfs. Confound in particular has moments of power but requires a heavy team setup. We are increasing the taunt duration early while giving it some small damage to give her more agency on her own and contribute just a hair more when with her team.

CONFOUND
  • Increase duration from 1.0/1.25/1.5/1.75/2.0s to 1.2/1.4/1.6/1.8/2.0s
  • Now Deals 50/80/110/140/170 + 30% Scaling
HORUS
Horus’ wings are now ~8% more aerodynamic! Updraft and Fracture will be available more frequently, giving Horus some much needed additional control in teamfights.

UPDRAFT
  • Change Cooldown from 16/16/15/15/14 to 15/14.5/14/13.5/13

FRACTURE
  • Change Cooldown from 16/15.5/15/14.5/14 to 15/14.5/14/13.5/13
AH MUZEN CAB
Ah Muzen Cab deserves to at least exist in “Bee” tier, but many place him much lower. This god lives and dies on his ability to create distance between his enemies. We are increasing the amount of Hives he has available while making his honey stickier. These two changes will give strong Ah Muzen Cab players that extra bit of control to stay safe in teamfights.

HIVE
  • Increased max hives from 6 to 7

HONEY
  • Increased slow from 20% at all ranks to 20/22.5/25/27.5/30% per rank
XBALANQUE
Xbalanque is a potent Basic Attack Hunter but his abilities lack a similar punch. Poison Darts in particular have large blind spots and don’t deliver much damage even at close range. We are increasing the maximum amount of Darts that can hit and the maximum amount he can fire to make this ability more reliable in combat and more deadly at close range.

POISON DARTS
  • Increased Max Darts enemies can be hit by from 3 to 5
    • This affects “hit” damage only and is reduced on extra hits, poison still does not stack
  • Increased Max Darts fired total from 10 to 15
    • This creates much smaller gaps between darts at max range, and higher likelihood of more hits at close/mid range
THOR
Thor remains a solid choice but can fall out of the sky when it comes to late game. Often having to build closer to a bruiser to really contribute in fights late game we want to encourage Thor players to invest more into damage. Berserker Barrage’s final hit will provide that extra bit of damage to help finish off enemies and secure the kill.

BERSERKER BARRAGE
  • Increased Physical Power Scaling on final hit from 50% to 60%
SOL
Sol has learned to control the laws of Thermodynamics, slowing the decay of her heat! This extra delay will give Sol more flexibility on when she wants to cast her abilities and how long she can stay disengaged from a fight before joining back in.

UNSTABLE MANIFESTATION
  • Heat now takes longer before it starts to decay from 4s to 6s.
AH PUCH
The Horrific God of Decay has struggled to make his impact felt in Conquest. We are focusing on what we can improve in his kit to assist while not pushing him too far in other modes. Some extra sustain with Hollow Ground will give him a stronger niche among laners while Corpse Explosion will be more impactful when used with few or no corpses; a situation that can occur very easily in a moving teamfight.

HOLLOW GROUND
  • Increase Healing from 5% of max health to 7%.

CORPSE EXPLOSION
  • Increased Initial Damage Scaling from 10% to 20%
LOKI
Loki’s Flurry Strikes often demand that Loki players find windows where they can channel to get maximum damage, but even when the perfect situation happens the damage doesn’t feel rewarding enough. We are adding scaling to the initial Flurry hits, not only raising his top end damage significantly but frontloading the increase helping him out even when he is interrupted.

FLURRY STRIKE
  • Increased Flurry Hits scaling from 18% to 25%.
  • (Increased Scaling total from 160% to 195%. (7% over 5 hits for +35% scaling))

Once a new SMITE update is out, we’ll let our readers know.

Source: SMITE

Avatar photo

Alex Co

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

Home > News

Xbox Store Sale This Week March 22 Now Live – Deals with Gold & Resident Evil Franchise Titles Listed

It’s another week, and that means another new set of discounted titles are available on the Xbox Store for the weekly Deals With Gold! The Xbox Store sale this week March 22 listings are now live! Check out the full list of games available at a lower price this week, and given it’s the Resident Evil franchise’s 25th year anniversary, there’s a sale for that too!

