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Civilization VII Update 1.3.0 Enhances Naval Battles and Coastal Gameplay via Patch 1.13/1.000.015

  by   Taha  
November 4, 2025 2:59 pm in Title Updates and Patches

Firaxis Games has released update 1.3.0 for Sid Meier’s Civilization VII, marking the game’s largest update since launch.

This free patch revises many aspects of gameplay, especially naval battles, which have now been greatly expanded. For console players, the update will appear as version 1.13/1.000.015.

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Civilization VII Receives Biggest Update Yet

The update brings a major upgrade to naval gameplay. It adds a new building, the Harbor, which boosts production in coastal cities. A new light naval unit, the Privateer, has also been introduced—it can attack and plunder trade routes without declaring war, earning gold for each victory. New marine resources and terrain types have been added, including Cowries, Crabs, Turtles, and Pitch, along with new terrain features such as Atolls and Lotus.

Naval combat has been reworked as well. Fleets are now divided into light units (faster melee units with increased Vision) and heavy units (slower units with limited Vision). The goal is to make sea battles more strategic and varied.

Read the complete patch notes here:

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Gameplay

Buildings & Units

  • New Building: Harbor

    • The Harbor is an Antiquity Age Warehouse Water Building available to all civs that unlocks on Sailing.

      • As a Water Building, it can be placed only in Coastal and Navigable River tiles. It has the same placement restrictions as a Fishing Quay.

      • Like other Warehouse Buildings, the Harbor is available in Towns.

    • It provides +1 base Production, and a +1 Production Warehouse bonus on Fishing Boats.

    • Naval Units will default to spawning on the Harbor, similar to the Barracks for land Units.

  • New Unit: Privateer

    • The Privateer is an Exploration Age Light Naval Unit available to all civs that unlocks on Heraldry. It is a melee-focused Unit, with very weak ranged and bombard attacks.

    • The Privateer has the Pirate ability (see below for details). Additionally, when the Privateer kills a Unit, it gains 100% of its Combat Strength as Gold.

  • New Unit Ability: Pirate

    • The Pirate ability allows the following:

      • Units can cross borders of other civs without Open Borders, Alliance, or War.

      • Units can Plunder Trade Routes between non-Allied civs without War.

        • Plundering a Trade Route this way causes a slight reduction in Relationship with the civ the Trader belonged to.

      • Units can attack non-Allied Units without War.

        • Defeating a Unit this way causes a slight reduction in Relationship with the civ the Unit belonged to. Attacking an Independent Power this way causes them to become Hostile.

AI

  • AI now fully uses all Sanctions against other players, including other AI players.

  • When an AI proposal to form an alliance is accepted, the alliance is now properly created between the two leaders.

  • AI no longer fails to use the Establish Air Base Ability when progressing through a game in the Modern Age.

  • AI no longer fails to attack Air Bases with Air Units when establishing an Air Base near the AI’s Settlement during Modern Age Gameplay.

  • AI now more consistently builds naval Units.

  • Addressed a reported issue where AI would not properly select Celebrations.

  • Addressed a reported issue where AI players could still receive free walls in multiple Settlements when a custom difficulty game sets free walls to 0.

Combat

  • (★ – Community Influenced Item) Naval Combat Updates

    • The Cog (Exploration Unit) now has a range of 2, increased from 1.

    • Light and Heavy Naval Units are more distinct. This applies to both Exploration and Modern.

      • Light Naval Units are now primarily melee Units with very weak ranged and bombard strength. They have increased movement and sight compared to the Heavy Naval Units in their Age, and can benefit from flanking when attacking. Light Units take reciprocal damage when attacking.

        • The new Privateer Unit in Exploration is a Light Naval Unit.

        • Light Naval Units in Modern have had their ranged and bombard strength reduced by 20 to better fit their role as melee Units.

      • Heavy Naval Units are now primarily ranged Units. Their melee strength has been reduced by 5, and their ranged and bombard strength have increased by 5. Like other ranged Units, Heavy Units don’t take reciprocal damage when attacking.

      • Civ Unique Naval Units have been adjusted to keep their relative strength compared to the Unit they replaced in that Age.

    • Submarines (Modern Unit) are now ranged Units with an increased ranged strength of 70 and a reduced melee strength of 50. Previously they had a base strength of 65. They can no longer attack Districts or land Units.

    • The Fleet Commander’s Focus Fire and Coordinated Attack should now utilize Heavy and Light Units respectively. Light Naval Units should not be included in a Focus Fire, and Heavy Naval Units should not be included in a Coordinated Attack.

      • Privateers and Units with the Pirate ability will not participate in a Coordinated Attack or Focus Fire command while not at war.

        • Dev Note: We made this decision to keep combat rules consistent and prevent bigger issues with how wars are handled. We’ll keep listening to feedback on this for future improvements!

  • Other Combat Updates

    • Trench Fighters and Dive Bomber Units have had their Bombard Strength reduced, and Bomber and Heavy Bomber Units have had their Ranged Strengths reduced, to make the air Units fit better into their intended roles.

Environment

  • New Terrain: Atolls and Lotus

    • Atolls: Atolls are a Feature that can appear on Ocean tiles. They stop movement for Units, and have a combat defense bonus for Units on the Atoll. Their Yields when worked are:

      • Exploration: 1 Food, 2 Production, 1 Culture

      • Modern: 1 Food, 2 Production, 2 Culture

    • Lotus: Lotus is a Feature that can appear on Lake tiles. They replace Reef tiles that previously appeared in Lakes. Their Yields when worked are:

      • Antiquity: 1 Food, 1 Culture

      • Exploration: 2 Food, 1 Culture

      • Modern: 2 Food, 2 Culture

  • Terrain Updates

    • Reefs: Reefs no longer spawn in Lakes. They are now exclusively in Coastal tiles that are not Lakes. Their Yields when worked have been updated:

      • Antiquity: 1 Food, 1 Production, 1 Science

      • Exploration: 1 Food, 2 Production, 1 Science

      • Modern: 1 Food, 2 Production, 2 Science

    • Ocean: Ocean tiles are now workable by all civs in the Modern Age and provide 1 Food and 3 Gold.

    • Grand Canyon: The Grand Canyon now gives 1 Science on Flat tiles, from 2 previously.

  • (★) Auto Explore and Discoveries

    • When clicking on Units with Auto Explore, Discoveries are now highlighted in blue to improve readability.

    • The automated exploration ability can no longer be activated when the Unit is within range of being able to reach a discovery (within 2 turns of movement).

Economy

  • Thành Huế no longer requires Flat terrain.

  • Sawmill no longer requires River placement.

  • Trade Route Range is no longer ignored when Forming an Alliance with the Kolp’um Civic researched as Silla during Antiquity Age.

Independent Powers

  • Independent Powers no longer spawn more Units than expected when performing Incite Raid in early Antiquity.

  • Festival Ground now specifies that it needs to be placed on an existing improvement in the choose bonus menu.

  • Independent Power Carracks no longer receive Rough Seas damage when they move into Open Ocean tiles.

Miscellaneous

  • Updated Modern Social Policy, Monopolies, to provide +5 Gold in Settlements with a Factory. (Previously: +3)

  • Updated Dell’Arte della Guerra Memento to provide +3 Gold Gold per Sanction you have active per Age. (Previously: +5 Gold Gold per Sanction you have active per Age.)

  • Made improvements to the first-time user experience for Unique Buildings.

  • Addressed a reported issue where the player could be prevented from interacting with their Founder when putting the Founder to sleep while Auto End turn is enabled.

Military

  • (★) Commanders no longer consume all movement points when deploying all Units.

  • Splash damage reduced from 50% to 25% on Fleet and Squadron Trees.

  • Commander’s Coordinated attack no longer fails to work when individually unpacking with ‘Initiative’.

  • Commander Units in process of respawning no longer appear as an available choice when opening the “Levy Unit” menu from a Suzerain City-State.

  • Ottru Units no longer fail to receive any active Naval Unit bonuses.

Resources 

  • Updated Resource Generation:

    • (★) Resources should be more consistent between Ages now. If a resource is not generated in an Age, it will not appear suddenly in future Ages, nor will it disappear for an Age and then come back. For example, if you didn’t see Turtles in Antiquity, they will not appear in Exploration.

      • Dev Note: We’ve gotten feedback that changing resources between Ages can be frustrating. While we like that the world changes a little between Ages and makes you reevaluate the map, this was a good spot to improve the experience and address some of the feedback.

    • Maps will now have a guaranteed minimum of 3 different Coastal Resources, with a chance for more.

      • Dev Note: This should make those hidden Whales start appearing in more games!

    • When Age Transitioning, maps will now have at least 1 new Resource introduced in that Age. For example, transitioning to Exploration would guarantee at least one Resource new to Exploration, like Whales, Niter, or the new Pitch.

  • New Resources:

    • Crabs: Appears on Coastal and Lake tiles.

      • Tile Yield: +1 Food

      • Antiquity (Bonus Resource): +1 Food on Warehouse Buildings

      • Exploration (Bonus Resource): +2 Food on Warehouse Buildings

      • Modern (Bonus Resource): +3 Food on Warehouse Buildings

    • Cowrie: Appears on Coastal tiles.

      • Tile Yield: +1 Happiness

      • Antiquity (Bonus Resource): +4 Gold in Cities, +2 Science in Towns

      • Exploration (Bonus Resource): +5 Gold in Cities, +3 Science in Towns

      • Modern (Bonus Resource): +6 Gold in Cities, +4 Science in Towns

    • Turtles: Appears on Coastal tiles.

      • Tile Yield: +1 Culture

      • Antiquity (Bonus Resource): +1 Culture on Warehouse Buildings

      • Exploration (Bonus Resource): +2 Culture on Warehouse Buildings

    • Pitch: Appears on Vegetated tiles in Grassland, Plains, and Tundra.

      • Tile Yield: +1 Production, +1 Gold

      • Exploration (Bonus Resource): +1 Gold on Water Buildings

      • Modern (Bonus Resource): +1 Production on Factories, +10% Production towards constructing Factories in all Settlements when slotted.

      • Dev Note: With Pitch, we’re experimenting with new design space for Resources. The Resource is harder to use, requiring specific Buildings and may not be active until late in an Age, but its tile has increased Yield compared to other Resources. Let us know what you think!

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Leaders & Civs

Civs

  • Achaemenid Persia:

    • Dev Note: Persia is a beloved civ, but we got enough feedback that they felt weak in areas outside of combat that we wanted to buff them. Now, they have increased Culture from their Unique Improvements, as well as a little more healing. Finally, we renamed them to better clarify their identity as the Achaemenids.

    • Pairidaeza: +2 Culture and +1 Gold. +5 Healing for Military Units in a Settlement with a Pairidaeza. Cannot be adjacent to another Pairidaeza. (Previously: +1 Culture and Gold. Cannot be adjacent to another Pairidaeza.)

    • Satrapies (Tier 2): +1 Settlement Limit. The Pairidaeza gets +1 Culture and +1 Happiness from adjacent Quarters. (Previously: +1 Settlement Limit. The Pairidaeza gets +1 Happiness from adjacent Quarters.)

    • Baziš (Tier 1): +5 Gold, +2 Happiness and +2 Culture for every different civilization you have captured a Settlement from. (Previously: Achaemenid Empire: +5 Gold for every different civilization you have captured a Settlement from.)

  • Aksum:

    • Dev Note: Aksum’s changes are a good example of our new approach of giving stronger bonuses on narrower effects. By leaning into the emphasis on Coastal Settlements, we get to buff the numbers of some of the abilities. Remember, a Coastal Settlement is a Settlement with its City Center adjacent to the Coast.

    • Unique Ability: +3 Gold on Resources in Coastal Settlements. (Previously: +2 Gold on Resources.)

    • Tankwa: Added +2 Gold from this Trade Route.

    • Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (Tier 2): +1 Gold on Districts adjacent to Coast. Port of Nations Tradition. (Previously: +1 Gold on Quarters adjacent to Coast. Port of Nations Tradition.)

    • Monumentum Adulitanum (Tier 1): Culture and Happiness Buildings gain a +1 Culture Adjacency for Hawilti (Previously: The Altar and Monument gain a Culture Adjacency with Hawilti.)

    • Book of the Himyarites (Tier 1): Gain a free Merchant. The Dhow gets +1 Movement and ignores Zone of Control. May This Please the People Tradition. (Previously: The Dhow gets the Swift keyword (ignore ZoC). May This Please the People Tradition.)

  • Chola:

    • Dev Note: Chola only needed a little reinforcement of its identity as a Diplomatic civ, so we added some Influence generation to their kit.

    • Unique Ability: Added +3 Gold and +1 Influence on Trade Routes.

  • Egypt

    • Dev Note: We got a lot of feedback that Egypt offered an exciting gameplay style (focusing on Wonders) but often failed to deliver, or was rough to transition into Exploration and onward. We leaned heavily into the Desert and Navigable River theme, and gave Egypt some hefty buffs.

    • Gifts of Osiris: +2 Production on Improvements and Districts on Navigable and Minor Rivers. (Previously: Gifts of Osiris: +1 Production on Navigable Rivers.)

    • Riches of the Duat: +15% Production towards Wonders, doubled for Wonders in Desert Terrain. +2 Production on Wonders in Desert Terrain. (Previously: +15% Production towards Wonders.)

    • Mastaba: Culture base. +1 Gold adjacency for Desert tiles and Navigable Rivers. (Previously: Culture base. +1 Gold adjacency for Desert tiles.)

    • Mortuary Temple: Gold base. +1 Happiness adjacency for Navigable Rivers. +1 Culture Adjacency for Wonders. (Previously: Culture base. +1 Gold adjacency for Desert tiles and Navigable Rivers.)

    • Light of Amun-Ra (Tier 1): +2 Gold and +2 Culture on the Palace and Wonders. +1 Settlement Limit. Kemet Tradition. Pyramids Wonder. (Previously: +5 Gold on the Palace. +1 Settlement Limit. Kemet Tradition. Pyramids Wonder.)

    • Akhet: +2 Food on Improvements and Districts on Navigable and Minor Rivers. (Previously: +1 Food on Navigable Rivers.)

    • Kemet: +1 Culture on Improvements and Districts on Navigable and Minor Rivers. (Previously: +1 Culture on Navigable Rivers.)

  • Great Britain:

    • Dev Note: We tried to limit the nerfs in this pass to individual effects that were overperforming. With the increased use of Towns and more Warehouses available, this effect had to change.

    • East India Company: +5 Gold in Towns. (Previously: +3 Gold on each Building in Towns.)

  • Hawai’i:

    • Unique Ability: Can work Ocean tiles. Ocean tiles have 1 Food and 2 Gold. Gain 25 Culture each time a Settlement expands to Marine Terrain. +1 Happiness on all Marine Terrain. (Previously: Gain 25 Culture each time a Settlement expands to a Marine Tile. +1 Happiness on Fishing Boats.)

    • Unique Unit: +5 defense against Heavy Naval.

    • Lo’I Kalo: +3 Food. +2 Production. Receives +1 Culture from each adjacent Fishing Boat. Can only be placed in the Grassland and Tropical Biomes. (Previously: Lo’I Kalo: +3 Food. +2 Production. Adjacent Farms receive +1 Culture. Can only be placed in the Grassland and Tropical Biomes.)

