Home > Title Updates and Patches

DayZ Experimental Patch 1.28 Update 2 Rolls Out for PC, Xbox

by Alex Co

May 13, 2025 9:01 am in Title Updates and Patches

[summaraize]

DayZ players can now test some of the new incoming content for the game as part of its latest Experimental patch live now on Xbox and PC! The major new additions in the DayZ Experimental patch 1.28 update 2 is the R12 shotgun and a new crafting animation.

When it comes to fixes, there’s a good list of gameplay-related changes that are available in the complete notes.

DayZ Experimental Version 1.28 Gets Update 2 This May 13

Xbox Patch Notes

Xbox Experimental 1.28 Update 2 – Version 1.28.159876 (Release on 13.05.2025)

NOTES

In case of problems, please check the Bohemia Interactive support F.A.Q. or DayZ F.A.Q.
You can help us to further improve the game by posting your feedback on the Feedback Tracker.

GENERAL GAME

ADDED

R12 shotgun
New crafting animation for: wooden planks, splitting broom, long wooden stick and firewood, firewood from logs

CHANGED

Reduced probability of certain footstep sounds to play – i.e. stones and branches cracking
Repairing with leather sewing kit, sewing kit, tire kit and duct tape does not show items in hand and plays the new animations only while the repair kit is in hands
Cleaning weapons while the weapon in hand shows the weapon and plays the new animation. If the kit is in hands, it plays default animation and hides the cleaning kit
Items used in certain crafting actions are now visible in hands

FIXED

Split items incorrectly went to player inventory instead of the expected container or vicinity
Vegetables harvested from garden plots would duplicate after a server restart (T187757)
Lighting a kindling item near a wall could allow to see through the wall
Weapon was placed into inventory instead of returning to the shoulder slot when using the quick bar
After harvesting crops, it was not possible to re-fertilize the area, until player relogs to the server (T190521)
It was not possible to change stance when an action/weapon action was performed
Players could only drop items into the vicinity box area and were unable to drop them freely outside it. (T191054, T191037, T191036, T191136)
Swapping items from inventory or hands could cause them to teleport into inaccessible locations. (T160555, T163801, T163810, T178493, T163902, T165141, T166211, T190046)
Aiming Vertical and Horizontal sliders displayed incorrect value (0.999999) instead of 1 at the second lowest setting
The water action was incorrectly available on garden plots already fully watered
Extinguished and moved fire barrels left behind invisible damage areas (T190698)
Players could skip the prone animation allowing immediate shooting (private: T182490, T189158)
Fertilizer application times were inconsistent across platforms (T190020)
Stat icons incorrectly refreshed to full when using custom respawn during unconsciousness
Reverse lights would not turn on/off when the gear was changed
Player would not make water footstep sounds while in the sea – (T191105)

KNOWN ISSUES

Players could collide with invisible map objects
Some crafting interactions still play the default crafting animation
Character could make a confusing grunting sound when the thermometer was blue, despite not being injured or infected
Horticulture issues (to be fixed in 1.28):
not possible to complete fertilizing a garden plot slot with a different fertilizer if the process had been started with another type
garden plot slots could get watered even when it wasn’t raining, such as during cloudy weather or with very low rain values
the action widget for planting seeds could still appear even when the garden plot slot was already occupied by a seed or plant
After harvesting crops, garden slots could not be re-fertilized until the player reconnected to the server

PC Patch Notes

PC Experimental 1.28 Update 2 – Version 1.28.159876 (Release on 13.05.2025)

NOTES

Consider using the Steam client option to verify the integrity of the local game cache to avoid corrupted data after downloading this update
Consider de-fragmenting your HDD after downloading large updates
In case of problems, please check the Bohemia Interactive support F.A.Q., DayZ F.A.Q., or BattlEye F.A.Q.
You can help us to further improve the game by posting your feedback on the Feedback Tracker
We recommend a storage wipe for modded community servers, as our changes could introduce a storage corruption of horticulture plants

GENERAL GAME

ADDED

R12 shotgun
New crafting animation for: wooden planks, splitting broom, long wooden stick and firewood, firewood from logs

CHANGED

Reduced probability of certain footstep sounds to play – i.e. stones and branches cracking
Repairing with leather sewing kit, sewing kit, tire kit and duct tape does not show items in hand and plays the new animations only while the repair kit is in hands
Cleaning weapons while the weapon in hand shows the weapon and plays the new animation. If the kit is in hands, it plays default animation and hides the cleaning kit
Items used in certain crafting actions are now visible in hands

FIXED

Split items incorrectly went to player inventory instead of the expected container or vicinity
Vegetables harvested from garden plots would duplicate after a server restart (T187757)
Lighting a kindling item near a wall could allow to see through the wall
Weapon was placed into inventory instead of returning to the shoulder slot when using the quick bar
After harvesting crops, it was not possible to re-fertilize the area, until player relogs to the server (T190521)
It was not possible to change stance when an action/weapon action was performed
Players could only drop items into the vicinity box area and were unable to drop them freely outside it. (T191054, T191037, T191036, T191136)
Swapping items from inventory or hands could cause them to teleport into inaccessible locations. (T160555, T163801, T163810, T178493, T163902, T165141, T166211, T190046)
Aiming Vertical and Horizontal sliders displayed incorrect value (0.999999) instead of 1 at the second lowest setting
The water action was incorrectly available on garden plots already fully watered
Extinguished and moved fire barrels left behind invisible damage areas (T190698)
Players could skip the prone animation allowing immediate shooting (private: T182490, T189158)
Fertilizer application times were inconsistent across platforms (T190020)
Stat icons incorrectly refreshed to full when using custom respawn during unconsciousness
Stat icons incorrectly refreshed to full when using custom respawn during unconsciousness
Physics: Plain objects such as Trees/Rocks would not have their interaction layer set correctly
Physics: Objects that aligned with the terrain would have missing collision with vehicles and thrown items
Reverse lights would not turn on/off when the gear was changed
Player would not make water footstep sounds while in the sea – (T191105)

MODDING

FIXED

Automatic indentation in Script Editor would add extra tabs following certain comment blocks
Crash when deleting vehicle the client was sitting inside of

KNOWN ISSUES

Players could collide with invisible map objects
Some crafting interactions still play the default crafting animation
Character could make a confusing grunting sound when the thermometer was blue, despite not being injured or infected
Horticulture issues (to be fixed in 1.28):
not possible to complete fertilizing a garden plot slot with a different fertilizer if the process had been started with another type
garden plot slots could get watered even when it wasn’t raining, such as during cloudy weather or with very low rain values
the action widget for planting seeds could still appear even when the garden plot slot was already occupied by a seed or plant
After harvesting crops, garden slots could not be re-fertilized until the player reconnected to the server

No word yet on went he patch will be out to the retail build, but once it’s available, expect it up here on MP1st.

Tags: DayZ

Alex Co

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

Home > Title Updates and Patches

Helldivers 2 Update 1.003 Adds Weapon Customization and Massive Balance Changes

by Alex Co

5:19 am in Title Updates and Patches

[summaraize]

Arrowhead Game Studios has finally released a new Helldiveres 2 update and this adds a slew of new features, and preps the game for the big Masters of Ceremony Warbond kicking out on May 15. Players can download Helldivers 2 update 1.003 (complete version 1.003.000) on PS5 and PC, which is first patch the devs have released in well over a month.

We can confirm this new title update brings the much-requested feature: weapon customization! Alongside this, there are a ton of weapon damage changes, which should shake up the meta somewhat.

Arrowhead is teasing something big! This is a hefty patch clocking in at 5 GB on PS5.

Helldivers 2’s Latest Update on May 13 Adds Weapon Customization

Check out the full list of new content added in this major update by Arrowhead!

Overview

New Illuminate faction enemies
New Weapon Customizations and Progression
Crash fixes
Weapon fixes
Miscellaneous fixes

Major Update

Weapon Customization

Gear up, Helldivers—your arsenal just got personal!
With the new Weapon Customization system, you can now tailor your favorite weapons to match your combat style and preferences once you’ve progressed and unlocked different attachments. Whether it’s tweaking sights for precision, changing color patterns, adjusting magazines for ammo capacity, muzzles to optimize weapon performance characteristics or adjusting underbarrels for the handling you want, you’re in command of how your weaponry performs on the battlefield.

Tinker in the menu, customize your specific weapon configs and switch between them during the mission loadout sequence.

We are aware of a bug that prevents players from canceling customization with a controller. We have a fix identified and prepared for our next hotfix. In the meantime, you can save the customization and then go in and do it again.

