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Next PUBG Xbox Update to Include “Crucial Gameplay Optimizations”

The next PUBG Xbox update will include new vehicles and weapons, in addition to “several crucial gameplay optimizations,” as well as the new Miramar desert map, PUBG Corp. has confirmed. Posting on the game’s official forums, information about the next PUBG Xbox update was shared with the community.

PUBG Corp. posted the following details regarding the next PUBG Xbox update:

After extensive efforts, we’ve been able to get Miramar ready for Xbox. Miramar will be coming to test servers before the end of April, and we expect it’ll hit live servers sometime in May.

The Miramar test server update will also include new vehicles and weapons, alongside several crucial gameplay optimizations. Here are just two examples:

  1. Our art asset streaming process has been optimized. This will somewhat improve the “play-doh” effect on textures and will mitigate interior prop pop-in issues. This will make a big difference in the early phases of each game.

  2. Our character movement system was also causing some problems, and has now been optimized. Performance and stability will be better even when many players gather in one location. We expect this to help out the game’s performance past the mid-phase.

Expect to also see new and improved designs for out-of-game menus and screens. The update is necessary to prepare our servers for when event matches and custom matches are introduced later on.

Finally, improving crashes is our highest priority. Simply put, stability is the most basic element that determines gameplay quality, so we’re taking it seriously and focusing on it with every patch. All of these changes will hit the test server first so we can make sure the above-mentioned optimizations run well before pushing them to live.

In other PUBG news, the new Savage map was recently tested on the Closed Experimental Server, an argument as to whether PUBG is pay to win has been brought up again, and it’s been found that 30% of all PC gamers are playing battle royale titles.

Source: PlayBattlegrounds (Official Forums)

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PUBG Update 10 PC Patch Notes: Blue Zone Tweaks, Miramar Improvements & More

The PUBG update 10 PC patch notes have been detailed ahead it going live. The latest update focuses on tweaking the blue zone with some big changes, as well as improving the desert Miramap map.

See below for the full list of PUBG update 10 PC patch notes.

PUBG Update 10 PC Patch Notes:

General Gameplay

We’ve adjusted safe zone and blue zone functionality. Also, in-game clothing spawns have been removed.

PUBG Update 10

  • Blue zone delay time has been reduced. You’ll be given less time to linger between phases.
  • The maximum movement speed of the blue zone has been reduced. The blue zone will move more slowly toward the end of the game.
  • The damage inflicted by 7th, 8th, and 9th blue zones has been increased.
  • Except for the first blue zone, the probability of creating an extreme safe zone (one far away from the center of the previous circle) has been reduced by 30%.
  • The final blue zone will narrow down to the center instead of narrowing down to a random spot, and the total wait time including the blue zone inactive time has been reduced. (195 seconds to 90 seconds)
  • As the end of the match approaches, the safe zone will increasingly favor areas with land over areas with water.
  • On Erangel specifically, the first safe zone will now be revealed 30 seconds earlier.
  • On Miramar specifically, players can now see the first safe zone while flying in the airplane. (We may or may not carry this over to the next live update. We want your feedback about this change.)
  • In-game clothing spawns have been removed from all maps. Other item spawn balance remains the same.

World

PUBG Update 10

Improvements were made mainly on Northern part (Northeast, Northwest) of the Miramar to make it a more appealing area.

  • The Oasis can now be found in the north, and Alcantara village has been added to the northwest.
  • We’ve added more roads, off-road paths, and car spawning positions to facilitate easy travel into and out of the area.
  • Higher-tier loot is now more likely to spawn in specific areas of the north of Miramar.
  • We’ve optimized the GPU performance of buildings seen from mid-range (all maps).

UI/UX

  • Improvements to teams
  • You can now send requests for invitations by clicking the invite button on another player’s career screen.
  • If you are a team leader, you can now kick your team members.
  • You can also kick any team member using “Team” tab in the friends list, found at the bottom right corner of the screen..

Bug Fixes

  • Footsteps should now always make sound when walking on tarp, carpet
  • Fixed an issue causing some objects to become invisible at particular distances
  • Indoor plants should no longer block bullets
  • Fixed and removed some weirdly-placed road signs, plants, and stairs
  • Fixed an issue that broke the killer spectating function whenever the killer died too quickly after taking out the spectating player
  • Fixed an issue that sometimes caused players to take no damage when exiting a moving vehicle

In other PUBG news, the new Savage map was recently tested on the Closed Experimental Server, an argument as to whether PUBG is pay to win has been brought up again, and it’s been found that 30% of all PC gamers are playing battle royale titles.

Source: Steam

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James Fleming

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God of War PS4 Trophies Revealed, Here’s the List

The God of War PS4 review embargo has now lifted, with the majority of critics labeling the latest PlayStation exclusives as a must-play, even for us multiplayer fanatics. Those of you who do decide to the play the game when it launches on April 20 will have a number great challenges ahead of you. If you’re aiming for the God of War PS4 Platinum Trophy, you’ll need to conquer the entire game, earning all other Trophies.