Xbox Store Sale This Week March 22 Deals With Gold:

Xbox One Games Price Discount %
A HERO AND A GARDEN $2.49 50%
Almost There: The Platformer $6.49 35%
AO Tennis 2 $17.99 70%
ASCENDANCE – First Horizon $3.59 40%
Astroneer $14.99 50%
Atomicrops $8.99 40%
Bee Simulator $11.99 70%
Beyond Enemy Lines 2 $20.99 30%
Beyond Eyes $2.99 80%
BFF or Die $5.99 25%
Bombslinger $2.39 80%
Carnival Games $9.99 75%
Curse of the Dead Gods $14.99 25%
Cyber Protocol $2.99 50%
Dark Quest 2 $3.74 75%
Deponia $1.29 90%
Devil May Cry 5 $19.99 20%
DiRT 4 $4.99 75%
Don’t Starve Together $5.99 60%
Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen $9.89 67%
Earthlock $5.99 80%
F1® 2019 $12.49 75%
Farm Together $12.99 35%
Farmer’s Dynasty $13.49 70%
Farming Simulator 19 $20.09 33%
Feather $5.99 40%
Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted $14.99 50%
Forager $13.99 30%
Fury Unleashed $9.99 50%
Gnomes Garden 2 $1.49 70%
Gnomes Garden: Lost King $2.99 70%
Gnomes Garden: New Home $1.99 60%
Graveyard Keeper $7.99 60%
Harvest Moon: Light of Hope Special Edition Complete $14.99 50%
Harvest Moon: Mad Dash $9.99 50%
HORROR OF THE DEEP $5.99 40%
Industry Giant 2 $11.99 70%
JYDGE $5.99 60%
Knights of Pen and Paper +1 Deluxier Edition $4.49 70%
Lost Artifacts $2.99 70%
Lost Artifacts: Time Machine $2.99 70%
Marenian Tavern Story: Patty and the Hungry God $11.99 40%
Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite $9.99 75%
Masters of Anima $1.99 80%
Mega Man 11 $14.99 50%
Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 $9.99 50%
Mega Man X Legacy Collection $9.99 50%
Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2 $9.99 50%
Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection $19.49 35%
Mega Man Legacy Collection $5.99 60%
Micro Machines World Series $2.49 75%
Monster Truck Championship Xbox One $19.99 50%
Moonlighter $5.99 70%
My Time at Portia $9.89 67%
My Universe – My Baby $14.99 50%
NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 $7.49 75%
Never Alone (Kisima Ingitchuna) $2.99 80%
Okami HD $9.99 50%
Onimusha: Warlords $7.99 60%
Ooblets $19.99 20%
Overlord: Fellowship of Evil $2.49 75%
Override 2: Super Mech League $19.49 35%
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy $14.99 50%
PixARK $13.99 65%
Pro Fishing Simulator $7.99 80%
Professional Farmer 2017 $5.99 70%
Professional Farmer: American Dream $9.99 50%
Pure Farming 2018 $9.89 67%
Raging Justice $3.74 75%
Royal Roads $2.99 70%
Ruinverse $10.49 30%
Sanity of Morris $12.74 15%
Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments Redux $7.99 80%
Shotgun Farmers $7.99 20%
Siegecraft Commander $3.99 80%
Slide Stars $14.99 50%
Slime Rancher $5.99 70%
Speed 3 – Grand Prix $20.09 33%
Spy Chameleon $2.49 50%
Stardew Valley $8.99 40%
Story of a Gladiator $2.74 75%
Strider $2.99 80%
Styx: Shards of Darkness $3.99 80%
Summer in Mara $14.99 40%
Super Soccer Blast $5.59 30%
Super Volley Blast $4.99 50%
Surviving Mars $8.99 70%
The Disney Afternoon Collection $4.99 75%
The Fisherman – Fishing Planet $13.99 65%
The Long Journey Home $3.99 90%
Mosaic $13.99 30%
Time Recoil $5.59 60%
Tour de France 2020 $13.99 65%
Ultimate Chicken Horse $8.24 45%
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 $9.99 60%
Vampyr $9.99 75%
Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Martyr $5.99 85%
Watch Dogs®: Legion $19.79 67%
West of Dead $13.99 30%
WRC 8 $12.49 75%
Xmas Adventure For Kids $0.99 89%
Xbox One DLC Price Discount %
Civilization VI – New Frontier Pass includes:• Maya & Gran Colombia Pack $29.99 25%
Dead Rising 4: Super Ultra Mini Golf $5.99 40%
Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition: Lady & Trish Costume Pack $2.39 40%
Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition: Super Nero/Super Dante/Super Vergil $2.99 40%
MARVEL VS. CAPCOM: INFINITE: Black Panther $3.99 50%
MARVEL VS. CAPCOM: INFINITE: Black Widow $5.59 30%
MARVEL VS. CAPCOM: INFINITE: Monster Hunter $3.99 50%
MARVEL VS. CAPCOM: INFINITE: Sigma $3.99 50%
MARVEL VS. CAPCOM: INFINITE: Venom $5.59 30%
MARVEL VS. CAPCOM: INFINITE: Winter Soldier $5.59 30%
Never Alone (Kisima Ingitchuna): Foxtales $1.99 50%
Override 2: Super Mech League: Override 2 Season Pass $9.74 35%
Xbox 360 Games (works via backwards compatibility) Sale Discount %
Age of Booty $0.99 80%
Asura’s Wrath $3.99 80%
Bionic Commando: Rearmed 2 $2.99 80%
Blue Dragon $4.99 75%
DEAD RISING 2: CASE WEST $1.99 80%
DR2: CASE ZERO $0.99 80%
Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara $2.99 80%
FLOCK! $2.99 80%
Lost Planet 3 $3.99 80%
Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies Edition $3.99 80%
Mega Man 10 $1.99 80%
Mega Man 9 $1.99 80%
Resident Evil Code: Veronica X HD $3.99 80%
Street Fighter IV $3.99 80%
Super Street Fighter IV $5.99 80%

