General News

ARC Raiders has officially surpassed 17 million copies sold, according to Nexon's Q3 2026 financial results released on November 10. The milestone highlights the continued commercial success of Embark Studios' extraction shooter, but the latest financial update also provides a more realistic picture of its growth trajectory. 

With Frozen Trail now released, two major content updates planned annually, and the results of the experimental PvE matchmaking test still awaiting further discussion, players have several reasons to watch the game's next development steps.

The immediate question is no longer simply how many copies ARC Raiders can sell. It is how Embark intends to maintain player interest between major releases while improving the experience for different types of Raiders.

ARC Raiders Reaches 17 Million Sales, but Growth Is Normalizing

Nexon confirmed that ARC Raiders has sold more than 17 million units worldwide. This represents another significant milestone for Embark Studios, particularly considering the game's successful first year following its 2025 launch.

However, the latest results also suggest that the extraordinary momentum surrounding the game's launch is beginning to normalize.

In its November 10 earnings presentation, Nexon acknowledged that Frozen Trail successfully brought back inactive players and attracted additional buyers. The expansion, released on October 8, introduced a large new map, additional ARC enemies, weapons, and outfits.

Patrick Söderlund, Nexon's Executive Chairman, explained during the earnings call that both in-game activity and unit sales initially received a strong response in October before gradually returning toward more normal levels.

This distinction matters. Reaching 17 million sales demonstrates substantial demand, but it does not necessarily mean the game will continue expanding at the same pace.

Nexon's financial guidance also reflects this changing situation. The company expects ARC Raiders' fourth-quarter 2026 revenue to decline year over year compared with the game's launch quarter in 2025, while remaining broadly flat compared with the previous quarter.

Nexon attributed this outlook partly to lower revenue per unit from promotional discounts and differences in revenue recognition. Additional unit sales, the Premium Reward Pass, and the Collector Set DLC package are expected to contribute during the quarter.

For players, the important takeaway is that Embark still has a commercially successful game, but maintaining that success will increasingly depend on delivering meaningful reasons to return.

What Is the Future ARC Raiders Update Schedule?

One of the most important announcements for long-term players is Embark's commitment to delivering at least two major content updates every year.

The studio previously explained its decision to move away from monthly major updates in its May 13 development announcement. According to Embark, the pressure of maintaining a monthly schedule limited how transformative individual updates could become.

Instead, the developer wants more time to create larger releases that meaningfully change the experience.

Patrick Söderlund reinforced this strategy during Nexon's November 10 earnings call, describing two high-quality major updates annually as an appropriate cadence for maintaining the existing community and attracting new players.

The distinction between major expansions and regular live-service updates is particularly important.

Embark has not announced plans to stop supporting ARC Raiders between major content releases. Its existing commitment includes regular live updates, balance adjustments, bug fixes, store updates, and player events.

This approach could benefit players who prefer meaningful additions over frequent but relatively small content drops. Larger development windows also give Embark more opportunities to work on progression, the in-game economy, and anti-cheat measures.

However, there is a trade-off. Longer intervals between major expansions mean that smaller updates and events will need to provide enough variety to keep the experience engaging.

Could the Next Major Expansion Arrive in April 2027?

Frozen Trail arrived on October 8, 2026, as the game's second major development milestone under the revised update strategy.

If Embark maintains a roughly six-month interval between major releases, April 2027 would be a reasonable window for the next substantial expansion.

However, this is an editorial projection based on the announced twice-yearly schedule, not an officially confirmed release date.

Players should therefore avoid treating April 2027 as a guaranteed launch window until Embark publishes a specific roadmap.

In the meantime, smaller additions could remain important for players who want new objectives, equipment options, and reasons to explore the Rust Belt.

For Raiders planning their progression, keeping track of valuable ARC Raiders items, weapons, and equipment will remain part of preparing for future content. New gameplay systems or progression changes could eventually influence which resources become more useful, although Embark has not announced any specific upcoming item-value adjustments.

Will ARC Raiders Finally Introduce Permanent PvE Matchmaking?

Beyond the sales milestone and update schedule, the future of PvE matchmaking is arguably one of the most interesting topics surrounding ARC Raiders.

Embark experimented with a dedicated PvE matchmaking toggle between October 13 and October 20, 2026. The limited-time test allowed players to choose between the traditional PvPvE experience and sessions focused entirely on fighting ARC enemies alongside other Raiders.

During the test, player-versus-player damage was disabled, while Solo, Duo, and Trio players could share PvE sessions. Embark also made adjustments to the experience, including changes to loot value.

The experiment generated substantial participation.

According to Embark's October 20 announcement, players completed more than 30 million PvE rounds during the testing period. The studio described the initial response as polarizing and emphasized that it needed additional time to evaluate the results.

Importantly, Embark did not promise that the test would lead to a permanent PvE option.

The developer said it would prioritize the overall health and enjoyability of ARC Raiders when deciding what to do next. It also promised to provide further information in November.

This means the next communication from Embark could be particularly important.

A permanent PvE option could give cooperative players more flexibility while allowing the traditional extraction experience to retain its identity. On the other hand, implementing separate matchmaking environments requires careful consideration of progression, loot rewards, player distribution, and the overall balance between different playstyles.

The original test already demonstrated that PvE participation was substantial, but participation alone does not establish what the final system should look like.

Players should therefore distinguish between Embark's confirmed intention to share more information and speculation about whether a permanent mode will arrive.

• Sources: Embark's PvE Test Announcement and PvE Test Results.

Update 2.5.0 Adds New Vanguard Set Color Variants

While players wait for more substantial gameplay changes, Embark continues to deliver smaller updates and cosmetic additions.

On November 10, the studio released Store Update 2.5.0, introducing two new color variants for the Vanguard Set:

• Orange: A new color option for players who prefer a brighter appearance.
• Black/White: An alternative visual style with a contrasting color combination.

The update does not require a game restart, making the new cosmetic options immediately accessible.

• Source: Official ARC Raiders Store Update 2.5.0.

Although cosmetic releases do not fundamentally change the extraction gameplay loop, they help maintain player engagement between larger content drops.

The official news feed also shows that Embark has continued publishing updates throughout November, including Store Update 2.4.0 on November 3 and Hotfix 2.4.1 on November 5.

Is Another ARC Raiders Update Coming on November 17?

November 17 has been suggested as the expected date for the next live update, following the recent pattern of regular maintenance and content releases.

However, as of now, Embark has not published an official announcement confirming November 17 as the next major update date.

It is also important to distinguish between a regular live update and a major content expansion. The former could involve fixes, balance adjustments, or smaller gameplay improvements, while the latter would represent a substantially larger development release.

Players should keep an eye on Embark's official news page for confirmation rather than treating the projected date as an established release schedule.

What Players Should Expect from ARC Raiders in the Coming Months?

Looking at the available information, ARC Raiders appears to be entering a different stage of its development.

Its initial commercial success has established a substantial player base, while Frozen Trail has demonstrated that a major content release can bring back inactive players and attract additional buyers.

The next challenge is maintaining that momentum.

There are three particularly important areas to watch.

1. More meaningful progression opportunities

Embark has already identified progression and economy balancing as important development priorities. Future major updates could provide additional reasons for experienced Raiders to pursue new objectives, collect equipment, and explore the Rust Belt.

For players who enjoy preparing their loadouts, the value of weapons, materials, and other ARC Raiders items will remain closely connected to how these systems evolve.

2. A clearer direction for PvE matchmaking

The October experiment generated more than 30 million PvE rounds, giving Embark a substantial amount of data to evaluate. Its promised November follow-up should help clarify whether the studio intends to bring back the matchmaking toggle, modify the concept, or explore another approach.

Whatever the decision, the challenge will be supporting cooperative players without undermining the tension that defines the traditional PvPvE experience.

3. Consistent support between major expansions

Two major updates annually do not mean players should expect six months of inactivity. Embark has explicitly committed to continued live-service support, including fixes, balance changes, cosmetic releases, and events.

That ongoing support will be especially important as the game moves further away from its launch period and competes for players' time against other multiplayer releases.

