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Helldivers 2 New Update 1.004 Introduces “Into the Unjust” Content, Balance Changes

As expected, given the previous announcement, Arrowhead Game Studios has released the latest content drop for Helldivers 2, and it’s called “Into the Unjust.” This adds a whole new area, new enemies, and more.

Players will see the content drop released as Helldivers 2 update 1.004 (complete version 01.004.000), which also introduces balancing changes.

Read on for the complete patch notes and details on the new Warbond dropping a few days later, on September 4.

Helldivers 2 Update 01.004.000 Adds New Content and Adjusts Stratagems

Overview

  • New additions
  • Balancing
  • Fixes
  • Miscellaneous fixes
  • Known issues

For too long, we’ve waited and watched as The Gloom expands to swallow more innocent star systems. For too long, we’ve let the Terminids wreak havoc on our colonies, our cities, our homes. The Terminids have pushed into our territory for long enough. Now, with new recruits trained and ready, it’s time to push into unknown territory. Into the Unjust.

Gameplay

Hive Worlds

  • Randomly-generated giant cave systems
  • A new tactical challenge
  • Discover disgusting flora and fauna and advanced Terminid life
  • Hive World surface – acid lakes and advanced bug spires
  • Holes in the cave roof will allow stratagems to be called down
  • Destructible walls within the caves to navigate
  • Bring a flashlight!

Missions

  • Delve deep into the caves to destroy the Spore Lung and stop its infectious Gloom spread
  • Take control of the GATER mobile oil rig and siphon the mysterious oily substance from the surface of Hive Worlds
  • Undertake more missions to extract resources and destroy the enemy threat on Hive Worlds
  • Have Super Earth approved levels of fun!

New Enemies

  • Rupture Spewer; The foul Rupture Spewer bursts from the ground only to spew its undemocratic pestilence on the innocent. Upon returning to its dark warrens, it is believed to consume its own dead in order to generate more of its corrosive acid.
  • Rupture Warrior; A product of Gloom-induced mutation, the Rupture Warrior has lost the UV-insulating chitin layer that would protect its internal organs from solar radiation damage. Captured specimens prefer burrowing to open-air movement, a pattern indicative of subconscious shame at their own undemocratic ways.
  • Rupture Charger; When this armored beast senses the presence of Liberty, it buries itself underground to escape its light. Its Charger instincts compel it to tunnel through the ground at high speeds, emerging only to attack those who represent the Liberty that blinds it so.
  • Dragonroach; This oversized affront to Free skies everywhere circles its would-be prey, swooping down intermittently to bespew them with air-combustible acid. A spineless tactic befitting an exoskeletal monstrosity.

Balancing

Unified “none explosive Orbitals” so they have the same projectile damage and destruction values as the Orbital gas. This effects:

Orbital smoke

  • Increased Projectile Damage 0 → 300
  • Increased Projectile AP 0 → 7
  • Increased Projectile Demolition strength 30 → 50

Orbital E.M.S

  • Increased Projectile Damage 250 → 300
  • Increased Projectile AP 3 → 7
  • Increased Projectile Demolition strength 30 → 50

Unified Stun explosions work. They all apply the stun effect on the explosion and not only on the status effect volume. This effects:

  • Orbital E.M.S
  • Mortar E.M.S

Changed how all stun explosions work in that they now initially stagger the enemy they stun but also without ragdolling the player if hit by such an explosion

Throwables

  • Stun grenade
  • Increased stagger strength 0 -> 50
  • Urchin
  • Decreased stagger impulse 15 -> 0

Stratagems

  • Orbital E.M.S
  • Increased stagger strength 10 -> 50
  • Decreased stagger impulse 40 → 0
  • Mortar E.M.S
  • Increased stagger strength 10 -> 50
  • Decreased stagger impulse 40 → 0

Booster

  • Stun Hellpod
  • Increased stagger strength 10 -> 50
  • Decreased stagger impulse 20 → 0

Fixes

Crash Fixes & Softlocks

  • Fixed a rare crash caused by multiple players having the MA5C AR equipped on the super destroyer
  • Fixed crash that could occur during hot-joining
  • Fixed a rare crash that could occur when dropping backpacks

Weapons & Stratagem Fixes

  • Fixes for mute AX/LAS-5 ‘GUARD DOG’ ROVER audio
  • Audio fixes for multiple weapons not having reverb applied to them
  • Fixed Hellpod payloads being targetable by guidance system
  • GL-52 De-Escalator stratagem input code now begins with a down arrow, inline with other support weapon stratagems
  • Motivational Shocks Booster no longer applies to enemies
  • Fixed the StA X3 WASP Launcher firemode – it will no longer fire in Semi-Auto mode after switching from Artillery firing mode
  • Fixed guidance system targeting Tanks incorrectly

Enemies

  • Installed additional hydraulic leg supports on dropship Automaton units (they will no longer take damage when dropped from the dropships).
  • Updated automaton city outpost to prevent broken pathing on the bridge
  • Illuminate enemies are now less likely to warp on top of destroyed outpost ship rubble

Missions

  • Updated the design of city evacuation objectives that will allow brave citizens to evacuate correctly
  • Fixed a missions issue that caused ghost objectives to appear during the mission complete screen
  • Fixed issue where the landed Automaton dropships in the Sabotage Airbase objective could be destroyed with LIFT-182 Warp Pack
  • Fixed occasional Charger pathing issues around certain bug rocks

Miscellaneous Fixes

  • Fix flickering VFX shadows in some areas.
  • Fixed strange movement after falling while marching
  • Fixed chat typing animations – Helldivers no longer suffer from fat fingers and will use their writing pads when typing chat messages.
  • Fixed the Adreno-Defibrillator status effect not affecting Helldivers inside combat walkers
  • Fixed an issue where the planetary hazard damaged Hellbombs will visually appear to explode twice when shot by GL-21 Grenade Launcher, from the shooter’s POV

In addition to the Into the Unjust content, there’s a new Warbond out on September 4 called the Dust Devils. Chances are, the data for that is included in today/s download, and here’s what to expect in terms of new content.

Helldivers 2 New Warbond Dust Devils Is Out on Sept. 4

Weapons and Stratagems:

AR-2 Coyote
You can hunt in packs or go by your lonesome with this assault rifle that features incendiary ammunition. But be warned: this coyote is wild.

G-7 Pineapple
This cluster frag grenade might look like a cute and unassuming fruit, but it’ll have the bugs in absolute pieces.

S-11 Speargun
A true big game hunter’s companion. The S-11 fires heavy-duty projectiles that release a cloud of gas on impact.

EAT-700 Expendable Napalm
Heat up the planet with this single-use missile that contains napalm cluster bombs.

MS-11 Solo Silo
The long-range power of a missile in a new convenient package. Calls down a Hellpod-sized missile silo with a single, ultra-powerful missile and a handheld targeting remote.

Armos, Capes, and More

DS-42 Federation’s Blade
Captures the essence of armies marching through the desert sands. Wear with the Rightful occupier cape and player card for a polished look.

DS-191 Scorpion
Look like a true nomadic warrior in this desert-proof draped set, pairs perfectly with the Windswept Wayfinder cape and player card.

  • Title: Burier of Heads
  • Emote: Raider’s Cheer
  • Pattern: “Rattlesnake” for vehicles and Hellpods

Given there are still a fair number of known issues, don’t be surprised to see another patch released soon. If we get an update for the new Warbond, expect it here on MP1st.

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Alex Co

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

Home > Title Updates and Patches

No Man’s Sky New Update 6.002/6.02 Applies Over 80 Items of Fixes and Improvements

Continuing its excellent support of No Man’s Sky, Hello Games has released another patch, initially available on PC, which is being rolled out to other platforms once it passes certification.

Console gamers should see it available as No Man’s Sky update 6.002, though it’s tagged as version 6.02 by the developers. This brings a long list of fixes to various issues related to Corvettes, the Skyborn suit, and other gameplay issues.

In addition to the  bug fixes, there are also technical improvements affecting various parts of the game.

