Genshin Impact‘s latest event, Fleeting Colors, is live now through February 12, offering up a variety of special challenges and rewards. The Fleeting Colors event revolves around the Lantern Rite Festival in Liyue Harbor. Players can recover treasure, solve shadow puzzles, and smelt fireworks, earning Primogens and other rewards along the way. You can even earn a free 4-star Liyue character of your choice turning the event.

Players will need to be at least Adventure Rank 28 and have completed the Archon Quest “Chapter I: Act III – A New Star Approaches” and Archon Quest Interlude Chapter: Act I – “The Crane Returns on the Wind” in order to participate in the event.

Flameplume Starflowers

The firework smelting challenge

The Flameplume Starflowers section of the event revolves around prepping for the firework show in Liyue Harbor and in creating your own fireworks. This section is split into three parts, with each part having you complete a short quest followed by smelting some fireworks. The subsequent parts are time-gated and will unlock later during the event.

In part one, you will be given the task of speaking with a few different characters, with the ultimate goal of helping Keqing prepare the fireworks display. After completing the quest, players will be given the Launch Tube, a gadget that can be placed on the ground and used to smelt fireworks. In the smelting menu there is a series of different fireworks that will need to be smelted. Each firework has three categories, color, size, and height. Each firework will require a different amount of smelting progress to be made in each category.

You will get to select different smelting techniques, which will use various amounts of stamina and will affect how much the bar increases when used. The goal is to the Ideal Zone located on each of the three bars, which will award the highest amount of points. Achieving a perfect score on each firework will award the maximum amount of rewards. Fireworks can be smelted multiple times, but each tier of rewards can only be achieved once per firework. The Flameplume Starflowers challenges award the Affluence Talisman.

The Great Gathering

You need to use the Waverider to destroy the supply balloon

The Great Gathering section of the event revolves around Beidou searching the ocean for valuable items lost when the original Jade Palace crashed. After a short tutorial quest setting up a story revolving around the Treasure Hunters also collecting the valuable, players will be tasked with multiple challenges. The challenges revolve around using the Waverider boat to collect floating items in the water and attacking bandit camps to take treasure from there too.

After completing the first set of challenges, players will unlock time trials where they must follow a supply balloon and attempt to destroy it with the Waverider. There are Treasure Hunters in the path of the balloon along with explosive barrels. The purpose of the challenge is to earn points by destroying the supply balloon as quickly as possible. Bonus points are awarded for defeating Treasure Hunters. Players will need to earn at least 3,000 points on each challenge to earn the maximum amount of rewards.

Similar to the other sections of the event, more challenges and quests will open up later into the event. The Great Gathering awards Immaculate Talismans.

Wondrous Shadows

The Wondrous Shadow challenge

One of the simpler parts of the Fleeting Colors event, the Wondrous Shadows section involves a series of shadow puzzles. The quest and the puzzle challenges can be found by speaking with Yuan Rong on the Liyue Harbor docks. Each puzzle involves rotating an item until the shadow of the object clearly shows something specific. For example, one puzzle involves making the shape of Beidou’s ship. There is a meter in the bottom right corner that shows your progress and will either fill up or empty depending on if you are making the right moves. There is a two minute timer for completing the puzzles and the rewards are given regardless of how long it takes to complete it.

The Wondrous Shadows challenges reward Affluence Talismans and more challenges will unlock later in the event.

Oceanic Defender

The Oceanic Defender section of the event has not yet been unlocked, being held until February 1. This section has players repeat the fight against Beisht that happens at the end of the questline for rebuilding the Jade Palace–which is a prerequisite for this event. Players will need to complete specific challenges during the fight, although these have yet to be revealed.

Oceanic Defender awards Conquest Talisman

All Rewards available

The 4-star characters available to be unlocked

In addition to the Primogens and other rewards given for completing the individual quests and challenges from each section of the event, there is also an event store and two other special rewards. The first special reward is a free 4-star Liyue character. You can choose from Xiangling, Beidou, Xingqiu, Ningguang, Chongyun, Xinyan, Yun Jin, or Yanfei. Purchasing a character requires 1,000 Affluence Talismans and 1,000 Conquest Talismans. Players must also complete the “The Stars Inscribe the Year’s Wishes,” event quest. You can only earn one free character during the event.

The other special reward is Ningguang’s Orchid’s Evening Gown, an alternative costume for the 4-star Geo character. The special outfit is free, but players must earn 2,400 Affluence Talismans, 2,200 Immaculate Talismans, and 1,800 Conquest Talismans during the event. Players can claim the outfit even if they don’t own Ningguang.

In the event shop players can use Affluence Talismans to unlock fireworks to use in the open world or gem fragments used for character Ascension. Conquest Talismans can be used to unlock character talent upgrade materials, including the ultra-rare Crown of Insight. Lastly, Immaculate Talismans can be used to purchase furnishing blueprints, so you can decorate your home with festive items. The Event Shop is open until February 14, two days after the event itself ends.

