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Honkai: Star Rail's Trailblazer isn't just a throwaway character. Like the Traveler in Genshin Impact, the Trailblazer can counter multiple weaknesses because of their ability to control more than one element. Each element also empowers them to play completely different roles depending on the team. Unfortunately, the Trailblazer also has a unique way of unlocking Eidolons compared to other characters. Eidolons are copies of characters that unlock additional abilities for each one you get. You get Eidolons for most Star Rail characters from pulling on banners. For example, if you already have Dan Heng but happen to pull him again from a banner, then that copy will give you an item that unlocks his first Eidolon (E1). You can unlock up to six Eidolons per character before Star Rail converts the additional characters into other currency to spend in its in-game shop. The Trailblazer is different. You can’t pull the Trailblazer from banners, so their Eidolons come from various sources like stores. It’s even more complicated because the Trailblazer has more than one Path (the game's equivalent of combat roles). The Trailblazer has twelve Eidolons right now (six for each available Path), but that number will grow in the coming updates. That being said, it’s more difficult to find these Eidolons that pulling on a banner. Here’s where to find all of the Trailblazer’s current Eidolons. Shadows of DestructionShadows of Destruction unlock Eidolons for the Physical Trailblazer, a Destruction character that wields the Physical element. This is the first version of the Trailblazer that you encounter in the game's prologue. Destruction characters are known for all-rounder abilities that range from self-healing to flexibility between single and multi-target attacks. You can preview Trailblaze Level rewards from the Parlor Car in the Astral Express. Here's where to find all of the Shadows of Destruction: Herta Space Station PrologueJarilo VI - Main Story RewardTrailblaze Level 19 RewardTrailblaze Level 30 RewardInternal Purchase Officer on Space StationUnderground Shop on Jarilo VIYou get most of the Shadows of Destruction from completing the story and raising your Trailblaze Level. The first two on this list come from completing two story quests. Another two come from reaching a certain Trailblaze Level, which you need to do anyway to move on in the story. Lastly, the final two come from two shops marked on the first two "planets" in Honkai: Star Rail. You can read Eidolon abilities for any character under the Relics section in their profile.These are all the Physical Trailblazer Eidolon abilities: E1: A Falling Star - When enemies are defeated due to the Trailblazer's Ultimate, the Trailblazer regenerates 10 extra Energy. This effect can only be triggered once per attack.E2: An Unwilling Host – Attacking enemies with Physical Weakness restores the Trailblazer's HP equal to 5 percent of the Trailblazer's ATK.E3: A Leading Whisper - Skill Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15 and Talent Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15.E4: A Destructing Glance -When attacking an enemy with Weakness Break, CRIT Rate is increased by 25 percent.E5: A Surviving Hope - Ultimate Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15 and basic ATK Lv. +1, up to a maximum of Lv. 10.E6: A Trailblazing Will - The Trailblazer's Talent is also triggered when they defeat an enemy.Shadows of PreservationShadows of Preservation are for the Fire Trailblazer, another version of the protagonist that you get after reaching a certain point in the Honkai: Star Rail story. This Trailblazer plays more of a defensive role than their Physical counterpart. Their abilities include reducing damage, shielding allies, and taunting enemies. You'll need to thoroughly explore the Xianzhou Luofu to get four Shadows of Preservation.Here's where to find all of the Shadows of Preservation: Xianzhou Luofu - Main Story Reward4x Jeweler's Pagoda on Xianzhou LuofuAt this time of writing, only five out of six Shadows of Preservation are available right now. One is reward for completing the Xianzhou Luofu story arc up to the "Humming Antlers, Entwined Horns" Mission. You can buy the rest from the Jeweler's Pagoda, a shop located in the Central Starskiff Haven of the Luofu. Strales, the currency onboard the Xianzhou Luofu, come from exploring the planet-like ship and completing missions in the region. You need at least 1000 Strales to get all four Eidolons from the Jeweler's Pagoda. These are all the Fire Trailblazer Eidolon abilities: E1: Earth-Shaking Resonance - When the Trailblazer uses their Basic ATK, deal additional Fire DMG equal to 25 percent of the Trailblazer’s DEF. When the Trailblazer uses their enhanced Basic ATK, they deal additional Fire DMG equal to 50 percent of the Trailblazer’s DEF.E2: Time-Defying Tenacity - The Shield applied to