No Man’s Sky New List of Fixes Released as Patch Version 6.002.000/6.02

Bug Fixes – Corvettes

  • Fixed an issue that caused non-structural parts to be counted as part of a corvette’s complexity limit.
  • Thunderbird Landing Thrusters now fulfil the requirements of both an engine and landing gear.
  • Fixed a number of issues with corvette cockpits that could cause some information panels to fail to update.
  • Fixed a number of collision problems with the Thunderbird access bay.
  • Fixed an issue that caused deleting flipped parts from a corvette to refund un-usable products to the inventory – the issue will no longer occur, and any currently unusable items can now be reattached to corvettes.
  • Fixed a rare issue that could result in a blank ship after exchanging an existing ship for a corvette.
  • Fixed an issue that could cause some corvette parts to be embedded in the floor of the space station.
  • Fixed an issue that could allow misaligned snapping when editing a corvette.
  • Fixed an issue that caused corvette parts to be inaccessible if they were deleted from a corvette but the edits were not applied.
  • Fixed an issue that could cause players to lose items while trading parts at the corvette workshop.
  • Fixed an issue that caused only one of a particular part to be refunded if removing several of the same part from a corvette in one edit.
  • Fixed an issue that prevented the installation of some core ship technologies into a corvette.
  • Fixed an issue that prevented players from manually moving core techs within a corvette inventory.
  • Teleporters for beaming to and from a corvette now have markers with descriptions, and more descriptive labels.
  • Added a teleporter to return to a docked corvette from the Atlas Station.
  • Fixed an issue that made corvette docking zones visible when flying regular spaceships.
  • Fixed an issue that caused corvettes docked at special landing zones alongside freighters and abandoned stations to be launched into the station on take-off.
  • Fixed an issue that caused the corvette’s automatically deployed teleport endpoint to make odd-shaped terrain edits.
  • Fixed an issue that caused corvettes to fail to dock with a space station if all internal docks were already full.
  • Fixed an issue that could prevent corvettes from docking with freighters.
  • Fixed a rare issue that could cause docking a corvette to a derelict freighter to open all the doors inside the derelict.

Bug Fixes – Space Station, Gameplay Issues

  • Fixed an issue that prevented players from spacewalking through the entrance beam of a Space Station.
  • Fixed an issue that caused the pulse engine autopilot to fail without feedback when attempting to navigate to the Space Station while within a planet’s atmosphere.
  • Fixed a number of problems with corvette autopilot settings that could cause erratic movement, particularly in space.
  • The corvette’s autopilot is now more smoothly aligned to its pulse drive destination.
  • Fixed an issue that could cause ship weapon effects to clip the screen when firing from a corvette in first person.
  • Fixed a number of issues that could occur when warping as a passenger inside a corvette.
  • Fixed a rare issue that could cause players to become stuck in collision while spacewalking to a derelict freighter.
  • Fixed an issue that could cause the pulse drive to be accidentally disabled when getting out of the corvette pilot seat.
  • Fixed an issue that could cause a softlock when interacting with the captain’s terminal after spacewalking onto a frigate that you do not own.
  • Abandoned and pirate space stations now have corvette construction workshops.
  • Fixed an issue that could cause corvettes to occasionally act as if they’d had a dramatic collision while flying through space.
  • Fixed an issue that prevented weapon reload animations from playing correctly.
  • Fixed an issue that caused NPCs to float.
  • Fixed an issue that caused some multitool weapon upgrades to fail to display their upgrade level.
  • Fixed a number of camera pops while driving exocraft.
  • Fixed an issue that showed compass icons for plants growing within a corvette during flight.
  • Improved the visuals and navigability of the corvette landing area on the Space Anomaly.
  • Fixed a rare issue that could cause a planetary base to become flagged as a corvette and take the place of the player’s primary starship.
  • Fixed a number of issues that could cause players to become stuck when loading a save on board a corvette.
  • Improved the animations for hatch opening on a corvette.
  • Fixed a rare issue that could cause the player to jetpack forward unintentionally.
  • Fixed an issue that could make it difficult to use some interactions within a corvette.
  • Fixed a very rare mission blocker in the tutorial.

Bug Fixes –  Skyborn Spacesuit

  • Fix a number of colouration issues with the Skyborn spacesuit.
  • Fixed an issue that caused part of the Skyborn suit to remain visible in first person.
  • Fixed an issue that caused the Skyborn spacesuit to have the markings options from the Living Stone suit.
  • Fixed a number of issues with cape animations during spacewalks and skydiving.
  • Fixed an issue that could cause the inside of the player’s head to be visible while using the starship communicator.

Bug Fixes – Technical Issues

  • Fixed a number of missing audio issues.
  • Fixed a number of audio issues while spacewalking.
  • Fixed an issue that caused corvette cockpits to appear solid black in the UI.
  • Improved the rendering model used to show items in the UI (e.g. in the inventory).
  • Fixed an issue that could cause camera flickering inside a corvette.
  • Fixed a number of small visual issues affecting corvette structural parts.
  • Fixed a number of rendering issues with transparent objects.
  • Fixed a visual issue with some chairs in planetary settlements.
  • Fixed a number of issues with effects on starship engines.
  • Improved the quality of reflections in the corvette workshop area of the space station.
  • Improved casing consistency in the control remapping page.

Bug Fixes – VR

  • Fixed a number of control issues in corvette cockpits in VR.
  • Fixed an issue that prevent VR players from using teleport move up the stairs inside a corvette.

Bug Fixes – Platform

  • Fixed a number of inventory issues affecting Mac.
  • Fixed a memory-related crash on PlayStation 5.

Crashing Fixes

  • Fixed a crash that could occur when switching between two corvettes at a space station.
  • Fixed a crash related to combat effects.
  • Fixed a crash related to autopilot.
  • Fixed a crash related to summoning ships.
  • Fixed a crash related to frigate expeditions.
  • Fixed a crash that could prevent players with large bases from loading into the Space Anomaly.
  • Fixed a crash that could occur when driving Exocraft, particularly the Minotaur.
  • Fixed a crash related to particle rendering.
  • Fixed a rare crash that could occur when warping.

Optimization and Improvements

  • Introduced a number of asset optimisations for space stations.
  • Optimised a number of corvette structural parts.
  • Introduced a number of optimisations for large bases and corvettes.
  • Optimised a number of internal corvette parts.
  • Introduced a large memory optimisation for icons.
  • Introduced a number of particle effect optimisations on the space station.

If you haven’t loaded the game recently, Hello Games released the big Voyagers content drop on all platforms, and this is why we’re getting follow-up patches for fixes.

Expect more to be released, but it is most likely not to include as many fixes as this one. Once Hello Games has released a new one, expect it here on MP1st.

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Alex Co

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

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Nintendo Switch 2 System Update 20.4.0 Rolled Out and It’s Nothing to Get Excited About

Nintendo has released the Switch system update 20.4.0, a minor firmware update that’s mandatory for continued online use of the console. This should be a minor download for console owners, and don’t expect any new features, as this is primarily for security and other backend improvements.

Read on for what Nintendo had to share regarding the patch released on September 1 (Sept 2. for those outside the US).

Nintendo Switch 2 New System Update Doesn’t Bring Anything Tangible

Switch 2 Pre-orders

Performing the system update

In most situations, the console will automatically download the most recent system update while it is connected online. You can verify your current menu version and manually start the update from the System Settings menu if necessary.

Ver. 20.4.0 (Released 1 September, 2025)

  • General system stability improvements to enhance the user’s experience.

That’s about it for this Nintendo Switch 2 system patch. In other Switch 2 news, Nintendo aims to have it last as long as the first Switch, which is commendable if so.

If there’s a new game update or system update, you can expect to find it here on MP1st.

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Alex Co

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

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Tekken 8 New Update 2.005 Adds New Features, Move Behaviour Fixes

Bandai Namco has released the latest patch for Tekken 8 as patch v2.05.00, and this adds new features and even tweaks character moves impacting hitboxes. Console players will see today’s download as Tekken 8 update 2.005 (complete version 02.005.000).

The complete patch notes are available below and also include various bug fixes, new store items, and more, which is par for the course for updates on the fighting game.

Tekken 8 New Update on Sept. 2 Brings It to Version 2.005

Tekken 8 Season 2 Balance Changes

 TEKKEN SHOP

”Devil Jin Costume 01 Set” Added
– Revival Costume for Playable Character “Devil Jin”

“TEKKEN SPECIAL DEAL” Event
– During the event period, selected items will be available at special prices.
– For more details, please refer to this article:
https://www.tekken-official.jp/tekken_news/?p=1659

 PLAY DATA

Added “CHARACTER WIN RATE”
– You can now check your win rate against each character in “RANKED MATCH.”
– This feature can help identify characters that require counter-strategies.
Note: Data from “Season 1” is not supported.

