General News

The popular The Simpsons album concludes next Wednesday, July 29, after which Monopoly Go will transition to the relaxed, pastoral atmosphere of Happy Harvest with Looney Tunes album.

Before that happens, one final The Simpsons Golden Blitz is gearing up to help you complete as much of the album as possible. Here is everything you need to know about when this Golden Blitz takes place and which stickers will be tradable.

Which gold cards are tradable this time?

In standard Monopoly Go gameplay, gold stickers cannot be traded; however, during the 24-hour Golden Blitz event, you can trade with others to acquire two specific gold stickers.

These gold stickers aren't chosen at random. The development team selects 4-5 options with lower ownership rates based on player activity, then holds a vote on Discord. The two stickers receiving the most votes become the ones available for trade.

The candidates for this Golden Blitz included Carl Carlson, Be Sharps, Rainier Wolfcastle, and Mr. Snrub. Ultimately, Monopoly Go Set 18 Carl Carlson & Set 21 Mr. Snrub won with 29% and 27% of the vote, respectively.

Just like the previous Golden Blitz on July 22-23, both selected gold stickers are 5-star cards, meaning they are quite rare. Be sure to seize this opportunity!

As for the schedule, the 6th The Simpsons Golden Blitz is expected to run from July 28-29, marking a fitting conclusion to The Simpsons album before Happy Harvest with Looney Tunes album begins.

How to trade gold stickers during Golden Blitz?

The first step in trading Monopoly Go stickers is finding a reliable trading partner. If you're familiar with the game, you know that obtaining new stickers becomes increasingly difficult as the season progresses, so you shouldn't miss out on your five daily standard sticker trades.

You may have already connected with trustworthy friends through daily trading; if they have Carl Carlson or Mr. Snrub, trading directly with them is the easiest and safest option.

However, if they don't have the cards, or if you don't have many active accounts on your friends list, don't worry. Once the voting results are announced, Monopoly Go discussion sections on forums and social Apps will be flooded with players eager to trade.

You can then select a suitable trading partner based on your own sticker inventory. For example, if you only have Carl Carls, a player holding a duplicate Mr. Snrub would be your target.

If you lack both gold cards, you could trade with two separate players, one holding Carl Carls and the other Mr. Snrub.

Of course, if you only have a single copy of each sticker, you can simply choose not to participate. However, if you have duplicates, you can use them to trade for other high-star regular cards that you are missing.

Regardless of your trading situation, if you are dealing with a stranger, make sure they are trustworthy to avoid being scammed. Naturally, the other party might have similar concerns and ask for proof of your legitimacy; do not refuse such requests.

As for the actual trade, either party simply locates Monopoly Go sticker to be sent within their album and transfers it to the trading partner. Once the partner accepts and sends their card in return, the trade is complete.

During Golden Blitz, there is a limit of five exchanges, whether they are two-way trades or one-way gifts, but this does not count against your daily limit for regular sticker trades. Additionally, there is no limit on how many stickers you can receive.

How to know if you are eligible to participate in Golden Blitz?

As a Monopoly Go flash event, Golden Blitz imposes no specific extra requirements, though, naturally, you must be familiar with the game mechanics and have completed the beginner phase.

However, there is a hidden threshold: the event assumes participants possess enough rare stickers. Without them, you might find yourself shut out right at the stage of looking for a trading partner.

Even if you don't own the two specific Monopoly Go gold cards, you can still trade for them if you have duplicates of 5-star or 6-star regular stickers from later sets such as Step on a Rake in Set 21 or Mayor Quimby in Set 20.

That said, acquiring these regular stickers is often just as difficult as getting gold cards, especially now that The Simpsons album is nearing its end and major events offering blue, purple, or special packs have become scarcer.

Fortunately, Finale Partners is just around the corner! This event kicks off at 10:00 AM PDT on July 24 and runs until the 29th, concluding around the same time as The Simpsons album and the next Golden Blitz.

If you and your teammate complete all the landmarks in this event, you'll unlock the grand prize, which includes a Wild Sticker! Additionally, the milestone rewards for individual landmarks include one Episode Pack, three yellow packs, and four blue packs.

Finally, if you have any spare stars, be sure to exchange them for vaults to snag extra sticker packs. Even if you don't have enough for the highest-tier vault, it's worth doing; the current album is wrapping up soon, so you shouldn't miss out on any new packs.

We hope this guide helps you with Golden Blitz. And if completing The Simpsons album proves impossible, consider saving the packs you earn over the next few days for Happy Harvest with Looney Tunes!

When the official release date for WoW TBC Classic Anniversary Phase 3 was postponed from August 13th to August 27th, it caused an uproar on forums and online. For hardcore players who just wanted to climb the leaderboards and get into Black Temple as soon as possible to obtain Warglaive of Azzinoth, these 14 days were a long and agonizing wait.

However, for the vast majority of Guild leaders, Raid leaders, and members of small and medium-sized Raid teams, these seemingly long yet short two weeks were not a period of inactivity, but a crucial preparation period that would determine whether they could successfully complete the first week of Phase 3.

These 14 extra days were a golden window for resource integration and market maneuvering. This article will teach you how to make good use of this crucial preparation period and gain a foothold in the first week of Phase 3.

Ultimate Gear Material Preparation

Mother Shahraz, deep within Black Temple, is notoriously difficult to defeat. Her core abilities, Prismatic Shield and frequent Fatal Attraction, inflict extremely high chain shadow damage.

Under BCC Anniversary's stat system, raids must rely on brute-force shadow resistance to ensure survivability when facing Mother Shahraz. While the blueprints for crafting the corresponding gear won't be available until Phase 3 opens, the basic materials must be gathered in advance:

Shadowcloth

Crafting Frozen Shadoweave Set requires a large amount of Shadowcloth, but crafting Shadowcloth has a strict cooldown, only possible every few days. This 14-day delay increases the production of this material, preventing the predicament of not being able to buy Shadowcloth even with money during the first week of raiding.

Heavy Knothide Leather

Shadow resistance gear for Rogues, Hunters, Shamans, and Druids requires a massive amount of Heavy Knothide Leather. Since Heavy Knothide Leather requires crafting from regular leather, these two weeks represent the last golden period for farming Knothide Leather in the wild.

