Category: Games

Developer Arc System Works has dropped a new Guilty Gear Strive trailer that showcases some gameplay for two of the 2D fighter’s latest roster additions: Anji Mito and I-No.

Both characters are iconic to the Guilty Gear franchise, with Anji first appearing in the sequel title Guilty Gear X and I-No showing up as a boss in the follow-up, 2002’s Guilty Gear X2. Neither were playable in the game’s recent beta, so this is the first look at them in action.

The video shows both characters’ movesets. There’s a brief Anji montage before the video switches over to I-No, who pummels opponents with her mint-colored Yamaha-looking guitar.

Guilty Gear Strive was pushed out of its April 9 release date so that Arc System Works could “polish some aspects of the game” like online lobbies and server stability following the beta’s conclusion. The 2D fighter now drops on PC, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5 on June 11.

Respawn has released the full patch notes for the Apex Legends Chaos Theory Collection Event update, which will launch on March 9 alongside the battle royale’s release on Switch. There are a lot of substantial changes in this update.

The really big stuff is displayed in the trailer for the Chaos Theory Collection Event: Caustic’s town takeover is replacing Kings Canyon’s Water Treatment, Heat Shields are being added as a solution for temporarily surviving outside the ring, Bangalore is getting an heirloom, and a new Ring Fury limited-time mode will replace standard Trios and Duos. But there are tons of quality-of-life changes beyond these ones which will have significant impacts on Apex Legends’ in-match meta.

Changes To Characters

This update takes a stab at reworking the defender class, with balance changes for Wattson, Caustic, Gibraltar, and Rampart. The change to Wattson–she now passively regenerates shields, similarly to how Octane regenerates health–is an interesting one. As the smallest defender, Wattson is the only one to take extra damage on account of her Low Profile perk. Assumedly, this update is to address that weakness, stacking on top of the shield regeneration provided by her Intercept Pylon to further solidify her as someone who always bunkers down. She’ll likely now be able to survive just a little bit longer, passively healing between fights as she reestablishes her defenses.

Beyond the defenders, Pathfinder, Horizon, and Revenant will be changed too. The adjustments to Horizon and Revenant are pretty small (she gets a small nerf, he gets a tiny buff) but Pathfinder mains will likely rejoice at his changes. Pathfinder is undergoing the same transformation that Revenant did back in Season 4: he’s losing the Low Profile passive. Both robots are tall, skinny bois, so losing Low Profile just makes them hard-to-shoot targets that don’t take extra damage. This change did wonders for Revenant back in Season 4; it stands to reason the same will apply for Pathfinder here.

Changes To Weapons

This update takes a much needed stab at nerfing some of the weapons that have become far too dominant in recent seasons. Most notably, the Mastiff shotgun’s pellet damage is being decreased from 13 to 11 and the fire rate is being increased from 1.0 to 1.1. So it’s (thankfully) both weaker and slower. “The goal of these changes are to place this weapon’s identity between the fast fire EVA-8 and the heavy hitting Peacekeeper,” Respawn writes in the patch notes. The Hemlock is also getting an increase to its hip fire spread which should decrease the assault rifle’s dominance in close quarters, shifting the gun back to a mid-range option.

Gold weapons are also being changed. All gold assault rifles and LMGs are changing so their default sight is the 2x Bruiser–which is one of the best scopes in the game. It’s a far better option to have than the previous default: the 1x – 2x Variable Holo Sight. On top of that, you’ll now be able to (finally) remove and change the sights for gold weapons and most crate weapons. The Kraber is the one exception–even though pros can use it as a close-range shotgun, it doesn’t mean Respawn wants folks to regularly do so.

Changes To Maps

Mirage Voyage is blasting off again. This fan-favorite landmark used to be on World’s Edge before settling into the crater on Kings Canyon where Skull Town once stood. Its departure makes me a little nervous. Mirage Voyage acted as a major draw, helping to spread squads off the initial drop. Alongside the new landmarks added at the start of Season 8, Mirage Voyage helped make Kings Canyon feel bigger and less crowded. Without it, the map may feel too small again.