Adjusted Display Method for Certain Data
– Characters with match history will now be prioritized for display.
– Data for characters or stages with no match history will now show “-”.
– For data that supports seasonal switching, the season name will now be displayed alongside.

BUG FIXES

– Fixed an issue in the “Beach Fun Pack” where character body parameters were set incorrectly, causing character model distortion or game crashes under certain item combinations.
– Fixed a display issue in “PLAY DATA.” The fix will take effect when connecting online after the maintenance concludes.
– Fixed an issue in “TEKKEN FIGHT LOUNGE” where the “Wait in Lounge” option could be selected from the practice menu while matchmaking, even if the “Matchmaking Wait” setting was turned OFF during “RANKED MATCH” or “QUICK MATCH” from battle area cabinets.

Tekken 8 Latest Update Fighter Move Changes

Character Move Behavior Fixes
– In V2.05, adjustments have been made primarily to hitboxes and collision detection to address unintended behaviors.
– Improvements have been made to sound effects, voiceovers, and visual effects to enhance overall quality.

Once another patch has been released by Bandai Namco, we’ll be sure to let our readers know.

In other fighting game news, the upcoming game Invincible VS will feature unique interactions for all characters, even if they didn’t happen in the comics.

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Alex Co

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

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Hollow Knight: Silksong Launches With the Low Price of $20

Hollow Knight: Silksong is out this week, and although it’s not available for pre-order, we do know the price at which it will launch.

Brace yourselves, as the game will be sold for a measly $20 on all platforms.

In a time when some companies are pushing games to new high prices, Team Cherry is doing the opposite,

One of the Biggest Games This Year Is Going to Cost You Almost Nothing

In case you missed the news, Hollow Knight: Silksong is launching on September 4, 2025, which is, well, this week! Team Cherry announced the news last week, which came as a huge surprise to many, considering the game’s lengthy development period. It was initially announced as DLC for the original Hollow Knight, but it grew too large, and the studio decided to turn it into its own standalone, full-fledged sequel. That is part of the reason why it has taken so long to release, although the studio is also comprised of only three people, which is another reason why progress has been pretty slow.

Despite being announced six years ago, with game development costs only increasing, as has the cost of living and other factors, it seems that Team Cherry isn’t planning to take advantage of the situation. Especially given all the hype this game has built up over the years, the studio could have easily been aggressive on the pricing, but they aren’t, as Hollow Knight: Silksong is releasing for a low price of $20 USD | EUR €19.99 | JPY ¥2300.

You didn’t read that wrong, one of this year’s biggest games is going to cost a fraction of the majority of games, and only a little bit more than the first Hollow Knight. For comparison, the original Hollow Knight launched at $15 when it released in February of 2017—a $5 increase for the sequel that is likely going to be well worth the price.

We are, but also aren’t, surprised by the price point given the ongoing state of gaming. Glad to see the studio isn’t trying to capitalize on the hype. However, they’re probably expecting a massive success already. Their release date trailer alone already has nearly 5 million views, with over 5.2 million Steam wishlists (per Alinea Analytics).

I think it’s safe to say that Hollow Knight: Silksong is going to be a massive hit, and we cannot wait to get our hands on it with everyone when it launches on September 4, 2025, on PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

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James Lara

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

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EA NHL 26 Dives Deep Into This Year’s Changes With HUT, Including New Mode

With EA NHL 26 launching later this month, there’s much to be excited about for this year’s release. Most notable, the changes made to EA NHL 26’s HUT (Kockey Ultimate Team) mode that bring some welcomed additions, including an offline and a new season mode.

Here’s a breakdown of some of the biggest changes coming to HUT in this year’s EA NHL release.

NHL 26 HUT Changes and Improvements Outlined

Here’s a breakdown of all the key changes and improvements made:

  • Maximum Team Building Variety: NHL 26 gives fans more freedom than ever to construct the ultimate lineup, utilizing innovative new mechanics sure to keep team-building fresh all year long. Season-specific rules, rotating team captain themes and unique player combinations unlock powerful boosts to OVR, attributes, and salaries, while a streamlined interface makes squad management smooth and intuitive. The introduction of a Salary Cap also pushes players to be thoughtful about who they add to their squads, encouraging smarter roster construction and strategic balance of players.
  • HUT Ranked Competitive Matches For Hardcore Players: Designed for players who thrive in high-stakes competition, Ranked Competitive Matches let fans test their skills against the best of the best as they climb the leaderboard. Players will build their squad, battle for position and prove that they have what it takes to attain championship glory.
    • Matchmaking Structure: NHL 26 introduces Matchmaking Floors, ensuring players won’t ever drop below their earned division within a given season. The top players will qualify for HUT Champs, the pinnacle of ranked play.
    • Restructured Rewards: With a restructured rewards system, every game counts and progression is more transparent with better-defined tiers. Exclusive rewards and jerseys will be up for grabs.
  • Take the Competition Offline With HUT Cup Chase: Players can now take on the challenge of a full season in offline play, battling the CPU across 18 league games before heading into a two-round playoff. Those who advance through the bracket will chase the championship and lift the HUT Cup to unlock exclusive seasonal rewards. HUT Cup Chase also removes leaderboards and replaces them with a dedicated rewards track, giving steady, tangible reward progression.
  • Explore All New Heroes And Icons Player Cards: Each season, new Heroes and Icons player cards expand the HUT roster, allowing players to take control of the game’s most impactful stars across teams and eras. Heroes represent athletes who left an indelible mark on hockey history with unforgettable performances and deep legacies, while Icons embody the true legends of the sport, the greatest to ever lace up skates. Together, these new card types add a dynamic new edge to team-building and bring more variety to lineups. Fans can look forward to multiple drops for Heroes and Icons throughout the year.

Not a bad list of changes and improvements. Of course, there’s a lot more that fans have been requesting, but this is a pretty good step in the right direction for the series.

There is, of course, more to look forward to with this year’s NHL iteration, as EA has detailed in an official blog post from last month. These improvements and changes include things such as a more streamlined Be a Pro HUB, more meaningful moments, career rankings, and much more that you can read up on there. 

All in all, EA NHL 26 is shaping up to be a pretty exciting refresh for those who have maybe held off the last couple of years. Of course, there’s plenty of new there for the annual player too.

NHL 26 will be available worldwide on September 12, 2025, on the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Deluxe Edition buyers will have a full seven days of early access.

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James Lara

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

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Battlefield 6 EOD Bot First Official Look Shows Us What It Can Do

Just like in Battlefield 3, the Engineer class in Battlefield 6 will be able to equip the EOD bot! While BF6’s version of the bot isn’t as cute as BF3’s, it still gets the job done.

DICE has given us our first official look at this gadget in action, and it’s bound to be a nuisance on the battlefield once again.

Battlefield 6 EOD Bot Can Still Eliminate Enemies

The EOD Bot can:

  • Repair & destroy vehicles
  • Arm M-COMs
  • Disarm M-COMs
  • Drop & Destroy mines
  • …kill enemies!

The EOD Bot has certainly been given an overhaul and not just in the looks department! It can now deploy mines that can damage vehicles, which adds another layer of usefulness to it.

It looks like DICE will be trickling info about the gadgets and more leading up to release, and we’re all for it. Speaking of which, thanks to Battlefield Labs, we now know a lot of stuff that’s planned for the final version of the game, and that includes the gadgets. Check out our content overview of BF6’s latest build, where new weapons and more were shown off.

We also have the list of available armaments at launch, and there are over 40 of them. Not only that, but the game will feature Levolution-like destruction! Watch it in action if you don’t believe me.

Battlefield 6 will be released on October 10 for the PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.

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Alex Co

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

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007 First Light Gameplay Incoming During This Week’s PlayStation State of Play

A new PlayStation State of Play has just been announced for this week, and it’s entirely focused on IO Interactive’s new upcoming James Bond game, 007 First Light.

The showcase will be 30 minutes long and feature new details on the action game based on the super spy, including its first real look at gameplay. 

A Dedicated State of Play Announced for 007 First Light 

As announced on the PlayStaion Blog, IO Interactive’s 007 First Light is getting a State of Play showcase this Wednesday. 

“In this upcoming State of Play, tune in for over 30 minutes of gameplay featuring a playthrough of Bond’s first mission as an MI6 recruit.” Yann Roskell, the Senior Global Communication Manager of IO Interactive, said on the PS Blog, ” The action includes everything from high-speed car chases to on-foot stealth sequences and shootouts. Stay tuned after the playthrough for insights from IO Interactive on the intense espionage gameplay.”