all allies from the Trailblazer’s Talent will block additional DMG equal to 2 percent of the Trailblazer’s DEF plus 27.E3: Trail-Blazing Blueprint - Skill Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15 and Talent Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15.E4: Nation-Building Oath - Immediately gains 4 stack(s) of Magma Will at the beginning of the battle.E5: Spirit-Warming Flame - Ultimate Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15 and basic ATK Lv. +1, up to a maximum of Lv. 10.E6: City-Forging Bulwarks - After using an enhanced Basic ATK or Ultimate, the Trailblazer’s DEF increases by 10 percent. Stacks up to 3 times.The Xianzhou Luofu story arc hasn’t finished yet, so the last Shadow of Preservation could be a reward for completing quests related to it in future updates. View the full article

The PlayStation Showcase offered an early look at a variety of new games coming to PlayStation 5 and PlayStation VR, but the biggest reveal was undoubtedly a remake of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. The title is one of the worst-kept secrets in the industry and, finally, it is out in the open. The immediate response, naturally, was excitement, particularly from the GameSpot team. But in the hours following, concerns began to arise. Metal Gear Solid is one of the biggest and most iconic video game franchises of all time and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is regarded as one of the greatest games of all time. But there is cynicism and skepticism around Konami's ability to do justice to the franchise and the game. On this week's episode of Spot On, Metal Gear Solid fans Lucy and Tamoor discuss why they're worried about the project, delving into some of the key questions that remain unanswered, and why they may be cause for concern. Spot On is a weekly news show airing Fridays in which GameSpot's managing editor Tamoor Hussain and senior producer Lucy James talk about the latest news in games. Given the highly dynamic and never-ending news cycle of the massive video game industry, there's always something to talk about but, unlike most other news shows, Spot On will dive deep into a single topic as opposed to recapping all the news. Spot On airs each Friday. View the full article

Development on the upcoming The Last of Us multiplayer game from Naughty Dog has reportedly been slowed and scaled down. According to Bloomberg, the game has not been canceled but many of its developers were moved to other projects within Naughty Dog. Destiny developer Bungie, which Sony acquired last year, reportedly evaluated and questioned about Naughty Dog's multiplayer game and its ability to keep players engaged for long periods of time. As a result, the project was reassessed. The project has been in development for at least four years and was originally intended to be part of The Last of Us Part II. However, it became more ambitious and was ultimately turned into its own game. Naughty Dog seemingly responded to Bloomberg's report on Twitter, saying, "We're incredibly proud of the job our studio has done thus far, but as development has continued, we've realized what is best for the game is to give it more time." Additionally, the studio is working on a new separate title. Naughty Dog continued: "Our team will continue to work on the project, as well as our other games in development, including a brand new single-player experience; we look forward to sharing more soon." Back in January, Naughty Dog teased that it would share more information about The Last of Us multiplayer game later this year. It's unclear whether this delay will have an impact on its reveal. View the full article

Battlefield 2042 will soon introduce major changes to some of the game's most popular vehicles as part of its upcoming Season 5 update, New Dawn. Vehicle loadouts are getting an overhaul come the update's arrival on June 7. Developer DICE's goal is to make it so the roles of different vehicles are more clearly defined. One big way DICE is looking to do that is by removing explosive weapon options from some of the game's most-used ground vehicles, including the LATV4 Recon. Despite the jeep's role as a transport vehicle, it's currently able to equip multiple types of explosive weaponry. That will be changing in Season 5, with those weapons replaced by anti-infantry weaponry instead. "While explosives have their place on the battlefield, they should be a strategic choice and not the default choice or available option for all vehicles," DICE writes in a blog dedicated to the subject. Other vehicles, like the M5C Bolte and the EBAA Wildcat, have also had their weaponry adjusted to better suit their specific roles. In the Bolte's case, that means making it a stronger "hit-and-run" vehicle as opposed to one that sits back and shoots explosives from afar. The Wildcat, meanwhile, will be adjusted to better fulfill its intended role as an anti-air