New Illuminate Enemies

Stingray:

Jetfighters that provide Illuminate support from the sky, targeting Helldivers and lining up devastating strafing runs.

Crescent Overseer:

Has the ability to lay barrages on Helldivers in cover.

Fleshmob:

A failed Illuminate experiment made up of Voteless parts turned into a brute battlefield force that the Helldivers must work hard to destroy.

Balancing

Weapon balances:

Spread
Drag
Sway
Melee weapons stamina cost
Shrapnel spawning
Fire damage

Spread:

Spread refers to how much a projectile veers from the point you’re aiming at when you fire. This rebalance primarily targets SMGs and sidearms, which previously had noticeably higher spread values. We’ve reviewed all primary, sidearm, and support weapons with the intent to significantly reduce spread overall, as it didn’t make much sense for these specific weapons to have such high inaccuracy.

Drag:
Drag determines how quickly a projectile loses speed over distance, affecting its damage. We’ve increased drag for pistol-caliber ammunition (used in SMGs and some sidearms) to better represent its shorter, wider projectile compared to rifle rounds. As a result, these weapons will be slightly less effective at longer ranges.

Sway:
Sway refers to how much the weapon’s aim shifts, influenced by factors like movement and stance. It represents the weapon’s inertia and stability—so weapons with lower ergonomics will experience less sway, while those with higher ergonomics will have more. Sidearms will naturally have more sway than primaries due to the lack of support features like stocks. This balance patch specifically focuses on adjusting sway for primaries and sidearms.

Stamina Cost:
All melee weapons now consume less stamina when attacking, reducing the cost from 0.1 to 0.05. This change makes melee combat less punishing and allows for easier repositioning between strikes. The affected weapons include the CQC-30 Stun Baton, CQC-19 Stun Lance, CQC-5 Combat Hatchet, and the Entrenchment Tool.

Shrapnel spawning:
With this update, shrapnel will now always spawn in a full 360-degree spread, regardless of where the explosion occurs. This means weapons like the R-36 Eruptor will now more reliably hit the intended target with their shrapnel.
In addition, we’ve adjusted shrapnel performance against armor. Shrapnel now has reduced effectiveness at poor impact angles, to reflect its lack of design for armor penetration in such situations.

These shrapnel balance changes will impact the following weapons:

R-36 Eruptor
G-6 Frag Grenade
AC-8 Autocannon

Balance Changes:

Armor Penetration decreased on shrapnel projectiles from 3-3-3-0 to 3-3-2-0

Each of these numbers represent an angle threshold, which means we’ve reduced the AP value of 3 to 2 in the last range where a shrapnel projectile would penetrate an enemy.

Frag Grenade

Increased Shrapnel spawned from 30 to 35

Autocannon Flak

Increased Shrapnel spawned from 25 to 30

Fire and Flamethrowers:

This update aims to better balance fire damage between direct hits (like those from flamethrowers) and burn effects over time, while also introducing scaling of fire damage depending on the size of the enemy. Previously, burn damage didn’t scale well against larger enemies, making putting them on fire feel less effective in those encounters.

Now, the larger the enemy, the more damage they take while burning. However, bigger enemies will also be slightly more resistant to ignition. Additionally, direct fire damage now scales with enemy size—so large enemies like Chargers will still take roughly the same damage as before, while smaller enemies will take slightly less.

We have also increased the magazine capacity of the FLAM-66 Torcher and the FLAM-40 Flamethrower because putting stuff on fire is fun!

Damage:

Burning damage now scales with enemy size and will do more damage over time to larger enemies
Fire direct damage also scales with enemy size. The base damage of direct fire hits has been lowered as compensation. This means that large enemies will take roughly the same amount of damage as before, while smaller enemies will take slightly less

Time to ignite:

Larger enemies now take longer to ignite
Robotic enemies are harder to set on fire than organic ones
Incendiary Ammunition and Lasers are now less effective at igniting enemies, but once they do, the resulting burn damage is more impactful thanks to the new scaling system

The Helldiver:

The Helldiver is now slightly more resistant to being set on fire
Burn damage taken by the Helldiver remains unchanged

Primary weapons

AR-23 Liberator

Spread decreased from 4 to 2

AR-23P Liberator Penetrator

Starting magazines increased from 5 to 6
Max spare magazines increased from 7 to 8

AR-23C Liberator Concussive

Spread decreased from 24 to 4

StA-52 Assault Rifle

Spread decreased from 4 to 2

AR-23A Liberator Carbine

Spread decreased from 4 to 3

AR-61 Tenderizer

Spread decreased from 4 to 1

SMG-37 Defender

Spread decreased from 20 to 5
Drag increased from 0.3 to 0.6
Sway increased from 1 to 1.2

SMG-72 Pummeler

Spread decreased from 20 to 5
Drag increased from 0.3 to 0.6
Sway increased from 1 to 1.2

MP-98 Knight

Spread decreased from 25 to 5
Drag increased from 0.3 to 0.6
Sway increased from 1 to 1.2

StA-11 SMG

Spread decreased from 25 to 5
Drag increased from 0.3 to 0.6
Sway increased from 1 to 1.2

SMG-32 Reprimand

Spread decreased from 40 to 5
Drag increased from 0.3 to 0.6

JAR-5 Dominator

Sway decreased from 1 to 0.8

R-63CS Diligence Counter Sniper

Sway decreased from 1 to 0.8

FLAM-66 Torcher

Magazine capacity increased by 25%

R-36 Eruptor

Spread decreased from 10 to 5
Ergonomics increased from -14 to 25
Sway decreased from 1 to 0.8
Fire rate increased from 25 to 32
Fixed a bug that allowed players to cancel the Eruptor’s round cycling animation, effectively increasing its fire rate

The intent with these changes:

The improvements made to the Eruptor are designed to compensate for the removal of the reload exploit, ensuring that its overall power remains steady or even improved

PLAS-39 Accelerator Rifle

Drag decreased from 1.5 → 0.1
Is now categorized as an energy weapon in the loadout menu

The changes to drag means it wont lose speed and damage as it travels through the air and does the damage you would expect it to do

Sidearm Weapons

GP-31 Ultimatum

Is now affected by the Hellpod Optimization Booster
Explosion damage increased from 1000 to 2000
Explosion inner radius decreased from 4 to 2 m
Projectile damage decreased from 3500 to 1000
Demolition strength decreased from 50 to 40
Sway increased from 1 to 1.3

The intent with these changes:

We want to maintain the Ultimatum’s overall power level while rebalancing how that power is delivered—shifting more of the damage from the projectile itself to the explosion. Previously, the Ultimatum behaved more like a massive kinetic projectile (similar to the 380mm shell) because of its high projectile damage and relatively weaker explosion. This update reinforces its intended identity as a powerful explosive weapon, emphasizing high explosive damage over impact force
Most heavy enemies will now die from a close hit instead of a direct hit, except for the Factory Strider
Additionally, due to its reduced demolition strength, the Ultimatum will no longer destroy Stratagem Jammer Objectives or landed Illuminate Warp Ships through their shields. However, the dropships now have health, allowing the Ultimatum to destroy them once the shield is down

P-2 Peacemaker

Decreased Spread from 30 to 10
Sway increased from 1 to 1.2

P-19 Redeemer

Decreased Spread from 35 to 10
Sway increased from 1 to 1.2

P-113 Verdict

Decreased Spread from 30 to 8
Sway increased from 1 to 1.2

PLAS-15 Loyalist

Decreased Spread from 25 to 10
Sway increased from 1 to 1.2

LAS-58 Talon

Sway increased from 1 to 1.2

P-72 Crisper

Sway increased from 1 to 1.2

GP-31 Grenade Pistol

Sway increased from 1 to 1.2

LAS-7 Dagger

Sway increased from 1 to 1.2

P-11 Stim Pistol

Sway increased from 1 to 1.2

SG-22 Bushwhacker

Sway increased from 1 to 1.3

P-4 Senator

Decreased Spread from 30 to 8
S
way increased from 1 to 1.3

Stratagems

RS-422 Railgun

Decreased Spread from 10 to 0.1

FLAM-40 Flamethrower

Magazine capacity increased by 30%

Backpacks

LIFT-850 Jump pack
Increased break force on landing to make Helldivers less likely to ragdoll when landing

Eagles

Eagle 110mm rockets
Stagger strength increased from 35 to 40
Increased armor penetration in certain angles

Enemies

Automatons

Bunker Turret
Spread increased from 20 to 50

Conflagration Devastator

Reduced damage per pellet
More pellets are now required to hit you to put you on fire

