General News

To provide players with more cost-effective gaming products and services, IGGM platform has officially launched a brand-new points system, designed to let you enjoy a superior shopping experience while spending less!

Below, we break down everything you need to know: how to earn points efficiently, use them for discounts or to redeem exciting rewards, and stack VIP benefits to maximize your savings.

Before Using the Points System - Registration Required

Please note that IGGM's new points system is available only to registered and logged-in users. If you haven't registered or logged in yet, you will need to do so to access Check-in and Points pages.

How to Earn Points?

Accumulating points at IGGM is simple and straightforward, primarily through two channels: daily check-ins and order rewards.

1. Daily Check-in

Simply click the "Check In Today" button on the IGGM Check-in Center page to complete your check-in; once the button changes to "️Checked In (Come back tomorrow)," your points have been successfully credited! Alternatively, you can also check in by clicking the current date on the calendar.

Please note that your check-in time is based on the time zone used when you registered your IGGM account. For example, if you registered your account in PDT (UTC-08:00) time zone, you can only complete the check-in within that time zone on the day in question.

You can view your account registration date on My Profile or Check-in page to ensure you don't miss a check-in!

One-tap check-in (Easter egg)

There's a little Easter egg here! If you forget to check in for the day and land straight on the coupon redemption page, just tap the "little rocket" emoji at the bottom of the list to check in instantly - no need to navigate back to the Check-in Center. You'll still get those incremental rewards for consecutive check-ins.

Please note the visual differences between PC and mobile versions! For PC users, the small rocket only begins to shake and emit flames when you hover your cursor over it; a single click launches the rocket and credits your check-in points. For mobile users, the rocket icon shakes continuously—simply tap it to check in and earn your points instantly!

Other Check-in Entry

In addition, IGGM provides the following access points for quick and convenient daily check-ins:

1. Click "Go Now" on the coupon redemption page to visit the check-in center.

2. Click the coupon section at the bottom of the homepage to access the check-in center.

3. Click the banner at the bottom of any product page on IGGM to access the check-in center.

4. Quickly access the Check-in Center via the My Account → My Orders page.

Incremental Rewards for Consecutive Check-ins

IGGM's check-in system rewards consistency. If you check in without interruption, your daily points will increase over time: 5 points on the first day, 6 points on the second, and 8 points on the third. From the fourth day onwards, as long as you maintain your streak, you will consistently receive the maximum reward of 10 points per day.

Notes: If you check in via the check-in banner on the product page during your shopping journey, you can return to your original page via Back Shopping at the bottom after completing the check-in and triggering the points accumulation. You don't have to worry about your shopping progress being affected!

Reset Upon Interruption

If you miss a day or break your streak for any reason, your progress will reset to zero. Your next check-in will start back at the Day 1 rate of 5 points. Please note that the daily check-in reset is based on the server's time zone; be sure to check in on time to avoid losing progress due to network issues or other interruptions.

2. Points for Orders

Additionally, whenever you make an order on the IGGM platform, the system will award you points based on your subtotal amount.

Point Accrual Rate: $1 = 1 Point

Under standard conditions, every $1 of your actual spending converts directly into 1 point. To simplify calculations for order amounts involving decimals, IGGM rounds to the nearest whole number when determining the points earned. For example, if you pay $17.35, you receive 17 points; if you pay $34.86, you receive 35 points.

To ensure system efficiency for small transactions, the subtotal amount paid for an order must be at least $1 to trigger point accrual; orders under $1 do not generate any points.

Furthermore, points for all orders will be automatically credited to your account by the system only after the order status has officially changed to "Completed"; the number of points corresponds to the amount of the qualifying purchase.

Please note that orders completed without logging into your IGGM account will not be awarded points. Therefore, if you want to earn points to redeem for more offers, register and log into your account now!

New User Perk: 10x Point Rewards

IGGM has a welcome gift for new users! Your first paid order on IGGM automatically qualifies for a generous 10x points reward.

However, if your first order's subtotal is less than $1, you will not receive any points, and your first-order privilege as a new user will be used up. Therefore, IGGM recommends buying higher-value items you need during your first order to make the most of the 10x point reward.

Due to the significant value of this offer, points for the first order will be credited after the order is successfully delivered and passes a security review, provided no refund occurs within 24 hours.

You can view the specific points added upon completion in the My Account → My Orders section of IGGM.com. If you have just completed a payment but do not see the points immediately, please do not worry - simply wait a short while.

Point Value and Validity

Understanding the value of your points helps you make the best use of them. In the IGGM point system, 100 points = $1 (meaning each point is worth approximately $0.01).

Please note that points are not valid indefinitely; each point expires 90 days from the date it was earned. IGGM employs a user-friendly rolling expiration policy: points earned on Day 1 will expire at the end of Day 91. The specific calculation time for rolling expiration depends on the time zone of your account's IP address.

You can check for notifications regarding points nearing expiration on the "My Points" page of your account at any time to ensure you don't miss out on benefits.

Multiple Ways to Use Points: Direct Cash Deduction and Coupon Exchange

When buying items on IGGM, you can choose to use your accumulated points to directly offset the cash cost of your order or exchange them for significant discounts at IGGM Coupon Redemption Center. The choice is entirely yours!

Option A: Direct Cash Deduction at Checkout

On the checkout page, you can use the points in your account balance to reduce the cost of your current order. The proportion of the order total that can be offset by points is directly linked to your order subtotal.

Please refer to the table below for specific deduction ratios based on order subtotal ranges:

Important notes on using points for cash deductions:

1. Points are awarded only for successfully completed orders; orders that are voluntarily cancelled, flagged for suspected fraud, or fully refunded are not eligible for points;
2. Points for your first order are not credited immediately; they will be issued within 24 hours after successful delivery, provided no refund has occurred;
3. If an order involving points undergoes a partial refund, the system will deduct the corresponding points (rounded based on the refund amount) and return any points that were consumed. Returned Consumed Points = Consumed Points × (Refund Amount / Subtotal Amount);
4. Points can be used in conjunction with VIP discounts;
5. Cannot be used in conjunction with discount codes or cash coupons;
6. Cannot be exchanged for cash;
7. Cannot be withdrawn as cash;
8. Cannot be transferred between accounts;
9. IGGM.com reserves the right of final interpretation for all points-related policies.

Option B: Redeem Discount Codes or Cash Coupons

You can also visit the points redemption page to exchange points (in tiers ranging from 100 to 500 points) for discount codes (various rates) or cash coupons (subject to minimum order requirements). For example, the $10 cash coupon can only be used if your order's subtotal amount is $95 or more. If your subtotal is less than $95, the coupon will not automatically appear at checkout.

By the way, if you forget to check in for the day, the little rocket emoji on this coupon page is your quick way to do so! With a simple tap, a shake of the little rocket, and your points are in the bag!

All discount codes and cash coupons are limited to 30 per week, first come, first served! All redeemable rewards reset every Friday at 4:00 PM (UTC+8)/1:00 AM PDT.

Different colors clearly indicate the current stock status: green for 21-30 remaining, orange for 11-20, and red for 1-10. When stock reaches zero, it will display "Out of stock." But don't worry, all redeemable prize inventory resets every Friday at 4:00 PM (UTC+8). Let's do it earlier next time!

While coupons are great, please keep in mind that all discount codes or cash coupons are valid for only 3 days. Redeem them carefully and ensure the items you wish to buy are in stock to avoid wasting your points.

Additionally, please note that all redeemed and used discount codes, cash coupons, and free orders are non-refundable, non-exchangeable, and non-restoreable. Therefore, please carefully check the items you wish to buy before using your coupons to avoid losing them due to subsequent refunds or other changes!

You can view your coupons and their current expiration status on the My Account → My Coupons page.

Note: You can now quickly access the coupon redemption page not only through REDEEM button in the product page navigation bar, but also through "Coupon Center" at the bottom of IGGM homepage. We recommend bookmarking this page for convenient future check-ins and redemptions - saving you time and effort.