If you’re unafraid of spoilers, take a look at the God of War Trophy List below:

*Spoilers ahead*

God of War PS4 Trophy List

  • Father and Son – Obtain all other trophies
  • The Journey Begins – Defend your home from The Stranger
  • A New Friend – Survive the Witch’s Woods
  • Feels Like Home – Allow the Light Elves to return home
  • Dragon Slayer – Defeat the Dragon of the Mountain
  • Troubling Consequences – Defeat Magni and Modi
  • Hello, Old Friend – Retrieve the Blades of Dragon
  • Promise fulfilled – Heal Atreus
  • Round 2 – Rescue Atreus
  • Past Haunts – Ride the ship out of Helheim
  • Twilight Beckons – Defeat Baldur
  • Last Wish – Spread the ashes
  • Beneath the Surface – Explore all the Lake of Nine has to offer
  • Death Happened Here – Fully explore Veithurgard
  • Trilingual – Learn the Languages of Muspelheim and Nilfheim
  • Dwarven Ingenuity – Upgrade a piece of Armor
  • Nice Moves – Obtain a Runic Attack Gem
  • Iðunn’s Orchard – Fully upgrade your Health
  • Quick-tempered – Fully upgrade your rage
  • Best Dresses – Craft an outfit for Atreus
  • Enchanted – Slot an Enchantment into your Armor
  • All Will Fall – Kill 1000 enemies
  • Dangerous Skies – Free all of the Dragons
  • Like oil and water – Complete all of Brok and Sindri’s Favors
  • Curator – Collect all of the Artifacts
  • All Father Blinded – Kill all of Odin’s Ravens
  • The Best Moves – Fully upgrade a Runic Attack
  • Worthy – Fully upgrade the Leviathan Axe
  • Why Fight It? – Fully upgrade the Blade of Chaos
  • Path of the Zealot – Obtain Traveler Armor Set
  • Primordial – Obtain Ancient armor Set
  • Unfinished business – Assist all of the wayward spirits
  • treasure Hunter – Use treasure maps to find all of the dig spots
  • The Truth – Read all of the Jötnar shrines
  • Fire and Brimstone – Complete all of the Trials Muspelheim
  • Darkness and Fog – Retrieve all treasure from Workshop’s center chamber
  • Chooser of the Slain – Defeat the Nine Valkyries

Will you be going for the God of War PS4 Platinum Trophy? Let us know!

Source: Pure PlayStation

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James Fleming

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Forza Horizon 4 Will Be at E3 2018

While racing fans might have had their fill of Forza in last year’s Forza Motorsport 7, that isn’t stopping Microsoft from unveiling Forza Horizon 4 at this year’s E3 2018!

Fernanda Delgado, head of xbox Spain and Portugal confirmed this little nugget in an interview.

“There have been many speculations about where the next Forza Horizon will be and that is what we will tell later at E3”

Unfortunately, that’s all Delgado revealed. Specific game details, footage and a release date, should be announced at E3 2018 during Microsoft’s keynote press event, which seems to be logical given the franchise’s alternating release schedule with the Forza Motorsport series which saw its seventh entry last year.

Forza Horizon 3 was released back in 2016, and was developed by Playground Games. It’s assumed that Forza Horizon 4 is once again in development at Playground Games, and will continue the franchise’s open world racing formula.

What do you want to see in Forza Horizon 4? What should Playground Games change from the previous entries of the franchise?

Source: GameReactor via DSOGaming

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Alex Co

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Destiny 2 DLC 2 Release Date Announced, Officially Called “Warmind”

Remember when we posted a leaked GameStop listing that named the Destiny 2 DLC 2 title as the “Fallen Warmind?” Well, it seems that was close! In a new blog post on the official Bungie site, the studio has announced the Destiny 2 DLC 2 release date for May 8, and it’ll be called “Warmind.”

More details will be revealed during a reveal stream on Twitch this April 24. According to Bungie, Warmind will send players to “new places” to meet new heroes and battle new enemies.” There’s also going to be new loot, and new activities as well.

In addition to that, all of the Crucible maps being developed for Warmind will available to every Destiny 2 player, which will coincide with Destiny 2 Season Three!

Season Three marks the beginning of a new plan for how we deliver Crucible content. For every player of Destiny 2, we’ll be releasing all of the new Crucible Maps being developed for Warmind into matchmaking. The same goes for the maps we released with Curse of Osiris. To keep the community in the Crucible unified, everyone will see new arenas in matchmade playlists like Quickplay, Competitive, Trials of the Nine, Iron Banner, as well as the new weekly rotators that include Rumble and Mayhem. That means more opponents for everyone. With the arrival of Private Matches, players will need to purchase each Expansion to have exclusive access to play those Crucible maps with other players in a private match. This plan goes into effect on May 8 with the beginning of Season Three.

Check out Bungie’s latest blog post to see the upcoming development changes planned for Destiny 2. Once we know more details regarding Warmind, we’ll be sure to let our readers know.

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Alex Co

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Ghost Recon Wildlands Splinter Cell Mission Has a Metal Gear Reference

Just yesterday, Ubisoft rolled out a Ghost Recon Wildlands Splinter Cell mission called “Special Operation I.” While it’s not a full-fledged single-player mode where Sam Fisher is available, that hasn’t stopped the developers from doing something cool.

Just what it is? Well, it’s none other than a nice little nod to Sam Fisher’s “rival,” Solid Snake from Konami’s Metal Gear franchise. Check out a snippet of Fisher referencing someone “in a bandana” in the clip below, and how he’s the “only one left.”

Given Konami’s messy breakup with Metal Gear franchise creator and game director Hideo Kojima, Solid Snake might make an appearance in future Metal Gear games, but we all know it’ll never be the same. For all intents and purposes, Metal Gear and Solid Snake’s adventures are done, and this is Ubisoft’s awesome way of referencing it.

Does this Splinter Cell mission hint at a future standalone game announcement? I’m certainly hoping we’ll hear one at this year’s E3.