Automaton Gunship

Body armor value reduced from 4 to 3
Main body health increased to 950 from 700
Now shoots more and the aim is slightly more accurate

Bulk Fabricator

Health increased from 1500 to 5000

Conscripts

There was a bug where the Conscripts reloaded after every shot, it’s now been fixed so they only reload when they’re actually out of ammo

Terminids

Spore Spewers
Demolition level decreased from 60 to 50, making it easier to kill with heavy ordnance weapons

Illuminates

Landed Warp Ships
Will now be easier to kill with Anti-Tank weaponry once the shields are down

Fixes

Crash Fixes, Hangs and Soft-locks:

Fixed a crash which could occur when returning to your Super Destroyer from a host parked at a planet with the Democracy Space Station in orbit, if the Democracy Space Station had just moved to a new planet
Fixed a crash when writing a specific sequence of text in the chat
Fixed a crash that could occur after partially destroying an Automaton convoy
Fixed crash when attempting to drop into a mission on Tien Kwan

Weapons and Stratagems

The SMG-37 Defender does not trigger the anti tank mines anymore
Improved the effectiveness of flashlight attachments
Fixed a bug that was causing the camera to be stuck in Aim Down Sights (ADS) mode when discarding the MLS-4X Commando when utilizing that camera mode
Cancelling laser weapon reloads no longer gives them infinite ammo

Miscellaneous Fixes

Fixed an issue with intermittent flickering of distant visual effects
Fixed an issue where the FRV and Helldivers embarked in it would get covered in blood after a Helldiver would attack the FRV from any passenger seat
Spore Scavengers can now properly attack
Vehicles now correctly show the appropriate enemy blood colors
Lowered the target node for the Illuminate tesla tower so that the StA-X3 W.A.S.P. Launcher can properly hit it
No longer shows the reconnect popup if the host leaves while on the Destroyer
Fixed an issue that resulted in some cases where the momentum could get reset at the end of moving emotes
Sample containers can now be properly pinged again
Corrected misaligned logo of the Borderline Justice Warbond
Fixed an issue with the illuminate Cognitive Disruptor not turning off correctly for hot joining players
Decreased a big hitch that could occur during the dropdown sequence
The game is now showing the correct amount of total samples on missions
Fixed a bug that caused held stratagems to be stuck in Helldivers hands after taking fall damage
Performance improvement in the particle subsystem

Moreover, the Masters of Ceremony Warbond is out on May 15, and expect the data for that to be part of today’s update.

If we get another patch for the new Warbond, we’ll let our readers know.

Tags: Helldivers helldivers 2

Alex Co

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

Home > Title Updates and Patches

Tekken 8 New Update 2.001 Further Seeks to Fix Mechanics for Players

by Alex Co

3:25 am in Title Updates and Patches

[summaraize]

Bandai Namco has released the latest Tekken 8 update, which players will see as version 2.001 on consoles (complete version 2.001.000), and this patch once again adjusts chip damage from Heath Smash, adjusts heath Bursts and more.

There are also new store items added, and a good amount of fighter moveset tweaks too. While this can’t solve all the gripes players have with the game after the big Season 2 patch, this is a progressive step in the right direction.

There’s a lot to take in so read on for the complete patch notes.

Tekken 8 Version 2.001 Patch New Additions

# TEKKEN SHOP

New “Vigilante Tech Pack” Added
– A common costume pack containing the following items:
– Vigilante Tech Jacket (Upper Body)
– Vigilante Tech Pants (Lower Body)
– Vigilante Tech Shoes (Shoes)
– Vigilante Tech Cap (Headgear)
– Vigilante Tech Mask (Glasses)

* New “Cyber Phantom Pack” Added

– A common costume pack containing the following items:
– Cyber Phantom Jacket (Upper Body)
– Cyber Phantom Pants (Lower Body)
– Cyber Phantom Boots (Shoes)
– Cyber Phantom Mask (Mouthpiece)

* “TEKKEN SPECIAL DEAL” Event

– During the event period, selected items will be available at special prices.

# TEKKEN FIGHT LOUNGE

* New Feature “TEKKEN GHOST SHOWDOWN” Added to the Entrance
– Speak to Max at the entrance of the “TEKKEN GHOST SHOWDOWN” to access new features such as enabling/disabling AI learning and deleting previous AI learning data.
– By sitting at the dedicated “TEKKEN GHOST SHOWDOWN” terminal, players can engage in real-time Ghost vs Ghost battles.

Note: What is a Ghost?
– A player’s AI-controlled avatar that evolves based on battle behavior.

* Five Special Ghosts with Character Panels Appear
– Defeat each special ghost to earn a unique character panel.
– The character panels are fan art submissions from the “TEKKEN FANDOM Campaign.”
– The special ghosts will be available in the lobby until the next update scheduled for June.
– New special ghosts will be added in the next update.

# PLAY DATA / LEADERBOARDS

* Viewing Some “Season 1” Data Now Available
– By selecting “Season 1” from the “Filter” function, some data will now be viewable.

# RANKED MATCH

– For adjustment details, please refer to the following link:
https://www.tekken-official.jp/tekken_news/?p=1308

Tekkenn 8 New Update Combat Changes and Fighter Adjutments

# Balance Adjustment Policy for Ver.2.01

In TEKKEN 8 Ver. 2.01, additional adjustments have been made to address the game’s attack-heavy balance.

Alongside the previously implemented fixes for “issues that could be addressed quickly,” this update also begins to tackle longer-term issues—such as reducing air combo damage and reworking Heat Burst performance—which were raised frequently by players and required more time to evaluate.
* The patch notes for Ver.2.01 are scheduled to be released on [PDT] Monday, May 12, 6:30 PM / [CEST] Tuesday, May 13, 3:30 AM.

1) Gradual Adjustment of Moves with Excessive Return
Following the previous update, balance adjustments have been made with a focus on the following points:

– Adjustment of moves where the return is disproportionately high relative to the risk involved
– Adjustment of high-performance moves that easily create consecutive advantageous situations and lead to one-sided developments

Through these adjustments, the goal is to achieve a more balanced playing field across all characters and foster an environment where diverse strategies can thrive.
Additionally, moves not targeted in this update will continue to be reviewed based on player trends and feedback, with further adjustments implemented as necessary.

2) Reduction of Aerial Combo Damage
In consideration of the current trend of increasing overall combo damage, adjustments have been made to the damage of moves that contribute significantly to particularly powerful aerial combos across all characters.
These changes are intended to increase the opportunities for offense, defense, and tactical exchanges, while also addressing the excessive disparity in damage potential between characters.
Aerial combos will continue to be closely monitored, and if instances of excessive damage are identified, additional measures will be considered as appropriate.

3) Adjustment to Heat Burst Performance
In light of the fact that, during exchanges surrounding Heat Burst activation, it was often difficult for the defending player to evade the move with sidesteps even when anticipating the activation, the overall tracking performance of Heat Burst against lateral movement has been reduced.
This adjustment is intended to make it easier for the defending side to respond through movement or evasion, thereby enabling more interactive mind games that reward defensive techniques.

4) Reduction of Chip Damage from Heat Smash
Given that the increase to maximum health has already lessened the impact of chip damage overall, this update limits adjustments specifically to Heat Smash, reducing its chip damage output.
Rather than implementing a broad revision to chip damage at this stage, we have opted for a targeted response. Moving forward, we will continue to monitor match environments and player behavior, and consider additional adjustments to chip damage as necessary.

# PLAYABLE CHARACTERS

* Character Move Adjustments and Performance Tweaks

Aside from today’s patch, Bandai Namco has also outlined the next two patches dropping for the fighter, including the return of one character from Tekken 7.

Tags: Tekken Tekken 8

Alex Co

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

Home > News

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Devs Never Believed Mindset of “Turn-Based Players Don’t Like Action” and Vice Versa

by Alex Co

May 12, 2025 7:38 pm in News

[summaraize]

With Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Sandfall Interactive surprised gamers by delivering a turn-based RPG that felt familiar but also played fresh. While some might dismiss it right away since it’s a turn-based game, it’s so much more than that.

The folks at Sandfall Interactive managed to bridge an action game and a turn-based title that worked well on its own, and this was something the studio believed in from the start.

Sandfall’s Boss Doesn’t Believe Action Fans Do Not Like Turn-Based Games

Speaking to French content creator mistermv, Sandfall CEO Guillaume Broche talked a bit on how he was burnt out on JRPGs, and wanted to create a game that was a mix between turn-based gameplay with action games like Sekiro, and never believed turn-based players didn’t like action games and vice versa.