Resident Evil Franchise Sale:

Xbox Resident Evil Sale Sale Price Discount %
Resident Evil $4.99 75%
Resident Evil 0 $4.99 75%
Resident Evil 2 $15.99 60%
Resident Evil 4 $7.99 60%
Resident Evil 5 $7.99 60%
Resident Evil 6 $7.99 60%
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard $9.99 50%
Resident Evil Revelations $7.99 60%
Xbox resident Evil DLC Sale Sale Discount %
RESIDENT EVIL 2: All In-game Rewards Unlock $1.99 60%
RESIDENT EVIL 2: “Samurai Edge – Chris Model” $0.99 50%
RESIDENT EVIL 2: “Samurai Edge – Jill Model” $0.99 50%
RESIDENT EVIL 2: Original Ver. Soundtrack Swap $1.49 50%
Resident Evil Revelations 2 (Episode One): Judgment $2.39 60%
Resident Evil Revelations 2 (Episode One): Contemplation $2.39 60%
RESIDENT EVIL 3: All In-game Rewards Unlock $3.74 25%
Resident Evil Revelations 2 (Episode One): Metamorphosis $2.39 60%
RESIDENT EVIL 7 biohazard: End of Zoe $5.99 60%
RESIDENT EVIL 7 biohazard: Banned Footage Vol.1 $3.99 60%
RESIDENT EVIL 7 biohazard: Banned Footage Vol.2 $5.99 60%

That’s it for this week’s Xbox Games With Gold sale, be sure to tune in next week for another refresh on deals!

Avatar photo

Alex Co

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

Home > News

Destiny 2 Upcoming Update 3.1.1.1 Out Tomorrow & Here’s a Preview; Iron Banner March Schedule Revealed

Guardians, Bungie is rolling out yet another update for Destiny 2, and this one is due tomorrow, March 23 and wil be called update 3.1.1.1! While we don’t have the complete patch notes, the studio has revealed a preview of the Destiny 2 upcoming update 3.1.1.1 fixes, which includes changes to Stasis!

UPDATE (3/23/2021): If you’re looking for the complete patch notes for hotfix 3.1.1, head on over here.

Destiny 2 Upcoming Update 3.1.1.1 Preview:

Here is a small list of some of the issue being addressed:
  • Fixed an issue that prevented Scan and Heroic VIP patrols from appearing on Europa.
  • Fixed an issue where the Frozen in Time ornament couldn’t be equipped to No Time to Explain.
  • Fixed an issue that caused Eyes of Tomorrow to do less damage than intended against yellow bar enemies.
  • Many Stasis changes. 
Want the tl:dr? We got you. In upcoming hotfix 3.1.1.1 we’ve collapsed all of your account raid completions into a single value so bad luck protection applies properly no matter which characters you run the raid on. This applies retroactively — so if you still haven’t gotten a drop yet you will have the corrected drop chance after the fix goes live depending on how much raiding you have already done.

In addition to that, Bungie also announced that the Iron Banner is back tomorrow as well! The Iron Banner schedule for March 2021 has been revealed for March 23 (10 a.m. PT) and will last until March 30 (10 a.m. PT).

Same as always, stay tuned here on MP1st for the patch notes tomorrow once it’s live, and we’ll be sure to let our readers know what the weekly reset is and the Iron Banner bounties too.

Source: Bungie

Avatar photo

Alex Co

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

Home > News

Rumor: Call of Duty 2021 Tentatively Titled “WWII: Vanguard”

Following rumors last month that Call of Duty 2021 will be set during World War 2, and once again be developed by Sledgehammer Games (the devs behind Call of Duty: WWII), a new rumor has surfaced today stating that COD 2021 is tentatively titled “WWII: Vanguard.”

This latest rumor comes from reliable leaker (and MP1st friend), ModernWarzone who states that this working title will be changed in the future, and they also confirm that yes, Sledgehammer Games is indeed the studio tasked to make this year’s COD.