Consumables and Gem Market

Potion Hoarding

The delay of Phase 3 has significantly impacted the market. The originally scheduled release in early August had driven up prices, but the delay announcement triggered a rapid short-term sell-off.

During the new raid progression, achieving Potion Chaining across the entire raid is a crucial requirement for maximizing DPS. The following two are currently your top priorities for hoarding:

1. Destruction Potion: Essential for caster DPS, increases spell critical strike chance by 2% and spell damage by 120 for 15 seconds.
2. Haste Potion: Increases your physical attack speed for 15 seconds.

The delay announcement has prompted players who hoarded Potion at high prices to lower prices and cash out. Savvy players and guilds should purchase enough Potion in batches during this period to sustain at least four raid cycles, avoiding the price surge on the eve of the 27th.

Gems Prices Rise

Besides Potion, Gem is also the most worthwhile resource to prepare for before Phase 3 opens.

Many players believe that the delay means Gem prices will continue to fall, so they are choosing to wait and see. However, based on the market patterns of previous TBC Classic Anniversary updates, the real low point usually doesn't occur on the eve of the opening, but rather in the days following the announcement.

After the Black Temple and Mount Hyjal open, many players will immediately upgrade to Tier 6 gear. Gear upgrades mean new socketing needs, and the demand for Epic Gems will explode across the server in the first week.

For ordinary players, even if they don't plan to hoard and resell, they should at least prepare all the gems they need for the next two weeks in advance to avoid being unable to complete their gear setup due to market shortages in the first week.

Gold: the True Pinnacle of Productivity

During the delay, there's another crucial point that's easily overlooked - gold. After Black Temple opens, all raid-related resources will see a significant price increase. If you're currently short on gold, the next two weeks are your last chance to farm. Besides obtaining it through in-game quests, you can also directly buy TBC Classic Anniversary gold from IGGM.com, greatly saving you time researching Phase 3 combat strategies.

Don't wait until Phase 3 opens to start earning gold. By then, your gold-earning speed may not keep up with the market price increases. For most players, preparing an extra 5,000 gold in advance is far more valuable than farming an extra piece of gear. Gold can solve almost all raiding problems.

Remember, in the survival rules of TBC Classic Anniversary, the real raiding battle often begins before even entering the raid. These extra 14 days aren't a long, agonizing ordeal, but rather the final chance for all teams to turn the tide in the cutthroat raiding arena. When the gates of Black Temple officially open on August 27, those players who have prepared sufficient resources and have plenty of money in hand will surely be the first to claim the Warglaive of Azzinoth.

Players, the development team officially revealed a wealth of information about Borderlands 4 Bounty Pack 4: Murders and Acquisitions during the livestream yesterday. If you've just finished your adventure in Carcadia Burn, you'll soon be delving into a challenging mediation quest.

We'll bring together all the confirmed details of Bounty Pack 4 from the live stream - including release dates, quest mechanics, and every legendary item to hunt - to give you a comprehensive overview of Murders and Acquisitions.

Release Date

Bounty Pack 4 will be available for play on July 30, 2026, along with Version 1.9.

However, this Bounty Pack is sold separately in two parts: the narrative expansion Murders and Acquisitions (the main story content) and Vault Card 4 (a cosmetic and equipment booster pack).

Although players can choose one of the two options, unlocking both together often results in a more complete gaming experience.

Story Background

Your mission will take place in a new area called Toxic Scowl, a desert canyon corroded by industrial waste and acidic dust - where you'll be drawn into the infighting between two Ripper factions.

The Flock advocates peaceful coexistence and attempts to establish a commune in this wasteland, while The Blasphemers are a group of warmongers who believe only violence ensures survival.

Your employer, Levaine, hopes you can find a way to balance things out, but in Borderlands 4, balance often means drawing both sides' fire.

Additionally, you must first encounter Levaine in Carcadia Burn during the main storyline and complete the relevant pre-mission dialogue before Bounty Pack 4 mission will appear on the map.

Mission Mechanics

Unlike typical side quests, this story mission is replayable and features a built-in branching choice system.

Every dialogue choice you make in Borderlands 4 Bounty Pack 4 will not only rewrite subsequent NPC dialogue but also directly affect the intensity of combat you encounter, allies or obstacles appearing in certain areas, and the support forces available for the final boss fight. A faction might even provide artillery cover at a crucial moment!

All of this means that to experience the full storyline of Murderers and Acquisitions and reap the various rewards, you might indeed need to replay the mission repeatedly.

New Boss Fight Experience

The livestream also revealed some new bosses you might encounter in Bounty Pack 4, including a final boss and three brand-new mini-bosses scattered throughout various outposts in Toxic Scowl.

The final boss's identity is yet to be named, but based on the development team's description, we can imagine the threat this colossal creation, combining mechanical and biological features, will pose to players.

The new mini-bosses each drop their own loot pools, so if you want to collect all the new gear, you must visit them one by one. 

New Loot

The most enticing aspect of this DLC for most players is undoubtedly the equipment. The livestream confirmed the following seven high-rarity Borderlands 4 items, one of which is Pearlescent, and the other six are Legendary.

Pearlescent Weapon

PRISM - A sniper rifle crafted by Jakobs. As a Pearlescent Weapon, it is expected to have a unique bullet deflection trajectory or elemental switching mechanism, so even though the specific stats weren't revealed in the livestream, it's enough to excite sniper players.

Legendary Weapons (Six Items)

• Silver Sliver: Daedalus Pistol.
• Overconsumption: Tediore Pistol.
• Plump Bob: Ripper Shotgun.
• Hydrowerks: Torgue Shield.
• Oxidation: Vladof Recovery Kit.
• Loiter Sploiter: Torgue Heavy Weapon.

All the above equipment can only be obtained by defeating new bosses in Murderers and Acquisitions or completing specific quest steps in the DLC; they will not appear in the world loot pool.

Vault Card 4

If you unlock Vault Card 4 simultaneously, you will gain access to a separate upgrade path, increasing your card level by earning experience, defeating enemies, and completing daily or weekly challenges.

It includes:

• 24 desert-themed cosmetics: including Vault Hunters skins, weapon charms, ECHO themes, etc.

