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European Commission to Send Antitrust Warning Against Microsoft-Activision Acquisition

The European Commission (EC) is allegedly preparing an antitrust warning against Microsoft‘s Activision acquisition deal. The warning, said to be made via a statement of objections, will lay out the organization’s concerns regarding the deal.

According to a recent report from Reuters, claims of the EC making said statement comes from people “familiar with the deal.” When asked to comment on the report, the organization refused to comment on the matter. Meanwhile, here’s what Microsoft had to say: “We’re continuing to work with the European Commission to address any marketplace concerns. Our goal is to bring more games to more people, and this deal will further that goal.”

The reported antitrust warning wouldn’t be the first we’ve heard of concerns surrounding the deal outside the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Nvidia and Google have also voiced their own issues on the matter, as acquiring Activision would further bolster Microsoft’s mobile gaming and subscription-based gaming services.

Despite Microsoft claiming that the company would try to offer remedies to the EC and the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), said organizations would apparently not be open to them until the statement has been sent. 

Source: Reuters

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Carlos Perez

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Battlefield 2042 Update 3.1.2 Patch Notes Revealed, Download Out on January 17

DICE has revealed that a new patch is set to be released tomorrow for Battlefield 2042! Called patch 3.1.2, this brings in new weapons, gameplay-related tweaks and more! Note that this doesn’t include the class rework and the reworked Breakaway map, as those are coming in a new patch released later this month (3.2.0). Read on for the full Battlefield 2042 update 3.1.2 patch notes below, so you know what’s set to come tomorrow, January 17.

Battlefield 2042 Update 3.1.2 Patch Notes:

Patch Deployment Time: 9 am UTC/4 am ET/1 am PT/5 pm HKT.

Changelog

Battlefield Portal

  • Spearhead is now available on multiple Official Templates in the Web Builder, such as Conquest Hardcore, FFA and Team Deathmatch

Maps

  • Spearhead: Resolved an instance of clipping with the camera during the insertion phase at the start of a match

Specialists

  • We have fixed an issue where Specialists were not rendering correctly during the insertion phases at the start of a match, sorry for giving you a fright
  • Sundance: Anti-Armor Grenade’s are now correctly intercepted by Vehicles that have Active Protection Systems triggered
  • Crawford: Resolved an issue where there was no iconography to display the progression of overheating while using the Mounted Vulcan Stationary Minigun

Vehicles

  • 50MM Cannon Pod Ammo on Transport Air Vehicles increased from 8 -> 10
  • Resolved an issue where for a brief period of time, the EMKV90-TOR’s turret speed would be slowed after firing with the HHV-EMG Maul Primary Weapon

Weapons

  • Fixed some cases of recoil compensation not being consistent upon firing for prolonged periods of time
  • Damage for the Rorsch MK-4 has been reduced against Vehicles while in the High Power Capacitor variant of the Weapon (Single Shot), this change is to ensure that the Rorsch is able to assist in taking out some vehicle targets however isn’t the predominant way to take out targets as has been previously witnessed.
    • Heavy vehicles now take approximately 50% less damage
    • Light vehicles now take approximately 25% less damage
    • High Power Capacitor Charge Up increased from 0.8 -> 1 second
  • Damage for the MCS-880 has been improved for Close Range scenarios, bringing it in line with other Utility Weapons such as the 12M Auto and NVK-S22.
    • Damage per pellet has increased from 8 -> 15 at a range of under 20 meters with Default Buckshot rounds (#01 Buckshot)
  • NVK-P125 Bursts per Minute increased from 150 -> 160, this should now align with the intended tempo of the weapon

As expected, the unreleased Vault Weapons datamined before is part of tomorrow’s patch. Stay tuned here on MP1st once the official download is out tomorrow.

Source: EA

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Alex Co

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Deep Rock Galactic Update 1.27 Fires Out This January 16

Deep Rock Galactic update 1.27 (PS5 version 1.000.027) has been released by Ghost Ship Games today, and this brings a small list of fixes to the game that was rolled out on PC a few days ago. Check out what’s new in the Deep Rock Galactic January 16 patch notes.

Deep Rock Galactic Update 1.27 Patch Notes | Deep Rock Galactic Update 1.000.027 Patch Notes | Deep Rock Galactic January 16 Patch Notes:

This patch contains a fix to a delay on Gunner’s shield throwing abilities and inconsistencies with O2 replenishment when within the range of more than one oxygen source. Additionally, the Anniversary Year 4 Hat is back!