It also states tthat this year’s Call of Duty game will be set during the 1950’s, which is kinda odd given World War 2 ended in 1945. Having said that, the report states that “parts of the game” such as cutscenes take place during the 1950’s, which could mean that it’s a flashback story from a World War 2 vet? Or maybe it’s set in The Korean War which started around that time? Or maybe it’s another timeline as well?

Same as any rumor, take this with a grain of salt since none of the info here has been verified by Activision or Sledgehammer. However, given our trust in the leaker, this is why you’re seeing it published on the site.

Would you play Call of Duty 2021 set in WW2? Or would you rather have one that’s set in more modern times?

Avatar photo

Alex Co

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

Home > News

Resident Evil Showcase Digital Event Scheduled This April, More Resident Evil Village Details to Be Revealed

Resident Evil fans can expect some big news to come as the franchise celebrates its 25th anniversary this, as Capcom has announced that they are holding a new Resident Evil Showcase digital event — which is scheduled this April and will have more Resident Evil Village details to be revealed.

Here’s the announcement of the new RE Showcase via press release.

Ahead of the launch, Capcom confirmed a new Resident Evil Showcase digital event will be coming in April and announced details for an open beta test for the upcoming multiplayer experience Resident Evil Re:Verse.

New game details will be revealed in a new Resident Evil Showcase digital event in April, giving fans a look at what’s in store for them when Resident Evil Village launches on May 7. The Resident Evil Showcase in January revealed information on significant new gameplay features and characters for Resident Evil Village as well as other brand updates, and the April event will follow suit with new game content and 25th anniversary news to share. Follow the official @RE_Games channel on Twitter for more info soon including the exact time of the digital event and how you can tune in.

The first Resident Evil was released 25 years ago — which we featured along with the RE Remake which also celebrates its anniversary on the same day.

Resident Evil Village will be released for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC on May 7.

Tim Villasor

Home > News

Hunt Showdown “As the Crow Flies” Gameplay Features New Content, Here’s the List of New Stuff

The teaser not enough for you? Crytek has released a new trailer for Hunt Showdown, and this is for the “As the Crow Flies” event starting on March 24! There are new items, login bonuses, and of course, a big new baddie! Check out the Hunt Showdown As the Crow Flies gameplay trailer below.

Update: If you’re looking for the As the Crow Flies patch notes, head on over here.

Some of the Hunt Showdown As the Crow Flies new content incoming are:

  • Bomb Lance – Shrike (Act 2 Unlock – 1200 Event Points)
  • Chain Pistol – Dark Miasma (Event Login Bonus)
  • Concertina – Scavenger’s Snare (Act 2 Unlock – 200 Event Points)
  • First Aid Kit – The Marrow (Act 2 Unlock – 400 Event Points)
  • Exclusive Gear – (Act 2)
  • Sticky Bomb – Sweet Briar (Act 2 Unlock – 800 Event Points)
  • Reliquaries – Iron, Silver, Ivory
  • Legendary Hunter – Plague Doctor (Act 2 Unlock – 2000 Event Points)

The event starts on March 24 and will run until April 12! Chances are, we’ll get a patch tomorrow or on the day itself for the event, and if we do, we’ll let our readers know.

Avatar photo

Alex Co

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

Home > News

Microsoft Rebrands Xbox Live to Xbox Network; Plans to Drop Subscription Requirement for F2P Games

Xbox Live is no more — at least in name, as Microsoft is changing the Xbox Live name to just the “Xbox Network.” This name change was originally spotted by Xbox beta testers with Microsof tnow confirming the name change.

In a statement sent to The Verge, a Microsoft rep said the following:

“’Xbox network’ refers to the underlying Xbox online service, which was updated in the Microsoft Services Agreement. “The update from ‘Xbox Live’ to ‘Xbox network’ is intended to distinguish the underlying service from Xbox Live Gold memberships.”

While it’s not that big of a change for gamers since it’s just changing “Live” to “Network,” there are more plans brewing that will benefit Xbox gamers, and this includes dropping the subscription requirement for games that are free-to-play (F2P). In the coming months, games like Fortnite, Apex Legends, etc., will no longer require gamers be suscribed to Xbox Live Gold, though Microsoft has not exactly shared when this massive shift will take effect.

Avatar photo

Alex Co

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

Home > Features

Resident Evil and Resident Evil Remake Celebrate Their Anniversaries Today

Prepare to celebrate the world of Survival Horror as we knew it then and know it now, as Resident Evil just turned two and a half decades and celebrates its 25th Anniversary today.

If you ever held a controller on your hand in today’s gaming world, Resident Evil will probably pop up in your search list as one of the most popular video game franchises to play in this day and age… And with good reason. Spawning over a dozen mainline titles and each featuring different characters and story elements, the common themes that bring all of these together is horror and action. For a time RE went through an identity crisis beginning with its fourth sequel that took a more survival action approach… But the game that started it all was more focused on putting fear and tension in your eyes, and Capcom delivered an experience that was similar to Alone in the Dark rather than a first person shooter game like Doom.

