While LeBron James might be one of the best basketball players of all-time, another feather the NBA legend can put in his cap is how in the coming NBA season, he will be the first player in league history to play alongside his son on the same floor. It seems the father and son duo are not stopping there, as they’re now aiming to be in Call of Duty as well.
Over on Twitter, LeBron mentioned how his son Bronny wants to have his own operator skin in Call of Duty, and even tagged the official Activision and Call of Duty Twitter accounts to “talk” to him:
Not one to bypass a chance for more promotion, the official Call of Duty account replied that they want to talk to, and how the first father-son duo NBA history could be the first one in Call of Duty history as well.
Needless to say, not only is LeBron influential enough to get his own son drafted by the L.A. Lakers, but seems to have enough clout to get him into Call of Duty even. Chances are, Activision will integrate LeBron and Bronny as operator skins for the soon-to-be released Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, which should also be available to use in Call of Duty: Warzone.
Will We See LeBron and Bronny in Call of Duty?
Will this happen? Given LeBron is interested, Activision is also interested, I’d say yes. Once the legalities and money is out of the way, there’s no stopping LeBron and his son from appearing in Call of Duty. They will probably be part of a cosmetic bundle to be sold, which means players have the choice of not buying it at all if they don’t want to.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will be released this October 25 on the PS4, Xbox One, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Will we see LeBron and Bronny’s operator skins drop soon after? Once we get more news about that, we’ll let our readers know.
For those who own Metaphor: ReFantazio on the PS5 but decided to play the PS4 due to its much smoother performance, there is some good news if you eventually plan on playing on the PS5 should it ever get improved. Saves are transferrable, despite SEGA saying there’s no support.
Metaphor: ReFantazio PS4 and PS5 Does Have Cross-Save Support
When SEGA and ATLUS dropped the Metaphor: ReFantazio demo last month, they also released a short FAQ (frequently asked questions) detailing what players can transfer from the demo into the final game. At the same time, they confirmed that only the Xbox and Windows PC versions of the game would support cross-save, leaving out support for the PS4 and PS5 versions.
“You can carry over your demo save data to your main game. Once you launch the main game, you will be asked if you want to carry over the save file. The game supports cross-save between Xbox and Microsoft Store on PC. Unfortunately, there is no cross-save compatibility between PS4 and PS5. In addition, it is not possible to continue the Demo PS4 save on Main game PS5; vice versa.”
The last sentence at the end confirms that it wasn’t strictly speaking about the demo but the game itself. Despite this coming directly from the publisher, it turns out it’s not true.
On both PS4 and PS5 (and we assume other shared family platforms), once saving becomes available, you’ll gain access to a single save slot called “Network Data.” Saving in this slot will upload your game save to the cloud and become accessible on either platform, meaning you can transfer your PS4 game save over to the PS5 and vice-versa. I know because I tested it myself, moving my Metaphor: ReFantazio save from the PS4 version to the PS5 and then moving it from the PS5 back to the PS4 using the Network Data save slot.
The only thing is that, unfortunately, any achievements earned on one platform won’t automatically be unlocked on the other platform. You have to re-earn trophies. You also can only do one save at a time, meaning if you want to transfer all your save slots, you have to upload, download, then save in a different slot on one platform, then go back on the other platform and upload the next save, and then download again and save in another slot.
One question some may be wondering: why would you play the PS4 version over the PS5 version? Well, as seen on some past cross-gen titles (such as Elden Ring), the PS4 version of a game can perform better than the PS5 version, though at the cost of worse visuals. The PS5 version of Metaphor does indeed suffer from performance issues, as noted by Digital Foundry in their breakdown with the game seeing dips as low as 40 fps. I noticed this myself and played through the PS4 version (via backward compatibility on the PS5), and honestly, I can’t say I saw any noticeable dips. It felt like a closer 60 fps experience than the PS5 version did, so for those looking for a stable performance, that option is there.
At least until ATLUS and SEGA improve on it. When they do, you’ll be able to transfer your save via the method above.
Of course, there are those who haven’t upgraded to a PS5 and may be doing so when the PS5 Pro drops. If they own the game and are playing it already on the PS4, they can use the Network Data save slot and continue their journey on the PS5 when they get one.
It’s a bizarre thing for SEGA and ATLUS, not to mention Network Data in their FAQ as a means to transfer a save between platforms, though I do suppose it’s not quite as convenient as the native support we’ve seen in other games.
A gamer at heart, James has been working for MP1st for the last decade to do exactly what he loves, writing about video games and having fun doing it. Growing up in the 90's gaming has been in his DNA since the days of NES. One day he hopes to develop his own game.
After remastering the first three Tomb Raider games, Aspyr and Crystal Dynamics are back and remastering three more games! That’s right—the Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered collection has been announced, and it’ll be arriving early next year!
Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered Collection Brings Back the Classics With Updated Features
Though they were never officially referred to as numbered entries like the first three Tomb Raider games, the Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered Collection will consist of the three following mainline Tomb Raider games that were published under Eidos Interactive. They are:
TombRaider: The Last Revelation (1999)
Lara Croft uncovers the lost tomb of the Egyptian God Set, unwittingly unleashing him and fulfilling an ancient prophecy—one that plunges mankind into darkness. Pursued at every turn by her arch-rival, the unscrupulous archaeologist Werner Von Croy, Lara embarks on a journey of discovery across Egypt, where she must overcome the most ingenious puzzles and infernal traps ever devised while facing terrifying evil from beyond the grave.
TombRaider: Chronicles (2000)
Following the events of The Last Revelation, Lara Croft is buried in an Egyptian tomb and presumed dead. At her memorial, those closest to her reminisce about secrets from her past. Travel back and experience Lara’s untold adventures, introducing new gameplay mechanics like stealth and tightrope balancing!
TombRaider: The Angel of Darkness (2003)
Accused of murder, Lara becomes a fugitive on the run, uncovering a sinister conspiracy involving alchemical experiments and the search for ancient artifacts. It’s up to Lara to stop this unholy alliance from unleashing its incredible powers on the world.
Much like the first remastered collection, Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered will feature several improvements over the original releases, the most obvious being the visual upgrade and modern controls. Photomode is also coming back, along with some quality-of-life improvements and support for trophies and achievements.
A fantastic announcement, and personally, I cannot wait to revisit The Angle of Darkness and the other two Tomb Raiders. Speaking of wait, it won’t be long as Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered will officially be released on February 14, 2025, on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.
A gamer at heart, James has been working for MP1st for the last decade to do exactly what he loves, writing about video games and having fun doing it. Growing up in the 90's gaming has been in his DNA since the days of NES. One day he hopes to develop his own game.
The PlayStation 5 Pro has now become the best-selling console on Amazon in multiple countries, including the United States. Despite its higher price point of $700, which has been a target of criticism, the console seems to have captured the interest of gamers, with pre-orders rising fast.
Several Amazon listings show the PS5 Pro leading sales charts in countries like the US. The console’s popularity might seem surprising considering the backlash over its price and missing features, such as the vertical stand that isn’t included in the box. However, the improved technical specs, including the ability to run games at a higher resolution and more consistent 60fps, seem to have convinced many buyers.
PS5 Pro currently the best-selling console on Amazon in several countries.
Here are the countries where it is currently the best-selling console:
United States
United Kingdom
Germany
Italy
Japan
France
Spain
Sony officially unveiled the PS5 Pro last month, with lead system architect Mark Cerny highlighting its improvements. The new hardware promises better ray tracing and overall improved performance, allowing games to run at higher resolutions and smoother frame rates. However, the reveal didn’t go as smoothly as expected, with many gamers expressing frustration over the higher price, especially since key accessories like the disc reader and vertical stand are sold separately.
It’s also worth noting that the PS5 Pro ranks as Sony’s third most expensive console ever, even after adjusting for inflation. To make matters worse, Japanese gamers are dealing with an even higher price. The console is priced at 119,980 yen (approximately $847 USD) in Japan, which is far above the $699 USD price tag in the U.S. Given current exchange rates, this should be closer to 100,000 yen, making the extra 20,000 yen (or about $140 USD) feel like an unfair surcharge to Japanese players.
While the PS5 Pro is the best-selling console on Amazon, this doesn’t mean it’s breaking sales records everywhere. The numbers likely depend on how many consoles are in stock. Right now, it’s still available in many countries and hasn’t sold out yet. We’ll have to wait and see if the PS5 Pro keeps leading in sales as its November release gets closer.
It’s safe to say that Grand Theft Auto 6 is one of the most anticipated games in recent years, and with a possible release date set for Fall 2025 (on consoles), almost every gamer is eagerly waiting its launch. While GTA 6 still hasn’t been officially announced for PC, this recent news might lower the excitement for PC players even more.
