Page 2 – MP1st

PS5 Update on April 23 Applies Version 26.03-13.20.00.06

by Alex Co

April 23, 2026 4:31 am in News

Sony has pushed out a new PS5 system update worldwide, on April 23, and this slots in more than just your standard stability adjustment.

Console owners should see this download appear as PS5 update 26.03-13.20.00.06 (or was Sony refers to it as 26.03-13.20), and this should be less than 1 GB in total size.

Expect a nifty addition of new emojis as part of today’s system firmware rollout.

PS5 New Firmware Update 26.03-13.20 Adds New Emojis

Per Sony, here’s what’s new in today’s system update:

We’ve added more emojis that you can use for message reactions.
We’ve improved the messages and usability on some screens.

Needless to say, this is a minor system update compared to last month’s that added new features such as PSSR to the PS5 Pro and more. Here’s a rundowm of that patch’s new features:

We’ve enhanced PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution) on PS5 Pro. Enjoy sharper and clearer visuals in supported games.
- To turn on the enhanced PSSR model for your PSSR compatible games that aren’t using the enhanced model, go to Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output > Enhance PSSR Image Quality.
- This feature is available only on PS5 Pro.
Unicode 17.0 emojis are now supported. You can use them in your messages.
New features are now available for your Welcome hub.
- You can now use Showcase Mode to display a full view of your Welcome hub background when your PS5 console is idle. When turned on, your Welcome hub automatically enters Showcase mode when idle.
- Slideshow mode allows you to set an album as your background and rotate between images.
  - You can turn on Showcase mode and Slideshow mode in your Welcome hub settings. You can also set the idle time to enter Showcase mode according to your preference.
- You can now set your Welcome hub background from within your Media Gallery.
- A new background is available for your Welcome hub.

Hopefully, Sony announces a new PS5 firmware beta test soon, which will give us a preview of new features to come for the console.

Tags: PlayStation ps5 update

Alex Co

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

Crimson Desert Major Update 1.000.232 Brings Difficulty Settings, New Storage Items via Version 1.04.00

by Alex Co

April 22, 2026 10:42 pm in News

True to their word, Pearl Abyss has pushed out Crimson’ Desert’s latest major update, and this adds difficulty settings, new storage items, controller preset options and a lot more..

This download brings the game to version 1.04.00, and for console gamers, you’ll see this file as Crimson Desert update 1.000.232. Expect this to be a hefty download across all platforms.

For the highlights and complete info, read on.

Crimson Desert Difficulty Options, Controller Presets and Other Features Added in Latest Major Update

Content

Easy / Normal / Hard difficulty options have been added to Settings > Play. For experienced Greymanes looking for more intense and thrilling combat, Hard difficulty offers a more challenging journey.
- For those who have enjoyed many boss fights and are looking to challenge them again, the boss rematches feature allowing you to face off against the bosses of your choice will be added soon.
- Easy
  - Reduced damage taken by the player.
  - Reduced maximum health, aggressiveness, and overall speed of opponents.
  - Extended timing windows for Parry and Dodge.
  - Reduced the frequency of bosses attempting to counterattack or escape when hit.
- Normal
  - This is the difficulty you have been playing so far.
- Hard
  - Food item effects won’t be applied immediately and will only take effect after the consumption animation is complete.
  - Increased damage taken by the player.
  - Increased maximum health, aggressiveness, and overall speed of opponents.
  - Reduced timing window for Parry and Dodge.
  - Reduced the invincibility duration for Roll.
  - Increased the frequency of bosses attempting to counterattack or escape when hit.
  - Added additional combat patterns for certain bosses.

Added the Sturdy Gatherables Chest which can be set up with the housing system.
- The Sturdy Gatherables Chest has 1,000 slots and can be purchased from furniture shops.
- Materials stored in the Sturdy Gatherables Chest can be used for crafting or refinement even if they are not carried in your inventory.

Added the Kuku Cooler and Enhanced Kuku Cooler items which can be placed with the housing system.
- The Kuku Cooler can be obtained through a quest, while the Enhanced Kuku Cooler can be crafted. Both can be used to store food items and ingredients.
  - Kuku Cooler: 40 slots
  - Enhanced Kuku Cooler: 330 slots.
- Ingredients stored in either cooler can be used for cooking even if they are not carried in your inventory.

Added the Collectibles Chest which can be placed through housing mode.
- The Collectibles Chest can be used to store various quest items and crafting recipes.
- The Collectibles Chest has 1,000 slots and can be obtained through a quest.

Added an outfit storage feature to the Wardrobe, which can be placed through housing mode.
- The Wardrobe can be purchased from furniture shops.
- Each Wardrobe provides 100 storage slots, and the total storage capacity increases based on the number of wardrobes placed.
- The maximum outfit storage capacity is 1,000 slots.

Added the Select House option where you can change the layout of your house.
- Selectable house types unlock based on the Greymane Camp expansion level.
  - Compact House
  - Standard House
  - Spacious House
  - Spacious Pailunese House
Improved housing mode-related UI and controls.
Added a function that allows all furniture items placed through the housing mode to be retrieved all at once.

Improved the Greymane Camp. (To avoid spoilers, changes related to this content are listed in the dropdown menu below.)
- After moving the camp to Pailune, you will receive the Private Storage item which can be placed through housing mode.
- Added a well to Howling Hill.
Improved the observation feature so that Abyss artifacts can be earned when observing a skill that had already been acquired by using Abyss artifacts.

Improved the following items, which were previously unstackable, to now stack in the inventory:
- Regular Abyss gears, insects, fish, and animals

Added birds as pets. You can encounter these new companions throughout Pywel.
- Added the Sotdae of Bond item which allows you to gain Trust with birds.
- Place various types of food that birds might like on the Sotdae of Bond to feed them and gain Trust.
- The Sotdae of Bond can be obtained through a quest.
Added 5 new types of cat pets.
Improved the Abyss Heuklang so that it can become your pet.
Added a function to change the names of horses and pets.

Fixed an issue where cats could remain on the player’s shoulder indefinitely, contrary to the intended design. However, considering that many Greymanes actually liked these cats’ behavior, we have added an item that allows cats to stay on the shoulder for a longer period of time.
- Added an accessory slot for pets, which will allow pets to now take on a wider variety of roles.
  - Sigil of Bonding: Equipping this item on a pet cat ensures it to stay longer on your shoulder.
[Damiane] Added a new exclusive one-handed weapon, the Sword of Starlight, which can be obtained through a quest.

[Kliff/Oongka] Added two new one-handed weapons, Tree Branch and Sturdy Tree Branch.
- These items can be obtained by cutting down trees and bamboo trees.
Added a new tool, Sturdy Broom.
[Kliff] Added the new Baltheon armor outfit.
Changed the name of Rekhia Plate Helm to Baltheon Plate Helm and improved it so that it can be equipped by Kliff.
Added a secret shop in Pororin where pet equipment can be purchased.
Added additional outfits to certain shops, including the Back Alley Shop.
Improved the Kuku Flame-Resistant Armor and the Kuku Ice-Resistant Armor so that they can be dyed.
Added various ores and wells across Pywel.
Added new cooking animations each dedicated for vegetables, meat, and fish.
Reduced the amount of attack and defense gained from equipment reinforcement with grindstones and anvils.

