Elden Ring Was The PlayStation Store’s Most-Downloaded Game In February 2022

February was a massive month for new releases, as AAA blockbusters, long-in-development sequels, and highly-anticipated indie games hit the market. Those games dominated the download charts on PS4 and PS5 last month, with the top games in various categories mostly being new releases.

On PS5, Elden Ring was the most-downloaded game of February in the US, Canada, and Europe. Unsurprisingly, Elden Ring has become the best-selling game of 2022 in the US so far, as fresh data from the NPD Group noted that strong critical success and a hungry fanbase were a recipe for success. It is worth noting that while Elden Ring had more downloads than Horizon Forbidden West, the new Sony exclusive still outsold the latest From Software game.

Elsewhere on the charts, Horizon Forbidden West, Dying Light 2, and Sifu also made a splash around the world. Horizon Forbidden West took second place on PS5 and PS4 in the US, Canada, and Europe, and was followed by Dying Light 2 in third place. Kung-fu beat-’em-up Sifu had a more scattered listing across the globe, but it was in the top five on PS5 in US, Canadian, and European territories. Cyberpunk 2077 also made a return to the top ten, boosted by its current-gen upgrade, free trial, and a significant overhaul in its gameplay.

Beyond those games, the rest of the month was fairly predictable. Sports games NBA 2K22 and Madden NFL 22 continued to appear in the top ten, Minecraft is as popular as ever, and Europe still loves the sport of Formula One. The full rankings for North America and Europe, as provided on the official PlayStation Blog, are listed below.

PlayStation Top Monthly Downloads – February 2021

US/Canada

PS5

Elden RingHorizon Forbidden WestDying Light 2SifuCyberpunk 2077NBA 2K22Madden NFL 22Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles MoralesCall of Duty: VanguardIt Takes Two

PS4

Elden RingHorizon Forbidden WestDying Light 2Grand Theft Auto VNBA 2K22Madden NFL 22SifuMinecraftRed Dead Redemption 2Horizon Zero Dawn

PSVR Games

Beat SaberCreed: Rise to GloryJob SimulatorSuperhot VRZenith: The Last CityRick and Morty: Virtual Rick-alityVacation SimulatorGornGun Club VRSwordsman VR

Free-to-play PS4 and PS5

FortniteApex LegendsCall of Duty: WarzoneRec RoomYu-Gi-Oh! Master DuelRocket LeagueDestiny 2Genshin ImpactBrawlhallaRogue Company

Europe

PS5

Elden RingHorizon Forbidden WestDying Light 2Cyberpunk 2077SifuF1 2021FIFA 22Assassin’s Creed ValhallaNBA 2K22Among Us

PS4

FIFA 22Horizon Forbidden WestDying Light 2Elden RingGrand Theft Auto VMinecraftHorizon Zero DawnF1 2021The Witcher 3: Wild HuntRed Dead Redemption 2

PSVR Games

Beat SaberCreed: Rise to GloryJob SimulatorSuperhot VRSniper Elite VRThe Room VR: A Dark MatterGun Club VRZenith: The Last CityRick and Mort: Virtual Rick-alitySwordsman VR

Free-to-play PS4 and PS5

FortniteRocket LeagueRec RoomYu-Gi-Oh! Master DuelCall of Duty: WarzoneApex LegendseFootball 2022Genshin ImpactDestiny 2Brawlhalla

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Halo Infinite, Gears 5 Are Not Supported On Valve’s Steam Deck

Microsoft has detailed which of its games are compatible with Valve’s Steam Deck, with only a handful of titles being unsupported thanks to incompatibility with anti-cheat software.

In a post on Steam, Microsoft explained that each developer in Xbox Games Studios is responsible to ensuring compatibility with the Steam Deck, but that priorities at each might force this to take longer than expected. The upside is that many games are already compatible, with a large majority having “Verified” statuses already from Valve.

