Fortnite Players Want Fewer Cosmetic Restrictions

Every Fortnite battle pass has added a number of new skins that come alongside an emote, back bling, glider, and other accessories that are unlocked as players level up. These additions could be used with any skin, but Season 4 introduced special versions of these items that were tied to specific characters. Players worry that these new cosmetic restrictions will continue into future seasons, limiting their ability to customize as they see fit.

This change was introduced with various Marvel characters. Thor’s hammer, Mjölnir could only be used by characters that were worthy like Captain America and Thor. Dr. Doom’s glider and emote, alongside a number of other items, were also tied to specific heroes.

Mave's glider can't be used with other skins.
Mave’s glider can’t be used with other skins.

“I get Marvel, but Mave’s glider is stupid,” said Redditor ExtraTime101. This change was believed to only apply to Marvel characters, but now it’s continued into Season 5. Mave, one of the hunters you can unlock, features a glider specifically made for her. It can’t be used on other characters.

“I don’t know why people are so obsessed with their skin being unique,” said Redditor JerCoMambo. “If we buy the battle pass we should be able to mix and match any cosmetic.”

Dr. Doom's glider.
Dr. Doom’s glider.

Mave’s glider is similar to the glider for Dr. Doom, Storm, Iron Man, and Thor. They each feature the character striking a pose as different special effects surround them. These gliders were clearly designed with these heroes in mind–but players want to see their favorite Fortnite characters wielding these superhuman abilities as they float to the ground at the start of a match.

Every battle pass has also come with additional unlocks tied to specific challenges and levels that would become locked once the season ended. Players argue that they should be able to unlock items at whatever pace they’d like–especially if they had to pay for the opportunity in the first place. They apply the same argument to this skin-specific restriction.

Part of the appeal of purchasing the battle pass is getting additional accessories for every character in your locker. As more content continues to roll out, many players don’t want to be unable to use new additions just because they decide to stick with their skin of choice.

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CS:GO Update Removes Bots From Competitive Games, But Valve Doesn’t Say Why

The newest update for Valve’s incredibly popular free-to-play shooter CS:GO has arrived, and one of the most notable changes pertains to a feature that has been removed.

The patch notes state that, when a player disconnects or is kicked from a classic competitive or wingman mode match, a bot will no longer replace them. Should the entire team vanish, a single bot will be spawned in for the other team and remain idle.

Valve provided no rationale for why it made this decision to remove bots. The appeal of bots was that, should a teammate get disconnected for any reason, the squad would still have a fighting chance instead of being forced to play one team member down.

Elsewhere, the January 7 CS:GO patch fixes various exploits and issues with a handful of maps, while some changes have been made to the game’s ping system. Specifically, pings will no longer highlight weapons in competitive matches.

You can see the full patch notes below, as compiled by Valve and posted on the game’s website.

CS:GO is far and away the most popular game on Steam. The latest data shows that the shooter had more than 1 million concurrent users by the latest count.

CS:GO – January 7 Patch Notes

[ GAMEPLAY ]

  • When a player disconnects or is kicked in classic competitive and wingman modes, they will no longer be replaced by a bot. If the entire other team leaves, one bot will be left on the other team, idling in spawn.
  • Fixed bots not navigating properly in Warmup arenas.

[VIEW MODELS]

  • Reduced size of SWAT sleeves matching all existing models.

[ MISC ]

  • Fixed a crash in Windows dedicated server when “version” command is issued.
  • Pings no longer move when walked over by characters, and will no longer highlight weapons in competitive matches.
  • Adjusted Retakes clip areas in Mirage and Train

[ PERFECT WORLD ]

  • Accounts that completed government identity verification have been upgraded to CS:GO Prime Account Status for Steam China.

[ MAPS ]

Ancient

  • Further optimizations
  • Fixed some clipping bugs

Cache

  • Fixed a pixel-gap in the Cargo containers in T-Spawn (Thanks to the perceptive individual that reported it to 3kliksphilip!)
  • Fixed Cargo containers not having their proper colors.
  • Fixed bomb explosions being visible above the A site. (Thanks markman2575!)