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Alex Co

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

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Call of Duty: WWII Hotfix Update Rolled Out, Fixes a Few Things

While the big Call of Duty: WWII patch rolled out yesterday overhauled the Divisions system, it seems there’s still a few bugs left to fix. Sledgehammer Games has rolled out a new COD WW2 hotfix update today, and it doesn’t add anything new, though it does fix a few bugs that people might have found irksome.

Hot Fix Update April 11
byu/SHG_Hammer inWWII

In case you can’t see the Reddit post, here’s the fixes outlined by Sledgehammer:

  • Fixed issue where Gun Game and Prop Hunt were not awarding XP as intended
  • Fixed issue where “Recent” and “Trending” tabs were not showing up in Emblem Gallery
  • Fixed issue where “Patterns” tab was not showing up in Emblem Editor or Craft Paintjobs
  • Fixed issue in the Firing Range where ammo was not refunding for LMGs with Bi-Pod activated

Got that? Good. We’ll have a proper assessment of the whole Division overhaul thing once we’ve gotten our hands on it significantly.

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Alex Co

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

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Report: Dell Spokesperson Encourages PUBG Players to Run “Plugins to Win More at Chicken Dinner”

Dell has allegedly been promoting cheating in PUBG to help showcase how powerful its new laptops are. The latest range of Dell laptops can apparently run more “PUBG plugins” which allow users to get the leg up on the competition.

A PCPowerPlay writer reportedly heard a spokesperson boasting about how amazing the laptops were for running the plugins, while demonstrating the hacks onscreen.

She spoke of how Chinese gamers are the most innovative and dominant in the world by using “plugins” to, for example, run faster than other players, or blow up ten cars at a time, and that these top gamers can really use 8th-Gen power to “run more plugins to win more at Chicken Dinner”, and that the top players run the most ‘plugins’ so that’s where 8th-gen Dell power gives them the gamer’s edge. Behind her a video proudly shows various cheats in PUBG in action (they really like the one with the massively oversized gun and show that a lot), with the new Dell gaming laptops shown every few seconds while Sally told us that gamers should buy a Dell because they’re better at running many plugins. Wow.

Dell Australia has now responded with the following:

Dell is fully committed to supporting fair play in online gaming. We do not encourage nor endorse any behavior that undermines fair gaming practices. Dell has a strong track record in partnering with gaming teams, aiming at providing world-class gamers with the ultimate experience. In an attempt to communicate the power of the new Dell G Series, inappropriate modification examples were used in Dell’s product launch event in China last week. This does not reflect our global gaming culture or strategy. We condemn any modifications misused in gaming.

What do you make of all this? Let us know in the comments below.

In other PUBG news, the new Savage map was recently tested on the Closed Experimental Server, an argument as to whether PUBG is pay to win has been brought up again, and it’s been found that 30% of all PC gamers are playing battle royale titles.

Source: PCPowerPlay

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PUBG Malware Discovered: Ransomware Forces You to Play PUBG

A new type PUBG malware has been discovered, which forces players to open up PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds and play for an hour. Ransomware is usually used to lock down a user’s files until they pay a certain of money, but this PUBG malware only asks that the game is played.

The PUBG malware message reads:

Your files is encrypted by PUBG Ransomware! But don’t worry! It is not hard to unlock it. I don’t want money! Just play PUBG 1Hours!

It isn’t clear if this PUBG ransomware is supposed to be a kind of joke, as it’s very simple to remove, according to experts anyway! We’d recommend being careful of what you’re downloading from the internet, as always!

In other PUBG news, the new Savage map was recently tested on the Closed Experimental Server, an argument as to whether PUBG is pay to win has been brought up again, and it’s been found that 30% of all PC gamers are playing battle royale titles.

Source: Kotaku

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James Fleming

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Xbox Deals With Gold: Burnout Paradise Remastered, Halo Wars 2 & More

A new selection of Xbox Deals With Gold are now live and running through April 16. Big discounts are available on both Xbox One and Xbox 360 games.

Take a look at the full list of deals below:

Xbox One Deals With Gold

*These offers are only valid for Xbox Live Gold members.

Please note: prices and availability are subject to change and may vary by region.

Xbox 360 Deals With Gold

*These offers are only valid for Xbox Live Gold members.

Please note: prices and availability are subject to change and may vary by region.

Will you be picking up any of this week’s Xbox Deals With Gold? Let us know.

Source: Major Nelson

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Fortnite 3.5.0 Update (1.5.4) Now Live: Adds Replay Mode, Port-a-Fort & More

The Fortnite 3.5.0 update is now live, ready for players across all platforms to download and install. Any downtime has passed, meaning the new content can now be fully explored. There’s a new Replay Mode, Port-a-Fort item, and lots more. (Note: PS4 owners may see the update as: Fortnite 1.54 Update.)

Read below for the full list of Fortnite 3.5.0 update patch notes for Battle Royale.

Fortnite 3.5.0 Update Patch Notes Battle Royale

REPLAY SYSTEM

  • Save your matches and watch them from any angle!
  • Speed up or slow down the action.
  • Help tell your story better with player outlines and name plates.
  • Several Camera Modes to choose from:
    • Third Person
      • Follows and orbits around the selected player.
      • 3 different follow modes; Off, Auto, Lazy.
    • Drone Follow
      • Drone style camera that always keeps the selected player in frame.
    • Drone Attach
      • Drone style camera that is loosely attached to the selected player.
    • Drone Free
      • Drone style camera that is free to fly around the island.
    • Gameplay
      • This camera shows what the selected player saw during gameplay.
    • Adjust cinematic camera settings
      • Exposure
      • Aperture
      • Focal Length
      • Focus Distance
    • Currently available on PC and console only.

