Sony Responds To Xbox/Activision News, Says Games Will Stay Multiplatform For Now

Sony has responded to Microsoft’s blockbuster proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard, a deal that sent shockwaves through the industry and one that could hurt the PlayStation company.

One of the biggest questions going forward, should Microsoft’s deal go through, is whether or not games like Call of Duty will become Xbox-exclusive or stay on all platforms. A spokesperson for Sony told The Wall Street Journal (via VGC), “We expect that Microsoft will abide by contractural agreements and continue to ensure Activision games are multiplatform.”

Activision recently published the prospectus of its deal with Microsoft, and there are multiple sections pertaining to what happens with regards to “existing partner agreements.” You can see a full breakdown of these below, but the quick takeaway is that Activision Blizzard said it will honor “all existing commitments” when the deal closes. “As with Microsoft’s acquisition of Minecraft, we have no intent to remove any content from platforms where it exists today,” the company said.

Microsoft acquired Mojang and the Minecraft series and it continues to release the games on PlayStation (and Nintendo) instead of making them exclusive to Xbox. For Microsoft’s Bethesda buyout, Microsoft is honoring existing contracts–which is why Deathloop and Ghostwire: Tokyo are PlayStation exclusives at launch–but future titles like Starfield and The Elder Scrolls VI are expected to be Xbox-exclusives.

Activision and Sony have never disclosed the terms of their exclusivity arrangement for Call of Duty, so it remains unclear if the franchise will stay multiplatform. Some have suggested that Call of Duty: Warzone might remain multiplatform, with the yearly “mainline” games becoming Xbox-exclusive. This is just speculation for now, though, and no official announcements have been made.

Microsoft and Activision Blizzard may be legally forbidden from discussing specifics about the deal due to regulatory rules, so fans hoping for concrete answers might not get them for some time. Officially, the deal is expected to close in Microsoft’s FY2023, which runs July 2022-June 2023.

This will no doubt be an evolving and ongoing story, so keep checking back with GameSpot for the latest.

Activision/Microsoft Contract Details

How does this transaction impact existing partner agreements (i.e., Sony, Google, Apple)? Will this change what we’re able to offer our partners or how we structure our agreements?

We will honor all existing commitments post close. As with Microsoft’s acquisition of Minecraft, we have no intent to remove any content from platforms where it exists today. We would be open to discussions to enter into an agreement to confirm our intent when it is appropriate to do so.

Will Activision Blizzard begin to work with Microsoft partners?

At this time, it remains business as usual, and we do not anticipate any changes to existing contracts or partnerships.Players are at the center of everything we do at Activision Blizzard and Microsoft, and both teams will continue to provide great games and services to their players and partners. We are still working to finalize the specifics of the future organization and will provide updates as we are able

Does this mean Microsoft has to approve all business decisions at Activision Blizzard?

Until transaction close both companies will continue to operate independently.

What will the relationship between Xbox and Activision Blizzard be?

Activision Blizzard’s games exist on a variety of platforms today, and we plan to continue supporting those communities moving forward. The transaction is about increasing the availability of Activision Blizzard’s content across more platforms. This is consistent with Microsoft’s commitment to giving players more choice to play the games they want, anywhere.

How will this transaction affect our pipeline and existing games? How will current projects be affected by the transaction? After the deal closes, will we work on non-Activision Blizzard titles/products within Microsoft/Xbox/Bethesda?

We do not anticipate that this news will affect the rollout of Activision Blizzard’s current pipeline or existing games. Until close it remains business as usual and both companies will continue to operate independently. We are still working to finalize the specifics of the future organization. For now, we ask that you stay focused on your current responsibilities.

Will this acquisition increase Activision Blizzard’s ability to create new products and focus on innovation?

This transaction is predominantly about growth and Microsoft’s diversified operation will create meaningful opportunities for future development and innovation. This deal will combine Activision Blizzard’s audience, IP, and iconic games with Microsoft’s secure technology and platform to create a new company that can increase competition in the metaverse.

Read MoreGameSpot – Game News

Intel’s Next Gen Bitcoin ASIC called BZM2: Built on 7nm, 137 GigaHash/sec at 2.5 W

It has been noted in the media that at the upcoming ISSCC conference at the end of February, Intel is set to give a talk entitled ‘Bonanza Mine: An Ultra-Low Voltage Energy Efficient Bitcoin Mining ASIC’. It already has a lot of attention, as it confirms the fact that Intel is working towards blockchain-enabling hardware. Through a number of channels, we’ve been able to acquire more details about this chip ahead of the conference.

Read MoreAnandTech

Former XCOM, Civilization Devs Have Formed A New Studio

The world of turn-based strategy games just got a new player, as former Firaxis developer Greg Foertsch revealed his new studio Bit Reactor. The studio is made up of other Firaxis alumni, as well as talent pulled from other studios.

Greg Foertsch was previously a Firaxis art director, who spent over 20 years employed at the studio. His many credits on Firaxis games include XCOM: Enemy Unknown, XCOM 2, and Sid Meyer’s Civilization III and Civilization IV.

It’s no surprise that Foertsch is sticking to the turn-based strategy genre at Bit Reactor, revealing in an interview with Gamesindustry.biz that he has big plans for the future of the studio, and the genre as a whole.

“The whole genre started to fall backwards while not having enough production values and it got dropped a bit,” Foertsch explained. “There are ways to tell stories and convey information that doesn’t require a wall of text. That’s what we’re focused on–bringing that to the genre, and really blurring that line between what a strategy game is and what an action game is.”

