Apex Legends has rolled out a new update on all platforms, and it nerfs both the LMG Spitfire and the new marksman weapon, the Bocek Bow. It also fixes a number of bugs, including a “ghost rock” on Phase Runner that lacked collision, so players were hiding in it to troll their enemies.
According to the patch notes linked in the tweet below, the Spitfire’s per bullet damage was decreased from 19 to 18, and its max mag size was decreased to 50. The Bocek Bow’s body shot damage was decreased from 70 to 60, its charge up time was increased slightly, and both its stack size and inventory slot count were significantly decreased.
Re: the BOCEK and the SPITFIRE Before Legacy launched, we knew the Bow would be strong, and we debated whether or not to even ship it with 70 dmg. We erred on the strong side because it’s a really freakin’ cool weapon and we wanted to make sure y’all gave it a chance. (1/10) https://t.co/euYnHTxK66
— John Larson | JayBiebs (@RSPN_JayBiebs) May 11, 2021
Respawn live balance designer John Larson said on Twitter that the team behind the game knew that the Bocek had the potential to be a bit overpowered, but they decided to have it deal 70 damage so players would give it a chance. Larson also stated that the Spitfire nerf is part of an ongoing effort to make the game’s LMG’s feel distinct from assault rifles, and that the Spitfire was simply a bit overpowered at the moment.
It’s Tuesday, and yet another weekly update for Red Dead Online has rolled out. Each week one role or activity gets a set of bonuses and rewards linked to it, and this time around the game’s enterprising Traders are the select bunch. Additionally, players will find that rooting out lawlessness earns them some extra cash this week when they take on bandit hideouts or participate in Trade Route Free Roam events.
All the bonuses, rewards, and discounts available this week in Red Dead Online have been outlined in a blog post from Rockstar Games.
Bonuses For Traders
For any Traders in Red Dead Online, the Wild West has become a seller’s market. Whether they’re moving their cargo locally or taking a risk and delivering it long-distance, Traders will earn twice as much cash as they normally would. Additionally, any completed sale will also earn players an offer for 40% off any novice or promising Trader item or camp dog.
Likewise, any Traders that take up arms for their peers and compete in Trade Route Free Roam Events will earn double the usual Character and Role XP.
If you’re not a Trader yet and aspire to deal in all kinds of animal products, now is the time to join in. A butcher’s table, the camp accessory needed to become a Trader, is currently discounted by five gold bars.
More XP For Clearing Gang Hideouts
You don’t have to be a Trader to earn a bit more XP for taking out some bandits. Anyone who clears out a gang hideout will earn double the usual XP for the next week.
Free Treasure
Players in need of some quick cash can almost always take out a treasure map and go hunting for gold. This week, a map can quickly be earned by purchasing any pamphlet from a Fence. After getting your pamphlet, the map will be added to your account within three days. Don’t worry about the prohibitive price of pamphlets either, because all non-role pamphlets are discounted by 30% as well.
Discounts For Everyone
This week’s offers and discounts apply to player camps and Trader role items. If you’re in the market for a new tent, camp theme, or even a hunting wagon, now’s the time to pick one up.
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The developers behind record-breaking Roblox game Adopt Me have launched an entire new studio to support it, called Uplift Games.
A press release from Uplift Games reveals that whilst the studio was “originally founded by two talented Roblox developers, the team has now expanded to a 40-strong game studio, including a mix of experienced Roblox creators and veteran developers”.
Roblox is a hugely popular online platform, which allows players to create their own games for others in the community. Its success has been enormous, particularly with young players and, after going public in March, it was revealed that Roblox is now worth more than development giants Take-Two and Ubisoft combined.
Adopt Me originally launched on Roblox in 2017, and has gone on to become “the fastest growing and most successful Roblox title of all time”. Adopt Me is a game created within Roblox, where players can “build houses, collect and trade over 150 cute pets, and use in-game tools to create their own fun with friends”. The game has seen over 22 billion visits to date, and set a new world record for concurrent players on Roblox, hitting 1.92 million concurrent users in April 2021. The game also saw “100% growth” of new players between January 2020 and January 2021.
With numbers like that, it’s no surprise that the team wants to flex its creative muscle and talent in a different direction – but Uplift also stressed its commitment to supporting Adopt Me through Roblox, stating that, “The studio will remain focused on Adopt Me, as well as future unannounced projects”.
Interestingly, Uplift Games has been keen to highlight its positive health-focused approach to any projects it works on, stressing that, “The studio has an ambitious mission statement to deliver a healthy and inclusive working environment, while operating a hugely successful self-funded game. Developers have the freedom to work when and how they wish to meet development goals, which are themselves carefully managed by studio leadership to minimize overwork and burnout”.
Given some of the recent high-profile reports of intense crunch and developer burnout in the games industry, this is a refreshing approach to see from a development studio. A statement from Josh Ling, the Director of Business Operations, confirmed this approach, saying that “Uplift Games is a place where great successful games can be made by people who live happy and healthy lives”. It’ll probably be a while until we see anything new from Uplift Games, but at least the development team is free to work at their own pace.