I’m not sure what to expect, but as a fan of both the James Bond IP and IO Interactive’s Hitman games, I’m eager to see this in action. I’m hoping we get something that manages to capture the spirit of the Bond films and novels, while also giving us a bit of freedom that the Hitman games have delivered. 

IO Interactive working on the James Bond IP is perhaps a match made in heaven, and fingers crossed, they’re able to do the IP justice! SO be sure to tune in on the official PlayStation Twitch or YouTube channels on September 3 at 11am PT / 7pm BST / 8pm CEST.

In the meantime, for those looking to scratch that James Bond itch, Hitman World of Assassination (aka Hitman 3) has brought back Mads Mikkelsen’s character, Le Chiffre, the villain of the James Bond film, Casino Royale! He’ll be available in the game as an elusive target until September 14, and players who manage to complete the mission will earn an exclusive Casino Suit for 007 First Light when it launches next year. So happy hunting! 

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James Lara

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

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Marvel Rivals PS4 Version Has Been Uploaded to PSN Backend for “Months”

With Marvel Rivals now one of the premiere free-to-play games out in the market, could NetEase be looking to expand its player base by adding players from the last console generation?

While we can’t answer that accurately now, we do know that the developers have uploaded a version of Marvel Rivals for the PS4 on the PlayStation Network.

Marvel Rivals Headed to PS4?

The news comes from reliable data miner PlayStation Game Size, who spotted the Marvel Rivals PS4 client in the backend “months ago” when MP1st asked them about it. While NetEase hasn’t announced anything, PS Game Size noticed that the PS4 game client was updated to version 1.01, and that in “early August,” it was added to the PS5 backwards compatibility list.

That doesn’t mean it will get released, but it’s also worth noting that Season 4 is about to start soon, so perhaps NetEase has a surprise in store for PS4 gamers?

We’ve reached out to the developers, and if we receive a response, we’ll update the article with their response.

I honestly am curious whether the PS4 can even run Marvel Rivals, given its aging hardware. If NetEase manages to do that, it would significantly increase the player base. And if it’s on the PS4, there’s no reason not to release it on the Xbox One, either.

In other Marvel Rivals news, we recently had a sit-down chat with the developers about the game, during which several topics were discussed. I suggest giving it a read, as we asked the studio whether they’re allowed to design their own characters for the hero shooter and more.

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Alex Co

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

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Infinity Nikki New Update 1.9 Adds New Content and Graphical Options for the PS5 via Version 1.009

Infinity Nikki update 1.9 is now available to download on consoles and PC, and this update introduces several new features and content, as well as new graphical modes for PS5 gamers. 

Additionally, this update includes numerous bug fixes and improvements, which are outlined in the patch notes below for what PS5 gamers will see as Infinity Nikki update version 1.009 (complete version 01.009.000) download. 

Infinity Nikki Update 1.009 Patch Notes for September 1, 2025

New Permanent Gameplay Feature: Home

Explore your new customizable home! After completing the quest “Set Off for a Warm Place” you’ll arrive at the Unbound Wharf on the Sea of Stars. Here, the Yardlings will help you build and manage your dream home.

  • Ability Outfits: Five new ability outfits unlock different gameplay features for your home.

    • Spring Blossom: Use the Planting ability to grow and harvest crops.

    • Flawless Vision: Use the Construction ability to craft and decorate your home with furniture. You can save and share your designs with other stylists.

    • Fish Tales: Use the Fish Keeping ability to raise fish in your home pond.

    • Star Memory: Use the Star Collecting ability to find Meteorites, which can be exchanged for Astralites.

    • Meadow Symphony: Use the Animal Invitation ability to invite animals you meet in Miraland to your home.

  • Co-op Mode: Visit your friends’ islands and gift items. You can also be matched with random stylists to visit their islands.
  • Gramophone: Play records in your home! Records can be obtained by exchanging Dews of Inspiration with Kilo the Cadenceborn, trading Astralites with Alison, or collecting them in Wishfield. More methods will be added in future updates.

New Quests & Events (September 1 – September 28)

Limited-Time Quests

  • A Song Without End: Complete the main quest “Power Outage Rescue” to unlock this exclusive quest. Uncover the truth and earn Diamonds, Card: Theater of No Silence, and other materials.
  • The Curtain Never Falls: Participate in “A New Sound Rises” for world quests and “Interlude Tidbits” for random quests. Complete them to earn Diamonds, exclusive sketches, a title, and materials.
  • The Kite’s Return: Complete the main quest “Power Outage Rescue” to unlock this event. Complete tasks to collect “Returning Kites” and exchange them for the three-star outfit Swallow Whispers, Diamonds, and other rewards.
  • Where Are the Gifties?: Complete the main quest “Power Outage Rescue” to unlock this event. Help the stray Gifties return to Gifty Island to earn Diamonds and other materials.
  • Starlit Pursuit: Each week, search for Starlight in designated locations to collect Starlit Crystals and exchange them for exclusive items at the Starlit Shop.
  • Finale Album: Complete the main quest “Power Outage Rescue” to unlock this event. Take eight memorable photos with Momo to fill your album and claim rewards.
  • Dreamland Found: Progress the world quest “Life in a Warm Place” to unlock this event. Complete Chronicle Tasks in the “Dreamland Showcase” to earn Dreamland Stones. These can be exchanged for furniture and Diamonds in the Dreamland Store.

Limited-Time Collaborations & Gameplay

  • Stardew Valley Encounter: Unlocks on September 2. Complete the world quest “Life in a Warm Place” to meet a new friend from Stardew Valley. Complete the adventure over multiple days to earn collab furniture and an outfit.
  • Dancing Melodies: Progress the world quest “Beyond Technique, Upon the Strings” to unlock this event. Visit Florawish to play Aurore’s piano, challenge tracks, and earn Diamonds.

Limited-Time Log-in Events

  • Harmonic Greetings: Log in daily from September 1 to September 16 to claim rewards. Log in for seven days to receive a total of 10 Revelation Crystals.
  • Among the Stars: Purchase the Stellar Trails to instantly unlock rewards based on your total log-in days, including the decoration Falling Starwish.
  • Home Sentiments: From September 1 to September 3, unlock one free furniture piece each day.

Featured Packs & Shop Updates

New Limited-Time Resonance Event

  • Finale of Dreams: Head to Resonance to obtain the five-star outfit Echoed Dreams and the four-star outfit Golden Buds.

    • Echoed Dreams: Completing this outfit unlocks the Dance of Verses ability, which allows you to perform a duet with other stylists in Co-op mode. Evolve the outfit to Stage 3 to unlock additional special effects and an idle animation.

    • Golden Buds: Completing this outfit unlocks the Lyre ability, allowing you to play various melodies.

  • Milestone Reward: Reach 160 Resonance attempts to claim Inside the Drapes, a Home Furniture and Decoration piece.

New Arrivals in Stores

  • Melodic Corridor: Visit the store to purchase packs like Cheer Pulse (outfit Cheering Heartbeat), the hair accessory set Cuteness Overflow, the handheld item Radiant Cheer, and the ultimate combo Graceful Paws. You can also get the decoration Snuggle Puff.
  • Home Gallery: Check out the new furniture sets. The Astral Radiance Pack includes six selected furniture pieces, which can also be purchased individually.
  • Store > Clothing: The outfits Perpetual Dance and Puppet Play are now available for a limited time.
  • Starlit Shop: Use Starlit Crystals to exchange for limited-time items like the face decoration Nightfeather Muse and permanent items like the decoration Tranquil Bamboo Raft.

Featured Packs

  • Finale Resonance Pack Series: Purchase Revelation Crystals and Blings.
  • Timeflow Prism Packs: Purchase Dyeing Prisms.

Other Updates

  • Leila’s Lens Lab: New photo poses are available from Leila, the camera modification merchant.
  • Mira Journey: The new phase begins, and Journey Overture automatically unlocks. Complete tasks to level up and earn rewards.
  • Mira Crown Pinnacle Contest: Phase 1 and 2 of the contest begin, with a +50% bonus to Eurekas Score.