And four Legendary-tier pieces of equipment, unique in that they allow you to reset attribute modifiers, letting you repeatedly refine them to achieve your desired bonuses. These four are:

• Divided Glow: Order Assault Rifle.
• Eradication: Vladof Assault Rifle.
• Stealth & Seek: Maliwan Sniper Rifle.
• Pressure Kettle: Daedalus Grenade.

The higher your card level, the greater the chance of obtaining these items, and new cosmetics will be unlocked with each level up.

First-Time Completion Rewards

Regardless of which story route you choose in Borderlands 4 Bounty Pack 4, completing the entire story for the first time will automatically reward you with three souvenirs.

You'll receive a universal skin for all Vault Hunters - a style reminiscent of Toxic Scowl's wasteland aesthetic.

A new vehicle with appearance and performance tailored to your mission theme, and ECHO-4 drone skins, giving your sidekick a war-themed makeover!

These are guaranteed rewards for first-time completions, not random drops on the map, which may further fuel players' already high expectations.

Future Updates

In addition to revealing key content for Borderlands 4 Bounty Pack 4, the livestream also included three previews of future updates.

These previews confirm that Story Pack 2 will be named FL4K and the Last Resort, and is expected to launch on September 10, 2026.

On the same day Story Pack 2 launches, the brand-new playable Vault Hunter: Loveless, the Hacker will also officially debut, joining the fray with its unique skill mechanics.

Finally, Bounty Pack 5 will also release on the same day, though details are not yet available, but it's clearly a continuation of the DLC plan.

With less than a week until July 30th, you can now clear out your inventory, adjust your skills, and prepare for the harsh environment of Toxic Scowl in Borderlands 4 Bounty Pack 4!

There are only three days left until the conclusion of Season 5 Week 3 Trials in ARC Raiders. How is your progress coming along? After all, completing all five missions with a three-star rating can be quite tricky.

One specific trial requires you to eliminate enough ARC enemies using Jump Mines to earn a three-star rating. The challenge lies in selecting the right types of ARC and grouping them effectively to maximize explosive damage in a single blast.

If this mission has stumped you and you haven't finished this week's trials yet, don't worry, we will provide a guide for you.

Stocking up on Jump Mines

Whether you've already mastered the technique or are still figuring out the best strategy for using Jump Mines, a key prerequisite is having plenty of mines at your disposal.

In ARC Raiders, Jump Mine is technically an Explosive Mine; it earned the nickname Jump Mine because it suddenly pops up and detonates at close range to deal damage. They can be placed directly on the ground or on the bodies of large ARC units.

This quick-use item can be scavenged or crafted once you've unlocked the blueprint and gathered the necessary materials.

However, if you've already burned through your supply, the best way to ensure you finish the trial on time is to buy IGGM ARC Raiders Explosive Mines now!

It's worth noting that Explosive Mine blueprint is currently available in Nomadic Envoy Ermal's shop; you can acquire it by turning in the required quantities of Leaper Pulse Units, Pop Triggers, and Steel Springs.

You can gather many of these trade materials while completing another trial mission that requires dealing melee damage to ARC enemies. So, be sure to adopt a strategy that maximizes your returns while boosting combat efficiency.

Which ARC units are the best targets?

There is a wide variety of PvE enemies in ARC Raiders, making it difficult to decide which ones to target for this trial.

There are two common strategies: setting traps or using yourself as bait to lure a group of small ARC units together for a mass explosion, or focusing on large ARC units and placing Explosive Mines on their most vulnerable core areas.

We tested both approaches. Overall, the first method is less efficient, so it is better to focus your attention on the larger enemies.

For instance, simply placing a single Jump Mine on a Bastion's core yields at least 800 trial points; naturally, placing more mines results in a significantly higher score.

Compared to Bastion, ARC Raiders Bombardier has thinner armor and lacks an exposed core, so you can place mines directly on its back. The final point yield is roughly the same as that of Bastion.

Another enemy worth considering is ARC Turbine. It usually soars through the air but slowly descends to the ground to attack as the current raid nears its end.

Ideally, the strategy would be to predict where Turbine will land and pre-place a cluster of Jump Mines; when it touches down, the simultaneous detonation would deal massive damage instantly.

However, in practice, the moment you start placing Jump Mines, or even just approach while holding them, Turbine becomes agitated and immediately launches an electric attack. This electricity can destroy the mines you've already placed, effectively ruling out this strategy.

What about Shredder? These enemies move incredibly fast, making them easy to lure into traps. Placing about four Jump Mines in a trap beforehand yields excellent results.

Since Shredders respawn continuously across the map, you can place new mines in the same trap after destroying one and lure nearby newly spawned enemies in; this saves you from wasting time running all over the map.

Overall, while most large ARC units are viable targets, Shredders offer the best results.

Best locations for Shredder spawns

This enemy type appears primarily on Stella Montis map, which has around 20 spawn points. To maximize your Trial Point farming efficiency, provided you can handle the challenge, enter the map during a Night Raid condition, as enemy spawn rates increase then.

When luring Shredders, maintain the right distance so they simply follow you without attacking. If they attack, you'll waste time eliminating them prematurely, and the mines won't be as effective.

Other recommended gear

To ensure you complete the trial missions and extract successfully, you should, in addition to the essential Explosive Mines, bring plenty of healing and shielding items.

A key healing item to unlock is Adrenaline Shot; it restores your stamina while also boosting your subsequent stamina regeneration rate.

As for shields, a medium-sized model is a solid choice. It is also highly recommended to equip Augments to enhance its overall performance.

Another piece of essential gear is Photoelectric Cloak. It renders you undetectable to ARC enemies until your energy runs out, though the trade-off is that you must move slowly while using it.

Regarding offensive weaponry, simply bring the weapons you are most proficient with; their primary roles are defending against potential PvP threats and finishing off ARC units.

Options like Bobcat, Renegade, or Tempest work well. Of course, don't forget to upgrade them and equip attachments.

We hope this guide helps you successfully complete all missions before the weekly trial ends. Gear up and head into battle at Stella Montis now!

If you've been waiting for Helldivers 2 x Warhammer 40,000 collaboration, the good news is finally here. The studio officially announced the collaboration at their May event, and recently, a short trailer was released, essentially confirming the full reveal date for Legendary Warbond – July 30th.