Engage

  • Removed several boost spots
  • Added stairs in the garage for better rotation flow
  • Breakable glass ceiling around A-site and Mid. Smokes and flashes can now be used on A-site
  • Removed “office” area on mid
  • Added ladder on A upper CT side
  • Both entrances of the hut are now wider for better player traffic flow between A-site and Mid
  • Lowered A upper and bridge to make entire bombsite more readable
  • Removed several awkward angles on A-site
  • Removed excessive areas on A-site
  • Removed clutter on A-site
  • Better FPS around the whole map

Guard

  • Widened inner part of connector
  • Reduced size of restaurant corner
  • Adjusted tarp positions on truck to eliminate some angles
  • Lowered half-wall at stairs
  • Adjusted timings by pushing CT spawns back a bit
  • Shifted crates next to tower further towards pit
  • Enhanced visibility for various long range angles
  • Removed electric box next to bikes
  • Reduced amount of breakable glass at shop
  • Blocked angle from CT boost to pit
  • Increased size of ladder hole
  • Added location names
  • Fixed players being able to see into the tower area when boosted at dumpster (u/ReVoLTimE)
  • Fixed some Z-fighting and intersecting geo (Thanks Joaokaka1998)
  • Fixed various visible nodraw textures (Thanks Joaokaka1998, Fnugz, u/TheSpudd, u/ReVoLTimE)
  • Fixed various bomb stuck spots (Thanks Joaokaka1998)
  • Fixed player stuck spot on street (Kerluck)
  • Clipping adjustments throughout the map (Thanks Joaokaka1998, u/ReVoLTimE, Kerluck)
  • Minor visual adjustments and enhancements

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Steam Adds Additional Support For Xbox And PS5 Controllers

Steam developer Valve has begun rolling out additional support for Xbox and PlayStation controllers, giving you more customization options for input mapping.

The biggest change makes the Xbox One Elite Series 2 more useful when played with games via Steam, with the rear paddle buttons now available for mapping. Valve has also added support for the new revision of Xbox controllers that include the share button, which can now also be mapped for any function in-game.

Both controllers will also benefit from added support for rumble triggers, which can now be used on supported titles. Additionally, four Xbox controllers can now be recognized at once for local multiplayer titles.

The update does less for the PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller. The update allows you to toggle the controller’s LED, choosing between a static on and off or a dynamic mode that only activates the LEDs if more than one controller is connected at a time. It’s not as extensive as the Xbox support, but it does show that Valve is still working with the DualSense on some level. Perhaps support for its unique haptic triggers might come.

The update is only out on Steam’s beta client for now but should be incorporated into the release client soon. If you are using the beta, Valve recommends manually updating the controller driver and restarting your PC if you’re having trouble with functionality.

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Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Mid-Season Update Teased, Here’s What We Know

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is getting another big update soon, as developer Treyarch has now teased a “mid-season update” that will land on January 14.

This update to Season 1 adds a huge new Fireteam map called Sanatorium, along with a new 6v6 multiplayer mode called Dropkick. Treyarch did not provide any specifics on what this mode is or how it plays, however.

What appears to be the new Sanatorium map
What appears to be the new Sanatorium map

For Zombies, the mid-season update will introduce a Cranked mode that resets the timer every time you kill a zombie. The Onslaught mode in Zombies, meanwhile, introduces the Raid map. PlayStation fans are getting some exclusive content, too, in the form of new Dark Aether intel.

More details about the mid-season update will presumably be shared in the days ahead.

The Season One rollout, which brought Black Ops Cold War weapons to Warzone, was a little rocky. Players spoke out about various issues, and the developers responded with nerfs to a variety of weapons, including the overpowered DMR 14. Looking ahead, the developers have told fans to keep sending in their feedback so the studio can make the game better.

Now Playing: Firearms Expert Reacts To Call Of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s Guns

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What If the Y2K Bug Destroyed Civilization?

Thanks to the tireless efforts of countless scientists, programmers and other experts, the dreaded Y2K bug wound up being more a minor nuisance than the civilization-ending disaster some feared. But what if that weren’t the case? What if the Y2K bug did, in fact, wreak havoc across the globe and bring humanity to its knees? That’s the premise of the new Image Comics series Deep Beyond, a sci-fi horror saga set in an alternate world where the worst case scenario did come to pass.