Final Thoughts

ARC Raiders surpassing 17 million sales is an impressive achievement, but Nexon's latest financial results also highlight why the next stage of development matters.

Embark is moving toward a more deliberate content strategy built around two major updates per year, supported by smaller live-service releases. Frozen Trail has provided a strong foundation, but the studio still needs to demonstrate that it can sustain interest between expansions.

For now, the biggest unanswered question is the future of PvE matchmaking. With Embark promising additional information in November, players may soon learn whether the experimental feature has a permanent place in the game's future.

The next few months should provide a clearer picture of how Embark plans to balance new content, player choice, and long-term progression while keeping Rust Belt worth exploring.

MapleStory Classic World's economy works in a unique way. Rather than rewarding players with more mesos simply for fighting higher-level monsters, it relies heavily on supply and demand between players.

When grinding in your 20s and 30s, you can often find monsters that drop Throwing Stars worth anywhere from 200,000 to 600,000 mesos in player shops. There are several farming spots like these throughout Victoria Island. Let's take a look at the best monsters to farm for mesos from Level 10 to 70.

Level 10-15

The best meso farming spot at this level isn't in Henesys at all. Line 1, Area 1, located in Kerning City, contains 64 Bubblings and no other monster types.

According to player reports, this map can generate around 40,000 mesos per hour. By comparison, Hunting Grounds in Henesys yield between 9,000 and 33,000 mesos per hour.

Bubblings can drop Pet Equip. Speed Scrolls 60%, which are listed for approximately 110,000 mesos in player shops.

If the subway is too crowded, try farming Level 14 Green Mushrooms instead. They can drop Pan Lids.

NPC shops only offer 2,000 mesos for a Pan Lid, but players list them for around 85,000 MapleStory Classic World gold. Remember to sell it to other players rather than NPCs.

Level 15-20

Stirges in Dark Cave can generate approximately 61,000 mesos per hour, with individual monsters reportedly dropping between 40 and 49 mesos. They can also drop Pet Jump Scrolls 60% and Iron Ore.

Iron Ore deserves special attention. NPC shops only offer 20 mesos for each piece, while player shops list it for as much as 330 mesos. Make sure to trade with other players.

Ghost Stumps in Excavation Site 1 generate approximately 60,000 mesos per hour. They can also drop Pet Jump Scrolls 60% and Iron Ore.

Blue Mushrooms offer slightly lower farming returns, but they can drop Gloves Critical Rate Scrolls 10%, which are worth approximately 75,000 MSCW mesos.

Level 20-25

Ant Tunnel 3 contains 61 Zombie Mushrooms and 38 Horny Mushrooms, with individual monsters dropping between 50 and 76 mesos.

However, the real jackpot is Claw Attack Scroll 60%. NPC shops only offer 1 meso for it, while player shops list it for around 450,000 mesos, with even the lowest listings reaching approximately 245,000.

Excavation Site 2 contains no Wooden Masks and 12 Rocky Masks. It generates approximately 68,000 mesos per hour. Monsters here can drop Earring STR Scrolls and Two-Handed Sword ATT Scrolls, both of which can fetch nearly 100,000 mesos.

Dark Stumps in East Rocky Mountain 5 can drop Wooden Tops. NPC shops offer only 500 mesos for them, while player shops list them for approximately 200,000 mesos.

Level 25-30

Cave of Evil Eye II and Cave of Evil Eye III generate approximately 82,000 mesos per hour. Each map contains nearly 40 Evil Eyes, which drop between 53 and 60 mesos individually. They can also drop Pole Arm ATT Scrolls 10%, worth around 39,000 mesos.

Iron Hogs near Pig Park 2 generate approximately 59,000 mesos per hour. They can drop Steel Guards, which are worth around 45,000 mesos. This area is also a Mushmom spawn location.

Level 30-35

Burnt Land IV contains Fire Boars and Dark Stumps, generating approximately 102,000 mesos per hour. Fire Boars drop between 63 and 77 mesos and can also drop Arwin's Glass Shoes, which are worth around 60,000 mesos in player trades.

Line 2, Area 1 offers an efficiency of approximately 99,000 mesos per hour. It contains 83 Jr. Wraiths, which have a chance to drop Mokbi Throwing Stars. These throwing stars are worth around 200,000 mesos in player trades.

Level 35-40

Monkey Swamp I is almost entirely populated by Lupins, but it only generates around 57,000 mesos per hour. Burnt Land IV is a better alternative, as it also contains 14 Lupins, offering higher overall returns. Lupins can drop Kumbi Throwing Stars, which are listed for approximately 600,000 mesos in player shops.

Mushmom respawns roughly once per hour, or sometimes even longer. Players report receiving between 1,800 and 2,200 mesos per kill. However, the real reward is Gloves ATT Scroll 60%, which is listed for approximately 1.6 million mesos.

Level 40-45

Monkey Forest I contains Zombie Lupins, generating approximately 107,000 mesos per hour. They can drop Black Napoleon Capes, which are worth around 89,000 mesos.

Skeledogs in Remains Tomb I have a chance to drop Overall Armor STR Scrolls 60%, listed for approximately 500,000 mesos in player shops.

Copper Drakes in East Rocky Mountain 7 can drop Earring Critical Damage Scrolls 60%, worth around 450,000 mesos. Ice and Lightning Mages are particularly effective against them.

Level 45-50

Line 2, Area 2 contains 57 Wraiths, 32 Jr. Wraiths, and 18 Jr. Neckis. Wraiths drop between 92 and 113 mesos and also have a chance to drop Red Whips, worth approximately 70,000 mesos. If the map is too crowded, you can switch to Line 2, Area 3 or Line 1, Area 4.

Another option is Remains Tomb I, where Mummydogs can drop Arc Staffs worth approximately 600,000 mesos and Serpent's Tongues worth around 300,000 mesos.

Level 50-55

Drake Hunting Ground is a good farming location. Drakes have a chance to drop Shinkita and Overall Armor LUK Scrolls 60%, both worth approximately 800,000 mesos. Shinkita is generally worth slightly more.

Maladies in Forest of Evil 2 can drop Cromi, which can fetch around 2.8 million mesos in player trades.

Level 55-60

Camp 1 in Excavation Site contains 20 Skeleton Soldiers and 5 Skeleton Officers, generating approximately 180,000 mesos per hour. Camp 2 is expected to yield around 135,000 mesos per hour.

Dark Stone Golems in Sleepy Dungeon 5 generate an estimated 124,000 mesos per hour. They can drop Tobi Throwing Stars, which are worth approximately 3 million mesos.

Level 60-65

Camp 3 contains 14 Skeleton Officers and 6 Skeleton Soldiers. The officers can drop Nine Dragons Polearms and Skull Shields, both of which can fetch over a million mesos.

You can also try Dangerous Valley 2, where Red Drakes can drop Steely Throwing Knives worth as much as 11 million mesos. However, Red Drakes spawn periodically, so the map's estimated farming return is only around 85,000 mesos per hour.

Level 65-70

There are very few regular monsters on Victoria Island that are particularly suitable for this level range. Camp 1 remains a practical meso farming option, while Camp 3 is worth visiting if you're specifically looking for Skeleton Officer drops.

The value of these monster drops can change daily, so you should adjust your farming choices according to the player market. Regardless of your level, remember to trade ores, leathers, and valuable drops with other players instead of selling them to NPCs.

In Modern Warfare 4, beyond XP required for leveling up your character, you also need to earn XP to progress through Season Pass (if you have it unlocked) and to level up your various weapons.

Increasing your weapon level in Modern Warfare 4 unlocks new attachments, which not only improve the weapon's overall performance but also offer a wider range of setup options, making your gear more versatile.

However, earning weapon XP involves more nuances than leveling up your character, especially with the additional content and gear introduced in Season 1, and failing to account for these can significantly hinder your leveling efficiency.

Don't worry, though; we've put together some reliable tips for leveling up your weapons in Modern Warfare 4 to help you maximize the potential of your favorite gear as quickly as possible.

Sources of weapon XP

Regardless of the type of XP, earning more requires full engagement with the game. What makes weapon XP unique is that you only earn experience for the specific weapon you are using in combat.

