The next chapter of Destiny 2 Heresy is here! Guardians can now download Destiny 2 update 3.56 for patch version 82.5.3, and alongside the host of gameplay improvements and bug fixes, this is ushers in Heresy Act 3!
Players on current-gen platforms (PS5, Xbox Series X|S) wil see the patch as Destiny 2 download version 1.151. We have the outline of new content for Act 3 as well as the complete patch notes available.
If you've played and finished Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater when it was originally released and wanted to check out "more" of the game, chances are, you unlocked the secret "Peep Demo Theater" to scope some of the most interesting parts of the game.
Destiny 2 Heresy Act 3 – Here’s What’s New
Highlights:
New story content
New Artifact mods
Updated enctounters in the Nether and Court of Blades
Reprised Sunless Cell strike from the original Destiny
New Exotic Barrow-Dyad Submachine Gun will get two new catalysts and its fifth and final intrinsic for players to earn
New Content
Hive Civil War
As Xivu Arath and Savathûn bear down on Eris Morn’s throne, the Guardian will peer into eldritch depths to temper their new Taken power in a desperate bid to keep the Echo out of the hands of Oryx’s siblings and the forces of Darkness.
Rite of the Nine
Starting on May 6, take up a challenge issued by The Nine. Experience a collection of remixed Destiny 2 dungeons with a variety of challenges designed for both new and veteran players. Victory brings its spoils, in the form of new unique rewards to collect.
Heavy Metal
Guardians, mount up! It’s Drakes vs. Brigs in this titanic PVP clash of epic armoured vehicular mayehm.
Destiny 2 Crossover With Seas of Thieves
Guardians can now sail the high seas with Destiny 2 flair in the shared-world pirate adventure, Sea of Thieves. The new Lightbearer items bring a host of new Destiny-inspired cosmetics that let you represent your class in style. Jump aboard Hunter, Warlock, and Titan-themed ships, complete with Collector’s cosmetics and a Ship’s Crest. You’ll also find a selection of weapons and a costume set to level up your look as you take on your next high-seas adventure.
Destiny 2 Brawlhalla Crossover
Separately, the Brawlhalla: Guardians Crossover Event is now live, bringing playable Hunter, Titan, and Warlock crossover characters adorned with classic armor and weapons like Ace of Spades, Synthoceps, and Winterbite. Guardians looking to upgrade their experience in Brawlhalla can also grab bundle-exclusive Ghost Companions and the iconic Gjallarhorn.
With more and more game companies using AI (Artificial Intelligence) to help with development, could we be seeing a future where we'll see full-fledged, AAA games developed entirely by AI?
That won't be happening according to Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick, as AI won't be able to replicate human creativity.
Destiny 2 Update 3.56 Version 8.2.5.3 Gameplay Changes
Activities
Seasonal
Court of Blades
Fixed a potential soft-lock that could occur when defeating Shards of Hesrak too quickly after they appear.
Removed Dire Taken Captains from the randomized fodder selection due to their excessive burst damage on Expert difficulty.
See you never.
Crucible
Game Modes
Lockdown
Fixed an issue where the winning team could instantly win by allowing the losing team to capture all the zones.
Gameplay and Investment
Weapons
Archetypes
Pulse Rifles
Redrix’s Estoc: Reduced stats to bring it down a notch.
Range – 54 to 46.
Handling – 74 to 69.
Aim Assist – 82 to 80.
Machine Guns
General
Decreased the amount gained from Heavy Ammo crates in PvP.
When magazine size has 80 or less, should get 22 bullets.
Auto Rifles
Support Frame
Fixed hit detection against damageable non-combatants, such as the urns in the Nether.
Rocket Assisted Sidearms
Fixed an issue where detonations ignored certain object types, such as ammo.
Shoot to loot will now work properly on them.
Exotic Weapons
Thorn
Fixed an issue where the Soul Devourer buff appeared onscreen while the weapon was stowed.
Microcosm
Fixed an issue where Microcosm could not stun Overload champions when the Overload Trace Rifle artifact perk was active.
Weapon perks
Willing Vesel Origin Trait
Fixed the “Willing Vessel” origin trait not gaining stacks when Support Frame Autos restore health to allies.
Lone Wolf
Aim Assist when near allies decreased from 10 to 5.
Aim Assist when away from allies decreased from 20 to 10.
Airborne Effectiveness when near allies increased from 10 to 15.
Airborne Effectiveness when away from allies increased from 20 to 30.
Closing Time
All bonuses reduced by 50% on Special weapons.
Primary and Heavy weapons retain the original effect.
Weapon mods
Power of Ambition
Fixed an issue that allowed Swords with the Power of Ambition mod and the Relentless Strikes perk together to gain infinite ammo.
That’s it for the Destiny 2 Heresy Act 3 update! Chances are, Bungie will release another patch next week, and if they do, expect it here on MP1st.
Shuhei Yoshida, the former president of Sony Worldwide Studios and a key figure in PlayStation history, has suggested that in the future, Sony should change its "way of thinking" and focus less on raw graphical power and more on making the experience unique for its players.
Rockstar Games has rolled out the Red Dead Online update for April 2025 today, and this brings free clothing to all players, bonuses on trader sales a lot more. For the complete breakdown of what’s happening in the online game this month, head on below.
With more and more game companies using AI (Artificial Intelligence) to help with development, could we be seeing a future where we'll see full-fledged, AAA games developed entirely by AI?
That won't be happening according to Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick, as AI won't be able to replicate human creativity.
Red Dead Online Update for April – Here’s What to Expect
Triple RDO$, XP, and Role XP on Trader Sales
Triple RDO$ and XP on the Trade Route Free Roam Event
Double Gold for completing all Daily Challenges
Free pair of Boots for competing at least five Sales
Triple Gold, RDO$, and XP on the Featured Series:
April 1 – 7: Race Series
April 8 – 14: Bow and Arrow Series
April 15 – 21: Race Series 2
April 22 – 28: Contrast Series – Open Target Races and Overrun
8 Gold Bars off any Role Item for finishing Top 3 in any Race this month
Free Woodland Gloves for playing any time this month
Weekly Challenges:
April 1 – 7: Complete five Daily Challenges to receive the tan Carbow Double Bandolier
April 8 – 14: Craft two Items at your Campfire to receive the black Lister Hat
April 15 – 21: Complete all Trader Daily Challenges one day this week to receive the black Charro Jacket (Male) or black Clymene Coat (Female)
April 22 – 28: Traders at Rank 20 or Traders who gain five ranks will receive the gray Morales Vest
Free Good to See Ya Emote for visiting Gus’ Store
Free Civil War Battlefield Treasure Map for completing Cripps’ Daily Stew
Returning Limited-Time Clothing: The Fanned Stovepipe Hat, Concho Pants, Morning Tail Coat, Torranca Coat, Strickland Boots, and Ortega Vest
Free Camp Setup and Relocation
Free Community-Inspired Outfit comprised of the Gator Hat, Lautnip Shirt (Male), Goodale Shirtwaist (Female), Ortega Vest, Lightfoot Pants, and Strickland Boots
Discounts: 5 Gold Bars off the Butcher’s Table, 50% off Gloves, Camp Flags, Themes, and Dogs, 40% off Boots and Vests, Sniper Rifles, Revolvers, and the Hunting Wagon, 30% off Emotes, Kladruber and Arabian Horses
That’s it for this month! Stay tuned here on MP1st for next month’s update for the online game.
If you've played and finished Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater when it was originally released and wanted to check out "more" of the game, chances are, you unlocked the secret "Peep Demo Theater" to scope some of the most interesting parts of the game.