Chaos Theory Collection Event Update Patch Notes

Legend Updates

• Caustic
  • Nox Gas Grenade cooldown increased from 2.5 minutes to 3.5 minutes.
  • Nox Gas damages at a flat rate of 5hp per tick instead of ramping up from 6hp → 12hp.
  • Dev note: Caustic is brutally effective at slowing down engagements. The entirety of his kit revolves around gas with a large area of effect, slow, vision obstruction, and direct health damage. It’s proven to be too oppressive in too many scenarios especially considering teammates can play in gas relatively unimpaired. Significantly reducing gas damage (without taking it away completely or having it affect armor instead) seems like a fair compromise that stays true to the character while making him less oppressive on the receiving end. We will be monitoring the data and gameplay closely. If these changes hit Caustic’s appeal or effectiveness too hard we will revisit accordingly.
• Pathfinder
  • Removed Low Profile
  • Dev Note: Low Profile has been used as a balancing tool for both mobile and/or small legends. Although Path is still mobile, his hitbox is large. While his overall win rate and encounter win rate is by no means low, it’s hard to justify keeping Low Profile on a hitbox of his size.
• Gibraltar
  • Removed 15% faster heal item usage while in Dome of Protection.
• Horizon
  • Increased Black Hole cooldown from 2 minutes to 3 minutes
• Revenant
  • Revenant’s Silence now disables Mirage’s cloaked revive & respawn as well as Octane’s Swift Mend.
• Wattson
  • Wattson now has passive shield regen at 0.5 hp/s (half of Octane’s current health regen rate).
• Rampart
  • Explosives damage Amped Cover normally, instead of inflicting 200 damage.
  • Explosives damage Sheila normally, instead of inflicting 175 damage.
  • Dev Note: Walls should be beefy and powerful once built. Before Rampart shipped, we were worried that her nests would be too oppressive and so we gave enemy players the option to quickly clear them out with grenades. This wasn’t necessary, as it turns out, so we’re removing increased damage from grenades against Amped Cover and Sheila.

Weapon Updates

• Weapon Optics
  • All gold AR and LMG default optics updated to 2x Bruiser.
• Mastiff
  • Pellet damage decreased from 13 → 11. Fire rate increased from 1.0 → 1.1.
  • Dev Note: The goal of these changes are to place this weapon’s identity between the fast fire EVA-8 and the heavy hitting Peacekeeper. The Mastiff has consistently been dominant in close quarters combat given its forgiving spread pattern and high damage spikes with each shot. This change reduces that high damage potential in order to limit the amount of two pumps players experience on the receiving end.
• Wingman
  • +1 bullet to every magazine size, including base.
• Hemlok
  • Increased hip-fire spread.
  • Dev Note: The burst damage from the Hemlok’s hip-fire was feeling a little too consistent for an AR that should excel at medium range. This change mitigates the Hemlok’s close quarters damage spikes that felt bad on the receiving end.

Quality Of Life Changes

• Kings Canyon Loot – we’ve done a pass on the loot to bring up the quality across the map, while also maintaining a certain amount of loot after Mirage Voyage has flown away.
  • The wooden shacks across the map should have a few more pieces each, and generally be a little higher quality.
  • Spotted Lake has been reduced to Medium Quality from High.
  • Crash Site has redistributed the loot in the area slightly. The amount stays the same, but the higher quality loot should be in the ship.
  • Caustic Treatment has more loot than Water Treatment, and it remains Hiqh Quality.
• Locked Weapon Optic Swapping – For guns with fully locked attachment slots, like fully-kitted gold weapons and most crate weapons, you can now remove the optic and replace it with a different sight. This does not apply to the Kraber sniper rifle.
• Assists have been added to the in-game HUD, next to kills. This was already present in Ranked and now has been added to unranked. Assists still don’t contribute to XP. This has replaced the Spectator “eye” icon.
• Assists and Knocks have been added to your squad’s banners and will show at the end of a match.
• Club names now appear on Match Summary and Champion screen if all players are part of the same club.
• Items will no longer “stick” to Crafting Replicator when dropped on the Replicator.
• Badge Progress – for badges that have longer amounts of progress, hovering over the badge will show you more information. For example, if you’re trying to get 50 wins as Lifeline, you’ll now see that you have 45 instead of somewhere between 15 and 50.
• Ping My Deathbox – While respawning on a dropship, you can now ping your own deathbox to help locate it easier.
• Gold Backpack – Players being revived by a gold backpack will have a crackle of energy—based on the tier of armor they wear—while the revive is taking place. They will also display the armor heal FX when the revive is finished. This change should help players prioritize pushing a revive in progress.
• Players on PC can now go back to the title screen from the lobby to allow switching of data centers without restarting the game.
• Added numbers to the Advanced Look Controls. This should help people experiment and easily revert back to their favorite settings.
• When scanning a beacon for Ring 6, you should now be able to see the location where Ring 6 finishes.
• Inspect Weapon – Since the Survival Slot took its button on controller (we only have so many buttons!), Inspect Weapon has been moved to the emote wheel by default. It can be bound to any key on PC.