Fixed an issue where the cloudcart could not be called.
- Improved the cloudcart so that it can be used as a permanent mount.
- Changed the cloudcart crafting mission so that it can only be completed once.
Improved the prices of goods sold by Greymane NPCs so that they can be bought at a 10% discounted price.
Added livestock vendors across Pywel.
- Livestock such as cows, pigs, goats, sheep, ducks, and chickens can be purchased from these NPCs.
Added 13 new tattoos for characters.
Added a “Lock” function that prevents selling or discarding of the selected item.
Improved gathering and mining so that the quantity of items obtained is applied consistently.
Improved resting in bed so that the player’s character gets up immediately afterward.
Improved NPCs to show a wider variety of reactions to their surroundings.
As part of ongoing visual improvements, replaced select 2D visual assets to better align with the game’s art direction.

Controls

Added a preset feature for both keyboard/mouse and controllers.
- The original controls are available via the “Classic Preset”.
- More detailed controller customization will be added soon.

Added a feature where, when the interaction key is pressed, the corresponding action is performed immediately.
- [Keyboard/Mouse] This feature, located in Settings > Input > Keyboard/Mouse Customization, can be used when the UI interaction section does not overlap with the keys in the Default Input Group. If the keys overlap, that section will be highlighted in yellow.
  ▶ If keys do not overlap
  ▶ If keys overlap
  /li>
- [Controller] This feature can be used through the default settings in Settings > Input > Controller Customization.

Added the “Evasion Control” and “Switch Roll and Evasion Input” options.
- This feature allows you to choose between either the original double click/press option or the hold option.
- Enabling the “Switch Roll and Evasion Input” option switches the controls for Roll and Evasion.

Improved the controls for aiming
- Added a function that allows you to turn your lantern on and off while aiming.
- Improved the controls so that even when a weapon is drawn, pressing aim while there is an interactable target nearby will immediately switch to aim instead of guard.

Added the “Using Skill: Element” option.
- Selecting “Quick Slot Option” allows you to use the selected elements assigned for each individual input.
Changed the controls for Vault.
- Vault can now only be used by pressing Jump while performing a different attack.
Changed all interactions so that they are executed continuously while the button is held down.
[Keyboard/Mouse & Controller] “Dismount/Drop” and “Cancel” keys/buttons have been combined.
[Keyboard/Mouse] Expanded the range of customizable key bindings.
[Keyboard/Mouse] Changed the Escape key used while under status effects to match the Evade key.
[Controller] Improved the map so that it can be opened by holding the DualSense touch pad or the Xbox controller’s View button.

Combat/Action

Adjusted the overall balance of bosses.
- Changed bosses so that they are no longer immune to player attacks while performing powerful attacks.
- Adjusted the frequency at which bosses counterattack or escape while being hit consecutively.
- Adjusted the attack pattern of certain bosses.
Increased damage taken from elemental status ailments.
Slightly reduced the damage dealt when hitting enemies with pillars or trees.

Added new charging stages for Force Palm Pulse.
- The skill can be charged up to 3 stages, with damage increasing progressively.
Improved the overall speed of “Examine” when examining items.
Improved the speed of pushing or rotating objects during puzzles.
Improved follow-up attacks so they connect more quickly even when the initial attack is blocked.
Changed Blinding Flash so that it can also be used in areas where weapons cannot be drawn.
Changed Blinding Flash so that it is used toward the target currently being faced during combat.
Improved attack chaining after using Dodge during unarmed combat.

[Kliff] Added the skill Weapon Throw, usable while dual wielding.
- This ability can be used with the same controls as Shield Bash.
- Weapons can be retrieved by pressing the same controls or by approaching it.
[Kliff] Improved the attack speed of Force Palm.
[Kliff] Fixed an issue where the parry action after guarding would not trigger when a non-sword weapon was equipped as the primary weapon.
[Kliff] Fixed an issue where Charge could not be used with certain weapons.
[Kliff] Improved Force Current so that Kliff no longer falls from ledges when using it.
[Damiane/Oongka] Added the skill Ambush.
[Damiane/Oongka] Added a skill that has the same effect as Kliff’s Focused Force Palm.
[Oongka] Fixed an issue where Oongka could not move horizontally during Vertical Flight.
[Oongka] Improved Oongka’s blaster so that it can be fired during Flight.
[Oongka] Fixed an issue where Scatter Shot could be used even without bullets during Back Hang.
Improved “Examine” so that it can be used in your inventory while mounted on a horse.
Improved the brightness and detection range of the Miner’s Lantern Hat so that it can more easily identify gatherable ores.
- It can now identify stone as well.
Changed the healing effects displayed on targets affected by Healing Force Palm.
Fixed an issue where the “Lift” interaction became unavailable when a restrained target fell into water.
Fixed an issue where stamina would recover when repeatedly drawing and stowing weapons while moving.
Fixed an issue where sprinting, swimming, and some other actions could not be performed while riding the Marni’s Mechahorse.
Fixed an issue where the character would get stuck in certain situations while operating mechanical devices.
Improved spears and longswords so that their attacks flow more naturally during combat.

UI Fixes & Improvements

Improved the inventory so that items can be viewed through category tabs.
- There are 5 categories: All, Documents, Equipment, Food, Materials, and Others.
- The Sort settings for each inventory category are saved and will remain in effect even after restarting the game.
- The same category tabs will also be added to the private storage in the near future.

Improved the inventory UI so that grouped icons will show an icon with a representative image of that group.
- The feature may be turned on or off in Settings > Play > Show Group Icon in Inventory.
Separated the input options for “Ungroup” and “Ungroup All Items”.
Added “Filters/Search” function to the map.
Improved the map and minimap so that icons are displayed for obtained Memory Fragments.
- After Memory Fragments are obtained, lanterns will no longer display a detection signal.
Added a feature that allows players to choose the shape and color of map markers.
Improved the map to display the stock status of shop items for shops with whom maximum trust has been reached.
Improved the map and minimap to display well icons.
Improved the minimap to display north, south, east, west.
[Kliff/Damiane/Oongka] Adjusted the layout of the Skills menu.
Improved the Faction Quests and Challenges UI to show the number of quests and challenges available.
Improved the Journal so that reward item information can be viewed.
Added a UI display to shops that show how many of an item the player owns.
Improved shops’ buy menu to display the conditions required for purchasing deactivated items.

Graphics & Settings

Improved the rendering quality of distant objects and textures. The higher the graphics settings, the more enhanced the details and visual clarity will be.
- Fixed an additional issue where background objects that should only appear under certain conditions were always visible from a distance.
Improved the visual quality of characters at long distances.
Improved hair lighting in shaded areas.
Improved errors and flickering related to displacement mapping.
Added a “Max” size for the subtitle font size setting.
Improved to maintain the camera’s distance to the character when adjusting the visual range.
Added a “Colorblind Mode” option in Settings > Accessibility.
Added a “Chromatic Aberration” option in Settings > Accessibility.
Added a “Photosensitive Mode” option in Settings > Accessibility.
[PC] Improved the quality of “AMD FSR Ray Regeneration”.
[PC] Improved the quality of “Intel XeSS 3.0” upscaling and “Intel XeSS Frame Generation”.
[Steam] Fixed an issue where actions requiring rotation of the right stick, such as Nature’s Snare and reeling in a fishing rod, did not function properly with an Xbox controller when the “Enable Steam Input” was enabled.
[Mac] Reduced stuttering during gameplay.
[Mac] Added a “MetalFX Denoising Upscaler” option in Settings > Video. This option is available starting from macOS Tahoe.
[Mac] Fixed an issue where switching between multiple displays under Settings > Video did not work smoothly.
[Mac] Fixed an issue where the game would launch at an unintended resolution when using certain displays.
[Mac] Improved HDR quality and allowed HDR to be enabled by default “For This Mac” preset when using an HDR-compatible display.
[Mac] Fixed an issue where the screen appeared excessively dark when disabling HDR after it had been enabled.