First released as Biohazard on March 22, 1996 in Japan for the original Sony PlayStation, the first Resident Evil was the product of a genuine attempt to remake an old NES game but ended becoming something entirely different. Directed by Shinji Mikami and produced by Tokuro Fujiwara, the game draws inspiration from horror films like The Shining and George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead and was molded into a third-person horror adventure that was more of conserving your ammo, evading enemies, and solving puzzles — and coined the genre known as Survival Horror.

Utilizing the power of Sony’s first video game console and CD based technology, Resident Evil became a critical and commercial success upon release. Despite the B-Movie level voice acting and live-action cut scenes, fans were impressed with the level of immersion and action amidst a isolated mansion setting where zombies and all manner of biological creatures could attack you. Plus the story introduces two very likeable protagonists in Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine — who would go on to represent and reappear through the course of the series’ history. RE1 also has the distinction of being one of the best-selling games for the original PlayStation in 1996, right before Final Fantasy 7 was unleashed to the masses the following year.

Coincidentally, March 22 also marks the release date of the Resident Evil Remake back in 2002! One of the then Nintendo Gamecube only exclusives Capcom promised for the company and the system, the game was a complete visual and technical makeover for the original Resident Evil — bringing Survival Horror to a new generation of fans and incorporating a more realistic tone and interpretation of the game. Shinji Mikami returned to direct and once again Chris and Jill’s stories are told during the Mansion Incident — however new elements were added to make this remake a whole new experience for fans, such as the introduction of the mutated Lisa Trevor and the addition of defensive weapons. While the remake did remain exclusive to Nintendo for over a decade, the game would see new life as Resident Evil HD Remaster — which was a high definition port released for the PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC.

With the release of sequels, spin-offs, and appearing in other forms of media including a new reboot movie called Welcome to Raccoon City coming out this year, Resident Evil has stood the test of time these 25 years — and it is all thanks to a game that introduced zombies and a mansion setting to gamers that wasn’t about guns blazing and more of using your head to survive. With Capcom set to release a new installment this year with Resident Evil Village, the franchise is only going to move forward grow even stronger as the fanbase continues to celebrate its legacy.

Happy Anniversary, Resident Evil!

Tim Villasor

Home > News

Streets of Rage 4 Update 1.05 Brawls Out to Fix Crashes

Those who are brawling in Streets of Rage 4, Lizardcube has released the Streets of Rage 4 update 1.05 patch, and it’s for fixes for the PS5 version primarily. Head on below for the list of fixes.

Streets of Rage 4 Update 1.05 Patch Notes:

Attn: PS5 players: a small patch is going live for Streets of Rage 4 (PS4 version) as some players reported leader-board related crashes when playing on a Playstation 5. Issue should be fixed now – thank you for your reports! and @SeavenStudio @dotemu for the fix and QA Folded hands

If you’ve yet to play the game, head on over here for our review where we state:

Not many studios can revive a long-dormant franchise and make it work while staying true to the franchise, but the developers did just that with Streets of Rage 4. Simply put, this is one street you’ll want to fight yourself out of. Oh, and if you have someone to play local co-op with, feel free to add another .5 to the overall score since these games are meant to be played cooperatively.

Once we get a new update for the game, we’ll let our readers know.

Avatar photo

Alex Co

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

Home > News

Resident Evil Village Will Have More Weapons Than RE7 According to Capcom

Expect a bigger selection of good things to be on sale when the newest Resident Evil game hits stranger, as Capcom states that the Resident Evil Village will have more weapons than Resident Evil  7 — adding to the anticipation and hype that the sequel will be much larger in content compared its predecessor.

According to tweets posted by DuskGolem, RE Village will contain more weapons for returning protagonists Ethan Winters to use. As the developers of the game note that it’s the first time that the same main character returns for two consecutive games.

As the report states, players will have more free reign on how to play and control Ethan — including the choices of weapons and the loadout they want to have at their disposal when approaching a certain situation. With the presence of The Duke and acting as a seller of goods much like RE4’s The Merchant, players can expect plenty of firepower and tools that will help them in their latest journey into the world of Survival Horror. In many ways, RE Village is a combination of all genres — sticking to the Survival Horror formula of suspense and danger at every turn while also giving players the range and variety that RE4, 5, and 6 had with weapons and equipment purchases.

In related Resident Evil news, the Resident Evil movie reboot just revealed its official title — and it’s called Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City.

