General News

The approach of another Friday means that a new round of FC 26 TOTS squads is about to be unveiled! This release is highly likely to feature Ultimate Team members, so you'll definitely want to get a sneak peek in advance!

Fortunately, squad leaks have become almost a norm within FIFA 26 community; therefore, this time around, we are bringing you reliable predictions for all four squads featured in TOTS Week 4, along with all the other information you need to know to acquire them.

TOTS Week 4 release date

This batch of Team of the Season squads will be officially announced on Friday, May 8th. For the entire week following the announcement, you will be able to unlock the corresponding player cards by participating in various in-game events.

Subsequently, Week 5 will go live on May 15th, marking the conclusion of the acquisition period for Week 4 TOTS players. It is worth noting that Week 5 represents the final batch of squads to be released before the highly anticipated Ultimate Team reveal.

TOTS Week 4 squads

The players being unveiled this week, or rather, the players you will soon have the opportunity to unlock, hail from Ligue 1 McDonald's, Arkema Première Ligue, National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), and Trendyol Süper Lig.

Below, we have listed TOTS squads for these four leagues in turn, along with each player's specific position:

Ligue 1

Trendyol Süper Lig

NWSL

Arkema Première Ligue

How to acquire Week 4 players?

First, for each squad, there will be 2-4 players designated specifically as rewards for completing Squad Building Challenges and Objectives. This means that as long as you successfully complete these tasks, you are guaranteed to unlock those specific players.

The remaining players must be acquired by earning and opening packs, or by trading on the transfer market; in most cases, obtaining these players relies heavily on your luck.

Sources for packs include SBCs and Objectives, as well as other in-game rewards within FUT 26. Alternatively, you can redeem packs directly from the in-game store by consuming your FC 26 coins.

If you plan to acquire players via the transfer market, it is highly advisable to set aside some time to monitor market fluctuations and strike at the most opportune moment to maximize your TOTS returns.

When opening packs, please keep this in mind: while opening many packs simultaneously may theoretically increase your chances of pulling rare cards, it is absolutely crucial that you open them within the designated time window before the event expires.

For instance, if you earn card packs between May 8th and May 15th but save them to open during the following week, you will receive TOTS Week 5 players rather than players from the four teams featured in Week 4.

While a specific player's TOTY card is typically superior to their TOTS card, TOTS cards invariably offer higher Chemistry values and more significant attribute boosts compared to their standard base cards.

This is particularly true if the selected TOTS player contributed a substantial number of assists throughout the past season; in such cases, their passing statistics are highly likely to see a significant upgrade.

How should you prepare for TOTS Week 4?

First, you need to ensure you understand the requirements and mechanics for participating in SBCs and Objectives, allowing you to complete them immediately once the new event begins and unlock the initial batch of rewards.

While these rewards do include a certain amount of coins, they are rarely sufficient for active trading on the transfer market; therefore, you will also need to actively engage in other Ultimate Team game modes to earn additional coins.

In FC 26, the primary sources for earning coins stem from various specific game modes within Ultimate Team, including not only the aforementioned SBCs and Objectives but also Squad Battles, Moments Mode, and more.

At this stage, Squad Battles remains the top choice for efficient farming. Simply by playing against the AI to reach Elite 1 rank, you can secure a stable and guaranteed weekly income of coins, along with the occasional bonus of other valuable packs.

That concludes our FC 26 TOTS Week 4 squad predictions and accompanying guide. With just one day remaining until the official launch, wrap up your Week 3 journey now and get ready for the new event!

If you want to unlock your favorite TOTS Week 4 players, or even those from subsequent weeks faster, check out FC 26 coins for sale on IGGM! Our safe and rapid service ensures you get the best TOTS experience!

Raiders, among the new items added to ARC Raiders Riven Tides, Powered Descender is one of the most useful but also the easiest to misuse. Many people may be misunderstanding its true purpose. This guide will show you how to correctly use Powered Descender and how to obtain it.

Common Mistakes

Many players are used to activating Powered Descender when jumping from a height to slow their descent and try to avoid fall damage. However, the problem is that because of the difficulty in timing, you can easily run out of energy or not slow down enough before landing, ultimately still taking damage.

It's time to realize that it's not that Powered Descender is bad, but that you're using it incorrectly.

Correct Usage

The truth is, its core design is for upward propulsion, not downward deceleration. Therefore, the correct way to use it is to activate Powered Descender first, then jump. This will give you upward propulsion, allowing you to ascend vertically or make short leaps.

Activating it after you jump is simply equivalent to slowing down and descending slowly. Activating the jump before jumping not only propels you upwards but also gives you forward momentum.

Let's break down the correct steps.

First, equip Powered Descender and press the activation button while stationary or running. You'll see the energy bar deplete, and the device will emit a sound effect.

Next, while still active, immediately press the jump button. Your character will gain a significant upward momentum, helping you reach platforms you couldn't normally jump to.

Pay attention to the indicators provided by your energy bar. A full energy bar provides approximately 5 seconds of continuous propulsion, helping you descend slowly. If you use it for upward jumps, each jump consumes approximately 0.5-1 second of energy.

The moment the energy runs out, the propulsion stops immediately, and your character will fall vertically. Therefore, always keep an eye on your remaining energy.

Applications in Practical Use

Climbing Heights Normally Inaccessible

Many players know that there are many valuable items on the chimneys of Bird City, but without a Snap Hook, they can only watch helplessly.

At this point, if you use Powered Descender, activate it, and jump, it will directly pull you onto the chimney. The high place you were longing for is now easily reached.

Also, there are rooms with skylights in Red Tower area. Normally, you need to run across a bridge, overcome some small obstacles, and then try to climb onto the roof. This often fails. But Powered Descender allows you to launch directly from the ground and flip over, saving time and effort.