Fixed issue where you weren’t able to throw gunners shield before equipping it fully
– Fixed some exits that were a bit off, should prevent a disconnected tunnel
– Fixed inconsistencies with O2 replenishment on Low Oxygen warning missions
– Restored the Anniversary Year 4 Hat
– Tweaked cave leech attack sound volume and position, should now be easier to hear and locate

That’s about it. If there are other changes released for today’s patch that’s not mentioned above, we’ll update the article accordingly.

Source: Steam

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Alex Co

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F1 22 Update 1.17 Adds Support for AMD FSR 2.0 on PC & More This January 16

Codemasters has pushed out F1 22 update 1.17 (PS5 version 1.017), and this fixes bugs as well as add a few small features to the game. The major new addition here is the added support for AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution 2.0 pm PC, and the updated color of George Russell’s front wheel arches and driver number. Read on for the official F1 22 January 16 patch notes.

F1 22 Update 1.17 Patch Notes | F1 22 Update 1.017 Patch Notes | F1 22 January 16 Patch Notes:

  • Fixed an issue which could lead to there being fewer than 20 drivers in a season in Career modes
  • Fixed an issue in MyTeam where, in Quick Practice, there would be no simulation of wear to the Power Unit
  • Updated the colour of George Russell’s front wheel arches and driver number
  • Added support for AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution 2.0
  • Fixed an issue where, in some instances, crossplay friends list will be blank despite having friends
  • Fixed a crash when selecting ‘Finish Season’ in Real Season Start
  • General Stability Improvements
  • Various Minor Fixes

Source: EA

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Alex Co

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Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot Xbox Series X|S Digital Version Postponed Indefinitely Due to “Technical Issue”

While PS5 players can now play Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot on the console as a native PS5 version, the same can’t be said for Xbox Series X|S. In a press release, Bandai Namco announced that DBZ: Kakarot for the Xbox Series X|S has been postponed without a proper release date in sight just yet.

According to Bandai Namco, the Xbox Series X|S version of the game is suffering from a “technical issue” that has yet to be resolved. Gamers who have the Xbox One version of DBZ: Kakarot on their Xbox Series consoles are said to be experiencing an issue where the Xbox Series version of the game is automatically downloaded and the “game cannot progress.”

Due to the bug, the DLC “-BARDOCK- Alone Against Fate” and “Season Pass 2,” which were both released on January 13 (alongside the PS5 version’s launch) have also been postponed. 

The bug only occurs for gamers who are playing the Xbox One version of DBZ: Kakarot on an Xbox Series X|S console, and does not affect those who are playing on Xbox One. Bandai Namco has also confirmed that saved data made on the Xbox One will not be affected or deleted. As for when this will be resolved, Bandai Namco states that they are currently investigating the cause of the issue and possible countermeasures. However, until further confirmation has surfaced, they are asking customers to refrain from playing Kakarot on Xbox Series X|S until the issue is resolved. An announcement will be made as soon as more details have surfaced regarding this problem. 

Hopefully this gets resolved soon. For those on other platforms, a patch was released last week containing the Bardock DLC and other tweaks.

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Alex Co

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Black Myth Wukong Releases in Summer 2024, Announced via Short Film

After numerous impressive gameplay trailers for Black Myth Wukong, Chinese studio Game Science has now given a release window for the game! In a new short film titled “Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit!.” the studio announced the Black Myth Wukong release window as “Summer 2024.”

Check out the two-minute animated short below where a frustrated rabbit can be seen trying to play the game (2023 is the year of the rabbit in the Chinese zodiac in case you didn’t know).

No platforms were mentioned outside of PC, though I would be very surprised if this doesn’t make it to the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Just last year, Game Science announced that the upcoming action game will be switching game engines to Unreal Engine 5 in a new gameplay trailer.

Hopefully Black Myth Wukong plays as good as it looks, and that we’ll hear more about it specific gameplay elements sometime this year before it launches in 2024.

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Alex Co

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Hogwarts Legacy Will Support 4 Character Save Slots, Cross-Platform Save Not Supported

If you’re planning to play Hogwarts Legacy and wondering whether friends and family members can play the game without the need to create a their own profile as to not overwrite your game save, rejoice! WB Games has just confirmed that Hogwarts Legacy will feature multiple character slots.

This was confirmed by the official WB Games Support Twitter account in answering a fan’s question about it:

Hi Matth! Thanks for your question! There are 4 separate character slots. For each new character, we will have the following 2 types of save functionality and slots: 5 auto save slots and 10 player manual saves slots. We hope you and your sister enjoy the game!