Bug Fixes

• Gibraltar
  • Corrected an issue with Gibraltar not getting hit registrations when simultaneously releasing ADS and shooting while his Gun Shield was up
• Wraith
  • Wraith players can no longer cancel Into the Void by jumping at a wall
  • The New Skydive Emote will now work with Legendary Skins
• Caustic
  • Fixed a bug that was causing Nox Gas to flicker for some players affected by it
• Octane
  • Repeatedly using the same jump pad no longer disables double-jumps
  • Players are no longer allowed to “glide” along a wall after using the jump pad
• Crypto
  • Crypto’s animation to bring out his Drone is no longer skippable by throwing a holospray
  • Crypto can no longer teleport to a replicator
  • Reloading the Mastiff and 30-30 will no longer be faster while in Crypto’s drone
• Loba
  • Fixed a few areas Loba could teleport into that would get her stuck
• Rampart
  • Players can no longer use Sheila to get under the world when placed too close to the Phase Runner in Olympus
• Horizon
  • Fixed the Gravity Lift falling through the floor when used on the train tracks in World’s Edge’s Sorting Factory
  • Using a zipline after a Gravity Lift will no longer increase accuracy
• Fuse
  • Motherload will now damage and destroy jump pads
  • When under a small enclosure, players will no longer be pushed out after using Motherload
  • Players can no longer double their grenades after looting a dead Fuse’s deathbox
• Mastiff
  • Dropping and picking up the Mastiff will no longer cause it to be reloaded
• 3030 Repeater
  • Dropping and picking up the 30-30 will no longer cause it to be reloaded
  • 30-30 will now have spread deviation when ADS firing and jumping

MISC

• Fixed a bug preventing Steam users from sending friend requests to each other
• Usernames now update when a user swaps between the Origin Client to the Steam Client
• Fixed a bug preventing players from creating or joining clubs due to their EA Account already being associated with another platform

The new Madden NFL 21 patch that introduces a series of Franchise mode updates and more is now available on platforms. The big takeaways include the Franchise mode updates, along with fixes for QB freezing, missing Pro Bowl active abilities, and problems with MUT’s UI.

There are separate patches for the PS5/Xbox Series X|S editions of the game, as well as the PS4/Xbox One and PC and Stadia versions.

On next-gen consoles, quarterbacks should no longer freeze during certain play-action plays, while the issue that could cause QBs to repeat an animation is now fixed. There was also a problem when the receiver would run back toward the line of scrimmage during a zig route, but this issue is now fixed with the update.

For Franchise mode, players can look forward to improvements to trade logic and player value, along with a new feature called “League History” that tracks the progress of your Franchise. Notably, this will be the final update for Franchise mode in Madden 21. EA Sports has acknowledged that the game’s Franchise mode did not live up to expectations for everyone, and the studio is promising that Madden 22’s Franchise mode will be better.

For the PS4/Xbox One/PC/Stadia version of Madden 21, the March 4 patch also fixes QB freezing issues, while it also fixes rusher logic in some punt situations. More specifically, it has been too easy to have punts blocked by AI rushers inside the 5-yard line, so this has been changed. Additionally, the update fixes a problem with the hit stick not working properly.

You can see the full Madden NFL 21 March 4 patch notes below, as posted by EA on its website.

In other news, Madden NFL 21 is now available with Game Pass Ultimate, so subscribers can try out the new Madden game at no extra charge.

Madden NFL 21 (Xbox Series X|S & PS5)

Gameplay Updates:

• Fixed an issue causing the QB to freeze after flipping Gun Split Close Play Action plays while also hot routing the HB.
• Fixed an issue causing some QB’s to repeat their pre-play walk-to-line, getting set in the formation animation twice.
• Fixed an issue preventing some abilities from being equipped for players on the Pro Bowl roster.
• Fixed an incorrect route shown in the play-art for the play Gun Tight Doubles Zig Under.
• Fixed an issue sometimes causing the receiver to run back toward the line instead of breaking out when running a zig route.
• Fixed an issue with Hit Sticks not tracking properly for Abilities using Hit Stick accumulation for In the Zone criteria (e.g. Avalanche)

Madden Ultimate Team Updates:

• Various UI Fixes

Franchise Updates:

• NEW: Improvements to Trade Logic and Player Value
• NEW: League History
• Fixed issue where “Backlash” ability was called “Pass Lead Elite”
• Fixed naming of Seahawks stadium to Lumen Field (for new Franchises)

Dev Note: All updates also apply to Gen4 consoles.