In a post on X, Obbe Vermeij, a former Rockstar developer and technical director for GTA 4, hinted that GTA 6’s PC version might not be released until 2027. Vermeij further suggested that GTA 6 could sell for “10+ years” and face “no competition to worry about.” He also mentioned that Rockstar won’t release the game until they are “100% happy” with it, adding, “No matter what it said in the trailer.”
This suggests that while the console version might aim for a 2025 release, there could still be delays, as Rockstar has a history of pushing back release dates for their games. Although there’s no official announcement or release date for the PC version, it’s likely that, based on Rockstar’s previous launches, the PC version might come much later, as seen with GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2.
It’s worth noting that Vermeij clarified he doesn’t have any insider information or sources on the release date, explaining that his statements were purely speculative.
Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick did tease about the PC version, stating that Rockstar will make “more announcements in due time,” which basically confirms it’s on the way, though we don’t know when.
Vermeij also noted that Rockstar historically doesn’t rush their games. Talking about the delay of GTA 4, he explained that the decision to move the release date was made just four months before the original date. Vermeij admitted, explaining that the PlayStation 3 version and some missions still needed more time.
Moreover, Rockstar’s approach makes sense considering GTA 5’s success. The game has made over $8.6 billion in revenue since its launch and continues to sell millions of copies to this day. With over 200 million units sold, GTA 5 ranks as the second best-selling game of all time, just behind Minecraft.
Ultimately, Rockstar’s focus on perfection and their lack of competition in the gaming industry means the release timeline remains flexible. Even Take-Two’s CEO, Strauss Zelnick, has stated that the game won’t be rushed, as fans expect nothing short of perfection from this next installment.
Developer Ballistic Moon has released a new patch for Until Dawn this October 12 for both the PS5 and PC. This brings a lot of gameplay-related fixes, and there are also a few known issues that have yet to be fixed. Read on for the complete Until Dawn update 1.005 patch notes.
Until Dawn Update 1.005 Patch Notes for Version 1.05:
Fixes
Fix for Mike sliding around the Sanatorium in Chapter 9
Fix for Chris dropping into place after viewing the Wanted Poster clue in Chapter 1
Performance fixes to address black screens and frame drops
Performance improvements for lower spec PCs & Steam Deck
Touchpad for certain interactions on DualSense wireless controller now enabled by default (if you have already installed the game, reverting controller settings to ‘Default’ will apply this fix)
Fix for AMD FSR’s Frame Generation not working as intended
Fix for VSync setting not working as intended
Fix for Resolution Scale setting issues
Fix for dll error causing Steam Deck to fail on boot
Fix for crash which occurred when booting the game whilst it is still installing on PS5
Fix for transcript scrolling not working via mouse
Fix for a crash that occurs around the shed in Chapter 8
Fix for HDR settings not functioning as intended on PC
Fixes for some frame pacing issues on PS5
Fix for Screen Resolution % resetting to 25 when settings were changed, which resulted in pixelated visuals
Fix for settings not being saved when exiting the game
Fix for UI prompts appearing off-screen when playing in 16:9 aspect ratio
Upgraded to FSR 3.1.1 (Unreal) which fixed some Frame Generation feature issues
Fix for Sam being trapped outside of the Sanatorium in Chapter 9
Fixed stuttering when viewing in-game movies (Butterfly Effect, Sam Bus sequence)
Save/Load fixes to address blockers when hitting Continue to play (fixes progression blockers throughout the whole game. This fix will retroactively fix any previously affected saves, also)
Fix for Dolby Atmos not working as intended
Other miscellaneous fixes
Known Issues/Fixes to come (issues we are aware of, and are actively working on fixes for)
Frame Generation is not fully independent of using an upscaler
Full monitor selection support
Raytracing tweaks
Fixes for potential login issues with the PlayStation Overlay
Fix for anti-virus interfering with the game and the crash reporter
Some people have reported issues with anti-aliasing and DLSS. We will be investigating this with NVIDIA
Temporal Super Resolution is getting an upgrade to fix some of the issues with aliasing on hair and other areasHDR is currently exclusively fullscreen only, and will be changed to support Borderless etc.
Ballistic Moon has said that they are working with their partners at AMD to address any ongoing issues with FSW and Frame Generation. The studio will keep an eye out for player reports in preparation for Until Dawn’s next patch.
Astro Bot is proving to be a huge success in the world of 3D platformers. Team Asobi’s follow-up to the much-loved Astro’s Playroom has become a fan favorite, and the numbers speak for themselves. According to recent reports, Astro Bot has outsold nearly every 3D platformer released in the last ten years, with only Mario games managing to stay ahead.
In a post on X/Twitter, Christopher Dring of GamesIndustry.biz highlighted the game’s impressive performance. “Astro Bot has done better than basically every new 3D platform game in the last 10 years (Mario aside),” Dring stated. He also mentioned that the game’s true success may take years to fully unfold, but its initial impact is clear.
The success of Astro Bot is especially noticeable in Europe. While it didn’t dominate physical sales at launch, its digital sales helped boost its overall performance. The game sold 34% more than Sonic Frontiers and 52% more than Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time. Even Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, which performed well, was eventually surpassed by Astro Bot, with it selling 7.5% more copies.
However, it’s important to note that games like Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury, which came out in 2021, and more recent titles like Super Mario Bros. Wonder still dominate the 3D platformer space. Despite this, Astro Bot has still managed to outperform other recent AAA platformers.
For Team Asobi, this success shows there’s still plenty of interest in 3D platformers and room for new titles in the genre. For now, Astro Bot players can look forward to more content coming soon, as new free DLC is set to release in Fall 2024. This update will include five new online speedrun levels and 10 new bots to rescue.
Epic Games has released Fortnite patch 31.40 and this brings the Fortnitemares content to the game. For PS5 owners this is update 1.000.051 and as the name suggests, this month’s theme is Halloween. Check out the patch notes down below.
Fortnite Update 31.40 for Version 1.000.151 Patch Notes:
Want to play a game? How about some Battle Royale… during Fortnitemares 2024? This year’s frightening festivities bring the explosive Boom Billy, a rideable chainsaw, the return of Horde Rush, and plenty of Quest rewards like the Jack-o’-Drifter Contrail and Great Scarecrow Glider. Fortnitemares 2024 runs now until the end of Chapter 5 Season 4!
Tricycle Scare
See a trike behind you? Run! Players can now throw a Boom Billy, a mini-Billy the Puppet that’ll lock onto the nearest opponent — which could be you.
It’ll ride a tricycle your way then explode on impact. Outrun it so that it detonates before you’re the next victim!
If you wanna be the one to make Billy go boom, find Boom Billys from the ground and Chests. Or get one from defeating the real Billy the Puppet at Freaky Fields.
Jigsaw’s Challenge
Let’s play a game within a game. Scattered across the Island are Billy the Puppets displayed on TV monitors waiting for passers-by. Approach a monitor and Jigsaw, the man behind the puppets, will challenge you to duel a player who accepts from another monitor.
Both players in Jigsaw’s Challenge will don a Billy-inspired bear mask — which happens to be explosive. If you or your squad don’t eliminate your target in time, the mask will explode and you’ll be eliminated. If you or your squad does eliminate the target, you and your squad will be rewarded with a Boom Billy, the unvaulted Witch Broom, and other loot!
Hack and Go Fast
Enough games. With a Chainsaw, hack your way through enemies… or rev it into the ground to propel yourself forward at frightening speeds! Saw that one coming?
You can pick up a Chainsaw from the ground and Chests. Let ‘er rip!
Unvaulted from the Underworld
It wouldn’t be Fortnitemares without undead armaments. The Wood Stake Shotgun, Pumpkin Launcher, and Witch Broom are back! Fire wooden stakes that sting, launch explosive jack-o’-lanterns, or whisk yourself up in the air and glide back down.
Ready to raise the stakes? Get the Wood Stake Shotgun and Pumpkin Launcher after defeating Ultima Carver at Brawler’s Patch (formerly Brawler’s Battleground). The Witch Broom can be found from the ground, Chests, and Loot Island.
To accommodate the new and unvaulted items, Shuri’s Black Panther Claws have been vaulted.
Sink Your Fangs into Quest Rewards
Earning new items just for getting XP in any Fortnite experience? Sounds too terrifyingly convenient to be true. Fortnitemares XP Quests will unlock over the course of Fortnitemares, and by completing them, you’ll get haunting reminders of Fortnitemares 2024:
Complete 6 Quests: Knight of the Patch Banner Icon
Complete 7 Quests: Jack-o’-Drifter Contrail
Complete 8 Quests: Fiendish Wand Pickaxe
Complete 9 Quests: Cauldron Chill Emote
Complete 10 Quests: Night of the Nitemares Loading Screen
Complete 11 Quests: The Great Scarecrow Glider
Cube Monstrosity: Horde Rush Returns!