This is definitely good news for those who have a spouse, kid, relative or friend that’s a Harry Potter fan that wants to play the game on one device. This means that you’ll be able to play and progress your game, and they can just login theirs for a separate experience.

While that’s good news, the fact that the game won’t support cross-save isn’t. This has been confirmed by the WB Games Support account as well, where it states that while gamers will be able to link both platforms for rewards for each version of the game, the save data will stay on the platform it was created on.

Hi, thanks for contacting us about Hogwarts Legacy! You will be able to link both platforms for rewards in each version of the game, but save data will stay on the platform it was created on. We hope this helps!

However, it’s not clarified whether cross-save is supported on consoles if it’s within the same console family (ie. PS4 ad PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S).

Hogwarts Legacy releases on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S on February 10, 2023, with the last-gen version (PS4, Xbox One) set for release on April 4, 2023. The Nintendo Switch version is scheduled to release last on July 25, 2023.

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Alex Co

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Forspoken Trophies List Revealed; 54 Total With Just 2 Gold Trophies

Square Enix and Luminous Productions’ Forspoken is almost upon us, and before it flies out to everyone, the game’s complete Trophy list has surfaced! Check out the Forspoken Trophies list below, which houses one platinum, two gold, seven silver and 44 bronze for a total of 54 Trophies to collect.

Forspoken Trophies List:

Forspoken trophy
Earn every single trophy.

Attachments trophy
Acquire a mysterious golden bracelet.

Stuck trophy
Journey through a beautiful yet deadly other world.

The Interloper trophy
Swear vengeance on a deadly foe.

What Must Be Done trophy
Survive a nightmarish ordeal.

Might and Main trophy
Emerge victorious from a showdown in a great fortress.

Damned If You Do… trophy
Taste the sweetness of peace and the bitterness of disaster.

The Hue of Blue trophy
Submit yourself to otherworldly justice.

The Truth Will Out trophy
Emerge victorious from a trial to end all trials.

Breaking Point trophy
Learn a hard truth, and accept a harder one.

None the Wiser trophy
Emerge victorious from a conflict in a twisted reality.

Forspoken trophy
Hold the fate of the world in your hands.

Awakening trophy
Lay waste to a great evil for the sake of humankind.

Rebirth trophy
See to the needs of the people of Cipal.

Promises trophy
Make a promise to someone very special.

Moves trophy
Earn the praise of the mighty Pilo with your dancing.

Remembrance trophy
Say a complete set of remembrances to the departed.

A Roaring Trade trophy
Trade poppets for all available items.

Outdoorsperson trophy
Set up camp.

Pilgrimage: Initiate trophy
Visit your first monument.

Pilgrimage: Novice trophy
Visit twenty monuments.

Pilgrimage: Adept trophy
Visit fifty monuments.

Explorer: Seeker trophy
Visit ten points of interest.

Explorer: Pathfinder trophy
Visit fifty points of interest.

Explorer: Trailblazer trophy
Visit one hundred points of interest.

Unlocked Potential trophy
Spend mana to learn a spell for the first time.

Realized Potential trophy
Learn all the spells that can possibly be learned.

Call of the Fount: Baptized trophy
Acquire magical powers for the first time at a Fount of Blessing.

Call of the Fount: Beatified trophy
Acquire the magical powers available from all the Founts of Blessing.

Paragon trophy
Learn every spell.

Tinkerer trophy
Craft an item for the first time.

Craftsperson trophy
Craft a healing item and two of Frey’s original pieces of equipment.

Kit and Caboodle trophy
Acquire every piece of equipment (except those only obtainable via sub-quests).

Hop, Step, Jump trophy
Perform five Shimmies in a row.

Hell of a Run trophy
Perform magic parkour for twenty seconds continuously.

Endless Runner trophy
Travel a total of 100km (62 mi) using magic parkour.

I Can Fly! trophy
Use Float to stay airborne for ten seconds.

Leapfrogger trophy
Jump over enemies a total of ten times.

Tit for Tat trophy
Perform ten precision counters.

No Mercy trophy
Perform thirty Killer Blows.

Knock ‘Em Dead trophy
Finish three or more enemies with a single blast of Surge Magic.

Help Me Out Here trophy
Use the Disperse spell three times in a single battle.

Wildfire trophy
Defeat an enemy bound by the Tangled status effect with Sila’s magic.

Shocker trophy
Electrocute three enemies at once.