For fans of both titles, this collaboration is a match made in heaven. The concept of soldiers serving as cannon fodder in galactic warfare in Helldivers 2 mirrors the situation of Astra Militarum in Warhammer 40,000. Terminids correspond to Tyranids, and the Automatons correspond to Necrons – the two universes share striking similarities. Because of this, it's rumored that some within the developers have been actively pushing for this collaboration, and now this vision has finally become a reality this summer.

Next, this article will analyze the known content contained in this trailer and use it as a basis to predict Warbond's future.

Trailer Analysis

In the official trailer, a Helldiver reaches for an iconic weapon - Bolt Pistol. This is currently the only weapon officially confirmed to be included in Legendary Warbond.

Bolt Pistol is one of the most iconic weapons in Warhammer 40,000, widely used by multiple factions. For players familiar with Warhammer 40,000's gameplay, this weapon is perfectly suited for Astra Militarum. Of course, many players are also hoping to see the heavier Boltgun. However, from the perspective of Helldivers 2's game balance, Boltgun's excessive penetration and high damage could significantly impact the existing primary weapon ecosystem.

Besides the Bolt Pistol, eagle-eyed players have also spotted more details in the trailer. By slowing down and brightening the footage, a new set of armor not yet seen in the game can be seen – Carapace Armor with sharp, angular green patterns, its style reminiscent of the classic Cadian Shock Trooper. This armor set is very likely one of the new armor sets to be released in this collaboration.

Warbond Content Predictions

Although the official reveal of all content won't be complete until July 30th, based on the pattern of the previous Killzone and Halo: ODST collaborations with Legendary Warbond, we can make some reasonable speculations.

Regarding weapons, Bolt Pistol has already been confirmed in the trailer, and Chainsword is almost the most plausible guess. It's both Warhammer 40000's signature melee weapon and has a place in the melee system of Helldivers 2. In addition, the Lasgun, as the standard weapon of the Astra Militarum, also has a high probability of appearing.

As for armor and cosmetics, the release of armor sets is almost a certainty. There's speculation that different Space Marine Chapters' power armor might appear on Helldivers 2 battlefield with varying color schemes and abilities. Furthermore, based on past Legendary Warbond collaborations, cosmetic items like capes and skins are also highly likely.

Regarding pricing, based on previous collaborations, this Warhammer 40K Warbond collaboration will most likely be priced at 1500 super credits. It's worth noting that Helldivers 2 studio recently patched several exploits for quickly farming in-game currency, a timing that inevitably suggests preparation for this major collaboration.

With the expected release date approaching, if you want to get Warbond immediately upon release but don't have enough stock, why not buy Helldivers 2 super credits from IGGM.com now and prepare for the arrival of Bolt Pistol?

Release Schedule and Predictions

According to official news, the full trailer will be released on July 30th, revealing all the content of this Warbond collaboration. As for the release date of Warbond itself, the official announcement has not yet been made. However, based on past release patterns, it usually launches within a week of the full trailer's release.

Additionally, it's worth noting that a previous Warbond release for Helldivers 2, originally scheduled for summer, was delayed, with the development team stating they needed more time to polish it. This might indicate that the team is focusing more on this major collaboration.

However, some analysts believe that more than one Warbond might be released in August, given the previous instance of two Warbond releases only 12 days apart.

Community News

Besides the collaboration itself, there are other noteworthy community news. Firstly, following the trailer's release, numerous fan art and 3D models combining the two IPs have appeared on various community platforms. There have also been concept art designs of Hellpod modified into a teleportation pod, which have garnered significant likes from fans.

There was also a community-organized countdown event: starting with the trailer's release, a Warhammer 40K-themed game mission was held daily, such as using only explosive weapons or having everyone wear specific color scheme armor, until the full reveal on July 30th. The event attracted tens of thousands of players, and the related topic's popularity continued to rise.

This collaboration between Helldivers 2 and Warhammer 40000 is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated collaborations of summer 2026. From the confirmed Bolt Pistol to the new armor vaguely seen in the trailer, and the likely appearance of classic weapons like Chainsword and Lasgun - the full reveal on July 30th is something every fan should stay tuned for.

July seems to be a busy month for updates across major ARPG titles; Path of Exile is gearing up for 3.29 league, while Torchlight Infinite launched SS13 season on July 16th.

While Path of Exile and Diablo 4 are the reigning giants of ARPG genre, and are frequently pitted against each other by enthusiasts, in terms of actual gameplay mechanics, Torchlight: Infinite bears a stronger resemblance to Path of Exile.

Consequently, whenever Path of Exile enters a content drought and players seek a similar pastime, or if you find PoE’s mechanics too exhausting and want a game that offers a similar experience but is more relaxed, Torchlight Infinite is often the go-to choice.

Over time, this has given rise to an interesting, albeit slightly awkward, narrative for Torchlight: Infinite: rather than being viewed as a fully independent ARPG, it is often seen merely as a substitute for Path of Exile.

Torchlight: Infinite has now steadily reached Season 13; while it may not be at the very top in terms of popularity, the launch of a new season consistently generates significant buzz.

So, is this success merely a halo effect from Path of Exile, or has Torchlight: Infinite quietly matured into an excellent, standalone title? Let’s dig deeper to find out.

Strikingly similar core mechanics

If you are a veteran Path of Exile player, you will experience a strong sense of déjà vu when you first start playing Torchlight: Infinite. Although the names differ, the majority of the mechanics, and even the underlying architecture, are remarkably similar.

Examples include the complex, sprawling skill and talent networks; the mapping gameplay found in Atlas (Netherrealm); and the inclusion of mechanics carried over from various past leagues (seasons).

The games even share very similar economic systems. Both feature a variety of currencies serving different purposes, yet revolve around a primary, high-value currency: Divine Orb in PoE and Flame Elementium in Torchlight Infinite.

It is precisely these wide-ranging similarities that have led more and more players to jokingly characterize Torchlight: Infinite’s position in the market; some even go so far as to claim it is a PoE clone, arguing that the starkly different art styles simply mask the imitation.

The pros of sensible simplification

Although the gameplay is similar, a deeper dive into Torchlight: Infinite reveals an advantage over PoE series: streamlined design.

While Path of Exile’s high complexity offers vast possibilities for character development, it also imposes a heavier administrative burden on the player.

