For EA UFC 4 players expecting a tuning update after every UFC pay per view event, that won’t be happening anymore. EA has issued a UFC 4 tuners update announcement alongside acknowledgement that EA is indeed working on more UFC titles.
Here’s the announcement from EA:
As our team shifts priorities to developing future EA SPORTS UFC titles, UFC 4 will have reduced cadence for tunersets that update fighter ratings and more. In the past, these tunersets would happen after every UFC Pay Per View event, but now they will occur alongside each new fighter patch.
The good news here is, EA has confirmed that they are working on updating fighter ratings as well as adding new fighters to the roster. Just don’t expect tuning changes to be made after every PPV, but in new patches instead. Thankfully, the studio has been efficient in adding new faces to the game, with the most recent patch that added new fighters released just last month.
While our complete impression piece for The Finals is now live, there’s a lot more to talk about outside of just the gameplay. So in the tradition of past previews we’ve run, here’s a written outline detailing everything we learned from our time with The Finals closed Beta test. Get ready, because there’s a lot of information to take in.
The Finals Beta Loadout Details, World and Narrative Info and More:
World and Narrative
“The Finals” is the name of a popular virtual game show. It serves as a window to a bigger world that the game set in.
The devs referred to the world as having two spaces; One the Meatspace, and the other the Virtual World. Most inhabitants of Meatspace spend their time in the Virtual World.
The game takes place 75 years in the future.
Contestants and showrunners join The Finals via VR tech.
The VR world is described as hyper-realistic.
You play as a contestant in search of fame, riches, and the favor of sponsors.
Sponsors want exposure to this massive audience for their brand and products/services, and sponsored gear is a sign of success for contestants.
The show’s mascot is named Nama Tama.
The commentators are named Scotty and June. They provide info on the match to viewers as it’s being played out.
The Announcer, who is just called The Announcer, is the voice players will hear throughout as they’ll speak through speakers set all over the arenas.
The spectators – Not something the devs told us, but if you pay attention around the arena, there are holographic bleachers with spectators filling them to further enhance the idea that this is a game show.
Because this is a game show, no one is actually getting hurt. It’s all taking place in virtual reality, and the devs show this by having players explode into coins upon elimination.
The show is NOT a battle royale, nor a military sim. It’s a tournament-based game with elimination in an arena setting.
Destruction
You can destroy almost everything you see.
The things you can’t destroy they’re mostly related to some of the traversal equipment like lifts and such. It makes sense, as there must be a viable option to reach rooftops outside zip lines. You can, however, destroy the entire building around it.
You can tell, with the destruction, that these are DICE veterans. After 13 years, we finally have a multiplayer game that exceeds the level of destruction that the Bad Company series provided.
That means buildings won’t crumble just because you apply enough damage to them. You need to destroy critical support points.
You can demolish a building, level by level, if you’re moving from the top floor and going down. Of course, you can set enough C4s on the bottom level and make the entire building fall on itself.
Alternatively, if firefights are happening in the lower level of a building, and it takes a decent amount of damage, someone can blow up the roof, caving it in. The building can crumble due to the roof’s weight and if the foundation and support have been damaged enough.
Different weapons will cause a different level of destruction too. Blowing up a wall with a rocket launcher won’t be the same as using a C4 and other explosives.
The destruction is more than just eye candy.
The Finals is not a static shooter; players must develop and use strategies to win. They do this by taking advantage of everything the environment offers, including, but not limited to, destruction.
Bad Company & Bad Company 2 are great examples, with bits of Rainbow Six Seige influence seen here, too. You can breach any wall you want and use it to your advantage. The Finals, however, is not a slow-paced shooter like Siege.
Offensive example – During my play session, I encountered an opponent hiding in a room below. While my teammates distracted them, I blew up the ceiling to drop down so we could get the upper hand with the element of surprise.
Defensive example – Cashout stations must be defended until they’ve been cashed out. Other players can steal these cashouts, so you must defend it until it’s finished. In one case, I saw someone on my team plant some C4 on the ceiling below one of these stations. As they were about to steal it, they triggered the C4, blowing up the floor the cash station was on and dropping it down. The explosion caused so much damage that it caused the cash station to continue dropping to the next floor. This caught the opposing team off, allowing us to wipe them as they returned to the cash station.
Other advantages include creating additional coverage when there is none. You drop the side of the building and use the rubble as cover.
In Seoul, one of the two arenas available in the Beta, bridges connect buildings. You can demolish these bridges, cutting off lanes in an arena.
There are boxes filled with canisters suspended in the air by rope. The canisters will be different depending on what’s labeled on the box. Sometimes it’s explosives, other times poison gas. If you shoot these boxes, it sets whatever canister is inside off, causing massive damage to the surrounding environment.
You can pick up canisters and throw them.
There are other objects that you can throw, as well as set on fire, like an area with a forest. Fire spreads, but not that far.
The heavy build character has a unique ability that lets them charge, demolishing everything in their path. It’s an easy ability to use for bringing buildings down. Their ground slam ability also causes damage to structures.
Visuals
The destruction looks good, but the overall graphics look incredible. Hard to believe this is going to be a free-to-play game when it rivals even some AAA games out there for visuals. Possibly the best-looking multiplayer shooter I’ve played.
RTX global illumination was available in our play session. Lighting and shadow were all dynamic, reacting to what was happening in the environment.
Ray trace reflection wasn’t available, though understanding how taxing it can be. Reflections are handled by screen spacing.
NVIDIA DLSS frame generation, AMD FSR, and Intel XeSS are supported.
I thought the alpha build was impressive when I played it last year; the Beta is even better in terms of performance and visuals.
Builds, General Gameplay, and Features
You can pick three builds: Light, medium, and heavy.