IGN can exclusively debut new interior art from Deep Beyond #1 ahead of its February release. Check out these pages in the slideshow gallery below:

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In the world of Deep Beyond, the remnants of humanity cling to life years after the millennium bug decimated civilization, with a small band of scientists keeping the survivors from total annihilation. In this world, even greater horrors are waiting to finish off what’s left of society, especially after a lone researcher is lost in the oceanic abyss. The series is a collaboration between co-writers Mirka Andolfo (Mercy) and David Goy, artist Andrea Broccardo (Star Wars: Doctor Aphra) and colorist Barbara Nosenzo (The Ballad of Halo Jones).

“This comic book could appear a little different from what I’ve written before, but in fact, certain themes that are a constant of my whole production come back: contemporary social (or in this case environmental) issues without being preachy but always entertaining the reader, mixed with the right dose of humor to release the tensest and dramatic moments,” Andolfo told IGN. “And the fact I have to write for an artist that will put my script to paper was an occasion to flex new creative muscles, so to speak. So a great experience that I think made me improve as a scriptwriter.”

“The world we created in DEEP BEYOND is a devastated one, in which nature takes back its spaces, and it is about a planet at the same time different and tragically similar (potentially) to the one we know,” said Goy. “The human race is the main protagonist but also a great menace for the planet, and this will show in unexpected ways.“

Broccardo added, ““After working on a globally known sci-fi scenario like Star Wars, it was a pleasure and an honor creating graphically a whole new world that was a little retro-futuristic, but also immensely plausible.”

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/04/what-to-expect-from-marvel-in-2021”]

Deep Beyond will run for 12 issues, with the first chapter scheduled for release on February 3, 2021.

For more promising new comics debuting this year, check out IGN’s 21 most anticipated comics of 2021, find out more about DC’s Future State crossover and learn what major plot twist will transform Daredevil this year.

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Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

Lenovo’s Prototype Handheld Computer Is Basically A Nintendo Switch

Computers come in all shapes and sizes these days, but they all have the exact same problem in their design: None of them resemble a Nintendo Switch. Chinese hardware manufacturer Lenovo has tackled this dilemma head-on with its latest prototype, the LaVie Mini.

Revealed at CES 2021, Lenovo’s concept machine imagines what one of its laptops would look like if it were pocket-sized and on the verge of receiving a legal takedown notice from Nintendo.

Like the Switch, the LaVie Mini features detachable controllers on the side, a docking station that can display to TV, and can also function as a portable device. Its theoretical specs are also impressive, as the 8″ WUXGA touch panel display has a 1920 x 1200 resolution, internal storage is a 256GB SSD, and the computer is powered by an 11th Gen Intel Core i7 mobile processor. With Intel Iris Xe graphics on the chipset and 16GB of RAM, it’d be more than capable of playing any of your favorite indie games and also running a few work apps.

LaVie Mini
LaVie Mini

Gallery

Lenovo’s not the first company to chase the dream of a PC take on the Switch, as Alienware also unveiled its UFO concept last year. A powerful Windows 10 gaming PC with a handheld form factor, it never managed to move beyond the prototype stage. Razer also unveiled a portable gaming device of its own at CES this year, the Junglecat gaming controller which turns your Android phone into a Switch-influenced gaming console.

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Prolific Video Game and Anime Voice Actor Brad Venable Dies, Aged 43

Brad Venable – who provided his voice acting talents to Devil May Cry 5, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, multiple anime series and more – has died aged 43.

Multiple members of the voice acting community have today posted tributes to Venable, having been given permission to share the news by Venable’s wife. No cause of death has been announced at time of publish.

Among many other parts, Venable played V’s familiar Griffon in Devil May Cry 5, as well as playing roles in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold Wars, the recent Demon’s Souls remake, and Final Fantasy 7 Remake. He also played Daz in the English dub of Attack on Titan, and played roles in My Hero Academia, Hunter x Hunter, and Dragon Ball Super.

IGN sends its condolences to Venable’s family and friends.