There are also login rewards available during the event that can be earned by logging in on seven different days, including multiple free wishes.

Genshin Impact Fleeting Colors login rewards:

Day 1: 1 Intertwined Fate WishDay 2: 80,000 MoraDay 3: 2 Intertwined Fate WishesDay 4: 18 Mystic Enhancement OreDay 5: 2 Intertwined Fate WishesDay 6: 8 Hero’s WitDay 7: 5 Intertwined Fate Wishes

You can also check out our complete Genshin Impact character list or our Genshin Impact combat guide.

Read MoreGameSpot – Game News

While February is just around the corner, Steam is not quite done shining a spotlight on the hardest hitting titles that came to the platform back in 2021. Earlier today, the distribution service officially shared its December 2021 Top Releases list, highlighting Steam’s highest grossing games released last month based on their first two weeks of revenue.

According to Steam, nearly half of the games on December’s Top Release list either made their debuts into early access or graduated from it. Titles that exited early access include the open-world RPG Sands of Salzaar, which initially released on January 3, 2020, as well as the cooperative shooter GTFO, which debuted on Steam back in December of 2019. Wartales and the tactical first-person shooter Ready or Not are just two of the games now entering early access.

Steam also noted that three of the games on this list–Anvil, Chorus, and Wartales–made an appearance during its Steam Next Fests, which began in 2021 as a means to showcase upcoming releases and has essentially replaced the company’s Steam Game Festival. Following the first couple Steam Next Fest, the developers who appeared in the showcase and dished out demos of their upcoming releases reportedly saw a significant increase in game sales–making it not all that surprising that these titles went on to become some of December’s highest grossing games. The next Steam Next Fest is scheduled to take place February 21-28, and will include hundreds of new demos and developer livestreams.

In addition to the December Top Releases List, Steam also shared the top five highest grossing DLCs released in December. To absolutely no one’s surprise, Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker topped the list, followed by Oxygen Not Included – Spaced Out!, Planet Zoo: Europe Pack, Destiny 2: Bungie 30th Anniversary Pack, and theHunter: Call of the Wild – Mississippi Acres Preserve. Below is a full list of Steam’s top grossing games of December:

Steam’s 20 Highest Grossing Games of December

AnvilDynasty Warriors 9 EmpiresThunder Tier OnePropnightUltimate Admiral: DreadnoughtsRune Factory 4 SpecialSands of SalzaarCentury: Age of AshesChorusAfter the FallGTFOMonster Rancher 1 & 2 DXWartalesFive Nights at Freddy’s: Security BreachIcarusWorldBox – God SimulatorReady or NotShadow Tactics: Aiko’s ChoiceFights in Tight SpacesKarryn’s PrisonRead MoreGameSpot – Game News

Premium gaming headsets don’t come cheap, and that’s certainly the case for most products in the EPOS catalog. However, from now until January 31, you can save $50 on the great Game One and Game Zero headsets, so now is the perfect time to upgrade your audio.

Both the EPOS Game One and Game Zero are compatible with Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, Switch, and PC, making them a perfect option for anyone who plays across multiple platforms. They also feature a two-year warranty, free shipping, and a 30-day return policy if they don’t live up to your expectations.

EPOS built the two wired headsets with a nearly identical black and red color palette, although the designs of the Game One and Game Zero are surprisingly different. However, since they’re both essentially Sennheiser gaming headsets, you can rest assured both are capable of producing impressive sounds regardless of what’s happening in-game.

Aside from the closed back and foldable earcups, the stat sheets for both headsets are pretty similar. If you’re interested in robust noise cancellation, opt for the Game Zero. If you’d rather have a lightweight design and don’t mind a bit of ambient sound leaking in, spring for the Game One. Whatever the case, make sure you check out the deals before they disappear on January 31.

Read MoreGameSpot – Game News

Reviews for Pokemon Legends: Arceus have gone live, and across multiple outlets, the general consensus is that Game Freak’s latest title is a refreshing twist on the classic catch ’em all formula. While it may not be the best Pokemon game–like no other game before–Pokemon Legends: Arceus overcomes some admittedly clumsy first steps to pave the way for the future of the series with some clever gameplay ideas.

Critics have touched on how the mechanics for catching Pokemon are more engaging than ever, the world feels lively, and the battle system overhaul makes combat more exciting. Some of the criticism for the game has focused on its technical limitations, as Game Freak’s sandbox appears to be pushing the Switch’s hardware to its very limits.

“Pokemon Legends: Arceus is a significant reimagining of what makes a Pokemon game, with an exciting level of flexibility that’s only slightly hampered by a slow early-game grind,” Steve Watts wrote in his Pokemon Legends: Arceus review.

Game: Pokemon Legends: ArceusPlatforms: Nintendo SwitchDeveloper: Game FreakRelease Date: January 28Price: $60

For more, head to GameSpot sister site Metacritic to get a deeper look at the critical consensus for Pokemon Legends: Arceus.