The Cube Monsters are back with a vengeance in the returning Horde Rush! This limited-time mode (LTM) challenges your team to travel the map and survive hordes of Cube Monsters. This year’s edition features Mod Benches! Just when you thought you survived all the hordes, the Final Boss will force your strategy to be as multifaceted as a… well, cube.
Rack up your score by earning combos and collecting score multipliers. Horde Rush will be available until Fortnitemares ends and is accessible via Discover!
Ready for a horde hoard of XP? Horde Rush has its own set of Quests that’ll go live sequentially and be available ‘til the end of Fortnitemares! Complete these Quests for XP to help you complete the Fortnitemares XP Quests.
Eerie Outfits
Fortnitemares summons ominous offerings in the Shop. The Billy Outfit already made its debut — now check out some Outfits you can expect during Fortnitemares!
Sally and Pumpkin King
Mephisto
Edward Scissorhands
Disney Villains
She-Venom and Agony
Leatherface
Be in Sync with Your Teammate in the Symbiote Cup!
Like how Agony is charged and dangerous, that’s how you gotta be to make it to the top in the Symbiote Cup! In this Battle Royale Duos tournament on October 22, the top-point earning teams in each region will unlock the She-Venom and Agony Outfits before they hit the Shop October 24 at 8 PM ET.
Competitors can play up to ten matches within their region’s three-hour time window, and the specific event timing for each region can be found in the “Compete” tab in-game. Scoring will follow the format below:
Among other requirements, players must have Two-Factor Authentication enabled and verified on their Epic account and be at Account Level 50 or above to participate. (You can find your Account Level in Fortnite’s “Career” tab.) Players with Cabined Accounts are not eligible to take part in this tournament.
Boom Billys, Pumpkin Launchers, and the Billy and Ultima Carver fights are not included in tournaments.
Brick or Treat in LEGO Fortnite v31.40!
October is here and sinister surprises are ready to jump out in LEGO® Fortnite! Not feeling brave? Don’t forget you can bring a friend to help conquer your fears in split-screen. v31.40 haunts LEGO Fortnite on October 11! 🎃
Trick or treating is always better with a friend by your side! In case you missed it, LEGO Fortnite now supports split-screen on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One.
Here’s a quick guide on how to access split-screen in LEGO Fortnite:
Start Fortnite and go to the LEGO Fortnite Lobby.
Connect the second controller.
Select the second player’s console account. (Note: Guest and Quick Play console accounts are not supported.)
After picking a console account, Fortnite will automatically ask the player to link their Epic account. (If they link their Epic account, they can access their Locker Outfits, Passes, Quests, and other progress.)
After the second player is logged into Fortnite, they will appear in the Lobby.
Hold onto your bricks… Split-screen mode will automatically begin when you start LEGO Fortnite!
Brick or Treat LEGO Pass
Making a ghoulish game room? Maybe a place to rest in pieces? With the Brick or Treat LEGO Pass, unlock in-game rewards to make your creepiest creation dreams come true!
If you’re feeling the chill of inspiration, learn how the Brick or Treat LEGO Pass works:
After selecting the LEGO Fortnite experience in Fortnite, go to the LEGO Pass button in the top navigation.
Here you’ll see the LEGO Pass and a button to view Quests. These Quests are about celebrating the “trick or treat” season in your world! Complete them to earn Studs.
The more Studs you collect, the further you’ll progress in the LEGO Pass! Unlock in-game rewards from the free reward track as you progress. If you want, you can also unlock in-game rewards from the purchasable Premium Reward Track.
You’ll find ten Decor Bundles in the free reward track, as well as The Dump on Old Durrr Drive Build as the final reward. Give it a bit of TLC, and it’ll soon feel like home!
Looking for even more spine-tingling swag? The Premium Reward Track costs 1,400 V-Bucks and has 11 extra rewards you can unlock alongside the free reward track. You don’t need to complete extra Quests to get these rewards, so don’t get scared when you unlock more for doing the same amount of stuff!
Frankie’s Laboratory and the Countess of Repose are just two of the eight Decor Bundles you can unlock in this reward track. There are also three Builds, including The Ruin of Rue Royale as the final reward! It’s haunted… but spacious (sounds like a win 👍).
After upgrading to the Premium Reward Track, you’ll instantly unlock the Andy Fangerson Outfit — he bears his fangs with both a LEGO Style and a Fortnite Style!
Heads-up! The Brick or Treat LEGO Pass will be available to progress in until December 10, 2024, at 2 AM ET. Its free rewards, premium rewards, and Andy Fangerson Outfit reward are not exclusive to the Pass, as you may be able to purchase them in the Fortnite Shop at a later date.
What’s This? It’s Halloween Town!
Open the door to the world of Disney’s The Nightmare Before Christmas with the Halloween Town Hall Bundle, entering the Shop with v31.40! Available for 1,800 V-Bucks, it comes packed with a Build and 3 Decor Bundles:
Halloween Town Hall Build(Available for 1,000 V-Bucks individually)
Halloween Town Library Decor Bundle (Available for 600 V-Bucks individually)
Halloween Town Home Decor Bundle (Available for 500 V-Bucks individually)
Halloween Town Meeting Decor Bundle (Available for 400 V-Bucks individually)
Feels like there’s something else in the wind… The Sally and Pumpkin King Outfits are also in the Shop starting in v31.40! These both have a LEGO Style and a Fortnite Style.
Improvements and Adjustments
Reduced the number of times the Tomato Leader can heal.
Added map markers for NaNa Villages, allowing players to find the villages more easily when they’re in range of one.
Fixed an issue where an enemy’s Crossbow didn’t change color in certain situations.
Learn What’s New in Rocket Racing v31.40!
The checkered flag waves, bringing an end to the Ranked period that began with Inferno Island. But that means a new Ranked period begins now with v31.40! Learn more about what to expect in v31.40 and beyond.
Rank Reset
As a reminder, your starting rank in a new Ranked period is based on your finishing rank in the last Ranked period. This means you may start in Gold, Silver, etc. instead of Bronze if you finished at a high rank in the last Ranked period.
This Ranked period will end with the release of v33.00 — jump into the Ranked Racing playlist and Turbo past your rivals!
Questin’ on the Commute
May your fashion never drift. During this Ranked period, complete Weekly Quests, Ranked Quests, and Speed Run Time Trials Quests rewarding Car items.
Weekly Quests
We said we didn’t want your fashion to drift, but we never said we didn’t want it to fade. For completing six Week 1 Quests, you’ll unlock the Mystic Fade Boost! You’ll also unlock the Grey, Cobalt, Titanium White, and Sky Blue paint colors for it.
Unlock more paint colors as you complete the Week 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 Quests. Like to fire yourself up for a race by cranking some tunes? You’ll unlock Jam Tracks (playable in the Lobby) when you complete the Week 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 Quests!
Complete the Week 1 Quests: Epic Games – “Inferno Island (Original)”
Complete the Week 2 Quests: Epic Games – “Ocean Breeze Beats”
Complete the Week 3 Quests: Epic Games – “Paradise Pulse”
Complete the Week 4 Quests: Epic Games – “Sizzlin’ Sunshine”
Complete the Week 5 Quests: Epic Games – “Tropical Heat”
Ranked Quests
It’s your time to shine! When you get to Bronze I between now and v33.00 (which shouldn’t be too hard to do!), you’ll unlock the Starry Boost. Keep going up the ranks to unlock paint colors for the Boost including Titanium White at Elite, Crimson at Champion, and Purple at Unreal!
You a rising star? Unlock the Starry Trail by reaching Platinum I between now and v33.00! Like with the Starry Boost, keep going up the ranks to unlock paint colors.
The Ranked Quests and Weekly Quests will remain completable until v33.00!
Speed Run Time Trials Quests
If you’ve been practicing your runs on Outpost, Jackrabbit, Seaside Farms, or Cliff Runner 2 — you’re in luck! Speed Run Time Trials Quests will become available sequentially now through November 1, assessing your speed on Outpost, Jackrabbit, Seaside Farms, then finally Cliff Runner 2. These Quests will be completable until November 8 at 6 AM ET.
For completing just one of the Quests, you’ll unlock the Semi-Speed Wheels. Don’t let its name fool you — the “semi” refers to its design, not speed! Complete more of these Quests to unlock paint colors for this semi-circularly adorned but fully awesome reward.
A new set of Speed Run Time Trials Quests will race onto the scene sequentially from November 8 to November 15. Completable until November 29 at 6 AM ET, overcome the trials to unlock the Cybernetic Wheels, plus paint colors for these robotic rollers!