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Joe Skrebels is IGN’s Executive Editor of News.

PS5 Exclusive Returnal Channels Housemarque’s DNA In New Footage

Returnal, the latest PS5-exclusive from arcade-shooter veterans Housemarque, is launching in a few months, and the latest developer diary from the studio shows off more elements of its rogue-lite.

Housemarque is known for its fast and frenetic 2D shooters, namely Resogun, Nex Machina, and Super Stardust HD. The transition to 3D is a big leap for the studio, but it’s evident from the footage that the DNA of its previous work is there. There are enemies firing off waves of projectiles, blisteringly fast movement, and bright neon effects everywhere. Check it out below.

In addition to the new footage, Returnal game director Harry Krueger explained how the addition of a new dimension is letting the team at Housemarque experiment with something entirely new to them.

“Naturally, there’s been quite a few interesting challenges on that road,” Krueger explained. “I think it comes down to … yes, most of our games during this last ten-year period, during the arcade era, have been mostly 2D experiences, right? So usually confined to a simple 2D playfield and lots of clean obstacles and challenges to overcome, lots of explosive action. Now we just have this extra dimension– literally an extra dimension–of both ambition and complexity to the mix.”

Krueger also mentioned that the PS5’s new DualSense controller has allowed the team to come up with new ways to experience the third-person shooter action, specifically with regards to how half-presses of triggers will do different things. Returnal’s control scheme will be entirely customizable, however, if you enjoy something more traditional.

Returnal launches on PS5 on March 19. It’s the first PS5 exclusive expected to launch this year ahead of the sequel to God of War, Gran Turismo 7, and Horizon Forbidden West.

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Quibi’s Shows Will Live On, As Roku Acquires Streaming Rights For Under $100 Million

Confirming rumors, Roku has announced that it acquired the global distribution rights to Quibi’s programming after the short-form streaming platform shut down late last year.

According to Deadline, “most” of Quibi’s shows will move over to Roku, but “some daily news shows” are not making the jump. The official announcement said there will be 75+ shows available from Quibi on Roku. The acquisition price was not named in the report, but WSJ reporter Ben Mullin said it was less than $100 million.

Roku executive Rob Holmes explained to Deadline that existing agreements with the creators of the shows will remain in place. “We’re excited about that. It’s great, high-quality, top talent, and high-quality content,” Holmes said.

On Roku, the shows will be free to watch with ads. All of the content will live on the Roku Channel from within the service.

The actual viewing experience will be different, however. On Quibi, the shows lasted only about 10 minutes, but it appears Roku plans to splice them together for longer-form viewing.

“I think their premise was, you have 10 minutes, you would watch it. Our view is, this is TV, someone’s going to spend half an hour or an hour or two hours watching it because it’s just that compelling,” Holmes said.

The acquisition of Quibi’s content comes at a high point for Roku, which recently exceeded a massive user milestone as people flock to streaming during the pandemic.

Quibi attracted some very big names for TV shows and movies. Liam Hemsworth and Christoph Waltz star in the movie Most Dangerous Game, while Game of Thrones actress Sophie Turner appears in the Quibi movie Survive. Chrissy Teigen hosts Chrissy’s Court, while Rachel Brosnahan stars in the show Golden Arm, which is about a woman with a golden arm.

Nvidia Releases GPU Driver To Address Serious Security Vulnerabilities

Nvidia has released a new driver for its whole range of graphics cards, addressing several security vulnerabilities that could expose your PC to a variety of attacks.

The update, which is available to download now, prevents exploits that could result in denial-of-service attacks or escalation of privileges. Nvidia ranks some of these security loopholes as high risk, even though an attacker would still need local access to your PC to install software that can capitalize on them.

The patch doesn’t feature any traditional game-specific improvements as is custom with new drivers, but it does address some smaller issues that you may have been experience on your GPU. One of the biggest fixes addresses incorrect contrast levels when using HDR with compatible displays–specifically any of LG’s OLED TVs.

You can find the full list of fixes below, and the breakdown of all security exploits addressed in Nvidia’s extensive changelog. You can download the new 461.09 driver using Nvidia’s GeForce Experience or directly from the company’s website.

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