NetherRealm Studios has pushed out the Mortal Kombat 1 April update in the first day of the month, and this brings character adjustments, Dragon Kyrstals can now purchase Character Mastery and more. Players will see this as Mortal Kombat 1 update version 1.010.001 on consoles, with the patch available on all platforms now.
Those on PC, the MK1 April update also brings a host of improvements related to graphics, issues with online crossplay and a lot more.
With more and more game companies using AI (Artificial Intelligence) to help with development, could we be seeing a future where we'll see full-fledged, AAA games developed entirely by AI?
That won't be happening according to Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick, as AI won't be able to replicate human creativity.
Mortal Kombat 1 April Update Delivers Host of Improvements as Part of Patch 1.010.001
· Improved resolution detection when alternating Window Mode type
· Improved mouse input selection for various UI elements
· Resolved Online Benchmark not triggering properly in some scenarios
· Resolved various graphical issues when using certain Graphic settings
· Resolved issue with Krossplay Online Match invites
· Resolved graphical issues in Kustomize menu
· Resolved localized audio issue
General Fixes & Adjustments
· Character Mastery can be purchased with Dragon Krystals for all characters
· Move list corrections & localization fixes
· AI adjustments & improvements
Invasions
· Fixed rare issue that could cause the character to become stuck at an invalid location on the Map
Character Specific Adjustments
· Main Fighters
o Baraka
– Fixed debuff and visual effects disappearing on Desperate Tarkatan if Match Extended occurs
o General Shao
– Fixed Enhanced Smoldering Wrath not applying combo damage scaling
o Havik
– The second hit of Helping Hand does 10 less damage
– Nether Snatcher does 10 less damage
o Kenshi
– Kameo recharge rate is now slightly faster when Ancestor is dismissed
– Teamwork takes 25 less frames
o Kitana
– Fixed issue causing Fan-Nado second hit to use increased damage scaling when used more than once in a combo
– Fixed audio issues with several air fan specials when interrupted
o Li Mei
– Fixed lingering visual effects that could occur when using Outworld Gala skin
o Mileena
– Fixed Krazed Tarkatan buff lingering longer than intended if an interrupt like Breaker occurred at specific timing
o Reptile
– Enhanced Dash Attack no longer has reduced block stun & pushback when flawless blocked
– Dash Attack follow-up attack has a different hit reaction
o Sindel
– Reduced health by 50
– The second hit of Shear Genius now hits high (was mid)
o Quan Chi
– Kompound Fractures (Towards + Back Punch) hit reaction changed and has 6 more frames of hit stun
– Enhanced Field of Bones now does damage over time when the opponent is inside the bone cage
– Hitting an opponent with an Enhanced Field of Bones while a bone cage is active will end the previous bone cage
o Ghost Face
– Fixed rare issue that could cause Ghostface to remain as an Alternate Killer for an extended period if opponent is defeated by an attack not from Ghostface while Ghostface is blocking
o T-1000
– Fixed Tibia Displacer (Back Punch, Back Kick) hit stun reduced by 23 frames
– Fixed lingering visual effects when hit out of certain attacks by Geras’ Time Stop
· Kameo Fighters
o Kano (Kameo)
– Fixed rare issue with Eye Laser hitbox lingering after visual effects end when hitting an armored attack
o Tremor (Kameo)
– Fixed Crystal Crag lingering certain End of Round & Fatal Blow situations
– Fixed AI prioritizing performing Transmute Up & Transmute Down over other moves
o Ferra (Kameo)
– Fixed issue that could cause Ferra to become stuck in Lackey Variation if interrupted by Sindel’s Enhanced Queen’s Command
o Madam Bo (Kameo)
– Adjusted collision with opponent when performing Drink Service
– Fixed issue that could cause Teahouse Tumble to pass through the opponent
– Fixed Madam Bo having no cooldown if she is hit while performing a Drink Service Bottle Toss
– Fixed being able to 2in1 cancel Drink Service into follow ups while partner is in hit stun
– Fixed issue with player attempting to perform Bottoms Up and Bottle Toss at the same time causing an interrupt to occur
– Fixed partner using incorrect facial animation during End of Round animation if the round ended while drunk
If another patch is released, we’ll be sure to let our readers know.
If you've played and finished Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater when it was originally released and wanted to check out "more" of the game, chances are, you unlocked the secret "Peep Demo Theater" to scope some of the most interesting parts of the game.
Shuhei Yoshida, the former president of Sony Worldwide Studios and a key figure in PlayStation history, has suggested that in the future, Sony should change its “way of thinking” and focus less on raw graphical power and more on making the experience unique for its players.
Yoshida explained that this aspect is crucial in the company’s strategy and, although graphical power still needs to be important, the focus should shift towards other elements. He pointed out that the gaming industry has now reached unsustainable development costs, largely due to the race for the most powerful console and the most graphically advanced games possible.
Sony and Xbox have been highly focused on releasing AAA titles to sell their consoles over the years.
Cutting-Edge Graphics Remain Important, But They Shouldn’t Be the Main Focus
“Up until now, PlayStation’s DNA has been driven by values such as “cutting-edge graphics” that have continued since Kutaragi-san’s time. Users have also expected that from PlayStation games,” Yoshida said in an interview with AV Watch.
He further explained, “However, it’s about time we have to reconsider that. Of course, I think it’s necessary to provide the very best (in terms of graphics quality) to those who want it. But, in order to continue to be popular with users in a broad sense, we naturally have to change our way of thinking”
Bungie has brought the Destiny 2 servers down and offline to conduct maintenance. Patch version 8.2.5.3 will be released on all platforms this April 1. The studio has also confirmed that this outage will affect the Destiny API, so expect the weekly resets and whatnot from your favorite provider to be delayed a bit today, too.
With more and more game companies using AI (Artificial Intelligence) to help with development, could we be seeing a future where we'll see full-fledged, AAA games developed entirely by AI?
That won't be happening according to Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick, as AI won't be able to replicate human creativity.
Sign-on and game integration features will be unavailable on web, mobile, third-party apps, and the Bungie Store.
Players who observe issues should report to the #Help forum.
8:35AM PDT
-7 UTC
Destiny 2 and all APIs will be brought offline for expected maintenance.
Players will be removed from activities.
Destiny 1 may be impacted.
10:00 AM PDT
-7 UTC
The latest Destiny 2 update will be available across all platforms and regions.
Players will be able to log back into Destiny 2.
Players logging into the game may be placed in a queue and may experience sign-on issues as background maintenance is still ongoing.
The Destiny 2 API will be brought online.
Clan features may remain offline until maintenance is complete.
12:00 PM PDT
-7 UTC
Destiny 2 maintenance is expected to conclude.
Console players who encounter issues updating should restart their console and try downloading the update.
Players who observe issues should report to the #Help forum.
As with other maintenance periods for the game, don’t be surprised if it exceeds the timeframe mentioned above. If it does, we’ll provide an update in the article.
Once the patch is live, we’ll add a link to the patch notes from this article, so stay tuned.
If you've played and finished Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater when it was originally released and wanted to check out "more" of the game, chances are, you unlocked the secret "Peep Demo Theater" to scope some of the most interesting parts of the game.
Ubisoft has released the latest update for Rainbow Six Siege on April 1, and this brings a host of operator fixes. Console players will see this is as Rainbow Six Siege update 1.000.103 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and this should be a small download.
If you’re still playing on last-gen consoles, players will see this as R6 Siege download version 2.98 on the PS4, Xbox One, and it has the same patch notes as the PC and current-gen versions.