Beyond standard combat, CoD Modern Warfare 4 offers additional objectives, missions, and weapon challenges that provide extra weapon XP. You can also activate Double XP Tokens during matches to further boost your leveling speed.

Leveling tips for Multiplayer

In Modern Warfare 4 multiplayer, the simplest and most efficient way to earn weapon XP is through objective-based game modes, such as Team Deathmatch or Kill Confirmed.

If we had to pick one, we'd recommend Kill Confirmed. The gameplay revolves around completing objectives, securing kills and collecting dog tags, which help your team win while simultaneously granting you more weapon XP.

Furthermore, every dog tag you collect, or prevent an enemy from collecting, adds experience points to the weapon you are currently holding.

Compared to modes like Domination, which typically last at least 10 minutes, Kill Confirmed allows you to make more efficient use of your time.

A single match of Kill Confirmed usually lasts no more than 7.5 minutes, and with shorter transitions between matches, you can jump into the next battle very quickly.

In addition to this, you should make the most of your tactical equipment to assist in combat. Decoy Grenade is particularly useful as it can simulate specific sound effects to confuse enemies.

Furthermore, using items like ammo boxes, or any other gear that provides support to you, will grant you passive XP.

Playing Kill Confirmed game mode on smaller maps is also highly advantageous for leveling up. This is because it increases the frequency of engagements you participate in per minute, while also providing more opportunities to earn assists through your tactical equipment.

If you aren't familiar with Kill Confirmed but are looking to level up your weapons, you can practice in MW4 bot lobbies beforehand.

DMZ mode

This mode is an excellent way to earn weapon XP quickly and easily, provided you already possess Weapon Manual required to craft a specific weapon, or if that weapon is readily available to find on the map.

Be warned that if you are killed by an enemy during a match, not only will you fail to earn XP, but you could also permanently lose the weapon you brought in to level up.

However, if you do have the weapons, taking them into DMZ, specifically for Story Missions, Dynamic Operations, and Side Operations, allows you to earn significant amounts of XP upon completing these objectives.

Another effective way to gain XP in DMZ is by scavenging for supplies. Unlike specific missions, which might force you into high-threat zones, scavenging can be done almost anywhere, often with little interference.

That said, prioritizing areas with a higher density of loot is always more rewarding; it not only accelerates your XP gain but also increases your chances of finding rare items.

Warzone

You are likely familiar with Battle Royale and Resurgence modes in Modern Warfare 4 Warzone. However, the launch of Season 1 introduced a new mode called Rally Point, which serves as a fantastic source for earning weapon XP.

Rally Point supports up to 20 players and features infinite respawns. Best of all, there is no encroaching gas circle, allowing you to explore freely and level up your weapons without the usual pressure.

Although the player count per match is relatively low, the mode is populated with many AI enemies. Eliminating them not only grants you XP but also spares you the high-level threat posed by real human players.

Furthermore, Rally Point features various contracts you can complete earning objective points. There is no fixed match duration; the end time is determined entirely by the players in the session.

You can choose to play Rally Point solo or as part of a team, depending on your preference. If you're playing solo, the most efficient approach is to combine several tactics: scavenging for supplies, taking out enemies, and completing objectives.

If you prefer playing in a team, focusing on completing as many contracts as possible is the most efficient strategy. While tackling contracts solo can be risky, doing so as a team yields more XP, plus, completing contracts can unlock new weapons.

It's worth noting that it's currently unclear how long Rally Point mode will remain available in CoD: MW4, so be sure to jump in while you can during Season 1.

Additional tips

For standard MW4 weapons, you can earn a solid amount of XP across most game modes; however, leveling up launchers can be significantly more challenging.

Therefore, if the launchers you primarily use are already at max level, feel free to adjust your XP-farming strategy as you see fit, otherwise, it's best to stick to the tips provided above!

Dungeon leveling has become a controversial topic in World of Warcraft: Forever, with some players arguing that the reduced experience rewards make repeated dungeon runs a poor use of their time. 

The debate has gained attention following complaints about low XP gains in Blackfathom Deeps, but Blizzard has already introduced several adjustments, including a November 8 hotfix that increased dungeon kill experience by 50%. 

The remaining question is whether those changes have made group leveling rewarding enough compared with Classic Era.

For players who enjoy running dungeons with friends, this is more than a question of leveling speed. Dungeon groups require coordination, travel time, preparation, and sustained cooperation. When the experience rewards feel too small, players may naturally prefer solo questing, even when they would otherwise enjoy group content.

Why WoW Forever Players Are Complaining About Dungeon XP?

The latest complaint comes from a player who described spending an entire hour running Blackfathom Deeps and receiving approximately 7,000 XP in total. The player also estimated that individual enemies were providing around 45 XP each.

The post expressed frustration with the amount of time required to organize a group, travel to the dungeon, clear enemies, and defeat bosses for what the player considered an inadequate leveling reward.

The player called on Blizzard to restore dungeon experience to 100% of Classic Era values, arguing that the current system discourages group play.

However, these figures should be treated as an individual player's reported experience rather than verified game-wide XP measurements. The exact result of a dungeon run can depend on character levels, party composition, enemy levels, experience distribution, and the number of enemies defeated.

Nevertheless, the underlying concern is worth examining: if dungeon grinding takes considerably longer to produce meaningful character progression, players have fewer reasons to choose it over other leveling activities.

Blizzard Has Already Increased Dungeon Kill XP Multiple Times

The current debate needs to be understood in the context of Blizzard's earlier balancing decisions.

WoW Forever did not simply retain the original Classic Era dungeon experience system. Blizzard adjusted dungeon rewards to influence how quickly players could level through repeated group runs.

The following changes are particularly relevant.

Dungeon XP Adjustment Timeline

Sources: Blizzard's November 9 Hotfix Notes, Blizzard's November 10 Developer Response.

The most important development is the November 8 adjustment.

In its November 10 forum response, Blizzard Community Manager Kaivax explained that the hotfix increased dungeon kill XP from 40% to 60% of Classic Era values.

Blizzard also stated that it had been tracking the results carefully and believed the adjustment was working well, producing dungeon leveling speeds that fit the rest of WoW Forever's content.

This is an important distinction. Blizzard has acknowledged the reduced dungeon XP rates and made a measurable adjustment, but it has not agreed that restoring the original Classic Era rates is necessary.

Is 60% of Classic Era XP Enough?

Blizzard's position and the player's complaint highlight two different ways of evaluating dungeon rewards.

From Blizzard's perspective, dungeon leveling should fit the overall progression speed of WoW Forever. If repeatedly clearing dungeons becomes significantly more efficient than questing, players may feel pressured to run the same instances rather than explore the world.

From the player's perspective, however, dungeon XP should make group content a reasonable leveling option, not necessarily the fastest way to reach level 60.

These goals are not mutually exclusive.

The problem is that 60% of Classic Era dungeon kill XP does not automatically translate into a satisfying leveling experience. Even after the November adjustment, dungeon kills still award less experience than their Classic Era counterparts.

There is also an important distinction between the percentage Blizzard reports and the actual experience players observe. Some community members have disputed the 60% figure, reporting results closer to 33%–36% in their own calculations. These disagreements appear in the discussion surrounding Blizzard's response.

The available information does not establish that every player's reported percentage is calculated under identical conditions. Party levels, experience modifiers, and the particular enemies being compared can complicate direct comparisons.

Consequently, the reported Blackfathom Deeps result of approximately 7,000 XP should not be treated as proof that the entire dungeon system awards only a specific percentage of Classic Era experience.

What it does illustrate is why players are questioning whether the time investment is worthwhile.

Why Dungeon XP Matters Beyond Leveling Speed?

Dungeon experience is not just another reward number. It influences how players choose to spend their time and interact with other members of their faction.

1. Group Content Needs to Remain a Meaningful Leveling Option

One of Classic WoW's defining characteristics is the importance of social interaction. Players form groups to complete difficult quests, defeat elite enemies, obtain equipment, and explore dungeons.