The following games are classified as Steam Deck Verified:

DeathloopPsychonauts 2Hellblade: Senua’s SacrificeThe Evil WithinFallout ShelterPreyBattletoadsMax: The Curse of the Brotherhood

These games haven’t been Verified by Valve directly but are still playable currently:

Sea of ThievesFallout 4Forza Horizon 5Forza Horizon 4Quantum BreakState of Decay: Year One Survival Edition

In terms of games that will not work at all with the Steam Deck, it might come as no surprise that the issues they encounter are around anti-cheat systems. Halo Infinite and The Master Chief Collection are both unsupported, as well as Gears of War 5 and Microsoft’s Flight Simulator X. Unlike Bungie, which says players attempting to play Destiny 2 on the Steam Deck might result in a ban, Microsoft hasn’t detailed what exactly might happen if you try get them working on SteamOS.

You can circumvent this entirely now that AMD had released Windows drivers for the Steam Deck, allowing you to remove SteamOS and install Windows 10. These drivers are just the start of Windows support for Valve’s new PC, but Valve itself is not providing support for users who attempt to do this.

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New Destiny 2 Trials Of Osiris And Iron Banner Weapons Revealed

Now that we’re a few weeks into Destiny 2: The Witch Queen and Season of the Risen, Bungie is set to kick off the first Iron Banner and Trails of Osiris events. Both PvP activities will be accompanied by a refreshed range of loot to collect, including some new and returning weapons.

According to Bungie, players can battle it out for a new Legendary-class scout rifle and a classic auto rifle, each one bearing the unique art design and markings of Trials of Osiris.

Trials of Osiris

Aisha’s Embrace is a rapid-fire scout rifle that can unleash rounds at 260 RPM, and Bungie says that there’s a chance that the oft-requested Triple Tap and Fourth Time’s the Charm perks may be included in this weapon. If you’re really lucky, the Tunnel Vision and Multikill Clip perks might also be included, which would turn this weapon into an absolute beast for PvP activities.

For the auto rifle, the Summoner has been pulled out of storage and will offer more popular perks such as Heating Up and Focused Fury. Summoner has long been considered one of the best all-rounder auto rifles in Destiny 2, and with these new mods replacing less popular perks, it’s about to become even more sought after. Bungie added that all six weapons in the upcoming Trials pool will have the Alacrity and One Quiet Moment origin traits, making them even more powerful in PvP.

That’s some great Trials of Osiris loot right there.

Alacrity increases the reload, stability, aim assist, and range when running solo or as the last Guardian standing, while One Quiet Moment grants players increased reload speed when not in active combat. As mentioned in a previous update, the Eternity and Vostok maps have returned, and there’ll be a new map added to the Crucible that Bungie will talk more about at a later date.

Iron Banner

Next week also sees a new Iron Banner tournament kicking off, where players can earn some new loot from Saladin’s vault as well. All six weapons in this Iron Banner pool will have the Skulking Wolf trait, which activates when your team controls all zones.

One of these weapons honors the brave bards of the past, AC/DC.

As a Hunt-activated perk, you’ll briefly gain enhanced radar and removal from enemy radar after landing a final blow during these encounters. All returning Iron Banner weapons will have updated perk pools, and the new weapons include the hand cannon Frontier’s Cry and the Sword Razor’s Edge.

Frontier’s Cry is a 180 RPM precision frame that has the chance to roll with Steady Hands and Compulsive Reloader perks, while the Iron Reach mod gives it added range. Razor’s Edge is a Vortex frame sword that has some potent perk combinations like Wellspring or Unrelenting combined with Chain Reaction.

To catch up on more Destiny 2 news, you can read up on the new patch that finally lets you buy Ascendant Alloy, our Vow of the Disciple Raid explainer, and a reminder that Bungie will allow you to pick a better name for your Guardian at long last. Tonight will also see the return of everyone’s favorite agent of the Nine, Xur, so stay tuned for his location and inventory.