  • Maya:

    • Rain of Chaac (Tier 1): Unlock the K’uh Nah. The Altar gains +2 Science if placed on a Vegetated Tile. Pet Kot Tradition. (Previously: Unlock the K’uh Nah. The Altar gains +1 Science Adjacency for Vegetated tiles. Pet Kot Tradition.)

  • Mississippian:

    • Dev Note: Like the change to Great Britain, we had to make some tweaks to what was probably the strongest Tradition in the game.

    • Shell-Tempered Pottery: Food, Gold, and Warehouse Buildings gain a +1 Gold Adjacency for Resources. (Previously: Buildings gain a +1 Gold Adjacency for Resources.)

  • Prussia:

    • Ruhr (Tier 2): +1 Science on Resources. Coking Tradition. (Previously +2 Science on Resources. Coking Tradition.)

  • Qing:

    • Kang Qian Shèngshì: +4 Gold, +4 Culture, +2 Influence, but -4 Science per Trade Route. (Previously: +4 Gold, +3 Culture, +2 Influence, but -1 Science from Imported Resources.)

    • Open Customs (Tier 1): Unlock the Qianzhuang. +1 Culture for every imported Resource. Cohong Tradition. +1 Settlement Limit. (Previously: +2 Culture for every imported Resource. Cohong Tradition. +1 Settlement Limit.)

  • Songhai:

    • Dev Note: Songhai, like Egypt, was a civ that promised a cool gameplay niche (Navigable Rivers and Homelands Treasure) but fell short of exciting in a few ways. We made a lot of adjustments to their kit to improve their gameplay throughout the Age.

    • Unique Ability: Added +1 Production in Cities on Navigable Rivers for every Resource assigned to them. Removed +3 Gold for every active Trade Route.

    • Ships of the Desert (Tier 2): +1 Production on the Caravanserai in Settlements with a Bazaar and in Mining Towns and Trade Outposts. Unlocks the Mud Brick Tradition. (Previously: +2 Gold on the Caravanserai in Settlements with a Bazaar. Receive the Mud Brick Tradition.)

    • Hi-Koi (Tier 1): Minor and Navigable Rivers do not end Unit Movement. Your Trade Ships cannot be plundered on Navigable Rivers. (Previously: +5 combat strength to all combat Units on Navigable Rivers.)

    • Hi-Koi (Tier 2): Fleet Commanders gain the Convoys Promotion for free. Unlocks the Isa Tradition. (Previously: Isa Tradition and Rivers do not end movement.)

    • Kanta (Tier 1): Cities in Homelands on Navigable Rivers generate Treasure Convoys worth 1 VP each. Tajiro’s Gold becomes 200. Unlocks the Wakia Tradition. (Previously: Cities in Homelands on Navigable Rivers generate Treasure Ships worth 1 VP each. Tajiro’s Gold becomes 200. +1 Settlement Cap.)

    • Kanta (Tier 2): +5 Combat Strength for the Gold Bangles Infantry with at least 5 Resources slotted in the Capital. +1 Settlement Limit.

    • Timbuktu: +2 Gold on Rough Terrain and Mines on Resources if there is a Gold Building in that City. (Previously: +2 Gold on Mines if there is a Gold Building in that City.)

    • Mud Brick: Added +1 Gold and Production on Gold Buildings on Desert or Plains.

    • Isa: +5 Combat Strength and +2 Movement to all Units on Navigable Rivers. (Previously: +2 Movement to all Units on Navigable Rivers.)

    • Wakia (New Tradition): +3 Gold for every active Trade Route.

    • Caravanserai Improvement: Added +1 Land Trade Route Range. Cannot be built adjacent to another Caravanserai.

  • Spain:

    • Dev Note: Spain got a significant pass to help fit its historical and gameplay identity as conquerors of Distant Lands, and should feel much better in Exploration.

    • Attributes changed to Economic and Militaristic. (Previously: Expansionist and Militaristic.)

    • Unique Ability: +2 Food, Gold, and Production in Settlements adjacent to Coast and in Settlements following your own Religion, or +4 if it is both. This is doubled in Distant Lands. (Previously: +15% Gold towards converting a Town to a City, or 30% in Distant Lands.)

    • Armada (Tier 2): now has +5 combat strength for Heavy Naval Units.

    • Council of the Indies (Tier 1): gained “+15% Gold towards converting a Town to a City, or 30% in Distant Lands.”

    • Council of the Indies (Tier 2): +1 Settlement Limit. Unlocks the El Escorial Wonder. (Previously: +1 Movement for Treasure Convoys and Rough Terrain does not end their Movement.)

    • New World Riches (Tier 1): +10% Food and Production in Cities in Distant Lands. (Previously: +10% Food and Production in Settlements in Distant Lands.)

    • New World Riches (Tier 2): +1 Movement for Treasure Convoys and Rough Terrain does not end their Movement. Rough Terrain effect now also applies to Conquistadors. (Previously: +1 Settlement Limit. Unlocks the El Escorial Wonder.)

    • Casa de Contratación: Unique Building moved to Council of the Indies base Civic.

    • Cerro Rico: +1 Gold on Resources, or +3 Gold in Distant Lands. (Previously: +2 Gold for each Resource.)

    • Conquista Tradition moved to Council of the Indies Civic Mastery.

    • Conquistadors now require the Plaza Unique Quarter to be trained.

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UI

Alignment & Spacing

  • Improved spacing and formatting of text and button prompts throughout the UI.

  • Glow behind header text in the civic menu is now centered properly.

  • Advisor Warnings no longer fail to fit in the screen when opened in certain resolutions.

  • Building Yield icons no longer fail to properly scale in size when constructed.

  • Warning stripe on Narrative buttons no longer extends out of the box when there is a lot of text.

  • Renaming a City is no longer blocked by the tutorial prompt when pressing the RS button in the production menu.

Controller-Specific

  • Improved highlight visibility when selecting support buttons while adding war support to AI wars.

  • The Player’s Foundation list now opens immediately when moving the cursor over the Leader portrait.

  • Removed a non-functional back button from the Building Your Legacy tutorial.

  • Players can now move the cursor to observing slots after switching Settlements in the Building Breakdown list within the City Details menu.

  • Players can now return to the Production menu using the D-pad after entering the City Details menu.

  • The Up D-pad button will no longer disappear when opening another menu while the Ribbon is deployed.

  • Button prompts now display correctly after leaving the Social menu and opening the Production or Great Work menu.

  • Non-functional button prompts will no longer appear after triggering the Civilization Unlocked pop-up and then viewing the Production menu.

  • The scroll bar will no longer move automatically when switching between Civic Trees.

  • Addressed a reported issue where the UI would become stuck when the Leaders’ ribbon menu was opened before the civic/tech unlock window appeared.

General

  • Treasure Convoys now display their point value and Settlement origin on both their tooltip and Unit panel, and also show point value directly on the Unit icon.

  • The Auto Explore option is now visible under Keyboard + Mouse accessibility configurations.

  • Players can now interact with the turn blocker after triggering a Natural Wonder animation and a leader first-meet simultaneously while Tutorials are enabled.

  • Tooltips now display correctly in the First Time User Experience screen and for Terrain while Tutorials are enabled in the Antiquity Age.

  • The Unit Action Panel now updates health correctly after combat when the Unit remains selected.

  • Commander Level now displays correctly when viewing a leveled-up Army Commander’s icon.

  • The Rewards Menu UI now has hover highlights to improve readability.

  • The Carousel can now also be closed with the ESC key or right-click.

  • The Incite Raid Target button now properly highlights when hovered in the Independent Powers’ Diplomacy menu.

  • The Turn Timer progress bar now resets correctly when another menu is opened during Multiplayer.

  • City, Town, and Population icons now display at full resolution in the Multiplayer Chat menu at 4K resolution.

  • The Army Commander Experience bar in the Units panel now updates correctly when experience is gained.

  • Button prompts for switching pages now appear as expected when entering the Diplomacy menu with a Tutorial window active.

  • Distant Lands Treasure resource icons now display correctly in city detail tooltips within the Trade Route menu.

  • The Narrate on Hover feature now properly narrates all text in the Advanced Options menu when creating a new game.

  • The Golden Road Social Policy (Silla) bonus science from imported resources now appears correctly in the Yields Breakdown without requiring a reload.

  • Whisper (/w), reply (/r), and team (/t) chat commands now function in multiplayer.

  • Ranged combat arrows now properly center on Units in open Ocean.

  • The Graphics Profile setting now remains on Custom after modifying and reopening Graphics Settings.

  • Unit preview arrows now correctly account for hostile Zones of Control.

Notifications

  • War Declared notification now correctly takes the player to the War Details in the player’s Leader menu.

  • The notification for Age progress milestones no longer appears prior to achieving the stated Age progress when progressing through any Age.

  • A “Copied To Clipboard” pop-up will no longer appear when selecting the Join Code button in the Pause menu.

  • Disabling tutorials now correctly disables tutorial warning SFX.

  • The countdown message can no longer be interrupted when opening the Production menu before it disappears.

Text Changes

  • The Warehouse text icon now displays correctly when viewing the City-State bonus Market Cross.

  • Tech and Civic names no longer disappear when lowering resolution from 4K in the Tech/Civic Tree.

  • Multiplayer lobby names are now limited to 32 characters in the Create Game menu.

  • Improved Napoleon’s description text.

  • Unmet leaders’ names no longer appear when attempting to Form Alliance with a leader who is at war with them.

  • Made various text fixes and improvements.

Narrative

  • Added 8 new narrative events to support Privateer content.

  • Added 4 new narrative events to support new resources.

  • Added several new narrative events to support Tides of Power DLC** content for Edward Teach, Republic of Pirates, and Tonga.

  • Made several improvements to balancing and text for narrative events.

Audio

  • Added new audio content for Tides of Power DLC**.

  • Made several QOL improvements to in-game audio.

  • Addressed missing SFX for various Civic Masteries.

  • Added SFX when adding a building to Production while another is already in the queue.

  • Added SFX when upgrading all units within an Army Commander.

  • Added SFX when placing Harbor building.

  • Addressed several issues with touch SFX.

Platform-Specific

Windows

  • Addressed a reported issue preventing the game from launching on some ARM-based Windows devices.

Content Collection

Tides of Power Collection** – Part One

Introducing a new sea-themed Content Collection, Tides of Power**!

As a special thanks to all our players who’ve been with us playing the game, providing feedback, creating content, and more, this collection will be free to claim for Civilization VII players from the time it goes live on November 4 until January 5, 2026 across all platforms*. More details will come November 4 on how to claim this collection for free.

The first part of Tides of Power is dropping with 1.3.0, bringing a brand new leader, Edward Teach, and two fresh civilizations: Tonga and the Republic of Pirates. The second part, coming in December, will introduce the formidable leader Sayyida al Hurra, along with the Ottomans and Iceland.

Leaders

(Tides of Power DLC**) Added new leader Edward Teach.

Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard, was an English pirate whose name sparked dread in the captains of the Caribbean. In 1716, he joined the crew of Benjamin Hornigold, a leader of the Flying Gang, and quickly gained his own ships. With his impressive height, his long beard (decorated with, at times, lit fuses), and reputation for violence, he stalked the sea-lanes of the Caribbean and the nightmares of sailors. He outlived the Flying Gang and moved his operation to the Outer Banks of present-day North Carolina, where a pirate hunter, Robert Maynard, finally caught up with him.

  • Attributes: Militaristic, Economic

  • Unique Ability – Blackbeard: All Naval Units gain the Pirate Ability, allowing them to cross borders of other civilizations, Plunder Trade Routes from non-Allied civilizations, and attack Naval Units of non-Allied civilizations without declaring war. Defeating any Naval Units with your own Naval Units provides Gold equal to a set percentage of its Combat Strength and captures that Unit. Increased Gold maintenance costs for all Naval Units.

  • Agenda – Queen Anne’s Revenge: Increase Relationship by a Small Amount with Leaders that build Naval Units. Decrease Relationship by a Small Amount with Leaders that neglect to build Naval Units.

Civilizations

(Tides of Power DLC**) Added a new Exploration Age civilization Republic of Pirates.

Where there is wealth, there is greed. The scramble for new world riches in the early 18th century brought English, Spanish, French, and Dutch fleets – but the prospect of quick riches also brought pirates. These were rarely organized, but in 1706, one band, the Flying Gang, took over the island of New Providence in the Bahamas and set up a short-lived republic for all who sought fortune… and came with few scruples.

  • Attributes: Economic, Militaristic

  • Unique Ability – Flying Gang: Increased Yields from Pillaging and Coastal Raiding with Naval Units. Settler Units cannot be trained or purchased, but you can capture other civilizations’ Settlers. Naval Units, Treasure Convoys, and Buccaneer Units can move into other civilizations’ borders without being at war or having Open Borders.

  • Unique Civilian Unit – Buccaneer: Unique Commander Unit. Gains a set number of charges to use the ‘Raiding Party’ Action every set number of Promotions.

    • Action – Raiding Party: Targets an adjacent Treasure Resource. This Settlement instantly spawns a Treasure Convoy under your control equal to the number of Treasure Resources; this does not reset until another Treasure Convoy is available.

  • Unique Military Unit – Sloop: Unique Naval Unit (replaces Privateer). Can cross other civilizations’ borders, Pillage Trade Routes between non-Allied civilizations, and attack Units of non-Allied civilizations without going to war. Can move after attacking and has a set amount of Movement.

  • Associated Wonder – Havana Harbor: Gold Base. This Settlement generates Treasure Convoys worth a set amount of Treasure Fleet points in the Exploration Age (effect scales based on game speed). Increased Economic Attribute. Must be built in Distant Lands on Coastal Tiles adjacent to non-Lake tiles.

(Tides of Power DLC**) Added a new Antiquity Age civilization Tonga.

Into the endless blue, in search of new lands on scattered islands, the Polynesians sailed, settling the island of Tonga nearly three thousand years ago. Around 1000 CE, though, came another expansion, the Tu’i Tonga Empire – a struggle for dominance, tribute, and fealty over the Pacific. The Tongan kings maintained this system of hierarchical lordship over the islands until it, too, splintered.

  • Attributes: Expansionist, Diplomatic

  • Unique Ability – Lords of the South: Increased Influence on City Halls and the Palace if adjacent to Coast tiles. Cannot incorporate City-States.

  • Unique Civilian Unit – Tehina: Unique Scout Unit. Can enter Ocean tiles (without taking damage) and embark at the start of the Age. Cannot disembark in Distant Lands, but can use Coastal Raid on adjacent Discoveries.

  • Unique Military Unit – Kalia: Increased Combat Strength against Districts.

Wonders

(Tides of Power DLC**) Added four new Wonders: 

  • Great Lighthouse – Antiquity

    • Gold Base. Grants a free Merchant when built. +15 Water Trade Route Range in all Settlements. +1 Sight to all Naval Units. Must be built on a Coast tile adjacent to Land.

  • Nan Madol – Exploration

    • Provides +3 Culture, +3 Production, and +3 Happiness on the Palace and City Hall on Islands (a landmass with a maximum of 15 tiles). Must be built in an Island City on Coast adjacent to Land

  • Great Blue Hole – Natural Wonder

    • +2 Science and +4 Happiness. Adjacent sea rural tiles receive +2 Culture. Placed on the Coast adjacent to 6 coast tiles.