There are six build slots available for players to customize.
All builds have customizable loadouts.
Builds loadouts consist of – 1 specialization (ability,) 1 weapon, and 3 gadgets.
Additionally, there are 4 slots called reserve slots. These are for tournaments and let you slightly change your loadout before the start of each round.
Each build has different mobility, HP, gadgets, items, weapons, and signature abilities. A light build will move faster than a heavy build, but the trade-off is they have less health, whereas a heavy build is tankier.
Build Abilities (only one can be equipped)
Light – Cloak, grappling hook, dash.
Medium – Recon vision, dome shield.
Heavy – Charge, ground slam.
The Finals include all the archetypes of weapons: Pistols, SMGs, LMGs, assault rifles, automatics, RPGs, and even a sword!
Some weapons in these types are exclusive to specific builds.
A signature ability is comparable to abilities from a hero genre. They’re unique to that build. Light build, for example, can cloak. We saw a healing ability, some turrets, to some offensive moves, like a charging run attack from the heavy build. These recharge over time. None stood out as being overpowered, though more feedback will have to decide that.
I want to state that this is not a hero shooter despite those abilities. The devs dub it a “Hero builder.” Contestants are given the freedom of who they want to be, and how they want to play.
There’s a goo gun. It does no damage but can offer some of the most creative uses. I was in a firefight with an opposing team, and my teammate shot some goo in front of me, creating a wall of coverage. Someone destroyed a wall in a building that we patched up with goo. Goo is a lot harder to blow up compared to a wall. I saw someone use the goo as a ramp to help climb around on structures.
All builds can be customized with different clothing. There are loads of them, and being free-to-play, this is where the monetization of the game comes in.
What can be customized on a character – Outfits, body type, face, hair, headwear, facewear, upper body, crossbody, badge, back, wrist, hands, lower border, and feet.
The cosmetics lean into the silly side of the game. I had a glowing skull head on my character and saw others in ballerina outfits. I saw tons more, and overall, I thought they looked pretty awesome,
Poses and emotes are also in the game.
I believe some emotes are being tweaked, as I found some to last way too long.
Guns and melee weapons have skins and charms. There’s a Twitch charm for those wondering.
Some of the charms have animated effects, like gas pouring out of a skull, or a globe spinning around.
Some weapon skins change their appearance completely. They aren’t just different colors. The dagger for example has an Osthyvel skin, which is a Swedish cheese slicer. I saw a twig skin available in the battle pass.
These are purely cosmetic, with no gameplay value changes, even on the beefier-looking weapon skins.
A battle pass and a storefront are confirmed. The store will sell items individually or as a bundle.
The closed beta will not involve buying things with real money per the official FAQ on discord.
Two game modes were available to play in our session: cashout and tournament.
Cashout – Four teams consisting of three players face off against one another. The goal? Collect cash boxes, deposit them in a cash station, and defend the point until the money has been extracted. The team with the most money at the end wins.
Ranked Tournament – This was 16 team tournament where four matches were played simultaneously. The matches were knockout rounds, which was a mode from the alpha. Winners of the knockout rounds will progress through these brackets, facing off against the winners from the other matches until the finals. Tournaments were a four-tier bracket.
Knockout is a mode similar to cashout, only instead of the match ending on a timer, a round ends, eliminating the team with the least amount of money. It goes on until there is one team left standing. Unsure if this will be available as a standalone mode during the closed beta.
If you didn’t catch it, Rank is in.
Shooting Range (practice?) will be available in the closed Beta, though we didn’t try this. Quickplay and tournament will also be available for everyone in the Beta tomorrow.
Toward the second half of a match, in-game events will activate. Here are the ones we experienced.
Mega-Damage – All damage is cranked up.
The Dead Go Boom – When somebody is eliminated, their body will explode, damaging anyone (including allies) near them.
Meteor Shower – Meteors start raining down on the arena, wreaking havoc.
Death Match – Eliminating a contestant will reward your team with more cash while this modifier is active.
Arenas (maps) are based on real-world locations.
Two arenas were featured in this play session – Monaco and Seoul
Monaco – A city filled with alleyways and tightly packed buildings. A perfect arena for close-quarters combat.
Seoul – The level took place in high skyscrapers and focused on verticality. Buildings are spaced out with a skyway system to get between them. This arena also featured spots you can fall to death since you’re playing way above the city.
I might be wrong, but I don’t recall there being any fall damage, which is fine considering how often you have to jump down from a building.
Arenas have a day and night variant. Not only that, but they also have different weather variants. Sometimes Monaco is bright and sunny with clear skies. Other times you may drop in, and it’s storming or a fog-filled day. These weather effects can happen in both day and night settings.
Nighttime isn’t pitch dark, but the option to take night goggles with you is there.
Arenas are based on real-world locations.
There are a lot of dynamic objects moving around the arenas, like moving platforms and lifts.
When a teammate is eliminated, a small statue of themselves will lie on the ground. You can revive them. Otherwise, they’ll need to wait for the spawn timer to end. One really cool feature is that if they died in a “hot zone” where there is constant action, you can rush in and pick up their statue. You can run or throw it to safety to increase your chances of reviving them.
Cash boxes, which are boxes filled with money that you deposit into cash stations, can also be thrown. You can throw it to teammates, or if you need to get it away from enemies, you can throw it off to the distance, leaving space to engage the enemies.
Matches have a time limit that is displayed on the top. If you look at the skybox of the arenas, there are displays that also show the timer.
There’s a career profile page that tracks stats and progress.
In addition to the battle pass, there are also player levels that you can progress through that have rewards.
Easter Eggs – The community already knows how elaborate Embark has been with hiding secrets throughout all the marketing stuff so far. The beta is sure to hide some things, including answers to some of those Easter Eggs already found by the community.