Tim Villasor

Home > News

Apex Legends Update 1.62 March 22 Flies Out, Causes Issues (Update)

While Respawn Entertainment has released a patch for Apex Legends last week for various fixes, the studio has released the Apex Legends update 1.62 March 22 patch today. This is also for fixes, so don’t expect any new content.

Apex Legends Update 1.62 March 22 Patch Notes:

Update: Respawn has released the official patch notes:

Heads up, legends!

Respawn have pushed a client patch for Apex Legends today.


Patch Notes

Improvements

  • Console players can now toggle the survival slot off. If turned off, survival items will only be accessible through the inventory screen and the button will trigger the weapon inspect feature by default. (Source)

Bug fixes

  • Fixed Electric Blue Wattson skin (Source)

The studio has not relayed any gameplay-related changes, but here’s what Respawn has shared:

During our most recent @playapex collection event there was a bug with Wattson’s Electric Blue skin that caused her textures to go missing.

We’ve since shipped the fix and fully refunded anyone who bought the skin before the fix went live. Refunded players keep the fixed skin.

Unfortunately, it seems this issue has caused some issues amongst players too. Here are some from the community:

NO ACCESS TO ALC SETTINGS PS4 patch 3/22/2021
byu/skylexEU inapexlegends

Server issues after update?
byu/GreatAtLosing inapexlegends

Since the latest patch from today 3/22/2021, it‘s not possible to access ALC settings on PS4. On top of that all my settings got set back to default so now I can‘t play. Please let the developers see this. Much love and stay safe

Myself and several others have been experiencing high latency/rubber banding after the update, and this is very abnornal- especially for me, with a decent wired connection. This is on PS4, is anyone else having this issue?

Thanks!

There also seems to be gameplay-related changes as well”

I’m salty about this update.
byu/MonochromeCyanide inapexlegends

They patched the heat shield badge down to 1000 damage after I spent hours grinding it out and finally got the badge.

I get that it was incredibly hard to do without gridning and I’m glad that other people can get the badge but I wish that people who got the 5000 heat shield damage would get something cool added to the badge instead of their hard work being for nothing.

Once Respawn releases the full patch notes, we’ll update the post.

Update: The full patch notes has been released and we’ve updated the post.

Avatar photo

Alex Co

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

Home > News

SideTrak Solo Freestanding Portable Monitor Review – On-the-Go Gaming Solution

If you’re someone who travels a lot, and also loves taking their gaming devices with them, then chances are you’ve ran into situations where you need a good TV screen. As someone who fits that criteria, I have certainly found myself more times than not having to wrestle with hotel rooms, and their mounted displays with hard-to-reach HDMI ports. It’s not fun, especially for screens flushed against the wall. My solution for the better half of the year was to take my tiny PC monitor with me and use that, but lets face it, no matter how tiny a TV screen or monitor you can get, there will always be the inconvenience of traveling with them, due to the bulkiness and their original intent for stationed viewing.

So to my surprise, there’s actually a line of displays dedicated to removing such annoyances that come with traveling. Meet the SideTrak Portable Monitor, a portable display capable of being powered via USB with connectivity support for consoles along other devices.

What’s in the Box?

Specifications

Refresh Rate: 50/60 Hz Display colors: 262K Colors
Response Time: 30 ms Panel Type: LCD
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Resolution: 1920 x 1080
Contrast Ratio: 800:1 Brightness: 220 cd/m2
Power Consumption: 8W Panel Surface: Glare (AF)

To start this review off, let’s take a look at the content and set-up of the SideTrak Portable Monitor. First thing first, you have the small, 15.6 inch display that is well protected by the box’s packaging. The material used the houses the display is plastic, with a soft matted feel to it. It might not be the best material in terms of durability, but it’s light enough where it makes carrying easy.

Next we have the connection cables, which are USB-2.0 to USB-C, USB-C to USB-C, and mini-HDMI to full HDMI display cable. The latter two cables are used for powering purposes. Not really a whole lot of components (that’s a good thing,) and the set-up proves to be even less complicated.

Testing this out with a PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X, all you need to do is connect the HDMI cable to a system as with one of the two USB connection types. Don’t worry, as the power required to turn the display on is very low, with the USB ports found on any of those devices being just enough. That’s honestly all there is too it, no initial set-up, no driver or software updates, just direct plug-in play and you’re all set!

As Thin as Paper, as Sharp as a Knife

I do a lot of contract work (non-MP1st related) that requires me to travel all over the United States. My Last gig saw me traveling by vehicle from one end of the country to the other in the dead of winter. Not a fun one to say the least, especially knowing that said locations usually didn’t have any major shopping outlets or the most fun-filled activities.

Understandably I’m not in the most feel at home setting, though it does help to take a piece of it when I do go on these trips. With long periods of boredom inevitably to ensue on my downtime, what better to bring than a gaming console. Of course, it’s second nature of my gamer side to do just that, but one big thing I’ve learned in all my travel is that it’s wise to bring a spare TV screen, especially when staying in towns with not so up-to-date hotels.