  • Mapu’a Vaea Blowholes – Natural Wonder

    • +2 Production and +4 Happiness. +2 Culture to all Coastal land tiles in this Settlement. Impassable.

    • Placed on the Coast adjacent to Cliffs.

Overall, there’s a lot of new content. The patch includes balance updates for civilizations, adjustments to other gameplay elements, and numerous bug fixes—all completely free. Players can now download Tides of Power and experience all the new improvements firsthand.

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Tags: Civilization Civilization 7 Civilization VII Firaxis Games
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Home > Title Updates and Patches

Apex Legends Amped Update Volts Out as Patch 2.97/1.000.111

  by   Alex Co  
2:00 pm in Title Updates and Patches

Respawn has rolled out the latest major update for Apex Legends, and it’s for the new season called “Amped.” If you’re playing on consoles, you’ll see this file  appear as Apex Legends update 2.97/1.000.111, and this should be a chunky download.

This update introduces new features, including the new Amped seasonal pack, anti-cheat enhancements, and a range of balance adjustments.

For what’s new in the season, as well as the complete patch notes, head on below.

Apex Legends Amped Update New Features

AMPED OVERVIEW

We’re starting the hype train for Season 27: Amped, right now, and this is your invitation to get on board! There’s plenty to be excited about this season: major changes to Olympus, Valkyrie retakes the skies, while Rampart and Horizon are getting tune ups, the meta is shifting to close range chaos with a new ‘Double Tap Alternator’ Hop-Up and Gold Laser Sight for pistols and SMGs, and we’re introducing fun updates to Tridents! Grab your friends, squad up and get ready to dive into Amped!

There’s a whole separate blog post by EA regarding the new stuff that you’ll want to read up on.

ANTI-CHEAT

As part of our continued efforts to combat cheaters in Apex Legends, we launched a new detection model, in early October, to assist us in investigating possible 3rd party bots in our game. In just two weeks, over 1,000 bot accounts were banned. We saw a majority of bans hit Windows PC (71%) and Switch (21%). Detected bot infection rates spiked after the rollout as expected – meaning the new tech is successfully identifying bots – then tapered off as we banned these accounts. As a result, we saw a meaningful decline of player reports (for AFK and abandoned match behavior) on Switch and reports per user over the subsequent 28 days decreased for both PC and Switch. Our team is continuing their hard work to establish and maintain competitive integrity and we will continue to provide updates when we have information to share!

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AUDIO UPDATES

We’ve been developing many new audio systems to address community feedback and improve audio reliability.This season we’re adding a new “Focused” mix option, intended to give you control over how you prefer to hear the action. Our new threat system will add dynamic contextual awareness to the mix. Multiband sidechain compression will help enemy footstep audio be heard more clearly. Environmental audio improvements offer a smoother blend between indoor and outdoor spaces. Additionally, we’re now armed with improved telemetry to more accurately discover causes of audio failures.

GAME STABILITY

We rolled out a profiling tool to our production servers to capture more information about instances of slow performance on servers. This tool (RProf) has commonly been used in our development environment to find slow segments of engine code and game script, but is now tuned for production use. From this, we have been able to examine and fix cases that are more unique to running the game at scale, and can more easily track degradations in performance over time. As always, game stability work is always happening behind the scenes and we will share updates when we have them!

RANKED

This season, we’re making balance adjustments to Kill Point values making eliminations more rewarding across all placements. We’re also making changes to loot distribution across Ranked Drop Zone POIs – there will still be some variance, obviously, but we’re hoping things feel a lot more even. We will continue to monitor player feedback on this change, and general sentiment surrounding drop zones. Additionally, we are reducing the requirement to earn the Ranked Ladder Champion Dive Trail from 3 completions to 2 to simplify seasonal goals, reduce grind, and make the Dive Trail more attainable while keeping it a mark of consistent top performance.

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NEW FEATURE: WISHLIST

Here’s how it works:

  • Pick 5 Legends and 2 Weapons to add to your Wishlist
  • Depending on the pack Wishlist may only impact items of a certain rarity (specific rarity tier will be noted)
  • If the pack drops a Wishlist-enabled item you are guaranteed at least one item from your chosen Legends
  • All selections must be valid for Wishlist to be Active. A selection is valid as long as you don’t own 100% of the items for that Legend or Weapon Class from the Apex Pack Pool
  • If a Wishlist is Inactive or Unavailable at the time of opening a Wishlist-enabled pack, the items will instead draw from the generic Apex Pack pool.

You get 5 Wishlist edits per season (refreshed each new season). After that, you can keep editing anytime for 500 Legend Tokens per edit.

NEW: AMPED SEASONAL PACK

This season, we’re introducing the Amped Seasonal Pack, available all season long. This special pack is Wishlist-enabled and gives you a chance at unlocking:

  • The new ‘Bird of Prey’ Mythic R-99 Weapon
  • New Legendary cosmetics to change up your look
  • Wishlist activation for Epic-tier drop, relevant to your chosen Legends or Weapons

The Amped Seasonal Pack brings a new and more focused way to earn cosmetics all season long. You can earn up to 5 Amped Seasonal Packs throughout the season via challenges and the free Battle Pass Tracks.

Apex Legends Update 2.97/1.000.111 Patch Notes

BALANCE UPDATES

Care Package Rotation

  • Triple Take return to the floor (details below)
  • C.A.R. SMG enters the Care Package (details below)

Gold Weapon Rotation

  • Alternator SMG, G7 Scout, Havoc, Bocek Compound Bow, Akimbo Mozambique
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GAME UPDATES

Extended Supply Bins & Weapon Supply Bins

  • Added icons back to the minimap and full-map

Arsenals

  • Increased ammo bricks to give full stacks of the applicable ammo type

Replicators

  • New craftable item: Arrow Bundle
    • Only obtainable when crafting Ammo when Bocek Compound Bow is in your loadout
    • On pick-up, fully replenishes your arrow reserves on one Bocek weapon
    • Can only be picked up if you are holding a Bocek and it is not full on arrows

Mantle Boost

  • Added Mantle Boost ability to all Legends, granting velocity on a timed input after a mantle
  • Added options for customizing Mantle Boost input key or button
  • Added option to remap character movement ability
  • Added options for reducing the UI footprint on the HUD for Mantle Boost

Dev Note: We were inspired to add Mantle Boost by our players’ exploration of the unique momentum-based movement of Apex Legends. This new official Mantle Boost will enable all players to perform an advanced movement technique. It will be accessible, but it still requires skill to learn to use it and to know when it’s the right time to Boost.

Heat Shields Update

  • Heat Shields removed from Core BR Modes (including Trios and Duos).

Dev Note: We rolled out the removal of Heat Shields in Ranked with Season 26, focusing decision making for players around strong strategic plays and rotations. We have seen positive outcomes with that change so we’re expanding the change to all Core BR modes. Playing outside the Ring should be a risky endeavor that is only a last resort. Don’t wanna get burned? Get a move on, Legend.

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Tridents 2.0

  • Foundational Improvements:
    • Updated model and textures
    • Collision tightened for a smoother ride and to allow occupants to be hit
    • Trident can now be damaged and destroyed – starts at 800 health
    • Trident occupants and the vehicle can be damaged independently
    • Tridents can now damage enemies if hitting them at high speeds
    • Camera and controls tuned for more responsiveness and precision
    • Boost Meter has replaced the single use Boost
  • New Movement Features:
    • Jump: Press Jump to jump from the ground
    • Glide: Hold Jump to Glide when off the ground. While gliding:
      • Trident will very slowly lose altitude
      • Trident can be steered in any direction
      • Trident can boost forward
  • New Healing and Spawning Features
    • Auto-Healing: If a Trident avoids damage for a period of time, it will slowly regenerate health and regress its damage state
    • Auto-Respawn: A destroyed Trident will be replaced by a new one at its original spawning location after an indicated delay
  • Improved UI to better indicate to driver and passengers Trident health and damage information
  • Control mappings adjusted to account for new features

Dev Note: The Tridents are receiving a tune-up this season with a number of redesigns to offer players a more interesting, responsive, and satisfying driving experience as well as provide exciting counter play options. Tridents no longer split damage between occupants which should make them feel like a safer tool to use when making large rotations. However, they’ll no longer provide movable indestructible cover when being used more tactically during a firefight.

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LEGEND CHANGES

VALKYRIE

Dev note: Valkyrie’s pick rate has been up and down all year, and we feel she’s currently in a place where she’s not living up to her potential. This set of buffs should help to modernize this fan-favorite.

VTOL Jets

Jetpack cooldown and fly speed reworked

  • Cooldown
    • Recharge delay significantly reduced (8 → 2.5 sec)
    • Recharge time significantly reduced (~10.9 → 3 sec)
    • Fuel doesn’t start recharging until you touch ground
    • EMP effects drain jetpack fuel
  • Speed
    • Horizontal fly speed and strafe amount significantly increased
    • Vertical fly speed increased. Additional vertical speed when flying straight up
    • Reduced initial speed boost for first 0.5 sec (~25% faster → ~5% slower)
  • Total fuel reduced (8 → 6 sec)
  • Initial fuel consumption slightly increased

Dev note: Valkyrie’s Jetpack broke new ground when it was introduced to Apex, but over time we started to feel it wasn’t living up to the high-flying promise of a Jetpack character. This new change rewards longer burns of the jetpack, allowing you to cover distance faster. Learning to use the (largely forgotten) flight mode is one of the keys to success with the updated jetpack!

Missile Swarm

  • Removed self damage and stun effect
  • Added short (1.5 sec) full body scan on hit
  • Tac damage now puts movement passives on cooldown (like other EMP effects)
  • Removed 5 seconds of cooldown (30 sec → 25 sec)
  • Removed vertical clearance firing restriction
  • Improved missile pathing to work better in some situations such as low clearance situations (firing indoors or at targets under a bridge)
  • Increased max range (~100m → 125m)

Dev note: Valkyrie’s tactical was one of her biggest pain points, with many situations where it was either was more likely to stun her than to hit the target (or just wasn’t allowed). We improved the reliability of her tactical, and also took the opportunity to lean a bit more into Valkyrie’s identity as a recon by adding a short scan to the missiles.

Skyward Dive

  • Increased launch height 15% (integrated Afterburners upgrade)
  • Reduced cooldown by 30 seconds (3 min → 2.5 min)
  • Reduced delay before takeoff (2 sec → 1.5 sec)
  • Slightly reduced time slowly rising before takeoff (1.83 sec → 1.33 sec)
  • Removed self cancel cooldown penalty
  • Reduced damage cooldown penalty (54 sec → 30 sec)

Skydive Improvements

  • Allow tactical to be fired when skydiving (except from drop ship)
  • Land faster when skydiving (spend less time slow falling near ground)

Dev note: The skies belong to Valkyrie.

Upgrades

  • Level 2
    • Afterburners: Removed (included by default)
    • Eyes in the Sky: Moved to Level 2
    • Full Coverage: Changes missile swarm pattern to 4×5 (was 3×5)
  • Level 3
    • Full Tank: Removed (jetpack reworked)
    • NEW Supersonic: Ultimate launch time reduced ~50%
    • REWORKED: Aerial Expert: Improves jetpack horizontal speed, significantly improves handling, decreases initial fuel consumption, slightly reduces total fuel.

Dev note: To top off Valk’s update, we added a few new premier upgrades, allowing you to push either her Ultimate or Passive to their final forms.

RAMPART

Dev note: Rampart’s effectiveness and pick rate have slipped to extremely low levels in recent months. We hope this refresh to her kit will enhance her survivability and make her more of a viable Controller pick.

Battle Modder

  • Adds additional effect to old passive (Modded Loader). Cover walls permanently gain health as Rampart gains Evo Levels.

Amped Cover

  • Adds amped shield roof to wall
  • Walls can now be charged by doing damage through the amped shield or by having the wall be damaged by enemies. Wall charge is converted to a speed boost by going over the wall
    • Wall can store up to 300 damage, which results in a 15 second speed boost at full charge. Speed boost time scales linearly with stored charge.
    • Wall charge is only usable by teammates, and each teammate can use stored charge individually. Speed boost is automatically given to nearby teammates when the wall is destroyed.
    • Damage to wall is stored at 25%, while damage through amped shield is stored at 100%
    • Speed boost only applies when sprinting
  • Battle Modder health increases:
    • Wall health increase by 200 per Evo level (400 → 800 at max level)
    • Shield health increased by 25 per Evo level (175 → 225 at max level)
  • Health while wall building reduced (120 → 100 )

  • Amped shield arc star damage multiplier removed (1.5x → 1.0x)

  • Wall frag grenade damage multiplier increased (1.0x → 2.0x)

Dev note: Rampart’s walls are core to her identity and playstyle, but felt like they’d been left behind. With her new passive giving the walls more health and roof, the walls should keep you safer in more situations while the speed boost should help your team capitalize on the impact from the wall. We’ve also increased the damage walls take from grenades, and reduced their health while building to preserve counterplay.

Upgrades

  • Level 2
    • Ultimate Cooldown: Removed
    • Bandolier: Removed (replaced with Combat reserve)
    • NEW: Combat reserve: Bigger ammo stacks, extra grenades slots, access red weapon supply bins
    • NEW: Locked and Loaded: gain faster reloads and infinite ammo when behind amped cover and shield is in tact
  • Level 3
    • Ramped up: Unchanged
    • Amped Reloads: Removed (replaced with Locked and Loaded)
    • NEW: Rebuild Module. Amped cover will regen health and rebuild shield section after not being damaged for a period of time

Dev note: Rampart’s upgrades allow you to lean either into a more aggressive Assault playstyle or doubling down on her walls to hold space and apply constant pressure to opposing squads.

HORIZON

Dev note: Horizon has been in an interesting place in the meta. She is at her lowest pick rate ever, but maintaining a strong encounter win rate. We’re giving her back some of the power that’s been nerfed previously to make her a more attractive pick, and we are adding a few new fun upgrades to play with. We’ll continue monitoring to see how she performs in live.

Gravity Lift

  • Increased lift speed (300 → 375)
  • Increased hover time at top of lift (0.5 sec → 1.5 sec)
  • Cooldown reductions:
    • Reduced cooldown by 5 seconds (25 sec → 20 sec)
    • Reduced delay before cooldown starts 8 sec (10 sec → 2 sec)
    • Effectively reduced cooldown from 35 sec → 22 sec

Black Hole

  • Reduced cooldown by 30 seconds (3.5 min → 3 min)
  • Increased health (175 → 225)

Upgrades

  • Level 2
    • Ultimate Cooldown: Removed (included by default)
    • Tactical Cooldown: Removed (included by default)
    • NEW: Gravity Boots: Press crouch while in the air to fall much more quickly
    • NEW: Newt Scoot: Press jump after exiting gravity lift to glide
  • Level 3
    • Conservation of Energy: Unchanged
    • Combat Reserve: Removed
    • NEW: Knock Expert: gain tactical charge on knocks.