Notes on Points Redemption Coupons:

1. Only registered IGGM users are eligible to participate in points redemption.
2. Each reward is limited to the first 30 users per week on a first-come, first-served basis.
3. All discount codes, cash coupons and special items are subject to verification upon redemption.
4. Redeemed discount codes/cash coupons are valid for 3 days from the time of claim.
5. Only one discount code/cash coupon can be used per order. They cannot be combined with VIP discounts or points deductions.
6. Discount codes/cash coupons are not valid for gift cards and top-up services.
7. Redeemed discount codes, cash coupons, and free orders cannot be returned, exchanged, or restored once claimed or used.
8. Each account is limited to one redemption per special item per day.
9. Points required for special items are subject to change based on market price fluctuations.
10. IGGM.com reserves the right of final interpretation.

Option C: Direct Exchange for In-Game Currency/Items

In addition to coupons, IGGM will also add special points redemption options to the redemption page from time to time, allowing you to directly redeem specific in-game items with points, such as Monopoly GO cards, Diablo 4 materials, or POE 1/2 currency.

However, please note that each special item is limited to one redemption per account per day. Please choose carefully.

Note: Due to varying demand for special items and market price fluctuations, the number of points required to redeem these items may also change. Please monitor IGGM regularly to take advantage of low-point redemption opportunities.

Once you meet the points requirements and click to redeem, a pop-up window will prompt you to enter the necessary delivery details for the game. After accurately filling in the information and completing the verification, the system will automatically generate a free order and display it in Coupon Order list; you just need to wait for it to be delivered safely. More point redemption features and options are coming soon - stay tuned!

If you encounter errors during the redemption verification process, please check your network connection and try again using a reliable VPN.

Furthermore, given the nature of virtual items, returns or exchanges are not possible once an order begins processing; however, if delivery fails due to issues on the IGGM platform, the points used will be fully refunded.

VIP Ranks & Benefits

For VIP members, IGGM offers tiered discounts to all users based on accumulated spending. Once your cumulative spending hits a specific threshold, you automatically unlock a permanent VIP discount:

VIP 1: Your Spending (<$1,000), Get a 1% discount.

VIP 2: Your Spending (≥ $1,000 and < $3,000) , Get a 2% discount.

VIP 3: Your Spending (≥ $3,000 and < $6,000), Get a 3% discount.

VIP 4: Your Spending (≥ $6,000 and < $10,000), Get a 4% discount.

VIP 5: Your Spending (≥$10,000), Get a 5% discount.

Discount Stacking Rules:

• VIP Discounts CAN be combined with Points Deductions.
• VIP Discounts CANNOT be stacked with Discount Codes or Cash Coupons.

At checkout, you may apply either:

• Option A: Discount Code or Cash Coupon (Alone)
• Option B: VIP Discount + Points Deduction (Note: Discount Codes and Cash Coupons are not valid for Gift Cards or Top-up services.)

Stacking Discounts and Maximizing Savings

How can you get the most savings when checking out? IGGM has designed a smart checkout system based on our VIP ranks and point-redemption rules.

At IGGM, VIP discounts stack perfectly with direct point deductions. However, please note that redeemed discount codes or cash coupons cannot be combined with VIP discounts or point deductions. Additionally, only one coupons may be used per order.

At checkout, the system automatically compares the final costs of "Option 1 (VIP Benefits + Direct Point Deduction)" and "Option 2 (Single Discount Codes or Cash Coupons)" to select the most cost-effective choice for you, saving you the trouble of manual calculations. Which option offers the best deal will be displayed next to that option (Best Value). Of course, if you have your own preferences regarding coupon and point usage, you are free to select your preferred discount method.

Refunds and Point Returns

IGGM's refund policy allows you to request a refund at any time prior to the completion of delivery. However, we have specific rules regarding the refund and rebate of your points in this situation:

Situation 1: Full Refund

If you cancel your order for personal reasons, orders suspected of fraud or requiring a full refund will not be awarded points; furthermore, points already used in such orders will not be refunded.

However, if a full refund is issued due to reasons attributable to IGGM, the points consumed for the order will be fully refunded to your account.

Situation 2: Partial Refund

If an order involving awarded points undergoes a partial refund due to special circumstances, the system will refund a portion of the consumed points on a pro-rata basis relative to the refund amount. Naturally, the points rebate you would have originally received upon order completion will also be adjusted; the corresponding points will be deducted based on the refund amount, with the figure rounded to the nearest whole number.

Here is the formula for calculating point returns during a refund:

• Returned Consumed Points = Consumed Points × (Refund Amount / Subtotal Amount)
• Deducted Earned Points = Subtotal Amount - Refund Amount (rounded to the nearest whole number)

The all-new IGGM member point system is designed to offer you more viable discount options for your long-term gaming purchases. Every point accumulated is a sincere token of our appreciation for your support.

Log in to your IGGM account now, visit the Check-in Center to start accumulating points, and experience a smarter, more rewarding checkout process like never before!

Frequently Asked Questions about IGGM Points System

Q1: Can I transfer my VIP 5 perks from my old account to a newly created account and start accumulating check-in points there?

A: No. To ensure account security and platform fairness, VIP tiers and points are treated as exclusive assets of an individual account. According to our system security rules, transferring, merging, or gifting perks across different accounts is strictly unsupported.

Q2: My account currently has 277 points. If I buy items worth $34.68 and use up all my points to get a $2.77 deduction, but later receive a partial refund of $15.44 due to certain factors, how many points will I end up with?

A: Your original $34.68 order generates 35 points based on rounding. Due to the partial refund of $15.44, the system will proportionately deduct 15 points (rounded to the nearest whole number). Therefore, the net points earned from this purchase will be: 35 - 15 = 20 points. Additionally, the system will return the points you consumed. Based on the calculation formula: Consumed Points × (Refund Amount / Total Purchase Amount), you will get back 123 points. As a result, your final account balance will be 123 + 20 = 143 points.

Q3: Can I create unlimited new IGGM accounts and place small orders to exploit the 10x points newcomer reward?

A: No. IGGM strictly prohibits the malicious registration of multiple accounts, utilizing technical exploits, or engaging in order manipulation to farm newcomer benefits. Our system is equipped with rigorous anti-fraud and risk control mechanisms: the 10x points multiplier for the first order will only be credited after the order is successfully delivered and passes a 24-hour anti-abuse system review. If the risk control system detects multi-account farming linked by the same IP, same device, same payment method, or malicious account associations, the platform reserves the right to permanently ban the related accounts and clear all accrued benefits.

Q4: I just registered an account and my first order was a small item for $0.9. Because it was under $1, the system didn't give me any points. Then, my second order was for $100. Why didn't my second order get the 10x points? My first order didn't receive any points anyway, shouldn't this second order count as my actual "valid first order"?

A: No. The system strictly identifies the "New User First Order" based on the very first paid order under your account, regardless of the transaction amount. The threshold ruling out points for subtotals under $1 is a foundational platform policy. Therefore, we highly recommend that new users consolidate their shopping carts on their first purchase and bundle higher-value items into the first order to fully maximize the value of the 10x points perk.

Q5: If a website error prevents me from checking in for the day, causing my check-in streak to break, what measures will IGGM take to compensate for my points loss?

A: We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused. The daily check-in resets based on a specific time matching the server's time zone. If the streak is broken due to network latency or missing the refresh window, the system will strictly execute the automatic reset policy. We recommend completing your check-in as early as possible each day and ensuring a stable network environment. If the interruption is conclusively caused by a large-scale server outage on the platform, an official site-wide points compensation announcement will be issued once resolved. Please note that support agents do not have the authorization to manually alter individual check-in histories. Thank you for your understanding.

Q6: I spent 300 points to redeem a $5 cash coupon, but the game items I wanted have been out of stock on the platform for the past few days. As a result, the coupon expired within 3 days without being used. The stockout is the platform's issue, so why should my 300 points be deducted for nothing?