Fright and Delight: Nitemare Quests
Fortnitemares has flown into Rocket Racing, and even though it brings frightful Quests like finishing laps without hitting hazards, the amount of XP rewarded is nothing but delightful. These “Nitemare” Quests don’t give Locker items, but they can give you what you need to complete Fortnitemares XP Quests and to keep leveling up in the Battle Pass!
Complete the sequential Nitemares Quests until v32.00.
More News
Themed Updates
v31.40 brings the theme back to the starting line as we say goodbye to Inferno Island and themed updates. Future updates will be taking new roads with refreshed Ranked periods, renewed Quests, and additional Car items you can take to the track!
New tracks from creators are releasing every day so racers always have a different place to drift, flip, and fly. There’s no end to the starting lines you can discover! Or, if you’re curious about UEFN, to the ones you can create.
Speed Run Leaderboard Reset
Alongside the rank reset, the Speed Run leaderboard has also been reset. Set a speed run record while conquering the Time Trials Quests!
Improvements and Bug Fixes
Improved Track Textures
On mobile, textures are now smoother on Seafoam Cove, Bone Cavern, and Pleasant Pitstop.
Bug Fixes
Fixed several Quest progression tracking issues.
The intended Quests will now appear when opening the Quests tab in Ranked Racing.
Fixed matchmaking errors when trying to queue into private creator-made tracks.
Fixed an issue that sometimes resulted in players getting stuck in a tube on Airborne 2.
The Ball-R Wheels no longer display unavailable paint colors in the Locker.
Equipping the Beast Mode Boost no longer results in an error.
Fortnite v31.40 Datamined Content
The Fortnitemares Bus is already in the pregame lobby.. The full Fortnitemares Bus will appear in less than 12 hours 🔥
• TV monitors with Billy the Puppet across the map • Approach a TV to start a challenge against another player • Both players wear explosive Billy-inspired bear masks • Eliminate your target before time runs out, or your mask explodes • Successful… pic.twitter.com/6ZoCFBKFSQ
It’s close to Halloween and that means the annual Fortnitemares event is back in Fortnite! To bring the new stuff over to players, Epic Games has pushed out Fortnite update 4.40 on consoles, which is called patch v31.40 by Epic Games. Read on for what new frights this new update brings in the patch notes!
Same as before, expect the datamined content to be available as well straight from reliable leakers. For server maintenance updates for today, head on over here.
Want to play a game? How about some Battle Royale… during Fortnitemares 2024? This year’s frightening festivities bring the explosive Boom Billy, a rideable chainsaw, the return of Horde Rush, and plenty of Quest rewards like the Jack-o’-Drifter Contrail and Great Scarecrow Glider. Fortnitemares 2024 runs now until the end of Chapter 5 Season 4!
Tricycle Scare
See a trike behind you? Run! Players can now throw a Boom Billy, a mini-Billy the Puppet that’ll lock onto the nearest opponent — which could be you.
It’ll ride a tricycle your way then explode on impact. Outrun it so that it detonates before you’re the next victim!
If you wanna be the one to make Billy go boom, find Boom Billys from the ground and Chests. Or get one from defeating the real Billy the Puppet at Freaky Fields.
Jigsaw’s Challenge
Let’s play a game within a game. Scattered across the Island are Billy the Puppets displayed on TV monitors waiting for passers-by. Approach a monitor and Jigsaw, the man behind the puppets, will challenge you to duel a player who accepts from another monitor.
Both players in Jigsaw’s Challenge will don a Billy-inspired bear mask — which happens to be explosive. If you or your squad don’t eliminate your target in time, the mask will explode and you’ll be eliminated. If you or your squad does eliminate the target, you and your squad will be rewarded with a Boom Billy, the unvaulted Witch Broom, and other loot!
Hack and Go Fast
Enough games. With a Chainsaw, hack your way through enemies… or rev it into the ground to propel yourself forward at frightening speeds! Saw that one coming?
You can pick up a Chainsaw from the ground and Chests. Let ‘er rip!
Unvaulted from the Underworld
It wouldn’t be Fortnitemares without undead armaments. The Wood Stake Shotgun, Pumpkin Launcher, and Witch Broom are back! Fire wooden stakes that sting, launch explosive jack-o’-lanterns, or whisk yourself up in the air and glide back down.
Ready to raise the stakes? Get the Wood Stake Shotgun and Pumpkin Launcher after defeating Ultima Carver at Brawler’s Patch (formerly Brawler’s Battleground). The Witch Broom can be found from the ground, Chests, and Loot Island.
To accommodate the new and unvaulted items, Shuri’s Black Panther Claws have been vaulted.
Sink Your Fangs into Quest Rewards
Earning new items just for getting XP in any Fortnite experience? Sounds too terrifyingly convenient to be true. Fortnitemares XP Quests will unlock over the course of Fortnitemares, and by completing them, you’ll get haunting reminders of Fortnitemares 2024:
Complete 6 Quests: Knight of the Patch Banner Icon
Complete 7 Quests: Jack-o’-Drifter Contrail
Complete 8 Quests: Fiendish Wand Pickaxe
Complete 9 Quests: Cauldron Chill Emote
Complete 10 Quests: Night of the Nitemares Loading Screen
Complete 11 Quests: The Great Scarecrow Glider
Cube Monstrosity: Horde Rush Returns!
The Cube Monsters are back with a vengeance in the returning Horde Rush! This limited-time mode (LTM) challenges your team to travel the map and survive hordes of Cube Monsters. This year’s edition features Mod Benches! Just when you thought you survived all the hordes, the Final Boss will force your strategy to be as multifaceted as a… well, cube.
Rack up your score by earning combos and collecting score multipliers. Horde Rush will be available until Fortnitemares ends and is accessible via Discover!
Ready for a horde hoard of XP? Horde Rush has its own set of Quests that’ll go live sequentially and be available ‘til the end of Fortnitemares! Complete these Quests for XP to help you complete the Fortnitemares XP Quests.
Eerie Outfits
Fortnitemares summons ominous offerings in the Shop. The Billy Outfit already made its debut — now check out some Outfits you can expect during Fortnitemares!
Sally and Pumpkin King
Mephisto
Edward Scissorhands
Disney Villains
She-Venom and Agony
Leatherface
Be in Sync with Your Teammate in the Symbiote Cup!
Like how Agony is charged and dangerous, that’s how you gotta be to make it to the top in the Symbiote Cup! In this Battle Royale Duos tournament on October 22, the top-point earning teams in each region will unlock the She-Venom and Agony Outfits before they hit the Shop October 24 at 8 PM ET.
Competitors can play up to ten matches within their region’s three-hour time window, and the specific event timing for each region can be found in the “Compete” tab in-game. Scoring will follow the format below:
Among other requirements, players must have Two-Factor Authentication enabled and verified on their Epic account and be at Account Level 50 or above to participate. (You can find your Account Level in Fortnite’s “Career” tab.) Players with Cabined Accounts are not eligible to take part in this tournament.
Boom Billys, Pumpkin Launchers, and the Billy and Ultima Carver fights are not included in tournaments.
Brick or Treat in LEGO Fortnite v31.40!
October is here and sinister surprises are ready to jump out in LEGO® Fortnite! Not feeling brave? Don’t forget you can bring a friend to help conquer your fears in split-screen. v31.40 haunts LEGO Fortnite on October 11! 🎃
Trick or treating is always better with a friend by your side! In case you missed it, LEGO Fortnite now supports split-screen on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One.
Here’s a quick guide on how to access split-screen in LEGO Fortnite:
Start Fortnite and go to the LEGO Fortnite Lobby.
Connect the second controller.
Select the second player’s console account. (Note: Guest and Quick Play console accounts are not supported.)
After picking a console account, Fortnite will automatically ask the player to link their Epic account. (If they link their Epic account, they can access their Locker Outfits, Passes, Quests, and other progress.)
After the second player is logged into Fortnite, they will appear in the Lobby.
Hold onto your bricks… Split-screen mode will automatically begin when you start LEGO Fortnite!
Brick or Treat LEGO Pass
Making a ghoulish game room? Maybe a place to rest in pieces? With the Brick or Treat LEGO Pass, unlock in-game rewards to make your creepiest creation dreams come true!
If you’re feeling the chill of inspiration, learn how the Brick or Treat LEGO Pass works:
After selecting the LEGO Fortnite experience in Fortnite, go to the LEGO Pass button in the top navigation.
Here you’ll see the LEGO Pass and a button to view Quests. These Quests are about celebrating the “trick or treat” season in your world! Complete them to earn Studs.
The more Studs you collect, the further you’ll progress in the LEGO Pass! Unlock in-game rewards from the free reward track as you progress. If you want, you can also unlock in-game rewards from the purchasable Premium Reward Track.