vehicle. Additional changes coming to vehicles include improvements to jet gameplay to make them feel more responsive, the addition of thermal sights for vehicles, and the ability to decouple aiming and turning for tanks. The option to equip the Cyber Warfare Protection System is also coming to all vehicles, having previously only been available to the LATV4 Recon. Like previous seasonal updates, Battlefield 2042 Season 5 will also introduce new weapons and gadgets for players to create mayhem with, in this case the XCE bolt-action rifle, the GEW-46 assault rifle, and the BFP .50 hand cannon. Players are additionally getting three new grenade types to play with, including a mini grenade, anti-tank grenade, and spring grenade. Unlike previous seasons, Season 5 will be the first since the game's launch to not include a new playable Specialist. A new map, titled Reclaimed, is also coming alongside the new update, which sees players battling over an abandoned factory reclaimed by nature. Though it won't be arriving day and date with Season 5's launch, a rework of one of Battlefield 2042's launch maps, Hourglass, will be coming later in the season. Battlefield 2042 has slowly been reinventing itself since its launch in November 2021, when the game was mired by technical issues and negative feedback from players over things like the game's lack of voice chat or even a scoreboard. Since then DICE has added a scoreboard, reworked most of the game's launch maps, added new Specialist characters, and even reintroduced the franchise's well-known class system, something that was notably absent when the game launched. View the full article

The Trials of Osiris are live once again in Destiny 2, and after the Season 21 patch introduced some big changes to the sandbox, expect to see a few new strategies being used in this PvP activity. Before you head down to visit Saint-14 and get your passage card stamped, make a turn by Xur to see what gear the Agent of the Nine has for sale this weekend. Here's a look at where you'll play Trials of Osiris this weekend and what weapons you can earn. Map: Endless Vale Reputation Rank 4: Upgrade ModuleReputation Rank 7: Enhancement PrismReputation Rank 10: The Messenger (Pulse rifle)Reputation Rank 13: Upgrade ModuleReputation Rank 16: Unexpected Resurgence (Glaive)Flawless Reward: Unwavering Duty (Adept)Season of the Deep is adding some excellent new rewards to the Trials pool, and if you're a fan of shaders, then there's a glorious golden one to grab from this multiplayer event. Alongside the Glorious Patina shader, Trials will also have some new Exotic cosmetic gear to unlock, including a new Ghost shell, ship, and Sparrow. Glorious Patina will only be available to players who go Flawless during Season 21, and the weapon pool is being updated with The Messenger pulse rifle and the Unexpected Resurgence glaive as possible prizes. A new emblem is also being added, but you'll need to get a Flight of the Pigeon medal for every win and open the Flawless chest at the Lighthouse to obtain it. The other big change to Trials this season is the debut of an introductory quest that provides a proper tutorial for new Trials players, and completing it will reward players with the Astral Horizon Trials Shotgun. Trials Passage offerings are also being updated to provide a better experience, starting with Passage of Wealth. This will now grant +75 Trials reputation for every win and an additional bonus for your current major rank in Trials, up to +150 total. Passage of Mercy will now forgive two losses if you have not yet been Flawless for the week, and after going Flawless, it reverts back to a state where it forgives a single loss on each card after you reset it. This season's core game mode is Dominion, which Bungie says was chosen because it is overall faster, promotes more varied engagements, and provides a healthier sandbox variety. As a reminder, Trials weapons carry the Alacrity Origin Trait, which gives you increased aim assist, reload speed, stability, and range on these weapons when you're the last living member of a fireteam or running solo. You can also choose to swap to the Crucible Origin trait, One Quiet Moment, which greatly enhances your gun's reload speed when you reload while out of combat. Trials goes live from Friday's daily reset at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET until the weekly reset at the same time the following Tuesday. Make sure to pay a visit to Saint-14 in the Tower to pick up a Trials card, which will dictate certain bonuses (such as whether you get bonus rewards at certain milestones or if a loss will be forgiven). Your ultimate goal in the Trials of Osiris is for you and the other two players in your fireteam to achieve a "Flawless" run, in which you win seven matches without losing any. Go Flawless and you'll earn a trip to the Lighthouse and receive some special rewards, including the Adept weapons. These have additional stat bonuses, making them among the most coveted items you can get your hands on. Your Trials Passage--the card you purchase from Saint-14 that grants you access to the mode and tracks your wins--does not track your losses, so you can keep playing and earning rewards even if you lose out on a Flawless run. View the full article