Roblox’s success is enticing more traditional game developers to the platform, with VVVVVV creator Terry Cavanagh creating his latest game exclusively for it.
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Liam Wiseman is a Freelance News Writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @liamthewiseman
Devolver Digital, the boutique games publisher behind Genital Jousting and Hotline Miami, will have a presence during the week of E3 2021, and now the company has revealed when its showcase may be. The publisher said on Twitter that it’s “probably” scheduled for June 12. The “probably” is likely in keeping with Devolver’s trademark humor and tone, as opposed to any real uncertainty over when the show takes place (we think).
June 12 is the first day of E3 2021’s digital show. Devolver is not involved with E3 2021 in an official capacity, but the company is seemingly kicking off its own show to make the most of the elevated interest in games that week as the company was known to do in pre-pandemic years.
Devolver and E3’s organizer, the ESA, have clashed before. Devolver was known to host its own event across the street from the Los Angeles Convention Center where it would promote its games and work with journalists and influencers who attended E3 proper. Devolver said in 2017 that it lost $100,000 due to its spat with the ESA.
Probably June 12.
— Devolver Digital (@devolverdigital) May 11, 2021
Devolver’s E3-week digital showcases are known for being completely over-the-top and absurd. Devolver normally works with actress Mahria Zook for the show, and she plays the character of a fictional gaming executive known as Nina Struthers. Here’s to hoping 2021’s Devolver E3 show is zany and off-the-rails again this year.
Devolver didn’t share any teases for what it might showcase during its E3 briefing, but keep checking back with GameSpot for the latest from Devolver and other companies leading up to the event. Some of Devolver’s upcoming games include Weird West and Shadow Warrior 3, among others.
GameSpot’s Play For All charity event also returns this June as we celebrate video games and lend support to important causes. We’ll have more details about what we’ve got planned soon.
New World is the largest game set to be released from Amazon Games. In the same vein of World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy XIV, New World is an online RPG where players can take on quests, take in lore, and collect loot in the world of Aeternum–essentially a high-fantasy setting that takes inspiration from the Americas during the Age of Exploration. With its August 31 launch approaching, the developers of the large-scale open-world MMO opened up New World to a final preview ahead of its release later this summer. One of the many constants in an MMO is the focus on dungeon-crawling, and we had the chance to dive into New World’s take on group quests, called Excavations.
New World puts more of a focus on exploring a large-open world at your own pace, letting you take on trades, engage in PvP and PvE content, and build out your character how you see fit. This aspect of the game comes through in a big way during the Excavation missions. Similar to other online RPGs, you and a squad of other adventurers team up to engage in story-driven, standalone adventures located in instanced locales. In our recent hands-on, we got to explore one of the high-level Excavations set in the Armine ruins, which you can check out below in our new gameplay video.
As the name suggests, Excavations are about uncovering and exploring the lost ruins of Aeternum, which houses ancient treasures and hidden threats that have gone undisturbed before your arrival. This particular Excavation starts out in a network of mines before descending further into the ruins of a lost civilization. Tying back into the themes of New World, the MMO is about exploring an unfamiliar land and uncovering its lost history.
The actual gameplay loop of the Excavation follows the same tried and true formula of MMO dungeon-crawling missions. New World’s action-focused combat, which has players manage stamina as they dodge attacks, parry strikes, and aim their ranged attacks in real-time, makes each fight feel like an active and thrilling engagement. With each player taking on a needed role, and with coordination being a must, these high-level, group-focused missions present a solid amount of fun and excitement–if a bit familiar compared to other MMOs. However, what really sets New World apart is the freeform and classless character system.
There are no traditional character classes in this MMO, but rather every player has access to all the weapon and magic skills available to them. By spending time to acquire skill points to invest in various weapon types and skills, such as bows, swords, magic wands, and rapiers, you can then unlock skills to flesh your build–which can be adjusted anytime. This flexible approach certainly came in handy during our particular dungeon run, which required some members to rethink their loadouts and skills.
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In our previous chat with the developers last year, New World’s head of player experience, Dave Verfaillie, spoke about the focus on freedom of choice in the game and how it incentives players to try different builds.
“One of the goals we’ve had all along is to give players more choice and freedom. For New World, it was about letting players create their gameplay, and that comes from the classless system that we have,” said Verfaillie. “In most games, your starting class dictates how you play and what follows after. In our game, you create your class, and you can change it throughout your game. You may start as a melee player, but there’s no reason that you couldn’t switch to ranged combat or dabble more in magic. I think that the classless system is one way we allow players to express their agency. But things like the territory game, housing, where you can fully decorate your house, and even just choosing where you put your house is an important statement in a game like New World.”