REVENANT

Dev Note: We are seeing Revenant pull away from the rest of the roster in very high tier lobbies, and believe it’s in part due to his ability to drop on enemies suddenly from very far away. Given how fast his ‘weapons up’ time is now, we felt reducing the maximum amount of distance he can travel in Shadow Pounce will reduce the frustration on the receiving end. We think this combined with the Valkyrie and Horizon changes will create a more even split between our most mobile characters.

  • Reduced the maximum possible velocity of Revenants Shadow Pounce

LOOT & ATTACHMENTS

AMPS

  • Reduced healing rate of Overflow Healer
  • Added Infinite Ammo and Over Armor to early game floor loot
  • Added Over Armor potential Assault Bin amps

ATTACHMENTS

Gold Laser Sight
  • New laser tier added: usable with all SMG and Pistol weapons
    • Greatly improves ground and aerial hipfire spread
    • Adds reverse hipfire – Continuous firing tightens hipfire spread

LOCKED HOP-UPS

Double Tap Trigger

  • 375 Locked Hop-Up Points to unlock
  • Compatible with Alternator

Accelerator

  • Accelerator removed from all compatible weapons
    • G7 Scout, Flatline, and CAR

Skull Piercer

  • Skull Piercer removed from all compatible weapons
    • 30-30, Wingman, and Longbow

Graffiti Mod

  • Removed from: Spitfire and EVA-8
  • Added to: Mozambique and Wingman

Gun Shield Generator

  • Removed from: Rampage
  • Added to: Triple Take

Selectfire Receiver

  • Increased points to unlock to 450 on the Charge Rifle (Previous Hotfix)

WEAPONS

LMG

All LMGs (Except L-STAR EMG)

  • Removed Reverse Hipfire mechanic from LMGs
  • Hipfire spread decreased to compensate
  • Updated reticles to original plus design

Dev Note: Reverse hipfire provides a lot of power in close quarters combat. This season, we want to give some room for our true close quarters weapons to shine, so we have removed this mechanic from LMGs.

MARKSMAN

All Marksmans

  • Reduced projectile size and scaling
  • Decreased projectile launch speed
  • Reduced headshot damage multiplier

Dev Note: The Marksman meta has been reigning strong for a few seasons now and the time has come for us to hit them with some more potent adjustments. We are hoping that these changes will hit their long range consistency, as well as remove the spikiness that can come with landing one or two headshots.

30-30 Repeater

  • Headshot multiplier reduced (Previous Hotfix)

Bocek Compound Bow

  • Added 2x-4x AOG Scope as a compatible attachment

Dev Note: We did it.

Triple Take [Floor Loot]

  • Damage reduced to 22 per bullet (was 23)
  • Increased choke charge time
  • Increased fire rate while hipfiring

PISTOL

P2020 [Care Package]

  • Increased fire rate
  • Increased magazine size to 26 (was 22)

RE-45 Burst

  • Horizontal and vertical recoil improvements (Previous hotfix)
  • Purple mag size increased by 3 (Previous hotfix)

SHOTGUN

Peacekeeper

  • Full burst damage reduced to 99 (was 108)
  • Increased choke charge time
  • Rechamber time decreased to 1.1 (Reverting a previous hotfix)
  • Clip size reduced to 5 (was 6) (Previous Hotfix)

Dev Note: The PK has been super dominant since coming out of the care package. While we have seen some good downward movement since our most recent set of hotfixes, we hear you, damage and range are the pain points here. We are giving back some of the handling we took away in a previous hotfix and hitting it accordingly.

SMG

Alternator SMG

  • Damage increased to 19 (was 18)
  • Magazine size adjustments:
    • Blue magazine decreased to 26 (was 27)
    • Purple and gold magazines increased to 30 (was 29)
  • While using Double Tap Trigger:
    • Shoots bullets out of each barrel, simultaneously
    • Reduced fire rate
    • Damage per bullet reduced to 15
C.A.R. SMG [Care Package]
  • Added Hop-Up: Galvanic Gavel
    • Allows the magazine to be swapped between Disruptor and Hammerpoint Rounds
    • Upon first pick-up, begins on Disruptor Rounds
  • Magazine size increased to 30 (was 28)
  • Improved reload speed of the mag swap

Prowler PDW

  • While in burst fire mode, holding down the trigger now releases subsequent bursts
  • Slightly increased burst delay
Volt SMG
  • Increased projectile size in close quarters

SNIPER

All Snipers

  • Reduced projectile size

Charge Rifle

  • Maximum damage reduced to 99 (was 110)
  • Damage reduced by 40% while using Select Fire mode (was 25%) (Previous Hotfix)
  • Damage scaling minimum distance increased to 75 meters (was 50m) (Previous Hotfix)

MAPS

Olympus:

  • Added Somers University POI (replacing Orbital Cannon) and moved Elysium nearby.
  • Added Gravity Engine POI (replacing Energy Depot)
  • Added Stabilizer POI (replacing Docks)
  • Added Dockyard POI
  • Added large amounts of additional cover in open rotation spaces around the following POIs:
    • Phase Driver
    • Oasis
    • Clinic
    • Hammond Labs
    • Estates
  • Hammond Labs: Transformed terrain and added tunnels to protect players and provide additional options to attack the waterfall high ground.
  • Hammond Labs: Moved additional cover from Control mode into the base map, including the home base structures.
  • Hammond Labs: Added jump tower behind Hammond Labs.
  • Rift: Added new camp in the center of Rift to reduce open space. Added additional cover to open spaces in Rift.
  • Rift: Replaced vacuum behavior of the Rift teleporter with a Horizon Lift to prevent players from entering accidentally.
  • Rift: Added a large camp between Rift and Gardens to resolve the previously large open space and help players contest the high ground.
  • Grow Towers: Replaced the third Grow Tower with buildings and tunnels to help players safely rotate through the POI when teams are holding the towers. Added jump tower.
  • Turbine: Added a new camp underneath the highway between Turbine and Estates to prevent players from being gatekept at the ramp.
  • Turbine: Added a new rotation from the east tunnel that connects directly to Gravity Engine (previously Energy Depot).
  • Carrier: Added two additional doors at the central chokepoint to prevent the fight from stalling.
  • Phase Driver: Increased Phase Driver loot cooldown from 45 seconds to 90 seconds.
  • Added a camp in the circular pit between Hammond Labs and Somers University (previously Orbital Cannon).
  • Bonsai Plaza: Added additional ziplines to access high walls around the POI.
  • Removed a large amount of Trident barriers across the map.

Dev Note: While Olympus has been a fan favorite for a while, we want to action on player feedback related to how to improve its competitive integrity. Keeping in mind both high-level matches and overall balance, we made some significant revisions to POIs like Energy Depot and Orbital Cannon to address anything from lopsided rotations to a distinct lack of cover in some of the more desolate areas.  It was essential to preserve the map’s identity during this process, so we aimed to add only to what makes Olympus so special, while being meticulous and precise about any elements removed or replaced.

Pubs & Ranked Rotation

  • Olympus
  • Broken Moon
  • World’s Edge

Mixtape

  • 11/04/25 – 1/5/26 Map Rotation
    • TDM
      • Skull Town, Thunderdome, Fragment, Estates
    • CONTROL
      • Barometer, Labs, Production Yard, Lava Siphon
    • GUN RUN
      • Estates, Skull Town, Zeus, Thunderdome

WILDCARD

Wildcard

  • 11/04/25 – 11/18/25
  • Wildcard: Kings Canyon

Wild Cards

  • We’ve seen meaningful positive player sentiment surrounding Wild Cards in Wildcard, so: Wild Cards are now activated and here to stay, even when we don’t have an active event! Every match now features a range of Wild Cards, bringing extra chaos and surprises for more unpredictable and exciting gameplay.
  • Wild Cards
    • Extra Ordnance
    • Drone Support
    • Smoke Out
    • High Velocity
    • Status Report
    • Speedy Charge
    • Recharger
    • Fast Draw
    • Monstrous Strength

Wildcard Gameplay Updates

  • Highlight on Enemy Elimination balance tweaks
    • Enemy highlights will no longer trigger on a team unless there is only one enemy still alive.
    • Enemy highlights will no longer trigger if players choose to manually bleed out.
    • Enemy highlight duration reduced 5 seconds -> 2.5 seconds.

Dev Note: Currently in Wildcard, when you eliminate any enemy, their teammates are highlighted for a period of time. We are updating the rules of this system to reduce the benefits of thirsting as well as have more natural encounters without having enemy locations constantly revealed.

  • Shield Cells
    • Increased carrying capacity of shield cells from 12 -> 15
    • More shield cells spawn in loot, reduced ammo spawns to compensate.

Dev Note: We’ve heard feedback that players were running low on healing items throughout a wildcard match, so we have increased carrying capacity and increased their loot spawns to make this pain point a little smaller.

  • Gold 1x Digital Threat sight returns to loot as a rare spawn.
    • Equippable on SMGs, Shotguns, and Pistols.

Dev Note: Similar to the 1x Holo, The Gold Digital Threat scope has been vaulted for some time, and we know it is a fan favorite for some. We are re-introducing it to the Wildcard loot pool for this season as a fun item to find and make your SMGs, Shotguns, and Pistols even more deadly!

  • Wild Cards balance
    • Reduced shield recharge rate on Recharger wildcard when sprinting.
    • Reduced initial speed gain when using the Wallruning wildcard.

Dev Note: In Season 26, these wildcards were some of the strongest bunch in the pool and in some cases were becoming frustrating to play against. We are tuning them down a touch to bring them in line with some of the other wildcards coming in this season.

  • New Mythic Weapon rotation.
    • WEAPONS LEAVING
      • L-STAR
      • Devotion LMG
      • Hemlok
      • R-99
      • Peacekeeper
    • WEAPONS RETURNING
      • Kraber
      • Triple Take
      • Wingman
      • Prowler
      • P2020 Akimbo
      • Rampage LMG
        • Automatically Revved up when first being picked up.
      • G7 Scout
        • Double Tap and Sniper Scopes can be attached.
    • NEW WEAPONS
      • C.A.R.
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RANKED

As part of our ongoing efforts to improve the Ranked experience, we conducted a matchmaking test at the end of Season 26 (more on that here). We will return with the results of this test once the data has been compiled, so keep an eye out!

Scoring Tuning
  • Kill Points changes
  • 1st: 22 RP (was 20 RP)
  • 2nd: 20 RP (was 18 RP)
  • 3rd: 18 RP (was 16 RP)
  • 4th: 16 RP (was 14 RP)
  • 5th: 16 RP (was 12 RP)
  • 6th: 14 RP (was 10 RP)
  • 7th: 14 RP (was 10 RP)
  • 8th: 14 RP (was 10 RP)
  • 9th: 12 RP (was 8 RP)
  • 10th: 12 RP (was 8 RP)
  • 11th-15th: 8 RP (was 6 RP)
  • 16th-20th: 6 RP (was 4 RP)
  • Challenger Bonus changes
    • If the killer’s rank is 1 tier lower than the victim: KP +20% bonus, was 15%
    • If the gap is 2 tiers: +30% bonus, was 25%
    • If the gap is 3 tiers: +40% bonus, was 35%

Dev Note: Throughout Season 26, we consistently heard feedback that eliminations often felt undervalued compared to placement. Many players expressed that strong combat performance didn’t always translate into meaningful progression, especially in mid-to high-tier lobbies.

In Season 27, we’ve adjusted Kill Point values to make eliminations more rewarding across all placements. This tuning increases the RP value earned from fights while keeping placement as a significant factor in final score calculation. Our goal is to better recognize player impact in every match — rewarding those who take risks and perform well in combat, without overshadowing strategic play and survival.

Drop Zones Loot Overhaul

  • Made the loot that spawns across all Drop Zone POIs more fair.
    • There is still variance between POIs, but it is much less than previously.
  • Maintains the same number of spawns across the map for each loot item, but changes where they are more likely to spawn, in order to avoid inflation/deflation.
  • These loot changes are for Ranked only, not Unranked.

Dev Note updated: Drop Zone has been a contentious topic within the community; while some praised how it improved the competitiveness of Ranked, others expressed concerns – primarily, the negative impact unbalanced POI loot levels have on the fairness of the mode. Our focus is to listen to those concerns to try to bring the feature to a satisfactory spot. As such, we did this loot overhaul to bring POIs in line with each other as far as we could without changing the maps or causing loot inflation/deflation. We’ll continue to monitor your feedback as the season progresses.

Ranked Ladders (coming later this split)

Ranked Ladder Start Date End Date
Ranked Ladder 1 11/‌13/‌2025 11/‌16/‌2025
Ranked Ladder 2 11/‌20/‌2025 11/‌23/‌2025
Ranked Ladder 3 11/‌27/‌2025 11/‌30/‌2025
Ranked Ladder 4 12/‌4/‌2025 12/‌7/‌2025
Ranked Ladder 5 12/‌11/‌2025 12/‌14/‌2025
Ranked Ladder 6 12/‌25/‌2025 12/‌28/‌2025
Ranked Ladder 7 1/‌1/‌2026 1/‌4/‌2026
Ranked Ladder 8 1/‌8/‌2026 1/‌11/‌2026
Ranked Ladder 9 1/‌15/‌2026 1/‌18/‌2026
Ranked Ladder 10 1/‌22/‌2026 1/‌25/‌2026
Ranked Ladder 11 1/‌29/‌2026 2/‌1/‌2026
Ranked Ladder 12 2/‌5/‌2026 2/‌8/‌2026

Ranked Challenges

  • The requirement to earn the Ranked Ladder Champion Dive Trail has been reduced from 3 completions to 2.

Dev Note: This change simplifies seasonal goals, reduces grind, and makes the Dive Trail more attainable while keeping it a mark of consistent top performance.

Apex Legends Quality-of-Life Additions via Amped Update

  • Requeue, with Squad
    • Requeue has been expanded to allow players outside of a party to opt-in to continuing to play together.
      • Each Party Leader (including parties of 1, ie. solo queuers) has the option to either ‘play again’ and merge their party together with other parties that also want to play again, or they can requeue with only their existing party.
      • This does not create any kind of Friends relationship – it only forms a new Party that can continue to play together without having to return to the Lobby.

Designer’s Note: We want to remove as many barriers as possible to keeping a fun time going. When you do find that magical unicorn of a random player and everyone wants to keep playing into the next match, this is the solution.

  • UX/UI
    • Added a button prompt in the Legend Locker screen for Legend skins, Weapon skins, and Melee skins to show/hide the UI to get a better view of the cosmetic
    • Standardized a number of square button widgets, mostly in the lobby menu, to achieve a more consistent interactivity and aesthetic across the game
  • Misc.
    • Added a new voice chat option to toggle your microphone.
    • Ranked – Added announcer VO saying which Drop Zone your team is landing at. Note: The Core on Broken Moon and Trident on Storm Point do not currently have VO.

LEGENDS

  • Valkyrie
    • Fixed green color correction when skydiving being oversaturated.
  • Rampart
    • Allow interactions such as looting while holding Sheila
    • Added additional placement mode for walls. By pressing Aim Down Sights, you can place a single wall and then pull out your weapons (matching the launch behavior). Placing a wall with the Attack button is unchanged from the current behavior.
    • Reduced size of ‘amped’ bullet tracers when shooting though amped cover
  • Rampart
    • Added voice lines when being summoned to the Void Nexus when knocked

ENGINE

  • PC:
    • Improved the performance of loading models and textures on systems with integrated graphics, especially Intel Iris XE laptops. This improves map loading times and reduces issues with missing models in-game.
    • Added PC support for Handheld/Compact UI which makes it easier to play Apex on PC Handheld devices. Players can toggle between Full, Compact or Auto UI in game Settings.