Optimizations

General

  • Enhanced display effects for unclaimed key rewards in the [Deep Echoes] interface.
  • Streamlined the level selection process for [Mira Crown]. After a new phase of [Mira Crown Pinnacle Contest] begins, stylists who earned specific star ratings in the previous phase of [Mira Crown Pinnacle Contest] can now skip preliminary rounds. Skipped rounds are auto-completed at three stars, granting immediate rewards.
  • Added confirmation pop-ups when exchanging more than 10 items in the [Resonance] or [Diamond] section of the Store, showing quantity and results.
  • New camera settings under [Settings > Controls]: [Camera Distance] for adjusting Nikki’s proximity in the open world and [Field of View] for expanding/reducing visible area.
  • Optimized open-world HUD layouts for mobile, PC, and PS5.
  • Improved photo management: Photos can be deleted right after capture.
  • Added [Prolonged Presence] for the [Default: Roaming Loong] ability of the [Clouded Loong] outfit: When enabled, the White Loong lingers for 10 seconds after dismissal. If entering photo mode during this window, the Loong persists throughout the shoot.

Graphics & Display

  • Added Graphics Mode and Performance Mode presets for PS5.

    • Graphics Mode matches pre-Version 1.9 default (30fps cap), whereas Performance Mode boosts frame rate to 60fps.

    • Post-update, PS5 defaults to [Performance Mode]. Stylists can switch to [Graphics Mode] via [Settings > Graphics].

  • Added a display device switcher for PC, allowing stylists with multi-monitor setups to seamlessly select which screen runs the game.
  • Added support for Intel XeSS Super Resolution and Frame Generation on PC.

Co-op Gameplay

  • Optimized the performance of various game functions when Stylists are present in public co-op areas such as [the Sea of Stars].

    • [Mira Crown], [Styling Factions], [Realm Challenge], and [Folklore Guide] can be accessed without having to leave the co-op area.

    • When in these public co-op areas, tracked solo quests will display corresponding zone-specific hints.

  • Stylists can now view solo quest summaries during open-world co-op. Additionally, when in co-op mode, a quick exit co-op shortcut has been added to solo quest detail interfaces.
  • Optimized the presentation of open-world co-op invitations, adding a waiting status icon for invitations on the main interface.
  • Optimized error messages for co-op invitations, enabling stylists to view failure reasons more clearly when initiating co-op.
  • Optimized two-player hand holding performance, improving smoothness and motion effects.

Color Lookbook & DIY Workshop

  • Optimized the experience of viewing and saving outfit/Dyeing Schemes in the [Color Lookbook]. After importing and saving a Dyeing Scheme, stylists can choose to jump to the Wardrobe interface and immediately equip the imported scheme.
  • Added a button to restore default colors in the [DIY Workshop] dye interface. Using it removes all applied Dyeing Schemes from currently worn clothing items. Using it again reapplies the removed schemes.
  • Optimized the visual indicators displaying outfit pieces’ compatibility with Dye effects, Patterns, and Special Effects.
  • Optimized warning text during Dyeing Scheme imports for unobtained clothing items and locked palettes.
  • Added an unlock function for all available color palettes of the current outfit piece in the palette interface.
  • Added image saving and share-code copying to the Dyeing Scheme sharing interface on mobile devices.

Fixed Issues

  • Fixed an issue where dye effects failed to take effect when switching the [Snow Script] piece of the [Clouded Loong] outfit from handheld to worn state.
  • Fixed an issue where switching between alternate details of the [Clouded Loong] outfit overwrote the saved Dyeing Scheme for the long style.
  • Fixed an issue where arm animations glitched on the [Earthly Blessing] piece of the [Gossamer Moonfairy] outfit during the [Scroll of Splendor: Purification] ability.
  • Fixed an issue where Area 2 couldn’t be dyed after glowing up the [Rosecrown Dance] piece of the [Pink Ribbon Waltz] outfit.
  • Fixed an issue where dye effects didn’t take effect on the [Graceful Branch] piece of the [Misty Poetics] outfit when first entering the open world.
  • Fixed an issue where Fireworks order sequences displayed incorrectly after reordering in the [Fireworks Crafting Station].
  • Fixed an issue where players floated uncontrollably when activating the camera while transformed into a Blushbunny in Animal Playtime.
  • Fixed an issue where patterns appeared blurry on the [Searching for Light] piece of the outfit [Spectral Mist] on certain device models.
  • Fixed an issue where NPC Liu Cangxia’s hair disappeared in [Danqing Island] on certain device models.
  • Fixed an issue where dye effects malfunctioned in the open world for certain pieces of the [Blooming Dreams] outfit under certain conditions.
  • Fixed an issue where dye effects malfunctioned in the open world for certain pieces of the [Timeless Melody] outfit under certain conditions.
  • Fixed an issue where dye effects malfunctioned in the open world for the [Emerald Lake] outfit piece under certain conditions.
  • Fixed an issue where visual anomalies occurred on pieces of the [Crimson Rhapsody] outfit under certain conditions.
  • Fixed an issue where visual anomalies occurred on the [Graceful Departure] piece under certain conditions.
  • Fixed an issue where the two characters didn’t return to their starting positions after canceling the Loong ride under certain conditions.
  • Fixed an issue where dye effects malfunctioned in the open world for certain pieces of the [Crimson Feather] outfit under certain conditions.

Lots of good stuff in this update, especially for PS5 players wanting to be able to play with better framerate or image quality. Hopefully, there will be some PS5 Pro support down the road.

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James Lara

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

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In The Blood of the Dawnwalker, Time Is a Currency, But You Won’t Be Punished for Being Idle

One of the most stand-out features in Rebeal Wolves’ upcoming RPG, The Blood of the Dawnwalker, is the time mechanic that gives players 30 days and 30 nights to beat the game. Despite the time limit, the studio ensures that players won’t feel rushed to beat it, as time only advances based on specific actions.

So if you like taking your sweet time roaming the world and taking in the sights, you won’t be punished for it, though that’s not to say you should ignore the mechanic, as in this game, time is an important currency, and you’ll have to be wise in how you use it.

You Can AFK Without Penalty

If the news of the 30-day and 30-night time limit seemed like a turn-off, worry not, as Rebeal Wolves isn’t actually using a real-time clock to count the minutes. Instead, the game will only advance time based on specific actions, a feature we were informed about during our visit to gamescom this year. Rebel Wolves took to showing off the game behind closed doors during a media-invite event, where they walked us through a hands-off demo showing off new gameplay and plenty of in-game mechanics. Specifically, the time system, which in many ways acts more like a currency in the world of Dawnwalker.

For every mission or key activity you do, the day/night advances by a specific set of time. Some actions will take one or more hours, while tasks like entering and exploring a tomb can consume a whopping six hours per day. That’s not to say it will take that long to complete, but rather how much time will pass in the game’s world.

We assume that there will be plenty of time (30-40 hours is the current estimate for the campaign) to do everything the world has to offer, but even then, that does make time a pretty interesting aspect of the game. A currency that you have to keep an eye on and use wisely if you want to prevent the vampires from taking over the world.

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The good news here is that players won’t be penalized for simply standing around and doing nothing (commonly known as going AFK or Away From Keyboard), or for freely exploring the world. If you want to sit there and stare at the sun all day, in real-world time, you can do so, and the game won’t advance at all. It’s not a dynamic day and night cycle in the traditional sense, where everything is in motion regardless of whether you do anything. It advances as you do.

Now you may be wondering what advantages this type of system may create, and there are a few when it comes to the gameplay. For example, during our demo overview, the team broke down how, during the daytime, we would embark on a quest to find a sword, which would lead through several questlines, interacting with NPCs, and performing various tasks. But at night, we could just teleport where we needed to go and take a more direct, offensive approach, given that’s when Coen’s vampiric powers are the strongest.

It’s a more direct approach, something that even the studio pointed out that we could just go straight to the objective without doing much else. It’ll be challenging, considering you’d be low gear and leveled, but it’s entirely possible to skip a bulk of things.

I think it’s a neat idea, and thankfully one that isn’t going to rush players, but give them unique opportunities to tackle things their own way.

The Blood of the Dawnwalker will launch on the PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in 2026. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out the latest gameplay for the game, which features 15 minutes of combat and other activities.

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James Lara

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

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Every Character in Invincible VS Will Have Dialogue With Each Other, Even If It Didn’t Happen in the Comics

One of the coolest ongoing trends in fighting games is the character interactions that players witness before a fight begins. These often lead to some pretty memorable moments, with developers creating unique dialogue and exchanges between rivals and allies to add depth to the game’s lore and personality to its roster. Mortal Kombat is one such series that has continued this trend, and there are several others out there, so at this point, it’s nothing particularly unique.