Foertsch’s goals for the studio are ambitious, saying that he wants Bit Reactor to take home a “Game of the Year” title. “We expect to go head to head with Halo or whoever is out there, just like we did in 2012 [with XCOM: Enemy Unknown],” Foertsch elaborated.

Reports say Bit Reactor already has multiple unannounced games in the works, though the new studio isn’t ready to share details on any specific titles yet. Foertsch has said that the studio’s focus will be on providing a good experience for a tactics game on both console and PC, but that he is “super interested” in the potential cross-play and mobile platforms hold for the genre.

Read MoreGameSpot – Game News

Here’s What Lessons Nightingale Will Draw From Mass Effect, Dragon Age, And Anthem

Inflexion Games, a Canadian game studio made up of ex-Bioware developers and headed by former Bioware GM Aaryn Flynn, announced its first game Nightingale at last year’s Game Awards. At first glance, the survival crafting game doesn’t seem to have much in common with the types of games Bioware is known for–but Flynn says the team have taken a number of important lessons from Mass Effect, Dragon Age, and even Anthem in developing Nightingale.

In a new interview with IGN, Flynn has explained how Nightingale ended up the project it is today, from its first conception and even further back in his history as Bioware’s general manager. While Flynn says that Nightingale won’t have the “narrative spine” of a game like Mass Effect, there was still plenty of lessons the team could take from the Bioware style of game development.

“We think we can take a lot of lessons learned from Mass Effect and Dragon Age, and even Anthem,” Flynn explained. “And say, ‘How can we build a world that has survival crafting gameplay in it, but still provides that tremendous umbrella of lore and rich conceits, that make it just a compelling place to be in that space?'”

Flynn also said that Nightingale will lean into the idea of player choice, something Bioware games like Mass Effect and Dragon Age are well known for. While the choices in Nightingale may not take the same form due to the differences in genre, Flynn said the important aspect was making players feel like their decisions had real weight and impact on the game’s world.

“I think one thing that great RPGs, and these survival sandbox games should have in common is this notion of autonomy,” Flynn said. “That players feel like [they] get to do what [they] want in this world. And we can only offer so much; there are always going to be invisible walls and things like that. But the more we can, as developers, offer autonomy and real meaningful chances to impact and change the world of the game, and see those choices reflected back in compelling ways, the better a job we’ve done.”

Another lesson Flynn has brought with him from Bioware comes from another former Bioware developer, Mike Laidlaw–this time about how to make sure the game finds its intended audience.

“A former colleague of mine, Michael Laidlaw, who was the creative director on Dragon Age: Inquisition had a great phrase he used to use that always resonated with me,” Flynn explained. “When it came to things like marketing the games… he used to say, ‘I just wish we’d have a marketing campaign that was, “Here’s our game. I hope you like it.”‘ And that’s really what it comes down to.”

Nightingale is currently planned to release in early access on PC sometime in 2022. Players who are interested in checking the game out early can register for closed beta testing, which is due to begin in the next few months.

Read MoreGameSpot – Game News

Have A Nice Death Gets March 8 Release Date

Have A Nice Death, the hand-drawn indie roguelite that was announced at last year’s Game Awards, now has an official release date. Developer Magic Design Studios will launch on March 8 via Steam early access, for a price of $15.

The so-called “hack’n’scythe” 2D roguelite puts players in the role of Death, the founder and CEO of Death, Incorporated, a huge company responsible for processing the souls of the deceased. As Death, players will have to fight through the company headquarters in a bid to subdue a number of Death, Inc. employees who have been collecting more souls than the company can handle. The game’s bosses are made up of the company’s heads of department, who are also called Sorrows.

The game will initially release on Steam and Valve’s Steam Deck, when it becomes available. Players can wishlist the game on Steam now in anticipation of the early access release on March 8. On its Steam page, Magic Design Studios says the game is intended to stay in early access for around a year before the full version is released, with the studio saying it’s “been excited about creating a game with the help of our players.”

Read MoreGameSpot – Game News

League Of Legends Patch 12.2 Introduces New Champion Zeri, Lunar New Year Skins

League of Legends‘ first new champion for 2022, Zeri, the Spark of Zaun, arrives this week on January 20, along with the rest of the updates included in patch 12.2. With Lunar New Year and the beginning of the Year of the Tiger coming up on February 1, the patch includes a number of event-themed skins and chromas, as well as the return of ARURF for a limited time.

The patch introduces new champion Zeri, who boasts an electricity-themed kit including a shield that buffs her move speed, an electric pulse that slows enemies, and a dash that gives Zeri the ability to vault over terrain. Zeri will launch on January 20 when Patch 12.2 drops, along with her Withered Rose skin.

A huge number of skins and chromas are also being added for League’s Lunar New Year event, with five champions getting new Porcelain skins and another five getting Firecracker skins.

The full list of new Lunar New Year skins includes Porcelain Protector Ezreal, Porcelain Lissandra, Porcelain Amumu, Porcelain Lux, Porcelain Kindred, Firecracker Sett, Firecracker Diana, Firecracker Teemo, Firecracker Tristana, and Firecracker Xin Zhao. The event will also include Prestige Edition skins for Porcelain Lux and Brave Phoenix Xayah.

While a number of champion tweaks are included with this patch, Janna is receiving a more in-depth champion refresh, with the patch notes pointing out that “Janna just hasn’t felt very rewarding to play over the past few seasons, especially when compared to other enchanter options in bot lane.”

Riot is also bringing All Random Ultra Rapid Fire mode, or ARURF, back for the Lunar New Year event. The patch notes promise a few surprises on top of what players might expect from previous ARURF runs, saying “we added a flipper full of changes to a couple of runes and a few surprises to the Awesome Buff of Awesomely Awesome Buffing’s tooltip.”