WEAPONS + ITEMS

  • Port-a-Fort added.
    • Epic rarity.
    • Drops in stacks of 1. Can stack up to 5 in inventory.
    • When the Port-a-Fort is thrown, a pre-made fort is constructed instantly at the impact point.
      • The Port-a-Fort is made out of metal and is three stories tall.
      • The bottom floor is 1×1 with a door for entry. Tires inside allow for easy access to the roof.
  • Decreased Guided Missile maximum turn rate by 75%.
  • Reduced Guided Missile movement speed by 15%.
  • Added a short equip time to many weapons (particularly, those with a slower rate of fire).
    • This will reduce the effectiveness of quickly switching between weapons for high burst-damage.
    • Removed the reloading animation on the Pump Shotgun.
    • Weapons affected are:
      • Rocket Launcher
      • Hand Cannon
      • Revolver
      • Tactical Shotgun
      • Pump Shotgun
      • Heavy Shotgun
      • Bolt-Action Sniper Rifle
      • Hunting Rifle
      • Crossbow
  • Adjusted item availability in Vending Machines.
    • Reduced chance of Chug Jug by 50%.
    • Increased chance of Medium Ammo weapons in Rare Vending Machine by 100%.
    • Reduced chance of Explosive Ammo weapons in Rare Vending Machine by 50%.
    • Reduced chance of Explosive Ammo weapons in Epic Vending Machine by 25%.
    • Increased chance of Heavy Ammo weapons in Epic Vending Machine by 25%.
    • Reduced chance of Explosive Ammo weapons in Legendary Vending Machine by 25%.
    • Increased chance of Heavy Ammo weapons in Legendary Vending Machine by 25%.
  • Reduced drop rate of Remote Explosives in floor loot by roughly 33%.
  • Updated Medium Ammo inventory icon to make it more easily identifiable.

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed weapons floating in the air under certain network conditions after quickly switching between items.
  • Guided Missile weapon fixes:
    • Eliminating a downed player with a Guided Missile no longer reports as a self elimination.
    • Picking up an item at the same time as firing a Guided Missile will no longer cause the picked up item to disappear.
    • Firing a Guided Missile prior to the victory screen displaying will no longer prevent the player from returning to the lobby.
    • Players will now correctly spectate the player that eliminated them instead of spectating their own active missile.
    • While spectating a player that fires a missile, you will now follow the missile instead of the player.
    • Fixed an issue that caused the player to spectate a floating Guided Missile weapon on the starting island if they were eliminated by a missile during the match.
    • Fixed an issue preventing the player from firing a guided missile while riding a guided missile.
    • Fixed an issue causing the player’s name plate to display over the guided missile while controlling it.
  • Fixed an issue where the Rare Scoped Assault Rifle was incorrectly giving an Epic version in Vending Machines.
  • Fixed an issue causing the Loot Llama to be empty in Limited Time Modes.

GAMEPLAY

  • Limited Time Mode: 50V50 v2
    • Two teams of 50 fight to the finish!
      • Due to this being a “large squad” mode, Profile Stats will not be tracked. Daily & Weekly challenges will still work, with the exception of the Squad-based challenges (‘Place Top 6 in Squads’, etc.).
    • Storm & Map
      • Each team has a bus, approaching the island from opposite directions. On the map, the friendly bus has a blue outline, enemy has red.
      • Final storm circle visible on minimap at start.
      • Players have 10 minutes to loot the map as the storm closes in on the circle, then 5 minutes to fight, and another 5 minutes as the storm shrinks to the end.
      • Supply drops come in batches of 3-6, fall every two minutes, and only land in the final storm circle.
      • Added dotted line to map, which indicates the “battle lines” between the two teams. Crossing the line will make running into enemies more likely.
    • Loot
      • Farming resources increased 75% over default.
      • Increased floor loot spawn likelihood by 15%.
      • Floor Loot spawns double ammo.
      • Ammo boxes spawn triple ammo.
      • Chests spawn double ammo & consumables.
      • Supply drops spawn double ammo, and an extra consumable, resource drop and trap.
    • Bug Fixes + Mode Improvements
      • Fixed a bug that created uneven teams where one side could have more than 50 players.
      • Downed players lose health more quickly than normal (10 health per tick).
  • New ‘Builder Pro’ controller configuration
    • This configuration is similar to “Combat Pro”, but optimized for fast placement of building pieces.
    • Wall, floor, stairs, and roof have designated buttons on controllers.
    • The first button press will switch to the mapped building piece, then every press after will place that piece.
    • To switch between materials or traps, press the Left D-Pad button.
  • New Squad Comms wheel
    • This allows you to communicate quickly without voice.
    • The following callouts are currently available:
      Enemy Spotted, Need Meds, Need Shields, Need Materials, Need Weapon (context-sensitive), and Need Ammo (context-sensitive).
    • Defaults to ‘V’ key, Right D-Pad on controller, or in the Emote menu on Mobile.
  • The Loot Llama can now be opened through destruction as well as an interaction.
  • Added a blue tint to friendly traps to help distinguish them from enemy traps.

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed an issue preventing players from editing their own structures.
  • Supply Drop fixes:
    • Fixed an issue preventing players from opening supply drops in rare cases.
    • Fixed an issue causing supply drops to jitter as they fall if a player destroys the object that it landed on.
    • Fixed an issue causing supply drop loot to spawn in the air after the drop had been shot down.
    • Fixed an issue causing players to be pushed under the map if they stood under a falling supply drop.
    • Fixed an issue causing players to launch out of the map after landing on a supply drop.
  • Fixed an issue where building would be blocked for 3 seconds at a time under poor network conditions.
  • Fixed an issue causing controllers to vibrate during the skydiving phase when vending machines loaded into the world.
  • Fixed an issue that would hide structure health bars when the player aimed their weapon.
  • Fixed toggling aim down sights not returning to its previous state after reloading.
  • Fixed an issue where poor network conditions could prevent buildings from streaming in.
  • Fixed an issue where you could not select the same Banner Icon and color combination in Battle Royale that you have in Save the World.