For the list of bug fixes, check out EA’s list. With this big of a change, don’t be surprised if a hotfix is needed or two for any issues.

 

Tags: Apex legends
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Alex Co

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

Home > Title Updates and Patches

Destiny 2 Update 9.1.5.4 Released for Patch 1.175/3.80

  by   Alex Co  
12:15 pm in Title Updates and Patches

As expected, given the maintenance that occurred today, Bungie has deployed Destiny 2 update 9.1.5.4 on consoles and PC, ushering in fixes for Festival of the Lost, Portal, and more.

Console gamers will see this as Destiny 2 update 3.80/1.175, and this also includes weapon issues and more. Read on for the complete patch notes to see everything that got changed.

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Destiny 2’s Update on November 4 Brings New Fixes

Destiny 2 New Update 3.68

Activities

Events

Festival of the Lost

  • Fixed an issue with Haunted Altars of Sorrow where clearing two altars in rapid succession could fail to increase the objective counter for both Altars.
  • Fixed an issue where Haunted Altars of Sorrow projected lower than intended grades.
  • Fixed an issue where the Sweet Tooth daily challenge would not properly track progress.
  • Fixed an issue with Red Rum(ble) where Headless One kills would not be counted on the post-match scoreboard.

Portal

  • We have temporally disabled the Liminality Strike while we address an issue with scoring.
  • Fixed an issue where players kicked to orbit mid-activity couldn’t interact with the Portal.
  • Fixed an issue where Expeditions would not complete nor provide rewards after defeating the final boss.
  • Made scoring adjustments to the following activities so it’s easier to reach a 10,000 in-activity score:
    • Insight Terminus
    • Devil’s Lair
    • The Inverted Spire
    • Battleground: Oracle
    • Battleground: Behemoth
    • Battleground: Conduit
    • Battleground: Foothold
  • Fixed an issue with Onslaught: Midtown where players could sometimes not leave the boss arena on Wave 25.
  • Fixed an issue with Reclaim: Fallen Bunker, where players could sometimes not progress after the second area.
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Gameplay and Investment

Weapons

  • Fixed an issue where the Hushed Whisper Bow (Festival of the Lost reward) was doing less damage than intended.
    • Now we wait for Hynra’s montage.

Triumphs and Titles

  • Fixed an issue where the Ghost Write Title could not be equipped.

General

  • Fixed an issue that caused items held in the hand of the Veiled Haunting Hunter set, the Masked Milliner Titan set, and the Formal Shadow Warlock set to unexpectedly appear in first-person view during certain combat situations.

If another patch is released by Bungie, we’ll let our readers know.

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Alex Co

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

Home > Title Updates and Patches

Vampire Survivors New Update on November 4 Applies Fixes via Patch 1.014.105/1.20

  by   Alex Co  
11:58 am in Title Updates and Patches

After the release of the Balatro content update for Vampire Survivors last week, developer poncle has released the first wave of fixes touching on crashes, animation issues and a lot more.

The developer tags this as patch 1.14.105, which console gamers will see as Vampire Survivors update 1.014.105/1.20.

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For the complete list of fixes, head on below.

Vampire Survivors New Update on November 4 Lists Fixes

Here are the confirmed list of fixes per the developers:

  • Fixed game crashes
  • Fixed bad animation/collision handling on OtC giantbat
  • Stopped DLC info title font getting too large
  • Checked all the characters for the achievement unlock conditions
  • Checking arcana count to make sure arcana selection screen doesn’t open at the start of the game if there are no available arcana to choose (e.g if you’re playing as Chaos without darkana or arcana 0 unlocked)
  • Made DLC disks visible on unlock
  • Stopped enemies trying to target deactivated followers (outer sabourter crash on console)
  • Fixed Darkasso related null ref
  • Fixed crash from Negative Space evolving twice
  • Fixed survarots card background in pause menu
  • Fix for overly reduced weapon slot count in local co-op
  • Fixed missing reference to DLC selector popup
  • Fix to stop text overflowing for online dlc title
  • Optimisation for Magistone weapons
  • Fixed Dance of Gold to use the correct loop.
  • Fixed incorrect strings in Foscari adventure
  • Fix max area cap for Inferno weapons
  • Fix for TP_FAKE_TRIO unlock check
  • Fixed in EN, other Tr and Ja updates
  • Fix description for subcard + update I2L asset
  • Removed rogue evo weapon from Pale Diamond Incursion’s description
  • Secret check for unlocking TP_ASTARTE
  • Bestiary updates and fixes
  • Ante Chamber Bestiary switched on
  • Translation updates to correct Claimh solais and JiangShi
  • OtC sprite updates
  • Updating OtC Annette, correct sprite and portrait
  • Removed golden finger from the list of pickups GreedyForPickups AI characters want to chase after, as they can’t pick them up
  • Fixed recently played players list
  • Saboteur only levels up their weapon if it’s enabled and they’re not dead, fixes Saboteur starting to fire coins when it shouldn’t during Dracula and Death cutscenes

Once a new set of fixes is out, we’ll let our readers know.

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Alex Co

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

Home > News

EA Quells Fears and Says It Will Retain Creative Control If Saudi-Backed Buyout Proceeds

  by   Taha  
8:48 am in News

The purchase of Electronic Arts (EA) by a group of investors that includes the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia, along with investment firms Affinity Partners and Silver Lake, has raised concerns among employees.

Some of these concerns are about the potential influence the PIF could have on the company’s creativity and independence, as well as the possible effects on EA’s staff.

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EA Promises Creative Freedom After Saudi Arabia’s Investment

Battlefield 6

To calm these concerns, EA has released a Q&A document stating that it will maintain creative control and creative freedom if the sale to the investor group goes through. The company adds that its “mission, values, and commitment to players and fans around the world remain unchanged.”

EA insists that the group “believes in our vision, our leadership and our focus on creating games, stories, and content that reflect a range of experiences.” “They’re investing in the creativity that defines EA,” the company added.

The document also addresses questions about potential layoffs following the company’s transition to private ownership. EA claims there will be “no immediate changes”, and that both teams and their daily work will not be affected by the transaction. Another topic discussed in the Q&A is the use of AI, which EA describes as a tool that helps its teams focus on creativity, rethink workflows, and expand their creative power.

However, promises are easy to make on paper. It remains to be seen whether EA will keep its word once the sale to the Saudi-backed investor group is completed. The deal is valued at 55 billion dollars, aiming to take EA private. According to the timeline, the transaction should close during the first quarter of fiscal year 2027 (April to June 2026).

The PIF already has stakes in several gaming companies, but it has never made such a large offer for a major publisher before. Saudi Arabia already owns SNK and Scopely, and it also holds shares in Nintendo, Embracer, Capcom, and Take-Two.

In related news, the general manager of Battlefield Studios called generative AI “very seductive” but confirmed that Battlefield 6 only used it in the early development phase, not in the final game’s gameplay. Speaking of Battlefield 6, did you know that some of the items listed in the Season1  patch notes weren’t applied with the Season 1 update? Check out what a dev had to say about it.

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Taha

Television kills your vision.

Home > Title Updates and Patches

Fortnite New Update 1.000.201 Released on Consoles

  by   Alex Co  
8:46 am in Title Updates and Patches

Fortnite update 1.000.201 is now available for download, following up on the major The Simpsons content drop released over the weekend.  Given we just got a significant update, don’t expect much from this outside of fixes.

Read on to see the issues being tackled by the development team for Battle Royale, LEGO, and other modes.

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Fortnite Update 1.000.201 Available for Download on November 4

Update: Epic Games confirmed the following bug fixes were applied today:

  • Fixed a bug improving Epic and Legendary Suppressed Assault Rifle spread accuracy.
  • The Epic and Legendary Tactical Shotgun no longer deals higher-than-intended environmental damage.

Some of the key issues Epic is looking into recently include:

  • An issue has been identified where players may experience extended loading times when attempting to access Blitz.
    We are actively investigating and will provide further updates once more information is available.
  • Simpsons Couch disabled to fix an issue
  • The Augury outfit in their lockers missing from player lockers

Not only that, but here’s a look at the list of all known issues according to the official Fortnite Trello board.

GENERAL TOP ISSUES

Fixed in Next Game Update

  • [Controller] Missing player interaction animation when holding a weapon and interacting with a Sidekick.
  • Mr. Dappermint is missing his bow tie.

In Development

  • Nintendo Switch players encountering storage space issues
  • Stability issues for some players using the Xbox app on PC.

BATTLE ROYALE/BLITZ ROYALE/RELOAD/OG TOP ISSUES

Investigating

  • [Controller] Crouch and Confirm Edit may trigger at the same time with custom controls.

In Development

  • Styles for Ranked Backbling and Ranked Umbrella do not unlock when players rank up
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LEGO FORTNITE TOP ISSUES

Fixed in Next Game Update

  • Some Bus Stations may no longer stay discovered after leaving a World.
  • Newly discovered Bus Stations on the Star Wars Island and the Lost Isles have incorrect names.

Investigating

  • Ranged weapons may not function correctly when equipped by NPCs on LEGO Fortnite Islands.
  • Sizzle Sgt. may not be present at the Dispatch Center.
  • ‘F’ key conflict: unable to interact with objects.

In Development

  • Lag/hitching issues in the Storm King fight

FORTNITE MOBILE TOP ISSUES

Investigating

  • Controller bindings cannot be customized on Mobile.
  • Unable to send Game Channel messages in Battle Royale Solos.

ROCKET RACING TOP ISSUES

In Development

  • The Weekly Quest progress tracker may not update after progress is made.
  • Multiple hazards may not render fully at Anarchy Arches 2 and Basalt Burrow.
  • Cannot Rocket Drift with default keybind on PC (Creative).

Investigating

  • Some Wheels may incorrectly appear with darker Default Styles or incomplete visual elements.

SAVE THE WORLD TOP ISSUES

Fixed in Next Game Update

  • Unable to change the ‘Jump’ keybind on PC.
  • Amplifiers in SSD and Endurance have no collision.

Investigating

  • Ninjas may not be able to Mantis Leap consistently after using it.
  • Husks may get stuck on terrain ledges.
  • The progress circle animation does not appear around the “Vote” button when using a controller.
  • Plasma Pulse may not behave as intended after firing a Bow.

FORTNITE FESTIVAL TOP ISSUES

Investigating

  • Eliminated players may be able to continue playing in Battle Stage.

If we get a proper changelog, we’ll update the article, though we’re not expecting it.

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Alex Co

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

Home > Title Updates and Patches

Fortnite New Update on November 4 Brings Game to Version 4.90

  by   Alex Co  
8:41 am in Title Updates and Patches

Following the release of the big 38.00 patch for Fortnite, which included The Simpsons collaboration content, Epic Games has pushed out a new update today. As one might expect, this update brings fixes.

Console gamers will see today’s download appear as Fortnite update 4.90, and this has been released to resolve issues rather than add any new content.

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Fortnite’s Update on November 4 Released Without Any Announcement

 

Update: Epic Games confirmed the following bug fixes were applied today:

  • Fixed a bug improving Epic and Legendary Suppressed Assault Rifle spread accuracy.
  • The Epic and Legendary Tactical Shotgun no longer deals higher-than-intended environmental damage.

Some of the key issues Epic is looking into recently include:

  • An issue has been identified where players may experience extended loading times when attempting to access Blitz.
    We are actively investigating and will provide further updates once more information is available.
  • Simpsons Couch disabled to fix an issue
  • The Augury outfit in their lockers missing from player lockers

Not only that, but here’s a look at the list of all known issues according to the official Fortnite Trello board.

GENERAL TOP ISSUES

Fixed in Next Game Update

  • [Controller] Missing player interaction animation when holding a weapon and interacting with a Sidekick.
  • Mr. Dappermint is missing his bow tie.

In Development

  • Nintendo Switch players encountering storage space issues
  • Stability issues for some players using the Xbox app on PC.

BATTLE ROYALE/BLITZ ROYALE/RELOAD/OG TOP ISSUES

Investigating

  • [Controller] Crouch and Confirm Edit may trigger at the same time with custom controls.

In Development

  • Styles for Ranked Backbling and Ranked Umbrella do not unlock when players rank up
RELATED
Report: Avalanche's Cancelled "Contraband" Screenshots Unearthed, Reveals UI and More
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LEGO FORTNITE TOP ISSUES

Fixed in Next Game Update

  • Some Bus Stations may no longer stay discovered after leaving a World.
  • Newly discovered Bus Stations on the Star Wars Island and the Lost Isles have incorrect names.

Investigating

  • Ranged weapons may not function correctly when equipped by NPCs on LEGO Fortnite Islands.
  • Sizzle Sgt. may not be present at the Dispatch Center.
  • ‘F’ key conflict: unable to interact with objects.

In Development

  • Lag/hitching issues in the Storm King fight

FORTNITE MOBILE TOP ISSUES

Investigating

  • Controller bindings cannot be customized on Mobile.
  • Unable to send Game Channel messages in Battle Royale Solos.

ROCKET RACING TOP ISSUES

In Development

  • The Weekly Quest progress tracker may not update after progress is made.
  • Multiple hazards may not render fully at Anarchy Arches 2 and Basalt Burrow.
  • Cannot Rocket Drift with default keybind on PC (Creative).

Investigating

  • Some Wheels may incorrectly appear with darker Default Styles or incomplete visual elements.

SAVE THE WORLD TOP ISSUES

Fixed in Next Game Update

  • Unable to change the ‘Jump’ keybind on PC.
  • Amplifiers in SSD and Endurance have no collision.

Investigating

  • Ninjas may not be able to Mantis Leap consistently after using it.
  • Husks may get stuck on terrain ledges.
  • The progress circle animation does not appear around the “Vote” button when using a controller.
  • Plasma Pulse may not behave as intended after firing a Bow.

FORTNITE FESTIVAL TOP ISSUES

Investigating

  • Eliminated players may be able to continue playing in Battle Stage.

If we get a proper changelog, we’ll update the article, though we’re not expecting it.

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Alex Co

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

Home > News

Destiny 2 Down on November 4 to Bring Update 9.1.5.4

  by   Alex Co  
8:24 am in News

Bungie has taken the Destiny 2 servers down on November 4 on consoles and PC, and given that Daylight saving time is over, some people might be confused about the downtime changes.

The studio has triggered downtime, as a new update is scheduled to be released later today, bringing the game to version 9.1.5.4.

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For the complete Destiny 2 downtime schedule, head on below.