If dungeon runs provide substantially less progression than solo questing, players have a practical reason to avoid them unless they specifically need a quest reward or equipment upgrade.

This creates an opportunity cost: an hour spent inside an instance is an hour that could have been spent completing outdoor quests.

The issue becomes particularly noticeable when friends have different schedules or character levels. A player who joins a lower-level friend's dungeon group may sacrifice personal leveling efficiency simply to play together.

That trade-off should exist to some extent in an RPG, but it becomes harder to justify when the rewards are disproportionately low.

2. Tanks and Healers Could Face Additional Leveling Pressure

Dungeon groups depend on players willing to take on tanking and healing responsibilities.

These roles are essential for successful runs, but their leveling experience is not always comparable to that of damage-focused classes when questing alone.

If dungeon XP remains relatively unattractive, some players may choose to level using a damage-oriented specialization instead of maintaining a tank or healer build.

This is an evidence-based concern rather than a confirmed population trend. Blizzard has not published data showing that the XP adjustment has reduced the number of available tanks or healers.

Nevertheless, making group leveling more appealing could help players maintain their preferred roles throughout the leveling process.

3. Dungeon Rewards Should Support More Than One Playstyle

WoW Forever offers players different ways to progress. Some prefer questing, others enjoy farming enemies, and some would rather spend their leveling journey running dungeons with friends.

There is no need for every activity to provide identical XP per hour.

However, the gap should not become so large that one activity feels like an objectively poor use of time.

This also affects resource planning. Players who spend more time leveling through outdoor content may have different opportunities to collect WoW Forever gold, materials, and equipment than players who focus on instances.

Gold can help players prepare for repairs, consumables, and equipment upgrades, but it does not solve the underlying experience-reward problem. The fundamental question remains whether the time spent in a dungeon produces enough character progression to justify returning.

What Should Blizzard Change Next?

Blizzard does not necessarily need to restore dungeon kill XP to 100% of Classic Era values to address the complaints.

A more balanced approach could preserve the developers' intention to prevent excessive dungeon grinding while making group content more attractive.

Three potential adjustments deserve consideration.

1. Reevaluate XP rewards for individual dungeons.

Not every dungeon has the same enemy density, completion time, or difficulty. Applying identical XP reductions across every instance may unnecessarily penalize dungeons that were never particularly efficient for leveling.

Blizzard could evaluate individual dungeon layouts and adjust rewards based on their actual leveling efficiency.

2. Consider limiting excessive repeat farming instead of heavily reducing all dungeon XP.

If the original concern is that certain groups can repeatedly farm specific instances for unusually efficient experience, more targeted restrictions could address that behavior.

For example, Blizzard could explore dungeon-specific repeat-run limitations or other balancing mechanisms. These are suggestions, not announced features.

3. Improve the consistency of group XP calculations.

Players need a clear understanding of how dungeon experience is calculated, particularly when party members have different levels.

Blizzard should communicate how the 60% figure translates into actual rewards and whether additional experience modifiers affect the final amount.

Clearer explanations would make it easier for players to distinguish between an intended balancing decision and a possible calculation issue.

Will Blizzard Restore Classic Era Dungeon XP?

At present, there is no confirmed announcement that Blizzard plans to restore dungeon kill XP to 100% of Classic Era values.

The November 8 hotfix demonstrates that Blizzard is willing to adjust the system in response to the leveling experience. However, its November 10 response suggests that the developers currently consider the 60% rate an appropriate balance.

That means players should not assume another XP increase is coming.

The more important question is whether Blizzard will continue monitoring how players use dungeons after the latest adjustment. If repeated runs remain unattractive, further tuning could still be worth considering.

The original complaint about Blackfathom Deeps is not enough to establish that every dungeon is underperforming. However, it raises a legitimate design question that deserves more attention: should players have to sacrifice so much leveling efficiency simply because they want to play with friends?

For WoW Forever, preserving the social experience of Classic WoW should matter alongside controlling progression speed.

The goal should not be to make dungeon grinding the only efficient leveling strategy. It should be to make running dungeons a rewarding alternative that players genuinely want to choose.

Path of Exile 3.30 Covens of Umbra has almost completely overhauled the loot system. Item drops are now much easier to understand, with higher map difficulty translating into better loot.

More specifically, these changes include a tiered rare item system, the removal of item quantity, and a major adjustment to how Divine Orbs are obtained. Let's take a closer look at what has changed.

Tiered Loot Drops

For a long time, magic and rare items found as ground loot have had very little value. The chances of identifying a randomly dropped rare item and finding something genuinely useful were extremely low. As a result, players often had to pick up and identify countless items just to find one worthwhile drop, making the process highly inefficient.

The official team has finally addressed this problem with the new tiered loot system. Higher Player Item Rarity now increases your chances of finding these new high-value drops.

Magic and rare items can now drop in different tiers, with higher-tier items having access to higher-tier mods.

The system divides ground-dropped magic and rare items into five tiers, from T1 to T5. The higher the tier number, the better the item's base stats and potential modifiers.

• T5 Items: Their modifiers generally range from T5 to T1. If a modifier has no more than six tiers in total, it will always appear at its T1 level on a T5 item.
• T4 Items: Their modifiers generally range from T7 to T1.
• T3 Items: Their modifiers generally range from T9 to T1.
• T2 Items: Their modifiers generally range from T11 to T1.
• T1 Items: These are standard rare and magic items with the widest modifier range, potentially going as low as T13, with T1 being the highest.

Higher-tier items can also have more sockets and links, making six-linked items more likely to drop at higher rarity tiers.

Furthermore, items classified as T5 drops can include certain new items that were previously restricted to other parts of the game.

For example, Cord Belts will now exclusively drop as T5 items, while Simplex Amulets will also be available as T5 drops. This means players can find these items in the wild simply by killing regular monsters.

Rarity Changes

Sources of Rarity

Player Item Rarity from your equipped gear no longer affects the amount of currency dropped by enemies.

Only rarity from sources outside player equipment can affect currency drops. These include map modifiers and modifiers on monsters themselves.

In other words, players no longer need to stack rarity on their gear to obtain more currency. Instead, monster rarity, map rarity, and other forms of non-player rarity determine how much additional value is generated in the game.

There are several ways to increase non-player rarity. The new thread system increases monster rarity as more Threads are added to a map.

Maps can now have up to 10 modifiers, potentially providing enormous amounts of rarity. As a result, players may buy PoE currency for maps with high rarity rolls, making map farming itself a potentially lucrative strategy.

Powerful rare monsters, magic monsters, and map bosses all have higher rarity multipliers, which can significantly increase currency drops.

Item Quantity

Item Quantity has been removed as a core multiplier affecting loot drops. All Item Quantity bonuses on character equipment have been removed.

Rather than encouraging players to stack quantity modifiers and flood the ground with countless items, the new system shifts the focus toward improving the quality of dropped loot.

The goal is no longer to fill the ground with large amounts of worthless items, but to give players better drops overall.

Previously, Unique and Rare monsters had an 80% reduction to their currency drops.

This meant that even if players stacked a huge amount of rarity, most of the potential returns would still be reduced by this -80% multiplier. Magic monsters also previously had a 50% currency drop penalty.

However, both of these penalties have now been removed in PoE 3.30. As a result, Covens of Umbra could become one of the wealthiest leagues in the game's history.

With so many changes happening at once, some confusion is almost inevitable. However, we can expect high-rarity Rare and Unique monsters to drop significantly more loot, while players should also see an increase in overall currency drops.

How Will These Changes Affect the Economy?

With so many fundamental changes, the economic trends from previous leagues are no longer reliable reference points. For now, we can only make a few predictions.

Maps with high rarity rolls will become more valuable. Maps with the highest possible modifier values could potentially be worth multiple Divine Orbs, as they may become one of the primary ways for players to generate currency through farming.

Since Scarabs have been removed, players no longer need to invest large amounts of currency in them. Instead, those looking to maximize their farming efficiency will focus on map modifier rolls to get the most out of each map.

The value of many items will change significantly, including Simplex Amulets, Cord Belts, and Fractured items. All of these could become more common than before.