Stability, Gameplay

Changed the Load menu to display a notice in a slot if the save data is corrupted or invalid.
Fixed an issue that caused the game to crash if HDR was enabled on a monitor that does not support HDR.
Fixed several stability and crash issues across PC, console, and Mac.

Localization

Fixed various localization errors and improved localization quality across all languages.

Others\

Tumbleweeds have been added to desert regions.
Fixed an issue where the “Display Weapons” setting was not applied properly in certain cutscenes and gameplay situations.
Fixed an issue where the target location would display incorrectly when a bounty target quest failed.
Fixed the bounty system so that if the player’s bounty is too high to turn in a bounty target, bringing the target to the Constabulary will trigger an arrest state instead of the handover cutscene.
Improved comrades’ behavior so they do not attack bounty targets.
Fixed an issue where, after completing certain quests, tracking of the subsequent quest did not trigger properly.
Improved the Journal to indicate whether a quest target has been dispatched on a mission.
Improved the progress display for cumulative quests such as “To the Rescue”.
Fixed an issue where the game would occasionally close when retrying bosses as Damiane or Oongka.
Fixed an issue where the character switch menu became available after completing a stage that automatically switched the player character.
Fixed an issue where teleporting via the map while mounted on Blackstar caused Blackstar to become invincible or unable to move.
Fixed an issue where Blackstar would not move when summoned from a distance.
Fixed an issue where an item was displayed incorrectly when reading a Memory Fragment with the lantern.
Fixed an issue in the Prologue where enemies would not recognize the player after the player rested in a bed.
Fixed an issue that caused an inifite loading screen to appear if the player was caught cheating at Duo as Oongka.
Fixed an issue where NPCs were unable pick up items they had dropped after colliding with the player.
Fixed an issue where some outfits looked unnatural depending on the player’s movements.
Improved the display of the horse cargo so it no longer overlaps with shields.
Fixed an issue where audio did not play properly in certain situations.
Fixed an issue where a certain Pailune merchant NPC would not appear in some save files.
Fixed an issue where the mission would fail if a bounty target was killed after being captured.
Fixed an issue where Trust would not increase after giving a gift to the boss of the Beggars’ Alliance.
Fixed an issue where the effects of the items Golden Beer and Sage’s Eye did not apply properly.
Fixed an issue where relevant Knowledge was not acquired after interacting with the Pailune Militiamen.
Fixed an issue where the knowledge for Tristan, the Flame Knight, Marni’s Machina Knight, and Dreadnought could not be acquired.
Fixed an issue where Greater Abyss Gear could not be sold.
Fixed enhancement materials, crafting materials, and reinforcement levels that had been set differently from the equipment material type.
Fixed various other in-game issues.

Given the scope of this update, we are expecting a follow-up patch to be released to deal with known issues and other bugs that might surface.

Pearl Abyss has more new features and improvements planned, as the developers outlined what they’re planning on implementing from April to June.

Tags: Crimson Desert

Alex Co

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

007 First Light Latest Trailer Dives Deep Into Bond’s Secret Arsenal

by James Lara

8:02 pm in News

He may have a license to kill, but not every situation needs to end with bodies, which is precisely what IO Interactive has proven in the latest trailer for 007 First Light. Watch as James Bond puts his full MI6 training to use, using his charming personality to effortlessly blend into his surroundings.

Fans of Hitman: World of Assassination will no doubt get a sense of familiarity.

The Names Bond, Agent 47 Bond

From the Press Release:

Spycraft: Infiltrate spaces by reading your surroundings and staying one step ahead, eavesdrop to pick up intel, identify opportunities to access your objectives, then use bluffing and social stealth to move through guarded areas without raising alarms.

Gadgets (Q Branch): Build a mission loadout around tools that enable stealth, distractions, and creative problem-solving. In 007 First Light, James Bond will have access to the Q‑Lens (highlights useful information and hackable devices), the Q‑Watch (activates gadgets and interactions to divert attention or neutralize threats), the Laser Strap (can daze enemies, open up new paths, or create distractions using the environment), the Dart Phone (quietly moves enemies out of the way), the Smoke Pod (blocks visibility at short range), the Flash Mine (produces a burst of light to momentarily stun opponents) and more.

Combat: When stealth breaks, fight smart. Players can use the environment for close-quarters takedowns, rush their enemies before a shootout breaks out, or make use of their Focus to slow the moment for precision disarms and targeted takedowns. Weapons are flexible tools too; players can throw their weapon when ammo runs out to daze an enemy.

Players will also be able to enjoy the Tactical Simulation mode to improve their skills after each mission. Tactical Simulation is a replay-focused mode that unlocks after completing Bond’s training. Set in an exclusive MI6 space, spearheaded by Dr. Selina Tan (portrayed by Gemma Chan), with interactive consoles and an in-world display of collectibles, TacSim offers multiple missions that unlock as you progress through the story and challenges you to continuously improve your performance as an agent. Each mission is scored via the Agent Score and supports global and friends’ leaderboards. Completing TacSim missions earns XP and Intel: XP increases your Clearance Level to unlock new sets of skins for the weapons and gadgets, as well as cosmetics, while Intel will enable players to acquire these new skins and cosmetics.

Oh exciting! I’m definitely seeing a blend of Hitman in there, mixed in with the Bond formula.

007 First Light launches on May 27, 2026, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, and in Summer 2026 on Nintendo Switch 2. Pre-order now* and get a free deluxe upgrade, including a 24-hour early access**. All details can be found at https://ioi.dk/007firstlightgame.

Tags: 007 First Light

James Lara

A gamer at heart, James has been working for MP1st for the last decade to do exactly what he loves, writing about video games and having fun doing it. Growing up in the 90's gaming has been in his DNA since the days of NES. One day he hopes to develop his own game.

Home > News

Report: Microsoft May Introduce Custom Game Pass Plans

by Taha

1:50 pm in News

Microsoft has recently lowered the price of Game Pass while removing future Call of Duty titles from its day-one launch lineup, confirming earlier leaks that suggested this move would happen under Xbox Gaming CEO Asha Sharma. Game Pass Ultimate now costs $22.99, which is $7 less than before, while PC Game Pass is priced at $13.99. The Essential and Premium tiers remain at $9.99 and $14.99 per month.

However, this price drop may not be the only change. Microsoft is also considering a new subscription model where users can choose a plan that fits their needs.

Microsoft Considers Flexible Game Pass Subscription Model

According to Windows Central, the company is exploring ways to make Game Pass more flexible. The idea is to allow users to select the content and services they want and pay based on their choices. This would be a long-term plan to give players more control over their subscriptions.

For example, some users do not use features like Fortnite Crew, so removing it from their plan could reduce the monthly cost. Other options being discussed include choosing whether to include Xbox Cloud Gaming, adding or removing services like Ubisoft+ and EA Play, or even having a Game Pass option focused only on Microsoft’s own games.

A recent leak also pointed in this direction, suggesting a version of Game Pass centered on first-party titles. Another idea being considered is adding access to platforms like Netflix as part of the subscription, which could further change how pricing works.

Nonetheless, it’s best to take this information with a pinch of salt, as Microsoft has not officially confirmed these plans. If more news or rumors emerge, we’ll be sure to keep you updated here at MP1st.

In other news, former Bethesda executive Pete Hines has criticized Microsoft’s management of the studio, describing the environment under Xbox as “not authentic and not genuine.”