It's the first weekend of Destiny 2's new season, Season of the Deep, and Xur has arrived on time to offer his usual Exotic and legendary gear. With dozens of Exotic weapons and armor pieces being overhauled in this week's patch, now is a great time to see if you can grab some of that gear from the Agent of the Nine this weekend. Here's where you can find Xur this weekend and what the Agent of the Nine has for sale. This week you can find Xur in the Tower, inside the Hangar. For his weapon, Xur is offering Arbalest. Hunters can pick up Lucky Pants leg armor; Titans can grab the Armamentarium chest armor; and for Warlocks, Xur has Eye of Another World. Xur LocationXur's location in the Tower.Spawn in using the Courtyard transmat zone in the Tower to find Xur this week. Head left and down the stairs to enter the Hangar section, then hang another left. Make your way to the north end of the area and look for a staircase that will take you onto a catwalk, where Xur is waiting. Xur Exotic and Legendary ItemsExotic Engram - 97 Legendary ShardsArbalest - 29 Legendary ShardsLucky Pants - 23 Legendary ShardsEye of Another World - 23 Legendary ShardsArmamentarium - 23 Legendary ShardsHawkmoon - 200 Legendary Shards, 125,000 Glimmer, 1 Ascendant Shard, 1 Exotic CipherDead Man's Tale - 200 Legendary Shards, 125,000 Glimmer, 1 Ascendant Shard, 1 Exotic CipherXenology quest - FreeLegendary weapons and armor - 50 Legendary Shards, 1,000 GlimmerXur also offers the Xenology quest every week, which requires you to complete 21 strikes or win Crucible and Gambit matches so that you can earn an Exotic Cipher. These are normally used to buy old Exotics from a kiosk in the Tower, but next season, you'll be able to spend them at Master Rahool to get the Exotics that you want. The cap on Exotic Ciphers will also be increasing, as you'll be able to hold up to five of them at a time. Xur is present every weekend in Destiny 2, starting with the daily reset at 10 AM PT / 1 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. Exotic ArmorLucky PantsXur offered Lucky Pants just a few weeks ago, and its back in stock with the Agent of the Nine. In case you missed them the first time, these are essentially Swiss Army Knife-pants, trousers that favor gunslingers who use hand cannons. Not only do you gain increased damage when using those futuristic revolvers, but you also get a great buff depending on which subclass you're using. For the stats, this Exotic isn't admittedly loaded with the ones that matter to Hunters, as mobility, resilience, and strength are quite low, while recovery and discipline are set to a whopping 20 points each. Mobility: 7Resilience: 7Recovery: 20Discipline: 20Intellect: 6Strength: 7Total: 67ArmamentariumNothing too revolutionary here with Armamentarium, as you'll gain a second grenade charge with this Exotic. Useful in PvP depending on your strategy, not that sought-after in PvE as you can use armor mods to quickly regain grenade energy. The stats on this Exotic aren't too great either. as it has incredibly low strength and not a lot of resilience. Recovery is incredibly high, but that's a number that most Titans don't worry too much about when they're fine-tuning their Guardian. Mobility: 2Resilience: 8Recovery: 26Discipline: 12Intellect: 16Strength: 2Total: 66Eye of Another WorldEye of Another World is one of those Warlock Exotics that feels like it's best used in PvP. With the Cerebral Uplink perk, you'll be able to highlight priority targets and improve your grenade, melee, and rift energy regeneration. Like the two Exotics above, the stats are all over the place, with strength getting the lion's share of the numbers, and is followed closely by mobility and recovery. Not too bad if you're building a speedy puncher, but that's a loadout that usually serves Hunters and Titans better. Mobility: 14Resilience: 7Recovery: 12Discipline: 11Intellect: 2Strength: 20Total: 66Exotic WeaponsArbalestArbalest didn't get an overhaul this week like several other Exotics did, and it still functions as it did last season. This linear fusion rifle has an intrinsic anti-Barrier Champion perk, and you can equip it in your secondary slot in case you want to reserve your power weapon slot for a machine gun or a rocket launcher. HawkmoonHawkmoon's roll this week is Rangefinder, which increases its effective range and zoom magnification. It's fairly useful for PvP, and it pairs well with Polymer Grip. Corkscrew RiflingAlloy MagazineRangefinderPolymer GripDead Man's TaleKilling Wind is a popular weapon perk on Dead Man's Tale, as you gain increased