For instance, regarding QoL, PoE often requires managing multiple open tabs and navigating a cumbersome trading process. In contrast, Torchlight: Infinite features one-click looting and expanded inventory capacity.

Crafting gear in PoE, involving prefixes, suffixes, and implicit modifiers, can feel as complex as advanced mathematics. While the crafting system in Torchlight: Infinite shares a similar foundation, its logic is far more intuitive and straightforward.

Resetting your talent tree in Path of Exile requires a significant investment of specific orbs. Torchlight: Infinite, however, allows for free resets at any time prior to reaching level 90, enabling you to experiment with new playstyles without the anxiety of running out of currency.

A rich and engaging gameplay

If you assume these simplifications compromise Torchlight Infinite’s replayability, you would be mistaken; these measures are designed to optimize the user experience rather than fundamentally reduce the amount of playable content.

To be more specific, once you create a character in Torchlight: Infinite, a substantial main storyline awaits, accompanied by a rewarding leveling and farming progression.

Upon entering the endgame, Netherrealm, you can unlock and tackle maps ranging from difficulty tiers TM1 through TM8. This phase allows you to farm high-level materials that facilitate a massive leap in your character’s power.

Furthermore, the gameplay experience varies significantly based on your choices regarding mapping mechanics, skill and gear setups, and the unique characteristics provided by your chosen hero and their specific Hero Traits.

You might argue that Path of Exile has been around longer and offers a richer experience than Torchlight: Infinite in every one of these areas.

However, for veteran players, once mastery is achieved, new PoE leagues can often be speed-run through existing content, with attention focused only on the new mechanics.

Conversely, if you are new to this genre of ARPG, Torchlight Infinite strikes an excellent balance between deep gameplay and accessibility.

Cons that cannot be ignored

As outlined above, Torchlight: Infinite boasts distinct advantages, yet it is far from perfect; the pet system, for instance, is quite frustrating.

The pets in Torchlight: Infinite, known as Pactspirits, provide various combat bonuses. While you can clear the vast majority of the game’s content without them, doing so is undoubtedly a much tougher grind.

The system relies on gacha mechanics, meaning rare pets can be unlocked via micro-transactions to easily secure a smoother gameplay experience, a model that is rather unfriendly to free-to-play players.

Another issue lies in the art style. While ARPG genre isn’t inherently incompatible with the vibrant, anime-inspired aesthetic, the mainstream style leans heavily toward dark fantasy.

Consequently, players transitioning from PoE to Torchlight: Infinite might find the visual shift somewhat jarring.

Conclusion

Returning to the initial question: Is Torchlight: Infinite merely a budget alternative to Path of Exile, or is it a game worth playing in its own right?

Our verdict is that while Torchlight Infinite may have initially attracted players by emulating PoE, it has since matured significantly, successfully blending the campaign plus endgame model with its own signature fast-paced gameplay.

In short, Torchlight: Infinite no longer needs to be a substitute for anything else; it stands on its own as a genuinely fun and engaging game.

If this analysis has piqued your interest in Torchlight: Infinite, why not buy Torchlight Infinite Flame Elementium on IGGM right now?

Doing so allows you to skip the tedious farming of the current Afterlight season, accelerate your gear crafting and build optimization, and dive straight into the endgame to dominate the competition!

The first official reveal trailer for EA Sports FC 27 has been released, and we can finally take a look at the visuals of the new game along with more detailed demonstrations of its new features.

The trailer runs for around two and a half minutes, but it contains a surprisingly large amount of information. The footage related to The Grounds takes up roughly half of the trailer, which shows that the official team has placed a lot of confidence in this new mode. The trailer also reveals several gameplay updates. Let's break down each section.

The Grounds

Gameplay

The Grounds is promoted as an open-world football playground. Based on the trailer, players will be able to freely explore multiple areas, including accessible shops where they can customize their character's appearance and more.

The Grounds mode includes several mini football pitches. They appear to be smaller than standard football fields and have a stronger street football style, meaning they will clearly not support traditional 11v11 matches.

Players will be able to enjoy Kickabouts, 1v1 matches, and games where they team up with friends on these smaller pitches. These street football areas may also include special challenges. The trailer shows a goal with a basketball hoop hanging above it, meaning players will need to adjust their shooting approach because normal shots would likely not work.

The Grounds also appears to include several street-style challenges. The green hexagons shown multiple times in the trailer could represent mini-games, objectives, or even fast travel points within the open world. However, they are more likely to be part of a reward system where players need to kick the ball toward these targets to receive rewards.

It is worth noting that the trailer confirms Pro Clubs will be integrated into The Grounds mode. Considering that the number of Pro Clubs players increased significantly during the recent World Cup period, this integration could bring new energy to the club-based gameplay experience.

Real Football Stars

Surprisingly, Kylian Mbappé also appears in The Grounds. Players will be able to interact with him, and he may provide certain tasks or appear as a skill mentor for players.

Besides him, other football stars may also appear in this mode, such as Zinédine Zidane. If the official team obtains the necessary licenses, players may even have the chance to meet some legendary retired superstars in this open-world environment.

Alex Hunter

At the end of the trailer, the character shown is Alex Hunter. The official team previously introduced a story mode featuring Alex Hunter as the main character, and it received a fairly positive response. However, starting with FIFA 20, The Journey mode was removed, meaning Alex Hunter no longer appeared as the protagonist of a story-driven mode.

Although he returns in EA Sports FC 27, based on the current information, Hunter may only appear within The Grounds open-world mode rather than making a full return as the main character of a dedicated story mode. His exact role in the new game remains to be seen.

Career Mode

The second half of the trailer finally shows content related to Career Mode. Although the screen time is extremely limited, the information revealed is still worth paying attention to.

Career Mode interface has changed from the previous cutscene-based format into a more modern phone call style. This adjustment creates a stronger sense of immersion and realism.

The trailer shows Alexander Isak's Overall rating and specific attributes receiving improvements. This suggests that FC 27 will introduce a dynamic Overall system based on a player's real-world performances.

Previously, dynamic Overall adjustments were only available for a player's own created club. In the new game, this system will expand to players across all clubs. This means that a regular footballer playing for another team could see a major increase in ability after delivering an outstanding season, potentially growing into the next Mbappé. This change will make every player's Career Mode save feel more unique.