AUDIO

  • Added unique equip/reload sounds for the following weapons (all others remain the same):
    • Epic/Legendary Assault Rifle
    • Heavy Shotgun
    • Pump Shotgun
    • Bolt-Action Sniper
    • Hunting Rifle
  • Added more variation to the Tactical SMG fire sound.
  • Added more variation to the medium-range Epic/Legendary Assault Rifle fire sound.

Bug Fixes

  • Remove the second “insert magazine” sound during the grenade launcher reload animation.

UI

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed the controller button label for Toggle Map not shown after being eliminated.
  • Fixed a bug in the Locker that made skydive previews appear without the correct animation.
  • Fixed text on the minimap that was too small.
  • Fixed the map marker not retaining its location when zooming in and out.
  • Fixed an issue with map markers not pinning at your cursor when placing them while zoomed in.
  • The controller analog stick can now be used to scroll the map while zoomed in.
  • Fixed an issue causing the eliminated player count displaying as zero when spectating a Guided Missile.

ART + ANIMATION

  • Tweaked the object pop in animation so objects ease in rather than pop in.

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed inconsistent Battle Bus position changes that could occur every few seconds.
  • Fixed the Rock Paper Scissors emote so that it replicates properly in the lobby.
  • Fixed the Rainbow Smash and Candy Axe harvesting tools not always activating.
  • Fixed the Guided Missile firing animation so that it plays properly while spectating the player that is firing the weapon.
  • Reduced the size of Mushrooms that were too large.

PERFORMANCE

  • Major optimizations + improvements made to console load times and CPU performance.
    • We’ve made some data layout optimizations in order to improve load times and performance. Load times reduced by 25-30 seconds as a result of these changes on Xbox One and around 10 seconds on PS4. On both platforms, we expect to see fewer issues with geometry or cosmetics failing to load in time, and FPS drops during skydiving. The Xbox One download will be larger than normal in this release as a result of these optimizations. We’re working to minimize the impact of this type of optimization in future releases. – Developer Comment
  • Reduced download and patch size for players who just have access to Battle Royale (PC only).
  • Fixed various issues causing the game to freeze up/hitch while loading assets, especially on console. These assets are now preloaded before the game starts.
  • Optimized servers to reduce network lag when firing weapons and taking damage.

MOBILE

  • Audio indicator no longer shows silenced weapons, crouched footsteps or ally pickaxes.
  • Multiple graphical improvements were made to the skybox, vegetation and anti-aliasing.

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed an issue that caused input to continue when no longer touching the screen.
  • Fixed an issue where the message about jailbroken devices being unsupported wasn’t being shown
    • Attempting to play using a jailbroken device will result in being kicked.
  • Fixed various interacting actions, including:
    • Icons not showing properly on lower-end devices
    • Supply Drops not being able to be opened.
    • Doors not consistently opening and closing.
    • The Map not being able to be zoomed & panned.
    • Instances where accidental button presses would occur.
  • Fixed an issue causing Revolver and Grenade Launcher ammo to float outside the gun.

Fortnite Save the World 3.5.0 update patch notes are fully detailed here.

In other Fortnite news, the game’s April Fool’s Day event was subtle yet fun, there’s a Boogie Down contest that rewards players with their own custom in-game emote, and Epic Games is considering adding a Gun Game mode.

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Report: PS5 Unlikely to Release Earlier Than 2020

Just last week, the first reported details of the PS5 has seemingly surfaced, which, while not revealing much, mentioned that there’s a chance the next-gen console might be released before the year’s done.

Given hardware makers generally want to have some sort of time to market their products before releasing them into the wild, the chances of this happening seem very unlikely. Well, in case you needed more convincing that the PS5 won’t be out in 2018, here’s Kotaku to douse any flames of hope.

According to the report, most developers haven’t even been briefed at the existence of the PS5, which includes some employees at Sony’s (unnamed) first-party studios. There are two unnamed people who mentioned they were directly familiar with Sony’s plans for its next-gen console, but commented that it’s unlikely to be out in 2019, let alone this year. Having said that, they did comment that plans are always shifting, and that a surprise move (like a next-gen reveal) by a rival like Microsoft could trigger a change in Sony’s plans.

Here’s a few excerpts from the report:

Over the past month, I’ve spoken to dozens of game developers, across a variety of disciplines and studios, about the next generation of consoles. Of those, two people said they were directly familiar with plans for Sony’s new console. Those two people both told me that the next PlayStation is unlikely to release in 2019, let alone 2018, although they were careful to be clear that these plans are always shifting. “On a multi-year project, a lot can happen to shift schedules both forward and backward,” one person said. “At some point, Sony’s probably looked at every possible date. It’s all about what they think is the best sweet spot in terms of hardware.” A surprise move by Microsoft or another competitor, for example, could trigger a change in plans.

Most of the developers I spoke to, via phone and email and text, said they had not heard anything about plans for a new PlayStation. Even employees at Sony’s first-party studios said they have not yet been briefed on the existence of a PlayStation 5. People across all the disciplines (design, art, engineering, etc.) at major studios working on games scheduled for 2019 and beyond have told me that if there is information about the PS5 at their companies, they haven’t heard about it. (Those people said they haven’t heard about a new Xbox, either.)