Tags: Game Pass Microsoft Xbox Xbox Game Pass

Taha

Television kills your vision.

Home > Title Updates and Patches

Madden NFL 26 Update 1.017 Released on April 22

by Alex Co

12:17 pm in Title Updates and Patches

EA has released Madden NFL 26 update 1.017 (complete version 1.017.000) on all platforms on April 22, and this is another minor patch for the football sim.

Same as in past patches, don’t expect anything major or any new pieces of content in the title update.

For the list of known bugs and other issues, read on.

Madden 26 Game Update on April 22 Released

As expected, EA has not released any official patch notes, though the game did go offline temporarily due to maintenance.

For now, check out the known issues that still persists.

Madden NFL 26 Known Issues as of April 22, 2026

Season 8 Ultimate Team Premium Pass not giving rewards even after paying.
EA Play Pro Rewards Not Syncing – Missing All Monthly Items Since August (PC)
Madden 26 Superstar mode Broken
PS5 Trophy Unlock Issue for Rushing and Passing Records
Custom Rosters will not load
Right hand QBs spin before throwing Bug
Superstar Mode Hurry-Up Offense Bug – Locked in Spike Formation With No Controls
Season 8 Pass rewards not unlocking properly
MUT Squads never ending queing

There are more gameplay and technical issues, but these are the ones that are most pressing for now. Hopefully, EA releases a fix or two for these before Madden 27.

Tags: Madden NFL 26 nfl

Alex Co

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

Home > Title Updates and Patches

Hell Is Us Patch 1.6 Hotfix 1 Released for Minor Update 1.009

by Alex Co

11:59 am in Title Updates and Patches

Developer Rogue Factor has pushed out a hotfix for the version 1.6 patch released two weeks ago. Console gamers will see this hotfix as Hell Is Us update 1.009 (complete version 1.009.000), and this is a small download across the board.

Given this is a hotfix, don’t expect any new features or major changes made outside of bug fixes.

For the complete info, read on for the patch notes.

Hell Is Us Receives Ver. 1.6 Hotfix 1 as Update 1.009

Here’s what got fixed per Rogue Factor:

Bug Fixes:

Fixed enemies not completely dying when using Gluttony or Lingering Pain glyphs.
This could soft lock the game as you would no longer be able to interact.

In case you haven’t updated the game since version 1.6 dropped, some of the changes made and bug fixes appliied include:

Changes:

Optimized combat / enemy memory allocations
Optimized memory in all maps
Removed interactible icons during interact and conversations

Bug Fixes:

Crash in Keystone of Terror Boss Fight
Fixed memory leaks associated with UI and cinematic
Fixed crash in damage dealing projectiles
Fixed crash when falling
Fixed crash in collision overlaps when releasing a throwable
Fixed crash with Nacon Identity functions

Aside from hotfixes, don’t expect a lot of patches to be released for the game. But if one does get pushed out, expect it here on MP1st.

Tags: Hell is Us

Alex Co

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

Home > News

Game Development Costs on Steam Exceed $27 Billion in 2025

by Taha

5:51 am in News

Game development is becoming more and more expensive, and the latest data shows just how fast things are growing. In fact, 2025 was a record year for spending on new games released on Steam.

According to new data, the total budget invested in new games released on Steam exceeded 27 billion dollars, setting a new all-time high.

Video Game Budgets Reach Record Levels on Steam in 2025

Just two years ago, this figure was around 20 billion dollars, while in 2015 it was only about 5 billion. In simple terms, development costs have increased more than five times over the past decade.

This strong growth is driven by several factors. According to HushCrasher analysts (via Game World Observer), the main reasons are the large increase in the number of games released, the impact of global inflation, and strong competition to attract players. Because of this, bigger studios like AA and AAA teams are spending more money to improve graphics and include more content.

Looking at the details, AA games have seen the biggest increase in costs over the last ten years. On average, these games cost about 20 million dollars to develop in 2025, which is a 250% increase compared to 2015. AAA games have also become more expensive, with average budgets rising by 224% to reach around 300 million dollars.

Smaller studios are also affected. Mid-sized teams now spend about 1 million dollars on average, up by 166%, while indie developers spend around 100K dollars, an increase of 156%.

Costs also vary depending on the type of game. Virtual reality (VR) games have seen the fastest growth. While their budgets were stable until 2021, the rise of the metaverse trend caused a sharp increase, with costs growing more than four times in seven years. Action-adventure and free-to-play games also saw strong growth, with budgets increasing by about 2.8 and 2.3 times respectively.

However, not all genres follow this trend. Some types of games, such as classic point-and-click adventures, have actually become cheaper to develop over time.

To estimate these figures, HushCrasher used a complex method. The platform looked at factors such as the experience of development teams, the number of people listed in the credits, the number of supported languages, and many “other variables” to reach these results.

Tags: Steam

Taha

Television kills your vision.

Home > News

Xbox Game Pass Price Drops, But Loses Day-One Call of Duty Releases

by Taha

April 21, 2026 12:54 pm in News

In recent weeks, there has been a lot of speculation and rumors about possible changes to Xbox Game Pass, and now they have been confirmed.

Microsoft has officially lowered the monthly price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, but at the same time, it has confirmed that future Call of Duty games will no longer launch on the service on “Day One.” This marks a clear shift in strategy, as the company looks to balance the value of its subscription with game sales.

Call of Duty Will No Longer Launch Day One on Xbox Game Pass

Starting today, the new pricing shows a noticeable drop. Game Pass Ultimate now costs $22.99 per month, down from $29.99, while PC Game Pass drops to $13.99 from $16.49. This makes the service more affordable, especially for long-term subscribers.

However, new Call of Duty titles will no longer be available on Game Pass at launch. Instead, they will be added around one year after release, usually during the following holiday season when the next game in the series arrives.

Microsoft has confirmed that existing Call of Duty games already included in the library, such as Black Ops 6 and Black Ops 7, will remain available for subscribers. At the same time, other first-party games from Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda are still expected to launch on Game Pass on day one.

Explaining this decision, the company said, “Our players cover a wide breadth of geographies, preferences, and tastes, so while there isn’t a single model that’s best for everyone, this change responds to a lot of feedback we’ve gotten so far. We’ll continue to listen and learn.”

In other news, former Bethesda executive Pete Hines has criticized Microsoft’s management of the studio, describing the environment under Xbox as “not authentic and not genuine.”

Tags: Call of Duty Game Pass PC Game Pass Xbox Game Pass

Taha

Television kills your vision.

Home > Title Updates and Patches

Fallout 76 Update on April 21 Applies Long List of Improvements via Patch 2.22

by Alex Co

11:05 am in Title Updates and Patches

As part of today’s maintenance downtime, Bethesda has pushed out a new game update for Fallout 76 on April 21, and this brings a significant amount of bug fixes and improvements.

Console gamers will see this as Fallout 76 update 2.22, and this is another hefty download acrss consoles and PC.

For the complete patch notes, patch sizes and more, read on.

Fallout 76 Title Update 2.22 Released on April 21

Update Version 1.7.24.12 & Sizes

Check the download sizes below for today’s update on your platform of choice:

PC (Steam): 8.3 GB
PC (Microsoft Store): 21.7 GB
Xbox: 25.4 GB
PlayStation: 23.5 GB

Activities and Public Events

Increased chances of legendary enemies spawning in Distinguished Guests.
Tracked Quest Objective/Event timers should now count down correctly.
Fixed an issue with activity Battle Bots where the activity will remain active if players never engage with it.
Colossal Problem: The Casual Underarmor Style can now be earned upon event completion.
Grunt Hunts: Fixed an issue that could cause Grunt Hunts to fail to start for some players.
Powering Up: Doors locked by terminals at the Power Plants have been unlocked.
Feed the People: The amount of legendary enemies in “Feed the People” have been adjusted to follow similar amounts of other events.