A: We apologize, but once a reward is redeemed at the Rewards Center, the corresponding points will be deducted and cannot be refunded. Because each reward is strictly limited to the first 30 users per week on a first-come, first-served basis, and the cash coupons are valid for 3 days, we highly recommend verifying current product stock and your purchase intent before making a redemption to avoid accidental cash coupon expiration.

Q7: Can I still request a refund if my order status is "Completed"? Can the points be refunded?

A: If IGGM has successfully completed the delivery and you have confirmed the order's completion, we unfortunately cannot honor refund requests. The points spent will not be returned. However, if IGGM fails to complete the service due to our own issues (for example, if Tycoon Racers carry service fails to help you achieve Rank #1), we will refund the points you spent according to the refund ratio.

Q8: Why do I keep encountering errors when trying to redeem a coupon?

A: Coupon redemption errors typically occur due to network instability or system security protocols. Your IP address might be flagged as originating from a high-risk region. We recommend adjusting your VPN settings or connecting to a different network, then trying again. If the issue persists, please reach out to our 24/7 Customer Support team for further assistance.

Q9: Can I use a script or plug-in to claim the weekly limited 30 discount codes/cash coupons available each week?

A: To ensure fairness for all players, we have implemented strict security measures. Redeeming any discount codes or cash coupons requires passing verification, rendering any script-based simulated clicks ineffective. IGGM reserves the right to void coupons and impose account restrictions on any account found using irregular methods (such as multi-instance farming, emulators, or third-party software) to forcibly claim coupons.

Q10: If I use points to offset the cost but later receive a refund due to special circumstances, will the validity period of the returned points be extended?

A: No. Returned points retain their original acquisition date and continue to follow the 90-day expiration rule; the IGGM platform will not reset or extend the expiration date due to a refund. Please use the returned points as soon as possible to avoid expiration!

Q11: Will the points required to redeem specific special items on IGGM change?

A: Yes. Considering that the prices of specific items in the game may fluctuate with game updates and changes in market demand, the points required for redeeming special items offered by IGGM will also be adjusted accordingly. However, rest assured that even with these adjustments, the points cost for redeeming items on IGGM remains far below the market price.

Also Read: The Ultimate IGGM Savings Guide: How to Min-Max Points, Coupons & VIP Perks?

Unlike the standard Monopoly Go gameplay of rolling dice and collecting rewards, Racers event places players in a more direct competitive environment. Players spend dice to acquire Flags - a resource used to advance their race car - and compete against multiple teams for ranking rewards.

Racers Event Overview

Racers is a recurring multiplayer event in Monopoly Go that typically lasts 2-3 days. Once the event begins, players need to invite three others to fill Monopoly Go Racers Event slots and form a four-person team to compete against three other teams.

The competition is divided into multiple stages. In each stage, players spend dice to roll and randomly earn a certain number of Flags, which are then used to move their race car forward. Teams earn points based on their ranking at the end of each stage; the team with the highest total score at the end wins the grand prize, which often includes exclusive tokens, dice, and stickers.

Unlike solo missions, the outcome of Racers is directly influenced by the performance of other teams. While your team might advance quickly by investing more resources, a lead can easily evaporate if rival teams also maintain a high level of investment. Therefore, success in Racers requires monitoring not only your own resources but also the progress and overall performance of opposing teams.

When teams are relatively evenly matched in terms of strength and resource investment, the results are generally viewed as a standard competitive outcome. However, when the intensity of the competition differs significantly from an account's past event performance, questions regarding Racers matchmaking mechanism inevitably arise.

New Accounts Facing Tough Opponents

Recently, the experience of a player in Monopoly Go community sparked considerable discussion: a new account - which had never participated in Racers before but held a stockpile of approximately 33,000 dice - found itself facing opponents whose strength was far beyond what one would typically expect for a new account.

This raises a compelling question: if an account has little to no prior history in Racers event, what criteria does the system use to determine its matchmaking opponents? If the matchmaking system factors in an account's resource scale rather than just match experience, accounts with larger dice reserves might theoretically be perceived as having a higher capacity for resource expenditure, thereby placing them in matches with higher competitive intensity.

This dynamic can also impact resource consumption within Racers event. Fiercer competition requires teams to invest more Flags to maintain their rankings, and acquiring Flags consumes dice. Consequently, a correlation may emerge between match intensity and resource investment, causing dice consumption in certain matches to be significantly higher than in others.

While this does not necessarily imply that the developers designed the matchmaking system specifically to drive up dice consumption, it objectively influences match intensity and the rate at which dice are spent.

Racers: High Investment Doesn't Guarantee High Returns

Setting aside the matchmaking mechanics, Racers Event is inherently resource-intensive. Contending for the top prize requires a massive investment of dice to secure Flags; even aiming for a top-three finish often demands a sustained, significant investment of resources.

During the event, the game typically releases limited-time bundles at slightly discounted prices, enticing players to spend during this high-pressure period. This combination of competition and promotion is common in mobile games, but the team-based nature of Racers makes it particularly likely to trigger a competitive keeping up with the Joneses mentality among players.

Some players have tracked their return on investment across their last five Racers events, finding that it costs an average of about 400 dice to earn a single final-reward sticker - a cost far exceeding the sticker's market trading value.

Strategies for Racers Players

Set a Resource Limit

For high-competition, resource-heavy events like Racers, players need to manage their investment pace rather than simply chasing first place in every race. Before the event begins, determine the maximum number of dice you are willing to spend based on your current inventory. Once you hit that limit, avoid pouring in more resources due to ranking pressure - even if your team is temporarily trailing. This helps prevent falling into a sunk cost trap.

Don't Over-rely on Opponents' Visible Progress

The lead distance and car speed observed in Racers do not necessarily reflect an opponent's remaining resources or their capacity for future investment. A team currently in the lead might suddenly stop spending, while a team that appears to be lagging behind could stage a massive surge in the final stages. Therefore, rather than constantly adjusting your investment based on the numbers on the leaderboard, it is better to stick to your established resource plan. In particular, do not rush to increase your spending just because a rival suddenly pulls ahead; doing so risks a spiral of escalating dice consumption driven by competitive pressure.

Phased Resource Investment

There is no need to burn through a large number of dice early in the competition just to establish a commanding lead. It is wiser to maintain a relatively restrained level of investment initially, observe the activity levels of other teams, and then decide whether to ramp up your spending.

If you notice that opponents are investing heavily and it is difficult to open up a significant gap, you should re-evaluate whether the first-place reward justifies the continued expenditure. Especially when the value of the final reward is limited, cutting your losses early is often more cost-effective than continuing to pour resources in just to chase a higher ranking.

Setting Team Goals in Advance

Racers is a team-based mode; since players have varying appetites for resource investment, internal team disagreements can easily arise. Therefore, before the event begins, it is best to agree on a general goal with your teammates - such as aiming for the top three, reaching a specific reward tier, or capping the team's total dice consumption.

Without a unified goal, if some players keep increasing their investment, others might feel compelled to follow suit to avoid letting the team down, ultimately leading to a situation where the entire team escalates its spending.

Conclusion

It is difficult to give a simple answer as to whether Racers is a generous event or a resource trap. While it certainly offers a more intense competitive experience and superior rewards compared to standard events, it also makes the consumption of dice much more pronounced.

As for whether matchmaking is truly adjusted based on factors like player resources or historical performance, there is currently insufficient public information to draw a definitive conclusion. For players, rather than speculating on the mechanics of the matchmaking system, the most important step is to carefully calculate the potential costs and returns before each Racers event begins.

Black Temple and Mount Hyjal have become the primary battlegrounds for raiding in Phase 3 of WoW TBC Classic Anniversary, yet the number of active players has dropped noticeably compared to the end of the previous phase. While a decline in player count during content transitions is normal, the rate of attrition is worth noting, especially considering this is the third time players have experienced TBC, and Blizzard has consistently emphasized that this is an accelerated version.