Nonetheless, there’s good news for Invincible fans anticipating the upcoming 3v3 tag team fighter, Invincible VS, as the studio has confirmed that we can expect to see these types of interactions in the game.

Invincible Fans Can Look Forward to Their Favorite Characters Meeting for the First Time

Speaking to us during our hands-on with Invincible VS at gamescom this year, the studio, Quarter Up, spoke a bit about the character interactions that we’ll see in the game.

“Every character in the game has dialogue with every other character. So when you see the matchup, even if it didn’t happen in the comics, or in the movie (assume they meant show), they have interactions across the board. So it’s intros, responses, outros, clash moments, it’s all there.”

When we asked if taunting (which is in the game) would also provide unique dialogue between certain characters, the answer was sadly no. Understandable, considering it’s a fairly generic move, but it was worth asking anyway.

Now, for those worried that the dialogue would be the same ones repeated, the studio confirmed to us that they’ve recorded multiple lines of dialogue for each interaction in the game. Meaning there’s more than one intro and such for every matchup.

Part of the reason for this is that the studio recognizes there may be players who have never seen the show or read the comics, and the hope is that by adding personality to each character, they will encourage them to do so. If they could even get one person to go out and read the comics after playing their game, they would consider that a “win,” they tell us.

Invincible VS has no release date, but it is targeting a 2026 release window.

In other fighting game news, Street Fighter 6’s crossover event with Monster Hunter Wilds is now live on all platforms, and there’s a lot of new content to chew on.

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James Lara

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

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Kojima Productions “Beyond The Strand” Event Announced; Will Offer a “Glimpse” Into Future Projects

This year marks a significant milestone for Kojima Productions, not because of the release of a sequel to Death Stranding, but instead because it marks the 10th anniversary of the studio’s founding.

To celebrate, Hideo Kojima and the team are hosting a special event this month that will celebrate their achievement, as well as give us a sneak peek into what’s next for Kojima Productions.

Could We See OD or Physint Later This Month? 

On Tuesday, September 23, 2025, Kojima Productions will be hosting a 10-year anniversary celebration event called “Beyond The Strand.” Though details are light, the event will celebrate the journey that the studio has undergone over the last 10 years since its founding, and will feature special guest appearances. Who those guests might be remains to be announced, though if we had to guess, we’re likely going to see some of the stars of Death Stranding, as well as key members of the development team that helped bring the franchise to life. 

However, the interesting tidbit of information is that the studio has teased a “glimpse into future projects” during this event. While the odds of Death Stranding 3 being announced in any capcacity are slim to none, we do know that the studio is currently working on two other IPs, those being: OD and Physint.

OD (Overdose) is a project in collaboration with Xbox and film director Jordan Peele, which is said to be a new form of horror that will test “your fear threshold” and blur the lines between films and gaming. It was announced two years ago, and since then, the studio has been pretty silent on the project. All we have is this rather strange teaser that Hideo Kojima presented during the 2023 Game Awards show. 

Project Physint, on the other hand, is a new stealth-action espionage game being developed along with PlayStation that was announced back in 2024. It’s unlikely that we’ll see this at the event, considering it was in its conceptual stage when it was announced, and Kojima stated that it was still 5-6 years away, which would put its release at 2029 or 2030. The studio also made it clear that they were focusing on Death Stranding 2, as well as OD, at the time of the announcement, so if we’re going to see anything at the event, our best bet is that it’s going to be OD.

But expectations should remain intact, as they say it’s just a glimpse of their future projects, so don’t expect anything major in terms of details. Still, they could surprise us, and knowing Kojima, he loves to divert expectations. That, and a glimpse could literally mean anything to the man. 

Guess we’ll all find out when Beyond The Strand airs on September 23, 2025. 

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James Lara

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

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Battlefield 6’s Battle Royale Gameplay Surfaces, Showcasing Points of Interests

The Battlefield 6 leaks continue to roll in, this time focusing on the yet-to-be-seen Battlefield 6 Battle Royale mode.

With the game’s October launch fast approaching, we’re expecting an official reveal soon, but for now, here’s a look at some early gameplay for Battlefield 6’s Battle Royale mode.

Even With Its Unfinished Build, Battlefield 6’s Battle Royale Shows Much Promise

The leaks, which were shared by bilibili user Misaka_Mikoto_01, give us our first look at the map featured in the Battle Royale mode for Battlefield 6. There’s not a whole lot in terms of “gameplay,” considering the lack of a populated server, though we do have some instances of swimming and underwater segments, along with some of the expected points of interest that players will visit. There are even some bits of gameplay showing off the destruction a sledgehammer can do, as well as the new ladder gadget in action.

Clearly, an early, unfinished, and unpolished build of the Battle Royale mode. But even then, it shows much promise, with many already getting excited by the sheer size of the map.

While Battle Royale might not be everyone’s forte, Battlefield doing one might do some good convincing, assuming it’s able to maintain the very aspects that we love about the core experience. I’m not big on Battle Royale myself, but if it’s Battlefield we’re talking about, I’ll give it a go as long as I can cause havoc on the map like I already do.

I’m hopeful, though, that all the points of interest featured in the Battle Royale map can be played as standalone experiences. Some good-looking places on that map that look like they would be fun to play in the standard Battlefield experience, so fingers crossed the Battle Studios add them to the base game, and not just as Portal experiences.

As for when we can expect to see the Battle Royale mode being revealed, that’s anyone’s guess. With Battlefield 6 launching on October 10, 2025, we reckon the reveal for the Battlefield 6 Battle Royale mode is a lot closer than we think.

In other Battlefield 6 news, the game’s weapons list has surfaced, and it also confirms the game will feature weapon inspect with a free-look option.

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James Lara

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

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Hell Is Us Review – Brutal, Bold, and Broken in Places

Hell Is Us is a game that wears its ambition proudly. This third-person action-adventure doesn’t try to be anything it’s not. There are no maps, no quest markers, no glowing icons to guide you—just you, your instincts, and the will to survive in a hostile, war-torn land haunted by supernatural horrors. We spent time with Hell Is Us for the game review, and while its vision is undeniably bold, its execution can feel uneven, frustrating, and at times, outright felt clunky.

Developer Rogue Factor made it clear early on: this isn’t your typical open-world romp. The game isn’t designed to coddle you or point you down a clear path. Instead, it wants players to explore, discover, and survive under their own steam. It’s a world where exploration, combat, and mystery are all intertwined—but the journey is rough around the edges.

For every moment that nails the mood, Hell Is Us offers a moment of confusion or sluggishness. It’s a fascinating, divisive title one that will either hook players with its ambition or leave them bouncing off in frustration.

Exploration: No Crutches, No Comfort

Right from the opening moments, Hell Is Us drops you into a bleak, conflict-ridden environment. A civil war rages in the background, while strange supernatural creatures roam the countryside—monsters that shrug off conventional weapons. You play as Remy, armed only with a mystical sword and a drone, tasked with navigating this war-torn land while uncovering the truth behind the calamity.

The first thing that hits you is the game’s refusal to hold your hand. There’s no mini-map to track objectives, no glowing path markers, and no GPS-style guidance. There’s technically a compass early on, but you’ll rarely ever use it beyond initial tutorial moments. Instead, progression relies on curiosity, observation, and attention to dialogue. NPCs provide vague hints, environmental details give subtle clues, and it’s up to you to piece them together—or wander until you stumble across a solution.

This approach is surprisingly refreshing. Without a checklist dictating your every step, exploration feels organic. Discovering a hidden ruin, unlocking a sealed door with a key you found hours earlier, or assembling lore from scattered notes offers genuine satisfaction. It channels the sense of wonder from classic adventure games, where uncovering secrets was as much about intuition as skill.

That said, freedom comes with drawbacks. Without clear guidance, it’s easy to feel lost. Sometimes you’ll wonder whether you’ve missed something essential or are simply exploring at your own pace. And unlike some adventure games, there’s no jumping, climbing, or platforming to help you reach those hard-to-access spots; everything is grounded in flat, semi-open environments.

Another unique quirk: enemies will not pursue you unless you’re close or within their line of sight. It reinforces the feeling that this is a world with rules, but it can also make stealth and planning feel a little too safe at times. While some players will appreciate this realism, others may find it breaks tension.