Check out the full patch notes below, including Champion balance tweaks, item tweaks, bug fixes, and quality of life changes:

League of Legends Patch 12.2

#Champions

+++

Zeri

The Spark of Zaun

Zip, zap, and zoom across Summoner’s Rift with Zeri on January 20!

—

+++

Janna

Base stats and all abilities adjusted.

Janna just hasn’t felt very rewarding to play over the past few seasons, especially when compared to other enchanter options in bot lane. We wanted to approach this mid-scope update to her while staying true to her classic playstyle and identity. In particular, we believe Janna’s ally shielding and peel are what makes her appealing to most enchanter players, so we’ve shifted some power from her W and poke damage into her Es and Qs. We also made a few nice little QoL changes here and there in hopes of blowing you away~

###Base Stats

Move Speed :: 315 >>> 330

Base AD :: 46-71.5 >>> 52-103

AD Growth :: 1.5 >>> 3

Basic Attack Range :: 550 >>> 500

Passive – Tailwind

TAILWIND :: Janna gains 8% bonus move speed only while moving toward allied champions. (Bonus move speed for allied champions moving towards Janna unchanged.)

FAST & FURIOUS :: Janna’s basic attacks and W – Zephyr no longer deal bonus magic damage based on her bonus move speed

Q – Howling Gale

Cost :: 60/90/100/120/140 mana >>> 60/70/80/90/100 mana

Minimum Range :: 1000 >>> 1100

Maximum Range :: 1750 >>> 1760

Time to Destination :: 1.5 seconds >>> 1.25 seconds

W – Zephyr

Range :: 550 (from edge to edge) >>> 650 (centered)

Slow Duration :: 2 seconds >>> 3 seconds

Cooldown :: 8/7.5/7/6.5/6 seconds >>> 12 seconds at all ranks

Base Damage :: 55/85/115/145/175 >>> 70/100/130/160/190

Bonus Move Speed :: 6/7/8/9/10% >>> 8/9/10/11/12%

E – Eye of the Storm

A FRIENDLY FORECAST :: Innate – Whenever Janna’s abilities slow or knock up at least one enemy champion, ||| E – Eye of the Storm’s cooldown is reduced by 20% >>> she receives +20% heal and shield power for 5 seconds

Shield :: 80/115/150/185/220 (+70% AP) >>> 80/110/140/170/200 (+65% AP)

Cooldown :: 16/15/14/13/12 seconds >>> 15/13.5/12/10.5/9 seconds

Shield Decay Starts After :: 0.75 seconds >>> 1.25 seconds

R – Monsoon

Healing Tick Rate :: 0.5 seconds >>> 0.25 seconds (total heal amount unchanged)

—

+++

Lulu

W cooldown increased.

Lulu’s been queen of the bot lane for quite some time now—especially at the highest levels of play—so we’re reducing access to her most versatile spell just a pinch!

W – Whimsy

Cooldown :: 16/15/14/13/12 seconds >>> 17/16/15/14/13 seconds

—

+++

Nocturne

Health growth increased. Q damage ratio increased.

Nocturne has been a nightmare to play as in all skill brackets, regardless of his builds or runes. We’re buffing him with some scaling power, so he can become more useful as the game progresses, rather than just relying on his ultimate as his only way to say lights out.

###Base Stats

Health Growth :: 85 >> 95

Q – Duskbringer

Bonus AD Ratio :: 75% >>> 85%

—

+++

Qiyana

Base health regen decreased. Brush Q zone duration decreased.

Qiyana is dominating Elite play quite a bit right now. We’re reducing how much time she gets to spend being invisible in a fight, which should help lower some frustration when playing against the Empress of the Elements.

###Base Stats

Base Health Regeneration :: 7.5 >>> 6

Q – Edge of Ixtal

Grass Trail Zone Duration :: 3.5 seconds >>> 3 seconds

—

+++

Rengar

R passive now enables leaping from camouflage.

As a primary jungler, this battle kitty has been suffering a lot on the Chemtech Rift. While he’s not the only champion affected, Rengar has certainly gotten the worst of it as so much of his power budget is dedicated to his passive’s interaction with brush. Removing 12 spots of it is incredibly disruptive—not just to his core farming pattern, but his entire gameplay, really—so we’re giving him a new way to pounce and prowl. No catnip needed. (Note that this passive is on his R and only takes effect once he ranks up his ultimate.)

R – Thrill of the Hunt

HIDE AND LEAP :: Innate – Rengar can leap to enemies with his next basic attack when he is in camouflage

—

+++

Samira

R base damage increased.

Now that her mid-game transition is less reliable with the Shieldbow nerfs, we’re giving Samira a bit more baseline potential in her R so she can snowball in style.

R – Inferno Trigger

Physical Damage per Shot :: 0/10/20 (+50% AD) >>> 5/15/25 (+50% AD)

Total Damage per Target :: 0/100/200 (+500% AD) >>> 50/150/250 (+500% AD)

—

+++

Senna

Q passive now empowers basic attacks with slows.

Senna is quite weak this season, especially when she builds for DPS. The old Glacial Augment was a crucial part of that playstyle and since it no longer procs off Senna’s basic attacks, we’re adding some utility back into her kit.

Q – Absolution

LOW VISIBILITY :: Innate – Senna’s basic attacks now slow enemies by 20% (+6% per 100 AP) (+10% per 100 bonus AD) for 2 seconds

—

+++

Shen

Q damage decreased.

With the changes to Teleport in 12.1, Shen has once again become king when it comes to map influence from top lane. To bring things back to equilibrium, we’re lowering his damage as a duelist instead of bringing down his cross-map power so that his unique, global presence remains his most powerful tool.