Solving Annoying Little Jumps

Those narrow gaps between two buildings may seem insignificant, but they are often places that frustrate players and make them want to detour. A normal jump is easily a close call, resulting in a fall, and detouring takes 1-2 minutes.

But with Powered Descender, it's different. Just reach the edge of the gap, activate it, and jump, and you can easily solve the problem. These annoying little jumps are precisely where Powered Descender excels.

Increase Forward Momentum While Running

Activating Powered Descender while running and then jumping will grant you both upward thrust and forward momentum.

This can be used to cross slightly wider ditches, but you still need to assess the distance; it cannot completely replace the long-distance swing of Snap Hook.

Emergency Escape

When you accidentally fall into any low-lying terrain in the game, a normal jump won't get you out. Powered Descender can help you escape this way. Activate it for a direct bounce escape. This is especially useful when you're taking a shortcut over obstacles while being chased by enemies.

Replace Snap Hook for Daily Map Running

Snap Hook is a yellow (Legendary) item, easily attracting the attention of other players, and it might be stolen after your character dies. Powered Descender, on the other hand, is a purple (Epic) item, relatively understated, and its functionality is sufficient for 80% of vertical movement needs.

A combination of a full set of purple gear and Powered Descender is highly recommended. It's efficient and safe.

Acquisition Methods and Crafting Materials

First, ARC Raiders Powered Descender blueprint can only be obtained in Riven Tides.

It's recommended that players prioritize searching drawers or containers in Stacking Yard, Tennis Court, and lockers in Poolside. You might find it immediately in Stacking Yard, but ultimately, luck plays a role.

Besides the blueprint, to craft Powered Descender, you need a Level 3 Utility Station, a Power Rod, and a Turbine Compressor. You can obtain Turbine Compressors by killing randomly landing ARC Turbines.

Powered Descender has 100 durability points, consuming approximately 35 points per use, depending on usage frequency. Repairing it requires an Advanced Electrical Component and ARC Circuitry; the materials aren't expensive, so frequent repairs are recommended to maintain its usability.

In short, Powered Descender is not a parachute, but a powered jumper. Remember to activate it before jumping; this will allow you to easily reach higher places and cross narrow gaps, saving you a lot of trouble with detours and climbing walls. It's definitely one of the most underrated purple gear items in Riven Tides.

Hi, Tycoons! Following the end of the Partners event, there will be a brief lull in activity. The next special event on the horizon is Prize Drop, which lasts for just one day; its primary rewards consist of Cash and access to various flash events.

Porcine Parade banner event is also making a return, though its rewards differ slightly this time around - specifically regarding the tokens offered. Let's take a look at how many milestones you need to complete to make it a worthwhile endeavor.

Date

Porcine Parade banner event runs concurrently with Prize Drop - lasting, to be precise, for only 21 hours. The specific schedule is as follows:

• EDT: 5/7 04:00 PM - 5/8 12:59 PM
• CEST: 5/7 10:00 PM - 5/8 06:59 PM
• PDT: 5/7 01:00 PM - 5/8 09:59 AM
• AEST: 5/8 06:00 AM - 5/9 02:59 AM

Since both events conclude simultaneously, be sure to use up all your tokens before the events end!

How to Make Points?

Although it lasts for less than a full day, Porcine Parade banner event features 62 milestones requiring a total of 40,675 points to complete. To earn points, you must land on the following specific tiles:

• Chance Tile (2 Points): Triggers a reward (such as Cash or extra Dice) or teleports you to a specific location on the board.
• Tax Tile (3 Points): Deducts a certain amount of Cash from the player as a tax payment.
• Utility Tile (2 Points): Provides the player with a safe and steady Cash reward, making it one of the safest tiles to land on.

You can set a Dice Multiplier a few spaces before reaching these specific tiles. If you successfully land on one of them, the base point value for that tile is multiplied by your chosen multiplier, allowing you to advance through the milestones much faster and secure more rewards.

Porcine Parade Banner Event Rewards

The rewards offered in this banner event are largely contingent upon the rewards available in the concurrent special event. Unfortunately, the primary reward in Prize Drop is Cash; compared to dice and Monopoly Go stickers, this reward simply lacks sufficient appeal. Consequently, Peg-E tokens featured in the current milestone event should not be your main objective.

If you have a surplus of Dice, you may choose to stop once you reach Milestone 26. This ensures you secure all Sticker Packs - a feat requiring only 3,250 points - without consuming an excessive amount of Dice. Beyond this point, the rewards offered by subsequent milestones simply do not justify the cost in terms of Dice consumption. Below is a breakdown of the rewards for Porcine Parade banner event:

• 15,520 Dice
• 681 Peg-E Tokens
• 2 Green Sticker Packs
• 1 Yellow Sticker Pack
• 1 Pink Sticker Pack
• High Roller at Milestone 18
• Cash Boost at Milestones 23 and 33
• Mega Heist at Milestone 44
• Builder's Bash at Milestone 60

If you prefer to decide for yourself which milestones to complete, here are the detailed rewards for each individual milestone:

The above covers the general details of Porcine Parade banner event; the rewards aren't particularly significant. If you prefer to save your dice, it is perfectly fine to skip this event entirely - there are plenty of exciting events still waiting for you down the road. Keep working hard to complete your sticker sets!

As we head into May, MLB The Show 26 April Spotlight series concludes with the release of Drop 5 program. This release also signifies the arrival of the final player card, Ben Rice, needed to complete April Lightning Collection.

We have previously introduced you to the full roster required to complete this collection, as well as the value of the ultimate collection reward: Elly De La Cruz.