Transfer Market

Official information confirms that Transfer Market will receive a complete overhaul in Career Mode. The official team will cooperate with the authoritative football data website Transfermarkt, allowing player transfer fees to become more realistic and closer to real-world values.

Players will no longer be the only dominant bidder in negotiations. Other clubs will compete for the same players at the same time, making the negotiation process more complex and varied. In addition, Career Mode will introduce a new system featuring Performance Clauses and Buyback Clauses.

Gameplay Improvements

The official team has announced adjustments to the behavior logic of AI-controlled players in the game. Specifically, this improvement aims to solve the long-standing positioning issues, where players often remain in offside positions for several seconds during attacks, forcing players to rely heavily on wing crosses or passing the ball backward.

The trailer shows teammates becoming smarter at recognizing open spaces and passing intentions, while also using overlapping runs to create attacking opportunities. This improvement could solve the unreasonable teammate movement issues that appeared in previous games.

New dribbling animations will also be added to simulate situations where players can still escape pressure or complete breakthroughs even when their bodies are off balance or they are being pushed by opponents. If implemented well, this could greatly improve the realism and visual quality of matches.

The trailer also shows corner kick scenes, suggesting that the official team has significantly redesigned the corner system, making it easier to create scoring opportunities. This could be a positive change for players who are not strong at taking corners.

The trailer also showcases some quick passing combinations and smoother attacking transitions. However, the overall visuals of the game do not appear to have changed significantly compared with the previous title. Modern football games are now reaching a point where it has become increasingly difficult to achieve revolutionary improvements in graphics.

The section of the trailer focused on new content for Ultimate Team mode is not particularly impressive. Although FUT 27 does introduce some changes, they mainly make the mode more complex rather than bringing major breakthroughs.

The main focus appears to have shifted toward the development of new modes. The official team may have recognized the limitations of Ultimate Team's current growth direction and decided to redirect resources toward new experiences, which could potentially be a positive change for players.

EA FC 27 does offer some welcome changes. Improved AI and player animations may make UT mode more engaging. Smarter teammate positioning, more natural physical contact, and more realistic player movement could further enhance the game's pace and gameplay experience, giving players more strategic options when building their teams and playing online.

EA FC 27 does offer some welcome changes. Improvements to AI system and player animations might make Ultimate Team mode more attractive.

For players looking to quickly build their team roster, you can pre-order FC 27 coins from IGGM to prepare resources in advance, and build your Ultimate Team more efficiently after launch.

Path of Exile 3.29 Curse of the Allflame will launch at 1 PM PDT on July 24th. This patch introduces a brand new gameplay mode - Voyage. Players can meticulously plan and execute underwater expeditions to retrieve lost treasure and bring back a wealth of loot.

Proper voyage planning is key to reaping rich rewards from underwater expeditions and is the dividing line between mediocre loot and substantial rewards. This guide will walk you through the complete voyage setup process step-by-step, helping you make smarter decisions.

Understanding Curse of the Allflame League and Voyage System

Curse of the Allflame is a challenge league introduced in PoE 3.29. In this league, you will meet a dangerous pirate captain - Valerie - who needs your help to retrieve forgotten treasure from the depths of the frozen Wraeclast Sea.

The core logic of the sailing system is to defeat monsters and unlock Cursed Treasures on maps throughout Wraeclast to obtain Charts. Once you've collected enough Charts, board Valerie's ship - Sovereign - and combine multiple Charts into a single voyage to embark on a large-scale exploration of the ocean depths.

Each region in PoE 3.29 contains at least one Chart, and some regions even have two, so you can start collecting them from Act 1. The earlier you start accumulating Charts, the sooner you can plan high-yield voyages.

Unlocking Voyages: Collect Nine Charts First

Before starting your first voyage, you must first scout at least nine different charts from Valerie.

Therefore, to begin your adventure as soon as possible, it's best to actively seek out Cursed Treasures in each region as you progress through the story. Note that each time you scout a chart underwater, it consumes a certain number of Allflame Lanterns. Lanterns create a circular safe zone on the seabed, removing the Drowning debuff - leaving the safe zone for more than 5 seconds will result in instant death. After a scout is completed, the chart is recorded and becomes usable for navigation.

Understanding Chart Implicit Modifiers

Each chart, after being scouted, reveals an Implicit Modifier. These modifiers can affect adjacent charts or the entire voyage.

Therefore, before placing any chart, you must carefully examine its Implicit Modifier. Some modifiers can be several times more valuable in specific locations than random placement.

For example, a chart's modifier might generate 3 Diviner's Strongboxes in each adjacent area. If this chart is placed in the center of Voyage Board, it will affect the four adjacent areas (top, bottom, left, and right), generating a total of 12 Diviner's Strongboxes.

However, if it's placed on the edge, it will only affect 2-3 adjacent areas; if placed in a corner, it will only affect 2 areas. The difference in benefit between centering and corner placement for the same chart is as high as 6 times.

Check Border Modifiers

Many players might habitually fill their Voyage Board immediately after receiving a map, which is one of the biggest misconceptions. Voyage Board's borders have randomly generated Border Modifiers, and these modifiers' effects also apply to adjacent map areas.

Border Modifiers for each voyage are randomly generated, meaning your optimal layout strategy may be completely different every round.

Therefore, before placing any map, you need to consider not only its own effect but also Border Modifiers surrounding the Voyage Board. Find the strongest Border Modifier for this voyage and then plan the placement of all maps around it.

Optimizing Voyage layout is only one part of increasing rewards. Your character's damage output, survivability, and gear quality also determine how deep you can explore and how much reward you can ultimately bring back. You can buy PoE currency from IGGM.com to quickly upgrade your gear quality and maximize your rewards from each voyage.

Voyage Board Layout Steps

Based on the above principles, a complete voyage plan should follow these steps:

Step 1: Collection and Scout

While progressing through Path of Exile map, continuously collect nautical charts, then survey each chart on Sovereign.

Step 2: Check Border Modifiers

Open Voyage Board and observe the modifiers on the surrounding boundaries. Mark the 1-2 strongest boundary bonuses for this round.