Network Related Info
Server-side movement and destruction – Movement and destruction don’t happen on the client side, it’s all server-side.
Movement and destruction happen in the same way for everyone and at the same time. It’s all synced.
The team is really proud to have made these server-side features a reality.
Whew, still with us? Good, hope you learned some cool and interesting things about The Finals, though I’m sure there’s plenty that I missed here that you’ll soon discover once the closed Beta is live.
The Finals Closed Beta starts tomorrow and will run for two weeks, ending on March 21. If you haven’t already registered, be sure to do so by visiting the official Steam page as spots are still open with invites expected to go out Tuesday, and throughout the beta period.
A gamer at heart, James has been working for MP1st for the last decade to do exactly what he loves, writing about video games and having fun doing it. Growing up in the 90's gaming has been in his DNA since the days of NES. One day he hopes to develop his own game.
Player First has released MultiVersus update 1.22 and this brings a bunch of fixes to the brawler! Read on for the official MultiVersus March 6 patch notes to know what got changed.
Studio Wildcard has released Ark Survival Evolved update 2.93 on all platforms, and this brings fixes to crashing issues, characters getting stuck, and even poop! Read on for the official Ark Survival Evolved March 6 patch notes.
UPDATE (April 3, 2023): If you’re seeing this for today’s title update, that’s for the JP version, though there is a new patch released today, which you can read about here.
v713.4 (713.7 client) – 03/06/2023 – Major version for servers and clients
Fixed multiple client crashes
She Who Waits Explorer Note Voiceovers
Fixed poop not going into player hotbars when handcuffed
Fixes for characters getting stuck when transitioning between different controlled characters using the noglin
Increase tribe message replication length limit from 200 to 300
Spectators in admin mode can now see all local chat
Fix for inconsistent radial wheel selections
Fix for player names not showing appropriate team color
Added cheats:
c – all this does is make it so you don’t have to type out “cheat” completely
p [index] – This picks and executes a cheat from the PreloadedCheats list
h [index] – This picks and executes a cheat from your cheat history (most recent 50 cheats)
The patch notes provided above are for consoles, with PC gamers getting it last week. Here are the patch notes for PC (released via a server-side update):
v357.4 – 03/06/2023 – Minor version for servers
Fixed multiple exploits
Fixed a crash
Once a new patch for Ark is released (poop or no poop), we’ll be sure to let our readers know.
One of the most requested features by the Battlefield 2042 community is finally coming to the shooter! In the latest Inside Battlefield podcast, DICE revealed that Battlefield 2042 all chat functionality is about done, and will be released in an upcoming game update.
For those not familiar with “All Chat” this is an in-game feature where players can talk to both their teammates and enemies. In addition to this, DICE has also mentioned that they are looking at adding thermal scopes to tanks (something previous Battlefield games featured), and taking a look at transport chopper balance changes, which is something that a lot of players have been asking for.
Aside from All-Out Warfare, the studio is also taking a look at implementing skins and attachments to Battlefield Portal weapons, and even adding the Breakthrough mode in BF Portal! Bear in mind, none of these have any timetable, so we don’t have a release date or window when all chat and these other stuff discussed will be in the game.
Speaking of the podcast, DICE Community Manager Tom Stratford has confirmed that this is the last episode of the first series, and the studio will take a break from hosting these weekly podcasts, though it will be back soon.
This is the last episode of the first series. We'll take a short break – but we'll be back soon!
We hope you've been enjoying listening to the team chat all things Battlefield.
Fans of Lovecraftian stories and Sherlock Holmes won’t have to wait for much longer. Sherlock Holmes The Awakened, a dark horror/mystery game, is set to launch on all platforms on April 11 this year. The Sherlock Holmes The Awakened release date was announced via a new gameplay trailer that highlighted the game’s cosmetics, cutscenes, and more.
Sherlock Holmes The Awakened pits the famous fictional detective against a force that defies logic and reasoning. Here’s the official Steam store page description of the game:
Experience a nerve-racking Lovecraftian adventure, rebuilt from the ground up with modern graphics and gameplay. Become Sherlock Holmes, and find yourself at the heart of the terrifying Cthulhu Mythos as you investigate a series of mysterious disappearances in Europe and the US.
A Lovecraft meets Sherlock Holmes crossover, The Awakened puts you up against the legendary Cthulhu Mythos. Investigate a series of mysterious disappearances, apparently linked to a dark cult that worships an Ancient God. Whatever their plan is, you must put a stop to it… or face unspeakable consequences.
For the first time in his life, Sherlock is truly afraid. A man of rationale and reason, he faces an otherworldly entity that defies all logic, and this discovery is as enlightening as it is shattering. The pursuit of the truth pushes Sherlock to the verge of madness, and it’s the only story that Watson will never publish.
Taking place in 1882, The Awakened lifts the curtain on how Sherlock and John, mere roommates at the time, became the world-famous crime-solving duo.
Key pillars
– Investigate the Cthulhu Mythos as imagined by H.P. Lovecraft and face Eldritch horrors beyond human comprehension
– Fight encroaching insanity as you pursue answers to questions that have no rational explanation whatsoever
– Find clues that will lead you through the famous Baker Street in London, a haunting psych ward in Switzerland, the perilous Louisiana wetlands and more
– A reimagining of the 2008 title: Rebuilt from the ground up in Unreal Engine, The Awakened boasts modern graphics and animations, an expanded storyline, numerous side quests and new mechanics including unique insanity gameplay.
Preorders are currently available for Sherlock Holmes The Awakened, and you can nab an exclusive Cosmetic Set by getting the game ahead of release. Sherlock Holmes The Awakened is set to launch on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
]New market data has been made available that highlights sales of games and consoles within the UK. In particular, PS5 sales in the UK have been incredibly successful, thanks in part to the success of Hogwarts Legacy, the smash-hit wizard RPG.