From Every Angle trophy
Use all four types of Tanta magic in a single battle.

Through the Eyes of Another: Empath trophy
Complete your first flashback challenge at a Monument to Wisdom.

Through the Eyes of Another: Seer trophy
Complete flashback challenges at ten Monuments to Wisdom.

Through the Eyes of Another: Visionary trophy
Complete all flashback challenges at the Momunments to Wisdom.

Cat Person trophy
Befriend all of Tantas’ familiars.

Happy Snapper trophy
Show pictures taken at all the photo spots to the children.

Above and Beyond trophy
Upgrade all your spells.

Abominizer trophy
Defeat all four abominations.

Archivist trophy
Unlock 80% of the Archive.

Barely There trophy
Hide for ten whole seconds – so long that people will forget you were there.

If you’ve played the demo, don’t forget that Square Enix has confirmed that the HDR, text and mapping issues will be resolved for the retail release.

Forspoken comes out on PS5 and PC on January 24, 2023.

Source: Powerpyx

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Alex Co

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SMITE x Magic the Gathering Crossover Announced, Jungle Boss Surtr Now a Playable God

With SMITE entering its World Championship final phase, the god-themed Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) has just announced a couple of big reveals, including a major crossover with Magic the Gathering and a new playable God, Surtr.

The MTG collab kicks off in a crossover event that begins sometime in January this year. Take a look:

The Gods have faced many threats across the Battleground, but nothing can prepare them to face the dangers of the Multiverse! Fight back against Nicol Bolas as some of the most iconic characters in Magic: The Gathering when @mtg joins forces with SMITE!

With MTG being one of the most popular fantasy-themed IPs, it’s an exciting collab for MTG and SMITE fans alike. With skins for various Planeswalkers such as Karn, Liliana Vess, and Chandra Nalaar, the event is setting up to be the game’s largest crossover yet.

Another announcement also turns one of the game’s jungle bosses into a fully playable God. Surtr, who players have been taking down for a decade in-game, will now be playable as a God himself. Here’s the official announcement video:

Surtr’s abilities will allow him to summon imps, create rings of fire, and even become a meteor that “will crash down from the skies.” The trailer depicts Surtr dying repeatedly, a reference to players taking him down in-game.

SMITE is currently playable on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

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Atomic Heart Gameplay Leak Shows Off 14 Minutes of Footage

Looking for more Atomic Heart content before its February 21 release? A recent Atomic Heart gameplay leak has just been found online, and it contains 14 minutes of combat and exploration.

The no-commentary gameplay footage can be found below, though the video itself is currently unlisted on YouTube.

In the video, you get to see the player explore the world and fight various enemies, with the in-game character referring to them as “tin-heads.” There also seems to be electronic music playing in the background, adding intensity to fights as you blast enemies with hard-hitting bass reverbs. 

Player combat seems to be like what we saw from earlier footage, with the player having access to seemingly telekinetic superpowers. An array of weapons is also at the player’s disposal, providing options suited for various encounters. It’s unclear when this footage was recorded or if the gameplay we’re seeing is from an early build or not, but on its own, the game does look solid. 

Atomic Heart is set to launch on February 21 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. If you’re interested, you can check out the game’s latest trailer from last year’s The Game Awards show over here.

Carlos Perez

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Dead Space Remake Dev Thinks Removing Pause Ability in Horror Games Will Make It “More Impactful”

Do you pause your game when things become a bit too stressful or hectic? Do you think not having that option will make it a little more terrifying? Motive Studio’s (the studio in charge of the upcoming Dead Space remake) Joel MacMillan certainly thinks so.

In an interview. MacMillan (who is the Realization Director of Dead Space remake) states that he thinks removing the ability to pause in horror games will make it more more “impactful.”

“In horror games, you can pause and you have a moment of safety there. You can take a breath. And I think you get a reprieve from that. It deflates some of the tension. But with persistent online games, you’re playing with dozens of other people, and you can’t just pause everybody’s game. I think removing that as a feature would make horror games far more impactful — You would truly feel like you’re never actually safe.”

Do you agree with MacMillan? Would removing the ability to pause in horror games add to the fear factor? Sound off and let us know down in the comments below.

Dead Space, which will have a pause function, will be released this January 27 on the PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.

Source: Inverse

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Alex Co

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Blizzard: Overwatch 2 Season 3 Will “Address the Lack of Choice in Rewards”

Overwatch 2 differs from its predecessor in quite a few aspects, with its monetization structure being free-to-play (F2P). While this model helps Overwatch 2 become more accessible to players around the world, it makes the game more difficult to earn rewards through regular gameplay.