In case you missed the news, Assassin's Creed Shadows is one of Ubisoft's biggest launches for an Assassin's Creed game, only trailing behind Assassin's Creed Valhalla for the time being when it comes to how many players have played it.
Rainbow Six Siege’s New Update Fixes Various Operator Bugs
It has been a few days since the Relics patch came out, but more hotfixes are on the way. Hello Games has just released No Man’s Sky update 5.062/5.62 for PS5 and PS4. They have implemented a recovery for players who might have lost their hyperdrives during the Relics expedition. They have also fixed lots of crashes.
Ever since his first game, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, then with Starbreeze, Josef Fares has been made it a point to use a game's controls to underscore the story's themes.
No Man’s Sky Update 5.062 Recovers Hyperdrives
Hello Everyone,
Thank you to everyone playing No Man’s Sky – Relics, especially those taking the time to report any issues they encounter via Zendesk or console crash reporting.
We are listening closely to your feedback, and have identified and resolved a number of issues. These fixes are included in patch 5.62, which is now live on PS4 and PS5, and will be coming to other platforms as soon as possible.
Bug Fixes
Implemented a recovery for players who have lost their hyperdrive in the Relics expedition.
Fixed an issue that could block interaction with Galactic Palaeology Society representatives at dig sites during the Relics expedition.
Fixed a number of crashes.
Be sure to visit MP1st again in the future for more updates on No Man’s Sky.
It has been over four years now since we’ve seen a new mainline DOOM game, but the day is almost upon us, with DOOM: The Dark Ages due for release this coming May.
Patch 12 has been released for EA Sports FC 25 which is update number 1.19. Players can expect to see new badges, trophies, hair and kits. Several other game modes have fixes too.
With DICE testing the new Battlefield game via Battlefield Labs, a ton of details have surfaced.
See New Kits and Trophies in EA Sports FC 25 Update 1.19
Ultimate Team
Addressed the following issue:
Some outfield Player Items could have been used in the goalkeeper position.
Clubs
Addressed the following issue:
The Victory Point UI indicator was incorrectly displaying Rush matches without a club.
Career Mode
Addressed the following issues:
When entering a Live Start Point with a team that’s at the bottom end of their table, a loss or draw could have resulted in the Manager being sacked after the first game.
Addressed instances of certain competitions not awarding prize money correctly.
Player Growth was not displaying correctly in the Squad Hub after a Player’s OVR rating changed.
Some positions were not showing for certain players in Development Plans.
General, Audio, and Visual
Made the following changes:
Updated some badges, trophies, hair and kits.
Added 3 star heads which will become visible in-game following a Server Release in the near future.
Addressed the following issue:
Addressed instances of various stability issues that could have occurred.
With more and more game companies using AI (Artificial Intelligence) to help with development, could we be seeing a future where we'll see full-fledged, AAA games developed entirely by AI?
That won't be happening according to Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick, as AI won't be able to replicate human creativity.
EA Sports has released EA Sports FC 25 update 1.000.019 today for all platforms today. This is patch 12 and players will notice prize money is being awarded correctly now in the career mode. Other fixes and updates have also been made.
While a ton of Battlefield 2025 info has made its way out of the second playtest session, DICE is already to start the next Battlefield Labs playtest this week (session 3) and we now know exactly when.
EA Sports FC 25 Update 1.000.019 Fixes Prize Money in Career Mode
Ultimate Team
Addressed the following issue:
Some outfield Player Items could have been used in the goalkeeper position.
Clubs
Addressed the following issue:
The Victory Point UI indicator was incorrectly displaying Rush matches without a club.
Career Mode
Addressed the following issues:
When entering a Live Start Point with a team that’s at the bottom end of their table, a loss or draw could have resulted in the Manager being sacked after the first game.
Addressed instances of certain competitions not awarding prize money correctly.
Player Growth was not displaying correctly in the Squad Hub after a Player’s OVR rating changed.
Some positions were not showing for certain players in Development Plans.
General, Audio, and Visual
Made the following changes:
Updated some badges, trophies, hair and kits.
Added 3 star heads which will become visible in-game following a Server Release in the near future.
Addressed the following issue:
Addressed instances of various stability issues that could have occurred.
Make sure to visit our site again for more about EA Sports FC 25.
It has been over four years now since we’ve seen a new mainline DOOM game, but the day is almost upon us, with DOOM: The Dark Ages due for release this coming May.
The latest major update for Fortnite is live and this brings Mortal Kombat’s Scorpion into the game. Players will be able to download Fortnite patch 4.62 today for the v34.21 content update.
There are new items available like Scorpion’s Kombat Kit, new maps, new quests and more with everything outlined below.
If you've played and finished Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater when it was originally released and wanted to check out "more" of the game, chances are, you unlocked the secret "Peep Demo Theater" to scope some of the most interesting parts of the game.
Fortnite Major Patch 4.62 Brings Scorpion Into Battle Royale
Test Your Might Against Scorpion in Fortnite Battle Royale!
FIGHT! The new Scorpion Outfit is available in the Shop now. And with the v34.21 patch on April 1, enter the arena with Scorpion rising as a formidable foe on the Battle Royale Island! It can be a Scorpion vs. Scorpion skirmish.
Prepare for Kombat
Scorpion’s Kombat Kit
First Blood Medallion.
Maps
The Pit, The Living Forest
The Dead Pool.
Komplete New Quests
Unlocking April 1 at 9 AM ET, put your skills to the test with new Quests based on Klassic Kombat! You’ll be rewarded 30,000 XP apiece for kompleting each of the Quests below, with more Quests becoming progressively available:
Hit 10 players with Ice Slide
Deal 500 damage to players while on the bridge at The Pit
Shatter 5 players’ Shield beyond 10 meters
Collect the First Blood Medallion in 2 different matches
Hit an opponent with both a Kombat Kit air kick and uppercut within 5 seconds
Defeat Scorpion while carrying Sub-Zero’s Kombat Kit
Choose Your Fighter
Strike fear in the hearts of your enemies with the Klassic Kombat Bundle! This monumental bundle hits the Shop now (emphasis on ow) with all of the following:
Ever since his first game, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, then with Starbreeze, Josef Fares has been made it a point to use a game's controls to underscore the story's themes.
Tournament Notes
The Scorpion boss, his Kombat Kit, and First Blood Medallion will not be included in tournaments.
With more and more game companies using AI (Artificial Intelligence) to help with development, could we be seeing a future where we'll see full-fledged, AAA games developed entirely by AI?
That won't be happening according to Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick, as AI won't be able to replicate human creativity.
Fortnite Update 34.21 Datamined Content
FORTNITE UPDATE CONFIRMED TONIGHT @ 4 AM ET 🔥
• Scorpion Mythic (+ “GET OVER HERE” Ability)
• Scorpion Medallion: Makes the first bullet explosive
• Scorpion Boss + POIs: The Pit, Living Forest, Dead Pool
• Mortal Kombat LTM + 180k XP Quests pic.twitter.com/l6tCQpsSOL
• Touch grass • Place anything but first • Don't read me, I'm not here • Find the coolest player on the Island • Break open chests instead of searching them • Drive safely on the road for 100 meters • Land over here and over there pic.twitter.com/iAhjx5DCig
Arrowhead Game Studios has released a new update for PC and PS5 gamers on April 1st. This is update number 1.002.202, and this patch fixes reloading and shooting issues for laser weapons. There are crash fixes as well for multiple different situations too.