Destiny 2 Servers Down on November 4

Destiny 2 Update 3.58

Tuesday, November 4, 2025 — Update 9.1.5.4

5:00 AM PST -8 UTC
    • Destiny 2 will undergo maintenance.
    • Sign-on and game integration features will be unavailable on web, mobile, third-party apps, and the Bungie Store.
    • Players who observe issues should report to the #Help forum.
7:35 AM PST -8 UTC
    • Destiny 2 and all APIs will be brought offline for expected maintenance.
    • Players will be removed from activities.
    • Destiny 1 may be impacted.
09:00 AM PST -8 UTC
    • The latest Destiny 2 update will be available across all platforms and regions.
    • Players will be able to log back into Destiny 2.
    • Players logging into the game may be placed in a queue and may experience sign-on issues as background maintenance is still ongoing.
    • The Destiny 2 API will be brought online.
    • Clan features may remain offline until maintenance is complete.
11:00 AM PST -8 UTC
    • Destiny 2 maintenance is expected to conclude.
    • Console players who encounter issues updating should restart their console and try downloading the update.
    • Players who observe issues should report to the #Help forum.

Same as before, once the patch download is live, we’ll have it up on the site. If the maintenance time changes, we’ll update the article to reflect the info.

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Alex Co

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

Home > Title Updates and Patches

EA Sports FC 26 Update 1.000.009 Released for v1.1.3 AI Changes

  by   Alex Co  
6:23 am in Title Updates and Patches

Artificial Intelligence (AI) improvements have been implemented by the developers via the EA Sports FC 26 update 1.000.009 patch released today on all platforms.

Alongside the improvements, we’ve also listed the known issues that remain unresolved on consoles and PC.

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Read on for the complete patch notes straight from EA.

EA Sports FC 26 Update 1.000.009 Applies AI Improvements

EA Sports FC 26 Update 1.07

Per EA, “EA SPORTS FC 26 v1.1.3 will soon be available. Driven by your Career Mode feedback, we’re updating CPU AI decision making with the intent of making it challenging and engaging to play against, especially on higher difficulties.”

The CPU AI will now aim to:

  • Look for passes more often and make quicker decisions about them.

  • Dribble more effectively with sharper turns, less straightforward movement, and less dwelling on the ball.

  • Switch players on defense more often in situations where trailing the runner is not beneficial.

These CPU AI decision making updates apply to both Competitive and Authentic Gameplay. As a reminder, the term CPU AI here is referring to the virtual user controlling the team you’re playing against in offline matches.

Aside from the changes made, here are a list of items being looked into by the developers:

Investigating

  • [UT] [Visual Issue] A visual issue occurs when viewing Rivals Weekly Rewards.
  • [PC] Controller stops registering input during gameplay.
  • [Matchmaking] Online matches can experience unexpectedly high ping.
  • [PC] Graphic settings reset when entering Game Settings or changing settings tabs.
  • [Clubs] Reward notifications are displayed on all Objectives tabs.
  • [Clubs] An incorrect Golden Goal message could appear at the end of a Live Event match.
  • [Kick Off] CPU slider changes may not save after switching AI behavio
  • [UT] The Home dropdown menu may become inaccessible.
  • [Player Career] Tattoos added during avatar customisation may not be saved.
  • [UT] Squad Assignments are not saved when entering a match.
  • [Gameplay] Stadium shadows might be present even when the corresponding setting is off.
  • [UT] [Visual Issue Only] Confetti cannons and trophies can appear on the pitch.
  • [Clubs] Players may receive Connection to Lobby Lost error when searching for a League Match

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

[related_post url=”https://mp1st.com/news/battlefield-6-big-problem-with-bots-matchmaking-devs

Tags: EA Sports FC EA Sports FC 26
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Alex Co

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

Home > Title Updates and Patches

Helldivers 2 Update 1.004.101 Out This Nov. 4 for Balance Improvements

  by   Damien Seeto  
5:45 am in Title Updates and Patches

Arrowhead Game Studios has released a new Helldivers 2 update for PC, PS5 and Xbox. This is update version 1.004.101, and this patch fixes crashes, reduces framerate stutters, and fixes other issues.

A PC only fix has also been listed. Check out the full and official Helldivers 2 patch notes down below.

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Helldivers 2 Update 1.004.101 Fixes Various Issues

helldivers 2 screenshot

Overview

Freedom’s greetings, Helldivers!

For this ongoing minor update stability and balance improvements were the focus of the team. We look forward to hearing how you feel we’re keeping the galaxy (and democracy) running smoothly.

Patch Highlights

  • Fixed crashes, including some hotjoining and stratagem-related crashes.
  • Reducing framerate stutters during drop-in sequence.
  • Fixed issues related to unused textures loaded into memory.

Fixes

Crashes

  • Fixed a crash after hotjoining a game that just started, and when the existing players use certain stratagems
  • Fixed a rare crash when enemies fall through the ground
  • Fixed a crash that occurs during missions when an encounter is triggered
  • Fix rare crash on mission load
  • Fixed crash which could occur when interacting quickly with the weapon customization menu

Miscellaneous

  • Extraction shuttle will no longer get into the landing stage when bumping into tall structures near the landing pad
  • Fix an issue with missing haptics when gamepads disconnect/reconnect
  • Fixed ragdolls falling through ground during certain sections of the Tutorial
  • Fixed issue where some unused textures were being loaded into memory accidentally on certain planet types

Optimizations

  • (PC only) Fixed for textures sometimes appearing low resolution even when memory is available
  • Reducing flashlight reaction on muzzle smoke on all weapons for a better FOV
  • Reduced frame rate stutters during the drop-in sequence
  • Optimized destruction on various tree assets to maintain performance when lots of trees are being destroyed

MP1st will be sure to update our audience when a newer patch for Helldivers 2 is released in the near future.

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Damien Seeto

Home > Title Updates and Patches

EA Sports FC 26 New Update on November 4 for Version 1.10 Released

  by   Alex Co  
4:32 am in Title Updates and Patches

The latest EA Sports FC 26 update is out, and this brings AI and Career Mode changes that should please the player base. Called the version 1.1.3 patch, console gamers will see this as EA Sports FC 26 update 1.10.

For the complete patch notes and gameplay-related changes made, read on.

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EA Sports FC 26 New Update on November 4 Released for AI Changes

Per EA, “EA SPORTS FC 26 v1.1.3 will soon be available. Driven by your Career Mode feedback, we’re updating CPU AI decision making with the intent of making it challenging and engaging to play against, especially on higher difficulties.”

The CPU AI will now aim to:

  • Look for passes more often and make quicker decisions about them.

  • Dribble more effectively with sharper turns, less straightforward movement, and less dwelling on the ball.

  • Switch players on defense more often in situations where trailing the runner is not beneficial.

These CPU AI decision making updates apply to both Competitive and Authentic Gameplay. As a reminder, the term CPU AI here is referring to the virtual user controlling the team you’re playing against in offline matches.

Aside from the changes made, here are a list of items being looked into by the developers:

Investigating

  • [UT] [Visual Issue] A visual issue occurs when viewing Rivals Weekly Rewards.
  • [PC] Controller stops registering input during gameplay.
  • [Matchmaking] Online matches can experience unexpectedly high ping.
  • [PC] Graphic settings reset when entering Game Settings or changing settings tabs.
  • [Clubs] Reward notifications are displayed on all Objectives tabs.
  • [Clubs] An incorrect Golden Goal message could appear at the end of a Live Event match.
  • [Kick Off] CPU slider changes may not save after switching AI behavio
  • [UT] The Home dropdown menu may become inaccessible.
  • [Player Career] Tattoos added during avatar customisation may not be saved.
  • [UT] Squad Assignments are not saved when entering a match.
  • [Gameplay] Stadium shadows might be present even when the corresponding setting is off.
  • [UT] [Visual Issue Only] Confetti cannons and trophies can appear on the pitch.
  • [Clubs] Players may receive Connection to Lobby Lost error when searching for a League Match

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

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Alex Co

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

Home > News

Original Saints Row Director Working on Prequel Pitch to Bring the Series Back to Its Roots

  by   Taha  
November 3, 2025 4:44 pm in News

The Saints Row series is beloved by many, but its most recent game failed to find an audience, leaving the franchise seemingly dead. Still, there may be hope for a comeback if the game’s design director can make his plans happen.

Chris Stockman, who worked on the first Saints Row as a director, shared that he’s now working on a new pitch for another Saints Row game.

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Saints Row Could Return with a Prequel True to Its Roots

saints row prequel

In a post on Reddit, Stockman shared that he had been contacted to create a pitch that, if approved, could become a prequel. “I’ve been asked to create a pitch for a Saints Row reboot! I can’t say anything more than that but my dreams for this game just became a little more than just dreams!,” he said, adding that it will not be a virtual reality title.

In a response to questions from PCGamesN, Stockman mentioned that he is “attempting to get the band back together” to work on the project. “I want to bring the Saints Row franchise back to its roots. As you know I directed Saints Row 1 and I feel the series has strayed way too far away from that. I completely understand why they went that way but in the end they kind of painted themselves into a corner they couldn’t get out of,” he explained.

It’s important to note that it’s still too early to celebrate — at this point, Stockman is only preparing a pitch. There is no guarantee that it will be approved or turned into a full game. Even if it does get the green light, it would take several years before release.

Finally, it’s worth noting that the original development studio, Volition, was shut down as part of a major restructuring by the Embracer Group.

While Saints Row is still only at the proposal stage, with Chris Stockman hoping to bring the series back to its roots, the biggest open-world game coming soon is Grand Theft Auto VI. It will release on May 26, 2026, for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, with character bios, new locations, and many other details already revealed.

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Taha

Television kills your vision.

Home > Title Updates and Patches

Starship Troopers: Extermination New Update 1.107.002 Released for Hotfix 1.71

  by   Alex Co  
3:32 pm in Title Updates and Patches

OffWorld Industries has released the latest hotfix for Starship Troopers: Extermination as version 1.7.1! This brings fixes to the UI, gameplay and a lot more/

Console gamers will see this as Starship Troopers: Extermination update 1.007 (complete version 1.007.000) and expect the fixes to be similar to the PC version.

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Starship Troopers Extermination Update on November 3 Applies Fixes

Starship Troopers: Extermination Update 1.100

Highlights 

  • Fixed an issue with the Scorpion Bug Tail laser attack where the charge up animation would stutter.
  • Fixed an issue causing Bugs being unable to navigate or take damage across certain thresholds on the Sparta Mid Deck.
  • Explosive Damage from the Nuclear Det Pack will now no longer do full team damage to other players.

UI

  • Fixed an issue causing the Scorpion Bug objective marker, compass marker and target ping to show as a Tanker Bug.

Audio

  • Fixed audio lines from abruptly stopping on S.O.G Mission 28.

Gameplay & General Fixes

  • “Warrior Ambush” mutator should now be visible when active.
  • Plasma Bombardments should now not appear outside of the playable area,
  • Troopers should now not be able to grab filled resource canisters from destroyed resource refineries.
  • Fixed an issue causing Valaka missions to not progress to the After Action Report screen after extraction.
  • Fixed an issue causing S.O.G Bot Troopers to get pushed through walls and the ground on Sparta Ramps and not return.
  • Fixed an issue causing Carnage Corpses on the Sparta Top Deck to turn Blue.
  • Fixed an issue that caused trooper Hit Indicators from ranged Bug damage to point towards the world origin,
  • Fixed an issue causing Bug Holes to play the damage animation/audio if an explosive goes off in a large area around it when not intended to.

If OffWorld releases another patch, expect it here on MP1st.

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Alex Co

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

Home > Title Updates and Patches

Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted First Update Applies Fixes via Patch 1.30/1.300

  by   Alex Co  
12:55 pm in Title Updates and Patches

Developer The Lost Pixels has released the first client-side update for Plants vs. Zonbies: Replantedon consoles and PC today, and this ushers in a set of fixes affecting gameplay and more.

Called the v1.3.0 patch, console gamers will see this as Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted update version 1.30/1.300 (complete version 1.300.000), and this should be a small download.

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Read on for the official patch notes.

Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted First Update Released on November 3 as Version 1.30/1.300

Here are the patch notes straight from The Lost Pixels:

Audio:

  • Added Dynamic Audio to the level music so it no longer always plays at the highest intensity version (perfect time for a blindfolded run)
  • Minigame, Puzzle, Survival and Almanac menus now play the correct music instead of the previous menu’s music
  • Sound effects no longer overlap menu music at higher game speeds
  • Added missing menu open SFX for Pause Menu
  • Collecting Sun has a wider range of audio played

General:

  • [Vs Mode] Plant and Zombie tooltips now properly appear when using controllers during match selection
  • Retro Zombies no longer unexpectedly jump or teleport ahead during movement (Dr. Zomboss got us good with this one)
  • Disabling Vsync no longer impacts Mouse cursor speed
  • Fixed plants showing incorrectly when collecting sun while dragging them to be placed with Touch inputs
  • Dr. Zomboss no longer signs his notes with a comma after his name (We wonder if Tugboat was forging those notes for him)
  • Various text string fixes
  • Cards are hidden properly after Planterns are eaten in Vasebreaker
  • Fixed various visual issues with Magnet-Shroom grabbing items
  • Fixed a few Controller prompts showing incorrectly when not using controllers for input
  • Flags now raise properly when reached on the Level Progress bar
  • Fixed Conveyor Belt sizing to show all 10 slots

Don’t expect a lot of patches to be released for the game given this is a remaster after all.

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Alex Co

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

Home > News

ARC Raiders Down Affecting Servers on November 2, Affecting Voice Chat, Party System

  by   Alex Co  
November 2, 2025 4:08 pm in News

Those embarking on the first weekend for ARC Raiders, you might be having issues logging into the game, or perhaps experiencing hardships in using the voice chat. If so, it’s not just you, as players from around the world are also experiencing this server outage this November 2.

Thankfully, Embark Studios is aware of this issue, as the studio has released a statement regarding it.

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ARC Raiders Server Woes Crop Up on November 2 Affecting Voice, Party Systems

Update: Embark has announced that they have implemented a “login queue as a temporary measure in order to mitigate issues related to forming parties and using voice channels which will make your matchmaking longer than usual.”

The studio is still investigating the issue, and apologizes for the disruption. We’ll update the story as more info becomes available.

Original Story:

Embark has acknowledged the game’s server issues via a statement on the gam e’s Discord channel. “The team is still hard at work on the server issues, voice chat and party system.”

Adding to that, the devs mentioned, “We appreciate all of you letting us know about the issues you’re running into and we thank you for bearing with us.”

We should be getting more updates within the day, so keep an eye out on this article, given we’ll be updating this as more developments arise.

While you’re waiting on the servers to normalize, check out the content roadmap promised for the game this 2025. We also recently ran a story on how victims of cheaters are given a fair shake by the devs, which we’re hoping other games emulate.

If you can connect to the game (or can’t), leave a comment below and let us know which platform you’re on, and where you’re connecting from.

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Alex Co

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

Home > News

Report: Avalanche’s Cancelled “Contraband” Screenshots Unearthed, Reveals UI and More

  by   Efrain  
3:53 pm in News

In case you’ve been keeping up with the latest Xbox news, you’ve likely heard of Avalanche Studios’ project, Contraband, or more importantly, its unfortunate fate with the cancellation of the title just a few months ago, alongside several other games in development for the console that ultimately were axed.

First announced in 2021, the game was described as a “co-op smuggler’s paradise” set in the 1970s. While the concept sounded genuinely interesting, little was heard about it over the years. Beyond rumors of playtests that reportedly received a positive reception, we never enjoyed many details of the project, let alone official glimpses, with the closest thing being the reveal teaser trailer.