Fortunately, it appears that Blizzard is planning on changing the game’s reward structure come Season 3, according to Overwatch 2 Executive Producer Jared Neuss. Neuss revealed the upcoming change in a Twitter reply. Here’s what he said:

While the reveal itself isn’t all that specific, the “updates” may have something to do with Overwatch Coins. Neuss replied to a question regarding the lack of coins players that players can earn, so these changes may relate to the premium currency in some fashion. Of course, this is just speculation, so we’ll have to wait and see what Neuss really meant by “updates.”

Overwatch 2 does have its fair share of free rewards, of course. Last Holiday season, the company offered a “free” gingerbread-themed Bastion legendary skin, though you had to actually purchase the skin with one Overwatch Coin. One Overwatch Coin is dirt cheap, but players who didn’t have any still either needed to complete weekly challenges or buy the premium currency with their wallets.

Though Overwatch 2’s premium currency is far from accessible at the moment to F2P players, the hinted changes will hopefully give everyone the ability to choose what rewards they’d like, whether they’ve spent for the game or not.

Overwatch 2 is currently available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

Carlos Perez

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Battlefield 2042 Unreleased Vault Weapons, Weapon Proficiencies for Class Rework Unearthed

With Battlefield 2042 set to get a new patch (patch 3.2) by the end of this month, players will see a list of fixes implemented, as well as the major Specialist rework into more traditional classes. While no new content has been announced so far, a bunch of Battlefield 2042 unreleased Vault Weapons have been unearthed via datamining, which could mean that these are on the way as well.

Once again spotted by reliable Battlefield dataminer temporyal, go check out the BF2042 unreleased Vault Weapons that could be part of patch 3.2 or for Season 4.

Another thing that was datamined was updated weapon proficiencies for the class rework incoming. While DICE has already outlined these last year, it seems some changes to it are incoming before they’re implemented. Weapon proficiencies will be a class-specific bonus, which will take effect once Specialists are replaced by the class system.

Same as with any datamined info, none of these have been officially announced by DICE, so treat it with a grain of salt for now. That said, given how each datamine we’ve gotten so far turned out to be legit, don’t be surprised to see these implemented in the game soon.

Once we know more details regarding this month’s patch, we’ll be sure to let our readers know.

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Alex Co

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Mature-Rated Marvel Games Must Have Fitting Characters to Work, According to Marvel Games VP

Marvel’s a huge franchise, and while there are tons of TV shows, movies, and games to enjoy the Marvel universe, not a whole lot of them sport mature themes and elements. According to Marvel Games VP Bill Rosemann, however, Mature-rated Marvel games aren’t out of the question, but it all boils down to the characters explored in the story.

In a recent interview, Rosemann elaborated on the topic of mature themes and stories in Marvel games. “It’s something we’ve talked about and it comes down to character, being authentic, appropriate, and power and responsibility,” he states. “We have the power, we have the characters. [Our] responsibility is to do it right for the character, the audience, and Marvel itself.”

Marvel is full of heroes, villains, and stories, and the comics certainly have quite a few mature themes to explore. When it comes to TV, movie, and game adaptations, however, the company has been a little more careful with the stories that they bring to life. As Marvel is a franchise that’s enjoyed by people of all ages, children included, we don’t often see Marvel stories that lean heavily on gore, violence, or dark undertones, such as with The Punisher.

Rosemann also notes that when considering a darker character for a Marvel video game, they consider various questions involving gameplay. 

We sit down and talk about what’s the player fantasy? What do you expect from this character? Who is the audience? If we were going to go down that path, how do we responsibly create it, market it, sell it? With everything, it’s all about the rating, the comics, the games. Marvel’s past is filled with stories of all different ratings. It’s about if we stay within that rating, is it correct for the character?

So while Marvel still may not be as gung-ho about exploring more mature storylines, we at least now know that it’s a discussion that occurs behind the scenes, at least when it comes to video games. Hopefully, we’ll get to see Marvel games take a more serious tone with the upcoming Wolverine game announced last year.

Source: ComicBook

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Dead Space Remake Performance and Quality Modes Revealed as Options for Consoles

The much-anticipated Dead Space remake is launching soon, and console players have the option to choose between two modes for gameplay: Quality and Performance. Simply put, Dead Space remake’s Performance mode promises better framerates while Quality mode offers better graphics.