A Shift in Atmosphere

Players may have sensed a peculiar mood permeating TBC community lately. This isn't because of raid difficulty or class imbalances, but the looming BlizzCon and the major announcements almost certain to accompany it.

There has been extensive community discussion regarding new Classic content, often referred to by codenames like Classic Plus, Camelot, or Fables. The current situation is one where everyone knows something new is coming, yet no one knows exactly when or in what form it will arrive.

This state of uncertainty has created a rather strange dynamic within the game.

Divergent Player Perspectives

Faced with such unknowns, the player community has naturally split into several distinct camps.

Some players view BlizzCon as a watershed moment; once the new game is officially announced, they plan to wrap up their TBC Classic Anniversary journey in the near future.

Others believe the new content is still a long way off, making any talk of quitting premature or ill-timed.

Then there are those who prefer to decide whether to stay or go based on the new game's actual launch date: if it's scheduled for this year, they'll make a clean break and switch over; if it's slated for next year or later, they'll choose to stick with TBC.

If you've been interacting with your guild lately, you may have noticed these differing mindsets, which can subtly foster a sense of division among players.

Impact on Raid Management

On a more practical level, this uncertainty has a direct impact on raid management within TBC Classic Anniversary.

During loot council deliberations, officers are forced to confront a realistic dilemma: if a member has clearly stated they intend to leave once the new game is announced, should they still be prioritized for top-tier loot from the current phase?

Even though the member is still showing up and contributing as usual, there is hesitation about assigning them key gear since they might be leaving soon.

At the same time, the team's mindset has clearly diverged: some players remain highly focused, completely unaffected by external rumors, while others openly display fatigue, simply waiting for the current expansion phase to end.

The coexistence of these differing attitudes within the guild adds an invisible layer of difficulty to team coordination.

Predictions for New Content

Looking at the release timeline, the launch of BCC Phase 3 is only weeks away from BlizzCon; could this tight schedule hint at the developers' intentions for the rollout of future content?

Strictly adhering to a sequential release - finishing WoW TBC Classic Anniversary before moving on to WoW Wrath of the Lich King - seems unrealistic given the community's strong desire for something fresh.

Therefore, it is reasonable to speculate that the launch of new Classic content won't be delayed too long.

If new content officially launches in the fourth quarter of this year - say, late October or November - we might see a massive shift in community attention.

Even if a small number of hardcore players remain in BCC, mainstream team activities would likely become unsustainable because of the loss of players.

To Stay or Go?

First, every player needs to decide whether and when to leave TBC.

It isn't as simple as leaving the moment a new game is announced or launched; the key is determining whether the time investment feels worthwhile.

If new content arrives before the end of the year, spending time now to grind for gear in Black Temple loses much of its value, as everyone's attention and enthusiasm will inevitably shift to the new game.

However, if the new content is still a year or so away, the current TBC Classic Anniversary content still offers plenty of gameplay and social value, making it perfectly reasonable to keep playing.

Additionally, there is the question of whether TBC Classic Anniversary gold you've accumulated will retain its value after the version update.

If the new game launches within the year, the supplies and gold you are hoarding now might not be of much use later.

Guild leaders and officers may find their mindset shifting somewhat right now; when faced with internal conflicts or strategic disagreements, it is often best to put them on hold until concrete news arrives from BlizzCon, rather than rushing to resolve issues while everything remains uncertain.

During this period, players should keep a close eye on official announcements while calmly weighing their options between WoW TBC Classic Anniversary and the new game.

There is no need to hastily abandon your current progress simply because of rumors, yet it is equally unwise to stubbornly act as if the new content does not exist at all.

For guild leadership, a pragmatic approach is to prioritize gear distribution for members with a history of consistent attendance, while respecting everyone's individual preferences regarding whether to stay or leave, thereby avoiding unnecessary conflict caused by misaligned expectations.

Whether you decide to play TBC right to the end or switch to the new game as soon as it launches, a choice made after careful personal consideration is far better than blindly following the crowd or stubbornly sticking it out against your own wishes.

Although Dance of Knives Rogue hasn't undergone major mechanical overhauls in Diablo 4 Season 15 - with its core gameplay remaining largely consistent with Season 14 - the introduction of new Unique items and minor adjustments has clearly optimized the build.

Damage Strategy

When stacking damage for Dance of Knives Rogue this season, there is one key principle to follow: avoid stacking Imbuement Potency as much as possible.

This is because of a known issue with Shadow Clone in Diablo 4: it fails to inherit any bonuses from Imbuement Potency. Consequently, Shadow Clone's actual damage contribution amounts to only 20% of 15% of your total output.

Since Imbuement Potency offers negligible benefits to your primary damage sources, you should shift your focus regarding gear affixes toward various additive damage bonuses.

However, there are some sources of Imbuement Potency that are unavoidable.

For instance, the inherent stats on Etna's Lost Dagger, the 40% bonus from Toxic Touch upgrade in the Passive Skill Tree, and Imbuement effects provided by Spellbound Steel Set itself are all part of the standard setup; there is no need to deliberately remove them.

Utilizing Spellbound Steel Set

In fact, the value Spellbound Steel Set brings to Dance of Knives Rogue extends far beyond mere Imbuement damage.

Whenever Inner Sight triggers, all Imbuements activate simultaneously. This means you gain the benefits of Cold Imbuement, Vulnerable status applied by Shadow Imbuement, and the massive barrier provided by Buffered Battery all at once.

More importantly, when Shadow Imbuement is paired with Endemic, the duration of Vulnerable status is extended to nearly 10 seconds after application, allowing for almost 100% uptime.

Additionally, since Dance of Knives Rogue frequently freezes enemies, pairing this with Exploiter's Aspect grants you a 75% damage boost when enemies enter Unstoppable state - a significant advantage when clearing groups of elites and trash mobs.

It is important to note that previous playstyles relying on Inner Sight for critical hit rate bonuses are no longer viable in Diablo 4 Season 15. The newly introduced Soul Splinters mechanic (Splinter of Hellfire) imposes a 100% reduction to critical hit rate, significantly diminishing the value of crit-related benefits.

Energy Cycling

To maximize Inner Sight uptime, players should ideally set it as their specialization; however, doing so limits the frequency with which Shadow Clone can be used. We can compensate for this by utilizing Mythic Seal: Diamond Mind.

Additionally, by leveraging the three-piece set bonus from Legacy of the Sightless set, players gain free Concealment upgrades with no need to manually invest skill points.

The core of the cooldown reduction strategy lies in the synergy between Smoke Grenade and Concealment.

Casting Concealment (or entering the stealth phase) reduces the Ultimate skill's cooldown by 6 seconds. Furthermore, when standing within the cloud of shadows created by your own Smoke Grenade, breaking stealth repeatedly triggers further reductions to the Ultimate's cooldown.

Also, until you acquire Ring of Starless Skies in Diablo 4 Season 15, it is recommended to forgo using Shadow Clone.

While that item effectively alleviates energy constraints for Dance of Knives Rogue, Shadow Clone itself disrupts the combat rhythm; forcing its use before your build is fully optimized often does more harm than good.

New Season Changes

Among the new Diablo 4 items introduced in Season 15, Black Soulstone synergizes perfectly with Dance of Knives Rogue playstyle: each kill increases your damage by 5% for 15 seconds - an effect that stacks but does not refresh the duration.

Since Dance of Knives Rogue clears trash mobs rapidly and deals burst damage against elite packs, carrying Black Soulstone exposes you to increased incoming damage. To mitigate this, you should also equip Splinter of Pain.

It offers up to 40% damage reduction; although it reduces movement speed by 30%, this penalty can be offset by movement speed affixes found on Shrouded Gift.

Additionally, Stone of Jordan plays a pivotal role in this Dance of Knives Rogue build. It converts your highest resistance value into a universal resistance for all elements while granting a 33% multiplicative damage bonus based on that specific resistance type; therefore, stacking Poison Resistance on your amulet is recommended to maximize this benefit.