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Where Is Xur Today? (March 11-15) – Destiny 2 Xur Location And Exotics Guide

We’re settling into the groove of The Witch Queen in Destiny 2, and Xur is back in the solar system to make the challenges a little less challenging with some fresh gear. Get yourself some new Exotic duds and Legendary guns for the trip into the Vow of the Disciple raid or the Trials of Osiris. Here’s where you can find Xur and everything he’s selling this week.

Xur shows up with the daily reset on Fridays, so we’ll update this article as soon as he arrives with all the details of his inventory.

Xur is present every weekend in Destiny 2, starting with the daily reset at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET each Friday. His exact location is always a mystery when he first arrives, as he is not listed on the map, and for novice players, he can be easy to miss. However, there are a set number of locations where he takes up residence, including the Tower Hangar area, on Nessus in Watcher’s Grave, and in the Winding Cove area of the EDZ.

Alongside changes in his location, Xur’s inventory also rotates weekly. That means it’s worth visiting him each time to check out his new weapons and rolls on Exotic and Legendary armor. You can visit him any time between his arrival Friday and the weekly reset at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET the following Tuesday when Xur departs the solar system.

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Elden Ring Speedrunner Beats Game In Under An Hour

For some people, beating Elden Ring can take upwards of 70 hours. For Souls speedrunner LilAggy, however, just one is all he needed.

Merely two days after a YouTuber by the name niko bellic made news for beating the entirety of Elden Ring in just two hours and 35 minutes, Twitch streamer LilAggy figured out a way to shed that time down to just 59 minutes. Of course in doing so, LilAggy utilized a number of glitches, bugs, and teleports. Nevertheless, his speedrun is still very impressive to watch.

Spoilers for Elden Ring are included in the video below.

After creating his character–a Samurai equipped with one of the game’s Golden Seeds–LilAggy blazed through the game’s intro and made his way across the map to Raya Lucaria Academy, where he then took advantage of a way to teleport his character straight to Volcano Manor. While he managed to avoid most of the game’s 12 “mandatory” bosses through using glitches and quick resets, he did take on Godskin Noble, the Godskin Duo, Maliketh, Gideon, Radagon, and the Elden Beast. While LilAggy said the run was “far from perfect,” as he died a few times while taking on Maliketh, he still still managed to complete his play through in under and hour, setting a new world record.

Considering Elden Ring has been out less than two weeks (and the speedrunning community’s long-standing adoration for From Software games and figuring out the best way to breeze through them), it’s likely we’ll see even more record-shattering gameplay sooner rather than later. For those of you trying to get through the game the old-fashioned way however, be sure to check out our various guides. Whether you’re still stuck on choosing a class and figuring out how to get past Margit the Fell Omen, or are trying to collect every last golden Seed and Sacred Tear, we’ve got you covered.

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Steam Deck Can Run Windows Now, But Audio Driver Is Not Available Yet

Valve has uploaded the drivers a user needs for getting Windows on the Steam Deck. Currently, only Windows 10 is available and dual-boot is not possible yet–which means if you go for installing Windows, that’s the only OS you’re stuck with until you uninstall it. Valve is working on a way to get Windows 11 and dual-boot working on the Steam Deck, so users can expect those features in the future.

Drivers

GPU Driver downloadWiFi Driver downloadBluetooth Driver downloadAudio Driver is not yet available, but USB-C or Bluetooth can provide audio. The speaker and 3.5mm port will not transmit sound if you install Windows.

For installing Windows, users can go the route of more irreversible SSD installation or a safety-first microSD card (or USB) installation. Tom’s Hardware does a great job of digging into how installation via either method works.

Either way, the basic method is to get the Window drivers on a USB (or microSD card). Navigate to the Steam Deck’s boot menu by first powering down, and then while holding the volume button down, hit the power button again. In the boot menu, you’ll choose the USB (or microSD card) to install Windows from. Follow instructions from there.

As with all new features, a word of caution to users before they leap into downloading drivers: The Steam Deck’s Windows Drivers are new and in their infancy, so for the more cautious users among us, it might be good to wait until the dual-boot is available.