You’ll find ten Decor Bundles in the free reward track, as well as The Dump on Old Durrr Drive Build as the final reward. Give it a bit of TLC, and it’ll soon feel like home!
Looking for even more spine-tingling swag? The Premium Reward Track costs 1,400 V-Bucks and has 11 extra rewards you can unlock alongside the free reward track. You don’t need to complete extra Quests to get these rewards, so don’t get scared when you unlock more for doing the same amount of stuff!
Frankie’s Laboratory and the Countess of Repose are just two of the eight Decor Bundles you can unlock in this reward track. There are also three Builds, including The Ruin of Rue Royale as the final reward! It’s haunted… but spacious (sounds like a win 👍).
After upgrading to the Premium Reward Track, you’ll instantly unlock the Andy Fangerson Outfit — he bears his fangs with both a LEGO Style and a Fortnite Style!
Heads-up! The Brick or Treat LEGO Pass will be available to progress in until December 10, 2024, at 2 AM ET. Its free rewards, premium rewards, and Andy Fangerson Outfit reward are not exclusive to the Pass, as you may be able to purchase them in the Fortnite Shop at a later date.
What’s This? It’s Halloween Town!
Open the door to the world of Disney’s The Nightmare Before Christmas with the Halloween Town Hall Bundle, entering the Shop with v31.40! Available for 1,800 V-Bucks, it comes packed with a Build and 3 Decor Bundles:
Halloween Town Hall Build(Available for 1,000 V-Bucks individually)
Halloween Town Library Decor Bundle (Available for 600 V-Bucks individually)
Halloween Town Home Decor Bundle (Available for 500 V-Bucks individually)
Halloween Town Meeting Decor Bundle (Available for 400 V-Bucks individually)
Feels like there’s something else in the wind… The Sally and Pumpkin King Outfits are also in the Shop starting in v31.40! These both have a LEGO Style and a Fortnite Style.
Improvements and Adjustments
Reduced the number of times the Tomato Leader can heal.
Added map markers for NaNa Villages, allowing players to find the villages more easily when they’re in range of one.
Fixed an issue where an enemy’s Crossbow didn’t change color in certain situations.
Learn What’s New in Rocket Racing v31.40!
The checkered flag waves, bringing an end to the Ranked period that began with Inferno Island. But that means a new Ranked period begins now with v31.40! Learn more about what to expect in v31.40 and beyond.
Rank Reset
As a reminder, your starting rank in a new Ranked period is based on your finishing rank in the last Ranked period. This means you may start in Gold, Silver, etc. instead of Bronze if you finished at a high rank in the last Ranked period.
This Ranked period will end with the release of v33.00 — jump into the Ranked Racing playlist and Turbo past your rivals!
Questin’ on the Commute
May your fashion never drift. During this Ranked period, complete Weekly Quests, Ranked Quests, and Speed Run Time Trials Quests rewarding Car items.
Weekly Quests
We said we didn’t want your fashion to drift, but we never said we didn’t want it to fade. For completing six Week 1 Quests, you’ll unlock the Mystic Fade Boost! You’ll also unlock the Grey, Cobalt, Titanium White, and Sky Blue paint colors for it.
Unlock more paint colors as you complete the Week 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 Quests. Like to fire yourself up for a race by cranking some tunes? You’ll unlock Jam Tracks (playable in the Lobby) when you complete the Week 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 Quests!
Complete the Week 1 Quests: Epic Games – “Inferno Island (Original)”
Complete the Week 2 Quests: Epic Games – “Ocean Breeze Beats”
Complete the Week 3 Quests: Epic Games – “Paradise Pulse”
Complete the Week 4 Quests: Epic Games – “Sizzlin’ Sunshine”
Complete the Week 5 Quests: Epic Games – “Tropical Heat”
Ranked Quests
It’s your time to shine! When you get to Bronze I between now and v33.00 (which shouldn’t be too hard to do!), you’ll unlock the Starry Boost. Keep going up the ranks to unlock paint colors for the Boost including Titanium White at Elite, Crimson at Champion, and Purple at Unreal!
You a rising star? Unlock the Starry Trail by reaching Platinum I between now and v33.00! Like with the Starry Boost, keep going up the ranks to unlock paint colors.
The Ranked Quests and Weekly Quests will remain completable until v33.00!
Speed Run Time Trials Quests
If you’ve been practicing your runs on Outpost, Jackrabbit, Seaside Farms, or Cliff Runner 2 — you’re in luck! Speed Run Time Trials Quests will become available sequentially now through November 1, assessing your speed on Outpost, Jackrabbit, Seaside Farms, then finally Cliff Runner 2. These Quests will be completable until November 8 at 6 AM ET.
For completing just one of the Quests, you’ll unlock the Semi-Speed Wheels. Don’t let its name fool you — the “semi” refers to its design, not speed! Complete more of these Quests to unlock paint colors for this semi-circularly adorned but fully awesome reward.
A new set of Speed Run Time Trials Quests will race onto the scene sequentially from November 8 to November 15. Completable until November 29 at 6 AM ET, overcome the trials to unlock the Cybernetic Wheels, plus paint colors for these robotic rollers!
Fright and Delight: Nitemare Quests
Fortnitemares has flown into Rocket Racing, and even though it brings frightful Quests like finishing laps without hitting hazards, the amount of XP rewarded is nothing but delightful. These “Nitemare” Quests don’t give Locker items, but they can give you what you need to complete Fortnitemares XP Quests and to keep leveling up in the Battle Pass!
Complete the sequential Nitemares Quests until v32.00.
More News
Themed Updates
v31.40 brings the theme back to the starting line as we say goodbye to Inferno Island and themed updates. Future updates will be taking new roads with refreshed Ranked periods, renewed Quests, and additional Car items you can take to the track!
New tracks from creators are releasing every day so racers always have a different place to drift, flip, and fly. There’s no end to the starting lines you can discover! Or, if you’re curious about UEFN, to the ones you can create.
Speed Run Leaderboard Reset
Alongside the rank reset, the Speed Run leaderboard has also been reset. Set a speed run record while conquering the Time Trials Quests!
Improvements and Bug Fixes
Improved Track Textures
On mobile, textures are now smoother on Seafoam Cove, Bone Cavern, and Pleasant Pitstop.
Bug Fixes
Fixed several Quest progression tracking issues.
The intended Quests will now appear when opening the Quests tab in Ranked Racing.
Fixed matchmaking errors when trying to queue into private creator-made tracks.
Fixed an issue that sometimes resulted in players getting stuck in a tube on Airborne 2.
The Ball-R Wheels no longer display unavailable paint colors in the Locker.
Equipping the Beast Mode Boost no longer results in an error.
Fortnite v31.40 Datamined Content
The Fortnitemares Bus is already in the pregame lobby.. The full Fortnitemares Bus will appear in less than 12 hours 🔥
• TV monitors with Billy the Puppet across the map • Approach a TV to start a challenge against another player • Both players wear explosive Billy-inspired bear masks • Eliminate your target before time runs out, or your mask explodes • Successful… pic.twitter.com/6ZoCFBKFSQ
It’s almost Halloween, and that means Epic Games is about to unleash the latest Fortnitemares event in Fortnite! Before that happens, the studio needs to take the Fortnite servers down this October 12, During this downtime, players will see patch v31.40 released on all platforms.
There is no mention of how long this downtime will last, but we’re betting it will be at least two hours if past maintenance periods are anything to go by.
While the patch notes aren’t live yet, once it is, we’ll provide a link to it. In the meantime, what we do know is the Halloween stuff incoming via the patch for LEGO Fortnite.
Get Scary in Split-Screen!
Trick or treating is always better with a friend by your side! In case you missed it, LEGO Fortnite now supports split-screen on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One.
Here’s a quick guide on how to access split-screen in LEGO Fortnite:
Start Fortnite and go to the LEGO Fortnite Lobby.
Connect the second controller.
Select the second player’s console account. (Note: Guest and Quick Play console accounts are not supported.)
After picking a console account, Fortnite will automatically ask the player to link their Epic account. (If they link their Epic account, they can access their Locker Outfits, Passes, Quests, and other progress.)
After the second player is logged into Fortnite, they will appear in the Lobby.
Hold onto your bricks… Split-screen mode will automatically begin when you start LEGO Fortnite!
Brick or Treat LEGO Pass
Making a ghoulish game room? Maybe a place to rest in pieces? With the Brick or Treat LEGO Pass, unlock in-game rewards to make your creepiest creation dreams come true!
After selecting the LEGO Fortnite experience in Fortnite, go to the LEGO Pass button in the top navigation.