mobility, weapon range, and handling after a final blow, but the rest of this week's build is lacking those killer combo extra perks. Corkscrew RiflingLight MagKilling WindHand-Laid StockLegendary ArmorTitanTypeMobilityResilienceRecoveryDisciplineIntelligenceStrengthTotalBrayTech Thermal GripsTitan Gauntlets252610101164BrayTech Iron-Heart EngineTitan Chest Armor11101012101063BrayTech Absolute Zero MarkTitan Mark0000000BrayTech Sn0HelmTitan Helmet1012102102064BrayTech Sn0BootsTitan Leg Armor101210771864WarlockTypeBrayTech Researcher's GlovesWarlock Gauntlets16162206767BrayTech Researcher's RobesWarlock Chest Armor1012102102165BrayTech Researcher's BondWarlock Bond0000000BrayTech Researcher's HoodWarlock Helmet18676161265BrayTech Researcher's BootsWarlock Leg Armor16612771866HunterTypeBrayTech Researcher's BootsWarlock Leg Armor16612771866BrayTech Survival MittsHunter Gauntlets127141610665BrayTech Combat VestHunter Chest Armor151061215664BrayTech Winter CloakHunter Cloak0000000BrayTech Sn0MaskHunter Helmet1012111021964BrayTech Sn0TreadsHunter Leg Armor6620618763Legendary WeaponsGnawing HungerEnergy Auto RifleExtended Barrel / Full BoreTactical Mag / Extended MagSubsistenceMultikill ClipJudgment of KelgorathEnergy GlaiveTempered Truss Rod / Lightweight EmitterAlloy Magazine / Accurized RoundsPugilistUnstoppable ForceIKELOS_HC_v1.0.3Energy Hand CannonFluted Barrel / Full BoreAccurized Rounds / Extended MagRapid HitFrenzyShattered CipherHeavy Machine GunFull Bore / Hammer-Forged RiflingAccurized Rounds / Steady RoundsUnder PressureSnapshot SightsCold DenialKinetic Pulse RifleHammer-Forged Rifling / Polygonal RiflingAlloy Magazine / Armor-Piercing RoundsThreat DetectorUnrelentingDistant TumulusEnergy Sniper RifleFull Bore / Polygonal RiflingAppended Mag / Steady RoundsLead from GoldOutlawThoughtlessKinetic Sniper RifleExtended Barrel / SmallboreSteady Rounds / Flared MagwellOverflowAdagioView the full article

Adobe software isn’t cheap, with monthly subscriptions that quickly add up if you’re looking to access its entire repertoire of software. Adobe Creative Cloud is arguably the best option for creators, as it includes all the apps and tools needed for professional graphic design, photography, web development, and other creative endeavors. The plan typically isn’t cheap, but right now you can snag three months of Adobe Cloud Creative for just $30, down from its usual $247. Here’s a quick look at every application included with Adobe Creative Cloud. Adobe Creative CloudPhotoshopIllustratorPremiere ProAcrobat ProInDesignAfter EffectsLightroomAdobe XDAnimateLightroom ClassicDreamweaverDimensionAuditionInCopyCharacter AnimatorCaptureAdobe FrescoBridgeAdobe ExpressPremiere RushPhotoshop ExpressMedia EncoderAeroAdobe ScanFill & SignAcrobat ReaderBeyond access to all the above software, this deal includes 100GB of cloud storage, tutorials, Adobe Express, Adobe Fonts, and more. To redeem your codes, you’ll first need to create an Adobe account. You’ll also need to input a credit card if you’d like to sign up for auto-renewal, but you can skip this step if you simply want to let your membership lapse after your three months are up. Best of all, the keys are stackable--though the 100GB storage limit will remain the same. Whether you’re a creative professional or a newcomer that wants to test out the Adobe lineup without breaking the bank, this deal is definitely worth a closer look. We’re not sure how long it’ll stick around, so be sure to check it out while you can. Disclosure: The GameSpot Deals storefront is run by one of GameSpot's affiliate partners, StackCommerce. If you have any issues with your order, please contact StackCommerce. View the full article

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum launched on May 25, and its release was not what developer Daedalic Entertainment wanted to see. The game received very bad review scores, and many people have pointed out the game's numerous glitches and other oddities. In a statement, Daedalic apologized for the "underwhelming experience" people have reported. "We acknowledge and deeply regret that the game did not meet the expectations we set for ourselves or for our dedicated community," the developer said. "Please accept our sincere apologies for any disappointment this may have caused." Deadalic went on to say that its developers are now working to address the game's bugs and technical issues. "We are committed to providing you with the patches that will allow you to enjoy the game to its fullest potential," the studio said. Daedalic pledged to keep fans updated on the status of forthcoming updates and improvements. "Your passion and dedication as players have been the driving force behind our determination to make things right," the studio said. On launch day, May 24, Daedalic put out a statement from CEO Carsten Fichtelmann who said the game is "true to the lore created by professor Tolkien..." Middle-earth