According to a report from GamesIndustry, sales of the PS5 console are up 316% over the same period last year, with a 27% uptick over last month. Ever since Sony announced that it would be easier for customers to get their hands on a PS5 last January, the console has found its way into more and more homes.
Major releases such as Hogwarts Legacy have also seen success thanks to the increased console availability. Hogwarts Legacy, for example, is the best-selling game of February, and it boasts a better launch week than Elden Ring last year, with it being 100% bigger. The game is already the sixth best-selling video game in the past 12 months and is set on overtaking Elden Ring’s numbers. It’s worth noting that the previous-gen versions of Hogwarts Legacy have yet to be released.
Unfortunately, not all consoles have seen similar success. Nintendo Switch sales are down 15% compared to last month. With major games coming to the Switch, however, including The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, these numbers may very well shoot right back up in the weeks leading up to big releases.
Though it’s only been a couple months since 2023 started, the PS5 is showing off strong numbers alongside big releases. There are still plenty of games to enjoy later this year, such as the much-anticipated Final Fantasy 16, so there’s still quite a bit of room for PS5 sales to grow even more as the months pass.
WB Games Montreal has released Gotham Knights update 4.000 on all platforms today, and this is to add Gilded Age Comic Book rewards into the game! Read on for what’s new in the Gotham Knights March 6 patch notes.
We’re on the lookout for any gameplay-related changes or bug fixes, as the official patch notes didn’t list any. If we spot anything, we’ll update the article with the info. You can check out the patch notes for last month’s title update that included a long list of fixes.
In our The Finals beta hands-on impressions piece, we mentioned how Embark has not only implemented destruction elements in the game but managed to even crank it up a few notches compared to the Battlefield franchise (Embark is comprised of former DICE devs who worked on the military first-person shooter). If you’re curious about how The Finals destruction looks and plays out, we’re here to deliver just that!
Check out the snippets below where The Finals destruction mechanic is on full display. And for those wondering, nope, these are not scripted, as the footage consists of what we captured, as well as some B-roll from the playtest the devs provided. You can blow out floors, walls, and other structures to navigate the map, backstab an enemy, and more.
This was just some of the craziness that happened during our playtest, and we cannot wait to see what happens once the community starts getting involved with it. Speaking of getting involved, The Finals Closed Beta officially begins tomorrow and will run for two weeks, ending on March 21. If you haven’t already registered, be sure to do so by visiting the official Steam page!
Paradox Interactive has revealed the new Crusader Kings 3: Tours and Tournaments expansion, set for a PC release later this spring. Tours and Tournaments will add Grand Tournaments, Tours, and Weddings to CK3 to let player-controlled rulers improve their social standing and take stock of their realm, as well as a Travel System, new armor designs, and more. Alongside the DLC, CK3 players will also get a free update with a new Activity menu and overhauls to regency relations and other management tools.
Watch the Crusader Kings 3: Tours and Tournaments reveal trailer below:
Paradox interactive describes the expansion’s features as follows:
Grand Tournaments: Host a grand demonstration of feats of arms, attracting nearby nobles and wandering knights. Choose the events, set the destination and use the tournament to improve your social standing or military prowess.
Grand Tours: Take a trip through your realm to take stock of your vassals, gifting them with your benevolence or extorting them for higher taxes.
Grand Weddings: Save your gold for an elaborate ceremony that centers the real meaning of marriage – politics. Honor your in-laws, cater to your vassals and demonstrate your power.
Travel System: Plan your route to these great activities, choosing safety through civilized lands or risking everything for a more direct route through dark forests or dangerous mountains. Ease your way with a large entourage that marks your importance or travel light so you can get down to business.
Knightly Accolades: Honor your best knights with special titles and accolades that will give bonuses to them and the armies they lead.
New Armor Designs: New historical armor designs from across the centuries, integrated with the new Tournament and Accolade systems.
New Western Clothing: New art for clothing designs will show how fashions changed and evolved in Western Europe from the time of the Carolignians to the closing of the medieval era.
Alongside Tours and Tournaments, a free update will be released for all Crusader Kings III owners that will include the new Activity menu with updated interactions for pilgrimages, feasts and hunts, as well as more intricate management of regency relations. Major changes to vassal relations and domain management will also feature in this update.
Crusader Kings 3: Tours and Tournaments will launch on PC later this spring, but a console release of the expansion has not yet been announced. Stay tuned here at MP1st for further updates about the expansion, as well as our coverage of the Paradox Announcement Show today that revealed the Cities: Skylines sequel and more.
With The Finals closed beta set to launch on PC tomorrow, some might be wondering what the game is all about. While you can read our hands-on impressions to check what we thought of it so far, you might also want to watch 30 minutes of raw The Finals beta gameplay!
The Finals Beta Gameplay (captured during hands-on session):
The footage is around 30 minutes long and is comprised of footage we captured from the closed beta we recently partook in.
Dead Cells update 1.45 is now out on all platforms, and this brings the Return to Castlevania content! As promised in a previous announcement, this title update brings a new quest, familiar faces and more! Read on for the Dead Cells March 6 patch notes.
Dead Cells Update 1.45 Patch Notes | Dead Cells Return to Castlevania Patch Notes | Dead Cells March 6 Patch Notes:
Price: $9.99/9,99€ (or equivalent). The increase in price from the previous DLCs reflects the extra work we’ve put in to this DLC, as well as the use of the Castlevania IP. The dev team have been working on this for a long time and we think that it shows!
So what exactly is in the DLC? Well, there’s a main quest featuring Alucard & Richter Belmont, where you’ll fight your way several times through both Dracula’s Castle and the main island on the way to a final showdown with Dracula in his iconic Throne Room.