According to the official Dead Space Twitter account, Quality mode will support 4K resolution and ray-tracing, whereas Performance mode will only support 2K and without the ray-tracing feature.

Likely due to the steep graphical requirements of the Dead Space remake, console players will have to either sacrifice smooth 60 FPS gameplay or deal with no ray-tracing and lowered graphics. It’s an unfortunate tradeoff, as many folks are used to 60 FPS in modern titles, but with Dead Space looking to modernize the classic horror game, the tradeoff may be well worth it. 

Whether you’re a console player who prefers smooth framerates or eye-catching graphics and lighting, Dead Space has options for both. If you’re planning to try the game out on PC, then check out the PC requirements for the game here. Do note that you’ll need a GeForce RTX 2070 or higher for recommended settings.

The Dead Space remake is set to launch on January 27 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

Carlos Perez

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Report: The Callisto Protocol Failed to Meet Sales Expectations, Struggling to Recoup 200M Won Budget

A month into release, Striking Distance Studios’ The Callisto Protocol has reportedly failed to meet sales expectations by a significant margin, with analysts lowering cumulative sales targets from five million units to two million units this year. Krafton, having spent nearly 200 billion won ($162 million) on the game as its publisher, is struggling to recoup its investment, and has seen its target stock prices reduced across the securities industry.

Helmed by Dead Space creator Glen Schofield and featuring performances from Josh Duhamel and Karen Fukuhara, Striking Distance Studios’ The Callisto Protocol was plagued by performance issues when it released last month. While our review of the Callisto Protocol found it an “audiovisual treat”, the game underperformed in narrative and game design, and critical reception across platforms has reflected that sentiment. Krafton, the game’s publisher, paid nearly 200 million won to Striking Distance Studios over the course of the game’s development, but is now struggling to break even on the project.

According to analyst firm Samsung Securities’ stock report, Krafton expected sales of The Callisto Protocol to cumulatively reach five million copies, but that has now been revised to two million units over the course of 2023. The company’s operating profit estimate for this year has also been lowered from 813 billion won ($656 million) to 629.3 billion won ($508 million). The Callisto Protocol is expected to be the focus of the company’s fourth-quarter earnings announcement to be announced next month.

Krafton is planning a comeback for The Callisto Protocol with extended post-launch plans for the game, including New Game Plus and Hardcore modes releasing next month, and additional story DLC coming out in the summer. The game is available now on the PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC.

Source: K-Odyssey

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Salman Haider Zaidi

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Hogwarts Legacy Performance, Fidelity Modes and VRR Support Announced for PS5, Xbox Series X|S

Avalanche Software’s Hogwarts Legacy will include performance (60fps) and fidelity (30fps) graphics modes on the current-gen PS5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles. Additionally, the game supports Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) with select modes on TVs and monitors that support the technology.

Hogwarts Legacy seeks to cater to gamers with different visual and performance demands with a number of graphics modes:

The PlayStation®5 and Xbox Series X|S console versions of Hogwarts Legacy support multiple graphical modes of play, the most common of which are Fidelity mode which targets 30 fps, and Performance mode which targets 60 fps. Graphical modes for players who have Variable Refresh Rate (VRR)-supported TVs or monitors are supported for Hogwarts Legacy on PlayStation®5 and Xbox Series X|S.

The game’s final PC system requirements for a number of different graphical qualities were revealed this week, and it does not appear to be particularly demanding for a current-year title with a 1080p-at-60fps experience achievable with 2017’s GTX 1080 Ti. However, with multiple expansive Wizarding World locations featuring in the game, occasional framerate drops are not unlikely.

Hogwarts Legacy releases on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S on February 10, 2023. The last-gen version was recently delayed to April 4, 2023 for PS4 and Xbox One and to July 25, 2023 for Nintendo Switch.

Source: WB Games Support

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Salman Haider Zaidi

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New Skull and Bones Gameplay Livestream Features Sea Shanties, Plundering, and Investigations

Following an official announcement that the pirate-themed game Skull and Bones was delayed for the sixth time, Ubisoft has published a new video featuring Skull and Bones gameplay in a dev livestream.

The entire livestream only lasted for about half an hour, so it’s worth a watch if you’re keen on learning more about the game while waiting for its release.

The stream highlighted a few aspects of the game, such as Investigations, which make the player search for treasure to steal. Investigations are sort of like sidequests in Skull and Bones, but they have an added layer of narrative wherein these stories are based on the factions that populate the world. By taking on Investigations, you not only learn the local history but also gain some sweet loot in the process.