Broche said (via machine translation), ” I kind of consider myself a bit burned out on JRPGs. I think I’ve just played way too many. I’ve done all the turn-based ones. My problem with turn-based nowadays is that as soon as I start a new one, I immediately see the optimal strategy. I think it’s probably the same for you — when you’ve played so many, you can quickly see how the systems work, how it’s going to evolve. And yeah, I kind of got tired of it — even series like Shin Megami Tensei and Persona, which I used to love. Like with Metaphor, I started it and I loved the art direction, loved the universe. But gameplay-wise, I was like, well, I’ve played Persona 4 like eight times, Persona 3 five times… I know it already.”

Broche followed it by adding, “So really, I just wanted to make a game that I would like. And right now, my tastes are more mixed — between turn-based and action. Like Sekiro — I used to speedrun Sekiro. I’m a complete maniac for that game. I love Souls games. So yeah, the idea was, let’s try to mix the two and do something cool. At first, it was really hard to pitch this idea, because there’s that mindset of “turn-based players don’t like action” and “action players don’t like turn-based.” But I never believed that. Lots of people play both.”

I can’t say I disagree. I like both turn-based games and action games; both genres can co-exist without damaging the other. However, I do get where Broche is coming from. When the game launched, people who were against turn-based games tried to review-bomb Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and thankfully, it didn’t work.

While Sandfall is taking a much-needed break, we’re excited to hear what’s next for the studio. Could DLC be part of the plans? They haven’t said no, but nothing’s confirmed yet.

Tags: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Alex Co

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

Home > News

Honkai: Star Rail Version 3.3 Launches on May 21

by James Lara

4:14 pm in News

[summaraize]

The next chapter in the Honkai: Star Rail saga arrives this month! Enter “The Fall of Dawn’s Rise,” the final battle of Flame-Chase’s journey, arriving with Honkai: Star Rail Version 3.3.

To build up the hype, HoYoverse has released a new trailer, as well as some details on the upcoming new characters, and more.

Venturing Into Realms Where Even Gods Dare Not Tread

About the story of Version 3.3:

Trailblazers will stand alongside Chrysos Heirs for the final battle of Flame-Chase Journey — confronting the Sky Titan. According to ancient records, Aquila is a hundred-eyed giant bird. With the sky as its eyelids, it controls the cycles of dawn and dusk.

Version 3.3 Highlights

A brand-new playable challenge with rewards called “Echo of War: Glance of Twilight” arrives with version 3.3.
5-Star Wind character, Hyacine, joins the roster.
5-Star Quantum character Cipher joins the roster.
Limited 5-star characters The Herta and Aglaea will be returning for version 3.3 warp event during each half respectively.
New gameplay experiences are coming with this update.
Registration is now open for the Penacony Speed Cup Spheroid Racing Tournament.
Legend of the Galactic Baseballer: Demon King is launching out of beta with this update.

Those are the main highlights of Version 3.3 Honkai: Star Rail, and as always, expect plenty of more events to arrive during the season, as well as loads of improvements and bug fixes.

Honkai: Star Rail Version 3.3 arrives on all major platforms on May 21.

Tags: Honkai: Star Rail

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 > Title Updates and Patches

Grounded Gets an Update Adds Creature Spawner Customization and Bug Fixes

by Alex Co

2:01 pm in Title Updates and Patches

[summaraize]

Obsidian Entertainment has releasead a new patch for Grounded on consoles and PC, and while this is mostly for bug fixes, though it also has an update for customization for the creature spawner. Those on consoles, this should appear as Grounded update 2.000.016 on PS5/XSX and patch version 1.17, and it’s also out on PC.

For the rest of the bug fixes, head on below for the patch notes.

Grounded’s New Update Brings Creature Spawner Customization Option via Patch 2.000.016/1.17

Playgrounds Mode Updates

Creature Spawner Customization:
- The Creature Spawner now supports customizing stats on spawned creatures.

Bug Fixes

Resolved a crash that could occur when a client placed an infused weapon in Playgrounds Mode.
Fixed a bug where time would stop permanently in Playgrounds mode
Fixed a crash when respawning with a pet.
Corrected a bug that unintentionally increased the health of all Ants, Weevils, and Aphids due to the Pet Health adjustments introduced in version 1.4.7
Fixed an issue where the Shocking Dismissal effect was triggering more frequently than intended.
Resolved a bug causing stamina to drain more rapidly than expected.
Fixed a progression issue preventing higher-level REMIX.D players from selecting previously completed levels

The last patch for the game was released last month, which adds new Playground features, adjustments and a lot more. Once Obsidian releases another patch, expect it up here on MP1st.

Tags: Grounded

Alex Co

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

Home > Title Updates and Patches

Dying Light New Update 1.72 Brings Tower Raid Extra Life Fixes and More

by Alex Co

1:14 pm in Title Updates and Patches

Dying Light 2: Stay Human just got a update from Techland, which will show up as version 1.72 for gamers. This is a hotfix that aims to resolve audio issues, Tower Raid fixes for extra life glitches and more.

For the rest of the info on what’s new, head on below for the complete patch notes.

Dying Light 2 Gets a New Update on May 12 to Resolve Technical Issues

The biggest gameplay-related fixes with today’s patch are for Tower Raid. A glitch where players can’t lose an extra life when the online game privacy setting is at “Single Player” has been resolved. Read on for the rest of the fixes in the official patch notes from Techland.

Dying Light 2 Patch Notes for May 12

Fixed some audio issues with Sola’s track
Removed the reference to a non-existent symbol on the HUD widget
Fixed the issue with the cursor hovering on Bundles not displaying the description in the ‘Featured’ tab
Fixed various Tower Raid board assertion issues, unabling players to e.g., interact with the board, load the Tower Raid hub and missing data
Fixed the issue with the Icon of Hunter’s bolts sometimes being overscaled
Fixed the issue on the Steam Deck, where longer dialogues could sometimes be overlapped by the item selector
Fixed the issue where the Player cannot lose an extra life when the online game privacy setting is “Single Player”
Fixed the issue with Exploding Knives having exploding VFX on contact with the environment on initial hit, but not on enemies
Fixed the issue with Tower Raid Class icons on the radar HUD sometimes being improperly shown
Fixed the issue with blueprints in Jai’s Vendor tab sometimes lacking item details in the tooltip
Fixed the issue where Players do not lose lives in a co-op session of Tower Raid and lost lives are calculated only when Peers drop from the session
New telemetry added

This is a minor patch, though we’re hoping we’ll see a bigger content update sometime soon. If we get one, expect it up here on MP1st.

Tags: Dying Light Dying Light 2

Alex Co

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

Home > News

Ori Dev Pushes Back on No Rest for the Wicked Review Bombing; Says Players Who Tried It After Hotfixes Are “Extremely Positive”

by Taha

12:17 pm in News

[summaraize]

In today’s gaming industry, it’s common for some games to face waves of negative reviews on platforms like Metacritic, social media, and Steam. However, many of these reviews are unjustified.

Thomas Mahler, the CEO of Moon Studios, addressed this issue with the community through his Discord server, explaining that the Austrian studio could be at risk if the situation doesn’t improve.

Ori Creator Warns Review Bombing Could Lead to Studio Shutdown

Mahler admitted that the review bombing of No Rest for the Wicked could lead to the closure of his studio due to a drop in sales on Steam.

He said,

Folks, if you’re writing here and are enjoying Wicked and are excited for future updates, but haven’t left a positive review, it’s entirely possible that we won’t be around in a couple of months to do anything anymore simply because we got review bombed which leads to people not buying the game.

If you like No Rest for the Wicked, Mahler asks you to leave a positive review. Of course, if you don’t like the game, you are welcome to leave a negative review, but only if you’ve played it.

A few hours later, the creator of Ori clarified his words on X/Twitter, saying that his statement was not meant to be taken literally. In other words, the studio is not in immediate danger of closing. Instead, he was trying to highlight how serious the issue of unfair online attacks is.

Mahler explained,

It’s allowed on Steam to buy a game, leave a negative review that doesn’t even talk about the game at all (there are negative Wicked reviews that literally just say ‘.’), and then instantly refund it… and the negative review still counts. If that’s allowed, then it should also be allowed for a developer to encourage their players to share their real experiences.

He mentioned that they had received threats for not taking sides in the war in Ukraine, and they are often called “nazis” for not including certain elements in their games.

Mahler also pointed out that, overall, pretty much everyone who tried Wicked after the latest hotfixes has been “extremely positive.” The reason he left his post on Discord up was to push back against some of the unfair reviews.