Step 3: Filter Charts

View Implicit Modifiers of all surveyed charts and find the chart that best matches the strongest Border Modifier for this round of voyage (e.g., if Border modifier is Exalted Orb, look for the chart that increases the number of rare monsters).

Step 4: Place in Designated Locations

Prioritize placing the core chart (with adjacent bonuses) in the center, then place charts that synergize with boundary bonuses next to their corresponding boundaries. Fill the remaining spaces with the remaining charts.

Step 5: Execute Voyage

After confirming that all 9 charts are in place, begin the voyage. Venture deep into the ocean aboard the Bathysphere, place lanterns underwater for safety, explore areas, defeat monsters, and collect loot. Finally, use Allflame Capsule to return the loot to the surface ahead of time.

Furthermore, for more rewards, follow IGGM POE Facebook group; we will be hosting giveaway in the future. Following and participating could earn you rewards crucial for your league progression!

Underwater Exploration Precautions

During your voyage, the following two points directly affect how much loot you can take with you:

1. Lantern Management: Each voyage provides a maximum of 7 Allflame Lanterns. The first lantern is automatically placed next to Bathysphere. You can choose to manually place it or enable automatic placement of the next lantern depending on the upcoming battle. However, be sure not to leave the lantern's illuminated area and avoid lingering in combat.
2. Evacuation Timing: After you place the last lantern, all safe zones will shrink sequentially from the last lantern placed, and sea creatures will swarm towards you. You must quickly return to Bathysphere to evacuate, otherwise you will lose all unreturned items.

In summary, the navigation system in Path of Exile 3.29 Curse of the Allflame is essentially a strategy planning game - your success depends not on luck, but on how you combine charts, how you utilize Border Modifiers, and how you maximize the value of each chart's affixes.

Although Diablo 4 Season 14 Necromancer is not considered one of the strongest classes, it remains the favorite choice for players who prefer a more relaxed playstyle. You can charge forward with your army of skeleton companions and let them handle everything for you.

Summon Necromancer build is not the strongest setup for this class, but its performance is not far behind Blood Wave. Most importantly, it is almost an AFK build. Even in Torment 12 difficulty, you can leave almost everything to your skeleton army.

Summon Necromancer Damage

Most of Summon Necromancer's damage comes from its minions, and their power is increased through several different sources.

Attack Speed (200%)

You need to increase your minions' attack speed to 200%. This is not only to increase their attack frequency but also to fully activate Cult Leader node on Paragon Board, granting 200% additional damage. This allows attack speed to be directly converted into a massive independent damage multiplier.

Reaching 200% attack speed is not difficult. You can use Gargantua upgrade option for Golem, which grants other minions 100% additional cast speed, allowing them to attack more aggressively and move faster. Combined with Pact of Bone Unique Ring and attack speed affixes on your equipment, reaching this target is relatively easy.

Crowd Control Damage Bonus

Bloodless Scream allows Darkness damage to apply 100% Chill. Once Chill is fully stacked and converted into Freeze, enemies will take 325% increased damage.

You can use Blight to group enemies together and combine it with Thul Rune to ensure enemies remain Frozen throughout the entire damage phase, allowing you to fully benefit from this bonus.

The damage of this build is not calculated in a single burst. First, Skeleton Mages and Skeleton Warriors deal massive direct damage. Then, Berú of the Black Shroud set converts 75% of that direct damage into Darkness and Frost DoT effects lasting 30 seconds.

This turns a single trillion-level burst into continuous burning damage. This is especially effective during high-tier boss fights because even when you need to reposition, DoT continues steadily draining the boss's health.

Critical Strike

Critical Strikes provide extremely powerful direct damage increases. Ideally, you want to reach 100% Critical Strike Chance. Besides the critical strike chance gained from equipment, choosing Bone Storm as your ultimate skill can also grant your minions an additional 28% Critical Strike Chance.

Summon Necromancer Survivability

This build does not rely on dodging or positioning to survive. Instead, you need to stack maximum Life. During combat, you will constantly generate Barriers, making you almost impossible to kill in Torment 12.

Infinite Barrier

The main source of Infinite Barrier comes from Book of the Dead. Shadow Skeleton Mage upgrade causes every Shadow Mage attack to generate a Barrier for the Necromancer.

When you have 22 minions and 200% attack speed, there are dozens of attack calculations happening every second. This means your Barrier is almost restored instantly on the same frame you take damage.

Massive Life Pool

You need to focus your equipment and Masterwork upgrades heavily toward Maximum Life, with the goal of reaching around 40,000 to 50,000 Life. A massive Life pool not only prevents instant deaths but also increases your Barrier limit because Barrier strength is based on your base Life.

Damage Reduction

Decrepify and Iron Maiden are automatically applied across the entire screen through Blood Moon Breeches, reducing enemy damage while providing Fortify and slowing enemies.

Another effect from Berú of the Black Shroud set is that as long as you can deal DoT, you gain 30% damage reduction. For this build, this effect is active almost permanently.

You can also choose Aldkin as your Mercenary and pair him with Field of Languish, which provides an additional 20% enemy damage reduction.

Summon Necromancer Minions

Minions are the absolute core of this build. None of them are filler choices, and every summon plays an important role. The more minions you have, the higher your DPS becomes.

Skeleton Warriors Reapers mainly exist to reduce Bone Storm's cooldown and ensure the critical strike aura remains active permanently. They also act as carriers for Darkness damage and help Bloodless Scream spread Chill.

Shadow Mages mainly provide Barrier generation. When entering The Pit, they can be replaced with a pure damage version, but during regular farming and stable progression, unlimited Barriers indirectly protect all your minions by preventing your character from dying.

You can also use The Undercrown helmet to increase the maximum number of minions by 4, bringing your total army size to 22. The enormous attack frequency not only guarantees Lucky Hit resource regeneration but also allows you to use the Igni and Ceh Runes to summon Wolf Companions.

This allows you to trigger Pact of Bone effect through additional summons, gaining the “35% increased damage when a minion dies” effect. In reality, your skeletons are not actually dying, but the system counts the wolves as dead, allowing the 35% damage bonus to remain active permanently.

Another hidden mechanic of The Undercrown helmet is that when commanding Warriors to attack, Mages will also focus the same target. This solves the long-standing issue of scattered minion AI and ensures that after using Sever to gather enemies, all 22 minions can concentrate their full power onto frozen enemy groups or bosses. 