If you've played and finished Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater when it was originally released and wanted to check out "more" of the game, chances are, you unlocked the secret "Peep Demo Theater" to scope some of the most interesting parts of the game.
Shooting and Reloading Fixes for Laser Weapons in Helldivers 2 Update 1.002.202
Overview
Crash Fixes
Mission fix
Miscellaneous fixes
Fixes
Crash Fixes, Hangs and Soft-locks:
Fixed game crashing on legacy hardware when player drops into a mission
Fixed crash after exiting the armory when switching from certain weapons
Fix an out-of-memory crash when large amount of particles are present
Weapons and Stratagems
Fixed shooting and reloading issues with laser weapons
Social & Multiplayer Fixes
Fixed an edge-case allowing some mismatching version to still connect to each other
Missions
Fixed issue on Illuminate Defend Evacuation Site missions where illuminate dropships stopped coming if too many were destroyed before they dropped off the enemies.
Miscellaneous Fixes
Fixed white boxes showing in seldom cases in the Super Store
Make sure to visit MP1st again for more updates on Helldivers 2.
Are you one of the many players tired of playuing against PC players in Call of Duty games? It's not just the advantage of a mouse and keyboard, but cheaters almost always come from PC due to the open nature of the platform.
Mortal Kombat fans will be happy today because the legendary Scorpion character is coming to Fortnite Battle Royale. He is available in patch 34.21 which is update 1.000.173. A ton of other Mortal Kombat outfits and items are also available from today.
With DICE testing the new Battlefield game via Battlefield Labs, a ton of details have surfaced.
Fortnite Update 34.21 Includes Mortal Kombat Content
Test Your Might Against Scorpion in Fortnite Battle Royale!
FIGHT! The new Scorpion Outfit is available in the Shop now. And with the v34.21 patch on April 1, enter the arena with Scorpion rising as a formidable foe on the Battle Royale Island! It can be a Scorpion vs. Scorpion skirmish.
Prepare for Kombat
Scorpion’s Kombat Kit
First Blood Medallion.
Maps
The Pit, The Living Forest
The Dead Pool.
Komplete New Quests
Unlocking April 1 at 9 AM ET, put your skills to the test with new Quests based on Klassic Kombat! You’ll be rewarded 30,000 XP apiece for kompleting each of the Quests below, with more Quests becoming progressively available:
Hit 10 players with Ice Slide
Deal 500 damage to players while on the bridge at The Pit
Shatter 5 players’ Shield beyond 10 meters
Collect the First Blood Medallion in 2 different matches
Hit an opponent with both a Kombat Kit air kick and uppercut within 5 seconds
Defeat Scorpion while carrying Sub-Zero’s Kombat Kit
Choose Your Fighter
Strike fear in the hearts of your enemies with the Klassic Kombat Bundle! This monumental bundle hits the Shop now (emphasis on ow) with all of the following:
Ever since his first game, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, then with Starbreeze, Josef Fares has been made it a point to use a game's controls to underscore the story's themes.
Tournament Notes
The Scorpion boss, his Kombat Kit, and First Blood Medallion will not be included in tournaments.
Fortnite Update 34.21 Datamined Content
FORTNITE UPDATE CONFIRMED TONIGHT @ 4 AM ET 🔥
• Scorpion Mythic (+ “GET OVER HERE” Ability)
• Scorpion Medallion: Makes the first bullet explosive
• Scorpion Boss + POIs: The Pit, Living Forest, Dead Pool
• Mortal Kombat LTM + 180k XP Quests pic.twitter.com/l6tCQpsSOL
• Touch grass • Place anything but first • Don't read me, I'm not here • Find the coolest player on the Island • Break open chests instead of searching them • Drive safely on the road for 100 meters • Land over here and over there pic.twitter.com/iAhjx5DCig
With more and more game companies using AI (Artificial Intelligence) to help with development, could we be seeing a future where we'll see full-fledged, AAA games developed entirely by AI?
That won't be happening according to Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick, as AI won't be able to replicate human creativity.
It’s April Fools’ but that hasn’t stopped Epic Games from rolling out a new game update for Fortnite. But before that happens, the Fortnite servers need to be taken down for maintenance on April 1.
Expect matchmaking and logging in to the game’s various modes to be impacted during the server outage.
With more and more game companies using AI (Artificial Intelligence) to help with development, could we be seeing a future where we'll see full-fledged, AAA games developed entirely by AI?
That won't be happening according to Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick, as AI won't be able to replicate human creativity.
Fortnite Servers Go Down on April 1 to Bring a New Patch
According to Epic Games, downtime begins at 4 am ET/1 am PT/4 pm HKT. While no schedule was given on how long this will take, expect the server outage to last for at least two hours if past maintenance schedules are anything to go by.
Patch v34.20 will bring the Mortal Kombat crossover content, which we’ve outlined below.
Fortnite X Mortal Kombat New Content
Prepare for Kombat
Resurrected for revenge and bound by honor, the ninja specter Scorpion is a threat to any mortal. If you manage to defeat this Character coming to the Island April 1, you’ll be rewarded with his Mythic Scorpion’s Kombat Kit and the First Blood Medallion. Land Scorpion’s Spear from the Kombat Kit to hook enemies in, then let loose a series of combo attacks to FINISH THEM! The Medallion will make your first shot from any weapon’s magazine explode when it hits an enemy. (Toasty!)
Get over here! The standard version of Scorpion’s Kombat Kit is also dropping April 1 and will be found in Chests around the Island. Scorpion himself will be found at one of the three new landmarks arriving on the map April 1: The Pit, The Living Forest, and The Dead Pool.
Komplete New Quests
Unlocking April 1 at 9 AM ET, put your skills to the test with new Quests based on Klassic Kombat! You’ll be rewarded 30,000 XP apiece for kompleting each of the Quests below, with more Quests becoming progressively available:
Hit 10 players with Ice Slide
Deal 500 damage to players while on the bridge at The Pit
Shatter 5 players’ Shield beyond 10 meters
Collect the First Blood Medallion in 2 different matches
Hit an opponent with both a Kombat Kit air kick and uppercut within 5 seconds
Defeat Scorpion while carrying Sub-Zero’s Kombat Kit
Choose Your Fighter
Strike fear in the hearts of your enemies with the Klassic Kombat Bundle! This monumental bundle hits the Shop now (emphasis on ow) with all of the following:
Scorpion (MK3) Outfit
Scorpion’s Flaming Skull Back Bling
Scorpion’s Twin Katana Pickaxe
Toasty! Emote
Test Your Might Emote
Raiden (MK3) Outfit
Raiden’s Amulet Back Bling
Raiden’s Staff Pickaxe
Raiden’s Victory Emote
Conducting Rod Brand Emote
Kitana (MK3) Outfit
Kitana’s Fan-Bearer Back Bling
Kitana’s Steel Fans Pickaxe
Kitana’s Fan-Nado Emote
FLAWLESS VICTORY Emote
Also, cruise your way to give enemies a bruisin’ with the Lamborghini Countach + Scorpion & Sub-Zero Bundle! Parked in the Shop now, it includes the Lamborghini Countach Car Body, Shirai Ryu Wrapped Decal, Lin Kuei Wrapped Decal, Scorpion Kombat Wheel, and Sub-Zero Kombat Wheel.
Once the patch is out, we’ll have it up on the site, which will also include the datamined content from the patch download.
Are you one of the many players tired of playuing against PC players in Call of Duty games? It's not just the advantage of a mouse and keyboard, but cheaters almost always come from PC due to the open nature of the platform.