Armor (and Clothing)

Legion Legate Helmet no longer clips into the neck of the player.
Liberty Prime pieces no longer display in the inspect menu while the Patriot Prime PA Skin is applied.
Changed the name of Abraxodyne Overalls to Abraxodyne Coveralls.
The Deathclaw Skin Outfit no longer counts as Mothman Cultist disguise.
NCR Trooper Outfit no longer increases the weight of the player when wearing underarmor.
NCR Trooper Outfit shoulder pads on male characters no longer clip.
Nuka-Cola Collectors Power Armor no longer has a dark void when equipped.
Vault Suit Underarmor Style plan is now worth 200 Gold Bullion.
Reduced amount of screen space occupied by the Lady Liberty Prime Power Armor when certain Heavy Weapons are equipped.
Addressed an issue with the Rust Raider Light/Medium/Heavy outfits where they weighed more than intended.
Fixed an issue where the Lady Liberty Prime Paint had an unintended opening.
Reduced the condition damage dealt to armor (and Power Armor) when the player deals self-damage (same reduction as for health damage).
Addressed issues where armor condition would degrade based on health damage taken rather than the health damage the armor piece prevented.
- This improves cases where armor penetration effects or enemies simply dealing high damage relative to armor resistances (where armor isn’t helping as much to mitigate that damage) would result in unexpectedly high armor condition damage.
- Conversely, cases where player armor is mitigating more of the incoming damage will mean more of that incoming damage is converted to armor condition damage. This effectively means that the majority of the condition damage dealt to armor now occurs when the armor is actually mitigating incoming damage.
Fixed a case where percentage reductions to damage could apply to Power Armor condition damage.
Fixed a case where armor condition damage from multi-projectile attacks (shotguns, etc.) were handled differently between power armor and regular armor.
Addressed some cases where certain armor sets would take condition damage unexpectedly fast relative to other armor (especially Wood armor).
Fixed a case where increasing player max health wasn’t resulting in proportionally hardier limbs.
- Dev Note: This is player-only. NPCs already had the intended behavior. Also, this is unrelated to armor condition damage.
Reduced the amount of condition damage taken for all player armor (armor should generally last much longer before breaking).

Audio

Added sound effects to the Raven Perch.
Added sound effects to the Caged Owl.

C.A.M.P., Workshop, and Shelters

Fixed an issue where players were questioning who possessed the Raider Punk’s Radio… (added “’s” to the name in the build menu).
Collectron terminals now work properly in public workshops.
Fix an issue preventing players from building allies or pets in their C.A.M.P.
Fixed an issue with the destroyed state of the Diner Letters.
Jack-O’-Lantern Backpack Flair: Fixed a display issue when placed in a display case.
Fixed an issue where players who earned the Blue Nuka-Cola Billboard couldn’t place it.
Axolotl plushie names have been updated to be consistent.
Fixed visibility of the Armoire Stash Box in the Workshop Menu.
The “Starlight Drive-In Marquee” snaps properly with floors and foundations.
Fixed an issue where some Nukashine beer kegs were incorrectly displayed in the C.A.M.P. build menu.
Cold Shoulder Pip-Boy Paint now displays its frost effect when on the display stand.
The Raider Fermenter can no longer be crafted in shelters.
Fusion and Plasma Core Rechargers can no longer be built in Shelters.
Fasnacht Captain Masks now sit in displays properly.
C.A.M.P. items built from plans obtained from premium vendors will show the atomic icon in the Workshop Menu.
Fixed an issue where the Mystery Magazine Box was not lootable from the Evidence Collection Assistant Collectron.
Fixed build limit being shared between the Crashed Cargo Bot and Rip Daring Survival Cache.
The Burning Springs Weather Machine no longer shows missing VFX and displays correctly.
Blueprints belonging to older accounts previously reported as being unplaceable due to missing plans should now be accessible.
Updated the names “Vault Tec Bed 1” & “Vault Tec Bed 2” to “Simple Bed” & “Simple Made Bed”.
C.A.M.P.s can no longer be built in proximity of the Starlight Drive-In.
Fixed an issue where Water Purifiers were listed in the Metal Doors category of the Workshop Menu.
Rabbit Plushie workshop icon realigned in the Workshop Menu.
Galaxy Map workshop icon enlarged in the Workshop Menu.
Improved the animation of fish inside the Fish Tank C.A.M.P. display.

Challenges

Fixed a bug preventing the Abraxodyne HQ Sign from being craftable after completing the relevant challenge.

Localization

Fixed localization character shown for the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. words in non-English.

Gameplay

Addressed an issue where bleed damage over time for the Talons mutation would affect bleed-immune targets.
Fixed possible soft-lock if cancelling joining a world while attempting to join a teammate.
Fixed players getting stuck inside of tires near the bridge between the Super Duper Mart and the Shade Hill Church locations.
Fix incorrect damage assignments on NPC War Drum, Meat Hook, and Cryolator.
Scrap kits will now ignore locked items.
Updated the critical death goo effect of Prototype ABX03.
Fixed an issue preventing some players from receiving rare rewards from Daily Ops.
Sentry Bot Helmet now uses Military Circuit Board as part of its recipe.
Janky Fishing Rod animates properly when reeling in fish.
Fixed an issue where scrapping a Thrill-Seeker’s mod box resulted in fewer modules than intended.
Potbelly Kelt: Fixed an issue using the incorrect texture.
Armored Spinefish: Fixed an issue using the incorrect texture.
Fixed an issue where the XB-55 sentry bot in the “Over and Out”” quest had higher resistances than intended.
- XB-55 will now scale down to lower levels when encountered by low-level players.
- Increase the XP rewarded when killing XB-55.
Explosions now retain more of their damage when not directly hitting the target.
Explosions from multi-projectile attacks (Gauss Shotgun, Two-Shot + Explosive legendary mods, etc.) should now retain more of their damage when facing enemies with high resistances.
Bonuses to explosion damage (Demolition Expert, Bobblehead: Explosive, etc.) are no longer skipped for self-damage.
- Dev Note: The global reduction in self-damage is still present and unaffected by this change.
Fixed an issue where multi-projectile attacks (Shotguns, etc.) could kill other players much faster than expected.
- Dev Note: This only affects damage dealt by a player when attacking another player.

Pip-Boy

The “Tin of Caps” now has a proper preview model in the Pip-Boy.
Center Masochist now properly displays its effect in the Pip-Boy.
Jack-O’-Lantern Backpack Flair: Now correctly displays in the Pip-Boy preview.
The “Miner Musings” note now has a proper preview model in the Pip-Boy.
The Vault Boy correctly updates the armor visuals when equipping and unequipping inventory items.
Long Radio Station names will have their text auto resize to fit.
Restored D-Pad scrolling to the Effects and Perks tabs under “STAT” in Pip-Boy.
The 3D model in the Inventory page of the Pip-Boy will refresh when changing view modes of the menu.
Plans inside the Recipe Book display button hints as expected.
Fixed issue that Pip-Boy lists did not use audio feedback of selection change.
Serum effect text in the Pip-Boy does not display the “+1” value.
The item stat card in Pip-Boy Inventory will be visible after changing off of an empty tab.
Fixed PlayStation controller button for Pip-Boy View and exiting to Map.
Glowing One now shows in the Perk Tab. Shows how much Glow it grants to other Ghouls.