Q – Twilight Assault

Increased Bonus Damage :: 10-40 (+6 every 3 levels) (+5/5.5/6/6.5/7% (+2% per 100 AP) of target’s max health) >>> 10-40 (+6 every 3 levels) (+4/4.5/5/5.5/6% (+2% per 100 AP) of target’s max health)

—

+++

Tahm Kench

Q slow increased. E adjusted; damage stored as grey health decreased (unless near multiple enemies). R ally shield increased; now grants move speed upon devouring ally.

We did a mini-rework of Tahm Kench back in 11.13 because his old kit held huge advantages in highly coordinated team play. Our goal back then was to lower his priority in Pro pick/ban while putting him in a place where he could have a fun playstyle, as well as reasonable winrates in both of his roles. (Historically, his top lane winrate has been higher than that of his support.)

The rework is looking pretty good so far in terms of Pro play as he doesn’t have nearly as much priority there as he used to. When it comes to his winrates, the rework didn’t dramatically affect the difference between his support versus top capabilities, but it did highlight the gap. This left support Tahm Kench players feeling like the catfish was no longer viable in their role. Now that we’ve had some time to observe all of these effects together, we’re willing to take a riskier swing to buff support Kench while nerfing his top lane capabilities to keep him in check up there.

Q – Tongue Lash

Enemy Slow :: 40% >>> 50%

E – Thick Skin

Amount of Damage Stored into Grey Health :: 45/50/55/60/65% >>> 15/25/35/45/55%, increased to 45/50/55/60/65% if there are 2 or more visible enemy champions nearby (dead or alive)

Amount of Healing Restored from Grey Health :: 30-100% (levels 1-18) >>> 45-100% (levels 1-18)

R – Devour

Ally Shield Upon Devour :: 400/500/600 (+100% AP) >>> 500/700/900 (+150% AP)

Move Speed Upon Devouring Ally :: Slows Tahm Kench by 30/20/10% while ally is swallowed >>> Grants Tahm Kench 40% move speed for 3 seconds (regardless of swallow duration)

—

+++

Talon

W monster damage ratio decreased.

We introduced Talon jungle in 11.18 in hopes of bringing new players and playstyles into the jungle. He ended up becoming one of the stronger jungle assassins, especially in Elite play where his mobility, damage, and clear speed are almost unmatched. He’s still extremely fun as a flex pick, but we also understand that his current state has very few weaknesses, which can be frustrating to play against. In turn, we’re heavily nerfing his clear speed to tune him down. He’ll still be viable there and will keep his high-mobility edge, but you might need to think a little longer before jumping into the jungle with him.

W – Rake

Damage Against Monsters :: 130% >>> 105%

—

+++

Tristana

Base health and health regen increased.

Our rocket girl isn’t doing so hot lately. Her abilities already hit super hard, but they’re pretty risky and can take a while to stack up. We’re bumping up her early durability to give Tristana the time she needs to finish her combos and survive those explosive plays.

###Base Stats

Base Health :: 559 >>> 600

Base Health Regeneration :: 3.75 >>> 4

—

+++

Veigar

Q cooldown decreased; stacks from large monsters and minions increased.

The tiny master of evil has been less threatening than usual as of late. We’re upping the rate on his Phenomenal Evil stacks so that he can stand above his competitors in the mid lane. (Figuratively speaking, at least.)

Q – Baleful Strike

Cooldown :: 7/6.5/6/5.5/5 seconds >>> 6/5.5/5/4.5/4 seconds

Stacks Granted Upon Killing Large Monsters and Minions :: 2 >>> 3

—

+++

Volibear

Base AD growth increased. E cooldown decreased.

The once-fearsome Volibear is bad for everyone, everywhere. We’re giving him a reliable baseline stat buff and more access to his signature stormy skill.

###Base Stats

Attack Damage Growth :: 3 >>> 3.5

E – Sky Splitter

Cooldown :: 15 seconds >>> 13 seconds

—

+++

Yasuo

Q damage ratio increased.

Like Samira, the wind brothers were hit hard by the Immortal Shieldbow nerfs. We’re compensating for this by returning some of that power into their more skill-dependent abilities.

Q – Steel Tempest

Damage :: 20/45/70/95/120 (+100% AD) >>> 20/45/70/95/120 (+105% AD)

—

+++

Yone

Q damage ratio increased.

Of course, we have to do the same for Yone to make sure he doesn’t fall behind in the sibling rivalry.

Q – Mortal Steel

Damage :: 20/40/60/80/100 (+100% AD) >>> 20/40/60/80/100 (+105% AD)

—

+++

Zed

R base damage ratio decreased.

Zed has been creeping up from the shadows in terms of both power and ban rate. We’re tapping him back down in a way that will require him to make better use of his base kit to secure kills.

R – Death Mark

Damage :: 100% AD (+25/40/55% of damage dealt against marked target)>>> 65% AD (+25/40/55% of damage dealt against marked target)

—

#Items

+++

Lich Bane

At the start of Season 2021, we revamped Lich Bane to broaden its user base by removing its ability haste and increasing Spellblade’s damage and cooldown. These changes made it very powerful as a burst tool, but that burst also got a few nerfs throughout the year. As a result, Lich Bane was left feeling pretty underwhelming for its core users, so we’re partially restoring it to a healthier state.