Enterprises, the company that owns the rights to the series, said it was a "phenomenal experience" working with Daedalic over the years on the game. GameSpot's The Lord of the Rings: Gollum review scored the game a 2/10. Our reviewer noted that the game crashed 120 times during their playthrough. Daedalic has publicly discussed its ambition to make more Lord of the Rings games, but whether or not the reaction to LOTR: Gollum will change those plans is unknown. A Switch version of the game is in development and is scheduled for release in the future, but many are wondering if the studio will see it through given the reaction to the game so far. Gollum might not be the Lord of the Rings game you're looking for, but there are plenty of other games in the series coming up. View the full article

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, a game that launched to poor critical reception, will receive a patch on May 27. The update will supposedly address performance issues that have plagued the game since its release earlier this week. This comes by way of developer Daedalic, which issued a statement to Eurogamer about the game's current state. "As you maybe already can imagine, we are aware of the feedback brought up by preview-testers," an excerpt from the statement reads. Daedalic issued a day-one patch alongside the game's release, which addressed crashing issues on PS5, but there's still work to be done. "Most of the issues mentioned, especially crashes, were concerning the console version of the game and we already patched the game accordingly," Daedalic said. The company confirmed that it's "closely monitoring the launch period," and is open to feedback from the community. "More details will be shared tomorrow once we have compiled all the information." It's unclear the extent of the upcoming patch, or when exactly it will go live. The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is the worst-reviewed game of 2023, so far according to GameSpot's sister site Metacritic. Of the 298 games available on the site for 2023, the PS5 version of Gollum is last on the list (as spotted by VGC). "Much like Gollum's quest for the One Ring, my quest to complete The Lord of the Rings: Gollum was full of endless setbacks, impossible odds, and ever-increasing levels of madness. And, like Gollum, my journey was doomed from the start. So if the developers' main goal was to really put you in the shoes of such a pitiful, unloveable character faced with constant pain and suffering at every turn, they were at least successful at that," said Sam Pape in GameSpot's The Lord of the Rings: Gollum review. View the full article

Minecraft hit 1.0 more than 12 years ago, and even after all these years, the team at Mojang continues to release updates rich with new items and gameplay. The upcoming 1.20 update will add a bunch of new features, and now we know exactly when all the miners and crafters will get to check them out. The Minecraft 1.20 Trails & Tales update arrives to Minecraft's Bedrock Edition on June 7, 2023. The Trails & Tales update brings a bunch of new content to the game that should please just about any active player, no matter how they play. This update is the debut of the Sniffer, the winner of Mojang's 2022 Minecraft Live Mob Vote. Players will find eggs at archaeology sites that they can hatch and grow from a snifflet into a sniffer, which will then help players find ancient seeds that are used to grow torchflower and pitcher plants, both of which are also new. Speaking of archaeology, players looking for something new to do will be able to find new "suspicious" sand and gravel in desert temples and ocean ruins, as well as trail ruins, a new structure that players can find in cold biomes. Using an archaeology brush, players will be able to carefully uncover tools, bones, sniffer eggs, and pottery sherds (that's an archaeology word that means shard. Seriously.). Players can then assemble these sherds to make pottery with a variety of patterns. Chillin'And while you can always walk, ride a horse, or even fly to those archaeology sites, why not try out the new Camel mob? If you think a camel is just a tall horse, you're basically right--at least as far as Minecraft is concerned. Camels can hold two riders, and a saddled camel will allow players to stay out of reach of ground mobs. When unsaddled, the camel will wander around, sitting whenever it feels like it. Along with the countless other biomes in Minecraft, a new one is coming with this update: Cherry Groves. The groves are filled with cherry trees that drop pink wood, and have a unique falling-petal particle effect, as well as covering the surrounding ground in pink petals. SquadOne more big feature coming along with the 1.20 update is Armor Trim. When you and your friends reach the latter parts of Minecraft, you can all look kind of same-y right now, with everyone wearing enchanted Netherite armor, which just looks like brown armor with a purple sheen to it. With trims, you'll be able to combine different materials to make up 16 different trim options so that everyone can express themselves. Minecraft character skins are fun, but they're too often covered in armor, and this lets players have the best of both worlds. The update also brings bamboo wood blocks, bamboo rafts, chiseled bookshelves (that can hold actual books, both enchanted and player-created), and sign features that allow for hanging signs, two-sided signs, and uneditable signs. Also on June 7, Minecraft is releasing on compatible Chromebooks, complete with cross-platform play with Bedrock players on other platforms. View the full article