Straight from Prisoner’s Quarters you’ll find an entrance to…
Castle Outskirts
Before you can enter Dracula’s Castle, you’ll need to venture through the gardens, across the moat and up the ramparts while avoiding traps and fighting off countless evil minions.
Don’t get distracted by the view and keep your eyes peeled for hidden pathways, secret rooms and a certain energetic feline…
Dracula’s Castle
Moonlight streaming through stained glass windows. Ornate pillars holding up ceilings of magnificent halls. Towering spires pushing into the night sky over fortified battlements.
The beauty of Dracula’s Castle hides a dark heart, as undead creatures wait to pounce from every direction. Make your way from the entrance hall to the top of the castle and find the lair of the most powerful vampire of them all…
Boss Fights
This DLC comes with not 1, but 3 new bosses! Death and Dracula take no prisoners and you are no exception. Be prepared for epic battles against majestic backdrops where the winner takes it all…
If you manage to beat these two creatures then prepare yourself for our most ambitious boss showdown yet!
Weapons
14 new weapons can be won in this DLC, like the Vampire Killer, Throwing Axe & Holy Water. Each classic Castlevania item has been translated into the fast-paced combat of Dead Cells while keeping their original essence.
Wield whips, crosses and holy powers to carve your way through hordes of the undead and tame the evil powers of the night.
Richter Mode
Hidden somewhere in the castle is a bizarre room that turns you into the indomitable vampire hunter, Richter Belmont!
Unlocking a moveset inspired by his appearance in Symphony of the Night, you’ll storm through a section of the castle finding vania moves and classic weapons that will push all the nostalgia buttons.
Soundtrack
We’re giving you access to an alternative soundtrack made of 51 of the original Castlevania tunes, that can be heard across the entire game.
On top of this, we’ve taken the 12 most iconic tracks, such as Vampire Killer, Bloody Tears and Simon Belmont’s Theme, and reimagined them in the style of Dead Cells as a soundtrack for this DLC, while preserving the Castlevania ambiance of course.
Outfits
Unlock 20 outfits as you progress through the castle, letting you roleplay as all your favourite characters like Alucard, Richter Belmont, Simon Belmont, Maria Renard, Trevor Belmont, Sypha Belnades, or even Dracula!
If there are gameplay changes included in this patch, we’ll be sure to update the article and let our readers know ASAP.
Days ahead of Cities: Skylines’s eighth anniversary on March 10, Colossal Order and Paradox Interactive have finally announced Cities: Skylines 2, set for a release on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S later this year. Paradox has boasted “fully-realized transport and economy systems, a wealth of construction and customization options, and advanced modding capabilities” for the sequel, and will reveal the title’s gameplay and other information in the coming months.
Watch the Cities: Skylines 2 trailer below:
The developers describe Cities: Skylines 2 as follows:
A modern take on the city-building genre, Cities: Skylines II lets players create and maintain cities that come to life like never before, complete with fully-realized transport and economy systems, a wealth of construction and customization options, and advanced modding capabilities. Revealed during the Paradox Announcement Show 2023, Cities: Skylines II evolves the city-building genre further, letting players build the cities of their dreams with the most open-ended city-building sandbox on the planet.
Mariina Hallikainen, CEO of Colossal Order added:
Cities: Skylines reset the bar for city-building games when it launched eight years ago, and we are incredibly proud of its impact. We built a thriving community around Cities and introduced many to city building for the first time. Now, we’ve brought the years of experience we’ve gained to take a new step forward in the city builder genre, again, for our community and new players.
Fredrik Wester, CEO of Paradox Interactive expressed high hopes for the sequel and appreciated the success of the original as follows:
The Cities brand has been an important part of Paradox’s catalog of games for over a decade. Cities: Skylines is a profound success, selling millions of copies, welcoming more than 5.5 million new players just last year, and setting the foundation for Cities: Skylines II. With unprecedented amounts of customization and player control, Cities: Skylines II will continue to push boundaries for the city-building franchise.
Stay tuned here at MP1st for all upcoming Cities: Skylines 2 announcements, and our coverage of the rest of the Paradox Announcement Show.
While Embark Studios might not be a household name yet, members of the dev team are comprised of former DICE devs — yes, the studio behind the hugely popular Battlefield franchise. The studio is now working on The Finals, a free-to-play shooter that promises to bring destruction to a whole new level.
For anyone who’s heard of or played any Battlefield game, one of the franchise’s trademark mechanics is environmental destruction. If you missed the destruction elements in Battlefield: Bad Company 2, you’ll be glad to know that in The Finals, it’s not only implemented well but cranked up to 11!
Over the last decade, Battlefield fans have been clamoring for the franchise’s return to form. While visuals and the player count have increased since the time of Bad Company, the one area that seems to have gotten smaller and lesser in scale was none other than the very thing that helped set Battlefield apart, which was the level of destruction it had to offer. Many fans consider the Bad Company series to be the pinnacle of the series when it comes to destruction, and for good reason, since it provided a level of freedom that no other Battlefield games have managed to capture since.
So when Embark Studio, a team composed of ex-DICE devs, first came to the scene and unveiled Arc Raiders in 2021, we couldn’t help but draw up the comparison to classic Battlefield, only in third-person. We weren’t the only ones either, as the community also picked up on that vibe, though found it to be more comparable with Battlefront mixed with a Battlefield.
However, this wasn’t the only title that Embark had been working on, as shortly after the reveal of Arc Raiders, the team teased that they were working on yet another title, a first-person shooter tentatively dubbed “Project Discovery,”
Embark is celebrating 3 years! So what have we accomplished? We’ve grown to more than 250 game makers, we’ve got big plans for the future, and a few projects we are just itching to share. To celebrate, we thought we’d share a glimpse of *another* unannounced game in the works. 🎂 pic.twitter.com/TdeZQcuvDs
Little was known about the game, but the short tease of destruction with a modern-day look certainly caught the eyes of Battlefield fans worldwide.