Build Path :: Blasting Wand + Aether Wisp + Sheen + 600g >>> Fiendish Codex + Aether Wisp + Sheen + 550g (total cost unchanged)

Ability Haste :: 0 >>> 15

Spellblade Damage :: 150% base AD (+40% AP) >>> 75% base AD (+50% AP)

Spellblade Cooldown :: 2.5 seconds >>> 1.5 seconds

—

+++

Rylai’s Crystal Scepter

Rylai’s has been struggling to find its place in the last couple of seasons because it’s been trying to serve tanky battlemages, burn mages, and AP supports alike all at once. We’re focusing on its purpose as a utility item by lowering its cost and increasing its health to make it more accessible to tankier midrange mages and supports.

Total Cost :: 3000 gold >>> 2600 gold

Combine Cost :: 815 gold >>> 415 gold

Ability Power :: 90 >>> 75

Health :: 350 >>> 400

—

#Jungle

+++

Chemtech Drake

###Chemtech Dragon Soul

The Chemtech Dragon Soul is still significantly overperforming compared to other dragon soul buffs. We’re nerfing the undeads’ health and, uh, longevity. Expected lifetime? Active duration? … You get what we mean.

Zombie Health :: 80% base health + 50% bonus health >>> 70% base health + 40% bonus health

Zombie Duration (Without Other Health Impacting Factors) :: 4 seconds >>> 3 seconds

###Chemtech Rift

We’re making a few changes to make the ahead team slightly less advantaged when fighting in the Chemtech Rift.

(Now’s a good time to mention we stealth-nerfed (heh) the Chemtech Rift last patch. At launch, champions instantly entered camouflage when they entered the fog. In 11.24, we made the camouflage timer check if you’ve made any offensive moves in the last 1.5 seconds upon entering the fog as well. The only change to the camouflage mechanics this patch is an increase to that timer.)

Offensive Action Camouflage Timer :: 1.5 seconds* >>> 2.5 seconds

Bonus Damage Vs Enemies with More Current Health :: Up to 10% >>> Up to 12%

—

+++

Hextech Drake

###Hextech Dragon Soul

Hextech Dragon Soul is also overperforming compared to other soul effects, though not to the same degree as Chemtech.

Chain Lightning True Damage :: 25-75 (based on attacker’s level, 1-18) >>> 25-50 (based on attacker’s level, 1-18)

—

#Runes

+++

Lethal Tempo

Lethal Tempo’s power is skewed a little too much toward early game right now, making it especially cheese for melee champions. We’re adjusting it to be weaker early on and letting it scale instead.

Attack Speed per Stack (Melee) :: 13% >>> 10-15% (levels 1-15)

Attack Speed per Stack (Ranged) :: 7% >>> 5-9% (levels 1-12)

—

#ARURF is Back!

Ring in the Lunar New Year with ARURF starting on January 26! (That’s the All Random Ultra Rapid Fire game mode if you’re new around these parts.) Beyond the normal ARURF that you know and love, we added a flipper full of changes to a couple of runes and a few surprises to the Awesome Buff of Awesomely Awesome Buffing’s tooltip.

ARURF First Strike Cooldown :: 25-15 seconds (levels 1-18) >>> 15-9 seconds (levels 1-18)

ARURF Glacial Augment Cooldown :: 25 seconds >>> 15 seconds

#VFX Updates

+++

Sona

Base Sona :: Complete overhaul

Muse Sona :: Minor details added to new base

Pentakill Sona :: Same as new base

Silent Night Sona :: Recolored from new base

Guqin Sona :: Minor details added to new base

Arcade Sona :: Complete overhaul

DJ Sona :: Complete overhaul and additional special celebration effects for each passive aura

Sweetheart Sona :: Same as new base, plus some cleanup

Odyssey Sona :: Minimal tweaks

Pentakill III: Lost Chapter Sona :: Minimal tweaks

—

+++

Vayne

Base Vayne :: Complete overhaul

Dragonslayer Vayne :: Recolored from base with added smoke and flames

Heartseeker Vayne :: Recolored from base with heart in W decal

SKT T1 :: Same as new base, different missiles to match model

Arclight Vayne :: Recolored from base with more golden, divine sparks

—

#Bugfixes & QoL Changes

Fixed a bug where Teleport could sometimes still target certain units other than towers before 14 minutes

Fixed a bug where Unleashed Teleport would permanently replace one of your Summoner Spells if acquired and used via the Unsealed Spellbook rune

Champions will now correctly drop Unleashed Teleport spell shards if used after 14 minutes into a game with Zoe

Fixed a bug where Yone could sometimes cast Unleashed Teleport while his E – Soul Unbound was active

The exclamation point stealth indicator has been fixed and will correctly reappear above your champion if you are visible to an enemy inside the Chemtech Fog after completing certain stealthing abilities (such as Akali’s W – Twilight Shroud)

Fixed a bug where towers would incorrectly target enemy champions who took damage from Kog’Maw’s Passive – Icathian Surprise or Karthus’s Passive – Death Defied

Rengar’s Passive – Unseen Predator leap basic attacks will correctly trigger Navori Quickblades’ Deft Strikes effect

Fixed a bug where taking damage from certain jungle monsters would sometimes incorrectly grant stacks toward Force of Nature’s Absorb passive

Fixed a bug where triggering Glacial Augment’s passive would incorrectly count toward triggering Eclipse’s Ever Rising Moon passive

Fixed a bug where Mythic or active item icon borders would sometimes appear in incorrect locations. (Yes, the mysterious orange squares…)

Enemy player chat and emote mute toggle buttons have been fixed and will no longer overlap with other icons in the scoreboard

DJ Sona and K/DA Seraphine’s in-game music mute toggle buttons have been fixed and will display correctly next to their champion icon in the scoreboard every game

Chat restriction notifications have been fixed and will once again inform players how many messages they have left in their limit

Read MoreGameSpot – Game News

Dying Light 2 Threatens 350K Words, 40K Lines Of Dialogue

Barely a week after Dying Light 2 Stay Human developer Techland made the questionable decision to brag that the game would take 500 hours to fully complete, the studio is at it again, this time flexing its enormous amount of dialogue.