The video game to board game pipeline has become well-established over the past few years, and it seems that Metal Gear Solid is the latest adaptation. Coming on the heels of Konami's announcement of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, the "Integral Edition" of the board game will cost $100 plus shipping. Designed by Emerson Matsuuchi, the Metal Gear Solid board game appears to be based primarily on the PS1 original of that name. It features mission-based co-op gameplay that highly encourages a stealthy approach. It has several weapons and items from the game, such as Meryl's infinite ammo bandana. It also includes several of the game's iconic boss fights, including Ocelot, Sniper Wolf, Liquid Snake, and more. The preorder bonuses include a Metal Gear Rex miniature and a 109-page graphic novel. The game supports one to four players and takes roughly an hour to 90 minutes to play. The Metal Gear Solid board game was originally supposed to launch in 2021, but it was canceled by publisher IDW after a number of delays. The game is now being published by CMON, and it is expected to ship in May 2024. Konami announced two new Metal Gear Solid projects earlier this month. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is a full remake of Metal Gear Solid 3, one of the most beloved games of the PS2 generation. It will feature the original voice actors, including David Hayter. The second project is the Metal Gear Solid Master Collection, which will include the first three games in the series: Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Konami's website indicates that this is essentially a re-release of the original Metal Gear Solid HD Collection from 2011, albeit without Peace Walker. View the full article

Diablo 4 is just around the corner, and Blizzard's popular collectible card game Hearthstone is celebrating with a couple of in-game events in June. A special Battlegrounds and Tavern Brawl will launch during the month, just after the launch of the next Hearthstone mini-set for traditional play. First, Diablo will return to Hearthstone Battlegrounds for a limited time, June 5-7. Diablo was first introduced in 2021 as a limited-time Battlegrounds hero. When one player selects Diablo, it makes that player a raid boss who takes on all seven other players simultaneously once every four turns, with the winners claiming specialized loot. Blizzard didn't detail any changes for this reemergence of Diablo. Plus, a special Diablo-themed Tavern Brawl boss battle is coming. This one will be unusual for Tavern Brawls as it will last for two weeks instead of just one, and your progression against the boss will be saved across each run. For your efforts you can snag a special card back. Before Diablo arrives though, it's the end of the world as we know it with the Audiopocalypse mini-set for standard Hearthstone play. The mini-set launching May 31 will add more cards to the latest expansion, Festival of Legends. Those will include new dual-class minions and spells and Remixed cards that get a shifting bonus effect in your hand. Check below for all the cards revealed so far. Gallery With Diablo 4 around the corner, Blizzard is hosting special events across the board, with special drops in World of Warcraft, Diablo Immortal, and on Twitch. Blizzard also just debuted the live-action trailer for the game. For more, check out our Diablo 4 preorder guide and launch time guide. View the full article

If you've been spending some time in Destiny 2's PvP suite, you've probably noticed a drastic increase in the number of Stasis Titans running around the map. You've probably also noticed that your Guardian has been eliminated ridiculously quickly in these encounters by the new seasonal hand cannon Targeted Redaction. There's a reason why, and that's thanks to players discovering that the Collective Action trait on this hand cannon can be used to take out an opponent with just two hits. That's a two-tap kill from a hand cannon, and no matter how high your resilience is, you can't escape death from a high-velocity one-two punch. As spotted by Fallout Plays, Collective Action grants a stacking period of increased damage when collecting elemental pickups, so Titan