Given that April Spotlight Drop 5 is the final program in the series, and having just launched recently, you may not yet know exactly how to complete it to acquire Ben Rice. The following are the specific guidelines we provide.

April Spotlight Drop 5 duration

This MLB 26 program went live on May 5th. While an official end date has not yet been announced, most other April Spotlight Drop programs have lasted for approximately one week, so that serves as a good benchmark to keep in mind.

However, regardless of exactly when it ends, it is highly recommended that you complete it as soon as possible. This ensures you don’t miss out on the final Ben Rice player card and by extension, the ultimate reward for completing April Lightning Collection.

How to complete this program?

The primary sources for earning XP in April Spotlight Drop 5 include completing Missions, Moments, and Collections; typically, the first two are the focus.

To unlock all available rewards, you need to earn a total of 100 Program XP. Since the combined XP offered by all available challenges exceeds 200, you have the flexibility to prioritize and complete the specific challenges you excel at within the given scope.

Missions:

Moments:

Collections:

What rewards are available?

April Spotlight Drop 5 reward path contains 10 items (or XP rewards), with one unlocked for every 10 Program XP earned:

Why complete this program?

First, as the reward path indicates, it includes many guaranteed player cards. If you find a player you like, or one that fills a vacancy in your lineup, that’s even better!

Additionally, April Spotlight Monthly Pack reward offers a chance to pull the player cards needed to complete another collection: April Retro Lightning.

Completing that collection unlocks the ultimate reward: Chipper Jones. With an impressive OVR of 94, currently ranking 6th among all third basemen, this player’s exceptional power-hitting ability is sure to deliver spectacular results for your lineup.

How to complete April Retro Lightning Collection?

This collection consists of 18 cards; however, you only need to acquire 16 of them to unlock Chipper Jones. Additionally, collecting 5 and 10 cards, respectively, will earn you a 1 April Spotlight Player Pack and José Soriano as bonus rewards.

The cards required for April Retro Lightning Collection are obtained randomly from the packs awarded during April Spotlight Drops 1 through 5. Drop 5, specifically, may yield the following players:

• Chase Dollander
• Ildemaro Vargas
• Matt Olson
• Andy Pages
• Jordan Walker
• Xavier Edwards
• Bryce Elder
• Liam Hicks
• Louis Varland
• Moisés Ballesteros

Additional tips

In addition to April Spotlight Drop 5 and the two collections mentioned in this guide, there is currently another active program in MLB 26: April Showcase Event. This event is set to conclude on May 8th (having started on the 1st).

The key value of this program lies in its rewards: the first four of the five available rewards correspond to April Spotlight Weeks 1 through 4.

This means that even if you missed the previous four April Spotlight Drop programs, you still have an opportunity to acquire the cards found within their respective reward packs, thereby helping you complete April Retro Lightning Collection.

That covers everything you need to know about completing April Spotlight Drop 5, as well as all other major, recent MLB 26 events associated with it. In short, your main objective right now should be to act fast and complete as many programs and collections as possible!

If you happened to miss any of the programs mentioned here, or simply didn’t manage to pull the necessary collection cards from packs in time, you can still buy MLB 26 stubs on IGGM to acquire them before the collection period ends!

We consistently provide secure stub services with guaranteed fast delivery, allowing you to instantly boost your stub balance whenever and wherever you need it, so you can unlock any coveted card you desire on the marketplace!

As the second phase of Burning Crusade Classic approaches, the gates of Serpentshrine Cavern and Tempest Keep are about to swing open.

If you want to clear both raids in the first week and bring any character into the new phase in peak condition, now is the time for one last hard push. Coincidentally, the official has just made a series of very welcome adjustments to gear, substantially easing the equipment burden heading into WoW TBC Classic Anniversary Phase 2.

Arena Gear

First and most importantly, a change that affects every PvP player. On WoW TBC Anniversary, the current season's top-tier arena gear has been hit with unprecedented, massive reductions.

You have a two-week window to take advantage of this, because Arena Points will reset after that. Simply take part in one week of arena matches, and you can grab a huge amount of gear at heavily slashed requirements.

A gladiator weapon that once demanded a steep investment can now be claimed for a mere 1,245 Arena Points. Classes like Druids can effortlessly pick up Gladiator's Gavel, making it a brilliant choice for fine-tuning stats and swapping setups.

Even better, all rating requirements for this gear have been scrapped. Whether it's the shoulders or the weapon that used to require a specific personal rating, there are no rating barriers anymore. Every Arena Point requirement and personal rating gate has been completely removed. These drastically lowered costs will carry over directly into PvP Phase 2, which is an immense blessing for new characters or players with under-geared alts.

Although these are PvP items, PvE players should not overlook them. Gladiator series in particular boasts excellent stats and item levels, making them more than enough to serve as a stepping stone for alts or new characters to enter Tier 4 raids like Gruul's Lair, Magtheridon's Lair, and Karazhan.

The only thing you sacrifice is a secondary stat that is normally supplanted by Resilience - completely within acceptable limits. Using PvP gear to skip the long, RNG-heavy heroic dungeon farming phase and jump straight into acquiring genuine PvE tier sets is undoubtedly an incredibly efficient catch-up strategy.

Tier Exchange Vendor

Discounted arena gear was a burden-easing mechanism already present in the original TBC. As exciting as these adjustments are, there remains one small disappointment on live realms right now: Tier Exchange Vendor, who should be present in the game, has not yet been implemented.

During the initial PTR testing, players could already exchange raid token drops for heavily discounted arena sets. While this feature typically arrives alongside content like Serpentshrine Cavern, players are certainly hoping to see it go live right when Phase 2 launches. If it truly goes missing, considering that arena gear is already offered at rock-bottom rates, it serves as an acceptable trade-off.