Weapons

Fixed an issue preventing the Rip Daring and Peepers paints from working with some Cremators.
Dom Pedro Aligned Grips now has Aligned Properties.
Dom Pedro Stabilized Grips now has Stabilized Properties.
Dom Pedro Stabilized Grips now has True Properties.
Fancy Single Action Revolver & Fancy Pump Action Shotgun
- Increased weight by 10%
- Decreased durability
- Larger cone of fire
- Increased ap cost by 10%
- Sneaking results in smaller cone of fire
- 25% faster reload speed
- 10% Faster Fire Rate
Fixed an issue where certain damage bonuses would be much stronger than intended.

Legendary Mods

Fierce now costs the same as other 2-Star legendary mods.
Fixed an issue where locked mods could be applied at workbenches without being consumed.

UI

Added hyphens to correct Power Armor names in the descriptions.
Fixed visual rounding errors when showing the change in stats for certain weapon mods.
Stealth Indicator will now show when using V.A.T.S. while crouched.
Repositioned enemy damaged icons to the right of their health bar to avoid overlapping enemy resistance values in V.A.T.S..
Head Hunt target’s health bar no longer displays when the map is open.
Updated description of Winterland Power Armor with correct types of Power Armors this skin can be applied.
Prompt to unequip a legendary perk card has been removed.
Lucid is now shown as a prefix.
All map elements (location icons and text) are now hidden when the MENU is expanded.
Fixed an issue where the Gold Bullion version of the antique speed bag and weight bench were showing as Atomic Shop objects.
Player Effects now refresh properly on the HUD.
Fixed issue where “Enter Text” would appear while signing in on Consoles.
“Type” prompt no longer appears on screen during the character creation wakeup animation, and the button bars behave as expected.
“Archaic” tag is now visible when inspecting items.
Fixed an issue where the Quantity Slider can stop responding to thumbstick input.
Quick Inventory’ menu shows all items in Inventory as expected.

Quest

Blue Moon: Fixed up some differences between the VO and subtitles for conversations between Aries and Carver.
Insurrection: Fixed an issue where Team Members could progress Optional Objectives for the Team Leader.
Insurrection: Fixed an issue where some players were unable to progress past the “Talk to the loan shark” objective.

Miscellaneous

Destroying the Clean Industrial Fan now sounds like it was made of metal instead of wood!
Made various corrections to text across the game.
Fix for flashing white screen when closing the Pip-Boy for the Show on Map behavior.
Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the “Defaults” button to disappear in the Settings Menu.
Fixed the lighting in the Overseer’s home.
Fixed an incorrect art issue with Treasurer and Rigged Player Titles.
Fixed an issue where world geometry/assets could appear to be missing after multiple fast travels.
Weightlifting Junk Items now have the updated names.
Prevented Fasnacht Porcelain Steins from being auto-scrapped.
A checkbox has been added for all accounts to Opt-In to receive Marketing e-mails.
Added help entry for C.A.M.P. Titles.

There’s also a known issue regarding missing French voice-over, though it will be resolved sometime in the future.

Once another patch is out, expect it here on MP1st.

Tags: Fallout 76

Alex Co

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

Home > Title Updates and Patches

Marathon Update 1.0.6.1 Brings Item Economy Changes via Patch 1.013

by Alex Co

10:20 am in Title Updates and Patches

As part of today’s maintenance, Bungie has rolled out Marathon’s version 1.0.6.1 update across all platforms. Those on consoles will see this as Marathon update 1.013 (complete version 01.013.000), and this deals changes to item economy, weapon changes and a lot more.

There are also technical fixes pertaining to the UI and UX, which are detailed in the complete patch notes available below.

Marathon Update on April 21 Applies Mid-Season Fixes and Adjustments via Patch 1.0.6.1/1.013

Item Economy

Increased the daily stock limits for Enhanced (green) and Deluxe (blue) Sponsored Kits in the Armory.

Depleted Patch Kits & Depleted Shield Charges now stack to 6, up from 3.
- Standard rarity Sponsored Kits come with stacks of 6 instead of 3
- Recruits now drop Depleted Patch Kits and Depleted Shield Charges at a much higher rate.

Combat

Weapons

Toggle Zoom (for keyboard and mouse players) no longer persists ADS (aim down sights) state through actions that suppress ADS like weapon swap or weapon reload, to fix an issue where players could get into a bad state unable to use medical consumables.
V85 Circuit Breaker:
- Fixed an issue where firing immediately after a fully charged shot would show projectiles and impact VFX but wouldn’t register as a hit.

User Interface and Experience

Improved accuracy of radial selections after opening the radial menu, making a selection, and closing the radial in quick succession, with the goal of reducing the number of instances a frag grenade is accidentally tossed at the player’s feet instead of a bubble shield.
Fixed an issue preventing crewmates’ weapon styles from appearing on their loadout display in the prepare screen.

Armory

Fixed an issue that was preventing barter weapons from displaying their barter cost on the weapon tile.

Zones

Perimeter
- Fixed the exfil countdown timer in the Perimeter tutorial so it correctly displays a full 10‑second countdown instead of briefly flashing “0:00” and disappearing when entering the exfil circle.
Cryo Archive
- Fixed an out-of-bounds exploit that would allow Runners to refund their gear if they stayed past the run countdown.

General

Increased the size of the overflow inventory to address scenarios where items could be lost due to limited overflow space.

This is a minor update after last week’s mid-season patch, and we’re expecting more updates to be released next week too.

Tags: Marathon

Alex Co

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

Home > News

Fallout 76 Down on April 21 to Apply an Update

by Alex Co

9:54 am in News

Those having issues logging in to Fallout 76, it’s not just you, as Bethesda has taken the game’s servers down on April 21, and this applies to all platforms.

Expect this server downtime to affect all modes of the game, and the reason for it is to conduct maintenance, as Bethesda is rolling out a game update.

Read on for the schedule and what to expect from today’s FO76 server outage.

Fallout 76 Servers Down on April 21 for a New Game Update

Update: The complete patch notes for Fallout 76’s update for April 21 is live!

Bethesda has confirmed the downtime starts at 10 am ET/9 am CT/7 am PT. While there’s no mention how long it will take, the standard downtime for the game usually lasts from 2-4 hours and sometimes even more.

While Bethesda is prepping the Infestation major update via the PTS (Private Test Server), today’s patch should include a handful of fixes.

Some of the issues we hope are resolved include:

Quest progression blockers
Fallout 1st not working properly

There are a lot more technical fixes, but these are the ones that stood out for us the most. For those looking forward to the game’s “Next-Gen Update,” Bethesda hasn’t said anything, so chances are, it won’t be dropping today.

If there are any changes to the maintenance period or if it gets extended, we’ll be sure to let our readers know. Once the patch notes are available, we’ll provide a link to it within this article.

In other news related to post-apocalyptic games, the latest game in the Metro franchise titled “Metro 2039” has been announced, and it’s due for release later this year.

Tags: Fallout 76

Alex Co

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

Home > News

Marathon Down on April 21 to Apply Patch 1.0.6.1

by Alex Co

7:55 am in News

It’s another week, and that means Bungie is once again taking the Marathon servers down temporarily to apply a game update.

For April 21, Bungie is set to roll out update 1.0.6.1, which should fix issues that arose from the game’s mid-season patch released last week.

For the complete schedule of downtime, read on.

Marathon Servers Down on April 21

Update: The patch notes for today’s title update are available now.