DICE is rolling out Battlefield 2042 update 1.000.071 this April 1, which is for patch 8.6.1 that brings a new mode for the shooter. This follows the War Machine event that was triggered two weeks ago.
Those on last-gen consoles, you’ll see this patch as BF2042 update 1.68. and the patch notes are available below, which explain the mode.
With DICE testing the new Battlefield game via Battlefield Labs, a ton of details have surfaced.
Battlefield 2042 Gets King of the Hill Mode in Latest Patch
King of the Hill
King of the Hill
King of the Hill is a new mode coming on April 1st as part of the War Machine time-limited event. Two teams rush to capture a single objective on the map while also trying to repel the enemy team!
Combined Arms
In King of the Hill, you’ll fight 20 versus 20 in an all-out battle for control over the objective! Both Infantry close quarter combat and Vehicle skills are going to be required to win over your enemy.
Vehicles will become unlocked as a team loses tickets, so don’t count your chickens just yet and keep your eyes open for a counterattack by enemy forces. King of the Hill features a single objective that moves to a new location after a set amount of time, opening avenues and opportunities to take back control or further dominate the opponent.
Combined Arms
In King of the Hill, you’ll fight 20 versus 20 in an all-out battle for control over the objective! Both Infantry close quarter combat and Vehicle skills are going to be required to win over your enemy.
Vehicles will become unlocked as a team loses tickets, so don’t count your chickens just yet and keep your eyes open for a counterattack by enemy forces. King of the Hill features a single objective that moves to a new location after a set amount of time, opening avenues and opportunities to take back control or further dominate the opponent.
Control, control, control.
Using Spawn Beacons, Irish’s EIDOS system, and other gadgets can swing the match in your favor; use them wisely.
Know your objective and how it rotates.
The rotation will pick from two to three different points, so learning which those can be and rotating quickly will give you an advantage over the enemy team.
King of the Hill is available on:
Kaleidoscope
Flashpoint
Renewal
Valparaiso
There are no gameplay changes in this patch per DICE.
While DICE is busy working on the next Battlefield game via BF Labs, it’s awesome to see that BF2042 hasn’t been abandoned at all. Let’s hope more events are planned by the studio in the coming months.
While we don't even know the title of the new Battlefield game being developed by DICE and three other EA-owned studios, more and more info about the game has come to the surface thanks to the Battlefield Labs playtest leaks.
San Diego Studio has deployed the latest patch for MLB The Show 25, and this is for Game Update #6. which console gamers will see as MLB The Show update 25 update 1.006 (Xbox version 1.0.37).
This is another minor patch that houses a short list of fixes available below.
With more and more game companies using AI (Artificial Intelligence) to help with development, could we be seeing a future where we'll see full-fledged, AAA games developed entirely by AI?
That won't be happening according to Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick, as AI won't be able to replicate human creativity.
MLB The Show 25 Update 25 Update 1.006 Fixes Home Run Displays
Here’s what’s been fixed in today’s update per San Diego Studio:
General:
Updated home run displays to show correct team logos.
Developer Notes
These changes will be deployed for the Nintendo Switch at a later date.
That’s about it. Patch 5, which was released just two days ago, had the following fixes, with one issue mentioned in it yet to be resolved.
General:
Updated home run logo displays with correct team logos for TEX, HOU, ATL, and LAA.
Developer Notes
These changes will be deployed for the Nintendo Switch at a later date.
The fix for framerate issues tied to the dreadlock hairstyle will be addressed in a future game update.
Chances are, we’ll be getting another patch soon for the dreadlock hairstyle fix. Once it’s out, we’ll be sure to let our readers know.
If you've played and finished Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater when it was originally released and wanted to check out "more" of the game, chances are, you unlocked the secret "Peep Demo Theater" to scope some of the most interesting parts of the game.
With DICE testing the new Battlefield game via Battlefield Labs, a ton of details have surfaced. While it’s coming from a pre-alpha build of the game, there are a few things from the playtest that we’re expecting to be carried over to the final version of the game, and that includes some of the weapons datamined, and now, the attachments too.
Thanks to another datamine of the BF Labs client, we have a good amount of gun attachments and even the attachment slots that confirm a few things.
Battlefield Labs Gun Attachments Lets Us Sneak a Peek at Weapon Customization
Just a disclaimer on datamined info, there is no guarantee that the final version of the game will have the same thing, as these could be placeholder files, or might simply be changed upon release given it is from a pre-alpha build of the game.
The list below comes courtesy of the 1|BF channel that’s been spilling tea all over the place.
Battlefield Labs Weapon Attachment Slots
The items on the right-hand side are the actual code entries, which we’ve sorted to make it easier to read and understand.
While we don't even know the title of the new Battlefield game being developed by DICE and three other EA-owned studios, more and more info about the game has come to the surface thanks to the Battlefield Labs playtest leaks.
Battlefield Labs Weapons Attachments List
(Filenames kept as is for self-interpretation)
Grips
Angled Grips:
angledgrip
magpulafg
magpulafg2
Vertical Grips:
magpulmvg
bcmstubby
tango
tfs
Stubby Grips:
rkl
grippod
evohandstop
Other Grips:
pg350 vzor3
troy
hk433
kacm4qd
mashadow
msbs
Lasers & Lights
Lasers:
anpeqlób
cmr201
dbal
la23
perstl
perst4
Laser-Light Combos:
raidxe
sf400
Lights:
sfscout
qbztype7
bt
tlmissionlight
steinert536
tangoót
Optics
Reflex Sights:
cqs
eotechxps3
mepro22
opk7
rmr
romeo
trijiconmro
trijiconsro
Holo Sights:
holo
Magnifiers:
eotechg43
eotechg45
z+410
Mid-Zoom Scopes:
1p781p
bravo3x
elcan4x
nx81
x5lg3
po4x17
spitfire5x
frijiconm150
trijiconsdo
rijiconvcog
Sniper Optics:
1p885
marchffpshorty
mark4m2
mark4m5a2
nightforce7x35
nx84
sb525x56
steinerm7xi
vortexm157
Thermal Scopes:
hisshd
trijiconreap
Muzzle Attachments
Muzzle Brakes:
gamicrocomp
m4qd
mbqd
rsmtypemicro
sakoslim
socommb
ssqdbrake
Flash Hiders:
flashhider
Suppressors:
btry
chimera
compactstreamer
enticerlti
hxqd
nt4
odessa?
osprey2
rotex2a
saicobra
sandmansmil
srd9
Bipods & Foregrips
Bipods:
bipod
atlasv8
Foregrips:
grip
vertgrip (ak126h64, kabroomstick, tango)
Magazines
Standard & Extended Mags:
15awm30
pmag20
pmag30
pmag40
schmeisserar
surefire Ornd
Other Attachments
Ballistic Calculator
Magnifier
Nothing surprising here, as it seems we’ll be able to customize our guns in almost every way. It does confirm that gun charms, stickers are making a return, which is expected.
While we've already gotten loads of pre-alpha gameplay footage from Battlefield Labs, another new leak has surfaced today, and this one features concept art fo the new Battlefield game, that's still-untitled as of today.
With more and more game companies using AI (Artificial Intelligence) to help with development, could we be seeing a future where we’ll see full-fledged, AAA games developed entirely by AI?
That won’t be happening according to Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick, as AI won’t be able to replicate human creativity.
In December of 2023, Rockstar Games unveiled our first look at Grand Theft Auto 6, which quickly amassed millions of views.