Honor Gear

Honor gear changes are equally delightful. Level 70 epic Honor weapons originally required battleground marks to obtain; that mark requirement has now been entirely removed, and Honor Point cost has been dramatically reduced. What's even more amusing is that they now share the exact same Honor Point cost as level 60 Honor weapons, leaving the level 60 versions completely outclassed in terms of value.

Likewise, acquiring officer trinkets and accessories no longer demands battleground marks, and Honor Point costs have been cut in half. For Druid and Paladin players, some of the necklaces available here are excellent tanking pieces and are well worth grabbing immediately. The rings are a notch lower but still have clever uses in specific PvE situations. The pure attack power gems offered here remain some of the only epic-quality gems you can currently get, making them a worthy pickup.

Level 70 Honor off-pieces can now be acquired using nothing but Honor Points - the original requirements for specific battleground marks, such as Eye of the Storm marks, have been completely removed. Level 60 Honor gear, however, still requires marks to obtain, which has made obtaining them more costly than their level 70 counterparts. This cost inversion between old and new equipment, though puzzling, highlights just how heavily the update leans in favor of catch-up mechanics.

TBC Promotion

A promotion has been rolled out across all the developer's games, and Burning Crusade Classic is receiving a substantial discount push - a first in the history of WoW Classic. The following services are currently on offer:

Outland Heroic Pack

50% off, available for $20. It includes a stylish Hearthstone effect, a companion pet, and a mount - Netherwing Drake - that unlocks across all characters. This mount alone saves you roughly 400 gold per character in riding training fees, as it directly provides full functionality from a regular ground mount to an epic flying mount.

Outland Epic Pack

Also 50% off, now $40, returning to the same level as Dark Portal Pass from the previous TBC era. On top of everything in Heroic Pack, this bundle includes a character boost service and game time.

Additional Services

The level-58 character boost service provided by the official team is available individually at 30% off, now $42. The character name change service is also 30% off.

All in all, this is a fantastic time to gear up alts and return to the game. If you still have Arena Points sitting on your account, convert them into Gladiator gear immediately. If your character lacks a solid equipment foundation, a very modest Honor Point investment can score you a set of gear that's more than good enough to step into raid content. Seize this brief off-season window, and you can prepare thoroughly for both PvP and PvE challenges of Phase 2.

If you are a Diablo 4 player who loves being among the first to try out new content, then the class you've likely chosen for your character recently is the brand-new Warlock, introduced in Lord of Hatred expansion!

Playing a new class means starting from scratch, whether it involves crafting builds or farming for gear. To lighten your load and help you master Warlock playstyle more quickly, we are providing a guide today for one of the class's exclusive Unique items: Ae'grom Schism!

What is Ae'grom Schism?

As a piece of gear exclusive to Warlock class, Ae'grom Schism is an Ancestral Unique Chest Armor that was added to the game alongside Warlock upon the launch of Lord of Hatred.

When you equip this chest armor, in addition to its base 2,100 armor value, it grants a unique effect: it increases the damage dealt by Ae'grom and his summoned minions by 30-50%.

Furthermore, equipping it allows you to summon Ae'grom's other half and grants you a second charge of Command Ae'grom ability.

How to use this gear properly?

If you haven't progressed very far into the expansion yet, you might be wondering who, or what, Ae'grom is. He is actually a new boss introduced in Lord of Hatred, encountered during Warlock-exclusive priority quest: Belly of the Beast.

Upon completing this quest, you will obtain Legion Shard, thereby binding yourself to the demon Ae'grom. In fact, Legion Shard is one of the specific variants within Warlock's signature class mechanic: Soul Shards.

This particular variant aligns with the summoner archetype, allowing you to engage in combat by summoning and utilizing demons. It grants you Summon Ae'grom skill, which passively enables you to summon Vile Children to attack your enemies.

Once activated, this skill transforms into Command Ae'grom, allowing you to further summon Lesser Demons to unleash burst damage.

Therefore, while any Warlock character can technically equip Ae'grom Schism, you will only be able to unlock the chest armor's full potential if you are utilizing Legion Shard and a corresponding build.

How to farm Ae'grom Schism?

The methods for acquiring this piece of gear can be broadly categorized into three avenues: defeating Lair Bosses, participating in the endgame events, and gambling with Purveyor of Curiosity.

However, if you prefer not to expend the time and effort, you can buy Diablo 4 Ae'grom Schism from IGGM directly, allowing you to safely and quickly harness its formidable power!

Defeating Echo of Varshan

Lair bosses serve as a primary source for acquiring Diablo 4 unique items. While the drop rate for rare items generally increases with a Lair boss's tier, if your sole objective is to obtain Ae'grom Schism, you should focus your farming efforts on Echo of Varshan.

This boss is classified as an Initiate tier encounter. To open its hoard after the battle, you will need a Lair Key, which can be obtained by completing various in-game events and War Plans.

Notably, in addition to unique items, this boss also has a chance to drop a Greater Lair Key, which is required to unlock the hoards of Greater Lair bosses.

Furthermore, there is an extremely rare chance that Mini Belial will appear after the battle concludes; defeating him offers a chance to obtain Betrayer's Husk, an item used to unlock the hoard of Exalted Lair boss, Belial.

As for Varshan herself, she is not considered a particularly difficult boss; however, it is highly recommended that you undertake this boss fight on a higher Torment difficulty setting, as this significantly increases the likelihood of Ae'grom Schism dropping.

The damage output of this boss is predominantly Shadow-based; therefore, it is imperative that you consume Elixir of Shadow Resistance II, or utilize other relevant items, before the fight begins to bolster your shadow resistance.