The important thing is that Moon Studios is not in immediate danger, but the studio could face serious challenges if No Rest for the Wicked continues to get unfair negative reviews without users having played the game. Remember, the studio is now completely independent.

Mahler added,

And no, we’re not in immediate financial danger—but from time to time, I think I’m allowed to speak up about issues within our industry I personally find unbecoming. We are continuing as always—our goal is for every game Moon Studios creates to be an absolute masterpiece, and with Wicked we’re already on the way.

At the time of writing, No Rest for the Wicked has recovered its “Mostly Positive” reviews on Steam, with 74% of votes being positive.

Tags: Moon Studios No Rest for the Wicked Thomas Mahler

Taha

Television kills your vision.

Home > News

Rumor: GTA 4 Being Ported to Current-Gen Consoles, Max Payne 3 Could Follow

by Taha

10:35 am in News

[summaraize]

Rockstar Games is reportedly working on a port of GTA 4 for PS5, PS5 Pro, Xbox Series S, and Xbox Series X. It seems that the release date is set for this year. This could be a way for fans to wait for the release of GTA 6 while revisiting an old chapter of the game.

This version of Grand Theft Auto 4 is expected to be an updated version, not a full remaster. It is also expected that a similar conversion will be made for Max Payne 3.

GTA 4 Port Could Arrive on Current-Gen Consoles by the End of 2025

The source of this news is Tez2, a community member notable for regularly sharing Rockstar-related content updates. According to this leaker, the plans for the GTA 4 port were shared by someone who works inside Rockstar Games. Tez2 also mentions that the port has been in development for about a year.

“Someone at Rockstar Games hinted at the GTA 4 port, and by now it should’ve gone up a year in development,” says Tez2. “We may end up seeing it drop later this year.”

Tez2 also points out that this could explain why the GTA 5 Liberty City Preservation Project mod was recently blocked by Rockstar Games. If Rockstar follows the plan set during the pandemic, they will also port Max Payne 3 after GTA 4. This could lead to a bundle or even a Definitive Edition.

However, it’s important to note that this is just a rumor and should be taken with a grain of salt, even though the leaker has accurately predicted some details in the past. For example, Tez2 discovered code in the Rockstar Launcher indicating that Red Dead Redemption would be coming to PC, which was later confirmed. Still, Rockstar’s plans could change as time goes on.

In related news, GTA 6 has released a surprise second trailer, offering a deeper look at the story of main characters Lucia and Jason, along with new details about the setting, characters, and plot.

Tags: Grand Theft Auto grand theft auto 4 GTA gta 4 GTA IV max payne Max Payne 3 Rockstar Rockstar Games Rumor

Taha

Television kills your vision.

Home > Title Updates and Patches

Dying Light 2’s Latest Update for Version 1.072 Resolves Issues With Audio, Bundles and More

by Alex Co

8:21 am in Title Updates and Patches

[summaraize]

Techland has issued Dying Light 2 update 1.072 on consoles and PC, which is hotfix version 1.22.4. This doesn’t bring in any new content, but there are important fixes for audio, Bundles not displaying the proper description, Tower Raid technical fixes and more.

For PS4, Xbox One players, this should appear as Dying Light 2 patch 1.72, and houses the same set of fixes as the current-gen versions.

Dying Light 2’s New Update Fixes Tower Raid Glitches

Dying Light 2 Patch Notes for May 12

Fixed some audio issues with Sola’s track
Removed the reference to a non-existent symbol on the HUD widget
Fixed the issue with the cursor hovering on Bundles not displaying the description in the ‘Featured’ tab
Fixed various Tower Raid board assertion issues, unabling players to e.g., interact with the board, load the Tower Raid hub and missing data
Fixed the issue with the Icon of Hunter’s bolts sometimes being overscaled
Fixed the issue on the Steam Deck, where longer dialogues could sometimes be overlapped by the item selector
Fixed the issue where the Player cannot lose an extra life when the online game privacy setting is “Single Player”
Fixed the issue with Exploding Knives having exploding VFX on contact with the environment on initial hit, but not on enemies
Fixed the issue with Tower Raid Class icons on the radar HUD sometimes being improperly shown
Fixed the issue with blueprints in Jai’s Vendor tab sometimes lacking item details in the tooltip
Fixed the issue where Players do not lose lives in a co-op session of Tower Raid and lost lives are calculated only when Peers drop from the session
New telemetry added

This is a minor patch, though we’re hoping we’ll see a bigger content update sometime soon. If we get one, expect it up here on MP1st.

Tags: Dying Light Dying Light 2

Alex Co

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

Home > Title Updates and Patches

NBA 2K25 Update 1.11 Now Out for PS4, Xbox One for Season 7 Prep

by Alex Co

5:35 am in Title Updates and Patches

[summaraize]

Season 7 of NBA 2K25 is starting this week on all platforms, and Visual Concepts has released the data for it ahead of time. Last-gen console gamers (PS4, Xbox One), you should see NBA 2K25 update 1.11 available for download now.

Given the last-gen versions of the basketball sim don’t have the same features as the current-gen versions, don’t be surprised if you don’t see the same uniform and player updates and gameplay changes made.

Season 7 starts on May 16 on all platforms at 8 am PT/11 am ET/3 pm GMT/11 pm HKT, though the data for it is available now.

NBA 2K25 New Update on PS4 and Xbox One for Season 7

GENERAL

Preparations for NBA 2K25 Season 7, launching on Friday, May 16th, at 8AM PT / 11AM ET / 3PM GMT. Stay tuned for what we have in store!

The following teams have received uniform updates to match real-world changes (available in-game following a roster update after the patch is released):

Atlanta Dream (sponsor patch removal)
Chicago Sky (new sponsor patch)
Connecticut Sun (new sponsor patch)
Dallas Wings (new sponsor patch)
Las Vegas Aces (new sponsor patch)
Los Angeles Sparks (sponsor patch removal)
Milwaukee Bucks (commemorative patch honoring Junior Bridgeman)
New York Liberty (new championship collar patch, new sponsor patch, color adjustment)
Phoenix Mercury (new sponsor patch)
Washington Mystics (new sponsor patch)
Seattle Storm (new sponsor patch)

The following players or coaches have received likeness updates:

Laeticia Amihere (general likeness update)
Grace Berger (general likeness update)
Monique Billings (general likeness update)
Lexie Brown (dynamic hair update)
Napheesa Collier (general likeness update)
Sydney Colson (general likeness update)
Crystal Dangerfield (dynamic hair update)
Skylar Diggins (dynamic hair update)
Brittney Griner (general likeness update)
Rhyne Howard (general likeness update)
Kate Martin (general likeness update)
Davion Mitchell (dynamic hair update)
Neemias Queta (dynamic hair update)
Azurá Stevens (general likeness update)
Kiah Stokes (general likeness update)
A’ja Wilson (general likeness update)

GAMEPLAY

Addressed some cases of off-ball players moving unrealistically fast when performing “Get Open” moves or calling for alley-oops.
The correct energy percentage will now be shown for players on the on-the-fly substitution overlay.

CITY / PRO-AM / REC / THEATER / PROVING GROUNDS

Various improvements to performance, stability, and visuals have been made to enhance the overall experience in the City.
Resolved an issue that could cause spectators to move on to the court when emoting in Ante-Up.

MyNBA / THE W

Various stability fixes and improvements have been made for MyNBA, MyNBA Online, and The W.
Resolved an issue that could cause edits made to the uniforms of one expansion team to affect the uniforms of a different one.

Once the info for Season 7 is out, expect it up here on MP1st.

Tags: nba NBA 2K NBA 2K25

Alex Co

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

Home > Title Updates and Patches

NBA 2K25 Patch 1.014 Slots in Likeness and Uniform Updates as Part of Season 7

by Alex Co

5:30 am in Title Updates and Patches

[summaraize]

Visual Concept has released the latest major update for NBA 2K25, which is to prep the game for Season 7 starting later this week. The major additions in NBA 2K25 patch 1.014 are player likeness updates and an update on uniforms.

If you’re still playing on last-gen, this patch should appear as NBA 2K25 update 1.11, and while this also preps the game for Season 7, don’t be surprised if you don’t see the same uniform and player updates and gameplay changes made, given the last-gen versions do not have feature-parity with the current-gen versions.

Season 7 starts on May 16 on all platforms at 8 am PT/11 am ET/3 pm GMT/11 pm HKT, though the data for it is available now.

NBA 2K25 Season 7 Patch Notes via Update 1.014

GENERAL

Preparations for NBA 2K25 Season 7, launching on Friday, May 16th, at 8AM PT / 11AM ET / 3PM GMT. Stay tuned for what we have in store!