Generally, the combination of Stone of Jordan and Splinter of Pain provides sufficient survivability, allowing your sheet Toughness to consistently exceed 4 million.

Consequently, if you wish, you can forgo the Barrier Generation affix on your chest armor in favor of other attributes you prefer.

Damage Output Enhancements

First, players should note that attack speed directly affects the base damage of Dance of Knives; while it is a highly valuable stat to invest in for Diablo 4 Season 15, it is not strictly mandatory.

If you choose to equip Leoric's Crown instead of Cowl of the Nameless, you can drop Alchemical Advantage passive (which boosts attack speed) and switch to Malice for a pure damage increase.

Additionally, while Exploiter's Aspect mentioned earlier already provides a significant damage boost, its crowd-control duration extension also accelerates the boss Stagger process, indirectly increasing your damage output.

Overall, this Dance of Knives Rogue build is very simple to play: you simply spin while staying close to enemies and manage your energy at the right moments, requiring little else in terms of active attention.

For experienced players, clearing PoE 2 Patch 0.5.5 campaign may only take a few hours, or at most a day. Players who reach the endgame and start farming first can often gain a significant advantage.

Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.5 does not introduce many substantial changes. Only 1 or 2 farming strategies have been nerfed throughout the update, while most other strategies remain largely unaffected. Let's take a look at some of the strategies that can generate the most currency.

Expedition

Although Aldur's Saga has been removed in PoE 2 Patch 0.5.5, Expedition remains one of the best strategies. However, its difficulty is indeed quite high, so your character needs to be strong enough to handle it.

Aldur's Saga exclusive buff can now appear normally in Expedition Logbooks. This means you no longer need to rely on activating Aldur's Saga to encounter high-value Expedition events. Each Logbook now has a reasonable chance of directly containing a valuable Grand Expedition.

Until your build can comfortably clear 4-mod rare maps, you can run Grand Expeditions using common or magic Tier 15 Maps. If you still do not feel safe, you can pair them with Stitch the Flesh passive from Doryani's Mastery to gain additional revive chances, giving you as much room for error as possible.

You do not need to pay too much attention to loot explosions from regular monsters. The priority is to make sure you secure the rewards from Relics themselves, and then focus on currency and chests.

Some chests can provide surprisingly valuable rewards. They can sometimes drop Divine Orbs and Waystones, both of which are highly valuable during the early stages of Forbidden Rites league.

Omen of Light Abyss

Farming Omen of Light through the Abyss mechanic is a highly profitable and consistent strategy, while also providing Divine Orbs and various rare loot.

Most of the strategy's profitability depends on the market value of Omen of Light. However, during the early stages of the league, or at least within the first 2 weeks after the league launches, demand should remain relatively strong because players need them for crafting gear.

Compared with Expedition, one advantage of Abyss is that its Tablets are relatively abundant. Expedition Tablets, on the other hand, are extremely limited in supply, which makes running Expedition considerably more costly than Abyss.

The official team also strengthened Abyss in Patch 0.5.5. Giant Abyssal Ravines can now appear on Atlas, and maps located on these ravines are guaranteed to contain Abyss.

With suitable maps and enough modifier bonuses, you can generally expect to obtain 1 Omen of Light per map, and sometimes even more, especially when Abyssal Depths are triggered.

Breach Hiveblood

Breach Hiveblood is another highly consistent strategy. One of its advantages is that it does not require you to farm city maps. You can use it on connecting maps, although it performs even better on city maps. This strategy is also relatively easy to execute.

You need a character with fast clear speed to run this strategy effectively. If your character is slow, Breach Hiveblood is not particularly suitable for you. This strategy requires a fairly high clear speed to generate truly significant returns.

In addition, you need to know how to craft in order to maximize its profitability. However, there are also several Breach strategies, including some “bridge tree” crafting methods, that do not require as much crafting knowledge.

Delirium Lineage Boss Rushing

This is a strategy that is particularly well suited for league start. You need to use 3 Delirium Tablets, then quickly move through the maps along Delirium paths to find Bosses, while focusing on high-value areas such as Citadel, Matriarch Halls, and Anomaly.

In city maps, look for Anomaly, Matriarch Halls, and Patriarch Halls. While obtaining valuable Boss loot, you can also collect some Distilled Emotions.

With the current Delirium mechanic, completing a Delirium Mirror can give you a chance to spawn a Grand Mirror on a nearby Atlas map. Grand Mirror causes the map Boss to be duplicated, creating a second Boss. After killing both Bosses, you can further unlock Trial of Madness.

Patch 0.5.5 adjusted the fog spread range of Grand Mirrors, which now spreads across a fixed 10 maps. Deliriousness also no longer increases the number of Delirium Monster Packs once it exceeds 100%.

This strategy requires a reasonably powerful character because some city map Bosses can be challenging. For example, you need to kill city Bosses and Matriarch Halls Bosses in eight-mod maps, taking advantage of their extremely high drop rates to obtain 2 or 3 Fragments as rewards.

Breach Rare Monsters Farming

This is one of the few strategies that was actually nerfed. The official team reduced the number of Rare Monsters that each Tablet can generate from 3 to 2, making it slightly less profitable than before. Although its returns are lower than the strategies mentioned above, it is still quite good.

Ritual

Ritual Tablets are extremely abundant, which has caused almost everyone to farm Ritual. As a result, items such as Omens are now much less valuable than before.

If the value of Omens rises, pure Ritual farming could once again become a stronger S-tier strategy. However, based on their current value, it can only be considered a niche meta strategy for now.

Abyss Exiles

This is a solid league-start strategy, but its profitability has limited room to scale in the later stages. You do not need particularly high-tier Tablets to run it, as Tier 1 Tablets are already sufficient.

This strategy requires you to kill Rogue Exiles, which can drop Omen of Light and some basic PoE2 currency. It can also drop Heart of the Well, and even unidentified versions can be worth dozens of Divine Orbs. Overall, however, the profitability of this strategy is somewhat luck-dependent.

These are some of the strongest farming strategies in PoE 2 Patch 0.5.5. Expedition and Abyss offer the highest returns, but they are also the most difficult, so do not hesitate to use currency to improve your character's power.

Released this Tuesday, Update 1.45.0 is not just a routine weekly update for ARC Raiders; it is also the final major online update before the launch of Frozen Trail on October 8th, making it a crucial event to pay attention to.

Update 1.45.0 brings the usual bug fixes and optimizations, but it also introduces a new project, Ascending the Mountain, and opens the departure window for Expedition 5.

Here, we detail the contents of Update 1.45.0 to ensure you can keep striving for rewards over the next 1-3 weeks.

New Raider Project: Ascending the Mountain

Much like the recently concluded Phantom Targets, Ascending the Mountain is a multi-stage project requiring you to submit specific materials at designated stages to earn corresponding rewards.

The project is scheduled to run until October 5th, though the Expedition 5 departure window closes earlier, on September 29th. This means the rewards earned during this period are primarily valuable for helping you meet the damage output challenges required within that window.

Consequently, the rewards for Ascending the Mountain focus on guns, grenades, and popular Augments designed to boost your combat efficiency; completing the final stage also grants an exclusive Hot Air Balloon Charm.

Required items, such as Mechanical Components or Explosive Compound, can be obtained through scavenging and eliminating ARCs. However, if you are short on time, you can also buy ARC Raiders items directly to collect them faster.

Here are the details for each stage of the project:

The project also features a narrative backstory: Raider operations have uncovered clues regarding mysterious ARC signals that are leading ARCs into previously inaccessible territories.

Apollo is seeking a solution to this crisis and needs your assistance, specifically, the delivery of those required materials.

Expedition 5 departure window opens

As the final ARC Raiders expedition before 2027, the departure window for Expedition 5 spans three weeks, longer than any previous expedition. You will need to deal up to 100,000 points of damage to unlock all the challenge rewards.