Finally, a crucial point to note is that when Varshan's health drops to 75%, 50%, and 25%, she will summon two expendable Elite monsters. Upon their sacrifice, two energy orbs will spawn that deal high damage to you and relentlessly pursue you throughout the arena.

When this occurs, you must simultaneously dodge both the boss's abilities and the incoming energy orbs, a task that demands a high degree of movement speed and agility.

Completing endgame events

Diablo 4 features a wide array of endgame events; completing these events on higher Torment difficulty settings offers a chance to obtain unique item drops.

However, given the introduction of War Plans and their associated Upgrade Trees mechanics via Lord of Hatred update, we recommend that you focus your efforts on Tree of Whispers when engaging in these events.

This recommendation stems from the fact that within Tree of Whispers Upgrade Tree, there is a specific upgrade known as Malignant Invasion. Activating this upgrade allows Varshan to appear during Whisper Ambushes and rewards you with Ancestral Collection of Chaos upon your victory.

This collection constitutes a high-tier reward cache, meaning there is a significantly higher probability of obtaining high-quality gear, including unique items, from its contents.

Gambling with Murmuring Obols

Murmuring Obols are a special currency in Diablo 4 that can be obtained by completing quests, clearing The Pit, or running Nightmare Dungeons, among other methods.

You can take your Obols to Purveyor of Curiosity and gamble for items; by selecting the chest armor as your gear slot type, you have a small chance of obtaining Ae'grom Schism.

If Ae'grom Schism aligns with your current Warlock playstyle, then this guide should prove valuable to you. We hope it helps!

Although Helldivers 2 hasn't introduced much new playable content since Machinery of Oppression, aside from the latest Warbonds, the development team remains committed to addressing the issues that have caused player dissatisfaction.

Patch 6.2.2, released on April 28, introduced balance adjustments to various weapons and enemies; however, the results failed to satisfy the player base. Consequently, the development team quickly responded by releasing Patch 6.2.3 on May 6 at 9:00 AM UTC.

Below, we will outline the key contents of this patch and analyze their effectiveness.

Reverting changes to Hive Guard

Hive Guard is a medium-sized Terminid enemy that was added to Helldivers 2 last year. They are relatively agile, capable of vaulting over obstacles, and will attack you with their sharp claws at close range.

Defensively, this enemy adopts a crouching stance when under fire to protect its vulnerable body, as only its front side is equipped with medium armor.

In the previous Patch 6.2.2, the development team upgraded the armor rating on Hive Guard's head and legs from Medium to Heavy, while simultaneously reducing the armor values for its torso and claws.

Although the enemy's maximum health was also reduced, the introduction of heavy armor meant that players could only defeat Hive Guards using a select few weapons capable of penetrating heavy plating. Without the appropriate gear, the enemy's reduced health pool made little difference.

Consequently, in response to strong player backlash, Helldivers 2 has used Patch 6.2.3 to revert the armor buffs previously applied to Hive Guard.

More specifically, the armor rating for Hive Guard's front legs and head has been reverted to the medium penetration tier, while the armor value for its claws has been further reduced. As a result, the entire front section of Hive Guard now serves as a weak point.

However, as a balancing measure, the armor value for Hive Guard's main torso has been reverted from 300 back to 500, and the torso's armor rating has been increased.

This means that, much like in the early days of the game, you must now concentrate your fire on the main torso to successfully take down a Hive Guard.

Aside from rendering medium-penetration weapons useless against Hive Guards, the very concept of buffing this enemy type in the first place seemed somewhat baffling. After all, prior to this, they hardly qualified as particularly formidable foes.

Fortunately, Patch 6.2.3 delivered a timely rollback; Hive Guard has now returned to its intended state, and it feels absolutely perfect. Barring any unforeseen issues, they likely won't require any further balance adjustments going forward.

That said, if you want to easily take down Hive Guards at this stage, a reliable medium-penetration weapon remains indispensable. If you don't have one, it's best to buy Helldivers 2 Super Credits on IGGM to unlock one via Exo Experts Warbond.

The addition of the beach biome

Based on their previously released roadmap for the first half of the year, Helldivers 2 announced that Update 6.2 would introduce new biomes. Now, one of those has finally arrived: the beach biome!

In Helldivers 2, you can simply think of a biome as a large-scale map environment. It dictates a planet's terrain layout, vegetation types, and potential environmental hazards, all of which are inextricably linked to your combat experience.

Accordingly, the beach biome is characterized by sandy shores, crystal-clear waters, and tropical flora. You'll encounter sun-drenched coastal regions, a stark contrast to the predominantly dark and gloomy aesthetic found in most of the game's previous biomes.

While that sounds appealing, this new content doesn't seem to have been particularly well-received by Helldivers 2 community.

This isn't because the new biome itself is poor quality, but rather because players feel that, right now, Helldivers 2 should be prioritizing the fixing of urgent bugs over the introduction of new content.

Player concerns

It must be said that since its launch, the public reception of Helldivers 2 has been somewhat volatile. Over the past month in particular, the game has faced heavy criticism for a persistent influx of bugs that have gone unaddressed for too long.

Consequently, after Patch 6.2.2 failed to truly satisfy the player base, you might have pinned your hopes on 6.2.3. However, aside from the rollback regarding Hive Guard, this patch offered little in the way of substantial new content or meaningful bug fixes.

Given Helldivers 2 team's consistent track record of delayed responses, you might assume they will eventually release more patches to slowly chip away at the long-standing bugs the community has been discussing.

However, it appears the development team maintains a long-standing tradition of taking summer vacations. The development team's annual leave is typically scheduled for mid-July.

Although a skeleton crew may remain on duty during this period, both the game itself and the player community currently face a significant backlog of issues that require urgent attention.