The following teams have received uniform updates to match real-world changes (available in-game following a roster update after the patch is released):

Atlanta Dream (sponsor patch removal)
Chicago Sky (new sponsor patch)
Connecticut Sun (new sponsor patch)
Dallas Wings (new sponsor patch)
Las Vegas Aces (new sponsor patch)
Los Angeles Sparks (sponsor patch removal)
Milwaukee Bucks (commemorative patch honoring Junior Bridgeman)
New York Liberty (new championship collar patch, new sponsor patch, color adjustment)
Phoenix Mercury (new sponsor patch)
Washington Mystics (new sponsor patch)
Seattle Storm (new sponsor patch)

The following players or coaches have received likeness updates:

Laeticia Amihere (general likeness update)
Grace Berger (general likeness update)
Monique Billings (general likeness update)
Lexie Brown (dynamic hair update)
Napheesa Collier (general likeness update)
Sydney Colson (general likeness update)
Crystal Dangerfield (dynamic hair update)
Skylar Diggins (dynamic hair update)
Brittney Griner (general likeness update)
Rhyne Howard (general likeness update)
Kate Martin (general likeness update)
Davion Mitchell (dynamic hair update)
Neemias Queta (dynamic hair update)
Azurá Stevens (general likeness update)
Kiah Stokes (general likeness update)
A’ja Wilson (general likeness update)

GAMEPLAY

Addressed some cases of off-ball players moving unrealistically fast when performing “Get Open” moves or calling for alley-oops.
The correct energy percentage will now be shown for players on the on-the-fly substitution overlay.

CITY / PRO-AM / REC / THEATER / PROVING GROUNDS

Various improvements to performance, stability, and visuals have been made to enhance the overall experience in the City.
Resolved an issue that could cause spectators to move on to the court when emoting in Ante-Up.

MyNBA / THE W

Various stability fixes and improvements have been made for MyNBA, MyNBA Online, and The W.
Resolved an issue that could cause edits made to the uniforms of one expansion team to affect the uniforms of a different one.

Once the info for Season 7 is out, expect it up here on MP1st.

Tags: nba NBA 2K NBA 2K25

Alex Co

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

Home > News

Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. Console Versions Announced, as the New VF Adds Wolf Hawkfield

by Danny Robijn

May 11, 2025 7:31 pm in News

[summaraize]

The enhanced version of Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown, Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. is coming to consoles! After releasing on PC this past January, SEGA and developers Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio have announced that console ports are on their way.

It will feature everything the PC release had, with added cross-play support.

The Definitive Version of Virtua Fighter 5 is Coming to Consoles

As revealed during today’s VF Direct (viewable above), Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. is coming to the PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and the Nintendo Switch 2! While no release date has been confirmed, Virtua Fighter project producer Seiji Aoki said that the decision to bring it to other platforms came after seeing the flood of fans demanding it from various Virtua Fighter channels. He goes on to say that this won’t be just a simple port, confirming that not only will the rollback function in the Steam version be coming to the console release, but also cross-play support, as well as hinting at new content coming that they will reveal in a future update.

Here are some features (via Steam) that were part of the PC release:

The Ultimate Edition of this legendary game: Rollback Netcode support, gorgeous 4K visuals with updated high-res textures and more.
Custom Combatants: Enter the ring with one of 19 playable characters. Master each of their unique fighting styles and customize them with distinctive costumes and items.
The Full Experience: Enjoy the pinnacle of Virtua Fighter as you battle it out across your favorite modes like Rank Match, Arcade, Training, and Versus
Crush the Competition: Take on challengers from around the world as you compete with up to 16 players in new online modes including Tournaments and League.

Again, no release date has been given for the console release. Hopefully it’s sometime this year, as this should hold players over until Virtua Fighter 6 is released.

Alongside this announcement, the new Virtua Fighter game (which has no title or release date yet), will feature Wolf Hawkfield in its roster. SEGA revealed a new developer video where the character can be seen

Hopefully, we hear more about the new Virtua Fighter game soon.

Tags: Virtua Fighter Virtua Fighter 5 Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O.

Danny Robijn

Home > News

Tekken 8 Next Three Updates Announced, Here’s a Preview of Each

by Alex Co

6:16 pm in News

[summaraize]

Bandai Namco is going into overdrive when it comes to releasing patches for Tekken 8, as the development team has announced three updates headed to the fighting game with the first one rolling out on May 13.

The announcement was part of the game’s latest DLC fighter reveal at EVO Japan, which also announced a few collaborations headed to the fighting game soon. More info about the changes made to un-do the damage done by the Season 2 patch has been shared, and this is the second major update that will tackle player issues.

Tekken 8 Upcoming Updates Versions 2.01, 2.02 and 2.03 Features Outlined

Here’s a look at some of the things we can expect for the Tekken 8 May 13 patch, which players will be able to download as version 2.01.

Patch 2.01 (Releases May 13)

Tekken Ghost Showdown (free, Tekken Fight Lounge)\
Cyber Phantom Pack (paid, Tekken Shop)
Vigilante Tech Pack (paid, Tekken Shop)
Balance adjustments

Alongside that, Bandai Namco has also discussed some of the balance changes incoming.

1) Gradual Adjustment of Moves with Excessive Return

Following the previous update, balance adjustments have been made with a focus on the following points:

2) Reduction of Aerial Combo Damage

In consideration of the current trend of increasing overall combo damage, adjustments have been made to the damage of moves that contribute significantly to particularly powerful aerial combos across all characters.
These changes are intended to increase the opportunities for offense, defense, and tactical exchanges, while also addressing the excessive disparity in damage potential between characters.
Aerial combos will continue to be closely monitored, and if instances of excessive damage are identified, additional measures will be considered as appropriate.

3) Adjustment to Heat Burst Performance

In light of the fact that, during exchanges surrounding Heat Burst activation, it was often difficult for the defending player to evade the move with sidesteps even when anticipating the activation, the overall tracking performance of Heat Burst against lateral movement has been reduced.
This adjustment is intended to make it easier for the defending side to respond through movement or evasion, thereby enabling more interactive mind games that reward defensive techniques.

4) Reduction of Chip Damage from Heat Smash

Given that the increase to maximum health has already lessened the impact of chip damage overall, this update limits adjustments specifically to Heat Smash, reducing its chip damage output.
Rather than implementing a broad revision to chip damage at this stage, we have opted for a targeted response. Moving forward, we will continue to monitor match environments and player behavior, and consider additional adjustments to chip damage as necessary.

Patch 2.02 (Version 2.02 June 3)

Karate Kid: Legends collaboration
Hoodie (free, Tekken Shop)
Vision takeover

New classic costumes

Kuma Costume 01 (Tiger) (paid, Tekken Shop)
Panda Costume 01 (Calico) (paid, Tekken Shop)
Dragunov Costume 01 (paid, Tekken Shop)
Kuma / Panda Color Costumes (free, Tekken Shop)
Balance adjustments

Bandai Namco has also confirmed that the 2.03 patch will include adjustments to character-specific moves that consume remaining Heat Timer duration, and also targeted character adjustments.

Patch 2.03 (Summer)

PAC-MAN collaboration
- Battle Stage: Pac-Pixels (paid, part of the Season 2 Character & Stage Pass)
- Hit Effects (Pac-Man) (free, part of Fight Pass Round 6)
- T-Shirt (PAC-MAN 45th Anniversary) (free, part of Fight Pass Round 6)
- Plushie Ghost (PAC-MAN) Pack (free, part of Fight Pass Round 6)
- PAC-MAN Ball (free, part of Fight Pass Round 6)
- PAC-MAN Head (paid, part of Fight Pass Round 6)
- Ready (PAC-MAN) (paid, part of Fight Pass Round 6)
- Play (PAC-MAN) (paid, part of Fight Pass Round 6)
Fight Pass Round 6
Balance adjustments

Bandai Namco also revealed that the next DLC character is Fahkumram, no release date is set for his arrival yet, but it should be released alongside the 2.03 patch.

Tags: Tekken Tekken 8

Alex Co

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

Home > News

Battlefield Labs Asia Invites Going Out and Playtest Starts This Coming Week on PS5

by Alex Co

May 10, 2025 5:48 pm in News

[summaraize]

In Electronic Arts’ (EA) latest earnings report, the publisher confirmed that Battlefield Labs would soon be available in Asia, but we didn’t know it would be this soon.

Email invites are already being sent out by DICE/EA, with the playtests set to kick off next week.