As the league progresses and players gain access to increasingly difficult content, these items are likely to become even more widely available.

Meanwhile, quickly running maps with an Alchemy-and-Go approach will become considerably less rewarding compared to tackling high-investment, high-difficulty maps. Maps with strong modifier rolls and greater difficulty will offer significantly more currency.

Overall, build strength will be a major priority this league. Durable builds and bossing builds could have a considerable advantage, as more of the available value will come from bosses and Rare monsters. The more difficult players make this content, the greater the potential rewards.

The cost of resetting talents in World of Warcraft: Forever has become a point of debate following the game's November 4 launch. With the first talent reset costing 1 gold and subsequent resets becoming increasingly expensive, some players believe the system discourages experimentation, particularly during leveling. However, Blizzard has already explained that it wants talent choices to carry meaningful consequences, making a major reduction in respec costs far from guaranteed.

The controversy raises an important question for players: Is Blizzard likely to reconsider its approach before the end of 2026, or should players prepare to live with the traditional Classic-style gold costs?

As of now, Blizzard has not announced a plan to reduce the live respec fee.

Why Are Players Complaining about Respec Costs?

The main complaint is not necessarily that resetting talents should always be free. Instead, players are questioning whether the current price makes sense for characters that are still developing their builds.

Currently, resetting a talent for the first time costs 1 gold, and the cost of subsequent resets will gradually increase. The report describes the price as potentially reaching 50 WoW Forever gold.

This can create a noticeable financial burden for lower-level characters.

For example, a player reaching level 10 might discover that an early talent choice does not work as expected. Another player might initially build around solo questing but later decide to participate in dungeons and explore a different role.

Under the current system, changing direction means spending gold rather than simply reallocating talent points.

A November 6 discussion on Blizzard's official forums illustrates this concern. One player argued that paying 1 gold for an initial reset was particularly expensive when their level 20 character had earned only around 3 gold.

The discussion also included players who disagreed, arguing that talent choices should have consequences and that earning enough gold for a reset is part of character progression.

Importantly, these comments represent individual player opinions rather than an established community consensus.

There is an important reason why players should not expect Blizzard to immediately remove or significantly reduce the respec fee.

In an October 10 interview, Blizzard directly addressed its philosophy toward talent resets.

The development team explained that it does not want cheap respecs because talent decisions should remain meaningful.

Blizzard also clarified the difference between the beta and live systems:

• During the beta, the first inexpensive respec was temporarily available for 1 Silver.
• When the game launched, respec prices would climb quickly.
• The price would decrease only once per week.
• Blizzard wanted players to think carefully about their talent decisions.

This is particularly important because the 1 Silver beta adjustment was never intended to become the permanent live-game price.

Blizzard's September 24 beta development notes also explicitly described the reduced price as temporary. Players could benefit from cheaper resets while testing different builds, but that convenience was not promised for the full release.

In other words, the current system is largely consistent with the design philosophy Blizzard communicated before launch.

That does not mean the company can never reconsider it, but it does mean that reducing the cost would represent a change in its stated approach rather than simply restoring an accidentally removed feature.

The Real Problem: Talent Experimentation During Leveling

The disagreement becomes more understandable when looking at how players approach leveling.

In WoW Classic+, talents become available starting at level 10. Players gradually develop their characters while unlocking additional abilities and discovering how different talent combinations work.

However, the game also introduces new class mechanics and talent adjustments that can make experimenting particularly appealing.

The problem is that players often have limited gold during the early leveling experience.

A 1 gold reset might represent a relatively small expense for an established character, but it can consume a meaningful portion of a lower-level character's savings.

This creates several potential problems:

The last point deserves particular attention.

Blizzard has discussed frequent class adjustments during the game's early months, with the initial balancing period expected to involve regular updates.

When abilities or talents change, players may naturally want to reconsider their existing builds.

If resetting talents remains expensive, some players could decide that experimenting with new combinations is not worth the financial commitment.

This creates a potential tension between two design goals: keeping talent choices meaningful and allowing players to engage with the evolving class system.

For players managing their leveling expenses, maintaining a reasonable gold reserve also becomes more important. Those who prefer spending less time farming and more time preparing their characters may consider options to buy WoW Forever gold, particularly when balancing respec expenses with other progression needs.

Could Dual Specialization Solve the Problem?

One feature that could reduce some of the frustration is Dual Specialization.

Blizzard has confirmed in its official WoW Forever Class Deep Dive articles that Dual Specialization becomes available at level 40.

This gives players an additional way to maintain different talent setups without repeatedly resetting their primary build.

For example, a Druid could maintain one specialization for solo leveling and another for healing dungeons. Similarly, a Warrior could prepare different builds for damage and tanking.

However, Dual Specialization is not a complete solution.

There is also an important distinction between having two saved specializations and being able to experiment freely.

Players may still want to modify either build, correct mistakes, or explore alternative combinations. Dual Specialization reduces the need to switch between two established roles, but it does not eliminate every reason to respec.

Blizzard has not publicly confirmed the exact Dual Specialization purchase price in the sources reviewed for this article, so players should avoid treating community estimates as official figures.

Will Blizzard Reduce WoW Forever Respec Costs Before 2027?

No confirmed price reduction.

At this point, there is no confirmed indication that Blizzard plans to lower regular talent respec costs before the end of 2026.

In fact, the October interview suggests that the company deliberately wants to preserve the financial consequences of changing talent builds.

Nevertheless, there are reasons why Blizzard could eventually consider adjustments.

First, the difference between early-game and endgame gold availability can make a fixed starting price feel disproportionately expensive for new characters.

Second, WoW Forever is introducing class changes that encourage players to explore different builds. Making experimentation too costly could discourage players from engaging with those systems.

Third, there may be room for smaller improvements without completely removing the existing philosophy.

For example, Blizzard could consider:

• Offering occasional discounted respecs during leveling.
• Introducing a limited number of inexpensive resets at certain character levels.
• Reducing the initial respec fee for lower-level characters.
• Providing additional flexibility through the Legacy talent system.

These are possible solutions, not announced features.

Interestingly, Blizzard has already acknowledged that some additional respec utility could potentially be introduced for Legacy talents in the future, according to the TechRadar interview.

However, this should not be confused with a confirmed plan to reduce regular class talent respec costs.

The distinction matters: Blizzard could introduce more flexibility in one progression system while keeping traditional talent resets expensive.

What Should Players Do While Waiting for Changes?

Until Blizzard announces an adjustment, players should approach talent resets with a little more planning.

Using a talent calculator before spending points is one practical way to avoid unnecessary resets. It allows players to compare different builds and consider how their characters will develop at higher levels.

Players should also think about their primary role before committing to a specialization.

Someone who primarily enjoys solo questing may benefit from a different talent progression than someone who regularly participates in dungeon groups.

It is also worth considering whether a complete reset is actually necessary. A build that is not perfectly optimized can still be useful for many leveling activities, particularly when players understand how to use their existing abilities effectively.

Finally, reaching level 40 provides access to Dual Specialization, which should reduce some of the pressure on players who regularly switch between two established roles.

Blizzard's Next Move Will Determine How Flexible WoW Forever Feels

The respec debate ultimately reflects two different expectations for World of Warcraft: Forever.

Some players want greater freedom to experiment with the updated class systems without worrying about every gold spent. Others believe that meaningful talent decisions and the need to earn resources are essential parts of the Classic experience.

Blizzard has already made its preference clear: talent choices should matter, and frequent respecs should carry a cost.

For now, there is no confirmed price reduction coming before the end of 2026. Players should therefore plan around the existing system rather than assume that cheaper resets are on the way.

The more interesting question is whether Blizzard will eventually find a middle ground that preserves meaningful character progression without making experimentation unnecessarily expensive.

This week, FC 27 released Title Update v1.2.0. Beyond standard game optimizations and bug fixes, this update also addresses points previously discussed in Gameplay Developer Update.

Below, we highlight the key changes in version 1.2.0, providing insight into both the current gameplay experience and the ongoing evolution of FC 27.