Consequently, if the development team fails to properly address these matters before their leave begins, players planning to dive into Helldivers 2 this summer may find themselves facing a rather difficult phase.

Based on the currently published Helldivers 2 development roadmap, the team's immediate focus appears to remain on introducing new biomes and the next Warbond update.

It seems highly unlikely that they will pivot in the near future to concentrate on fixing progression systems or other core-level mechanics.

We therefore anticipate that Helldivers 2 will most likely release this new content first, and then immediately transition into its summer vacation mode.

Which bugs are the most pressing?

If we were to list them one by one, there are actually numerous weapon-related issues in Helldivers 2 that are in dire need of fixing.

Here, we will highlight just a few examples that have generated significant discussion within the community (though, in all likelihood, none of them will see any improvement anytime soon!).

First is an issue that has already been officially acknowledged: the muzzle flash on MGX42 Bullet Storm may not be properly aligned with the weapon's 3D model. Fortunately, however, this bug does not appear to have any major impact on actual gameplay.

Another issue concerns A/FLAM-40 Flame Sentry and EXO-51 Lumberer mech. Within a range of 9 to 10 meters, flame attacks fail to inflict damage on any enemies surrounding you, unless you back away to a distance greater than 10 meters.

The final bug worth mentioning occurs when you equip Exo Suit and go on a rampage, trampling enemies in your path; you may find that enemies vanish into thin air without any warning.

More specifically, the game sometimes grabs a single enemy, or even multiple enemies, and completely wipes them from existence, significantly detracting from the overall gameplay experience.

In summary, while the content introduced in Patch 6.2.3 is commendable in its own right, the update as a whole simply lacks substance.

We hope that Helldivers 2 will become more responsive to player requests in the future, rather than rigidly adhering to its predetermined schedule; otherwise, the game risks suffering another significant drop in player numbers once summer comes to an end!

Myth of Empires: Throne Season 1 has launched, offering a dedicated server built specifically for PvP enthusiasts. Your faction will progress much faster - in just three or four days you can establish a foothold and jump into the fight for resources.

Of course, not everyone has played Myth of Empires before. Starting completely from scratch as a newcomer can sometimes feel tedious and test your patience, so let's walk through how to get started and what to focus on in the early game.

The Difference Between MoF Throne and MoF

At its core, Myth of Empires: Throne inherits virtually all of the gameplay of Myth of Empires. You can think of it as a standalone seasonal server; the two games do not share data.

Player data in Myth of Empires is never wiped - it's persisted on the servers, allowing you to build at your own pace. Myth of Empires: Throne, however, resets every two months, at which point everyone starts again from zero.

Some players may grumble that all their hard-earned progress, painstakingly built bases and tamed creatures are gone. But for a PvP server, this is a good thing: even a lone wolf can carve out a place. In Myth of Empires, a few large guilds tend to dominate the best territories, making it tough for newcomers and solo players to grow.

Another crucial difference is that Myth of Empires requires a one-time game activation, while Myth of Empires: Throne is completely free and includes the full base experience along with these DLCs:

• Hellenic Civilization DLC
• Xizhou Civilization DLC
• Imperial Chariots DLC
• Musical Instruments DLC

If you're simply curious about Myth of Empires, we recommend jumping into MoE Throne right now to get a taste of the content ahead of time.

How to Get Started?

Before entering a server, you'll first encounter Character Creator. Basic options include gender, face, body type, and more. Be aware that the icon layout and workflow are fairly compact - it's easy to accidentally skip a section.

The character creator offers customisation for skin tone, face, body and other features. By 2026 standards it may not be the most cutting-edge character creation system, but it's still quite solid.

When it comes to servers, although MoE Throne doesn't split into PvE and PvP like the original and is entirely PvP-focused, it still provides a range of servers. This is mainly to separate high-level players from newcomers, keeping fresh recruits from getting steamrolled right away. We recommend starting on a novice server.

Fast Levelling Strategy

The moment you enter the game, you're a half-naked primitive. You'll need to pick up stones, chop wood, craft rope, make an axe and gradually build your first little shelter.

Because the ultimate focus of MoE Throne is PvP, the progression pace has been dramatically accelerated compared to the original. Professional skill levelling speed is boosted to 300%, and crop yield multipliers are raised to 200%. The methods for gaining levels, however, remain the same.

While levelling, you'll need to accumulate both Myth of Empires Throne Copper Coins and XP. In the early game, try to gather absolutely everything you see, because the game grants very generous experience rewards for early-game gathering.

Carrying Capacity and Storage

Your initial carrying capacity is 150 pounds, which may seem generous at first, but your inventory fills up surprisingly fast as your collection grows. You can craft Wooden Chests to store items at your base. As you level up, you'll unlock Cabinets and Large Lockers to further expand your storage.

If you don't want to leave anything behind while out scavenging, you can also tame a horse, whose weight capacity far exceeds that of your character. Craft a Coarse Rein and a Coarse Light Saddle to tame and ride a horse. Additionally, raising your Physique Skills will permanently increase your carrying capacity.

Resource Gathering

Unlike the slower pace of Myth of Empires, your best opening move is to complete the tutorial quests immediately, craft a tool with the rewards, and use it to gather - it's far quicker than collecting by hand.

Your goal is to build and place a territory banner to stake your claim as quickly as possible. Wooden structures are extremely fragile against player attacks, so transition to stone or higher-tier fortifications as soon as you can. In the beginning, you can simply pick up stones and wood directly from the ground.

The game map also marks resource gathering points. After defeating the NPCs guarding those locations, you can obtain supplies with relative ease. Most resources are widely distributed, but clay deposits are best sought near riverbanks; copper deposits tend to sit inside hostile NPC camps, and you may need to team up with other players to mine them safely.