Combat: Heavy, Brutal and Sluggish

Combat in Hell Is Us is deliberate and punishing. Drawing inspiration from Nioh and Soulslike systems, the game focuses heavily on melee engagements with swords, axes, and spears. Each weapon type has distinct feel and weight, with upgrades and relics that allow you to customize them further. As you fight, you’ll earn the materials to improve gear, unlocking new effects and tailoring weapons to your preferred playstyle.

The core mechanics—dodging, blocking, and parrying tie into the game’s signature “pulse” system. After chaining attacks, you can trigger this ability to restore health and stamina, encouraging aggressive play rather than turtle-style blocking. It’s a cool concept, and it works in theory, but the execution leaves something to be desired. Movements are deliberately heavy, sometimes verging on clunky, and combat often devolves into slow, endurance-focused encounters rather than exciting duels.

One bright spot is the drone, which lets you isolate enemies and take on fights one-on-one, even in larger groups. This adds tactical depth, but the sluggishness of animations and the weight of strikes can make battles feel more like chores than thrilling tests of skill.

Another small mercy: death isn’t punishing. You won’t lose your items; instead, you respawn at checkpoints. This keeps frustration levels manageable while still allowing combat to retain its tension.

Puzzles and Investigation: The Highlight

The investigative side of Hell Is Us is where it really excels. With no quest markers, progress relies on piecing together notes, listening to dialogue, and observing your surroundings. Puzzles are clever but grounded, often allowing multiple approaches. Some can even be brute-forced if you’re willing to experiment, but paying attention to environmental clues and NPC hints is usually the smarter way to go.

These quieter moments are the most consistent part of the experience. Locked chests, hidden passages, and cryptic notes scattered across the world reward exploration and make you feel smart when you figure them out. It’s also a nice change of pace from combat, giving the game breathing room and a real sense of tension and curiosity.

Trading with NPCs is another puzzle-adjacent system. You can give them items repeatedly to see what they want, but finding the right solution often requires listening carefully to dialogue. This can be engaging for players who enjoy deduction, but it’s also easy to spend a lot of time experimenting with no guarantees.

Atmosphere: Where the Game Truly Shines

If there’s one aspect of Hell Is Us that deserves praise, it’s the presentation. This game is visually stunning, with bleak, war-torn environments that feel oppressive and alive with tension. Muted color palettes, abandoned villages, and desolate fields create a haunting backdrop, while a sinister soundtrack amplifies the sense of dread.

Creature design is particularly memorable. Chimeras are grotesque and otherworldly, genuinely unsettling in appearance. Every encounter with them feels like stepping into a nightmare, and the tension they bring to exploration is palpable.

Characters are well-modeled and expressive, but the storytelling can falter. Cutscenes occasionally impress, such as when Remy first witnesses another soldier wield the mystical sword but context is often lacking. Why does Remy suddenly know how to wield the sword and drone? Why doesn’t his military training help him deal with these creatures? These gaps in logic create confusion rather than intrigue, some may be explain later down through narratives, dialogues or clues but some are not ever mentioned, leaving players with more questions than answers.

Performance and Accessibility

Technically, Hell Is Us performs solidly. The world is detailed, character models are expressive, and frame rates remain stable, though the heavy animations in combat can occasionally make inputs feel slightly delayed.

Accessibility-wise, adjustable difficulty levels are a welcome addition, letting players tailor the challenge to their comfort. But quality-of-life features, particularly navigation aids, are minimal. Some players will love the immersion this creates; others will find it frustratingly opaque.

Verdict

Hell Is Us is a game that dares to be different, and for that, it deserves recognition. Its refusal to hold your hand creates moments of genuine exploration, mystery, and tension. Puzzles and investigative elements shine, and the atmosphere is haunting in a way few games manage.

However, the game’s ambitions come at a cost. Combat often feels sluggish and clunky, pacing is uneven, and storytelling can leave you scratching your head. The lack of guidance will appeal to some players while alienating others.

Ultimately, Hell Is Us is a game of extremes. It will either captivate you with its boldness or frustrate you with its rough edges. There’s a lot to respect here, even if the execution isn’t flawless.

Score: 6.5/10

Pros:

  • Immersive exploration with no handholding
  • Rewarding puzzles and investigation
  • Haunting, atmospheric world design
  • Unique healing mechanic tied to combat flow
  • Bold vision that stands out from genre peers

Cons:

  • Combat often feels sluggish and clunky
  • Exploration can devolve into aimless wandering
  • Early game pacing is slow
  • Lack of direction risks alienating players
  • Trading and puzzle hints can be tedious
  • Lack of jumping/climbing limits environmental navigation

Hell is Us review code was provided by the publisher. You can read MP1st’s review and scoring policy right here.

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Alexander Lataillade-Nguyen

Alexander Lataillade-Nguyen is a California-based cybersecurity professional and lifelong gamer with a passion for continuous learning. Outside of his work in ethical IT and digital security, he enjoys competitive pinball, miniature painting, and exploring new hobbies and cuisines.

Home > Title Updates and Patches

Street Fighter 6 x Monster Hunter Wilds Collab Now Live via Update Version 1.000.022/1.22

Capcom’s big Street Fighter 6 x Monster Hunter Wlds collaboration is now live in the fighting game, and this also includes balance changes to a few fighters.

Players will see this download appear as Street Fighter 6 update 1.000.022/1.22, and if you own Monster Hunter Wilds, there are stuff to earn there too.

Read on for the slate of new content and balance changes made by Capcom today.

Street Fighter 6 x Monster Hunter Wilds New Content via Patch 1.000.022/1.22

The limited-time event starts today and runs until September 30.

Limited-time sale of EX Colors for Blanka, Akuma, Manon, Cammy, and Ken!

To celebrate the collaboration, five EX Colors inspired by monsters from Monster Hunter Wilds for Blanka, Akuma, Manon, Cammy, and Ken will be available to purchase in the in-game shop.

Earn 4 weapon accessories, 7 titles, and 2 emotes through the Street Voter event!

To celebrate the collaboration, a special Street Voter event will be held in the Battle Hub! This time, it’s between the Demon vs. White Wraith. Who’s going to win this one!? The outcome depends on your votes, so be sure to join in!

Obtain additional votes to earn 4 weapon accessories including the “Hope Blade,” 7 titles including “Mmm, so tasty!” and 2 emotes: “Hunter’s Applause” and “Hunter’s Hula.” Talk to Eternity in the Battle Hub to cast your vote!

Voting Period

From Monday, September 1, 2025 at 12:00am to Sunday, September 15, 2025 at 11:59pm (PDT)

Even after casting your initial vote, you can earn additional votes by playing more Cabinet Matches or Avatar Battles in the Battle Hub. So take this opportunity to dive in and enjoy everything the Battle Hub has to offer!

Get the “Monster Hunter Wilds” challenger screen effect, “Quest Start” sound effect, 10 stamps, and 2 device wallpapers for free!

All players who log in during the collaboration period will receive special items for free!

Included in the in-game NEWS are exclusive rewards such as the “Monster Hunter Wilds” challenger screen effect, “Quest Start” sound effect, 10 stamps, and 2 device wallpapers.

The Battle Hub will be transformed with a special Monster Hunter Wilds-themed interior!

Photo spots featuring Rathalos and Rathian will be available, so suit up in your collaboration gear, strike a pose for a commemorative photo, and challenge rivals from around the world. Enjoy everything the Battle Hub has to offer!

The popular Monster Hunter themed Fighting Pass is back!

This returning Fighting Pass features avatar gear inspired by Monster Hunter, including the Rathalos Helm, Rathalos Mail, Rathalos Coil, Rathalos Greaves, and the Felyne Head—plus emotes, titles, and more!

Even more collaboration-exclusive avatar gear color variations are coming to the in-game SHOP!

  • Rath Soul Set, Rathalos Silver Set, Rathalos Gold Set, Rathalos Black Set
  • Felyne Head (Green), Felyne Head (Blue), Felyne Head (Black), Felyne Head (Pink)

Street Fighter 6 September Update Balance Changes via Patch 1.000.022/1.22

While Capcom is usually on the ball for Street Fighter 6 patches wherein we don’t see a lot of bugs crop up, if we do get another one, expect it here on MP1st.

For now, enjoy the new content.

If you play Monster Hunter Wilds, a new hotfix for it was released last week, and Capcom hasn’t detailed when the next one will drop, which we’re hoping will include performance improvements.