In a tweet, the Dying Light 2 studio revealed that the game’s script contained 350,000 words, amounting to around 40,000 lines of dialogue. In a reply, the account added that the word count is the same as Tolstoy’s classic novel, Anna Karenina.

350,000 words, 40,000 lines of dialogues – that’s the world we’ve built for you in Dying Light 2 Stay Human. Are you ready to explore it?#DyingLight2 #StayHuman pic.twitter.com/A0D0nzObbj

— Dying Light (@DyingLightGame) January 19, 2022

In terms of video game scripts the count is ambitious, though not remarkably so. Skyrim, for example, has 60,000 lines of voiced dialogue, while Red Dead Redemption 2 famously boasted over 500,000 lines of dialogue. Mass Effect 3 has the same number as Dying Light 2, at 40,000. The word count of 350,000 puts the game on par with titles like Fable 2, Shenmue, and Final Fantasy VII.

After the reaction to Dying Light 2’s supposed 500-hour length, which the devs later had to clarify was not a mandatory playtime, it’s surprising Techland has still chosen to try to drum up hype based on the sheer size of the game.

Dying Light 2 is out on February 4, releasing on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, and on Nintendo Switch via the cloud.

Read MoreGameSpot – Game News

Google Play Games for PC Beta Test Registration Begins In Asia

Mobile gaming is about to invade the PC ecosystem, as Google Play Games has begun registrations in three Asian countries for a Google Play Games on PC beta test today.

Players in Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan can sign up for a chance to participate in the limited beta test of Google Play Games’ new platform, though the dates and times of the test have not yet been announced. Google has announced a few games that will be part of the limited beta however, with the list including Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Summoners War, State of Survival: The Joker Collaboration, and Three Kingdoms Tactics.

Google Play Games announced the Google Play Games for PC initiative during The Game Awards in December. It will allow players to play and carry over progress between PCs, Android phones, tablets, and Chromebooks in any of the included games. “As part of our broader goal to make our products and services work better together,” group product manager for Google Play Games Arjun Dayal said in the official release, “this product strives to meet players where they are and give them access to their games on as many devices as possible.”

Google Play Games has not announced specifics on when the beta will extend to other countries, but has promised “more to share on future beta releases and regional availability soon.”

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Monster Hunter Games Ranked From Worst To Best

Monster Hunter Rise launched on PC last week, becoming the second mainline Monster Hunter game available on the platform (in the West, anyway). Rise is the latest installment in the franchise since Monster Hunter World and its Iceborne expansion finally took the series from a niche Japanese action-RPG to a worldwide hit. Longtime fans of the series undoubtedly have a soft spot for every Monster Hunter game, but we’ve decided to rank the mainline series from worst to best.

For many players, Monster Hunter is one now a “forever game” akin to Pokémon, Destiny, or Final Fantasy XIV. The kind of game you could easily put hundreds–even thousands–of hours into (speaking from personal experience) and boasting a vibrant community of die-hard fans all over the world. Monster Hunter has been around since 2004, but since most players outside Japan jumped on at World, there are likely many fans curious about the Monster Hunter games that came before it.

In celebration of Rise’s arrival on PC, let’s take a trip back to revisit some of the more niche entries in the mainline series. Spoiler: The best Monster Hunter game is probably the one you think it is. Keep in mind that we’re only featuring mainline games that released in North America and Europe, and we’ve excluded spin-offs such as Monster Hunter Stories. Also, it’s a great time to dive into Monster Hunter Rise on PC or Switch ahead of the big Sunbreak expansion that releases this summer.

8. Monster Hunter

Monster Hunter

The original Monster Hunter on PlayStation 2 introduced players to the series’ loot-driven, beast-slaying gameplay… but people just didn’t understand it at the time. In many ways, the original Monster Hunter plays just like any other game in the main series: you take on hunting quests from a village hub, head out into large arena-like maps where you bag and tag your prey, then head back to town to upgrade your gear with the bits and bob carved from the monster’s hide. Repeat until you beat the game.

This gameplay loop was reminiscent of other popular series like Diablo and Phantasy Star Online, but Capcom’s first attempt was riddled with issues. Part of the issue was audience expectations; players and critics struggled with the slow combat that emphasized long fights against single large enemies rather than hordes of baddies, tedious resource management, and grindy crafting system. While these elements are now seen as hallmarks of the series, they simply weren’t fully realized yet. If you played Monster Hunter today, it’d be difficult to tell what parts of the cumbersome gameplay were intentional, and which were janky mishaps. Yet despite these setbacks, many players stuck with the first Monster hunter long enough for the addictive gameplay loop to click, and the game sold well enough to warrant several sequels that refined the series into the worldwide success it is today.

See our Monster Hunter review.

7. Monster Hunter Freedom

Monster Hunter Freedom

Monster Hunter Freedom (aka Monster Hunter Portable in Japan) is technically a PSP port of the first game with some minor updates, but it’s worth giving this title its own entry because of what it did for the franchise.

In short, Capcom’s gamble to take Monster Hunter’s from home consoles to portable devices was a masterstroke–in Japan, anyway. Monster Hunter Portable sparked the series’ long-lasting popularity in Japan thanks to the PSP’s ad-hoc wireless multiplayer feature. Monster Hunter Freedom, however, didn’t catch on the same way in the west, where most players had to slog through the game’s grind solo. The handheld gameplay also came with tradeoffs that made Freedom even more difficult to play than the PS2 version in some ways–the notorious “Monster Hunter claw” control scheme and long load times, especially. It was still possible to play and enjoy Monster Hunter Freedom by yourself (I certainly did when I was a teenager), but the game’s flaws were much easier to overlook if you were lucky enough to experience the high of multiplayer hunting… or were stubborn enough to force your way past the slow opening hours.