Adjustments to core gameplay mechanics

Title Update v1.2.0, which covers both core gameplay and adjustments to other game modes, is informed by concrete match data, as well as feedback from the design council and the broader player community.

Consequently, this update aims to go beyond resolving isolated issues; it seeks to address common challenges encountered by players across all skill levels.

Adjustments to 95 depth tactic

In the current FC 27 meta, the 95 Depth defensive setting has been a frequent topic of discussion.

Generally, a high defensive line compresses the space available to the opponent in the midfield, making it difficult for them to build up attacks, while constant pressure can force the opposition into passing errors.

However, this tactic presents a clear issue: when the defensive line is positioned extremely high, the attacking side faces intense pressure, and the defending side can leverage its compact shape to severely limit the opponent's passing options.

Without effective counters, this can lead to a gameplay environment that relies too heavily on high-pressing and rapid counter-attacks.

To address this, Update v1.2.0 modifies the positioning logic for defenders when using an extremely high defensive line. They will now drop back sooner, reducing the defensive risks associated with maintaining such an aggressive, high-pressing position for extended periods.

That said, this does not mean the 95 Depth setting loses its core identity; compared to other defensive tactics, it will still maintain a notably higher overall defensive line.

Defensive positioning optimization

Whether in real-life matches or virtual games like FC 27, full-backs play a crucial role in a team's defensive and offensive structures. They are tasked with assisting center-backs, intercepting plays along the flanks, providing cover, and limiting the opponent's ability to break through.

However, some players have reported that full-backs in FUT 27 occasionally drop too deep during defensive phases. This creates unnecessary gaps in the defensive line, leaving the team vulnerable when facing attacks down the wings and allowing opponents more room to advance.

Update v1.2.0 addresses this by optimizing the defensive positioning logic for full-backs, ensuring they maintain a more sensible and stable position when defending.

This helps minimize positional disconnections between full-backs and center-backs, fostering better coordination across the entire back line and allowing four-man defensive formations to function more effectively.

Keep in mind that the success of any formation also depends on the quality of your players. If you plan to experiment with a four-man defense following these changes, it is a good idea to acquire reliable defenders by FUT 27 coins buy to secure top-tier talent.

Optimizing defense at kick-off

Rapid advances immediately following a kick-off have always been a unique attacking scenario in FC series.

By exploiting the brief, fluid positioning that occurs at the moment of kick-off, players can quickly drive the ball forward, aiming to break through the defensive line and penetrate the penalty area.

To counter this, the latest update adjusts defensive positioning at the moment of kick-off, ensuring that defenders start from a slightly more advanced position. This allows the defending side to react more promptly when an opponent attempts an immediate, direct dribbling advance.

The core purpose of this adjustment is to enhance defensive stability during the kick-off phase and reduce the chances of the attacking side creating an immediate threat.

That said, you should still remain vigilant during the critical moments right after kick-off, avoid relying too heavily on automated defensive AI.

Exploring tactical diversity

The development team evaluated the current tactical landscape by comparing match data from FC 27 with data from the same period in FC 26. They discovered that, even as the game receives updates, players tend to gravitate toward a narrow range of similar tactics over time.

Especially when competing at a high level, if certain formations or player setups prove to be more effective, it is only natural to gravitate toward these proven strategies.

For the development team, therefore, promoting tactical diversity does not mean forcing every player to use completely different tactics; rather, it is about striking a balance between a competitive experience and tactical freedom.

In this regard, the team behind FIFA 27 noted in Update v1.2.0 that they will continue to monitor player behavior across various skill levels to explore new ways to expand tactical options.

As a player, rather than blindly following a single popular formation, it is better to adapt your approach based on the specific attributes of your players and your own personal playstyle as the tactical landscape evolves.

Key updates to Career Mode

Career Mode is another major focus of FIFA 27 Title Update v1.2.0. The update further refines the user interface and introduces new customization settings, allowing for more granular management of your team and players.

Specifically, new customization options for player fitness recovery have been added. This gives you finer control over player fatigue, helping you manage their performance throughout the season and better align it with your preferred pace of play.

Additionally, the press conference interface has been optimized to make the impact of a manager's responses on player morale more transparent. The guidelines for negotiating player salary demands have also been adjusted to be more reasonable.

Future update plans

For Ultimate Team and The Grounds, Update v1.2.0 primarily addresses several bugs. However, FIFA 27 team has indicated that they will provide more detailed information regarding future optimizations for Ultimate Team in upcoming Developer Notes.

Title Update v1.2.0 is now live in FC 27; you can jump into the game to experience these changes firsthand. We look forward to seeing further valuable improvements from the development team in the future!

World of Warcraft: Forever is designed to bring players back into Azeroth's open world, but its leveling systems have raised an important question: Is playing with other people actually worth it? Crowded questing zones, limited mob tagging, and reduced dungeon quest bonuses have created situations where grouping can feel less efficient than leveling alone. 

Blizzard has already responded with several adjustments, including a 50% increase to dungeon kill XP on November 8 and population reductions in congested zones on November 9. However, these changes may not completely solve the underlying problem: players need meaningful reasons to cooperate rather than simply compete for the same objectives.

Why WoW Forever's Open-World Leveling Can Feel Better Alone?

One of WoW Forever's central design goals is to make Azeroth feel like a living world again. Instead of allowing players to spend most of their leveling journey repeatedly clearing dungeons, Blizzard wants exploration, outdoor quests, and encounters with other adventurers to play a larger role.

That approach makes sense in theory. A busy leveling zone creates opportunities to meet other players, form temporary parties, and build relationships that might eventually develop into long-term friendships.

However, population density can become a problem when too many players are pursuing identical objectives.

Consider a typical quest that requires killing a particular type of creature or collecting several items from nearby enemies. If multiple players arrive at the same location, they must compete for available spawns. Players who arrive late may spend additional time waiting for creatures to respawn or searching for another location.

The situation becomes more complicated when party members cannot automatically share kill credit with players outside their group.

In these circumstances, inviting another player does not necessarily make the quest faster. A party may still need to collect individual quest items, and everyone must complete their own objectives.

An individual player who finds an available spawn can sometimes make faster progress without worrying about coordinating with others.

This creates an unusual incentive: a game designed around social interaction can unintentionally make solo leveling feel more convenient.

Blizzard has previously acknowledged the importance of managing population density. Its November 2 development notes explained that spawn rates were adjusted to accommodate large player populations, while maintaining some competition as part of the intended experience.

Dungeon XP Changes Have Also Affected Group Leveling

Outdoor questing is only one side of the problem. Dungeon rewards have also played an important role in determining whether players want to form groups.

In traditional Classic WoW, dungeon enemies provided meaningful experience, making repeated dungeon runs a popular alternative to outdoor leveling.

WoW Forever initially changed this approach by reducing dungeon creature-kill XP and shifting more of the leveling rewards toward dungeon quests.

The intention was to encourage players to explore different dungeons rather than repeatedly farming the same instance.

However, this created a potential disadvantage for players who preferred group-based progression.

Once a player completed the available dungeon quests, returning to the same instance became less attractive because the remaining experience from killing enemies was comparatively limited.

The October 1 beta adjustment also reduced the additional experience granted by dungeon quests by 50%. Importantly, this reduction applied to the extra bonus above normal quest values, not the entire quest reward.

Blizzard documented this adjustment in its official development notes.

The following table summarizes the major changes and their implications.

The important distinction is that the November 8 adjustment does not mean dungeon XP has returned to its original Classic values. It increases the experience players receive from enemy kills relative to the previous WoW Forever values.

According to Blizzard's November 8 official announcement, the change was specifically intended to make returning for additional dungeon runs feel better.

This is a meaningful improvement, although the overall efficiency of a dungeon run still depends on group formation time, travel distance, enemy levels, and available quest rewards.

Blizzard Is Trying to Make Grouping More Social Without Removing Classic Mechanics

Interestingly, Blizzard has already introduced systems intended to make grouping more convenient without completely changing the traditional Classic experience.

One example is the distribution of quest items among party members.

Developer Josh Greenfield explained that WoW Forever uses an underlying round-robin system to distribute quest drops more evenly between grouped players.