Fast Travel

Early on, tame an ordinary horse as soon as possible - it's far more reliable than experimenting with teleportation. With a horse, your map coverage and hauling capacity both increase dramatically, giving you a solid foundation.

If you want to fast-travel safely, joining an active faction is a top priority. Factions build Boundary Marker at key resource nodes and frontlines. Within a marker's range, you can access supplies quickly and securely. Moving in a group on horseback is also countless times safer than riding alone in the wilderness.

Earning Copper Coins

The primary currency in Myth of Empires: Throne is Copper Coins, used for taxes, hiring guards, investing in Blessings, and other needs. You can obtain gold by consuming materials through the resource levy function on the guild marker.

That said, the heart of MoE Throne is PvP, and coin drops from mobs have a high multiplier bonus. Forming a group to farm humanoid NPC strongholds, taming high-quality horses to sell to system merchants, and leveraging camp reputation to trade shrewdly and resell for a profit - these are the most important ways to generate income in the mid-to-late game.

Joining a Guild

If you want a smoother experience, your best move is to join a guild. Teaming up in a guild allows you to support each other and effectively fend off enemy attacks. Creating a settlement within the guild lets players live side by side, each with their own personal space while working together on guild tasks.

To gather resources more comfortably, you can also seize specific resource points on the map and use them to build a Lumber Yard, Mine, and Quarry, cutting down the grind of manual collection. Once these outposts are secured, you can construct gathering facilities on them and weave a powerful guild network.

We hope these tips help you get off to a smooth start. May you strategise with foresight and sweep all before you in the struggle for empire.

Players, by now you all understand the importance of Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.0; its scale likely surpasses many major PoE 1 updates. The official announcement previously revealed that Patch 0.5.0 would be an endgame update, and the development team has been working on it for a long time. So, what changes are needed in the new Patch to make the endgame content truly outstanding?

Infinite Atlas

The current problem with Atlas is that the system is both simplistic and confusing, lacking meaning. Players simply mechanically move from one map to another, completely devoid of strategy. It's a huge difference compared to PoE 1 Atlas and feels mediocre compared to other ARPGs.

Currently, the maps only have occasional corrupted areas, offering little variation or surprise. It feels like a piecemeal, cobbled-together system.

If Patch 0.5.0 is to address this, it should ideally significantly improve the depth and playability of Atlas. While a patch can't completely rewrite the game, we hope to at least see noticeable progress. The goal is to give players a sense of purpose in every step of their exploration, rather than blindly pushing through maps.

Atlas Skill Tree

The development team has actually stated that they are not entirely satisfied with the current Atlas Skill Tree.

Atlas Skill Tree is too weak overall. Most of the minor talents increase the number of rare monsters, monster density, or item quantity, without truly changing the gameplay.

Currently, players either choose Shrine or focus on Essence or Wildwood Wisp, offering very limited options.

Ideally, Atlas Skill Tree should be at least three times larger than it is now. The new Patch needs to provide more diverse map buffs, affix adjustments, and gameplay customization options, making each skill point feel significant. Patch 0.5.0 will probably completely rework this part.

Tiered Rare Gear

Frankly, the current Tier 5 to Tier 1 rare gear is generally mediocre. In most cases, a white base with simple crafting can create gear that is better than Tier 5 drops.

After 20-30 hours of exploration, players completely ignore all tiered rare gear, focusing solely on white base items for crafting. In contrast, crafting with PoE 2 currency is the mainstream method for obtaining powerful equipment, which renders tiered equipment dropped on the ground almost worthless.

I really hope Patch 0.5.0 will significantly buff Tier 5 gear, perhaps by giving Tier 5 base items naturally top-tier affix combinations. This would make ground drops exciting again, instead of forcing players to rely solely on crafting tables. After all, the fun of ARPGs lies in obtaining thrilling loot.

Map Layout Issues

Currently, unlike PoE 1, players can't freely choose which specific map to farm. Furthermore, in Infinite Atlas, you're often forced into poorly designed layouts to progress.

Molten Vault is a prime example of this; its complex terrain, long routes, and scattered mobs make it incredibly frustrating.

When you're forced to traverse these poorly designed maps to reach the next tower or corruption zone, it creates intense fatigue and an urge to quit.

If players aren't allowed to freely choose maps, then every map's layout must be at least good or acceptable; extremely poor layouts are unacceptable. Each map can have its own unique characteristics, players shouldn't feel like they've already played that map.

Additionally, it's recommended to directly display the layout name or its initials on the map icon to avoid requiring players to hover and wait for a delay to identify the map. This small operational burden will inevitably exacerbate player fatigue over time. Good games always excel in the details.

More Endgame Content

It must be acknowledged that players can now experience all of the game's current endgame content after 20 hours of character progression. Furthermore, the endgame bosses had their health significantly reduced in Patch 0.3.0 and 0.4.0, making their mechanics completely invisible.

It's very likely that after playing Patch 0.3.0 and 0.4.0, players won't even know what skills those bosses have, because they've already been instantly killed. The endgame content consistently lacks challenge and playability.

We still hope that Patch 0.5.0 can introduce a boss similar to Uber Boss in PoE 1, and a Tier 16.5 super map, as a truly top-tier challenge.

The new Patch needs to increase the health and mechanism complexity of existing endgame bosses, ensuring players experience at least one full round of skill interactions. It also needs to add more valuable endgame pursuit objectives, giving the game a clear direction for improvement even after 20 hours.

Addressing Energy Shield Balance Issue

ES have been extremely powerful since the release of PoE 2, with builds boasting over 20,000 shields in every league. This is what we mean by a loss of game balance.

Therefore, Patch 0.5.0 should either significantly reduce the maximum value or recovery mechanism of ES, or significantly strengthen bosses to an equal degree.