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This is why you might be interested in seeing a bit more about the title. Luckily, we can now get a rare look behind the scenes of the game thanks to some screenshots with concept art, character designs, and mockups that were intended to give an idea of how the game’s menus would have looked.

A look at the game’s UI of Contraband

Update: It appears that the character pictures seen in the screenshots were taken from old Marvel fan art pieces by another artist. As a result, we should not consider the stylization put into these specific character models as representative of the final art style of the game.

Original Story:

These images were published in the portfolio of an artist who contributed to the game’s development, specifically working on its interfaces, and they mainly illustrate the matchmaking experience, revealing a highly stylized look.

Most notably, the character portraits provide a strong clue about the visual direction. We can observe at least three different character designs in total. Judging by their appearance, it is highly probable that Contraband would have leaned toward a more stylized art style, rather than going for a realistic approach.

Now, based on the UI, it appears that the game intended to focus on 4-player co-op teams. Furthermore, it is suggested that there was a progression system based on different criminal rankings, such as Hustler, Bandit, Smuggler, or Baron.

We can also see one of the maps planned for the game, simply named Downtown, which features a striking illustration of a street at night with different neon-lit storefronts, emphasizing a nocturnal setting and an atmosphere perfect for smuggling operations.

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Although these images primarily showcase UI work, we can get a small glimpse of what appears to be an in-game environment. Although only visible as a blurred background for one of the menus, it can be discerned that the scene appears to be a dimly lit safe house with crates and boxes. Considering this is shown behind the recruitment menu, it strongly suggests the location could have functioned as a main hub or a point of interest for the players.

So, what could be next for the developer? That is a difficult thing to predict. This uncertainty stems from the fact that the studio has faced significant internal restructuring following the cancellation of Contraband, including the closure of its Liverpool division and staff reductions across other teams.

Curiously, the studio’s flagship franchise, Just Cause, also has an uncertain future regarding its continuity. As we have previously reported, Sumo Digital was working on a fifth installment in the action series, but this project was short-lived and ultimately faced cancellation.

While Avalanche resuming work on the Just Cause saga would be the best outcome for fans of the action franchise, the studio’s future remains highly uncertain, more so than ever in the current chaotic state of the video game industry.

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Efrain

Home > News

ARC Raiders Players Who Have Been Targeted by Cheaters, Won’t Lose Their Loot

  by   Alex Co  
1:56 pm in News

Cheaters are an inevitable part of online gaming. Regardless of whether it’s a PvP (Player vs. Player) or PvE (Player vs. Environment) game, cheaters will find a way to ruin the fun for everyone.

While Embark Studios isn’t promising that cheaters won’t be a pest in ARC Raiders, the studio has managed to find a way to make the experience much more tolerable compared to other online games.

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ARC Raiders Makes It Less Annoying to Deal With Cheaters

In ARC Raiders, players who encounter cheaters, exploiters and so on, will get a refund of their items in their inventory.

The message they’ll receive will read (via ARC Radar), “Your items were lost due to unfair play, but we managed to get them back for you! They’re now available for you to claim and take with you on your next journey Topside. We’re committed to building an environment where gameplay is about skill, teamwork, and fun, not unfair advantages. Thank you for being part of this mission! Together, we’re building ARC Raiders into a fair and fun experience for everyone.”

While this won’t deter cheaters at all, this should make the experience a lot better for those victimized by ’em. Once identified, Embark can then ban these users so they don’t harm anyone else.

This is another win for ARC Raiders, which we’re glad to see. Not only are the developers quick to release patches to fix issues, but even in terms of new content, there are already a sizable chunk confirmed to drop before 2025 ends.

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Alex Co

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

Home > Title Updates and Patches

Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection First Update on November 2 for PC Improves Audio for Online Play

  by   Alex Co  
10:27 am in Title Updates and Patches

Digital Eclipse has released the first post-release patch for Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection, which brings a host of bug fixes to the PC version on November 2.

Console gamers can expect to see the patch appear sometime this coming week.

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There are no gameplay-related changes, but numerous general technical improvements, which should enhance the overall experience.

Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection First Update Released on Nov. 2

Here are the changes made by the studio today:

  • Improved audio buffer for online play
  • Restore missing audio in 32X MKII
  • General improvements to MK4
  • Fixed issue that caused UMK3 to reboot after Scorpion fatality
  • General stability improvements for Genesis titles
  • Pause button hold time reduced by 50%
  • One-Button Fatalities added for all arcade titles
  • General stability updates to Music Player

No word on whether the console patch will add more fixes, but if they do, we’ll have it reflect in the patch notes.

If you haven’t picked the game up, check out our review where we state, “This release is yet another example of why Digital Eclipse is one of the best at revisiting the past, as it not only provides the core experience of these classic Mortal Kombat games but also goes above and beyond with features like The Krypt.”

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Alex Co

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

Home > Title Updates and Patches

Fortnite Update 38.00 Released for Version 1.000.200 and Brings New Simpsons Collab

  by   Alex Co  
November 1, 2025 2:56 pm in Title Updates and Patches

Fortnite’s latest major collaboration is live with the introduction of The Simpsons to Battle Royale via patch v38.00! Console players will see this Fortnite update 1.000.200, and this brings a new map in Springfield, as well as a new Battle Pass and more.

Expect our new Alien Overlords not to be merciful as we traverse the town of Springfield and collect new Simpsons-themed rewards.

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Read on for the new content, which includes the introduction of Fortnite Sidekicks!

Fortnite’s Latest Update 38.00 Adds Simpsons Content via Version 1.000.200

Drop from the Battle Bus into… Springfield? The 80-player Springfield Island features a fast-paced, back-to-basics Battle Royale experience straight from the minds behind The Simpsons. Giant donuts will fall from the sky and angry clones will roam the streets, but don’t worry, Homer Simpson is in charge. Check out Delulu for new Simpsons weapons during the Season and prepare for a month of gags, gadgets, and Simpsons animated shorts!

Springfield Battle Pass

attle in cel-shaded Springfield as one of the locals! The Springfield Battle Pass includes Outfits as premium rewards including Homer, Marge, Flanders, Blinky Fishstick, and Springfielder Peely.

This Battle Pass has Fortnite’s first Sidekick: Peels! Peels is the exclusive Sidekick until more arrive in the Shop on November 7.

Introducing Fortnite Sidekicks

Sidekicks are new pals in Fortnite that join your adventures in Battle Royale, LEGO® Fortnite, developer-made experiences, and more. Enjoy their company as they react to the world around you!

They’re your own customizable companion. You can design your Sidekick, and select their permanent, physical traits, which is how they will appear moving forward. However, you can change their name and accessories at any time. Cosmetics like hats and hoodies can be earned with Sidekick Points from hanging out together.

The first Sidekick in Fortnite will be Peels! Unlock Peels in the next Battle Pass on November 1.

More Sidekicks come to the Shop on November 7 including Bonesy, Spike, and Lil’ Raptor. Not long after, we’ll have something for all the cat people out there!

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Animated Shorts Every Week

Original animated The Simpsons shorts highlighting new gameplay will air in Fortnite (Quests tab > Animated Shorts) during the Season. Also find them on Disney+ by searching for “The Simpsons” or heading to The Simpsons Collection! These mini episodes preview the mayhem of the week.

  • November 1 – “Apocalypse D’Oh”
  • November 10 – “Sugar High”
  • November 17 – “Multiplidiocy”
  • November 24 – “The Incredible Bulk”

Account Linking & Twitch Drops

Nab the Kang and Kodos Gliderby connecting your Epic and MyDisney accounts through Apps and Accounts before February 28, 2026 Eastern Time. Whether you just connected or already connected your accounts, you’ll have it in your Locker before November 15. Woo-hoo!

On Twitch from November 1 at 4:30 PM ET to November 2 at 11:59 PM ET, watch 30 minutes cumulative of any stream in the Fortnite category to unlock The Siiimpsooooons… Wrap.

In addition to the official info revealed above, we have more to share thanks to reliable dataminers of the game.

Fortnite Springfield Map

Other Key Info

  • Free Kang & Kodos glider (Connect your Epic & MyDisney accounts before March 2026 to redeeem)
  • New Simpsons Donut Battle Pass

  • All Simpsons Battle Pass Skins

  • End of chapter event confirmed for November 29
  • Team Monster and Mech emotes returning after 800 days
  • SpongeBob collaboration coming soon (via Shiina)
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Fortnite Update 38.00 Ecosystem and Patch Notes

Updated Engagement Payout Formula with User Acquisition Rewards

We’re now using the updated engagement payout formula, announced in September, to calculate your payouts. The updated formula introduces User Acquisition Rewards for developers bringing in new players and reengaging lapsed players in Fortnite. This change will be reflected in your monthly payouts, beginning with the November 2025 payout that will be paid starting December 30, 2025. Learn more here.

Create Dynamic UI: Verse Fields Now Available in UMG

Create UI widgets with Verse that can be updated dynamically using the new Verse fields in UMG. Developers can now dynamically drive UI data, materials, animations, and Widget properties using Verse code, unlocking new UI capabilities. Open the Variables window in the UMG Designer to get started.

You can add fields of various types, including logic , int, float, message, material and texture to a User Widget in the UMG Designer. These fields can be bound to widget properties using View Bindings. Fields are reflected in the Verse asset digest for the User Widget, allowing you to reference these Fields in Verse, and pass Verse data into a User Widget! This makes it possible to drive the content of a User Widget using Verse code.

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Resident Evil Requiem Pre-Order Bonus, Deluxe Edition Contents Revealed
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While Capcom's Resident Evil Requiem won't be released until February 2026, horror fans can pre-order the game starting today.

New UI Materials

New UI materials have been added under the Fortnite/UI/Materials folder in UEFN. These materials include a variety of progress bars and texture effects to help with UI prototyping and development.

New Tycoon Feature Example

A new UEFN feature example showcases best practices for building Tycoon games using Scene Graph and interconnected systems. It’s designed as both a learning resource and as a customizable base for building your own Tycoon experiences.

Epic Developer Assistant Now Available in Editor with Increased Character Limits!

The Epic Developer Assistant is now integrated directly into the UEFN editor. A dedicated slide-out panel enables you to ask questions, generate Verse code, or follow step-by-step guidance — all without leaving the editor — so you can stay focused on the task at hand.

In addition to typing questions, you can access the AI Assistant as easily as you would a tooltip: hover your cursor over an interface element and press F1 to automatically start a  conversation with the AI assistant about that topic.

We’ve also increased the character limit for prompts from 4,000 to 20,000 characters for developers using the Epic Developer Assistant, both in Editor and on the web, enabling you to include longer snippets of Verse code in your queries.

Content Browser and Inventory Updates

New Weapons

  • Suppressed Assault Rifle (Common, Uncommon)
  • Tactical Shotgun (Epic, Legendary)
  • Infantry Rifle (Epic, Legendary)
  • Compact SMG (Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic, Legendary, Mythic)

New Prefabs and Galleries

  • Canyon Crossing Cuddle Buns Street Prefab
  • Canyon Crossing Madbuns Prefab
  • Canyon Crossing Floor and Stairs Gallery
  • Canyon Crossing Wall Gallery
  • Canyon Crossing Roof Gallery
  • Canyon Crossing Outdoor Prop Gallery
  • Canyon Crossing Indoor Prop Gallery
  • Canyon Crossing Foundation Gallery
RELATED
Battlefield RedSec Has a Lot of Known Issues at Launch
Battlefield RedSec Has a Lot of Known Issues at Launch
Earlier today, publisher Electronic Arts released Battlefield 6's battle royale mode, Battlefield RedSec.

Device Updates and Fixes

New: 

  • Added 108 new outfits to the following devices:
    • Character device
    • Character Controller device
    • Dance Mannequin device
    • Guard Spawner device
    • NPC Spawner device
  • Changing Booth device: Implemented On Player Enter / On Player Exit events. Implemented new device events to a send signal when a player enters or exits the changing booth.
  • Added stamina for sprint to the Player Info View Model.
  • HUD Controller device: There’s a new option to hide the player actions message (elimination message, and so on).
  • Guard Spawner and NPC Spawner: Increased Maximum Spawn Count from 20 to 90. Increase of the spawn count has been one of the top community requests. This still respects the maximum spawn limit (90 across a single island).
  • Wildlife Spawner: Increased Maximum Spawn Count from 20 to 90.
  • Item Granter: Added option to rename the item to be granted:
    • Grant Current Item: item to equip is grayed.
    • Grant all items: item to equip is editable.
  • Elimination Manager: Added Air Jelly, Wildwasps, and other Wildlife Spawner types.
  • Added two new user options to the Teleporter device: Conserve Prop Momentum and Prop Momentum Conservation.
  • Added a cooldown property to the Quickbar Slot ViewModel:
  • Added Cooldown, Duration, and Rarity properties to Equipped Item ViewModel.
  • Added Total Ammo text in the Quick Bar Slot View Model that handles infinity symbols automatically.
  • Changing Booth device: Implemented the PlayerEnterEvent / PlayerExitEvent API.

Fixes:  

  • Fixed an issue where Heisted weapons, Lawless weapons, and modular weapons had incorrect visuals in the Item Placer device.
  • Fixed granting of phantom ammo when granting Chug Jug and Med Mist items through Item Granter devices.
  • Creature Placer & Spawner: Fixed an issue where Despawn Type does not despawn Creatures when set to Distance to enemy.
  • NPC Spawner: Fixed an issue where the NPC is not tracked on Elimination Manager.
  • Fixed an issue with duplication of arrays of device references in the property editor.
  • Guard Spawner and NPC Spawner: The Despawn API / event now functions correctly when the devices are disabled.
  • HUD Controller device: Fixed resources (wood, stone and metal) not hiding when calling HideElements with creative_hud_identifier_all.
  • HUD Controller device: Calling GetPlayspace().GetHUDController() no longer resets the visibility of everything previously hidden.
  • Fixed an issue where Physics props weren’t affected by the Effect Radius option in the Teleporter Device.
  • NPC Spawner: Added SpawnOnEnabled option to Migrate NPC Spawning Issue. Added a new option, SpawnOnEnabled to help devs manage if they want NPC to be spawned on device enabled or not. Default is set to On to stay consistent with live.

Community Bug Fixes

The following fixes are from issues that you submitted to us on the forums. Thank you for your patience and for bringing these issues to our attention.

  • Fixed an issue where the Barrier material was visible to users on the ignore list.
  • Fixed an issue where GetViewRotation() was not working with Physics Enabled.
  • Fixed an issue with the Save Point device equipping the wrong weapon when the saved loadout is reloaded.
  • Fixed an issue where the player inventory layout was not respecting the HUD controller settings
  • Fixed an issue where, when a Verse device containing an array of device references is duplicated, the copy does not reference the devices correctly.
RELATED
Battlefield 6 & BF RedSec Rogue Ops Pack Is Free for PlayStation Plus Members But $20 for Xbox, PC Players
Battlefield 6 & BF RedSec Rogue Ops Pack Is Free for PlayStation Plus Members But $20 for Xbox, PC Players
It seems the PlayStation-exclusive perks for the Battlefield franchise aren't just for Battlefield 6, but even for the recently released battle royale mode, Battlefield RedSec.