See our Monster Hunter Freedom review.

6. Monster Hunter Freedom 2 and Freedom Unite

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite

Continuing the formula that Monster Hunter Freedom started, Freedom 2 was the PSP port of the Japan-exclusive PS2 game, Monster Hunter 2 (pronounced Monster Hunter “Dos”), and the only version of Monster Hunter 2 released in the West.

Freedom 2 refined the first portable outing’s gameplay and introduced new monsters that would become series staples like the Tigrex, as well as mainstay weapons like the Long Sword, Hunting Horn, Gunlance, and Bow. But while Freedom 2 was simply a portable remake of Monster Hunter 2, the game’s immediate follow-up, Freedom Unite, was the bigger innovation.

Freedom Unite was an expanded version of Freedom 2, introducing super-difficult “G Rank” quests (now known as “Master Rank”), and even more new content–you could easily spend a few hundred hours battling giant monsters and crafting ornate armor. Not only was Freedom Unite a bigger Monster Hunter game than ever, it was also a more enjoyable experience in general thanks to faster load times than previous Freedom titles, and the addition of the Palico sidekick, making the game friendlier for solo players even with “old Monster Hunter” quirks and notorious difficulty still intact.

However, Freedom Unite is also where Capcom started the annoying tradition of releasing a comparatively limited base Monster Hunter game, then following up with an expanded “G-Rank” or “Master Rank” version of the same game just a few months later. So while it’s one of the most important releases in the series, it’s also arguably one of the most notorious as well.

See our Monster Hunter Freedom 2 and Monster Hunter Freedom Unite reviews.

5. Monster Hunter Tri and Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate

Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate

The third Monster Hunter generation was a major change for the series in several ways. Most notably, the series pivoted from Sony’s consoles to Nintendo’s hardware, with Monster Hunter Tri releasing for Wii, and Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate for Wii U and 3DS, making these the first Monster Hunter games to launch on home consoles outside of Japan since the original on PS2.

Content-wise, Monster Hunter Tri felt like a step backward, missing many of the monsters and weapons introduced in Freedom Unite–though Tri is notable as the first game to include the Switch Axe weapon type. It wasn’t Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate that Monster Hunter’s third generation felt complete. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate combined all the content from Tri and the Japan-only Monster Hunter Portable Third, and added tons of extra quests and new gameplay systems, including a cross-save between 3DS and Wii U versions of the game, and wireless online multiplayer for Wii U (but not 3DS, much to the frustration of players).

The generation three games saw the first instances of important gameplay features, such as a unique map where players can freely hunt randomly appearing monsters outside of quests, gen three is also notorious for its divisive underwater combat. This new fighting style gave us fan-favorite monsters like Lagiacrus, but there’s a reason underwater hunts never made a comeback: it was terrible. The on-land gameplay was the best in the series yet, thankfully, and the new lock-in camera setting in 3 Ultimate made playing on 3DS more comfortable than on PSP, but the old-school Monster Hunter jank was still a steep barrier for new players to overcome.

See our Monster Hunter Tri and Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate reviews.

See Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate on Amazon
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4. Monster Hunter Generations and Generations Ultimate

Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate

Capping off Monster Hunter’s fourth generation of games, Monster Hunter Generations on 3DS and Generations Ultimate on Nintendo Switch are basically the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate of the Monster Hunter franchise. These games packed more content than ever before. Generations Ultimate includes 93 new and returning monsters from across the series. It also let players revisit the village hubs from the previous numbered Monster Hunter games, and added new abilities and moveset variations to each of the 14 available weapon types through the new “hunting style” mechanic.

While the abundance of quests and gameplay options are exciting for long-time fans, jumping in with Generations or Generations Ultimate as a first-timer can be overwhelming. In fairness, the core gameplay was easily the most accessible for the series at the time thanks to smart quality-of-life changes that made gathering items and organizing multiplayer easier, but Generations Ultimate is still firmly rooted in the “old Monster Hunter” style that later games like World and Rise would shake up (and largely for the better).

See our Monster Hunter Generations and Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate reviews.

3. Monster Hunter Rise

Monster Hunter Rise

The latest entry in the series, Monster Hunter Rise is by far the fastest-paced Monster Hunter to date. Hunts feel shorter (in a good way), and moving around the environments or performing important actions like gathering materials and executing special attacks has never been easier. The best of these changes are the new traversal options: the grapple hook-like wirebugs, and the new companion mount, the Palamute. These additions make traversal a breeze, and give a greater sense of verticality to Rise’s open environments.

Other changes are a bit more controversial among long-time players, including major shakeups to each weapon’s movesets (for better and for worse). Rise also ditches the “hunting” phase of previous games, and monsters are now immediately visible on the minimap when you start a quest. So instead of tracking down your mark, the early minutes of each hunt is spent getting to the monster as quickly and efficiently as possible. And once you’re in combat, the new Silkbind attacks make it easier to immobilize monsters. The result is an overall quicker pace for hunts, which is great for handheld play or short sessions, but it does feel like an important part of the classic Monster Hunter gameplay loop is missing. On the other hand, Rise brings back some of the color and charm of “classic MonHun” that was lost in World and Iceborne, but it also feels like a streamlined spinoff compared to World’s maximalist design, rather than a proper follow up.