Here you’ll see the LEGO Pass and a button to view Quests. These Quests are about celebrating the “trick or treat” season in your world! Complete them to earn Studs.
The more Studs you collect, the further you’ll progress in the LEGO Pass! Unlock in-game rewards from the free reward track as you progress. If you want, you can also unlock in-game rewards from the purchasable Premium Reward Track.
Improvements and Adjustments
Reduced the number of times the Tomato Leader can heal.
Added map markers for NaNa Villages, allowing players to find the villages more easily when they’re in range of one.
Fixed an issue where an enemy’s Crossbow didn’t change color in certain situations.
You can read more about LEGO Fortnite’s new stuff here.
The First Descendant Update 1.026 is rolling across all platforms, bringing another wave of hotfixes. Here’s everything included in today’s update.
The First Descendant Update 1.026 | 1.26 Patch Notes:
Fixed an issue with “Enamel Deep Black” (Customization Paint) not appearing.
Fixed an issue where parts of certain weapons flickered when the graphics option was set to low.
Fixed an issue where the line spacing in the tooltips of some modules was displayed abnormally.
Corrected some Emotes’ icon images.
Fixed an issue where Traditional Chinese text was displayed as Simplified Chinese when selected.
Fixed an issue where the “Ultimate Freyna Bundle” was displayed as the “Ultimate Gley Bundle” in all European languages.
Fixed an issue where ETA-0 did not open in some sessions even after the designated opening time.
Removed the “Register Duplicate Items” button from the ETA-0 “Sell Blueprints” as it could cause accidental selling by including the “Energy Activator Blueprint” and “Crystallization Catalyst Blueprint” when registering duplicate items.
We are preparing an improved method to make it easier to register duplicate item sales in the future.
Descendants who sold the “Energy Activator Blueprint” and “Crystallization Catalyst Blueprint” between PDT 2024.10.11(Fri) 00:00 and the Hotfix 1.1.4b patch will have their items restored via in-game mailbox sometime next week. We will provide an update in this announcement once the restoration is complete.
A gamer at heart, James has been working for MP1st for the last decade to do exactly what he loves, writing about video games and having fun doing it. Growing up in the 90's gaming has been in his DNA since the days of NES. One day he hopes to develop his own game.
Dragami Games has just released Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP update 1.004.001 on the PS5 and PC, with the Xbox version arriving soon! This update includes several bug fixes and new graphical options on both consoles and PC. Here’s a breakdown of everything in today’s update.
Graphics settings（PlayStation 5 / Xbox Series X|S）
It will be implemented in a future update
Graphic settings are currently being finalized with the following settings.
【Fidelity Mode】
This mode allows you to play with beautiful graphics. This is the default setting in previous versions.
【Performance Mode】
It is possible to play at a stable 60 fps or higher at a resolution of 2560×1440.
Major items included in the latest update
Bug Fix
Fixed a bug that caused some voices to play at an inappropriate volume.
Fixed a bug that sometimes prevented the fixed camera from being released after the pole action was completed.
Fixed an issue with Juliette’s voice overlapping when using Nick Ticket.
Fixed a bug that caused audio to be silent for several seconds after using Nick Ticket.
Fixed a bug in TelephoneMessages in JulietRoom that caused double quotation marks in titles in some languages.
Fixed a bug in which the button displayed in some QTEs was different from the input button that was actually judged.
Fixed bug in Prologue where Juliette’s line was not playing when the HowToCook was displayed for the first time.
Fixed a bug that sound effects kept playing when killing some zombies in Prologue.
Fixed voice and subtitle glitches during helicopter crash in Prologue.
Fixed a bug in Prologue where the user could suddenly die from a remaining strength gauge.
Fixed a bug that caused the lighting to be too bright in some parts of Stage 1.
Fixed a bug in the Stage 2 boss battle where progress would become impossible after defeating the boss with a specific attack.
Fixed a bug in the Stage 2 gym where some zombies would not come down from the rooftop.
Fixed a bug in Stage 2 where some of Nick’s lines were not playing.
Fixed a bug that caused the combine’s movement speed in Stage 3 to be slower than expected.
Fixed a bug that caused unintended zombies to appear in the plaza before the Stage 3 boss battle.
Fixed a bug that prevented damage from being inflicted during the Stage 3 Chicken Ghidorah battle.
Fixed a bug in the Stage 3 boss battle that could cause progress to become impossible under certain conditions.
Fixed a bug in Stage 6 that caused Juliette to lose control during a chainsaw dash jump.
Fixed a bug in the Stage 6 boss fight where zombies were not damaged when they collided with cars.
Fixed a bug in the Stage 6 boss battle where zombies would sometimes move to a position where they could not be hit.
Fixed a bug that prevented characters from jumping in the end credits.
STEAM
Additional function
Graphics setting options added to Options.
▼Graphics settings
In this update, a graphics setting item has been added to the options screen.
The description of each item is as follows.
Performance
【Fidelity Mode】
This mode allows you to play with beautiful graphics. This is the default setting until version 1.0.3.1.
【Performance Mode】
This mode allows you to play at a more stable fps. The Steam version can be played at a stable 60 fps or higher in full screen mode at 1920×1080 resolution on a PC that meets the minimum system requirements.
2.Vertical Sync
Sets vertical synchronization On/Off.
Default is On.
Turning it off may improve fps, but at the cost of tearing.
▼For non-Steam graphics settings
Additional graphics settings will be added for platforms other than Steam.
We will distribute them as soon as the adjustments are completed.
▼About SteamDeck
SteamDeck is currently in the process of adjusting.
We will notify you again when the adjustment is completed.
When playing on SteamDeck, please use the “Performance Mode” setting in the newly added performance settings.
A gamer at heart, James has been working for MP1st for the last decade to do exactly what he loves, writing about video games and having fun doing it. Growing up in the 90's gaming has been in his DNA since the days of NES. One day he hopes to develop his own game.
Just a few hours after we reported on Steam’s new message reminding users that when they buy a game, they’re only purchasing a license, Good Old Games (GOG), a digital store known for its DRM-free games, quickly fired back with a response. It looks like the folks at GOG couldn’t resist mocking Steam’s move, using it as a chance to highlight their own approach to game ownership.
In a post on X/Twitter, GOG reacted to Steam’s new license message. “Since checkout banners are trending, we’re thinking of putting one up ourselves,” the post stated. The banner read, “A purchase of a digital product on GOG grants you its Offline Installers, which cannot be taken away from you.” Unlike Steam, GOG provides DRM-free games with offline installers, meaning once you download a game, it’s yours to keep forever.
GOG checkout reminds users their games ‘cannot be taken away’ thanks to offline installers.
Meanwhile, this situation follows a growing trend of digital game sales taking over the market. In some places, like the United Kingdom, 75% of game sales in August were digital, a number that continues to rise each year. Steam’s latest message seems to be a response to a California law coming in 2025. The law will require digital stores to clearly inform customers that they are purchasing licenses, not the actual games themselves.
The upcoming California law is a direct response to controversies like the one involving The Crew, a game Ubisoft removed from stores. After Ubisoft shut down its servers, players who had purchased the game lost access, leaving them unable to play despite having paid for it.
For now, the new law will only apply to digital copies of video games, movies, TV shows, music, and ebooks from online stores. However, it won’t cover permanent offline downloads, which may not provide much comfort to consumers concerned about losing access to their purchases.
In just two short weeks, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will finally be available. Now, while this year’s entry houses both new and old features, there is one thing yearly Call of Duty players won’t see in Black Ops 6, and it’s the weekly challenges,
This was revealed by Activision in the latest episode of the COD POD (#3), which is the official Call of Duty podcast. In the chat, it was asked whether Black Ops 6 will feature weekly or seasonal challenge events similar to Modern Warfare 3. Senior Director of Studio Communications at Activision Stephanie Stone took the question and confirmed it won’t be weekly, but there will be seasonal event challenges. Stone adds that Treyarch is also working on something “very, very cool” as a reward, though didn’t divulge what it is.
In the same podcast, Stone also revealed that Zombies mode for Black Ops 6 will have “more support for in-game events” compared to past Black Ops games. Given how underwhelming Zombies was in Modern Warfare 3, this should come as very good news for Zombies players.
Continuing with Zombies, Stone also revealed that there will be a new (third) round-based Zombies map will be released by the end of the year. This means that Liberty Falls and Terminus will be available at launch, and then a third map will be available around Season 1.
Continuing with Multiplayer, Stone also confirmed that Infected Mode will be added to Black Ops 6 shortly after launch. This is understandable given the game’s launch falls close to Halloween.
PC gaming can be complex, but it offers unique benefits that consoles don’t. One of the biggest perks is the use of mods, which let players add new content, change features, and customize their experience. Unsurprisingly, Carl Johnson (CJ) from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas has made his way into two of this week’s top game releases—Silent Hill 2 Remake and Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO, thanks to the modding community.