Plundering in Skull and Bones involves your entire crew as you attempt to lay waste on settlements or locations of interest. It’s a complex system, with some of your crew members entering the settlement to steal the loot while you fight at sea against enemy ships and artillery. And though you can drag the fight on to potentially gain greater rewards, it also makes the enemy more aggressive with more time for reinforcements to arrive, so you have to plan your plunders carefully.

One tip regarding Skull and Bones that the devs pointed out was that you’ll likely want variety when it comes to owning ships. The game has its fair share of boats and ships of all shapes and sizes, with some being more suited for travel, combat, cargo, and hunting. Knowing when to use the right boat will make your career as a pirate all the more satisfying.

A bona fide pirate game wouldn’t be complete without sea shanties, and Skull and Bones has quite a few of them. You can sing them with your crew as you travel from place to place, with sea shanties ranging from the classic pirate shanties to those sung in specific languages. It adds a little more variety to the whole thing while keeping what players are familiar with and enjoying.

Though Skull and Bones has been delayed once more, you’ll be able to take the helm of your own pirate ship when it releases on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

Carlos Perez

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New Lies of P Gameplay Footage Shows Off 8K Graphics With the AMD 7900 XTX

Some new gameplay footage for upcoming action game Lies of P has been revealed, and this time it comes from tech company AMD. The video showcases Lies of P gameplay footage captured using an AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX GPU.

Lasting around two and a half minutes, the recording gives viewers an idea of what the game would look like if run using AMD’s flagship GPU.

Lies of P is a highly-anticipated Action RPG launching later this year from our friends at NEOWIZ. This trailer showcases never-before-seen content from the game, running on AMD’s brand new Radeon RX 7900 XTX at 8K Resolution (8K Resolution playback only supported on 8K monitors).

Taking a look at gameplay footage, Lies of P seems to really lean into its soulslike roots. The game looks, sounds, and feels like a soulslike title, with combat and movement reminiscent of FromSoftware games like Dark Souls and, more recently, Elden Ring.

New gameplay footage aside, the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX seems to run Lies of P quite well even in 8K resolution. Of course, footage such as this is usually captured with the best possible specs to match the GPU’s capabilities, so you may not necessarily achieve the same results as in the video. Still, seeing seamless 8K gameplay does drive home the Radeon RX 7900 XTX’s power.

Lies of P will launch sometime in 2023 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

Carlos Perez

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The Division 2 Title Update 17 PTS Patch Notes Revealed

Those curious what the next major update for The Division 2 will bring, wonder no more, as Ubisoft has revealed The Division 2 Title Update 17 PTS patch notes! 

As is with any PTS (Private Test Server) changes, there is no guarantee that everything listed below will make it in the final retail patch roll out. Also of note, Ubisoft states that new features mentioned in the notes below are still being worked on, and therefore not in their final stages. 

The PTS patch should be live right now on PC. No word yet on just when we’ll see this patch hit retail.

The Division 2 Title Update 17 PTS Patch Notes:

PATCH SIZE:

Size without PTS build on Connect: ~ 73.49GB
Size if PTS build already is on Connect: ~ 6GB

NEW GEAR  

Habsburg Guard a.k.a. “HG” – Gear Brand Set 

  • 1 Piece equipped gives +15% Headshot Damage 
  • 2 Pieces equipped give +15% Marksman Rifle Damage 
  • 3 Pieces equipped give 10% Status Effect 
  • Chest and Backpack Bonuses: 
    • Named Chest “Venerable” – Talent “Perfect Trauma” – Applies blind to enemy hit in the head. Cooldown 20 seconds. Applies bleed to an enemy hit in the chest. Cooldown 20 seconds 
    • Named Backpack “The Courier” – Talent “Perfect Creeping Death” – Causing Status Effect on an enemy has a chance to spread that same Status Effect to the nearest enemy within a 10-meter radius. Can only occur once every 10 seconds.  