Tuesday, April 21, 2026 — Update 1.0.6.1

5:00 AM PDT	UTC-7	Marathon will undergo maintenance. Sign-on will be unavailable. Players actively in runs will be able to complete them.
5:30AM PDT	UTC-7	Marathon will begin being brought offline for expected maintenance. Players will start being removed from activities.
7:00 AM PDT	UTC-7	The latest Marathon update is expected to become available across all platforms and regions.
8:00 AM PDT	UTC-7	Players are expected to be able to log back into Marathon. Players logging into the game may be placed in a queue and may experience sign-on issues as background maintenance is still ongoing.
9:00 AM PDT	UTC-7	Marathon maintenance is expected to conclude. Console players who encounter issues updating should restart their console and try downloading the update. Players who observe issues should report to the Marathon Help Forum.

Once the update is out, expect it here on MP1st.

If the downtime is extended, we’ll update the article to reflect it. While we’re not expecting the downtime to last longer than outlined, it does happen from time to time.

Tags: Marathon

Alex Co

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

Home > Title Updates and Patches

Dragon Ball Sparking Zero New Update 2.000.018 Adds Survival Mode for Free on April 21

by Alex Co

5:33 am in Title Updates and Patches

Developer Spike Chunsoft has released a game update for Dragon Ball Sparking Zero, and while this doesn’t add to the game’s huge list of playable characters, it does add a new mode for free.

Console gamers will see this download appear as Dragon Ball Sparking Zero update 2.000.018, and aside from adding a new mode, it also adusts CPU behaviour in Versus too.

For the complete details, read on for the official patch notes.

Dragon Ball Sparking Zero Survival Mode Added on April 21

Per Bandai Namco, here’s what’s new from today’s game update:

Target Platforms

PlayStation®5
Xbox Series X❘S
STEAM

Version Information

Ver.2019.018.003.011.012

Changes and Adjustments to Game Modes

Ultimate Battle

Added a new single player mode, Survival Mode.

Versus

Adjusted the behavior of the CPU at the “Ultra” difficulty level.

Don’t forget, updating the game is required if you want to play the game online. While this is a minor update, new DLC is set to be released this summer with the release of the Neo DLC, which will be pushed out alongside a free update that introduces a new battle system to all players.

Check out what’s on the way via the game trailer released this weekend:

Aside from Sparking Zero, Dragon Ball FighterZ was also updated today and it’s to bring a new character into the game, as well as apply balance changes.

Bandai Namco also announced Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 this weekend, and it’s due for release in 2027 for consoles and PC.

Tags: Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero

Alex Co

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

Home > News

Uncharted 4 Was Almost Canceled After a Director Said It “Sucks”

by Taha

5:22 am in News

Uncharted 4 was released on PS4 ten years ago and has sold nearly 20 million copies. However, according to a former Naughty Dog developer, the early versions of the game were not well received by everyone inside the studio.

Gabriel Betancourt, who worked as a lighting artist at Naughty Dog from 2012 to 2019, recently spoke in an interview with Kiwi Talkz about the early stages of development. He worked on several major titles, including The Last of Us, The Last of Us Part II, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, and Uncharted 4.

Uncharted 4 Nearly Canceled After Harsh Internal Feedback From Director

He explained that the project had been in development for quite some time before concerns started to appear. He said (via Insider-Gaming), “I remember this one game prototype, and I won’t say which one, but there was a project that had been in production for two and a half years almost three, and corporate had said ‘we’re having questions about this.'”

Despite the success of previous games in the series, there were internal issues. According to Betancourt, the team was very confident and believed the project would succeed again without problems. To get feedback, they asked a director from another team to review the game. What happened next shocked everyone in the room. He added, “That director walked in, in the room full of all these people, he picked up the controller, and he said to everyone: ‘This game sucks.'”

The reaction in the room was strong. The project director — likely Amy Hennig — was very upset. When someone said the comment was rude, the visiting director continued, “No, but the game sucks, there’s no objectives, it’s hard to follow what’s going on, the controls are clunky, this isn’t like you guys, this isn’t what we delivered in the past.”

At first, the studio continued development and tried to ignore the criticism. But later, the situation became more serious. According to Betancourt, the leadership stepped in and gave a clear warning, saying, “You guys are in trouble. We’re gonna pull funding from this if you guys don’t fix this.”

As a result, the project director was removed, even though they had been successful before. The critic, along with two others, was put in charge of fixing the project, which led to major changes and a partial restart of development. After several more years of work, the game was completed and became a big success.

Although Betancourt never directly named Uncharted 4, it is likely the game he was referring to. The timeline aligns, and Amy Hennig’s departure from Naughty Dog in 2014 during its development further supports this.

Tags: "Uncharted" Uncharted 4 Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

Taha

Television kills your vision.

Home > Title Updates and Patches

ARC Raiders Update 1.000.037 Pushed Out to Address Duplication Glitch

by Alex Co

5:20 am in Title Updates and Patches

Developer Embark Studios has released ARC Raiders update 1.000.037 today, April 21, and this addresses an exploit and helps resolve crashing issues on PS5.

While this is a very minor patch, this should stop players from doing the duplication glitch.

For those wondering why today’s update doesn’t change the store items, Embark has issued a statement about that too.

ARC Raiders Duplication Glitch Addressed via Update 1.000.037

Per Embark, here’s what to expect from today’s update: “Today, we’ve pushed a Hotfix to address a PS5 crash and a duplication glitch! Thanks for the detailed reports that help us get to a speedy resolution, keep up the good work!”

When it comes to the store rotation, the developers shared, “We’re also moving this week’s store rotation back by one more week and we’re sorry for the delay. It will release at the same time as the next big update, so sleep with your boots on and get ready for Riven Tides!”

Aside from the store rotation next week, players can look forward to the big Riven Tides content drop as well, and this will bring a new map, new map condition, and slew of other new stuff to spice things up for raiders on PC and consoles.

Once that update is out, the Q1 roadmap will be complete, and we should hear more about what the studio has planned for Q2 2026 and beyond.

Tags: Arc Raiders

Alex Co

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

Home > Title Updates and Patches

Dragon Ball FighterZ New Update 1.50/1.000.010 Adds Goku SS4 Daima and Balance Changes

by Alex Co

April 20, 2026 11:22 pm in Title Updates and Patches

Bandai Namco Entertainment has pushed out Dragon Ball FighterZ update 1.50/1.000.010 on all platforms now, and this is to bring new DLC into the game.

As expected given the reveal trailer. Goku SS4 Daima will be entering the roster — provided you pay for it.

In addition to that, there are also balance changes applied, which are broken down in the patch notes below.

Dragon Ball FighterZ Goku SS4 Daima Update Applies Balance Changes

Aside from Goku SS4 Daima’s inclusion, the patch also applies balance changes.

System Mechanics

Limit Breaking Power

Removed autofill of the Ki Gauge when limit-breaking power activates while opponent’s health is 0.

Goku

Dragon Flash Fist (Light)

Adjusted blockstun of Goku (Super Saiyan)’s Dragon Flash Fist (Light) attack.

Dragon Flash Fist

The grounded version of Goku (Super Saiyan)’s Dragon Flash Fist attack now counts as a jumping attack.

Krillin

Jumping Unique Attack

Fixed an issue in which connecting with Krillin’s jumping unique attack when performed after a Simple Dash input would result in a Super Dash.

Vegeta

Galaxy Breaker

Vegeta can no longer be pushed back by an opponent during the Galaxy Breaker move.