Fast-forward to a little under a year later, and Project Discovery finally had a name: The Finals.
That was six months ago, and the excitement in the community has grown significantly. While no release date has been set, Embark did confirm that an alpha, as well as a beta, would be on the horizon for players to finally get a sneak peek at what they’ve been working on. Well, that day is almost upon us, as players around the world will finally be able to get a taste of Embark’s upcoming shooter. But before we all dive into the closed beta tomorrow, we were given an opportunity to try the beta out early. So let’s talk about it.
First, let me start by saying that The Finals is NOT a Battlefield clone. No massive open maps that are designed for teams of 64 players for all-out warfare. There are no vehicles or classes (there are builds, but I’ll discuss that later.) It’s an arena free-to-play first-person sandbox shooter that pits four teams of three against one another, as they scramble to collect cash and defend extraction points. Reading that, you’re probably thinking this couldn’t be any from the Battlefield franchise, yet despite that, The Finals manages to capture the same vibe that fans have been waiting for the last decade. The Finals is a game about player freedom, allowing them to play however they want while shaping and evolving the Battlefield as they do it.
They accomplish this by offering unparallel destruction, the likes that we haven’t seen since the days of Bad Company 2.
From those looking outside the window, you might think this is some cheap marketing ploy to rope people in with nostalgia. Well, after getting some hands-on with a pre-beta build, I’m happy to say that, when it comes to destruction, The Finals is everything you’d hope for it to be. It’s Battlefield: Bad Company 2’s destruction but on steroids.
Everything you see, you can destroy. It’s not some static destruction either, where dealing enough damage will always cause a structure to fall in a scripted way. Everything is dynamic, working off a physic-based system designed by Embark Studios. It not only works, but it’s friggin’ brilliant.
Buildings can be leveled entirely, as can nearly every major structure around the map. Individual floors can be destroyed, walls can be torn, and roofs can all be blown off.
What’s even more important here is it’s not just a gimmick. You’ll need to know how and when to use destruction to your advantage to win — need a shortcut to reach the cashbox? Well, blow up that wall that leads right to it. What about cover, not feeling like you have enough of it? Tear down the building and make some. Flanking? Why not surprise your enemy by blowing up the floor or ceiling and dropping on top of them? Is the objective being stolen? Well, let’s move it by demolishing the room it’s in.
This is the destruction Battlefield fans have been asking for since Bad Company days, and Embark has delivered on this.
Of course, all the destruction in the world won’t mean squat if the actual gameplay is subpar, and we’re happy to report that even in this pre-beta build we played, the overall gameplay was super solid. You can tell that the people behind The Finals have worked on shooters before. What’s interesting here is the actual gunplay feels different depending on the build you play. Say you’re playing the “Light” build; it feels reminiscent of Call of Duty, while the Heavy build will remind you of Battlefield. The Medium? It’s like a mixture of the two (yes, that’s not a joke).
The guns also feel great, displaying amazing animations, excellent sounds, and feeling like they have a satisfying hit-detection. I’ve tried out several different guns in The Finals, and although I have my favorites, the way they all handled gave me a reason to want to use even my least favorite ones because of how good they felt.
That’s not to say that some things don’t need balancing, but that’ll be something more widely addressed when the closed Beta begins tomorrow.
What I do love about guns is how they react differently to causing destruction. Hitting a point with a grenade, rocket launcher, C4, and other explosives all produce different levels of damage. Shooting through certain things is also dependent on the material and the power of the weapon you use. It makes sense since it’s all physics-based, but still surprising.
That adds more strategic value to the overall gameplay and how you use destruction to your advantage. In some ways, it also reminded me of Rainbow Six Siege, in that you want to go in thinking about how the environment will react and what kind of benefits it provides you and your teammates.
Team Play Matters
One thing I noticed about The Finals is that solo wolfing isn’t going to get you very far. This is a game that focuses heavily on teamwork. With four teams occupying space, getting picked off is easy if you’re wandering around alone. That’s not a complaint, as the game is set in a virtual game show. So the competitive aspect is going to be a large one.
You need to work with teammates and coordinate where to go and how to do it. Teams must also pick proper composition with the three types of builds available.
Builds, in a sense, are sort of like heroes. But I want to point out that this is not another hero shooter. Instead, Embark describes it as a Hero Builder. While builds have light, medium, and heavy archetypes, with some unique weapons, gadgets, and abilities, the way you customize them is entirely up to you. Appearances are fully customizable, but so are their load-outs. So it’s not about what that “hero” can bring to the table, but what players can do with what those builds offer.
That allows players to cater builds to their playstyle rather than picking one based on it, thus building their hero. When I started playing, I found the Medium build to be my go-to, not liking what the light and heavy ones offered, but once I began to change their load-outs, I soon learned just how big of a difference they can play based on a few tweaks.
There’s also a rock, paper, scissor dynamic going on, as each build is served to counter one another or support them in some ways. What weakness the Heavy Build may have, in that they’re slow at moving, may be countered by a fast-paced light build on the opposing team. At the same time, a teammate may have a weapon or gadget in their arsenal to help you counter them, be that with constant heals or creating defensive measures while you attempt to escape. For example, I was fending off a few light-build contestants with my heavy one. They were too fast to follow, and bullets flew in at a rate that made my health drop fast. Luckily, a teammate close by had the goo gun, which, while providing no damage, did create a wall of defense that forced these light builds into my line of fire. Their counter to me was countered by a teammate, which in a way, also exploited them to my builds’ strength.