Madden NFL 21 (Xbox One, PS4, PC, Stadia)

Gameplay Updates:

• Fixed an issue allowing punts to frequently get blocked by an AI-controlled rusher when lined up inside the 5-yard line.
  • Dev Note: To address this issue, we tuned the logic of the rusher that was blocking the kick. The AI was timing the Dive perfectly and not in a situation where the player rushing the punter would layout and dive due to the blocker between him and the punter.
• Fixed an issue causing the QB to freeze after flipping Gun Split Close Play Action plays while also hot routing the HB.
• Fixed an issue causing some QB’s to repeat their pre-play walk-to-line, getting set in the formation animation twice.
• Fixed an issue preventing some abilities from being equipped for players on the Pro Bowl roster.
• Fixed an issue with Hit Sticks not tracking properly for Abilities using Hit Stick accumulation for In the Zone criteria (e.g. Avalanche)

Nintendo is offering another Super Smash Bros. Ultimate freebie for Switch Online members. For a limited time, subscribers can claim the Spirits Set 1. This pack unlocks two random Spirits in your game: one Legend-class Support Spirit, and one Ace-class Primary Spirit.

To claim the Spirits Set, select the Nintendo Switch Online icon from your system’s home screen and open the Special Offers tab. The Spirits Set will be listed among the other free offers. Alternately, you can grab the freebie directly from the Nintendo eShop by selecting Nintendo Switch Online from the left sidebar.

As was the case with previous Smash Bros. freebies, you can only claim the Spirits Set if you have an active, paid Switch Online membership. The offer isn’t available to those who have a free trial to the service. Individual memberships cost $4 for one month, $8 for three months, and $20 for one year, while an annual family plan runs for $35.

Smash Bros. Ultimate’s next DLC fighters, Pyra and Mythra from Xenoblade Chronicles 2, arrive later today, March 4. The two-in-one character will be added as part of the game’s 11.0.0 update, which will also introduce a handful of new Mii Fighter costumes and make other character adjustments. Pyra and Mythra launch alongside a new stage, Cloud Sea of Alrest, as well as a new Spirit Board and 16 music tracks taken from Xenoblade Chronicles 2.

Like other DLC fighters, Pyra and Mythra’s challenger pack costs $6. The characters are also included in the Fighters Pass Vol. 2, which runs for $30 and covers six characters. Two more DLC fighters are still on the way following Pyra and Mythra, but Nintendo hasn’t offered any hints as to who those will be.

EA’s battle royale behemoth Apex Legends is getting another big event very soon with the Chaos Theory Collection Event, which we’ve now gotten a closer look at.

Mad Maggie returns with a terrible plan to sabotage the ring, which is causing ring flares to show up across the map. In the new Ring Fury mode, players get a new heat shield for their inventory that allows them to sustain ring damage to rescue teammates. This shield projects a dome that can protect players from the ring damage.

Additionally, players can visit Caustic’s Town Takeover to find gold-tier loot, while Apex Legends overall is offering up 24 items that will only be available for a limited time. Players who collect all 24 will get Bangalore’s “Cold Steel” heirloom, which looks pretty rad.

You can check out a teaser for the Chaos Theory Collection event in the video above. The event itself kicks off on March 9, which is also the day that Apex Legends come to Switch. Developer Respawn recently showed off more of Apex’s gameplay on Switch–see it here.

To help Switch players catch up, Respawn is offering 30 free Battle Pass levels, double XP for the first two weeks, and a limited-time Legendary Pathfinder skin at no extra cost.

Genshin Impact’s mobile edition is an absolute juggernaut, as Sensor Tower is reporting that the game brought in around $874 million from its microtransactions since launch at the end of September 2020.

Genshin Impact is a success globally, as it ranks third in terms of revenue on iOS and Google Play, only trailing Tencent’s Honor of Kings and PUBG Mobile, both of which have made over $1 billion from microtransactions over the past five months.

Genshin Impact’s $874 million outpaces the amount of money that Pokemon Go and Roblox made on mobile over the past five months, but those games are considerably older.

Genshin Impact is, however, the highest-grossing mobile RPG worldwide. It brings in around $175 million each month from microtransactions.

These results do not capture the full extent of Genshin Impact’s success, as the game is also available on PS4 and PC. Also bear in mind that all of these numbers are estimates that come from SensorTower and not directly from the developer.

In terms of geography, Genshin Impact makes the most money in China, where it’s generated $253 million so far. Japan is the second-biggest market for the game ($237 million), while the US ranks third with $162 million so far. iOS is the bigger platform for Genshin Impact, with revenue on Apple’s store coming to $521 million compared to $352 million on Android.

Mobile is a massive category in gaming. Electronic Arts has said mobile is bigger than PC and console, which is why the company spent more than $2 billion to acquire the developers of Kim Kardashian’s hit mobile game. EA also recently announced six new FIFA mobile games.

Mobile is also hugely important to Activision Blizzard, which spent $5.9 billion to acquire Candy Crush developer King. Activision Blizzard makes most of its money from mobile, which is why it may develop new mobile games based on every one of its franchises.