The tl;dr version? Don’t expect the PS5 anytime this year. If I had to hazard a guess, we’ll hear about the first PS5 details in 2019, with the console getting released sometime in 2020.

When do you think the PS5 will be available? Would you be surprised if it was announced next year?

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Alex Co

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DICE: Star Wars Battlefront II Game Updates to Arrive Much Faster Moving Forward

In case you didn’t know, DICE rolled out a big Star Wars Battlefront II update that changed the game’s progression system a few weeks ago. If you liked that, prepare for more!

Over on Twitter, DICE developer Ben Walke mentioned that DICE is “blowing up the dam” when it comes to the frequency of game updates now that the progression patch is already out.

One of the key things moving forward is going to be the speed that updates arrive. The drought is over, we’re blowing up the dam. Let’s not ignore the first few months, but we’re operating in a different way now the progression update is out.

Hopefully, other much-needed changes are made, and this time, we don’t have to wait too long.

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Alex Co

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

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PSN Store Sale for the Week Is Not Really a Sale at All

While there’s technically a PSN Store sale happening this week, it’s not really a sale that gamers are used to. called the “Rockstar Sale,” the PlayStation Store sale today rolled out a host of games published by Rockstar Games, and yeah, they’re just the same price as they were before.

If you were hoping to get Grand Theft Auto V at a lower price, sadly, that’s not happening. It’s still $29.99, which it has been for quite some time now. Here’s the full list, but remember: I warned you.

Game Price % Off
Bully $8.99 40%
Grand Theft Auto Online Megalodon Shark Cash Card $84.99 15%
Grand Theft Auto V $29.99 50%
Grand Theft Auto V & Great White Shark Cash Card Bundle $49.39 35%
Grand Theft Auto V and Criminal Enterprise Starter Pack Bundle $59.49 30%
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas $8.99 40%
Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy $17.49 50%
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City $8.99 40%
Grand Theft Auto®III $8.99 40%
GTAV, Starter Pack & Megalodon Shark Card Bundle $100.49 33%
GTAV, Starter Pack & Whale Shark Card Bundle $89.99 25%
GTAV, Starter Pack and Great White Shark Card Bundle $69.99 30%
L.A. Noire $29.99 25%
Manhunt $8.99 40%
Max Payne $8.99 40%
Red Dead Revolver $8.99 40%
The Warriors $8.99 40%

Not a lot of discounted stuff, no? Well, at least you’ll be able to not add any game to your backlog for a week, right? If a flash sale happens this Friday, we’ll be sure to let our readers know.

Source: Reddit

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Alex Co

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

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Fortnite Gun Game Limited Time Mode Is “On the List”

It looks like Fortnite Gun Game will be featured as one of the upcoming limited time modes. According to a verified Epic Games developer posting on Reddit, a “progressive weapon loadout” limited time mode is “on the list.”

It’s totally on the list to try a progressive weapon load out LTM at some point. Would probably bring in the storm early to keep everyone together, flip on respawns so the game reliably ends when someone makes it through the weapon ladder.

What do you guys think, gold scar down to pistols, or weaker weapons up to strong? I think an argument could be made for either way being interesting…

Would you play a Fortnite Gun Game limited time mode? Let us know in the comments below.

In other Fortnite news, the game’s April Fool’s Day event was subtle yet fun, there’s a Boogie Down contest that rewards players with their own custom in-game emote, and a new Battle Royale vending machine item has been spotted.

Source: Reddit

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PUBG Xbox Update 12 Patch Notes Detailed, New Loot Box Added

The PUBG Xbox Update 12 patch notes have been detailed ahead of it being set live. The patch is set to roll out today, implementing further optimizations to the vehicle system, adding a new loot box and cosmetic items, and more.

Here are the PUBG Xbox Update 12 patch notes for you to read ahead of the launch.

PUBG Xbox Update 12 Patch Notes:

Optimization and Stabilization

Partially optimized the vehicle system. The dust effect caused by friction with the ground during driving has especially been optimized, and the vehicle system has been improved in part.

Fixed a problem with voice chat that caused some crashes.

Grass objects in Erangel have been optimized and will continue to be optimized going forward.

Gameplay

Fixed a serious bug that caused vehicles to flip or get airtime for no reason. This includes the three-wheel bike.

Fixed an issue where under certain circumstances the character would be upside down or seated in a strange position when moving seats while riding in vehicles.

Player will receive more damage in a vehicle collision. The heavier the vehicle, the greater the damage inflicted upon the player. Also, players are now more likely to die or be knocked out when colliding with a vehicle running at high speed.

The vehicle passenger will receive more damage when the vehicle crashes into an obstacle like a wall or tree. When crashing into something at high speed on a smaller vehicle, such as a motorcycle, the player will take much more damage.

Fixed issue causing the 4x scope to be excessively reflective.

UI/UX

Fixed issue causing certain UI layouts not being properly aligned.

Fixed issue of buttons bound to the UI(map, inventory etc.) affecting vehicle operation.

Fixed issue of equipment icons not shown properly on the HUD.

Fixed issue of LT, RT scrolling not working in the inventory when using controller preset B.

Fixed issue of excessive acceleration when the stick is tilted more than a certain angle depending on the R stick acceleration setting.

Fixed issue of team member indicators incorrectly showing on the plane

Other Bug Fixes

Removed collision of discarded magazine on the floor after reloading.

Fixed a cosmetic bug that occurred when characters wore certain clothing or shoes.

Fixed issue of fonts breaking up in case of certain languages.