Winning a skirmish doesn’t always mean you have better skills. I’m nowhere considered a good player, and even more horrible when using a mouse and keyboard (though I’ve improved). However, planning with my squad members how we’ll use certain defenses or use destruction is such a huge game changer. It makes matches all feel different each time because you never know what you’ll end up doing or the other contestants. That level of unpredictability is hard to produce in most standard shooters today, and Embark has masterfully done it.
I also love that reviving plays into all that too. Reviving a teammate could turn the tides of war, but you have to be smart about it. You can’t just go into a skirmish expecting to get lucky and revive a teammate. But you don’t need to kill the opposing team to do it, either. Countless times a teammate or I had gone done, only for us to use the goo gun to build a wall. What surprised me, however, is that when a player is eliminated, they leave behind a trophy/statue of themselves until either they’ve been revised or the respawn timer ends. Teammates can rush in and pick up these statues to bring them to safety. I’ve had it plenty of times, allowing us to come back from the brink of defeat.
Performance and Visuals
With players heading into the beta tomorrow, I wanted to share my overall experience with The Finals regarding its presentation and performance. Visually speaking, The Finals is an impressive showcase on all fidelity fronts. Animations are smooth as fuck, with the visuals rivaling even that of major AAA titles. This is surprising, considering it’s a free-to-play experience. I don’t think I’ve ever played a F2P game that looks and plays this well.
The frame rate was buttery smooth using an RTX 4090, and I’ve heard the same thing from other previewers using GPUs that meet the minimum specs. There’s Ray tracing support in the form of RTX global illumination, which was incredible to witness in all the different weather and time of day. Shadows especially were on full display as the environment reacted to the lighting produced by explosives and the crumbling of buildings.
Many of you will be shocked at how well this game runs and how incredible it looks. Outside of network-related issues, which can and will be fixed, the overall beta build of The Finals felt superbly polished. That’s not surprising to me, considering the alpha build we played last year also was in an impressive state.
REACH THE FINALS
I had the opportunity to play The Finals last year, via its closed alpha and if there’s one thing that was cemented in my mind long before this beta, it’s the fact that The Finals is, by far, my most anticipated upcoming shooter this year.
The beta only pushed that for me, and as a long-time Battlefield fan who misses the glory days of Battlefield Bad Company and the franchise’s past explosive entries, The Finals has captured everything I have ever wanted. In some ways, this is a spiritual successor, but so much more. As I said, despite all the comparisons, The Finals is not a Battlefield clone. It’s something different, an entirely different beast, that if done right (and it is) could possibly be the next bit thing. Its dynamic, captivating, and intuitive approach to destruction and gunplay feels like a game changer — one that I think will resonate with gamers and find huge success. If the studio can maintain a steady stream of communication with the player base, then the future of Embark is looking bright.
The Finals goes into closed beta testing (sign up here) on PC, tomorrow. It currently has no release date and is planned to launch on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series.
The Finals beta code was provided for preview purposes.
A gamer at heart, James has been working for MP1st for the last decade to do exactly what he loves, writing about video games and having fun doing it. Growing up in the 90's gaming has been in his DNA since the days of NES. One day he hopes to develop his own game.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War update 1.036 has been released on both last-gen and next-gen platforms today! This is a small download, and is an unannounced one by Treyarch, so don’t expect much from it. Check out what’s new in the Black Ops Cold War March 6 patch notes.
Black Ops Cold War Update 1.036 Patch Notes | Black Ops Cold War March 6 Patch Notes:
Update: While we still don’t know what got changed or fixed, what we do know is this update removed 6v6 Hardcore Faceoff (via elchibo808)
Treyarch hasn’t posted or acknowledged the official patch just yet. Bear in mind that the last patch released before this one back on December 6, it was mostly for backend changes and didn’t affect gameplay whatsoever. Chances are high that this patch is for more of the same.
In keeping up with Black Ops news, the studio did release a patch for Black Ops 3 on PC last week which helped fix hacking issues, Note that this was for Black Ops 3 and not for Black Ops Cold War.
If there are changes or anything shared by Treyarch or the community, we’ll update the article to reflect it.
Treyarch has pushed out Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War update 1.37! This is a small download, and is an unannounced title update, so don’t expect anything major from it. Read on for what’s new in the BOCW March 6 patch notes.
Black Ops Cold War Update 1.37 Patch Notes | BOCW March 6 Patch Notes:
Update: While we still don’t know what got changed or fixed, what we do know is this update removed 6v6 Hardcore Faceoff (via elchibo808)
Treyarch hasn’t posted or acknowledged the official patch just yet. Bear in mind that the last patch released before this one back on December 6, it was mostly for backend changes and didn’t affect gameplay whatsoever. Chances are high that this patch is for more of the same.
In keeping up with Black Ops news, the studio did release a patch for Black Ops 3 on PC last week which helped fix hacking issues, Note that this was for Black Ops 3 and not for Black Ops Cold War.
If there are changes or anything shared by Treyarch or the community, we’ll update the article to reflect it.
With Hogwarts Legacy already a massive hit, those on last-gen consoles (PS4, Xbox One), looking forward to playing it will need to wait a bit more, as Avalanche Software has announced that the Hogwarts Legacy PS4 and Xbox One versions have been delayed!
The announcement comes from the official Hogwarts Legacy Discord channel where the following message was posted:
We’re overwhelmed with gratitude for the response to Hogwarts Legacy from fans around the globe. The team is working hard to deliver the best possible experience on all platforms and we need more time to do this. Hogwarts Legacy will launch for PS4 and Xbox One May 5, 2023.
Hogwarts Legacy was originally set to be released this April 4 on PS4 and Xbox One, Thankfully, it’s just a month’s delay.