The rewards, including random blueprints, Raider Tokens, and various specific buffs, will significantly aid your progress after the game resets and make starting your Frozen Trail adventure much easier, so it is highly recommended to unlock them all.

Cred expiring soon

In addition to standard coins and Raider Tokens (used for outfits and cosmetics), ARC Raiders features a currency called Cred, with a maximum holding limit of 800 points.

Cred can be unlocked at the vendor Shani or used to redeem specific rewards in Raider Decks. You automatically earn 1 Cred point for every 2,000 XP gained during a raid.

Following the launch of Frozen Trail, the developers plan to overhaul several mechanics, including Decks, and introduce a more robust reward system; consequently, Cred will be removed.

With Update 1.45.0, the developers have set an expiration date of October 8 for your current Cred balance; any unused Cred remaining after this date will be wiped.

New rubber ducks added

Bird City, a map condition in ARC Raiders offering moderate risk and reward, is ideal for farming ARC drones and hunting down various rubber ducks hidden inside chimneys.

These rubber ducks offer no combat bonuses; their sole purpose is to decorate your base. However, collecting the wide variety of ducks available is a fun, casual pastime!

To celebrate this, ARC Raiders hosted a community rubber duck design contest. Three player-created designs were selected via voting and have now been added to the game, so keep an eye out for them!

New Hornet Hunter Set

New outfit sets are a regular feature of ARC Raiders' weekly updates, and this week introduces Hornet Hunter Set. You can redeem it in the store using Raider Tokens.

As the name and official teaser video suggest, the set is crafted from salvaged Hornet parts. Its standout feature is a highly detailed helmet that covers only the upper half of the face, making it look as though the wearer has a Hornet strapped directly onto their face.

Additionally, the bug fix notes mention that Boonie Set will be available in the store starting September 15. It comes in three color schemes, and the set includes four pieces; unlocking a full set is estimated to require around 1,300 Raider Tokens.

More bug fixes

In addition to standard bug fixes, Update 1.45.0 notes that if you were previously unable to launch Phantom Targets: Project Part 2 (which has since ended), you will receive compensation later this week.

Another significant change is that Expedition mode will no longer reset your progress and inventory by default; instead, you can choose whether or not to reset them when setting out. This may well be the first step in ARC Raiders' overhaul of Expedition system.

Update 1.45.0 also introduces an over-encumbrance tier to the game. Specifically, if the weight of your carried items significantly exceeds your capacity limit, you will be restricted to walking; sprinting and jumping will be disabled.

Furthermore, this update upgrades the game engine from Unreal Engine 5.3 to 5.7. This means you can look forward to a smoother gameplay experience and enhanced visuals in ARC Raiders moving forward.

That covers the key details of ARC Raiders Update 1.45.0. While you might be eagerly awaiting Frozen Trail, launching in a month, now is the time to focus on unfinished missions and unlock more rewards to stock up for the future!

After more than five years in early access, the Viking survival game Valheim is finally launching its 1.0 version on September 9th. This marks a milestone moment as the game exits early access and arrives on two major new platforms: PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2. Whether you are a newcomer who has never set foot in the Tenth World or a seasoned Viking veteran, this guide will help you quickly get up to speed on all the key details of the 1.0 release.

Game Overview

Valheim is an open-world survival and building game set against the backdrop of Norse mythology. You play as a fallen Viking warrior brought to the Tenth World by a Valkyrie; through hunting, gathering, building, forging, and combat, you must defeat bosses across various regions to ultimately prove your worth.

The game's core loop can be summarized as: Explore → Gather Resources → Build Base → Forge Gear → Challenge Boss → Unlock New Region → Repeat.

Each biome features unique resources, enemies, and bosses. Defeating a boss yields key items that help you progress into the next, more dangerous area.

Valheim boasts a distinctive art style - its low-poly visuals intentionally evoke the nostalgia of the PS1 and PS2 eras. It offers a blend of intense, thrilling survival challenges and a relaxed, idyllic lifestyle: farming, taming animals, fishing, and constructing your own Viking longhouse.

Difficulty and Combat

Players often jokingly refer to Valheim as Dark Souls of survival games, primarily because its combat system emphasizes parrying, dodging, and stamina management. When facing formidable foes, relying solely on gear isn't always the best strategy; observing enemy attack patterns, mastering parry timing, and wisely managing your stamina are the keys to survival.

However, strictly speaking, Valheim leans more towards a light survival game. You won't die outright from starvation, but a lack of food severely limits your stamina, significantly hampering your combat effectiveness. There is no target-lock mechanism; you must manually adjust your camera and attack direction to ensure your blade strikes true. Valheim's difficulty scales as you progress through its biomes, with boss battles serving as key challenges at each stage. However, the game does not force a single playstyle on everyone; you can adjust the difficulty in the world settings - or even disable base raids - for a more relaxed experience.

Deep North: The Core of 1.0

Deep North is Valheim's eighth and final biome. Located at the northernmost edge of the world, it is a magnificent yet deadly realm of ice and snow.

Here, you will contend with deep snowdrifts, frozen lakes, and a brand-new resource system. Snow in certain areas is deep enough to significantly hinder movement and exploration, while frozen lakes offer a unique traversal experience that demands careful control. Additionally, Deep North introduces new resources and ingredients - such as lingonberries - that can be used to craft new dishes.

New Enemies and Creatures

Deep North will introduce a host of new creatures and enemies, most notably the gigantic Gammeltrolls and the Elakingar, which inhabit the winding underground tunnels. The northern snowfields are also home to new wildlife, including rideable moose and seals.

While exploring abandoned northern villages, players will encounter ruins and restless spirits linked to the Vikings of old, further enhancing the region's mysterious, ancient atmosphere. Overall, the creature design not only introduces fresh combat challenges but also - through wildlife, subterranean beasts, and undead elements - creates a rich, cohesive ecosystem and narrative for this final zone.

New Weapons, Gear, and Building Options

1.0 introduces new gear and crafting content, with various Valheim items further enriching players' equipment and survival options:

• Nord-tier weapons - Crafted using Bloodgold; the necessary molds must be found by exploring Winding Tunnels.
• New armor sets - Multiple high-tier armor sets added to support various playstyles.
• Frost Foundry - A new crafting facility specific to Deep North, used to forge high-level gear.
• Hooded Lantern - A new lighting item.
• Grappling Hook - A new tool for exploration and mobility.
• Drawbridge - A new functional structure suitable for base entrances and defensive fortifications. In addition, the building and crafting interfaces have been refined, adding convenient features such as search, favorites, and a recently used list.

New Dungeons

Two new types of dungeons have been added to Deep North:

• Winding Tunnels is a labyrinthine underground area featuring narrow passages and complex forks, requiring greater caution during exploration;
• Gates of Mörkhalla features a fortress-style design and requires an Intricate Key for entry.

Furthermore, Deep North adds cutscenes for all bosses and the final ending, creating a more complete adventure experience.

New Achievement System

Valheim 1.0 introduces an in-game achievement system for the first time, offering players new long-term goals. Please note that actions completed prior to version 1.0 will not retroactively unlock achievements; for instance, if you previously defeated Eikthyr, you will need to defeat the boss again after 1.0 update to earn the corresponding achievement. However, standard world settings - such as adjusting difficulty or disabling raids - will not affect achievement progress.

Conversely, using cheat commands or enabling cheat-related features will lock achievement progression for the current character and world; using items flagged as cheated will also pause achievement tracking, though progress resumes once these items are removed.

CrossPlay and CrossSave

Version 1.0 will launch on the following platforms:

• PC
• Xbox One
• Xbox Series X|S
• PlayStation 5
• Nintendo Switch 2

The good news is that Valheim 1.0 supports full cross-platform multiplayer. Whether your friends are on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, or Switch, you can explore the same world and challenge bosses together.

However, there are currently limitations regarding cross-save functionality. According to the developers, crosssave synchronization is supported only between Xbox and PC. That said, transferring characters and resources between worlds is unrestricted; you can bring your character and certain resources from your own world to a friend's world to assist in combat, or switch back and forth between different worlds.