Scheduled fixes for identified issues

When changing the deadzone settings in the lobby, the options screen needs to be opened once again for the settings to be reflected. This issue will be fixed soon.

Cosmetics

Added a new free crate (“Western Military Crate”) that can be earned with BP.

In other PUBG news, the new Savage map was recently tested on the Closed Experimental Server, an argument as to whether PUBG is pay to win has been brought up again, and it’s been found that 30% of all PC gamers are playing battle royale titles.

Source: PlayBattlegrounds

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Fortnite Port-a-Fort Item Gives Players Instant Cover

The Fortnite Port-a-Fort item is coming soon to the Battle Royale experience. Appearing on the in-game menu, the Port-a-Fort is a “portable fort [that] sprouts a quick defensive position upon impact.”

If you’re a bit slow when it comes to building walls as a defensive tactic, the Port-a-Fort item should make the whole thing a lot easier. I think this item will be a favorite for newcomers, until they get used to quickly throwing down four walls around them. Veterans will likely find it a bit useless, but fun to experiment with.

As for the Fortnite Port-a-Fort release date, players should expect to see the new item added to the game by the end of the week, if Epic Games follows the usual trend.

In other Fortnite news, the game’s April Fool’s Day event was subtle yet fun, there’s a Boogie Down contest that rewards players with their own custom in-game emote, and a new Battle Royale vending machine item has been spotted.

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James Fleming

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Call of Duty: WWII Update 1.13 Now Out, Brings the Division Overhaul and More

Just as we reported last week, the big Call of Duty: WWII update that overhauls the Division, adds unlimited sprint and more is now live! COD WW2 update 1.13 also adds The War Machine content, and a bunch of fixes and tweaks.

Enough chit-chat from me! Check out the patch notes below.

FEATURE UPDATES

  • Call of Duty: WWII DLC Pack 2: The War Machine now live on PS4 with 3 new maps (Egypt, Dunkirk, V2), War Mode: Operation Husky, and Nazi Zombies: The Shadowed Throne
  • Paintshop
  • Divisions Overhaul Changes
  • New Themed HQ
  • Emblem Gallery – Recent and Trending tabs

MULTIPLAYER

Connectivity/Spawns/Performance/Split Screen/Mechanics

  • Pushed out Phase 1 of “Memory Error” fix
  • Fixed crash and functionality loss issues in Public Match menu
  • Fixed issue where map voting would occasionally show two of the same options
  • Fixed issue where Afterlife and Return to Sender medals were being incorrectly awarded
  • Fixed issue where splitscreen players were kicked after receiving their login bonuses
  • Fixed splitscreen issues on Shipment 1944
  • Fixed splitscreen issue in Prop Hunt where Player 2 does not have functionality
  • Fixed performance issues with scrolling rapidly in menus
  • Fixed issue where players were kicked from a lobby when accessing Special Helmets

Maps

  • Fixed loading screen issues for War Mode on Operation Intercept
  • Fixed issue with War Mode on Operation Neptune where trying to start a Custom Match resulted in an error message and crash

UI

  • Various UI fixes and improvements (menus, base weapon text, HUD, icons, subtitles, error messages, splitscreen, Division slots, description text, overlay alignment, AAR, Combat Record, timers, clan tags, Emblem Gallery, Firing Range, inspecting weapons, default Uniforms, Prop Hunt)
  • Fixed issue where “Leave Match” and “Quit to Desktop” buttons in MP were not functioning properly

Audio

  • Fixed audio issues in the HQ Theater

WEAPONS/SCORESTREAKS

  • Various weapon art and animation improvements
  • Fixed issue where STG-44’s appeared with 2 iron sights
  • Fixed issue where players had problems respawning in a match while using the Battle Watch II variant of the M1941
  • Fixed issue where players were not able to shoot Care Packages out of the sky by shooting the parachute

GAMEBATTLES/CoDCASTER/ESPORTS MODE

  • Various UI fixes and improvements for CoDCaster (menus, functionality)
  • Fixed crashing issues for CoDCaster matches
  • Fixed functionality issues with the social tab

ZOMBIES

  • Pushed out Phase 1 of “Memory Error” fix
  • Various UI fixes and improvements (menus, incorrect error messages, subtitles, weapon names, description text, clan tags)
  • Fixed various map exploits on The Darkest Shore
  • Fixed issue where “Leave Match” and “Quit to Desktop” buttons in Zombies were not functioning properly
  • Fixed issue where splitscreen players were freezing after certain easter egg steps on The Darkest Shore

While you can read everything changed in this game update in our previous post, we’ve included the big changes to the Division below just to make it easier for you.

Infantry:

1. Additional Primary Attachment

2. Second Pistol Attachment & swap weapons faster

3. While aiming down sights, have less idle sway

4. Move faster while aiming

Airborne:

1. Fire guns while sprinting & diving

2. Reload while sprinting

3. Climb over obstacles faster & no damage from falling

4. Sprint faster over time

Armored:

1. Take significantly less explosive & fire damage

2. Immune to Shell Shock and Tactical Equipment

3. Increased bullet penetration through surfaces

4. Greatly reduced flinch when shot

Mountain:

1. Invisible to enemy Recon Aircraft & controlled streaks

2. Killed enemy death locations hidden

3. No name or reticle change when enemies aim at you

4. Silent movement

Expeditionary:

1. Double Lethal + Tactical & enhanced equipment use

2. Munitions replenish from killed enemies & over time

3. Improved Tacticals & Easier to destroy War buildables

4. Equipment damage paints enemies on mini-map

Resistance:

1. Mini-map indicator & scrambler of close hostiles

2. Enemy movements are easier to hear

3. Kills & assists grant Intel Ping of nearby enemies

4. Easier to spot targets & increased mini-map coverage

Loadout Selection Changes:

  • LMG Bipod and Sniper Sharpshooter are automatically available when using an LMG or Sniper
  • Remaining Division Skills (weapon class attachments) are selectable in CAC (and no longer given by division)
  • Each Division has a 4th perk and their levels have been adjusted & rebalanced
  • All players have unlimited sprint & sprint speed is slightly slower
  • 3 Primary Attachments for all loadouts
  • One piece of both Lethal & Tactical equipment for all loadouts
  • Launchers can be equipped for all loadouts
  • The Rifle Grenade is an available attachment for all rifles
  • The Suppressor is an available attachment for all pistols
    • The Pistol Suppressor has a 15% range reduction vs. the SMG Suppressor’s 30% range reduction
  • The following Basic Trainings are cut & no longer selectable: Primed & Bang
    • Prestige tokens spent on these are refunded & associated challenges are auto-completed
  • The following Basic Trainings are newly added: Blitzkrieg & Clandestine
    • Blitzkrieg: “Streaks are earned by Kills (instead of Score). Bonus: Streaks are improved & select a 4th Streak.”
    • Clandestine: “Slain enemies drop Intel Packs that reveal nearby hostiles. Bonus: Intel ping at the start of each life.”

Resistance/Infantry Shifts:

  • Moved “Second pistol attachment & swap weapons faster” to Infantry to align with its marksmanship focus
  • Filled gap in Resistance with “Enemy movements are easier to hear” to align with its counter-intelligence focus

As expected, the Paint Shop is also live now, which is another layer of customization that people have been asking for since launch.

Are you jumping back to Call of Duty: WWII to test the changes out? Let us know what you think of ’em in the comments.

Source: Reddit

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Alex Co

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Here’s the PS Store March Top Downloads

In a post on the official PlayStation Blog, Sony has announced the top downloads on the PlayStation Store for March 2018, and it’s one varied list! Same as before, the list includes the top downloads for PS4 games, PS Vita, F2P titles and more.

Here’s the complete PS Store March top downloads:

PS4 Games
1 Far Cry 5
2 MLB The Show 18
3 A Way Out
4 Grand Theft Auto V
5 NBA Live 18: The One Edition
6 Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands
7 Battlefield 1 Revolution
8 Titanfall 2 Standard Edition
9 Monster Hunter: World
10 Gang Beasts

 

PS VR Games
1 Moss
2 Job Simulator
3 PlayStation VR Worlds
4 Driveclub VR
5 Superhot VR
6 Archangel
7 Drunkn Bar Fight
8 Bravo Team
9 Knockout League
10 Statik
Free-to-Play Games
1 Fortnite Battle Royale
2 Don’t Bite Me Bro!
3 Brawlhalla
4 Paladins
5 Pro Evolution Soccer 2018 Lite
6 Warframe
7 America’s Army: Proving Grounds
8 3on3 FreeStyle
9 Blacklight: Retribution
10 Crossout
PS Vita Games
1 Persona 4 Golden
2 God of War: Collection PS Vita
3 Resident Evil Revelations 2
4 Adventures of Mana
5 Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified
6 Minecraft: PlayStation Vita Edition
7 Jak and Daxter Collection
8 Mary Skelter: Nightmares
9 Secret of Mana
10 Muramasa Rebirth Complete Collection
PS4 Themes
1 Monster Hunter: World – Theme
2 Legacy Dashboard Theme
3 80s Synthwave Remix Dynamic Theme
4 Cyberpunk Alley HiQ Dynamic Theme
5 Laser Cats from Space HiQ Dynamic Theme
6 Amazing Aquarium 3D HiQ Dynamic Theme
7 Friday the 13th: The Game Theme
8 BioShock: The Collection Theme
9 Assassin’s Creed Origins – Dynamic Theme
10 Bonfire in the Mountains HiQ Dynamic Theme
PS Classics
1 Bully
2 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
3 The Warriors
4 Metal Slug Anthology
5 Star Ocean Till The End Of Time
6 Psychonauts
7 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
8 Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy
9 Manhunt
10 Max Payne

In other PlayStation news, go read up on the first (alleged) PS5 info that’s currently making the rounds. Don’t forget to check out this month’s free PS Plus titles as well.

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Alex Co

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

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LawBreakers Developer New Game Called “Radical Heights,” Is a F2P Battle Royale Title

With Boss Key Productions officially giving up on LawBreakers, it’s a fair assumption that the studio will have a new game to occupy its time with — and indeed there is! Titled “Radical Heights,” this new Boss Key Productions new game will be free-to-play this time, and it’ll  jump into the super-popular battle royale genre.

Here’s Radical Heights’ official game description straight from its Steam page:

Welcome to RADICAL HEIGHTS, a free *X-TREME Early Access* BATTLE ROYALE shooter. Partake in high-stakes battle royale gunplay in a sunny SoCal dome as contestants drive-by on BMX bikes or stalk other contestants from the shadows in search for weapons and prizes…but also CASH that you can bank – win or lose! Whether you spend that cash on righteous customization in your personal prize room or pull it from an ATM to purchase weapons early in the next game — building a wealth of cash is as important as taking down the competition in this irreverent 80s-themed action game show where everyone wants to be rich and famous!

Radical Heights will be available via Steam Early Access April 10 (tomorrow).

Anyone interested in trying this out? Do you think Radical Heights will be able to stand out from the other battle royale games already out in the market? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

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Alex Co

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

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