In Silent Hill 2 Remake, modder SpiritHunZ was quick to create a mod that replaces the main protagonist, James Sunderland, with CJ. While it’s a simple character swap, it dramatically changes the tone of the game, making it feel less scary and a lot more fun.
CJ from GTA: San Andreas replaces Goku in Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO.
Not stopping there, modder Ercuallo brought CJ into Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO. In this mod, all versions of Goku are replaced by CJ, creating the surreal experience of seeing CJ perform powerful moves like the Kamehameha. The result is both ridiculous and surprising, as CJ takes on some of the most iconic characters in the series.
Silent Hill 2 Remake and Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO have only been out for a few days, but they’ve already started to get some creative mods. Adding CJ gives players a funny and fresh way to enjoy these new games. More mods are likely to appear as time goes on.
MP1st’s review of Silent Hill 2 Remake gave it a score of 9 out of 10, stating, “Bloober Team manages to make this horror classic better in every way, and in turn, it becomes a classic of its own.”
Diablo IV update 1.060 is now out on consoles and PC, and this is following the big Vessel of Hatred DLC that included the massive 2.0 patch. As one might expect, technical issues and more surfaced from that title update that Blizzard is remedying by releasing more updates. With the Diablo IV October 11 patch, the game should crash less, fixed the Realmwalker issue where the boss became unbeatable and more.
Diablo IV Update 1.060 Complete Patch Notes:
Bug Fixes
Fixed an issue where some players could not log in to the game.
Fixed an issue where Aldkin could fail to change form in certain scenarios when playing Necromancer.
Fixed an issue where Varshan’s barrier could have significantly larger values than intended, making him unkillable.
Fixed an issue where staggering the Realmwalker at a low health could lead to the boss becoming unkillable.
Fixed an issue where experience wouldn’t be granted after completing Deeds of a Champion objectives in certain scenarios.
Various stability improvements.
There was also Hotfix 3 and 2 released yesterday and the other day via server-side update that had the following changes:
HOTFIX 3 – October 10, 2024 – 2.0.2
BUG FIXES
Various stability improvements.
HOTFIX 2 – October 9, 2024 – 2.0.2
GAME UPDATES
Boss monsters and elites now have an increased chance to drop Bundled Herbs and Angelbreath. Example values
Dungeon Boss level 30-49: Will drop 10 bundled herbs + 2 Angel Breath
Campaign Bosses level 50-60 will drop 30 bundled herbs + 7 Angel Breath
All elites in Torment difficult have 10% chance to drop 4 bundled herbs and a 2% chance to drop 4 Angel Breath.
BUG FIXES
Fixed an issue where the Citadel Community Challenge would pop-up continuously.
Fixed an issue where progression could be blocked during the Undercity: The Promise quest if the area was left before completing the Survey phase.
Various stability improvements.
Alongside the updates rolled out, a bigger patch is scheduled for next week. This was confirmed by Global Director of Community for Diablo, Adam Fletcher.
We have pushed out a hotfix this evening to deal with some performance items on the backend.
We plan on having some additional hotfixes and few quick client patches on Friday and early next week to hit on some more specific items that need to be addressed more immediately.
Some of the fixes confirmed to be touched by the 2.0.3 patch:
Blacklisted items
Lilith Spark fix
Shroud of False Death fix
PS4 audio issue fix
Once that patch is live, we’ll be sure to let our readers know. Don’t forget to check out our review of Vessel of Hatred to see what we thought of the game’s first story expansion.
While we just got the big Vessel of Hatred patch that released last week, Blizzard has released Diablo 4 update 1.62 today that ushers in adjustments and bug fixes. The developers have acknowledged the issues from the patch last week as well, and have confirmed a few things planned to be part of the update that’s set for next week.
Diablo 4 Update 1.62 Patch Notes for October 11:
Bug Fixes
Fixed an issue where some players could not log in to the game.
Fixed an issue where Aldkin could fail to change form in certain scenarios when playing Necromancer.
Fixed an issue where Varshan’s barrier could have significantly larger values than intended, making him unkillable.
Fixed an issue where staggering the Realmwalker at a low health could lead to the boss becoming unkillable.
Fixed an issue where experience wouldn’t be granted after completing Deeds of a Champion objectives in certain scenarios.
Various stability improvements.
There was also Hotfix 3 and 2 released yesterday and the other day via server-side update that had the following changes:
HOTFIX 3 – October 10, 2024 – 2.0.2
BUG FIXES
Various stability improvements.
HOTFIX 2 – October 9, 2024 – 2.0.2
GAME UPDATES
Boss monsters and elites now have an increased chance to drop Bundled Herbs and Angelbreath. Example values
Dungeon Boss level 30-49: Will drop 10 bundled herbs + 2 Angel Breath
Campaign Bosses level 50-60 will drop 30 bundled herbs + 7 Angel Breath
All elites in Torment difficult have 10% chance to drop 4 bundled herbs and a 2% chance to drop 4 Angel Breath.
BUG FIXES
Fixed an issue where the Citadel Community Challenge would pop-up continuously.
Fixed an issue where progression could be blocked during the Undercity: The Promise quest if the area was left before completing the Survey phase.
Various stability improvements.
Alongside the updates rolled out, a bigger patch is scheduled for next week. This was confirmed by Global Director of Community for Diablo, Adam Fletcher.
We have pushed out a hotfix this evening to deal with some performance items on the backend.
We plan on having some additional hotfixes and few quick client patches on Friday and early next week to hit on some more specific items that need to be addressed more immediately.
Some of the fixes confirmed to be touched by the 2.0.3 patch:
Blacklisted items
Lilith Spark fix
Shroud of False Death fix
PS4 audio issue fix
Once that patch is live, we’ll be sure to let our readers know. Don’t forget to check out our review of Vessel of Hatred to see what we thought of the game’s first story expansion.
Xur has returned to Destiny this Friday with a fresh set of Exotics, Engrams, and Legendary gear, all on sale only in exchange for Legendary Shards. For those seeking the eccentric merchant’s wares, MP1st’s new Destiny 2 Xur location today October 11, 2024 post lists both his location and full inventory until the next Weekly Reset.
New Destiny 2 Xur Location Today October 11, 2024 (And What Xur Is Selling):
Xûr, Agent of the Nine
A peddler of strange curios, Xûr’s motives are not his own. He bows to his distant masters, the Nine.
Location:
The Tower
Carrying:
Black Talon Catalyst
Wardcliff Coil Catalyst
Helm of Saint-14
Wormhusk Crown
Felwinter’s Helm
–
What’s a Xûr?
Xûr, Agent of the Nine, is an eccentric merchant who randomly appears in a Public Sector on one of the Worlds. Xûr offers Exotic equipment and only takes Legendary Shards as payment.
TL;DR: He’s the Santa Claus of Destiny and every weekend is Christmas. Sometimes he brings you what you want, sometimes he brings you coal. Mostly it’s coal.
When does Xûr visit?
Xûr visits every Friday at 17:00 UTC and departs at Weekly Reset (Tuesday 17:00 UTC). If you would like to see all the live conversions of Time Zones, please follow this link here.
After still simultaneously releasing on both next-gen and last-gen consoles over the last few years, EA Sports’ NHL franchise has finally graduated to current-generation consoles only. This is interesting as both Madden and the FC series are still sticking to last-generation consoles, though that is very likely because they have a much larger fanbase overall. With NHL 25 now being exclusive to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, the big question is whether or not you can tell that the last generations have been left behind in this latest iteration.
Hold a Grudge
Finally being next-gen only means NHL 25 is able to take the visuals to the next level. Utilizing the existing Frostbite engine with the introduction of the Sapien Technology, the character models do look better than ever. Sapien Technology has been being used in other franchises such as Madden and UFC in recent years and it does make a difference by making the player motion and animations look more realistic than ever before, though the difference is not as drastic as I would have hoped overall.
The new engine is paired with the all-new ICE-Q logic-driven animation system that is made up of three parts, including Next-Gen Vision Control, Empowered AI, and Reactive Actions. Next-Gen Vision Control affects both human and computer players with how they respond and move on the ice for the most authentic hockey experience to date. Empowered AI gives CPU players much more awareness of what other players are doing on the ice, giving realistic responses and execution on the fly. Reactive Actions build from there by offering new animations that make skaters more responsive in big situations.
With ICE-Q creating more offensive opportunities most of the time, the game also has introduced new Skill-Based One-Timers. This is a very precise system where you can input the shot control as the puck arrives to a teammate while in the process of passing to them. If you manage to time it correctly, you will use the more powerful and accurate Skill-Based One-Timer. There is some risk and reward here though, as mistiming can result in poor shots as well. NHL 25 also returns the very exciting Pressure system from last year’s game, which continues to add a lot more intensity to games when mixed with the other new gameplay features.