For those trying to log in or load Twitter on mobile or via a browser and seeing that’s not loading properly or showing an API error, it’s not just you, as Twitter down reports have surfaced this March 6!
Twitter Down Status and Updates for March 6:
Update 2: Twitter is back per the official Twitter Support account:
Things should now be working as normal. Thanks for sticking with us! https://t.co/JXTllrv0k0
Update: Twitter has acknowledged the issues with the platform:
Here’s a look at the reports flooding downdetector right now:
It seems the outage is happening worldwide, as it’s also down in Japan and the UK as well. So far, Twitter CEO Elon Musk or the official app hasn’t said anything yet (though given it’s down, that’s understandable).
We’re keeping an eye out and will update the article once things have returned to normal. If you can access Twitter, share on what platform and which region you’re connecting from.
Square Enix has released The DioField Chronicle update 1.02, which is tagged as the 1.20 patch. This adds new missions, gear, skills and more all for free on all platforms. Read on for The DioField Chronicle 1.20 patch notes.
The DioField Chronicle Update 1.02 Patch Notes | The DioField Chronicle Update 1.20 Patch Notes:
Here’s the info via the press release:
Additional new story content starring Waltaquin Redditch
Follow the events from Waltaquin joining the Blue Fox up to Chapter 5 and see the story unfolding from her perspective.
New gameplay mechanics, maps, missions and boss
Featuring new events that present Waltaquin’s thoughts and deliberations as options for the player. Explore new maps, take on new missions and fight the fearsome new boss “Behemoth”.
New equipment and skills
The new “Magic Tome” equipment type and the “Necrotiem” skill that can be used with it open up new tactical possibilities, not seen in the original game.
New difficulty level and play mode unlocked after completing the game
This update introduces the new “Very Hard” difficulty level that offers players an even more satisfying challenge, as well as an extra mode where the difficulty level is pitched at players who have completed the main story.
Adjustments to game balance in certain areas.
Here’s more info straight from the press release:
The update introduces a plethora of new content for players to enjoy, including five new missions, two sub missions, gear, skills, and more to extend their experience. The DioField Chronicle features a deep and strategic “Real-Time Tactical Battle” (RTTB) system, where players and enemy troops move in real-time, and the tide of battle can change in an instant. The game is set in a unique world which features a gritty and immersive storyline that combines fantasy, medieval and modern elements.
In this new update, fans can look forward to learning more about Waltaquin Redditch, who was first introduced in the main game. The update allows players to assume the role of Waltaquin, providing five new main missions and two new sub missions. Players can access a new map area known as the Basement (Camp), probe the new Mind Map system to explore Waltaquin’s choices, and utilize Waltaquin’s new weapon type “Magic Tomes,” specific to Waltaquin. Magic Tome brings Necromancy and Necrotiem skills to spawn Skeletal Knights into battle and transform units into Skeletal Dragons.
Fans can put their ultimate skills to the test by facing off against the fearsome new foe, Behemoth. This new boss will be the most powerful enemy that players have faced. Additionally, players looking for added challenges can look forward to Extra Mode as a part of New Game+, where enemy level and parameters, enemy attack power and more will be adjusted. “Very Hard” difficulty is also being added to provide a new level of challenge to the main gameplay experience.
Once a new update is out, we’ll be sure to let our readers know about it.
Early last month, 2K Games and Visual Concept revealed the full 183-wrestler roster for WWE 2K23. While it featured a lot of fan favorites, it did lack a lot of superstars, primarily those who recently returned to the company, like Bray Wyatt, Hit Row, and so many others. Well, we got some good news for you, as some of those wrestlers that were brought back because of Triple H are indeed making their way into the game as part of the WWE2K23 Season Pass!.
Thanks to an invite-only event where MP1st was invited, we have the complete WWE 2K23 Season Pass and DLC wrestler list alongside each content pack’s release date!
WWE 2K23 Season Pass and DLC Packs Wrester List:
Steiner Row Pack
Release Date: April 19
Scott Steiner
Rick Steiner
Top Dolla
Ashante Adonis
B-Fab – Manager only. Not a playable Superstar
Pretty Sweet Pack
Release Date: May 17
Karl Anderson
Luke Gallows
Tiffany Stratton
Elton Prince
Kit Wilson
Race to NXT Pack
Release Date: June 14
Harley Race
Ivy Nile
Wendy Choo
Tony D’Angelo
Trick Williams
Revel with Wyatt Pack
Release Date: July 19
Bray Wyatt (no details as to which iteration)
Zeus
Valhalla
Joe Gacy
Blair Davenport
Bad News U Pack
Release Date: August 16
Eve Torres
Wade Barrett
Damon Kemp
Andre Chase
Nathan Frazer
– Season Pass also features the MyRISE Mega-Boost, which includes an additional 200 Attribute Points, and Supercharger, which unlocks all base game WWE Legends and throwback arenas
Some fan favorites in there, and we’re glad to finally see Harley Race coming to the WWE roster. Bummed though we won’t see any other Mick Foley (Cactus Jack confirmed for the main roster) variants like Mankind and Dude Love, and the lack of Mr. Perfect certainly will disappoint fans. Always next year’s iteration unless more DLC is planned for WWE 2K23.
WWE 2K23 Deluxe Edition and Icon Edition will be available on March 14, 2023. WWE 2K23 Standard Edition and Cross-Gen will be available on March 17, 2023.
What do you guys think? Any DLC pack that you think you might want to get? Which wrestling are you still hoping for in a future WWE game?
A gamer at heart, James has been working for MP1st for the last decade to do exactly what he loves, writing about video games and having fun doing it. Growing up in the 90's gaming has been in his DNA since the days of NES. One day he hopes to develop his own game.