Summary and Recommendations

For new players, Valheim 1.0 is the perfect time to jump in. The complete game offers an estimated 70 to 100 hours of content (for a solo playthrough). With adjustable difficulty and highly customizable world settings, you can find a pace that suits you - whether you prefer a hardcore survival challenge or a relaxing building experience. For returning players, Deep North - as the final biome - makes it well worth stepping back into the Tenth World. Brand-new Nord-tier gear, Gammeltroll combat mechanics, the exploration of Winding Tunnels, and the final boss battle and ending cinematic are all compelling reasons to dive back in.S

Aion 2's global servers will officially launch on October 5, and the game will also utilize DLSS 4.5 technology to deliver improved visual quality.

The official team held a global livestream, showcasing the global version's Dungeon system, gear progression, and class gameplay through actual dungeon runs. Let's take a look at the specific changes.

Online Test

AION 2 will hold a large-scale launch test from September 17 to 18, available simultaneously on Steam and the official platform. Players can preload the client on September 16.

During the test, the level cap will be set at Level 37, with 6 hours of playtime available each day. Players will be able to experience the early and mid portions of Main Story Quest, as well as some Expeditions.

The shop and trading system will be disabled during the test, so you will temporarily be unable to use Aion 2 Kinah to trade for any items. This is intended to let players focus on gameplay and character customization. New players are encouraged to take their time, experience the main story, explore the continent, and prepare for the full launch.

Class

The livestream confirmed the 8 classes available at the global launch. New presets will also be available during the online test and on the global servers, while players can customize their character's appearance. AION 2 offers extensive character customization options, giving you plenty of freedom to create a style you like.

Tanks

• Gladiator: Capable of absorbing heavy damage while also providing solid damage output.
• Templar: A defensive class focused on blocking attacks and providing buffs to the team.

Damage Dealers

• Assassin: Melee physical damage dealer. Ranger: Ranged physical damage dealer.
• Sorcerer: Ranged magical damage dealer.
• Spirit Master: A magical class that can summon elemental spirits to assist in combat.

Healers and Support

• Cleric: A traditional healer.
• Chanter: A support class that provides buffs while also dealing respectable damage.

Expeditions System

The official team confirmed during the livestream that Expeditions will offer only 3 difficulty tiers, 1-star, 2-star, and 3-star, during both the online test and Season 1 of the global launch. Higher-tier Heroic difficulty will not be available. Expeditions will gradually unlock as players level up:

• Level 20: Krao Cave
• Level 28: Urugugu Canyon
• Level 35: Fire Temple
• Level 45: Draupnir

Each dungeon has 2 modes, Exploration Mode and Conquest Mode. Exploration Mode essentially serves as a tutorial experience, with NPCs introducing the mechanics while providing basic gear as rewards.

Conquest Mode, on the other hand, is the core endgame experience. It features higher difficulty and more complex mechanics. The livestream demonstration showcased Conquest Mode.

Difficulty and Gear

Dungeons are divided into 3 difficulty tiers. Players are recommended to progress gradually based on Item Level. The 1-star difficulty requires around 800 Item Level to enter, while 3-star difficulty is recommended for players with 2,200 Item Level or higher.

For Season 1 of the global version, the development team has decided not to add Heroic gear. The goal is to slow down gear progression and prevent players from focusing too heavily on chasing the highest Item Level at the expense of the overall gameplay experience. Therefore, dungeons such as Fire Temple will only drop standard weapons, with no Heroic variants available.

Party and Raid Sizes

Unlike Asian server, the global server has adjusted the sizes of dungeon parties and raid groups to improve team coordination.

The party size for Expeditions has increased from 4 players to 5, while Sanctuary and raid groups have increased from 8 players to 10.

The global version also allows Elyos and Asmodian players from the 2 opposing factions to team up and enter dungeons together. Players who prefer to stay faithful to the faction system can also enable the option to match only with members of their own faction.

Skill Changes

In Aion 2, Stigma refers to a special character skill system. Stigmas can be equipped by characters to provide additional skills or enhanced effects, forming an important part of character progression. At the global launch, players will be able to equip a maximum of 4 Stigma skills, compared with 6 in previous versions.

Stigma skills are among the most important defining abilities for each class, and their selection directly determines your build.

For a DPS character, a typical 6-Stigma setup might include 2 damage-increasing buffs, 1 defensive or survival skill, and 3 damage-dealing skills. Under the 4-Stigma limit, if you still insist on bringing all 3 damage-increasing buffs, only 1 damage skill can remain, significantly reducing burst potential. If you give up the survival skill instead, the risk of being killed increases considerably.

This means you have to sacrifice either survivability or burst damage rather than having both, and you may also need to adjust your Stigma setup dynamically according to different dungeons and bosses.

This restriction is expected to remain only during Season 1. Season 2 may introduce additional Stigma slots alongside the new Brawler class.

Free Rewards

Visit the official AION 2 website and subscribe to the official Newsletter by entering your email address. You can receive a Pagati mount for free on launch day.

You can also choose 1 of the following 4 options:

• Konutin Worker
• Papis
• Black Smoke Murute
• Silver Blade Rotan

If you subscribed before June 5, 2026, you will need to subscribe again to receive the reward. The event currently has no announced end date, but there is no downside to subscribing early.

Developer Updates

The official team clearly stated during the livestream that livestreams will become more frequent in the future, with 1 expected each week. This means players will have more opportunities to get first-hand development information, watch gameplay demonstrations, and even participate in interactive giveaways.

That is a general overview of Aion 2 global servers and dungeon content. If you are interested in the game, the official team will hold livestreams every week, giving you more opportunities to learn about upcoming content.

With WoW TBC Classic Anniversary entering Phase 3, Black Temple and Mount Hyjal are officially open, and Mage has also seen new gear and gameplay changes. For Arcane Mage, this phase remains a highly worthwhile specialization to stick with: it boasts extremely high single-target burst damage, excellent mana conversion capabilities, and with improved gear, haste and higher spell damage will further amplify the output potential of Arcane Blast.

State Priority

First Priority: Spell Hit

The core damage skill of Arcane Mage is Arcane Blast. For level 70 bosses, a 16% Spell Hit rate is typically needed to reach the hit cap.

Since Arcane Focus 5/5 talent already provides 10% Arcane Spell Hit, Arcane Mage itself only needs an additional 6% Spell Hit, resulting in a 76 Hit Rating.

If your raid has Draenei's Inspiring Presence or Elemental Shaman's Totem of Wrath, the required Hit Rating will be further reduced:

• No raid bonus: 76
• With Draenei: 64
• With Elemental Shaman: 39
• With both: 27

Therefore, when gearing up, first ensure Arcane Blast reaches Spell Hit cap, then consider other attributes.

State Priority After Hit Cap is Achieved

Once the Spell Hit cap is reached, the attribute priority is:

Spell Damage ≥ Intellect > Critical Strike > Haste

Once the hit cap is achieved, Spell Damage and Intellect are the most important core states for Arcane Mage. Spell Damage directly increases damage, while Intellect not only increases the mana pool but can also be converted into additional Spell Damage through Mind Mastery.

Critical Strike increases spell critical strike chance, making it an important damage stat, but its overall benefit is generally lower than Spell Damage and Intellect. Haste increases casting speed and DPS, but also accelerates mana consumption, so its actual benefit is affected by combat duration and raid mana support, such as Restoration Shaman's Mana Tide Totem.

Talents

The standard team talent build for BCC Anniversary Phase 3 Arcane Mage is 40/0/21, which is 40 Arcane / 0 Fire / 21 Frost.