The system does not increase the actual drop chance of quest items. Instead, it helps prevent one player from collecting most of the required items while another party member remains far behind.

For example, imagine a group of three players collecting ten quest items each.

Without a more balanced distribution system, one player might finish early while the others continue waiting for their remaining drops.

The round-robin approach attempts to make everyone's progress more consistent, reducing the awkwardness of deciding whether to leave a group member behind.

This is a useful compromise because it improves cooperation without automatically granting every nearby player credit for another player's kills.

Blizzard has also made its position on shared mob tagging clear. The development team's philosophy emphasizes preserving some of the friction associated with traditional Classic gameplay.

In the developers' view, competition for enemies can encourage players to form temporary groups rather than simply removing the competition through modern shared-tagging mechanics.

However, there is an important distinction between encouraging social interaction and making players feel that cooperation is an unnecessary inconvenience.

If players repeatedly encounter situations where solo play is faster, the intended social benefits may never materialize.

November's Adjustments Address Some of the Biggest Leveling Problems

The latest hotfixes suggest that Blizzard is not ignoring these concerns.

The November 9 update included two particularly relevant changes.

First, Blizzard reduced player populations in several zones experiencing significant congestion. The developers specifically noted that the adjustment was larger on PvP realms following feedback about overcrowded areas.

Second, the update fixed several quest-related issues, including making specific quest items available to everyone in a party.

These adjustments are important because they address different parts of the same problem.

Reducing congestion can make outdoor questing less frustrating, while improvements to party-based quest progression can make grouping more attractive.

However, neither adjustment fundamentally removes the limitations of traditional mob tagging.

Players may still encounter situations where competing for a specific creature or objective makes cooperation less convenient than expected.

Blizzard also stated that it would continue monitoring how zones feel and make further adjustments where necessary.

• Source: WoW Forever Hotfixes – November 9, 2026.

Which Players Are Most Affected by the Current Leveling Design?

The impact of these systems is not necessarily identical across all classes and playstyles.

DPS players generally have more flexibility when choosing between solo questing and dungeon groups. Depending on their class and equipment, they can often complete outdoor objectives without relying heavily on other players.

Tanks and healers, however, have a different set of considerations.

These roles are traditionally valuable in dungeon groups, but their solo leveling experience can be less straightforward than that of some damage-focused specializations.

If dungeon rewards are not attractive enough, players who prefer tanking or healing may have fewer incentives to continue participating in group content while leveling.

This is an important consideration for the long-term health of dungeon matchmaking.

A dungeon needs more than players who occasionally want to complete a quest. It needs a sustainable population of tanks, healers, and damage dealers willing to return for additional runs.

There is also an economic aspect to character progression.

Players who spend more time questing or running dungeons need to manage their gold for training, repairs, equipment upgrades, and consumables. Keeping enough WoW Forever gold available can make progression more convenient, particularly when switching between different activities.

Ultimately, progression should remain enjoyable regardless of whether someone prefers solo exploration or cooperative dungeon runs.

What Should Blizzard Change Without Turning Forever Into Retail WoW?

Blizzard does not necessarily need to introduce every modern World of Warcraft convenience to make grouping more rewarding.

There are several smaller adjustments that could preserve the traditional experience while reducing unnecessary frustration.

1. Continue improving dungeon repeat rewards

The November 8 XP increase is a positive step. Blizzard could continue monitoring dungeon completion rates and experience efficiency to determine whether repeat runs are now sufficiently rewarding.

Dungeon grinding should not necessarily become the fastest leveling strategy, but players should have a reasonable incentive to return after completing their initial quests.

2. Improve party-based quest progression

The round-robin quest item system is a good example of how Blizzard can improve cooperation without introducing unrestricted shared tagging.

Further improvements to quest item distribution and party objectives could make grouping more consistent.

3. Keep monitoring crowded zones

Reducing player congestion is important, particularly in areas where multiple quests require the same limited group of enemies.

Blizzard should continue adjusting population density and spawn rates based on actual player activity rather than assuming every zone will naturally become less crowded.

4. Maintain meaningful rewards for different roles

Tanks and healers should have reasons to participate in dungeon content throughout the leveling journey, not just during their first visit to an instance.

A healthy dungeon ecosystem benefits everyone, including players who primarily prefer outdoor questing.

Is WoW Forever Really Encouraging Players to Level Solo?

Not necessarily. Blizzard's design philosophy is clearly intended to encourage open-world exploration and social interaction, rather than allowing dungeon grinding to dominate the leveling experience.

However, the distinction between encouraging exploration and unintentionally discouraging cooperation is important.

The recent dungeon XP increase, reduced zone congestion, and improvements to party quest drops demonstrate that Blizzard is already adjusting some of the systems responsible for this tension.

Whether those changes are sufficient remains to be seen. The real test is whether players find grouping worthwhile after accounting for quest progression, dungeon rewards, and the time needed to organize a party.

WoW Forever does not need to become modern WoW to make multiplayer leveling enjoyable. It simply needs to ensure that playing together feels like a meaningful alternative rather than an unnecessary disadvantage.

What do you think? Would you rather level SOLO or with a GROUP in WoW Forever? Should Blizzard make grouping more rewarding without removing the traditional Classic experience?

WoW Forever is currently overcrowded, making it difficult to farm mobs without waiting in line, let alone earn gold through grinding. Many players simply don’t have several hours to sit in front of their computers, as they have plenty of other things to take care of.

Fortunately, no matter what type of player you are, you can still earn gold through Auction House. These methods require some starting capital and are not particularly efficient, but they are generally better suited to casual players.

Here are some items you can craft to earn gold while staying AFK in a capital city:

1. Linen Bag Crafting
2. Cerulean Dye Production
3. Enchanting Wands
4. Gloves of Meditation
5. Mageweave Bag Crafting
6. Engineering Explosives

Linen Bag Crafting

The first method involves acquiring Linen Cloth from Auction House, turning it into Bolts of Linen Cloth, and then crafting Linen Bags to sell directly to vendors.

You can start doing this as soon as your character reaches level 10. Alternatively, you can list the bags for 3 to 4 Silver each and sell them to players who need extra inventory space. However, waiting for potential buyers can take quite a while. Simply trading the cloth, crafting bolts and bags, and selling them to vendors provides a steady way to earn some Silver.

You can make a profit as long as Auction House listing value for Linen Cloth is below 25 Copper per piece. Even at exactly 25 Copper, you may still be able to make a small profit, but it is best to avoid paying more than that.

Cerulean Dye Production

With some starting capital, you can acquire Frilled Lichen and combine two pieces with an Empty Vial to craft Cerulean Dye. The finished dye can then be listed on Auction House.

Two Frilled Lichen typically cost around 30 to 35 Silver, while Cerulean Dye has an average market value of 35 to 45 Silver. Make sure your selling value covers the crafting costs.

Cerulean Dye has a reasonable amount of demand because Tailoring, Leatherworking, and Enchanting all require it for certain crafting recipes.

However, Frilled Lichen is relatively rare. Under normal circumstances, it can be found at herb nodes across different level ranges, from Earthroot to Kingsblood, although not every node will yield it.

Therefore, it is best to check the market values of both the raw materials and finished products before deciding to craft Cerulean Dye. This method may currently result in a loss on European servers, while American servers offer better opportunities, usually generating around 1 to 2 Silver in profit.

Enchanting Wands

A Greater Magic Wand requires 1 Simple Wood and 2 Lesser Magic Essences. Each Simple Wood is worth approximately 38 Copper, while two Lesser Magic Essences cost around 2 Silver and 10 Copper.

You can list these wands on Auction House for around 3 Silver each to generate a decent profit. Alternatively, you can sell them directly to vendors for 2 Silver each, allowing you to level up Enchanting more quickly.

The main goal of this method is not to make a large amount of WoW Forever gold. Instead, it allows you to level up Enchanting while minimizing losses and potentially earning a few extra Copper. At the very least, you should be able to break even or make a small profit.