 
Hotshot – Gear Set: 

  • 2 Pieces equipped give +30% Marksman Rifle Damage & +30% Stability 
  • 3 Pieces equipped give +30% Headshot Damage 
  • 4 Pieces equipped give access to a new unique talent 
    • Talent “Headache” – First Headshot with a Marksman Rifle will increase next headshot by 20%, second consecutive headshot with a Marksman Rifle will give +10% armor (if at full armor it will give bonus armor max +50% of current armor value), third consecutive headshot will refill magazine. From the fourth headshot forward agents will get all 3 bonuses for each consecutive headshot kill. Missing a headshot will reset the cycle. 
  • Chest and Backpack Bonuses: 
    • Chest Talent “Daring” – Increases bonus Armor from 50% to 100% 
    • Backpack Talent “Blessed” – Agents can miss a headshot before resetting the cycle 

Not available on PTS:

NinjaBike Messenger Bag – Exotic Backpack 

  • Talent “Resourceful” – Slots in with any equipped Gear Set and/or Brand Set item to fulfill a requirement towards unlocking a Gear and/or Brand Sets bonus. Allows to unlock bonuses from multiple sets simultaneously. 

NEW WEAPONS & TALENTS 

Exotic Weapons 

Sacrum Imperium – Exotic variation of the G28 Marksmen Rifle. 

  • Talent “The Trap” – Tags enemies when in scope (maximum 10). Killing any marked target with a headshot applies 10 second Burn Status Effect and gives a 50% (20% in PVP modes) Speed Movement decrease on all other targets. Cooldown is 30 seconds. Killing another enemy with a headshot shortens the cooldown for 10 seconds. Targets are marked after 2 seconds in scope. 

Named Weapons & Talents 

Prophet – Police 686 Magnum revolver 

  • Talent “Perfectly Focused”* – Killing an enemy with a headshot guarantees that the next shot will be a critical headshot. Exclusive for Pistols, Rifles and Marksmen Rifles. 

Relic – G28 Marksmen Rifle 

  • Talent “Perfectly Focused”* – Killing an enemy with a headshot guarantees that the next shot will be a critical headshot. Exclusive for Pistols, Rifles and Marksmen Rifles. 

Talent “Focused”* – After killing an enemy with a headshot the next shot landed on any enemy will be a guaranteed headshot. Exclusive for Pistols, Rifles and Marksmen Rifles.  

*Name is a placeholder.

PVP QUALITY OF LIFE CHANGES

  • Lower Skill Tier players can no longer use Jammer against higher Skill Tier players: Jammer level should be same or higher.
  • Fixed an issue where Shrapnel Trap would apply PvE damage in PvP
  • Exotics that are otherwise exclusive to a specific content/source are available as random contaminated drops in the DZ 
    • Exotic weapons that can be received as random loot drops after killing enemies in DZ 
      • The Ravenous 
      • The Bighorn 
      • Eagle Bearer 

KNOWN ISSUES 

  • The PTS Crafting Cache does not mention the new TU17 gear in its content description 
  • The “Focused” and “Perfect Focused” talents exclusive for Pistols, Rifles and Marksmen Rifles display an incorrect naming: “Focus” and “Perfect Focus” 
  • The “Focused” and “Perfect Focused” talents are not activated on a new equipped item with the same talent 
  • “The Trap” Talent of the Sacrum Imperium Exotic Marksman Rifle has a placeholder thumbnail 
  • The Sacrum Imperium Exotic Marksman Rifle has a Skin Slot 
  • Placeholder icon is displayed instead of the Habsburg Guard Brand Set Icon in the Item Description 
  • Exotic weapons that can be received as random loot drops after killing enemies in DZ  
    • The Regulus and Puck’s Nemesis have a chance to drop in the Dark Zone – not intended and will be completely removed for TU17. 
    • The Regulus and Puck’s Nemesis blueprints have a chance to drop in the Dark Zone – not intended and will be completely removed for TU17. 
  • Hotshot Gear Set 
    • The buff to the next headshot granted by the “Headache” Talent is not lost upon missing your next headshot even if the talent icon under the agent’s health bar disappears. The player can miss however many shots they want, the next headshot will have increased damage. Does not apply to the buffs from the second or third consecutive headshot. 
    • The buff to the next headshot granted by the “Headache” Talent is applied to whatever weapon the player may swap to regardless of the weapon type even if the talent icon under the agent’s health bar disappears. The buff also applies to the spec weapons. 
    • The headshot damage bonus from the “Headache” Talent may not reset after missing headshots 
    • If a player equips four pieces of the Hotshot Gear Set before equipping the Hotshot Vest, the “Stand Tall” chest Piece Talent will not function 
    • The “Lucky” Talent does not function if the Hotshot Backpack is not among the first four Hotshot Gear Set pieces equipped 
    • Dyes are not applied to any of the Hotshot Gear Set pieces 

Once the actual patch is out, we’ll be sure to let our readers know.

Source: Ubisoft forums

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Alex Co

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