Those who prefer Rise’s quicker pace and streamlined design may rank this higher, but there are other issues that are harder to ignore, such as the underwhelming rampage quests and the lackluster end-game, that hold Rise back from the top of our rankings. But if the upcoming Sunbreak beefs up the excellent base game as much as other Monster Hunter expansions have, this may turn out to be the best Monster Hunter experience yet.

See our Monster Hunter Rise review.

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2. Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate for 3DS is one of the few games in the series that launched in its perfect form, at least in the west. Monster Hunter’s fourth-gen base game (Monster Hunter 4 in Japan) never saw a worldwide release. Instead, players in North America and Europe got to skip straight to the enhanced G-Rank version, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate.

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate added more verticality to its maps and added more movement options and attack combos for players (and monsters) to take advantage of. The result was more dynamic hunts with better controls, and more varied maps that were more interesting to navigate and explore. These ideas would go on to influence the larger scale maps and environmental interactivity seen in World and Rise. Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate also introduced the new “Guild Quests,” which offered a more story-driven experience for players to enjoy, and its numerous bonus DLC quests and costumes are among the best in the series, featuring crossovers with major Nintendo franchises like Zelda and Metroid.

The most important feature 4 Ultimate included was wireless online multiplayer on a portable. Online multiplayer was previously available on the Wii U version of 3 Ultimate (the first time since the original Monster Hunter on PS2), but the series was vastly more popular on 3DS, so including online multiplayer in 4 Ultimate was a much bigger deal. For many, this was their first experience playing Monster Hunter with others–which is arguably the way these games are meant to be played–and the main reason why 4 Ultimate is so beloved by western fans.

See our Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate review.

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1. Monster Hunter World: Iceborne

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne

It’s almost been four years since its initial release, and yet Monster Hunter World combined with its massive Iceborne DLC is still the best Monster Hunter experience available right now. For starters, it’s the best looking and smoothest playing Monster Hunter yet, especially if you can play on PC or a 4K-enabled console. World also features seamless open environments, rather than the sectioned-off maps riddled with loading screens like in every prior game in the series. World’s maps are also much more detailed, brimming with endemic life and interactive elements like vines to swing on or boulders to drop on a monster’s head.

Monster Hunter World’s gameplay is more varied and, in general, more accessible than ever.. Capcom doubled down on the “Hunting” aspects of the series, so instead of meandering a map aimlessly trying to spot and tag your target, players could now seek out footprints and other signs of life that help you track your target. World also made the “boring” parts of previous Monster Hunter games much less of a hassle–namely harvesting materials and crafting support items like potions and traps. Combat is more exciting, too, with new moves available for each of the weapons, and a new control scheme that makes pulling off important counter attacks and combos easier.

That’s not to say Monster Hunter World is flawless. World initially launched with a slim monster list and even slimmer end-game content, and while post-launch DLC and the Iceborne expansion boosted the roster significantly, added even more new mechanics (like the clutch claw) and gave players tons to do, other games in the series still eclipse World and Iceborne in terms of sheer content. And if you ask around certain circles of the die-hard MonHun community, opinions vary on whether all the combat changes were truly for the better, and many lament the more “realistic” aesthetic of World and Iceborne compared to the more fantastical tone of its predecessors. Nonetheless, the success of Monster Hunter World and Iceborne speaks for itself. World has gone one to become Capcom’s all-time bestselling game, and solidified the franchise’s presence in the West. And yes, it’s still worth going back to if you haven’t played in a while–or you run out of stuff to do in Rise before Sunbreak comes out later this year.

See our Monster Hunter World and Monster Hunter World: Iceborne reviews.

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Halo Infinite BTB Hotfix Is Out Now, But Doesn’t Appear To Fix Ongoing Issues

A hotfix for Halo Infinite meant to fix ongoing matchmaking issues for the game’s Big Team Battle mode is now live, but looks to have only brought “minor improvements.”

Big Team Battle has been largely unplayable since late December, with many players unable to load into matches. The issue is worse for larger groups. Developer 343 Industries announced prior to the holidays that a fix for the issue likely wouldn’t come until the new year, but it seems like this fix isn’t quite what was needed.

Well, damn… today’s BTB hotfix does not appear to be the outcome we expected. There are minor improvements, but overall matchmaking issues are still occurring. Thanks to the folks who have been working hard and we’re sorry this didn’t quite get the job done. Work continues. https://t.co/lKiFibBDtT

— Brian Jarrard (@ske7ch) January 19, 2022

Halo community director Brian Jarrard stated on Twitter that the team is “sorry this didn’t quite get the job done” and that “work continues” on the issue. Jarrard also stated that the team is investigating temporarily removing Big Team Battle-focused challenges until the matchmaking issues plaguing the mode are resolved.

As compensation for the mode’s issues, all players who log in between January 19 and February 16 will receive five double XP boosts and five challenge swaps. The items will automatically be added to each player’s inventory upon launching the game. The hotfix also brings “minor physics improvement to the Oddball to mitigate exploits.”

This week also sees 343’s first attempt at improving Halo Infinite’s microtransaction store, reducing prices for many of the game’s premium cosmetic bundles. In the future, 343 plans to sell more items individually outside of bundles, along with other changes.

Halo Infinite’s multiplayer recently received a new game mode, Attrition, alongside the free Cyber Showdown event. Players can earn free cosmetics like armor coatings, helmet accessories, and more by completing Attrition-themed challenges. The Cyber Showdown event will run for two weeks, after which the game’s samurai-themed Fracture: Tenrai event is slated to return.

In big Xbox news, Microsoft is the process of acquiring Activision Blizzard in a nearly $70 billion deal. The deal will put Call of Duty and Halo, two of the largest FPS franchises in the world, under the same roof and give Microsoft a huge list of franchises.

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