GameSpot — 80/100

“Some of the new ideas in Arceus have rough edges, and it’s slow to start before you get access to many environments and mounts. This is an awkward first step, and it was a big adjustment for me, a longtime fan of the series, to make. Once Pokemon Legends: Arceus finds its stride, though, it’s the most daring and inventive the series has been in years, breaking apart the staid core and creating something new and exciting from its pieces.” — Steve Watts [Full review]

VGC — 100/100

“Pokemon Legends is the breath of fresh air the series has needed for so long. It may not have been apparent from the trailers, but this is one of the most entertaining, engaging and engrossing games in the entire history of the Pokemon series, and is highly recommended to both long-time fans and complete newcomers.” — Chris Scullion [Full review]

TheSixthAxis — 90/100

“Pokemon Legends Arceus is a must-play game for fans of the franchise. Not only is it the very best Pokemon game yet, but it elegantly takes the formula and flips it on its head, creating a unique new challenge that fans will love. With the nods to the anime and Pokemon games abound, Arceus feels very much like a love letter from Game Freak.” — Nic Bunce [Full review]

NintendoLife — 90/100

“Pokemon Legends: Arceus feels like the result of Game Freak learning lessons for 25 years, refining the formula, and finally taking the franchise in a new, incredible, exciting direction. With its emphasis on extremely rewarding exploration, addictive catching mechanics, a fine roster of Pokemon and a genuine sense of scale that’s unlike anything in the series, Pokemon Legends: Arceus is quite simply one of the greatest Pokemon games ever made.” — Jordan Middler [Full review]

Inverse — 80/100

“Pokemon Legends: Arceus may only dabble in mechanics and formulas nearly every other role-playing game has mastered, but Game Freak succeeds here far more than it stumbles. Combined with a unique ingredient–the most successful franchise of all time, beloved by hundreds of millions–the developer proves Pokémon works as a modern RPG and that future installments could potentially outmatch other games in the genre.” — Tom Caswell [Full review]

Shacknews — 80/100

“Pokemon Legends: Arceus is a departure from the prototypical Pokemon formula, abandoning or reinventing old features in order to offer something new and unique. While it leaves a bit to be desired from a technical standpoint, there’s just so much to enjoy. A clever overhaul to the battle system, improvements to exploration, and a story that dives deep into franchise lore makes Pokemon Legends: Arceus an experience that will appeal to longtime fans, as well as those who may have grown tired of the series’ reliance on the status quo.” — Donovan Erskine [Full review]

VG247 — 80/100

“Pokemon Legends: Arceus threads the needle and somehow finds a brilliant balance between old and new, between tradition and upheaval. It’s the 3D Pokemon adventure that I imagined back in the 90s that never came. It’s fresh. It feels new, exciting, and like a powerful new beginning for the series. Technical shortcomings and minor frustrations can’t take away what this game achieves elsewhere; it’s the best main-series Pokemon game in a long, long time.” — Alex Donaldson [Full review]

Read MoreGameSpot – Game News

The recent big gaming buyouts–including Take-Two’s proposed acquisition of Zynga for $12.7 billion and Microsoft’s impending $68.7 billion deal for Activision Blizzard–have spurred some analysts to believe that other major acquisitions could be on the table.

The Hollywood Reporter quotes analysts outlining their thoughts on potential acquisition targets, including Electronic Arts. Analysts at the research firm Enders said Sony might see EA as “likely to be the favorite” for an acquisition. The piece mentions how EA currently has a market cap of around $37 billion, so Sony might look to buy Ubisoft or Take-Two for a “far cheaper” price.

Another research company, Handler, said Disney might look to purchase EA. “A great way for Disney to build upon its digital future and for [CEO] Bob Chapek to step outside Bob Iger’s shadow would be to buy EA,” Handler said. “Combining EA Sports with ESPN could create a lot of unique opportunities, like a real sports metaverse.”

Handler went on to say that Disney has an existential question to consider: “Does Disney want to be old or new media? Video games is a $200 billion global industry and growing.”

The piece also cites Clay Griffin of MoffetNathanson, who told THR that gaming companies overall are attractive candidates these days for acquisitions given the growth in gaming overall. Not only that, but big tech companies with deep pockets might want to scoop up gaming publishers as part of the rush to create a metaverse.

“It’s not an unreasonable position to claim that game publishers are attractive M&A candidates for big tech companies that have the financial brawn to make the metaverse happen, but perhaps don’t have ready-made IP or core competency in producing gaming content that will be required for mass market acceptance,” Griffin said.

This is all purely speculative for now, but for Sony in particular, many are wondering how the company may respond to Microsoft’s proposed buyout of Activision Blizzard, if it needs to at all. Sony’s stock price took a huge hit after Microsoft’s deal for Activision Blizzard was announced, knocking $20 billion off Sony’s market cap.

Read MoreGameSpot – Game News