Battlefield Labs Playtests Starting in Asia

The email that has been received by players in the BF2043 Diiscord server states (via machine translation) the playtest will being on May 16 (Friday) from 7 pm to 9 pm (UTC + 8:00) on the PS5. Players will also be required to share their PSN account, confirm the region of their account.

So far, invites are going out to players based in China and Japan, though we’re hoping more Asian countries will be added soon. Expect this new Battlefield Labs playtest to be under strict NDA (non-disclosure agreement) like the other ones, though we also expect a ton of footage to leak out, as is the case with the previous tests.

Based on the gameplay we’ve seen so far, the game is shaping up quite nicely. Hopefully, we get to see more of the game’s menus and more infantry action. Once we know more about it, we’ll share the details with our readers.

The new Battlefield game has no release date set, but EA has confirmed it will be released before March 2026 ends. The game’s major reveal is set sometime this summer. We’re optimistic that we’ll see the new Battlefield available to everyone before the year ends.

For more Battlefield news, keep it locked in here on MP1st.

Tags: Battlefield Battlefield Labs

Alex Co

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

Home > Title Updates and Patches

Lords of the Fallen New Update 1.073 Fixes Empyrean Key Bug

by Alex Co

May 9, 2025 1:34 pm in Title Updates and Patches

[summaraize]

HexWorks has released a new Lords of the Fallen patch, and this resolves an issue with a certain item that affected co-op play. Players should see Lords of the Fallen update 1.073 available for download for PC and console players.

This is the second patch released for co-op and progression fixes, as we got one at the start of the month as well.

LOTF Empyrean Key Issues Resolved in Patch 1.073

Key Item Acquisition

Fixed an issue where the Empyrean Key would not be added to the host’s inventory if a joining player who already possessed the key looted it from the chest.
Players who previously encountered this issue can now receive the key by joining a session hosted by the player who originally collected it.

Session Stability

Fixed an issue that occasionally caused the game to crash when creating a multiplayer session.

NPC Interactions

Fixed a bug where Mohlu and other NPCs would not correctly display the “Offer Remembrances” button for joining players in co-op sessions.

Crucible Fixes

Fixed an issue causing crashes and corrupted saves when playing Crucibles in Shared Progression mode.

While we’re not expecting any major updates from HexWorks after the big 2.0 patch, we wouldn’t be shocked to see more follow-up patches be released in the coming weeks and months.

Tags: Lords Of The Fallen

Alex Co

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

Home > Title Updates and Patches

Phasmophobia’s New Update 1.000.015 for May 9 Fixes Cursed Hollow Trophy Glitch and More

by Alex Co

12:52 pm in Title Updates and Patches

[summaraize]

Horror fans playing Phasmophobia that are annoyed at some of the bugs connected to the Cursed Hollow trophy, Kinetic Games aims to resolve that with the game’s latest hotfix, which gamers will see as version 1.000.015 on consoles.

This update is a minor one, that also fixes issues connected to other visual issues, though there doesn’t seem to be any major gameplay-related changes in the latest downloadable update. For those keeping score, this is the second hotfix released, since we got one last week as well, which housed fixes related to gameplay.

Phasmophobia’s Latest Patch Brings Graphical Fixes

Here are the official changes made by Kinetic:

Fixes

Fixed an issue that caused the Cursed Hollow trophy to not display properly in players’ cabinets after the event had ended.
Fixed an issue that caused the animations on the Tier 3 Cursed Hollow trophy to not display correctly.
Fixed an issue that caused some Cursed Hollow decorations to appear in Camp Woodwind.
Fixed a visual issue in Camp Woodwind that caused some trees to not render properly.
Fixed an issue that was causing incorrect reflections in Tanglewood and Point Hope.
Fixed an issue that caused the Menu to be reflected in the trophy cabinets

Here are the fixes from the hotfix released last week, in case you’re curious what the largest gameplay fixes were about.

Changes

You can no longer “place” equipment on Jackalope nest eggs, which is now consistent with the nest itself.
Obake ghost model can now shape shift during seasonal events where the model is replaced with an event ghost model.

Fixes

Fixed an issue that caused no audio to play when opening the Cursed Hollow leaflet in the warehouse.
Fixed an issue that caused the player’s vote tape to not return to its original point after deselecting a map.
Fixed an issue that prevented the lobby volume not adjusting when using the slider in Audio settings.
Fixed an issue that caused different daily and weekly challenges to appear from player to player as well as rotational maps.
Fixed an issue that caused inconsistencies with DOTS T2 when the ghost and Forest Minions were too close to the player.
Fixed an issue that removed textures from Point Hope’s terrain.
Fixed an issue introduced with the gamepad deadzone change that caused changes to player’s sensitivity settings.
Fixed an issue that prevented the ghost from killing a player when playing in VR.
Fixed an issue that gave the incorrect name to the Cursed Hollow event badge.

While players received the latest major update two months ago, more are on the way as the studio has promised support up to 2026.

Tags: Phasmophobia

Alex Co

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

Home > News

DOOM: The Dark Ages Review – One for the Ages

by Paulmichael Contreras

10:43 am in News

It has been four years since we last took control of the Doom Slayer, but the time is finally nearly here. We spent the past week or so playing through id Software’s latest entry in this long-running, iconic first-person shooter franchise, and we have our DOOM: The Dark Ages review ready right now.

Summoning the Slayer

DOOM: The Dark Ages serves as a prequel to 2016’s DOOM and 2020’s DOOM Eternal. You play as the (mostly!) quiet but deadly Slayer, a walking enhanced space marine equipped with one hell of an arsenal. There are a lot of iconic weapons that unlock as the campaign progresses, from the humble shotgun, to a grenade launcher, plasma repeater, and many more. There are also a handful of melee weapons to unlock, each with their own benefits and attack styles. All weapons and the new Shield Saw can be upgraded at various Sentinel shrines scattered about each level, via gold, rubies, and other currency, all strictly earned in-game.

While there are multiple currencies, don’t get it twisted – DOOM: The Dark Ages is completely a solo affair, and everything must be earned with no microtransactions to be found. There is no multiplayer at all. With no pressure to deliver some sort of new twist on first-person multiplayer, the team was able to focus entirely on the campaign, which felt like the right move. What we’re left with, then, is an action-packed, linear story, complete with cinematic cutscenes. As mentioned, the story is a prequel, and we see the Slayer under command of the Makyrs. Knowing what is going on isn’t required to enjoy blasting demons from Hell, but if you want to dig into the lore there is plenty here to devour.

Indeed, each level of the campaign is filled with secrets to uncover and things to collect. Beyond secret areas to find, weapon skins, lore pages, dolls, and more can be discovered for those so inclined to explore. Three optional challenges can be completed per level, tasking the player with performing a certain move X number of times, whether that is blocking, parrying, or something else entirely. If you’re not a completionist, though, you can ignore all of that and beeline it to the next objective, which can be configured to always be on-screen, or merely show up on the map, or not at all.

Configure All the Sliders

Speaking of configuration, there is a plethora of gameplay-related options to make the game as hard or as casual as you’d like. The default “Hurt Me Plenty” difficulty level will likely prove too easy for most experienced FPS players, but tweaking enemy damage, toggling auto-aiming, and other options can all be combined to ensure the game is as challenging or laid-back as you’d like.

DOOM: The Dark Ages contains 22 chapters, each of which can be completed in 20 minutes to an hour or more, depending on how much exploration you do on your way to the finish. Some levels are larger than others, and feature open spaces to engage in fights. A couple of levels put you in control of a giant mech-like machine called the Atlan, and even some flying in the form of a tech-equipped dragon. These levels help to change the pace of the game completely. While flying levels can be divisive, at least the game’s navigation should ensure those who prefer to have their boots on the ground can do so quickly. Some of the larger areas might be a tad confusing to navigate, but a simple press of the scan button will help to point you in the right direction.

Combat in DOOM: The Dark Ages is incredibly satisfying. The new Shield Saw is a formidable weapon, which might seem complicated at first, but is actually quite easy to get the hang of. On PC, at least, controlling it is simple: you hold the right mouse button to use it as a shield, blocking most attacks coming from the front. Block too many attacks in a short amount of time, and the shield will be disabled for a bit. This encourages fighting rather than taking a defensive stance. The Shield Saw can also be used as a weapon, because by blocking, you can target any and all enemies, and by pressing the fire button while blocking, you’ll rush and slam right into whichever enemy you’ve targeted. This move also produces an area-of-effect explosion, which damages all enemies in the vicinity, and kills fodder enemies. Of course, if you use this move against tougher enemies, you’ve now put yourself within their attack range, and must act accordingly.