Future Grand Theft Auto Games Can’t Be Created Entirely With AI
In a video chat with Bloomberg TV, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick was asked about how technology is evolving and where does Zelnick anticipate where it’s going. Naturally, the talked touched on generative AI. Zelnick compares film and television to games and how AI has affected those mediums. In case you didn’t know, Zelnick was an executive for Columbia Pictures before he took over Take-Two and became CEO.
Zelnick shared, “The effect of generative AI in motion pictures and television, in my opinion, is you made end up reducing the cost profile, but we already have visual effects. I’m not sure that the visual effects will be better because of generative AI, they maybe quicker and cheaper. With regard to our business, there’s still a lot to be done visually, graphically in our games. So, you know, our game, NBA 2K, if you squint, looks like real basketball, but you still have to squint a little bit. It’s still animation. It’s terrific animation. But we, we don’t really have in interactive entertainment something yet that really looks like live action. But technology will get us there, but probably a shorter period of time than maybe even I expect. That doesn’t mean that every game is going to look like live action. That wouldn’t make any sense creatively, but that will be another tool in our toolkit that’s generated by technology.”
The first official trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6 has amazed fans with stunning graphics, raising some concerns about its performance on current-gen consoles—particularly the Xbox Series S, which is known to have lower specs compared to the Xbox Series X and PS5.
Zelnick follows that up by explaining how he doesn’t think generative AI can develop a new Grand Theft Auto game from scratch, as it will always need the creativity of humans to pull something like that off.
Zelnick adds, “One of the questions I’m often asked is this ‘Someone sitting at home can ask ChatGPT14 to make a GTA competitor, code it, give me the marketing materials and we’re off to the races.’ I don’t believe for a minute that that’s going to happen. There’s no evidence that tools that allow people to win creatively. So I don’t think that we’re in a situation where generative AI is going to change the underlying business dynamics to the contrary. I think, you know, these are phenomenal digital tools and the more mundane tasks will be done more automatically. And that’s the history of our business. And the creative tasks will still be done by amazing human beings. It’ll be the intersection of the technology and. Human genius that will create hits on an ongoing basis.”
I’m a firm believer that AI can never replace humans in terms of creativity and actually putting part of themselves into their work, so I get where Zelnick is going. But at the same time, with how fast technology is progressing, who knows? Perhaps one day we’ll be able to program games in a quarter of the time thanks to AI. I’m honestly not sure if I’m looking forward to that day or not.
Season 2 of Tekken 8 is here! Not only does it bring Anna Williams into the roster, but it also implements a host of balance adjustments, character changes and more.
While this was supposed to be a “defensive” patch for the game, it seems a lot of the fighters were buffed significantly. Expect Bryan to be one of the top characters after today’s patch!
Read on for the changes and everything else that got added today.
If you've played and finished Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater when it was originally released and wanted to check out "more" of the game, chances are, you unlocked the secret "Peep Demo Theater" to scope some of the most interesting parts of the game.
Tekken 8 Update 2.000.001 New Content and Patch Notes
# Downloadable Content (Paid DLC)
* Playable Character “Anna Williams”
The character “Anna” will be available on each platform store starting from the following dates:
1) Early Access
– [CEST] Tuesday, April 1st at around 1:00 AM
– [PDT] Monday, March 31st at around 4:00 PM
Note:
Early access (72 hours) is available by purchasing one of the following bundles released on the above date:
> For those who own the base game of “TEKKEN 8”:
– “TEKKEN 8 Season 2 Character & Stage Pass”
– “TEKKEN 8 Season 2 Character Pass”
> For those who do not own the base game of “TEKKEN 8”:
– “TEKKEN 8 Season 2 Ultimate Edition”
– “TEKKEN 8 Season 2 Deluxe Edition”
2) General Access
– [CEST] Friday, April 4th at around 1:00 AM
– [PDT] Thursday, April 3rd at around 4:00 PM
Note:
General access becomes available by purchasing the “Anna” downloadable content released on the above date.
# “TEKKEN SHOP”
* Added “TEKKEN FIGHT PASS -ROUND 5-“
– Complete missions during the period to level up and earn various items
– “PREMIUM” grants more items than “FREE”
– “FREE” allows up to 100 TEKKEN COINS to be earned
– In addition to the 100 coins from “FREE,” “PREMIUM” grants up to 600 more, for a total of 700 TEKKEN COINS
* Added Avatar Skin “Anna”
– An avatar skin usable in “TEKKEN FIGHT LOUNGE”
– To celebrate Anna’s release, it is available at a limited-time sale price of 75% OFF (100 TEKKEN COINS)
* “TEKKEN SPECIAL DEAL” Event Held
– Selected items are available at special prices during the event
# “TEKKEN FIGHT LOUNGE”
* Five Special Ghosts Appearing with Obtainable Character Panels
– Talk to and defeat them to obtain one character panel each
– Character panels are fan art works submitted through the “TEKKEN FANDOM Campaign”
– Special Ghosts will appear in the lobby until the next update scheduled for May
– They will be replaced with new Special Ghosts in the next update
# “TEKKEN BALL”
– Adjusted ball return behavior for certain moves in “TEKKEN BALL” mode
# “RANKED MATCH”
[① Matching has been changed so that players can battle others with a closer skill level]
* Matchmaking System Changes in Ranked Match
– Matchmaking based on “Tekken Prowess” has been removed
– Matchmaking now considers the rank of the character currently in use and the player’s highest rank among all used characters
* Sub-Character Rank Inheritance System Adjustments
– Changed the timing and target rank for sub-character rank inheritance
– When the highest reached rank among all characters is updated, rank inheritance will be applied
* Search Criteria Changes
– Added “Same Rank Only” to Rank Restrictions
– Changed “±1 Preferred”, “±2 Preferred”, and “±3 Preferred” to “±1 or lower”, “±2 or lower”, and “±3 or lower”
Note: These changes make it less likely to match with opponents whose rank is outside the selected range
* New Ranks Added Beyond “Destruction God”
– Eight new ranks added after “Destruction God”:
God of Destruction I / II / III / IV / V / VI / VII / ∞ (Ouroboros)
Note:
The difficulty of ranking up increases significantly in the ranks beyond “Destruction God”
* Rank Reset Implemented
– At the start of Season 2, ranks are determined based on the highest rank achieved in Season 1
– Special Titles will be awarded based on the highest rank achieved in Season 1 as part of the rank reset process
[② The following changes have been made to create a more competitive and satisfying point system]
* Point Gain/Loss System Adjustments
– The higher your opponent’s rank, the more points you earn for a win
– The lower your opponent’s rank, the more points you lose for a defeat
(Examples)
1) Lower-Ranked Match
You: “Fujin” (Rank 21) vs Opponent: “Battle Ruler” (Rank 20)
> Win: +720pt / Loss: -1280pt
2) Same-Rank Match
You: “Fujin” (Rank 21) vs Opponent: “Fujin” (Rank 21)
> Win: +1000pt / Loss: -1000pt
3) Higher-Ranked Match
You: “Fujin” (Rank 21) vs Opponent: “Raijin” (Rank 22)
> Win: +1280pt / Loss: -720pt
– Promotion bonus points are now only awarded once upon reaching a new highest rank
– The system that caused a significant point drop after 3 consecutive losses has been removed
– The win streak bonus system has been adjusted:
– Bonus points for win streaks are now only available up to “Tenryu” (Rank 17)
– For ranks “Tenryu” and below, bonus points start applying after 3 consecutive wins
– For ranks “Tenryu” and below, the more wins in a row, the greater the additional points earned
# “QUICK MATCH”
* Added “Rank Restriction” Option to Search Criteria