Additionally, aside from the notes and drivers provided, Valve is unable to provide further Windows on Steam Deck user help. You’ll have to rely on troubleshooting and community resources if you encounter any issues. If all else fails or if you run into major problems, Valve offers a method for getting back to the original SteamOS.

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Call Of Duty: Warzone Confirmed For Mobile

Mobile gaming is about to drop into a heated war zone, as a new blog post on the official Call of Duty website has confirmed that Call of Duty: Warzone is coming to mobile.

The post is light on information about the mobile version itself, calling it a “large-scale, battle royale experience is being built natively for mobile with cutting-edge technology designed to entertain gamers around the world for many years to come.” Roles requested in the blog include production, art, engineering, design, and more.

Call of Duty Warzone is coming to mobile!

The confirmation comes after a report from December 2021 hinted at a 2022 release date for Call of Duty Warzone’s mobile version. Game journalist and Call of Duty insider Tom Henderson tweeted that the game was anticipated for launch this year, citing its addition to the PlaytestCloud database.

Warzone will mark the second Call of Duty battle royale on mobile devices, joining the mode built into the standalone Call of Duty Mobile. There is no word yet on whether or not this new mobile Warzone will become part of that app or launch as a separate download.

Call of Duty Warzone is a free-to-play battle royale featuring 100 players fighting to become the last one standing. It is available to download on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.

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Call Of Duty: Vanguard Patch Notes Reveal Huge Buffs To Snipers

Call of Duty: Vanguard‘s latest update is live, and the March 10 patch notes reveal some bug fixes for multiplayer and major buffs for sniper rifles.

The biggest part of this Vanguard update is the balancing pass for the sniper rifle class. According to tweets from Sledgehammer Games, player feedback was taken into consideration, and the developer said it recognized that snipers were underperforming in Vanguard. “Because of this, we wanted to focus on the strengths and weaknesses of each weapon in this class,” the developer said.

For the Type 99, which Sledgehammer Games describes as the best choice for quickscoping, the patch notes reveal the sniper will now have faster ADS time and less sway while walking. The 3-Line is described as being the game’s most stable sniper rifle, but it will have even more stability with a decrease to the flinch received when taking fire, which will allow players to better maintain accuracy. Vanguard’s most versatile sniper, the Kar98K, has received a decrease to its ADS time to help with close-quarters situations.

On a smaller note, fixes were made to squash bugs that previously caused incorrect XP requirement values to be displayed in the Career Progression and Level Progression menus. The patch notes also address an exploit that would reveal the enemy team’s bomb location in Search and Destroy mode.

The full patch notes can be found below, as shared by Sledgehammer Games.

MULTIPLAYER

Modes

Search and DestroyAddressed an exploit that would reveal the enemy team’s bomb location.

Weapons

Type 99 (Sniper Rifle)Decreased ADS time from 498ms to 400ms (-20%).Decreased weapon sway while walking by 80%.3-Line Rifle (Sniper Rifle)Decreased weapon sway while walking by 50%.Decreased flinch intensity by 50%.Decreased max damage range from 40m to 15m (-63%).Kar98k (Sniper Rifle)Decreased ADS time from 595ms to 500ms (-16%).Sniper Rifles and Marksman RiflesDecreased flunch intensity by 30%. This change does not apply to the SVT-40, 3-Line Rifle, or Gorenko Anti-Tank Rifle.

Attachments

Shiraishi Short Barrel (Type 99) Decreased ADS time multiplier from -10% to -5% (-50%).

Bug Fixes

BarracksIncorrect XP requirement values will no longer be displayed in the Career Progression menu.Incorrect Prestige and XP values will no longer be displayed in the Level Progression menu.After Action ReportPrestige icons are no longer misaligned in the Level Up menu.Incorrect Prestige values will no longer be displayed in the Summary menu.Read MoreGameSpot – Game News

GTA Online Weekly Update: Short Trips And Aviator Bonuses

It’s another week, and that means there’s a fresh round of GTA V and GTA Online bonuses and discounts. Also coming this week is GTA V’s PS5 and Series X|S release on March 15. If you’re wondering what the editions cost, you can check out our GTA 5 And GTA Online PS5/Xbox Series X pricing guide.