If the balance isn't addressed, all the previous discussions about difficulty, bosses, and tiers are meaningless. As long as players can still one-shot everything with 20,000 ES, even the most difficult boss won't survive 10 seconds.

Patch 0.5.0 should truly bring meaningful balance adjustments, making boss battles no longer just a 10-second close-quarters fight, but requiring positioning, mechanic awareness, and character development.

So, these are my predictions for the endgame content of PoE 2 Patch 0.5.0, which also reflect some of the players' sentiments. Hopefully, players will see a different endgame experience in the near future!

Guys, in Call of Duty Black Ops 7, whether you're frustrated by the boss's meteor shower or constantly failing at the frozen Viking head phase, this guide will help you successfully challenge Totenreich boss fight, bringing you techniques you never thought possible.

Recommended Equipment

Primary Weapon

Here, we absolutely must choose a weapon with high damage, high rate of fire, and long-range shooting capability. Therefore, Vapr-XKG assault rifle is the first choice because of its high rate of fire, controllable recoil, and excellent long-range damage, making it the most stable overall.

Secondly, choose M34 Novaline marksman rifle. Its high single-shot damage is suitable for players who prefer burst fire.

Next, XM325 light machine gun is also a good choice for a primary weapon. Its large magazine allows for sustained fire, but the reload speed is a bit slow, requiring good positioning.

In addition, make sure to upgrade your primary weapon to Pack-a-Punch 3 and achieve the orange Legendary quality; otherwise, your damage output will be severely insufficient, turning boss battles into ammo hell.

Secondary Weapon

Dual-wielding M1911 pistols and appropriate attachments are highly recommended as secondary weapons. While this deals only moderate damage to the main boss, it's extremely fast at clearing hordes of zombies. It's best to upgrade these to Pack-a-Punch 3 as well.

Alternative secondary weapons include Ray Gun, Ray Gun Mark II, or Code 9 Pistol. Their main purpose is to allow you to use equivalent exchange when using Quick Revive, enabling you to revive yourself after being knocked down.

It's not recommended to spend a lot of points upgrading Jotunn Star Wonder Weapon to level 3, as it's not essential for boss battles.

Before entering real-time combat, to ensure your weapon setup is suitable, you can try different weapons in CoD Black Ops 7 Bot Lobbies to optimize your weapon's performance.

Field Upgrade

If you're playing solo, Frenzied Guard is the strongest choice. It restores all armor upon activation, maximizing your safety, and you don't have to worry about ammo usage.

If you're in team mode, you can choose Aether Shroud, but the zombie pressure isn't high. Frenzied Guard will still be very useful.

GobbleGums

If you're playing solo, Reign Drops will drop more supplies. Alternatively, choose Power Keg and Shields Up.

In co-op mode, you can replace Power Keg with Near Death Experience. This prevents you from losing skills when rescuing teammates or yourself, greatly reducing the chance of failure.

Gear and Killstreak Rewards

These are the two most crucial aspects. For tactical gear, use LT53 Kazimir to hold off the zombies in the first phase, allowing you to safely attack weak points. For lethal gear, use Frag Grenade.

Additionally, War Machine can be used to clear dense zombie hordes. Robots are randomly dropped during boss fights, but it's recommended to bring one as a backup.

Boss Fight Phase Breakdown

Phase 1: Ice Giant - Weakness Shooting

After the fight begins, zombies will spawn continuously and at a relatively fast pace. Drop LT53 Kazimir to attract surrounding zombies, then focus on shooting weak points. The giant will occasionally launch missiles and freeze areas. Pay attention to the minimap markers and avoid the frozen zones.

It's recommended to conserve ammo during this phase and only shoot weak points, otherwise the damage will be extremely low.

Robot drops may include War Machines or Death Machines. These deal very little damage to the boss itself, but are very useful for clearing zombies.

Phase 2: Frozen Viking Head Breakthrough

The giant will summon a rotating frozen Viking head. The conventional method is to charge and throw it using Josen Star Wonder Weapon, but the following two methods are simpler and more efficient.

First, War Machine method: Wait for the frozen Viking head to stop rotating and for its mouth to open and aim at you, then use War Machine to bombard its mouth. This will cause it to land, at which point you should unleash your full damage.

The second and most recommended method is to use Frag Grenade. Hold down the pin and watch for its eyes to turn red and its mouth to open. At that instant, throw a grenade into its mouth to knock it down instantly.

In single-player mode, you only need to deal with one rotating frozen Viking head. In co-op or cursed mode, there might be two or three heads, but these methods still work.

Phase 3: Dodging + Weak Point Shooting

The giant will freeze large areas. You need to run while holding Jotunn Star Wonder Weapon to avoid damage. Alternatively, activate the traps at the edge of the arena; you won't be frozen within that area.

The giant will also release a meteor shower. You must immediately hide behind pillars, sticking close to them, or you'll be instantly killed.

New weak points will appear on the giant's arms, chest, etc. Shoot during the intervals between attacks.

If you run out of ammo, kill zombies to get more. Pay attention to your armor value and try to use Frenzied Guard to restore armor.

Final Phase

When the giant's health is reduced to about one-fifth, it will forcibly drag you to the center of the arena and block off most of the area. Numerous rune-shaped projectiles will appear from the air, hurtling towards you at high speed.

It's best to activate Frenzied Guard for unlimited ammo, damage reduction, and armor regeneration. Use Shields Up as needed to further increase your armor. Keep moving and continuously shoot at the giant's remaining health.

As long as you don't stand still and lie down in time, you'll generally not fall. Finally, the robots will rush out to finish off the boss, and once the boss is dead, you've cleared the level.

That concludes the strategies and tips for Totenreich boss fight.