– Now possible to choose from:
”Same Rank Only” / “±1 or lower” / “±2 or lower” / “±3 or lower” / “No Restriction”
* Added “In-Battle Status”
– Now displays combo count and combo damage in actual battles, just like in “Practice” mode
– New indicators added: “PUNISH”, “CLEAN”, “COUNTER”, “TORNADO”
– To turn the display OFF, go to OPTIONS > “Screen Settings” > “In-Battle Status Settings” > toggle ON/OFF
– In “PRACTICE” and “MY REPLAY & TIPS”, you can toggle it from the “Display Settings” in the pause menu
Note:
– In line with Season 2’s balance adjustment direction of “more accessible and clearer battles,” key elements from the fast-paced exchanges have been selected and visualized during matches
– This feature is designed not only for players, but also to help spectators and commentators better understand and follow what’s happening in battle
# “PRACTICE”
* Added a Special Practice-Only Stage
– A practice-only stage with a wall distance of approximately 500m is now available
– Select “Practice Stage” under “Restart Settings” and press [Touchpad/View button/V] + [×/A/J] (normal restart method) to switch to the practice stage
– You can also switch to the practice stage by pressing [Touchpad/View button/V] + [↑]
– To return to the original stage after switching with [Touchpad/View button/V] + [↑], press [Touchpad/View button/V] + [×/A/J]
* New Items Added to the Reversal Move List
– The following CPU actions can now be set:
Heat Burst / Heat Burst (Cancel) / Standing Block / Crouching Block
Low Parry / Dash / Back Dash / Sidestep (Into Background)
Side Walk (Into Background) / Sidestep (Into Foreground) / Side Walk (Into Foreground)
* Added “Action After Ukemi” to Practice Settings
– The following CPU actions can now be set after a tech roll:
Standing / Standing Block / Stand and Approach / Crouching
Crouching Block / Crouch and Follow / Block All / Random Block
Jump / Mimic / Sidestep (Left) / Sidestep (Right) / Side Walk (Left)
Side Walk (Right) / Back Dash/Move (Auto-switch) / Punish
Note:
– Combining with reversal settings allows configurations like “attack after tech roll” or “sidestep after tech roll”
– From side tech rolls, CPU performs reversals from crouching; from back tech rolls, from standing
* Added “Move (Auto-switch)” to “Action After a Hit or Block” and “Action After Ukemi”
– The following five movements cycle in sequence:
Sidestep (Left) > Sidestep (Right) > Side Walk (Left) > Side Walk (Right) > Back Dash
Note:
This makes it easier to test which direction your moves can be evaded.
# “OPTIONS”
* Added “V-Sync” Setting
– “V-Sync” settings are now available on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S
– Can be toggled ON/OFF via Options > Graphics Settings > V-Sync
Note:
– V-Sync is a feature that prevents screen tearing when images are displayed
– Turning it OFF slightly improves the response time between key input and character action
– When OFF, minor screen tearing may occur, but it does not affect gameplay progression
– V-Sync settings have been available on the Steam version since ver.2.00.01 and earlier
* Added Features to Tournament Settings
– Two new presets added, enabling the following bulk settings:
Default: Only “Disable Intro/Outro Skipping” is OFF
Preset 1: All settings ON (same as previous “Preset”)
Preset 2: “Disable Intro/Outro Skipping” and “V-Sync” are OFF
Preset 3: Only “V-Sync” is OFF
Custom: Each item can be customized freely
Note:
– For Steam users, V-Sync behavior in tournament settings may differ from v1.13, so please check your settings again.
# “LEADERBOARDS”
* Now Reflects Season 2 Stats
– Season 1 leaderboards have been reset
– Online ranking data from Season 2 is now viewable
Note: Future updates may allow viewing of Season 1 leaderboards
# “PLAY DATA”
* Now Reflects Season 2 Stats
– Season 1 stats have been reset in the following categories:
BATTLE (ONLINE), OTHER (ONLINE section only), PLAYSTATS, CHARACTER DATA (ONLINE)
– Newly accumulated stats from Season 2 are now displayed
Note: Future updates may allow access to some Season 1 play data
While a ton of Battlefield 2025 info has made its way out of the second playtest session, DICE is already to start the next Battlefield Labs playtest this week (session 3) and we now know exactly when.
Tekken 8 Balance Changes to Heat and Throw Mechanics
About Battle System Adjustment Policy for V2.00
In Season 1, offensive options utilizing the Heat System had become somewhat formulaic, making it difficult for players to express their individual playstyles.
Additionally, the advantages for the attacking player during Heat state were often too great, leading to one-sided match developments-an issue we’ve acknowledged.
With that in mind, Season 2 introduces a wide range of updates to the battle system and significant adjustments and new moves for each character, based on the following three guiding principles.
[Season 2 Adjustment Policy]
1) Expanding Strategic Options with the Heat System
Activating Heat provides a major advantage, creating opportunities to pressure opponents with mid/low mix-ups. However, characters lacking strong standing low attacks have been unable to fully capitalize on this advantage. To address this, we’ve made it possible to transition into a crouching state after a successful Heat Engager hit by inputting ↘, ↓, or ↙, giving players more options to apply pressure.
Additionally, certain characters can now perform Heat Smash or Heat Burst from unique stances, enhancing combo variety and mind games during neutral. For characters who previously had limited tactical options during Heat, we’ve introduced new Heat-exclusive moves to make their Heat state more appealing and dynamic.
2) Rebalancing Offense and Defense Within the Heat System
To address overly one-sided match dynamics, we’ve reduced chip damage across the board during Heat state, where its impact was most pronounced. Additionally, in endgame scenarios, it had become common to secure K.O.s by landing chip damage via Heat Dash followed by a quick finishing move—limiting creative decision-making. To improve this, we’ve lowered the additional chip damage when Heat Dash is blocked.
We’ve also made adjustments to how recoverable health works: now, even damage taken while grounded will leave recoverable gauge. This not only softens the offensive pressure of Heat but also makes its defensive merits more tangible, giving defending players more opportunities to recover and fight back.
Moreover, Heat Dash has long had numerous benefits, particularly when used from Heat Engagers with Power Crush properties. However, this created a gap in power between characters and often led to unbalanced mind games. To address this, we’ve removed the Power Crush property from most Heat Engagers—or replaced them with other moves—except in a few cases where it’s part of a character’s identity. (Exceptions include characters like Jack-8, Kuma/Panda, and Leo, whose unique stances retain Power Crush properties on their Heat Engagers.)
3) Improvements in controls to bolster defensive techniques and provide more enjoyable play
Historically in Tekken, it was not possible to sidestep toward the foreground while in a crouching state. This created situations where, for example, a string that could be avoided from the 1P side (left) became unavoidable from the 2P side (right)—leading to imbalances in mind games unrelated to player skill or knowledge.
In Season 2, this issue has been resolved: players can now sidestep toward the screen even while crouching, ensuring that movement options are consistent regardless of side.
Additional quality-of-life improvements include:
Input buffering at the start of rounds, allowing players to execute a move the instant the round begins.
Input buffering for sidesteps (e.g., ↘/↙ or ↗/↖) even during recovery or stunned states, so players can buffer movement and execute it seamlessly once able to act.
These changes aim to improve the overall responsiveness and fluidity of control, helping players of all levels enjoy the game more comfortably.
The newest Onimusha, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, may be more of a "reboot" than a sequel, as it's been confirmed that it won't have connections to previous games, and players won't need to have played past games in the franchise to understand what's happening.