Undoubtedly, the big issue with bringing a TV or PC monitor on travel is usually their sheer size, and/or bulkiness. There’s always a looming fear that you may accidentally break it just from driving, which is pretty common for people in the moving business. Plus, it’s not exactly the most inconspicuous item to be walking into a hotel lobby with. Thankfully, the SideTrak Portable Monitor fixes that issue, all while offering a gorgeous picture.

With a screen size of just 15.6 inches and a weight of 1.8lb, the SideTrak Portable Monitor feels like a great convenience to have. While I knew how big the screen was before receiving the unit, what I wasn’t expecting to be surprised by is how damn thin it is. To best compare, it’s almost like an iPad or a Window Surface Pro in terms of size and thickness. And much like those devices, the SideTrak is easily storable, with it fitting nicely in say a laptop case or whatever electronic bag you may use. Just be sure you protect the screen for obvious reasons.

As for the picture quality, the SideTrak Portable sports a 1080P resolution with a refresh rate of 60hz. And I know, it’s not the latest in resolution, but given the size of the SideTrak, this resolution fits just right. Image quality comes in superbly sharp and clear all thanks to pixel density, with the 60hz refresh rate running smoothly. There’s a low amount of latency, so playing games at 60fps (or less) is no problem.

More impressive however is how coloring is handled. Pictures all look vibrant, booming with colors, even with the HDR turned-off. Yes, you read that right, the SideTrak Portable has HDR support, which in my opinion is easily a better feature than a resolution bump.

While the display can also be stood up in portrait mode, I did find that this particular model really isn’t a good fit for it. This is mostly due to the location of the display ports being right on it’s side. Meaning if you wanted to stand it up, then you would have cables facing upwards, only to bend down to plug into whatever device. And it can’t be laying on the port side since it wouldn’t be able to stand. That’s not to say that it’s impossible to set it up in portrait format, it’ll just look a bit ugly. It doesn’t help either that the cables supplied are pretty short, so if you did plan on using this at home as an additional desktop monitor, be sure it’s situated on your desk close to where your PC is.

For me I don’t think that was much of a deal breaker since I prefer the landscape view, but if there was one nagging issue then it’s the menu button. While power has it’s own dedicated button, for whatever reason the menu button is tied to the volume scroll. It felt very flimsy and just trying to access the menu to adjust picture color and HDR proved it as at times it was unresponsive and even sticking. I consider the overall build to be exceptional outside of that volume/menu button.

A Worthy Travel Buddy

Outside of the tiny flaws I found, there really isn’t much to hate about this monitor. While, yes it is on the pricier ($269.99) side of things considering the size of TV you can get for it, there really isn’t much of an alternative when it comes to how easy and convenient it is. Just the fact that I can fit this in the same bag as my laptop, and even my console bag makes this well worth the buy. Beautiful design matched by it’s gorgeous image quality, the SideTrak Solo Freestanding Portable Monitor is the perfect companion to have for those lengthy journeys.

Pros:

  • Beautiful coloring and HDR support.
  • Size is perfect to fit with your laptop in an electronic bag.
  • Easy to set-up, USB powering
  • Smooth 60hz with low-latency.
  • General build quality is great.

Cons:

  • Even though it can be stood up for portrait mode, the power/display inputs location aren’t ideal to be in that position.
  • Volume having a push button for the display menu is unresponsive at times, needing multiple pushes. A dedicated button, at least for source would have been better.
  • Price* – A bit on the pricey end so may deter potential buyers away, though we feel what you get is justifiable

Where to buy?

Solo Pro FHD 15.8”


The SideTrak Ultra Thin Portable Monitor is available for purchase at MSRP of $269.99. A unit was provided for review and marketing purposes via Chic Execs. Product tested for PC and consoles uses. You can read MP1st’s review and scoring policy right here.

Avatar photo

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

Rumor: PlayStation Store for PS3, PS Vita, PSP to Close Down Later This Year

Take this news with a grain of salt and as a rumor for now, but there’s a good chance that Sony and PlayStation are ready to move on from the past — As a report states that the PlayStation Store for the PS3, PS Vita, and PSP is going to close down.

According to The Gamer, all services will cease starting this July for those systems. What that essentially means is that all of the digital games you purchased and are part of those legacy libraries are no longer going to be accessible, as the story points out that Sony is going to make the announcement possibly in the next month or so.

PSP’s and PS3’s stores are to be closed on July 2, while the PS Vita store will stay open until August 27. After those dates, you will no longer be able to purchase digital copies of games or DLC for any of the Sony consoles mentioned above.