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Alex Co

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

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Rocksteady’s New Game Director Is an Assassin’s Creed Franchise Veteran

Following the massive flop that was Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, it’s expected that developer Rocksteady Studios will have staffing changes to some degree, since you can’t have a game be in development for close to a decade, bomb this hard, and not expect anyone to come out of it unscathed.

With rumors suggesting that Rocksteady is working on a new single-player game, it appears the studio has found its new game director.

The new hire is a Ubisoft veteran who has loads of experience working on the Assassin’s Creed franchise.

Rocksteady Studios Hires Assassin’s Creed Vet as  Game Director

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The new hire is Bill Money, a former Ubisoft veteran who worked as Game Director at Ubisoft Singapore. Money has worked on Assassin’s Creed Mirage, AC Valhalla, AC Origins.

Confirmation of Money’s new position comes from his LinkedIn profile, which mentions his new title as Game Director at Rocksteady, effective July 2025 (thanks, Batman Arkham Videos).

Interestingly enough, this isn’t Money’s first rodeo with Warner Bros., as the developer worked as a Design Director at WB Games Montreal from Aug. 2011 to July 2014. His projects there included LEGO: Legends of Chima Online (mobile), and Cartoon Universe (mobile), and Batman: Arkham Origins (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U, PC).

While there’s no word on what Money is working on at the studio, the fact that he worked on a Batman Arkham game, and rumors have cropped up repeatedly that Rocksteady is working on a new single-player Batman game, and that Assassin’s Creed is a franchise that’s a third-person action game that features an open-world, with emphasis on melee combat, and well, you can put two and two togther.

There’s also a job listing from the studio earlier this year that they were looking for a Game Director that asks for “design leadership and experience across multiple genres, particularly Third-Person Action, Melee Brawlers, and Open World Traversal games.”

It seems Rocksteady has finally found their leader after all these months of looking.

Could Money be working on a new Batman game for Rocksteady? Odds are high that he is, though we can’t be certain for sure until Warner Bros. or Rocksteady confirms it.

At the very least, Rocksteady’s new game is on the move with a new director, and let’s hope Money manages to release a game that won’t take as long as Suicide Squad to develop.

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Alex Co

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

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Escape From Tarkov Steam Release Confirmed

With Escape from Tarkov 1.0 officially arriving this November, it seems that the game is gearing up to release on more PC storefronts, as it’s been confirmed that Escape from Tarkov will be released on Steam (finally!).

More details are expected to arrive soon.

Escape from Tarkov is Escaping Its Way to Steam

The official confirmation of a Steam release for Escape from Tarkov comes from Battlestate Games‘ head, Nikita Buyanov, who revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that the team is currently working on the game’s Steam page with an image (pictured above).

There are no details beyond that, including whether the Steam release will arrive on the same day as the 1.0 launch (separate launcher). Let’s have our fingers crossed that it does, as many Steam players would love to own the game on the platform.

With Steam officially confirmed, the question now is whether or not Escape From Tarkov will be released on other PC Storefronts, like the Epic Games Store or GOG. Not only that, but will the game come to consoles at all? We sure hope so, as it’s one of the biggest and most popular hardcore story-driven online shooters out there.

In the very least, we shouldn’t have long to wait to hear more about the 1.0 release of Escape From Tarkov, as it’s currently being showcased at PAX West. Fortunately, we’re at the event and should have more details (as well as a preview) on the big 1.0 update later this week, so stay tuned for that!

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James Lara

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

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Battlefield 6 Weapons List Revealed; Weapon Inspect Free Look Confirmed

DICE is delivering over 40 weapons in Battlefield 6. If you’re curious what they are, wonder no more, as we have what I presume to be the complete list.

The info comes from the latest build of the BF6 in Battlefield Labs, and thanks to one player who went through the menus, we now have the list of what looks to be the complete weapons list that will be available at launch.

Needless to say, this is from a pre-release build, so there is a chance that some of the weapons listed will be removed from the final game, or some might get added, but given we’re about a month away from release, I highly doubt DICE will make any major weapon changes.

Battlefield 6 Weapons List Surface From Latest BF Labs Build

ASSAULT RIFLES

  • MA33
  • B36A4
  • SOR-556 MK2
  • AK4D
  • TR7
  • KORD 6967
  • NVO 22BE
  • L85A3

CARBINES

  • M4A1
  • M277
  • AK-205
  • M417 A2
  • QBZ-192
  • SG 553R

SUB MACHINEGUNS (SMG)

  • SGX
  • PW543
  • PW7A2
  • UMG-40
  • USG-90
  • KV9
  • SCW-10
  • SL9

LIGHT MACHINEGUNS (LMG)

  • L110
  • DRS-IAR
  • RPKM
  • M123K
  • M250
  • KTS100 MK8

DMR

  • M39 EMR
  • LMR27
  • SVK-8.6
  • SVDM

SNIPER RIFLES

  • M2010 ESR
  • SV-98
  • PSR

SHOTGUNS

  • 18.5KS-K
  • M1014
  • M87AI

SECONDARY

  • P18
  • ES 5.7
  • M45A1
  • M44
  • GGH-22

If that’s not enough weapon info for you, it’s now confirmed that there will be a weapon inspect feature for Battlefield 6, and it lets you look at it freely! Check it out in action below (via BobNetwork):

Speaking of weapons, the camos/skins we’ll get to adorn these with have surfaced, too, and they look more grounded save for a few ones.

In addition to the weapons, our first gameplay look at Battlefield 6’s largest map available at launch, Mirak Valley, has also surfaced, which should appease those who felt burned by the small maps in the Open Beta.

The map isn’t only big, but there’s even a Levolution-like moment, which you’ll want to see how epic it is.

Battlefield 6 will be released on October 10 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.

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Alex Co

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

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Call of Duty HQ Slashing Its File Size Below 100GB in Next Update and Here’s How It Works

If you’re a player of Call of Duty, chances are the file size of the game is one of the nagging annoyances that you have to deal with every time there’s an update or a new game for the franchise is released.

While Activision appears to be separating its mainline Call of Duty games from Call of Duty HQ, the upcoming update version 1.80 will take it one step further: it will also drastically reduce the file size of the main game, albeit with a caveat.

This is a bit confusing on how it works, given that Call of Duty HQ comprises Warzone and a bunch of other Call of Duty games.

Call of Duty HQ Overall Size Will Be Reduced via Update 1.80

The latest information about COD HQ’s file size changes comes from reliable data miner PlayStation Game Size, who mentioned that patch 1.80 has been uploaded to the backend of the PlayStation Network, which is not new when it comes to patches for Call of Duty games.

Once the update is applied, players can expect the COD HQ app to be reduced to less than 100 GB, though this is without multiplayer. Using the latest Call of Duty game out as an example (Black Ops 6), here’s how it works (as explained to us by PlayStation Game Size):

Call of Duty HQ File Size Reduction via Patch 1.80 Explanation

Before the 1.80 Patch]: If you don’t own Black Ops 6

  • You need to download 125 GB + Warzone Pack (around 30 GB) to play Warzone.
  • You’ll also need to download an additional 125 GB to play Multiplayer

After the 1.80 Patch]: If you don’t own Black Ops 6

There is a base 25 GB download for the COD HQ app itself,

  • You need to download 25 GB + Warzone Pack (around 30GB) to play Warzone
  • Total file size will be 55 GB to play Warzone.

After the 1.80 Patch]: If you own Black Ops 6

  • You need to download 40 GB to play Multiplayer
  • Total file size will be around 65 GB to play multiplayer.

Total size for the whole experience (base, multiplayer, and Warzone) = 95 GB

While Activision hasn’t mentioned when the update is dropping, it’s sometime this coming week given it’s already been preloaded on the PlayStation Network. If we use past update deployment times as a reference point, it should be out anytime between Tuesday (Sept. 2) to Thursday (Sept. 4). I’m assuming it will fall on a Wednesday (Sept. 3) since that’s when Call of Duty studios release seasonal updates.

Expect gameplay adjustments, bug fixes, and the like to be part of the patch as well.

Hopefully, Black Ops 7 will be completely separate from COD HQ, and this failed experiment by Activision is just used for Warzone and not for future mainline Call of Duty games.

Speaking of Black Ops 7, Activision has decided to rescind the carry-forward initiative for the game, as they want to make this year’s iteration “feel authentic to Call of Duty.”

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Alex Co

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