One of the coolest new features added in NHL 25 is the Grudge Match system. This plays into the game’s presentation, as Grudge Match tracks the full history of different matchups between teams in both offline and online game modes. This adds a lot more life to each and every matchup, rather than it just being another run of the mill game in the middle of a season or something. Grudge Match also has Impact Players that get special X-Factors for how they performed in past games, adding a lot more to rivalry games when a player has done well in previous outings against that same team. NHL 25 has also received an upgrade with the Infinite Camera System, which offers additional camera angles all throughout the arenas.
Be a Pro mode is back to no one’s surprise in NHL 25, as it’s the main offline single-player controlled mode in the series. After creating your player and picking their archetype from options like Sniper, Playmaker, and Enforcer, you get to pick where your pro starts off their career. There are three options to choose from, starting from the CHL’s Memorial Cup, starting in Europe, or jumping straight to the NHL. If you select to start from the CHL’s Memorial Cup or in Europe, you will go about the respective tournament or playoffs before moving to get drafted in the NHL. I always find it fun to play something a little different by not starting in the NHL right away, but the choice is really up to you. Where else are you going to get to play as the Erie Otters or Niagara Icedogs anyways?
In-between games, you will get interviewed by reporters at times and be given the option to answer with the given Team, Neutral, or Star option. These affect your Likeability ratings across the Brand, Management, and Teammate meters, so you have to be careful to craft the way you want your player to be perceived by others.
There is a skill tree for your player that allows you to improve their skills by using the Trait Points that you earn in the game. The skill tree is split between Shooting, Puck Skills, Senses, Skating, Physical, Defense, and Dialogue, which is really not much different from past entries or really any other sports game that has a player-based mode.
One area I noticed was kind of hit and miss was the actual grading of your player, where it would give you good or bad scores based on what didn’t seem like much. It felt like the overall scores were way too focused on the suggested focus in the games and not your overall gameplay. Hockey is always a very hard game to play, so I feel like it could have been better communicated on where you need improvements in each game than is provided.
After you start earning money with contracts, you can start spending your money through Salary Perks that can pay great dividends by giving stat upgrades, likeability improvements, and even things such as more Trait Points. Compared to the recent EA Sports FC 25, there is a lot more versatility in what you can spend your money on in NHL 25. This includes buying things like cars or property, hiring personnel such as a chef, community manager, or a financial advisor. You can also use your money by investing it in the stock market or to start your own clothing brand, while also being able to use it for more charitable means by donating to different causes or buying lunch and dinner for the whole team. If you are really successful in your career, you can even reach the legendary tier of Salary Perks and make extravagant purchases like a luxury yacht, a private jet, or the most expensive of all private island. Some of these perks are limited to a certain amount of time, while others are permanent for your player. This is something you don’t have to worry about if you don’t really want to and would rather just focus on playing, but it’s a fun distraction between games that can also help you out greatly in the long run.
The in-game simulation between appearances seemed very slow most of the time and could be much more intuitive. It almost felt like a relic of the old menu systems in EA Sports titles that they have managed to fix, but within one of the game modes. It just would lag on here and sometimes take 10 seconds to pull up, which is really frustrating when you aren’t a starter and are going in and out of the game.
Franchise mode is always one of my favorite modes to play in any sports game as it allows me to take control of a team and play through their entire season and beyond, whether that is solo offline or with friends online. The amount of options at your disposal varies across different sports game franchise modes though, with NHL 25 letting you choose between authentic, a custom league, or a 33-team expansion draft.
Within Franchise, you have the ability to take control as the owner with Owner Mode and worry about things like budgets, relocation, promotions, and much more. Those would would rather just take control as the coach of the team and handle things from that level down instead of from the very top. My preference is to focus more on the actual games themselves as the coach, but the owner mode has some things for you to do regardless.
As soon as you boot up Franchise mode, you’ll notice the new streamlined menu navigation that is much better than in the past. In fact, the overall menus for NHL 25 themselves are a big improvement over the past by being much more intuitive and easy to use. This new Franchise hub provides you with lots of information that includes scores, player stats, and even a goals and challenges section.
From there, Franchise is pretty much the same as in recent years overall. One neat feature is as the coach, you can now ask players to change their playstyle to better suit what you need on the team. This can lead to positive or negative effects on the player, which come into play with their stats and abilities as well. There are also some upgrades by supporting No Trade and No Movement clauses in each contract year, as well as enhanced negotiations. However, Franchise as a whole still feels really stale. As a mode that is always a favorite of mine and many others, there is really nothing major here new to attract someone compared to last year’s game.
Hockey Ultimate Team is back in NHL 25, with HUT is generally the same at its core as in past years and really other EA Sports games for that matter. One new element though is Wildcard Mode, which have different rulesets per competition cycle and requires you to think on your toes to adjust to the current ruleset using your team of collected players. The card tier rankings have also been changed, with 80+ OVR being Gold, 75-79 OVR being Silver, and 74 OVR and below being Bronze. Overall though, HUT is just as you would expect from past years and could really use more of an overhaul here, especially in a mode that relies on players spending money on microtransactions to keep it afloat.
The always popular World of CHEL mode also follows the trend of most modes in this game by being more of the same. This uses a season mode like in the past, where you play and unlock items in the season’s Battle Pass. The one new feature here is the introduction of Live Events that will come throughout the year, but it’s hard to judge that so far. Like the rest of the game modes, World of CHEL feels like it could have used a major revamp to avoid feeling like the same as past years, though it is still quite fun for what it is regardless.
Verdict
While it may be the first exclusively next-gen NHL game this generation, NHL 25 doesn’t really feel like that much of a leap over last year’s game. In fact, the additions last year felt much more substantial with the gameplay to where this year’s feels much more like a roster update than anything else. The gameplay is still a lot of fun and there are some new features sprinkled around the game along with the decent visual and animation upgrades, but much like Madden this year, NHL 25 feels like a lackluster release for what appears to be a stagnant franchise at this point.
Score: 7/10
Pros:
Gameplay is still great
Grudge Match adds more intensity to certain matchups
ICE-Q has some potential
Cons:
Feels more like a roster update than a new game
No new game modes
Expect more for the first next-gen only game this generation
While Atlus‘ Metaphor ReFantazio was just released today, a new patch has been released. So far, we can confirm it’s available on the PS5 version of the game as Metaphor ReFantazio update 1.003 , though can’t say if the other versions got a patch yet. From our own investigation, the PS4 version didn’t get an update.
Metaphor ReFantazio Update 1.003 Patch Notes:
Update: After a few days, Atlus has finally revealed the patch notes.
Fixed some bugs that could, on rare occasions, prevent progression under certain conditions
Changed the network connection processing when entering names.
Atlus has not released any changelog just yet, though we’re hoping that changes soon. The last confirmed patch was for the Prologue Demo which had the following fixes:
Performance fixes: Adjustments made to relieve GPU stress
GPU: Game will now choose highest spec (dedicated) GPU
Other minor fixes
Other than that, SEGA nor Atlus have said anything. Even the community has not reported on anything that got fixed, so chances are, this is a technical patch that doesn’t alter anything gameplay-specific. We’ve reached out to the game’s developers to see if they’re willing to share any changes made and if we hear anything back, we’ll update the article.
For those not familiar with the RPG, here’s a rundown:
From the creative minds behind Persona 3, 4, and 5 comes Metaphor: ReFantazio, a unique fantasy world, where your protagonist will journey alongside his fairy companion, Gallica, to lift the curse from the kingdom’s lost prince. Control your destiny, face your fears and awaken magical “Archetype” powers that lie dormant in your heart. By awakening to an “Archetype,” you will unlock the power to channel and combine the abilities of unique job classes. Strengthen your bonds and build your party to take down powerful foes and discover the kingdom’s true nature.
Key Features:
-Go on quests, dungeon dive, & hunt for treasures by day. Strengthen relationships, build bonds, & increase virtues by night. Choose your actions wisely, time management is key to achieving your goal.
-Ride your “gauntlet runner” to faraway dungeons & towns across an expansive world. Discover beautiful landscapes accompanied by captivating music, immersive UI, & anime cutscenes.
-A unique battle system combining turn based & real time action grants strategy & exhilaration at every turn. Party customization through “Archetypes” provides freedom to personalize your adventure.
-A mysterious & exciting story unfolds in a world where people must fight their own anxiety. Join the high-stakes Royal Tournament that promises hours of captivating exploration and discovery.
Our review of Metaphor ReFantazio will be hitting the site soon, so stay tuned!