First introduced during the life cycle of the PS3, the PlayStation Store is your go to digital shop for all things related to PlayStation, its games, and other forms of media. PlayStation’s portable systems in the PSP and its successor the PS Vita would also incorporate the service — and players could not only access and download new games but also digital releases of classic PSOne games. Now that the PS4 and PS5 have become the dominant systems in the market, it looks Sony is ready to close the curtain on those systems. Nothing has been confirmed yet and nobody knows whether or not players can still access their purchased games if it comes to pass, but don’t be surprised if everything is gone once things are shut down.

Speaking of new PlayStation services, the new PS5 VR controllers were recently revealed and you can take a look at them here.

Tim Villasor

Home > News

Fallout 76 Content Roadmap for 2021 Revealed

Those looking for more mayhem in the wastelands, Bethesda has announced the Fallou 76 content roadmap for 2021! According to the studio, 2021 will offer “new ways to play” as the game continues to evolve. Head on below for the info straight from the press release.

Fallout 76 Content Roadmap for 2021:

Spring

Get Locked & Loaded with our Spring update! Introducing S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Loadouts, C.A.M.P. Slots, Mannequins, and an all-new Daily Ops expansion. For a deeper look at the new features, check out the Inside the Vault article here. Players who own Fallout 76 on the Bethesda.net launcher can test out all these new features and more in our current iteration of the PTS right now.

Additionally, the update marks the return of Armor Ace, this time in a fierce battle against Commissioner Chaos and the Yukon Five! Season 4 brings all-new rewards to the Scoreboard, from cosmetics, to consumables and everything in-between.

Summer

Last year the Brotherhood of Steel arrived in Appalachia and players witnessed a conflict between the ranks and discovered new obstacles in their path. Steel Reign continues the story of The Brotherhood, introducing all new quests, locations, NPCs, and powerful new rewards. Whose side will you take? Your choices will change the Wasteland.

Legendary modules also arrive this summer, allowing players to craft specific Legendary items. Tailor your build to perfect your playstyle.

Fall

The winds of change are coming, and with it an evolution to Private Worlds! Stay tuned over the coming months for more information as we get closer to release.

We’re also bringing another expansion to Daily Ops to give players even more ways to play.

Winter

This Winter introduces four-star Legendary Weapons and Armor along with the arrival of the highly-requested and anticipated C.A.M.P. Pets!

Face off against new dangers with an out-of-this-world event. In the brand-new Public Challenge: Invaders from Beyond, players across the server will unite to complete challenges, face off against challenging new foes and earn some stellar rewards.

The Cultists of Appalachia are up to something sinister in a brand-new Seasonal event: The Ritual! Help the cultists in Point Pleasant prepare an exciting and dangerous ritual, and they’ll repay you with unique rewards.

From the looks of it, players should be getting a new title update fairly soon once it’s done being tested on the PTS. Once we know more, we’ll let our readers know.

Avatar photo

Alex Co

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

Home > News

Resident Evil Re:Verse Open Beta Announced. Here’s the Schedule & Specifics

In case you didn’t know, Capcom is including a free multiplayer component when Resident Evil Village releases in May, and it’s called Resident Evil Re:Verse, which features familiar franchise charaters fighting it out. If you’re curious how it plays, you’ll be able to do so yourself soon, as Capcom has announced the Resident Evil Re:Verse open beta!

The beta starts this April and will last for three days. It’ll be available on the PS4, Xbox One and PC. Check out the beta schedule and more below.

Resident Evil Re:Verse Open Beta Schedule:

Beta Test Period

April 8th 2021 2:00 AM (EDT) to April 11th 2021 2:00 AM (EDT)
April 7th 2021 11:00 PM (PDT) to April 10th 2021 11:00 PM (PDT)

Download available from April 5th 8:00 PM (EDT) / 5:00 PM (PDT)

Supported Hardware

PlayStation®4, PlayStation®4 Pro, Xbox One, Xbox One X, PC (Steam)

Terms and Conditions for the Open Beta Test

1. You have a CAPCOM ID.

Please make sure you have a CAPCOM ID, and that your account is linked to your hardware before playing the open beta test.

2. You own supported hardware (PlayStation®4, PlayStation®4 Pro, Xbox One, and PC)

Note: If you have a PlayStation®5, the PlayStation®4 version will be accessible, and if you have the Xbox Series X|S, the Xbox One version will be accessible.

According to Capcom, the beta will “test the game’s system, balance, and servers,” and unexpected maintenance may occur as well.

Those on PS5, you’ll be able to download and play the PS4 version, with the Xbox Series X being able to play the Xbox One version.

Are you ready to pit Leon against Jill? Hopefully, this turns out well.

Source: Capcom via Reddit

Avatar photo

Alex Co

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

╳