New World’s approach to open-world gameplay and its style of character growth in an MMO certainly gives it an edge over other online games that go for a more traditional approach. However, the market for MMOs continues to be a challenging space–with all games vying to get the attention of their core audience. While New World certainly faces a tough battle at launch, the game’s vision for a more unified and open approach to exploring an MMO’s world at your own pace offers a more welcoming place to start an online adventure.
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After announcing the Street Fighter V pack last month, Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid has unveiled Chun-Li–aka the Blue Phoenix Ranger–via a new trailer.
The trailer shows the Interpol agent battling against the heroes and villains of the Power Rangers universe with her Chinese Kempo style, with many of her trademark moves on display including the Lightning Kick, Spinning Bird Kick, and her Hoyokusen super move from Street Fighter V.
Chun-Li’s Class of ’93 alternate costume makes an appearance as well, changing Chun-Li’s attire from her Ranger outfit to a shirt and skirt combo worthy of the early 90s high school scene.
Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid is a three-on-three team-based fighting game starring Rangers and enemies from throughout Power Ranger history. The 25-character roster includes the original Red Ranger Jason, the Green Ranger Tommy, and Goldar from the original Power Rangers TV series, as well as Gia the Yellow Ranger from 2014’s Super Mega Force and the Cenozoic Blue Ranger from the 2017 feature film. The game is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia, and Steam.
The Street Fighter V pack for Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid adds Ryu and Chun-Li to the three-on-three fighting game on May 25. This is not the duo’s only guest turn in 2021, as they also appeared as skins in Fortnite in February and as playable characters in the mobile fighter Fist of the North Star LEGENDS ReVIVE in April.
The biggest game release this week is Mass Effect Legendary Edition, a remastered compilation of the first three games in BioWare’s iconic action-RPG series. Though $60 is a pretty good value already for a trio of lengthy RPGs, you can already get a discount ahead of release. Walmart is selling console preorders for $50.94 right now. It’s certainly possible that stock will sell out, so those still looking to preorder should snatch this deal up as soon as possible.
Amazon was matching this deal but has since sold out of copies for both PS4 and Xbox One. If you order now from Walmart, you can get free release-day delivery.
Sadly, Walmart isn’t offering a preorder bonus for Mass Effect Legendary Edition. If you want a collector’s item with your copy of the game, you’ll have to order from Best Buy or GameStop at the full $60 price. Best Buy is giving away free steelbook cases with all preorders, while GameStop has an exclusive poster. Check out our Mass Effect Legendary Edition preorder guide for more details.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition comes with every piece of DLC released for all three games in the original trilogy. In terms of upgrades, BioWare improved the character models and textures. All three games will be capable of running in 4K resolution with HDR.
The iconic tabletop card game Uno is getting a new deck themed around the LGBTQ+ community and pride in general. Mattel has announced a new deck called Uno Play with Pride, and it’s part of a new collaboration with the It Gets Better Project charity.
In addition to creating a new deck, Mattel is donating $50,000 to the It Gets Better Project, while the board game company will also be a partner for the group’s digital pride festival in June.
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The new Play with Pride edition of Uno is the same game you know, but its box is now more colorful and the wild card features two hearts and rainbow colors. The box also states, “Embrace diversity with the classic game that’s perfect for everyone.”
The new Uno Play with Pride deck can be purchased in the US for $6 only at Target stores and Target.com. You can get a closer look at the new deck in the images in the gallery above.
“Uno is a celebrated game with the ability to transcend age, culture, and language while bringing people together–something we aspire to do at the It Gets Better Project,” It Gets Better’s marketing boss Eboni Munn said, according to Pride.com. “We are thrilled Mattel has chosen to partner with a non-profit serving a diverse global community of LGBTQ+ youth for its first-ever Play with Pride deck, and we look forward to continued inclusivity and representation that reflects the world we live in.”
PUBG Mobile has unleashed a clash of the titans on its player base, partnering with Godzilla vs Kong for a kaiju-sized Version 1.4 update to the battle royale.
Godzilla, Kong, and Mechagodzilla will now appear on the Erangel, Sanhok, and Livk maps in the brand new Titan Strikes mode. They will not attack players–unless too many gather around the massive beasts–instead trying to destroy new Apex Cybernetics buildings and Monster Settlements. The new structures can be looted once destroyed, though the Monster Settlements will contain hostile monsters that will need to be defeated first.
The update also comes with a pair of additions timed for early June. The first is brand new Arena map called Hangar coming June 1–which supports which supports the Arena Training, Team Deathmatch, and Team Gun Game modes–while June 9 adds new Lab structures to the Erangel map. These Labs contain “Quantum Transformation Devices” which turns you into a “minature insect player” for a completely new game mode.
Other updates include an over-the-shoulder aiming system designed for more precise shooting and a new two-seater sports car called the CoupeRB for joyriding around the map with a friend.
PUBG Mobile is the mobile version of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, the pioneer of the battle royale genre. The game originally launched in February 2018 and has seen 600 million downloads, with 50 million daily active players worldwide according to the official website. As for Godzilla vs Kong, the duo will also be crossing over into World of Warships with both as playable commanders.