Key Arcane Talents

• Arcane Focus 5/5: Provides 10% spell hit, a key talent for reaching the spell hit cap of only 76 hit rating.
• Arcane Concentration 5/5: Has a chance to trigger clearcasting, making the next damaging spell cost no mana.
• Arcane Potency 3/3: Significantly increases spell crit while clearcasting. Combined with Arcane Concentration, it improves both sustain and damage.
• Arcane Mind 5/5: Increases Intellect.
• Mind Mastery 5/5: Converts Intellect into spell damage, the core reason Intellect is so valuable to Arcane Mage.
• Arcane Power 1/1: Core burst skill, increases damage by 30% but also increases mana cost by 30%. Ensure sufficient mana before use.
• Presence of Mind 1/1: Makes the next spell instant-cast. Typically used for Arcane Blast, but can also be used to maintain output while moving.

Frost Key Talents

Frost's 21 points are primarily used to acquire Icy Veins and Cold Snap.

• Icy Veins: Core burst speed-up skill.
• Cold Snap: Resets the cooldown of Icy Veins, allowing you to use Icy Veins twice in a single fight.

Meanwhile, talents like Improved Frostbolt allow Frostbolt to serve as an effective filler skill in the conservatism phase.

Alternatives

If primarily used for mob clearing or heroic dungeons, some Frost talents can be replaced with Improved Blizzard and Permafrost to enhance AoE slows and control, but this will sacrifice some single-target damage.

DPS Rotation

Arcane Mage doesn't have a strictly fixed rotation. The core is to switch between the burn phase and conservatism phase based on your own mana, burst skill cooldowns, and raid mana regeneration.

Core Mechanics

In TBC Classic Anniversary, each cast of Arcane Blast applies a buff, reducing the cast time of the next Arcane Blast, but increasing mana cost. Therefore, consecutive Arcane Blast casts can achieve higher burst DPS but also higher mana consumption. The key to Arcane Blast is finding a balance between maximizing burst damage and controlling mana consumption.

Combat Flow

Pre-Battle Preparation

Before the battle, ensure Arcane Brilliance is activated and prepare Mana Emerald and Super Mana Potion in advance.

Mage Armor is typically used as the default armor for better mana regeneration. If you are familiar with the boss's battle duration and your own mana consumption, you can switch to Molten Armor for higher damage depending on the situation.

Burn Phase

Once in the burn phase, continuously cast Arcane Blast and other burst abilities, maximizing DPS by utilizing burst buffs and raid buffs. Use mana gems and Super Mana Potion strategically to extend the burn phase as much as possible.

Therefore, it is recommended to prepare sufficient consumables using WoW TBC gold beforehand to ensure sufficient resources to maintain a stable DPS rhythm during the raid.

Conserve Phase

When mana consumption reaches a low level, enter the conserve phase. A common basic rotation is 3 Arcane Blasts → 3 Frostbolts. This controls mana consumption by reducing the number of consecutive Arcane Blast casts while maintaining stable DPS.

However, in actual combat, this fixed rotation shouldn't be mechanically executed. It should be adjusted flexibly based on mana levels, movement, and skill cooldowns. When movement is needed, use Presence of Mind + Arcane Blast, or instant-cast skills like Fire Blast to reduce DPS loss during movement.

Once your main burst skills are available again and your mana has recovered enough for the next burst, re-enter the burn phase. In short, the basic combat strategy for an Arcane Mage is:

Burn → Manage Mana → Conserve → Restore Mana → Burn again

A truly excellent Arcane Mage doesn't simply aim for the fastest kill, but rather ensures that each burn phase covers as many burst skills and raid buffs as possible, while maintaining sufficient mana to sustain throughout the entire fight.

In summary, Arcane Mage in TBC Classic Anniversary Phase 3 is a typical high-risk, high-reward specialization. The key is to manage mana effectively, maximize burst damage in the burn phase, and maintain stable output in the conserve phase - this is how to consistently achieve high-quality DPS in Hyjal Summit and Black Temple.

It has been nearly a month since the launch of CoD Black Ops 7 Season 5 Reloaded. With Halloween approaching at the end of October, anticipation is building for Season 6, which will coincide with the spooky season!

While the exact launch date remains unconfirmed, The Haunting launch trailer is set to drop on September 8 at 8:00 AM PT, offering a major preview of what Season 6 has in store.

Ahead of the trailer's release, we are speculating on what Black Ops 7 Season 6 might look like, drawing on BO6's pre-Halloween performance and other known details.

Potential Season 6 release date

If you played CoD BO6 last year, you'll know that The Haunting isn't exclusive to BO7; it is the umbrella title for the franchise's Halloween events.

Last year, Black Ops 6 Season 6 and The Haunting event ran from October 9 through November 10, right up until the eve of BO7's launch.

Given that the next Call of Duty title this year is Modern Warfare 4 (launching October 23) rather than Black Ops 8, the start date for CoD BO7 Season 6 is tentatively set for September 17, running until the launch of MW4.

Will there be new crossover events?

If you inspect the tags on Black Ops 7 The Haunting trailer page using specific tools, you'll spot references to Doom and Doom Eternal. This confirms that BO7 Season 6 The Haunting event will feature at least one crossover.

Based on this, we speculate that the game will likely introduce a playable Doom Slayer Operator skin, complete with exclusive weapon blueprints, via a specific Battle Pass or bundle.

Multiplayer is expected to introduce a limited-time mode featuring Doom-themed mechanics. As for Zombies mode, elements related to Doom Slayer might be integrated into the traditional limited-time Pumpkin Head mode.

It is worth noting that, due to the developer scaling back crossover scope and the removal of the carry forward system, BO7 The Haunting might feature only Doom collaboration, rather than the multiple IP crossovers seen in previous years.

Predictions for more new content

In addition to crossover events, CoD: Black Ops 7 is likely to follow tradition by releasing holiday-themed, nighttime remakes of classic, popular multiplayer maps for Season 6.

Furthermore, as part of the standard update cycle, at least two brand-new weapons are expected to be introduced, alongside the return of some fan-favorite classic weapons in remastered form.

As for Zombies mode, a new survival map is highly probable, and the release of smaller-scale survival maps cannot be ruled out. Once Season 6 goes live, you can familiarize yourself with the new map layouts by practicing in Black Ops 7 bot lobbies beforehand.

Since Super Easter Egg for Zombies was not included in Season 5 Reloaded update, it is expected to launch alongside the potential Boss Rush mode.

More thoughts on Super Easter Egg

With the addition of Rex Infernus Zombies map in CoD: BO7 Season 5 Reloaded, completing all main quests, as well as Cursed versions of Tiers 1, 2, and 3, unlocks Pack-a-Punch 4 camo.

As a universal camo, it can be applied to any weapon across all game modes. Clearly, this serves as an excellent starting point for Super Easter Egg rewards.

Leaked images suggest that Black Ops 7 Warzone may feature a brand-new Halloween event called Haven's Hollow. This implies an October update will bring this map variant into Warzone.

This also indicates that there will be at least one or two more updates before BO7 lifecycle concludes. Consequently, launching a Super Easter Egg to cap off and round out Zombies content would be an ideal approach.

Recent leaks and rumors suggest Super Easter Egg might be linked to a new mode called Boss Rush, featuring boss encounters tied to Rex Infernus map.

Given the high quality of boss battles in CoD: Black Ops 7, such a mode would undoubtedly be engaging and logical; after all, you might have played these maps without ever fully experiencing every boss fight.

Why are players particularly excited about Season 6 and The Haunting?

As the annual autumn highlight of Call of Duty franchise, the fusion of The Haunting with Season 6 has long been a cherished, ritualistic event for the player community.

With the new season approaching, and given that Black Ops 6 Halloween event suffered from a lack of presence and lackluster content due to frequent adjustments, players are hoping that the developers will launch a brand-new The Haunting event for Black Ops 7 that truly makes up for past disappointments.

It is important to emphasize that most of the above is merely speculation based on known information; the specific content of CoD Black Ops 7 Season 6 and The Haunting event will only be confirmed once the trailer and official roadmap are released.

Finally, if you are interested in Modern Warfare 4, and considering the open beta has concluded and most of the core gameplay has already been revealed, you might want to check out the available details to decide whether to give it a try this October!