[Regarding Future Adjustments]
Additionally, in order to address issues pertaining to the large frame advantage on Heat activation and the excessive strength of Heat Dash, the development team is currently in the final stages of making adjustments geared towards reevaluating aspects that impact the strength of offense, and also a focus on improvements in defense.
(These adjustments are scheduled to be completed by the opening of TWT 2025 on May 9th.)
Throw Mechanic Adjustment Based on Community Feedback
[Changes to Throw Mechanics]
In Season 2, to address the difficulty of countering throws, the following adjustments have been implemented:
1) Loosening the Input Window for Throw Breaks Using ‘*’ Adjustment Intent: This change aims to reduce instances where players fail to break throws despite successfully predicting them, particularly due to the difficulty of executing simultaneous button presses.
2) Increased Recovery for whiffed Normal Throws (* / *) Adjustment Intent: By increasing the recovery on whiff by “6F,” players will have an easier time punishing opponents who miss their throws, especially when using crouches or backdashes to evade.
However, considering that throws are often ineffective against opponents who can react and break them upon seeing the animation, additional benefits are being provided to the player attempting the throw.
3) When a throw break is successfully performed, the thrower will recover 1 point of recoverable health.
4) When a throw break is successfully performed, the player that was grabbed will receive 5 points of recoverable health damage.
[Revised Adjustment After Community Feedback]
After the initial announcement, the development team received feedback from players and reconsidered one of the proposed adjustments. It was concluded that imposing a disadvantage on the defender for executing a successful throw break would be excessive, as throw breaking is a high-skill mechanic that reflects a player’s practice and proficiency.
As such, the following spec will be scrapped in an upcoming patch:
4) When a throw break is successfully performed, the player that was grabbed will receive 5 points of recoverable health damage.
Note: While these changes will be applied as soon as possible, there might be a slight delay following the release of v2.00. The adjustments are scheduled to be completed before the opening of TWT 2025 on May 9th.
Tekken 8 Character Changes in Season 2
Due to the nature of the changes, we’ve linked to each fighter’s official list of moveset changes and more.
Those looking to fight online in Tekken 8, you won’t be able to right now, as the game’s servers have been taken down for maintenance to bring in Patch 2.00!
This not only brings a new fighter in Anna Williams but a host of balance changes, and adjustments to the core fighting mechanics.
If you've played and finished Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater when it was originally released and wanted to check out "more" of the game, chances are, you unlocked the secret "Peep Demo Theater" to scope some of the most interesting parts of the game.
Tekken 8 Down on March 31/April 1 and Here’s What to Expect
According to Bandai Namco, the servers wil be taken down on March 31 23:30 CEST/14:30 PDT/17:30 EDT. For those in Asia, the downtime begins on April 1 06:30 JST/05:30 HKT. While not specifiied how long the outage will last, it usually takes close to six hours before the servers are back up and running again.
What to expect from the new patch? While the official patch notes aren’t out yet, here’s an overview:
Tekken 8 Patch 2.00 Main Features
New Character – Anna Williams
New #TEKKEN Shop items
New & improved features
New & adjusted character moves
The following data will be affected by this patch:
DOWNLOADED REPLAYS
MY REPLAY & TIPS
ONLINE REPLAY
Replays from previous patches will not be available after the update. Make sure to save your favorite replays beforehand!
SUPER GHOST BATTLE
GHOST MATCH
GHOST vs GHOST
Ghost data will reflect the behavior and performance changes after the update.
Ghost moves will be affected, but data won’t be lost.
Once the official patch notes are up, we’ll add a link to it in the article. If anything changes regarding the server outage, we’ll make sure to update the article with the info as well.
While a ton of Battlefield 2025 info has made its way out of the second playtest session, DICE is already to start the next Battlefield Labs playtest this week (session 3) and we now know exactly when.
Ever since his first game, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, then with Starbreeze, Josef Fares has been made it a point to use a game’s controls to underscore the story’s themes. This is no different with his studio Hazelight’s third and latest game, Split Fiction.
As the story and the game goes on, the characters, and thusly the players, come to rely on each other more and more in order to see things through. On paper it’s always brilliant inspired stuff. In practice, this time however, doubt began to set in in the early going.
When you think of Electronic Arts (EA), it's usually not in a good light, and I don't blame you.
Splitting the Fiction
The story of Split Fiction involves two unpublished fiction writers, Mio and Zoe, accepting invitations to Rader Publishing under the guise of getting their submitted work published along with other writers that received similar invitations. Once there, Rader Publishing CEO, J.D. Rader has the writers partake in the inaugural launch of his Machine, which allows the writers to experience their respective stories in some form of advanced VR/AR. While Zoe goes into her bubble willingly and trustingly, Mio, a natural cynic, wants no part of it and while trying to leave she finds herself getting trapped in the machine with Zoe. Now the two experience each other’s stories while trying to find a way out.
What exactly is Rader’s plan seems nebulous despite saying what it is, because it makes zero sense in practice. I’m sure the writers were going for how the big corporation exploit writers and so on, but it only works as a metaphor given the set up. Realistically, this part of the story is just the set up and the narrative thrust while the real story is about Mio and Zoe coming to terms with and confronting their past traumas while they become friends along the way. The writing is very on the nose and juvenile and seems geared to a much younger audience, despite some darker moments and themes.
Ramping Up
It’s all pretty simple and predictable and serves the purpose of getting players into the real star of the show, the gameplay. What makes it unique, is that Mio is a sci-fi writer, and Zoe writes fantasy so each of their levels and respective gameplay, play into those tropes. Similar to 2021’s highly successful It Takes Two, each section of the game introduces new gameplay mechanics as ways to get through each level. In It Takes Two, I rarely ever played the same mechanic twice. Here’ there is some repetition here and there due in the early portions due to the nature of the story the game is telling. That’s not to say the game doesn’t introduce new mechanics frequently. It does, and often.
A lot of the early sections, especially in Mio’s story where it’s a lot of shooting, wall-running, double jump, dash platforming and such. Enemy bosses are all the typical fodder for these types of stories, and most of them have the repeat X three times to defeat it.
There are some bright spots in early sections of the game. One of my favorites was avoiding a pulsing sun that’s about to go supernova, while making our way to the controls of a machine designed to contain it. It’s really in the back-half of the 12 or so hour game where Hazelight’s innovative game design and mechanics truly start to shine. These sections have so many moments where my friend and I remarked on how clever everything we were doing was and how impressively these moments were pulled off, including a momentum-based swinging mechanic where timing needs to be pretty precise to push through.
Without spoiling it the final section of the game is truly impressive and does that thing I mentioned earlier, where the story and the controls converge into something truly remarkable and it’s easily the highlight of the game and the most impressive thing I’ve seen Hazelight do.
Verdict
Ultimately, I did enjoy my time playing Split Fiction, and any disappointments I had were based on my own baggage and expectations that I brought with me to the game. Such is the burden of being a successful, respected developer. The expectations are that the next game be at least as good as the previous one, and while that is entirely subjective, there are moments early on where I didn’t feel like the game was meeting them despite flashes of it here and there. That is, until the back half of the game where everything I love about Hazelight revealed itself in truly spectacular fashion and made me kick myself for doubting them.
Score: 8/10
Pros:
Some truly awe-inspiring, “How did they do that?” gameplay.
Tons of new mechanics throughout
Fantastic climax
Cons:
Story is on the nose and predictable with some cheesy, juvenile writing
Split Fiction launched earlier this week, and though EA or Hazelight Studios has yet to announce any sales, we think it's safe to say that it's a pretty big success.