players have been using their Stasis subclass and the Tectonic Harvest Aspect to create these shards of Darkness energy. Combined with Elemental surge and Void weapon surge armor mods on their leg armor, and Titans can easily two-tap their way to victory. All a Titan has to do is make and break some ice when they need it, collect a shard, and activate the Collective Action buff. Don't be too surprised if Bungie moves quickly to address this. The studio usually removes problematic weapons and armor mods from the game while it works out their kinks, although there's no word yet if this will be done before Trials of Osiris and the new dungeon go live after the daily reset. For more on Destiny 2, you can check out Season of the Deep guides on how to easily farm the Last Wish raid for craftable weapons, how to get Salvage keys, and witness the return of Nathan Fillion as Cayde-6 in this teaser for next year's The Final Shape expansion. View the full article

The European Union has approved Microsoft's blockbuster $68.7 billion buyout of Activision Blizzard, and one of the key people involved in the decision, Margrethe Vestager, has now shed more light on the decision. In a speech recently, Vestager spoke about the divergence of opinion between the EU and the UK, the latter of which blocked the deal over concerns about cloud gaming. "No one doubts that this was a landmark transaction in the gaming industry. Gaming is a dynamic market that impacts millions of consumers in Europe. So the deal deserved a thorough investigation. We looked at impacts on gamers today and in the future--whether they play on PC, console, or on their phones. We focused on the development of cloud streaming, which will play an increasing role in how consumers access games," Vestager said. She went on to say that the overall market share for Microsoft and Activision Blizzard was "generally low" in Europe compared to the rest of the world. Vestager went on to say that Sony dominates the market for console sales in the EU, selling about four times more PlayStation units than Microsoft does for Xbox consoles. Like the CMA, Vestager said the EU did not have a concern that Microsoft would make Call of Duty exclusive to Xbox. Microsoft has said this would be a disastrous decision considering how much money Call of Duty makes on PlayStation. The EU did have concerns about the cloud gaming space, a market that is "still nascent," Vestager said, but has the potential to grow in the future. "Cloud gaming deserved an in-depth assessment. This was a common concern because, like us, the CMA focused on this market," Vestager said. She went on to say that the EU had concerns that Microsoft might make Activision Blizzard games exclusive to its own cloud gaming service. However, Vestager said Microsoft's 10-year deals with other cloud streaming providers outside of Microsoft's helped the EU get on board and approve the deal. "And why did we do this instead of blocking the merger? Well, to us, this solution fully addressed our concerns. And on top of that, it had significant procompetitive effects," she said. This actually is better for competition, not worse, Vestager said. It means that smaller cloud service providers could jump into the market and compete, "widening choice for gamers," she said. "The merits of this remedy was recognized across the spectrum--by developers, by cloud gaming providers, by distributors and of course also by consumer groups. And that is because it unlocked the potential of the cloud market," she said. Vestager went on to say that the EU worked with competition commissions from the UK, Canada, US, Australia, and New Zealand for the Microsoft-Activision Blizzard deal. The UK's decision to block the deal, then, makes for an "interesting" situation, Vestager said. Vestager wrapped up her speech by saying that "disruption has become the norm" in the business market for mergers and acquisitions. She said due to how there have been many changes to how people shop, work, relax, and socialize, one can expect there to be even more consolidation in the time to come. "Our mission is to accompany that transition, one merger at a time. It is to find solutions that keep the game fair for all players, and working closely together with sister agencies as we do so," she said. "That is our Call of Duty." Microsoft's deal to buy Activision Blizzard has been approved in 37 countries, but in addition to the UK, the United States has yet to give the green light. The Federal Trade Commission in the US will conduct a hearing in early August 2023 to discuss the sale. The $68.7 billion that Microsoft is proposing to pay for Activision Blizzard represents the biggest-ever acquisition in gaming history and among the largest in any business. Microsoft's biggest acquisition ever was LinkedIn, which it acquired in 2016 for $26.2 billion. The Activision Blizzard deal is 2.5x bigger than that. View the full article