Gloves of Meditation

Each pair of Gloves of Meditation takes 25 seconds to craft and requires the following materials:

• 4 × Bolt of Woolen Cloth
• 3 × Fine Thread
• 1 × Elixir of Wisdom

These materials are relatively easy to obtain, but the total crafting cost is still around 14 Silver or more.

Gloves of Meditation previously sold for around 30 to 35 Silver per pair. However, too many players have started crafting them, causing their market value to crash. On some servers, they may now be worth only around 10 Silver.

Crafting them yourself may result in a loss, but the current market downturn also presents an opportunity to stock up on Gloves of Meditation while their value is low.

These gloves have a chance to yield a Large Glimmering Shard when disenchanted. These shards were worth a decent amount during the early stages of WoW Classic+.

However, many players are currently leveling their characters and disenchanting large quantities of items, resulting in an oversupply of similar materials and temporarily lower values. Large Glimmering Shards are expected to recover in value over time, making this an investment worth holding onto.

Mageweave Bag Crafting

Crafting Mageweave Bags requires 190 Tailoring skill. Each Bolt of Mageweave requires 5 Mageweave Cloth, meaning that every bag consumes the following materials:

• 20 × Mageweave Cloth
• 2 × Silken Thread

The material costs are relatively stable, with the total crafting cost coming to around 1.5 Gold. Meanwhile, Mageweave Bags typically sell for approximately 1 Gold and 70 Silver on Auction House, leaving you with around 20 Silver in profit per bag.

This is not the most efficient gold-making method, but you can trade for some Mageweave Cloth, craft the bolts yourself, and then turn them into bags. Since mass-producing Mageweave Bags takes some time, you can work on other things while your character crafts them and return later to collect your earnings.

Engineering Explosives

Engineering explosives are another worthwhile gold-making option in WoW Forever, and one of the most effective approaches is crafting Heavy Dynamite.

You can acquire Heavy Stone from Auction House for approximately 1.8 Gold and then acquire the required amount of Wool Cloth for around 32 Silver, bringing your total investment to roughly 2.17 Gold.

First, turn Heavy Stone into Heavy Blasting Powder. Then combine it with Wool Cloth to craft Heavy Dynamite. Each crafting attempt produces between 1 and 5 explosives, depending on RNG.

Selling the finished explosives should allow you to recover your initial investment and potentially earn around 1 Gold in profit. If you get lucky with bonus crafting results, your returns can be even higher.

Heavy Stone currently sells for around 3 Silver each. However, you can also make gold by crafting Rough Dynamite, even with just 1 Engineering skill point.

A Rough Stone costs approximately 6 Copper on Auction House, while Linen Cloth sells for around 25 Copper. This brings the material cost to roughly 30 Copper per crafting attempt, while the finished product sells for approximately 60 Copper, giving you around 30 Copper in profit each time.

Once you find suitable material costs and selling values, you can keep your Engineering character busy crafting Rough Dynamite, Coarse Dynamite, and Heavy Dynamite. Mass production allows you to generate gold over time.

These methods are time-consuming and generally offer modest returns, which means there is less competition. This makes them suitable for casual players. However, you still need to keep an eye on material costs and market fluctuations on WoW Forever Auction House, as some methods may suddenly become profitable or unprofitable depending on changing market conditions.

In ARC Raiders, every piece of gear you equip matters, but your weapons are the decisive factor in whether you can overcome both ARCs and PvP opponents.

Generally, a weapon's power correlates with its rarity and level, and different weapon types tend to excel in specific combat scenarios.

However, you may have noticed recently that certain weapons, most notably Tempest IV, seem overpowered. Their high pick rate appears to be impacting the overall gameplay experience.

Is this just a case of players being overly invested, or is there some truth to it? Let's take a closer look.

Tempest IV performance analysis

While Tempest isn't a new addition from Frozen Trail update, it has consistently remained one of the top-tier weapons in ARC Raiders. When upgraded to its current maximum level (Level 4), its performance is exceptional.

As an Epic-rarity fully automatic assault rifle, Tempest uses medium-caliber ammo and features a 25-round magazine. It offers a balanced fire rate, solid accuracy, and effective armor penetration against ARCs.

Unlike some other weapons in ARC Raiders that rely solely on raw damage, Tempest's strength lies in its well-rounded performance, specifically its consistent sustained fire, manageable recoil, and reliable damage output.

In the heat of combat, these traits allow you to control your burst or sustained fire, ensuring consistent hits during mid-range engagements, making it relatively easy to handle.

More importantly, Tempest is highly versatile; it doesn't force you to constantly shift your playstyle. Whether you're skirmishing with other players near buildings or taking on ARCs in open terrain, it delivers dependable, steady damage.

Naturally, when a weapon offers the perfect blend of stability, flexibility, and reliable sustained output, it becomes the go-to choice. While other weapons might offer higher raw damage, they often lack the sense of reliability that Tempest provides.

If there is any drawback, it's that Tempest blueprints and Exodus Modules required to craft Tempest can be difficult to obtain, it's best for you to acquire them through ARC Raiders item for sale to unlock the weapon more quickly.

To be fair, the crafting requirements for other high-tier weapons are just as demanding, so this minor drawback of Tempest IV doesn't really stand out.

Player feedback on Tempest IV meta

If you've been playing ARC Raiders lately, or keeping an eye on community discussions, you've likely noticed players pointing out that Tempest IV appears far too frequently in recent matches, often downing opponents in the blink of an eye.

While there may not be hard combat data explicitly proving that a max-level Tempest has caused a meta imbalance, the narrowing range of viable, top-tier weapon options speaks for itself.

In other words, if using other ARC Raiders weapons requires more resources and carries higher risks, yet yields results no better than Tempest IV, you'll naturally find your weapon choices constrained by this prevailing trend.

The problems caused by meta imbalance

When one or a few weapons, like Tempest IV, become overwhelmingly dominant, the first casualty is weapon diversity. This leads to a homogenized gameplay experience, where every match starts to feel the same.

Weapons should differ not just in raw power, but in their unique characteristics, which in turn foster diverse tactics and playstyles. If a single weapon proves effective across too many combat scenarios, the meaningful differences in gear between players begin to vanish.

More importantly, an imbalance in gear, specifically weapons, can significantly impact ARC Raiders economy.

High-tier weapons like ARC Raiders Tempest IV require substantial material investment, both for crafting and repairs. When such a weapon becomes the go-to choice, you're forced to constantly pour resources into it just to remain competitive.

It's also worth noting that Frozen Trail update introduced an Amplified feature, allowing certain weapons, under specific conditions, to break past previous limits and reach Level 5.

Logically, these Amplified weapons should represent the absolute pinnacle of the current meta. The fact that Tempest IV, which didn't receive this upgrade, remains more prominent than them is, in itself, quite telling.

Amplified weapons aren't as popular as expected

Unlocking Amplified weapons in ARC Raiders is, in reality, a rather cumbersome and tedious process. First, you need to upgrade Gunsmith and Research Station in your workshop to level 4.

Then, depending on the rarity of the weapon you wish to upgrade, you must farm the corresponding Amplification Module.

Furthermore, repairing an Amplified weapon requires specific materials known as Amplified Fragments. When upgrading, you are also presented with various Amplifications, each offering different effects, requiring you to make a choice.

This entire process consumes not only materials but also a significant amount of time and effort. However, if you choose to forgo Amplified weapons and instead stick with Tempest 4, or other reliable firearms, from the start, your overall gameplay experience may not necessarily suffer.

Additionally, not all weapons in ARC Raiders currently have an Amplified variant. For instance, out of the five available assault rifles, only three have been included in this initial rollout.

While the selection will likely expand as ARC Raiders continues to develop, in the current state of the game, Amplified weapons are not necessarily a superior choice for players who are already accustomed to using standard, non-Amplified weapons.

Conclusion

The discourse surrounding Tempest 4 certainly warrants the development team's attention; however, the current data is insufficient to conclude that it has caused a fundamental imbalance in the game.

In other words, rather than fixating on whether to nerf or adjust Tempest 4, it is more important to use the issues it has highlighted as an opportunity to re-examine the entire weapon system, particularly the newly introduced Amplified tier.