Fortnite Ecosystem Updates and Fixes

New: 

  • Set a fixed time of day for Creative Hub.
  • The Infinite Loaded Energy island setting now lets you infinitely fly with the Rocket Drill and ride the Chainsaw.
  • When detecting corrupt installation files on startup, a dialog now asks for verification through Epic Games Store.

Fixes: 

  • Fixed an issue where the camera would be displaced from players who got eliminated while using the Surf Cube in certain situations.
  • Fixed an issue where the high tier Burst Assault Rifles would rotate sideway when fired or reloaded.
  • Fixed issue where Precision Air Strike ammo count reads as 0 with Infinite Consumables turned on.
  • Fixed several issues with the Phone Tool:
    • Fixed control points appearing on UEFN when duplicating spline meshes with the Phone Tool.
    • Fixed Zipline and Grind Rail devices having inconsistent previews when using the Phone Tool.
    • Fixed props with custom materials losing them when placed with the Phone Tool.
  • Fixed an issue where the Backpack Button could not be hidden. Added the missing tags to the backpack mobile action to fix the issue. It can now be hidden with either Show Player Inventory or Show Backpack options set to Off.
  • Fixed an issue where the Fine Art Gold Rock Sculpture reacted to player damage when set to Non-Interactable.

Matchmaking Updates and Fixes

New: 

  • Creator Matchmaking Settings: Added MMS Backfill and Social Joining options to both the Island Settings and Round Settings device. This allows you to control the initial matchmaking behavior and override it on a per-round basis.
  • Replaced Join In Progress with Join In Progress Behavior to allow you to select between Spawn During New Round (spectate until next round), Spawn Immediately, and Watch Only (remain a spectator for the rest of the game).
  • You can now override the join-in-progress team assignment through a separate Join In Progress Assigned Team property. This allows for the same behavior as the old Team Index option.
  • Matchmaking Portal: Fixed an issue with the modal popup never displaying if the island split teams.

For more info on the changelog, read on for the developer’s explanation.

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Battlefield 6 Has a Big Problem With Bots and Matchmaking, and the Devs Are Oddly Quiet About It
Battlefield 6 Has a Big Problem With Bots and Matchmaking, and the Devs Are Oddly Quiet About It
If you've started playing Battlefield 6 and you're outside the US, chances are you might have seen a bot or two join one of your matches.
Tags: Fortnite
Avatar photo

Alex Co

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

Home > Title Updates and Patches

Fortnite’s New Update on November 1 for Version 4.89 Brings The Simpsons

  by   Alex Co  
12:34 pm in Title Updates and Patches

Fortnite players, prepare to enter Springfield, as Epic Games has released the v38.00 patch on all platforms today, and this brings The Simpsons to the game.

Expect the Springfield Battle Pass, new animated shorts every week, and a lot more starting wth the Fortnite update 4.89 download that appears for the console version.

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When DICE released the Season 1 update to Battlefield 6 players, it mentioned a ton of bug fixes and improvements.

Welcome our new Alien Overlords in Battle Royale, with the info below.

Fortnite Update 4.89 Brings Simpsons Content

Drop from the Battle Bus into… Springfield? The 80-player Springfield Island features a fast-paced, back-to-basics Battle Royale experience straight from the minds behind The Simpsons. Giant donuts will fall from the sky and angry clones will roam the streets, but don’t worry, Homer Simpson is in charge. Check out Delulu for new Simpsons weapons during the Season and prepare for a month of gags, gadgets, and Simpsons animated shorts!

Springfield Battle Pass

attle in cel-shaded Springfield as one of the locals! The Springfield Battle Pass includes Outfits as premium rewards including Homer, Marge, Flanders, Blinky Fishstick, and Springfielder Peely.

This Battle Pass has Fortnite’s first Sidekick: Peels! Peels is the exclusive Sidekick until more arrive in the Shop on November 7.

Introducing Fortnite Sidekicks

Sidekicks are new pals in Fortnite that join your adventures in Battle Royale, LEGO® Fortnite, developer-made experiences, and more. Enjoy their company as they react to the world around you!

They’re your own customizable companion. You can design your Sidekick, and select their permanent, physical traits, which is how they will appear moving forward. However, you can change their name and accessories at any time. Cosmetics like hats and hoodies can be earned with Sidekick Points from hanging out together.

The first Sidekick in Fortnite will be Peels! Unlock Peels in the next Battle Pass on November 1.

More Sidekicks come to the Shop on November 7 including Bonesy, Spike, and Lil’ Raptor. Not long after, we’ll have something for all the cat people out there!

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Animated Shorts Every Week

Original animated The Simpsons shorts highlighting new gameplay will air in Fortnite (Quests tab > Animated Shorts) during the Season. Also find them on Disney+ by searching for “The Simpsons” or heading to The Simpsons Collection! These mini episodes preview the mayhem of the week.

  • November 1 – “Apocalypse D’Oh”
  • November 10 – “Sugar High”
  • November 17 – “Multiplidiocy”
  • November 24 – “The Incredible Bulk”

Account Linking & Twitch Drops

Nab the Kang and Kodos Gliderby connecting your Epic and MyDisney accounts through Apps and Accounts before February 28, 2026 Eastern Time. Whether you just connected or already connected your accounts, you’ll have it in your Locker before November 15. Woo-hoo!

On Twitch from November 1 at 4:30 PM ET to November 2 at 11:59 PM ET, watch 30 minutes cumulative of any stream in the Fortnite category to unlock The Siiimpsooooons… Wrap.

In addition to the official info revealed above, we have more to share thanks to reliable dataminers of the game.

Fortnite Springfield Map

Other Key Info

  • Free Kang & Kodos glider (Connect your Epic & MyDisney accounts before March 2026 to redeeem)
  • New Simpsons Donut Battle Pass

  • All Simpsons Battle Pass Skins

  • End of chapter event confirmed for November 29
  • Team Monster and Mech emotes returning after 800 days
  • SpongeBob collaboration coming soon (via Shiina)

Epic hasn’t mentioned any specific gameplay improvements or fixes with today’s patch, but if any are revealed officially, we’ll update the article with the info.

Fortnite Update 38.00 Ecosystem and Patch Notes

Updated Engagement Payout Formula with User Acquisition Rewards

We’re now using the updated engagement payout formula, announced in September, to calculate your payouts. The updated formula introduces User Acquisition Rewards for developers bringing in new players and reengaging lapsed players in Fortnite. This change will be reflected in your monthly payouts, beginning with the November 2025 payout that will be paid starting December 30, 2025. Learn more here.

Create Dynamic UI: Verse Fields Now Available in UMG

Create UI widgets with Verse that can be updated dynamically using the new Verse fields in UMG. Developers can now dynamically drive UI data, materials, animations, and Widget properties using Verse code, unlocking new UI capabilities. Open the Variables window in the UMG Designer to get started.

You can add fields of various types, including logic , int, float, message, material and texture to a User Widget in the UMG Designer. These fields can be bound to widget properties using View Bindings. Fields are reflected in the Verse asset digest for the User Widget, allowing you to reference these Fields in Verse, and pass Verse data into a User Widget! This makes it possible to drive the content of a User Widget using Verse code.

RELATED
Resident Evil Requiem Pre-Order Bonus, Deluxe Edition Contents Revealed
Resident Evil Requiem Pre-Order Bonus, Deluxe Edition Contents Revealed
While Capcom's Resident Evil Requiem won't be released until February 2026, horror fans can pre-order the game starting today.

New UI Materials

New UI materials have been added under the Fortnite/UI/Materials folder in UEFN. These materials include a variety of progress bars and texture effects to help with UI prototyping and development.

New Tycoon Feature Example

A new UEFN feature example showcases best practices for building Tycoon games using Scene Graph and interconnected systems. It’s designed as both a learning resource and as a customizable base for building your own Tycoon experiences.

Epic Developer Assistant Now Available in Editor with Increased Character Limits!

The Epic Developer Assistant is now integrated directly into the UEFN editor. A dedicated slide-out panel enables you to ask questions, generate Verse code, or follow step-by-step guidance — all without leaving the editor — so you can stay focused on the task at hand.

In addition to typing questions, you can access the AI Assistant as easily as you would a tooltip: hover your cursor over an interface element and press F1 to automatically start a  conversation with the AI assistant about that topic.

We’ve also increased the character limit for prompts from 4,000 to 20,000 characters for developers using the Epic Developer Assistant, both in Editor and on the web, enabling you to include longer snippets of Verse code in your queries.

Content Browser and Inventory Updates

New Weapons

  • Suppressed Assault Rifle (Common, Uncommon)
  • Tactical Shotgun (Epic, Legendary)
  • Infantry Rifle (Epic, Legendary)
  • Compact SMG (Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic, Legendary, Mythic)

New Prefabs and Galleries

  • Canyon Crossing Cuddle Buns Street Prefab
  • Canyon Crossing Madbuns Prefab
  • Canyon Crossing Floor and Stairs Gallery
  • Canyon Crossing Wall Gallery
  • Canyon Crossing Roof Gallery
  • Canyon Crossing Outdoor Prop Gallery
  • Canyon Crossing Indoor Prop Gallery
  • Canyon Crossing Foundation Gallery
RELATED
Battlefield RedSec Has a Lot of Known Issues at Launch
Battlefield RedSec Has a Lot of Known Issues at Launch
Earlier today, publisher Electronic Arts released Battlefield 6's battle royale mode, Battlefield RedSec.

Device Updates and Fixes

New: 

  • Added 108 new outfits to the following devices:
    • Character device
    • Character Controller device
    • Dance Mannequin device
    • Guard Spawner device
    • NPC Spawner device
  • Changing Booth device: Implemented On Player Enter / On Player Exit events. Implemented new device events to a send signal when a player enters or exits the changing booth.
  • Added stamina for sprint to the Player Info View Model.
  • HUD Controller device: There’s a new option to hide the player actions message (elimination message, and so on).
  • Guard Spawner and NPC Spawner: Increased Maximum Spawn Count from 20 to 90. Increase of the spawn count has been one of the top community requests. This still respects the maximum spawn limit (90 across a single island).
  • Wildlife Spawner: Increased Maximum Spawn Count from 20 to 90.
  • Item Granter: Added option to rename the item to be granted:
    • Grant Current Item: item to equip is grayed.
    • Grant all items: item to equip is editable.
  • Elimination Manager: Added Air Jelly, Wildwasps, and other Wildlife Spawner types.
  • Added two new user options to the Teleporter device: Conserve Prop Momentum and Prop Momentum Conservation.
  • Added a cooldown property to the Quickbar Slot ViewModel:
  • Added Cooldown, Duration, and Rarity properties to Equipped Item ViewModel.
  • Added Total Ammo text in the Quick Bar Slot View Model that handles infinity symbols automatically.
  • Changing Booth device: Implemented the PlayerEnterEvent / PlayerExitEvent API.

Fixes:  

  • Fixed an issue where Heisted weapons, Lawless weapons, and modular weapons had incorrect visuals in the Item Placer device.
  • Fixed granting of phantom ammo when granting Chug Jug and Med Mist items through Item Granter devices.
  • Creature Placer & Spawner: Fixed an issue where Despawn Type does not despawn Creatures when set to Distance to enemy.
  • NPC Spawner: Fixed an issue where the NPC is not tracked on Elimination Manager.
  • Fixed an issue with duplication of arrays of device references in the property editor.
  • Guard Spawner and NPC Spawner: The Despawn API / event now functions correctly when the devices are disabled.
  • HUD Controller device: Fixed resources (wood, stone and metal) not hiding when calling HideElements with creative_hud_identifier_all.
  • HUD Controller device: Calling GetPlayspace().GetHUDController() no longer resets the visibility of everything previously hidden.
  • Fixed an issue where Physics props weren’t affected by the Effect Radius option in the Teleporter Device.
  • NPC Spawner: Added SpawnOnEnabled option to Migrate NPC Spawning Issue. Added a new option, SpawnOnEnabled to help devs manage if they want NPC to be spawned on device enabled or not. Default is set to On to stay consistent with live.

Community Bug Fixes

The following fixes are from issues that you submitted to us on the forums. Thank you for your patience and for bringing these issues to our attention.

  • Fixed an issue where the Barrier material was visible to users on the ignore list.
  • Fixed an issue where GetViewRotation() was not working with Physics Enabled.
  • Fixed an issue with the Save Point device equipping the wrong weapon when the saved loadout is reloaded.
  • Fixed an issue where the player inventory layout was not respecting the HUD controller settings
  • Fixed an issue where, when a Verse device containing an array of device references is duplicated, the copy does not reference the devices correctly.
RELATED
Battlefield 6 & BF RedSec Rogue Ops Pack Is Free for PlayStation Plus Members But $20 for Xbox, PC Players
Battlefield 6 & BF RedSec Rogue Ops Pack Is Free for PlayStation Plus Members But $20 for Xbox, PC Players
It seems the PlayStation-exclusive perks for the Battlefield franchise aren't just for Battlefield 6, but even for the recently released battle royale mode, Battlefield RedSec.

Fortnite Ecosystem Updates and Fixes

New: 

  • Set a fixed time of day for Creative Hub.
  • The Infinite Loaded Energy island setting now lets you infinitely fly with the Rocket Drill and ride the Chainsaw.
  • When detecting corrupt installation files on startup, a dialog now asks for verification through Epic Games Store.

Fixes: 

  • Fixed an issue where the camera would be displaced from players who got eliminated while using the Surf Cube in certain situations.
  • Fixed an issue where the high tier Burst Assault Rifles would rotate sideway when fired or reloaded.
  • Fixed issue where Precision Air Strike ammo count reads as 0 with Infinite Consumables turned on.
  • Fixed several issues with the Phone Tool:
    • Fixed control points appearing on UEFN when duplicating spline meshes with the Phone Tool.
    • Fixed Zipline and Grind Rail devices having inconsistent previews when using the Phone Tool.
    • Fixed props with custom materials losing them when placed with the Phone Tool.
  • Fixed an issue where the Backpack Button could not be hidden. Added the missing tags to the backpack mobile action to fix the issue. It can now be hidden with either Show Player Inventory or Show Backpack options set to Off.
  • Fixed an issue where the Fine Art Gold Rock Sculpture reacted to player damage when set to Non-Interactable.

Matchmaking Updates and Fixes

New: 

  • Creator Matchmaking Settings: Added MMS Backfill and Social Joining options to both the Island Settings and Round Settings device. This allows you to control the initial matchmaking behavior and override it on a per-round basis.
  • Replaced Join In Progress with Join In Progress Behavior to allow you to select between Spawn During New Round (spectate until next round), Spawn Immediately, and Watch Only (remain a spectator for the rest of the game).
  • You can now override the join-in-progress team assignment through a separate Join In Progress Assigned Team property. This allows for the same behavior as the old Team Index option.
  • Matchmaking Portal: Fixed an issue with the modal popup never displaying if the island split teams.

For more info on the changelog, read on for the developer’s explanation.

RELATED
Battlefield 6 Has a Big Problem With Bots and Matchmaking, and the Devs Are Oddly Quiet About It
Battlefield 6 Has a Big Problem With Bots and Matchmaking, and the Devs Are Oddly Quiet About It
If you've started playing Battlefield 6 and you're outside the US, chances are you might have seen a bot or two join one of your matches.
Tags: Fortnite The Simpsons
Avatar photo

Alex Co

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

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