Short Trips

2X GTA$GTA$100K and Black SA Fitted Cap if you complete any Short Trip

Hunting Pack Remix

2X GTA$ and RPTrade Price for the Declasse Scramjet from Warstock Cache & Carry unlocked if you win one round.

Aviator

3X GTA$ and RP from Air Races2X GTA$ and RP from Flight School Activities3X GTA$ and RP from Smuggler Sell Missions

Cars, Cars, Cars

Pfister Comet S2 Cabrio–Reward for winning Pursuit Races five days in a row.Bravado Buffalo STX (25% off), Declasse Tulip (30% off), and the Benefactor Schlagen GT–New rides on LS Car Meet’s Test TrackThe Übermacht Zion Classic–Lucky Wheel’s top prize

Discounts

Bravado Buffalo STX–25% offDeclasse Tulip-30% offGrotti Cheetah Classic–30% offHangars and Hangar Upgrades and Mods–40% offRecord A Studios Merch–30% offBuckingham Alpha-Z1–40% offJobuilt Velum 5-Seater–30% offSea Sparrow–40% offNagasaki Ultralight–40% offWestern Seabreeze–30% off

As always, if you connect your Rockstar Games Social Club account with Prime Gaming, you’ll receive GTA$100K for playing.

GTA 5 and Online will receive a boost in graphical quality on the PS5 and Series X|S. There will be three graphics modes: Fidelity Mode, Performance Mode, and a hybrid Performance RT Mode. Fidelity Mode will offer 4K with raytracing at 30fps on PS5 and Series X and upscaled 4K on Series S. In Performance Mode, players will get upscaled 4K with 60fps on PS5 and Series X (with 1080p on Series S). Performance RT is the middle ground between Fidelity and Performance, and offers upscaled 4K resolution with ray tracing at 60fps.

Players can also try out a new mode, GTA Online’s Career Builder, for a little extra cash. Just like the mode’s name indicates, players choose a criminal career path–like Executive or Nightclub owner–and in return, receive $4 million GTA cash to aid in getting the criminal enterprise up and running. For more on GTA V on PS5 and Series X|S, you can head on over to our guide on how to transfer GTA 5 and GTA Online save data.

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Garena Free Fire’s Assassin’s Creed Crossover Adds New Skins And Guns This Weekend

After kicking off last week with a new location on the map, the Garena Free Fire collaboration with Assassin’s Creed will kick into high gear this weekend with new skins, weapons, and login bonuses.

The collaboration–called The Creed of Fire–will see new skins, guns, and a brand-new mode added to the game starting March 12. Players can earn a free Hooded Skyboard surfboard skin simply for logging in, while completing event-related tasks can earn special rewards like the Metal Wings P90 skin and the Ornate Treasure Box.

The Free Fire x Assassin’s Creed collaboration’s modern-themed Assassin costume.

Among the new items available to players are a themed skin for the Desert Eagle weapon, the Talon Dagger from Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, and the outfit worn by master assassin Ezio Auditore. A second, more modern Assassin skin will also be available that combines the normal streetwear look of Garena with the Assassin Order’s trademark hooded attire.

The new mode coming to Garena Free Fire is called Lone Wolf Strike Out, and it will be played on a brand-new map called Sci-Fi. In this mode, eight players enter a match with three lives each. Four players sit out, while the other four compete to be the last one standing. Eliminated players will sit out the next round, and the process repeats until only one player remains.

Garena Free Fire is a free-to-play 50-player battle royale that is available to download on iOS and Android. The Assassin’s Creed collaboration is one of multiple events the game has planned, which include a partnership with the super popular K-Pop band BTS.

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