Summon Necromancer Skills

Army of the Dead is not chosen here. Although it can provide a 50% minion damage bonus, Bone Storm combined with increased duration provides additional Critical Strike Chance for your minions, resulting in higher overall damage.

Summon Necromancer Equipment

Among Diablo 4 items used in this build, some Unique items are extremely important, such as The Undercrown and Bloodless Scream. This does not mean they are completely irreplaceable, but if you want your build to have both high damage and strong durability, it is better not to replace them.

Aspect of Reanimation can be swapped. Both Aspect of Piercing Cold and Aspect of Crippling Darkness are viable alternatives. As long as their affixes are strong enough and they improve your damage output, you can replace Aspect of Reanimation without concern.

If you can replace most of the unique items with Mythic Uniques, this build's damage can be boosted several levels. However, farming Mythic Uniques requires a lot of materials. You can join IGGM Diablo 4 Facebook group; if you win in the giveaway, you can get many Lair Boss Keys and gems for free.

Charms

• Berú of the Black Shroud
• Fer of the Black Shroud
• Mlor of the Black Shroud
• Phoba of the Black Shroud
• Linta of the Black Shroud
• Azurewrath

Black Shroud set is the core of this build's damage and survivability. Wearing all five pieces allows you to deal 175% additional Shadow and Frost damage. It also makes enemies who are corrupted or afflicted with Frostbite beyond their remaining Life permanently Vulnerable, weakened, and take 50% additional damage. This effect is extremely powerful for crushing bosses.

Even without top-tier equipment, this build can still reach around Tier 120 in The Pit. Of course, you will need to adjust your gear and skills accordingly, but for a semi-AFK build, this performance is already extremely impressive.

Now, when MLB The Show 26 Parallel Mods is mentioned, everyone seems to have a lot to say but nowhere to complain. In addition, the new cards in the game always seem to lack something, and the update schedule is erratic. Perhaps only Hall of Fame Sunday, which will be released on July 26, can slightly silence the complaints.

So, we'll delve into Parallel Mods system, which was initially highly anticipated, and examine its design flaws over time.

Design Intent

The Parallel Mods system in MLB 26 this year had a good idea in itself, as it allowed players to decide where to allocate attribute points. For example, if a pitcher has poor control, improve their control; if a batter is slow, increase their speed. This allows each card to be adjusted according to the needs of your lineup.

Especially when you're using the same card for a long time, you can customize its attributes based on its position. For example, if you want to move a first baseman to the outfield, you can boost their speed and defense, making the entire lineup much more flexible.

This approach actually extends from the original Parallel system, which was well-regarded. Adding Mods makes character development more targeted, which is the right direction.

Significant Shortcomings

The initial design intent is sound, but in MLB The Show 26, using Parallel Mods reveals several problems.

The most frustrating issue is that some newly released high OVR cards (like Jordan Walker) have deliberately low base stats, forcing you to rely on Parallel Mods to salvage them.

This is similar to the development team's previous approach with Captain cards - making the cards weak initially, then forcing you to improve them through other means. However, players want cards that are usable from the start; Parallel Mods are merely icing on the cake.

And Parallel Mods upgrade process is uncomfortable. At low levels, the stat differences are barely noticeable, so many players simply don't use Mods, waiting until they reach level five before activating them all at once. This makes the long development phase feel unfulfilling.

Furthermore, the number of innings required for starting pitchers and relievers to advance is the same: 90 innings. However, relievers can only pitch a few innings per game, making it incredibly difficult to reach the required number unless you use them excessively.

Therefore, a reasonable approach for MLB 26 would be to reduce the requirement for relievers to around 30 innings. This would be fairer and less daunting for players.

The Difficulty of the Protest

Given the current situation in the game, many players are asking how the community can get the development team to truly listen to their opinions.

Theoretically, the simplest and most direct solution would be to stop playing MLB 26 and not use MLB 26 stubs, but in reality, it's not that easy. Since there's only one baseball game with MLB license, what will happen to their revenue if they stop developing it?

Even more critically, Diamond Dynasty players initially constituted only a small fraction of the overall game player base. Most players only played Franchise Mode and Road to the Show, and they were completely unconcerned about the problems with Diamond Dynasty, let alone a potential boycott.

Therefore, even if Diamond Dynasty players stopped playing, the overall impact on MLB 26 sales would be limited.

Communication Issues

Of course, there is some communication between players and MLB The Show 26 development team; some creators even hold meetings to discuss feedback. However, feedback is not as timely as it used to be.

Compared to frantically posting in the community, this is the most reliable way to communicate. But if even meetings and videos fail, then a larger-scale action might need to be considered.

Furthermore, the development team's indifference towards players isn't necessarily intentional; it could be due to manpower shortages, heavy technical workloads, or a lack of attention from higher-ups.

So, simply complaining is useless. It's better to clearly list the problems in the game, start a petition, or use data to show the development team the severity of the issues. This would likely be more effective.

Reasons for Slower Updates

Recently, you may have noticed that the regular release schedule of new content every Tuesday and Friday isn't as consistent, causing some concern that this might continue.

This is largely related to the habits of sports game players. With the release of games like College Football 27 and Madden NFL 27 at the end of July, many players have switched to other games. Furthermore, with GTA 6 coming at the end of the year, even non-sports game players will be drawn away, naturally reducing the number of online players for MLB 26.

The development team's decision to slow down the update speed at this time aligns with market trends and also allows them some breathing room, as they've been working intensively for the past three or four months.

Judging from the release history of previous years, the period with the most concentrated game content is usually from March to July. After that, the development team seems to gradually focus their energy on the development of the next game.

For hardcore gamers who are still consistently playing, the lack of content will definitely be disappointing.

But sports games are inherently seasonal products; most people play for a while and then switch to something else. Only a small number of die-hard fans will stick with it.

Of course, players would prefer to play year-round, but this involves how the company allocates manpower, which is not something the development team can decide. Understanding this background allows us to have more realistic expectations for the content pacing of MLB 26.

Ultimately, Parallel Mods system is still young, and its later implementation coincides with the development team reserving their energy for developing new titles. Some neglect of this system is understandable. At least its initial intention was good; hopefully, its details will be polished again in the future!