Android 17

Jumping Unique Attack

Fixed an issue in which connecting with Android 17’s jumping unique attack when performed after a Simple Dash input would result in a Super Dash.

Jiren

Counter Impact

Changed Jiren’s Counter Impact to not transition into an attack at the end of a match.

Videl

Justice Revenge

Fixed an issue in which Great Saiyaman would remain on-screen under certain conditions during Videl’s Justice Revenge.
Adjusted the area that hits opponents behind the character when using Videl’s Justice Revenge in a powered-up state.

Goku (GT)

Super Ultra Spirit Bomb

The minimum guaranteed damage of Goku (GT)’s Super Ultra Spirit Bomb now decreases when used twice or more in the same combo.

While there are no other fighters promised for FighterZ just yet, Bandai Namco isn’t stopping with the Dragon Ball gravy train anytime soon, as the publisher recently announced Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3, and it’s due for release in 2027.

Tags: Dragon Ball FighterZ

Alex Co

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

Home > Title Updates and Patches

Pragmata Update 1.210 Adds Support for Upgraded PSSR for PS5 Pro

by James Lara

10:22 pm in Title Updates and Patches

Just a few days after release, Capcom has released Pragmata update 1.210 (complete version 1.210.000) on PS5, and this is specifically to add a graphical feature that will benefit PS5 Pro owners. PS5 Pro owners can now enjoy the game with even better upscalled resolution and performance.

As far as we’re aware, this title update is only available to PS5 gamers, and it should be a small download. For those hoping this fixes some nagging gameplay-related bugs, that doesn’t seem to be the case for now.

Pragmata Now Supports PSSR 2.0 VIA Update 1.210

As shared by Capcom, a new update for Pragmata is now out on PS5. Although the base PS5 has also received this update, which may contain more than the studio is letting on, Capcom did say this was to add support for the newly updated PSSR model that PS5 Pro players have been able to access since last month. Sony had previously said that the new version of PSSR on the PS5 Pro would aim to improve image quality and achieve a higher frame rate.

This is what Digital Foundry had to say about the updated PSSR last month:

“The newer DLSS and FSR4 implementations can still retain more apparent resolution in certain motion scenarios: elements in motion can see a touch more aliasing on the new console upscaler, with the underlying circa-1080p input occasionally manifesting in motion more than DLSS or FSR4. However, each upscaler has its pros and cons. Both FSR4 and DLSS can suffer more from ghosting in specific scenarios – the classic TAA-style faint trails on moving objects. The new PSSR avoids this ghosting entirely in Resident Evil Requiem.

Bearing in mind the FSR4 association with the new PSSR, it’s interesting to see these variances. For example, the balance of detail and overall sharpness shifts depending on lighting and content. Sometimes DLSS appears most crisp, followed by PSSR and then a softer FSR4. Text readability suits DLSS, again followed by the new PSSR with FSR4 lagging behind. Elsewhere, distant detail – particularly in Raccoon City – favours FSR4 and DLSS over PSSR. The classic “chain link fence” test also sees the PC upscalers deliver improved outputs.”

Here I thought the game had already supported it, and now it’s about to look even better on the PS5 Pro than it already does!

For those interested in reading our thoughts on the game, be sure to check out our Pragmata review to find out why it’s one of the best games of 2026.

Tags: Capcom Pragmata

James Lara

Home > Title Updates and Patches

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 New Update 1.055 Adds Crusader Kings 3 Collaboration Content

by Alex Co

3:04 pm in Title Updates and Patches

While it seems like development of Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 has been completed by Warhorse, that doesn’t mean we won’t be getting updates. Today, April 20, the developers have released Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 update 1.055 (complete version 1.055.000), and this is to add new content!

Called the version 1.5.5 patch, today’s download adds content from the strategy game, Crusader Kings 3!

While this update is for collaboration with another game, don’t expect much from it, as there are no new in-game events or any of the sort.

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Receives New Update on April 20 for Crusader Kings 3 Collaboration

Here’s what today’s 3 GB download houses, per Warhose:

Three Crusader Kings

Added the book Three Crusader Kings as part of a collaboration with Crusader Kings III, by Paradox. It can be found in various locations around Trosky and Kuttenberg.

The developers also added that players should also look forward to Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 content in Paradox’s Crusader Kings 3 starting today.

That’s about it. We’re not expecting any major updates from Warhorse when it comes to Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, as the game’s final DLC was pushed out five months ago alongside a game update.

Hopefully, nothing breaks with today’s patch that’ll require a follow-up patch for players.

Tags: Kingdom Come Deliverance II kingdom comIIe deliverance

Alex Co

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

Home > News

Elden Ring Movie Adaptation Set for Release in 2028; Full Cast Revealed

by Alex Co

2:25 pm in News

In case you didn’t know, a live-action movie adaptation of Bandai Namco’s best-selling Elden Ring is in the works, and we now have a release date to go with it.

Written and directed by Alex Garland (Ex Machina, 28 Years Later), the Elden Ring movie will be released on March 3, 2028!

Not only do we have a release date, but the full cast has been revealed as well.

Elden Ring Movie Cast Revealed

The Elden Ring movie will be filmed in IMAX, with full production beginning in Spring 2026. The movie’s cast has also been announced:

Kit Connor (Warfare, Heartstopper)
Ben Whishaw (Skyfall, Paddington)
Cailee Spaeny (Alien: Romulus, Civil War)
Tom Burke (Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Black Bag)
Havana Rose Liu (Bottoms)
Sonoya Mizuno (Ex Machina)
Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes)
Ruby Cruz (Willow, Bottoms)
Nick Offerman (The Last of Us)
John Hodgkinson
Jefferson Hall
Emma Laird
and Peter Serafinowicz

Hopefully, we’ll get a trailer or something before the year ends.

It’s been four years since FromSoftware’s most popular work was released, but given the brand’s popularity, I suspect that won’t matter when the movie finally launches in 2028.

Tags: elden ring

Alex Co

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

Home > News

Playnix Introduces Steam Machine Alternative With RX 9060 XT, Priced at $1,139

by Taha

12:50 pm in News

Even though Valve denied that the Steam Machine has been delayed to 2027, many users are still waiting and want to upgrade their gaming setup with a mini PC.

For those who are tired of waiting, Playnix has introduced a new “living room PC” designed as a direct competitor to the Steam Machine.

Playnix Unveils a Powerful Alternative to Steam Machine

The device has a 3D-printed case that looks like a turntable and is similar in size and shape to an Xbox Series S. It is a mini PC that can run most games available on Steam thanks to its hardware.

It includes an AMD Ryzen 5 5500 processor, a 512 GB SSD, 16 GB of DDR4 RAM (2×8 GB at 3200 MHz), and an RX 9060 XT graphics card with 16 GB of VRAM. Based on these specs, its performance should be higher than what is expected from the Steam Machine.

On the software side, the system runs a custom version of Arch Linux with a built-in Steam Gaming mode, allowing users to access the full Steam library. Tests done by the YouTube channel Retro Game Corps using Cyberpunk 2077 showed performance between 55 and 60 FPS in upscaled 4K resolution using FSR in Quality mode, with high graphics settings.

As for the price, the Playnix mini PC is currently listed at $1,139, and it includes an 8BitDo Ultimate 2 controller. However, the company warns that the price could increase soon due to the current situation in the PC hardware market, especially the rising cost of RAM.

In other news, the Steam Machine will be priced like a PC, not like consoles from Microsoft or Sony, according to a Valve spokesperson.

Tags: Steam Steam Machine Valve

Taha

Television kills your vision.