Time to Be Aggressive

DOOM: The Dark Ages rewards aggressive behavior. Using the Shield Saw to kill enemies almost always rewards health, and you can also send certain energy-based attacks right back to the enemy that shot them, with a parry. This becomes a critical strategy to whittling down the health of stronger enemies and bosses, as well as a survival tactic when your health is running low.

The id Tech 8 engine handles all of DOOM’s action with ease. This review was conducted on a Windows 11 laptop which sports a Core i7-13620H paired with an RTX 4070 8GB. With all settings turned up to Epic, and DLSS on Balanced, the game ran at around a comfortable 80-90 FPS. Your mileage may vary, of course, but this engine is a well-oiled machine that includes all of today’s modern rendering tech, and you’re likely to find a settings mix to match whatever hardware you’re sporting. While the last generation of consoles has been left behind, this does mean that what we have here is the best-looking DOOM game to date.

Besides a fantastic look and feel to DOOM: The Dark Ages, the soundtrack is also great. Guitar riffs, pulse-pounding instrumentation, and a comedown when all enemies in the immediate area have been wiped, all combine with the grotesque sound effects produced by enemies and the environment to make for an energizing soundscape which can be enjoyed on a surround sound system just as easily as on headphones.

Verdict

DOOM: The Dark Ages should definitely be in contention for game of the year, if not at least best single-player game of the year thus far. It has a meaty, action-packed campaign, replete with secrets and collectibles galore. Balanced combat, all the sliders you could ask for, incredible graphics, and an entertaining story all round out one of the most well-polished games I’ve had the pleasure of playing in recent memory. DOOM fans will enjoy the new combat options at their disposal, and the Shield Saw is a fun, versatile weapon and defensive item well worth the effort to master. Overall, this is one hell of a shooter.

Score: 9.5/10

Pros:

id Tech 8 makes for the best-looking DOOM game yet
Fast and furious combat
Shield Saw is astoundingly fun to use in combos
Lengthy, entertaining, varied, 22-chapter main campaign

Cons:

Flying levels will be divisive for some

DOOM: The Dark Ages review code was provided by the publisher. You can read MP1st’s review and scoring policy right here.

Tags: Bethesda Softworks Doom DOOM: The Dark Ages id Software id Tech 8

Paulmichael Contreras

Paulmichael has been writing in the gaming industry since 2008. Living just outside of Los Angeles, he has been lucky enough to attend numerous gaming events around the world, including the last ten E3 shows (RIP)! A thoughtful reviewer, every game you see scored by PmC has been given careful attention. Paulmichael is also an aviation fan and an avid snowboarder. Favorite games include: No Man's Sky, Gran Turismo 7, skate., CloverPit.

Home > Title Updates and Patches

MLB The Show 25 Update 1.011 Delivers Updated Player Models via Patch #11

by Alex Co

9:29 am in Title Updates and Patches

[summaraize]

San Diego Studio has the latest update for MLB The Show 25 available for download now on all platforms, and this is for what the studio calls Game Update #11. Players on consoles will see it as MLB The Show 25 update 1.011 on PS5, version 1.0.54 on Xbox Series X|S, and 1.11 on Switch.

In addition to the usual gameplay bug fixes, the game also includes updated player models, which is unusual.

MLB The Show 25 Update Player Models and More Implemented via Patch 1.011

Here’s what’s new per the developers:

General:

2025 Arizona Diamondbacks City Connect uniforms have been added.

2025 Miami Marlins City Connect uniforms have been added.

Gameplay:

Fixed a freeze that could occur in co-op.

Diamond Dynasty:

Fixed a bug where users were unable to adjust their lineup in Mini Seasons.

Road to the Show:

Fixed a bug where users might not receive monthly manager meetings in the minor leagues.

Updated player models for:

Tyler Alexander
Tink Hence
Jose Leclerc
Orion Kerkering
Jung Hoo Lee
Christian Yelich
Joseph Ortiz
Ryan Helsley

We should be getting another update before the month’s over, since San Diego has been consistent in their patch roll out cadence since the game was released. MLB The Show 25 alongside a lot of other games are included in the PSN Store “Next Level” sale that’s live now.

Tags: MLB the Show MLB The Show 25

Alex Co

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

Home > Title Updates and Patches

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Update 1.200.300 Nerfs Maelle’s Nuke and Best Weapon

by Alex Co

9:13 am in Title Updates and Patches

[summaraize]

Those abusing Maelle in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Sandfall Interactive, aims to stop them with today’s patch 12.3 rollout, which is live on all platforms. Bug fixes and improvements are also available, but the nerf takes center stage.

Console players will see this download as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 update 1.200.300, and it clocks in at just 765 MB. For those unfamiliar with Maelle’s “nuke,” it’s the Stendhal ability that lets you deal millions (or even billions) of damage if equipped with the correct Pictos and Luminas. In addition to that, Maelle’s best weapon, Medalum, has been nerfed as well, though this is more of a fix for a bug that made the weapon deal more damage.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 New Update Nerfs Maelle’s Stendhal Ability Hard via Patch 1.200.300

Here’s what’s new per Sandfall:

Steam Deck

Fixed backgrounds of various menus not displaying properly on the Steam Deck

Various Ultrawide Fixes

Gameplay no longer becomes zoomed after a cutscene occurs in ultrawide resolutions
The Options menu image will no longer be stretched in ultrawide resolutions
Combat UI now adapts correctly to ultrawide resolutions
Game will no longer minimize upon changing settings in ultrawide resolution
Cutscenes won’t letterbox in 32:9 aspect ratio
Title screen now displays fullscreen when the game is launched in ultrawide resolution

Mouse and Keyboard

UI button prompts in Expedition Menu are now visible and fully able to be triggered with Keyboard
Mouse buttons do not become unresponsive after first use
With mouse cursor on screen, using ‘WSAD’ or directional arrows to navigate in UI or trigger any other functionality will no longer hide the cursor instead of doing the intended action
Left Mouse-button click will no longer block the player from using Keyboard to navigate menus
Mouse input is not lost after the first Jump counter attack if it is pressed only once

Fixed areas of the world map where you can get stuck:

Between lanterns scattered on the ground near Stone Wave Cliff portal
While walking on the ship wreck near the Forgotten Battlefield level entrance
Between lanterns on the ground near Bourgeon encounter next to Stone Wave Cliffs level
Between two small rocks located between Spring Meadows and Abbest Cave
Between vases and corals when jumping from rooftopps
Between various rocks
In ruins behind Flying Manor level entrance
Near the bridge between Flying Waters and Spring Meadows
In the rocks on the World Map, near Flying Waters
Next to hardened land, close to the Flying Waters location exit

Fixed situations where Esquie specifically would get stuck (poor guy):

When taking off from paint bridges, making him fall through the bridge and restrict movement
When flying into bottom parts of levitating structures near Visages
Near the Flying Waters entrance level
Near a giant hammer when traversing close to Blades’ Graveyard level

Weapon and skill fixes and tuning:

Fixed Lithelim attribute scaling not working at high level. Reduced initial Vitality scaling from A to C (will still end at S at max level). Added Luck scaling starting at D.
Fixed Blizzon attribute scaling not working at high level. Reduced initial Luck scaling from B to C (will still end at S at max level). Added Defense scaling starting at D.
Fixed Medalum third Lumina doubling all damage in Virtuose Stance instead of doubling only Burn damage.
Stendhal: Reduced damage by 40%.

Other fixes

Boss encounter in Stone Wave Cliffs can now be finished on NG+
You will no longer be blocked by the Journal UI window after opening the first Journal in the Spring Meadows
Fixed being unable to shoot in Free aim while exploring levels due to worn triggers
Lune and Monoco no longer spawn in same place during end of theirs Level 6 relationship quests if they are completed without going to camp
If at camp you pick “remember the objective”, then quickly choose to “go to sleep” and immediately after press “leave”, the screen no longer goes black
You can no longer trigger the “Discovering the truth” cutscene in Old Lumière a second time in a row, splitting the party forever with only Verso and Maelle in it.
Update to rolling credits

For those who don’t want to see the skill nerfed, an easy “fix” is to simply not update the game at all. Expedition 33 is purely a single-player game, and there’s not a lot of game-breaking bugs, so don’t update it and Maelle should still be one-shotting bosses. For those on PS5. you can turn off “Auto Updates” in the settings, so it won’t download and install the patch automatically.

Sandfall has also confirmed that “a series” of patches, including bug fixes and new features, are planned to be released over the coming months.

Tags: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Alex Co

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