General News

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.

Blizzard has reduced player populations in several overcrowded zones in World of Warcraft: Forever, with a larger adjustment applied to PvP rulesets. The change is already live, following player feedback about congestion in multiple areas. 

Blizzard also confirmed that it will continue monitoring zone populations and make further adjustments if necessary. For players struggling to complete quests, compete for enemy spawns, or navigate crowded leveling areas, this change could make the early adventure through Azeroth more manageable.

Blizzard Reduces Player Populations in Congested Zones

The population adjustment was included in Blizzard's November 9, 2026, hotfixes for WoW: Forever. According to the official patch notes, the developer lowered the number of players in various zones experiencing significant congestion.

Blizzard also clarified that the adjustment was more substantial on the PvP ruleset after receiving feedback from players who felt that several locations were overcrowded.

The developer's statement confirms three important points:

• Player populations have been reduced in multiple congested zones.
• PvP rulesets received a larger adjustment than other environments.
• Blizzard will continue monitoring the situation and may introduce additional changes.

You can check the details in Blizzard's official WoW: Forever Hotfixes – November 9, 2026.

However, Blizzard has not published specific zone names, numerical population limits, or the exact size of the reduction. Therefore, it is not yet possible to determine precisely how much less crowded each affected location will become.

This is an important distinction: the update confirms a reduction in zone populations, but it does not establish a universal population cap or a complete restructuring of WoW: Forever's server architecture.

Why Crowded Zones Have Become a Problem in WoW: Forever?

WoW: Forever launched on November 4, 2026, introducing a new permanent World of Warcraft experience built around a reimagined Azeroth and a level 1–60 journey.

Rather than relying on the traditional realm-selection system, the game uses different rulesets to organize players according to their preferred experiences. These include Normal, PvP, Roleplay, and Roleplay-PvP, with Hardcore planned for a later release.

This structure makes it easier for players to find communities that match their preferred playstyles. However, concentrated player activity can still create congestion in popular leveling areas.

For example, when many characters arrive in the same questing location, they may compete for limited enemy spawns, interactable objects, or quest objectives. Even when the game provides sufficient enemies, a large number of players pursuing the same tasks can make progression feel slower.

This can be particularly frustrating for players who have limited gaming time and want to complete several quests during a single session.

For those planning their early progression, managing resources such as WoW Forever gold is another consideration. However, the current population adjustment concerns the number of players in crowded zones rather than changes to the game's currency system.

The timing of Blizzard's intervention is also significant. WoW: Forever is still in its early launch period, when many players are progressing through the same starting and leveling content. Population distribution during this stage can have a noticeable impact on the overall experience.

PvP Rulesets Receive a Bigger Population Adjustment

The most notable detail in Blizzard's announcement is that the population reduction was larger on PvP rulesets.

Unlike Normal rulesets, where players can focus on questing and fighting monsters while choosing when to engage in PvP, PvP environments expose players to much greater risks from opposing factions.

This means that overcrowding can create additional challenges beyond simply waiting for enemies to respawn.

Consider a player leveling in a contested area. If too many characters from the opposing faction gather around the same questing location, completing objectives can become difficult. Players may face repeated interruptions, unexpected encounters, and situations where numerical superiority heavily influences the outcome of fights.

Reducing player populations in congested areas could help make these encounters less concentrated.

However, this does not necessarily mean that PvP will become easier. Fewer players in a zone could also reduce the number of spontaneous encounters and large-scale skirmishes.

The actual impact will depend on how Blizzard's adjustments redistribute players across affected areas.

For players who enjoy open-world PvP, the objective should not simply be to eliminate competition. Instead, a healthier population distribution should give both factions more opportunities to participate in meaningful encounters without making ordinary leveling unnecessarily frustrating.

How the Changes Relate to Blizzard's Faction Balance Plans?

Zone population adjustments are not the only population-related changes Blizzard is making to WoW: Forever.

On November 10, Community Manager Kaivax published a separate update explaining the developer's approach to PvP faction balance.

According to the announcement, even the most imbalanced region currently has approximately a 55/45 faction split. Blizzard considers this insufficiently balanced and wants to bring the distribution closer to 50/50.

To achieve that goal, Blizzard has adjusted its character creation system to better account for overall faction balance across each region's PvP rulesets rather than relying on temporary population snapshots.

In the short term, this means that creating characters for the more populated faction will become increasingly difficult in certain regions.

• Source: Blizzard's PvP Faction Balance Updates – November 10.

Kaivax also acknowledged that these restrictions could frustrate players who want to create characters on a particular faction. Nevertheless, Blizzard considers them important for maintaining healthy faction competition, particularly while guilds and rivalries are still developing.

It is worth distinguishing these two initiatives:

• Zone population adjustments: Reduce congestion in specific areas, with a larger change on PvP rulesets.
• Faction character creation adjustments: Make it harder to create characters on the dominant faction to encourage a more balanced Horde and Alliance population.

Both address population-related problems, but they operate in different ways. Neither announcement confirms that every individual zone will have an equal number of Horde and Alliance players.

What the Changes Mean for Leveling and Everyday Gameplay?

For ordinary players, the most immediate potential benefit is a smoother questing experience.

When fewer players occupy particularly congested areas, there may be less competition for enemies and quest objectives. This could make it easier to complete leveling tasks without spending excessive time waiting for available targets.

Players who prefer solo progression may benefit from this, especially in areas where large groups previously made individual questing less convenient.

The adjustment could also improve the experience for players who prefer gathering materials or completing exploration objectives. However, Blizzard has not confirmed any specific improvements to resource availability or gathering rates, so these should be viewed as potential indirect effects rather than guaranteed benefits.

For PvP players, the outcome is less straightforward.

A reduction in zone population may help prevent overwhelming concentrations of players, but it does not automatically resolve faction imbalance. A zone with fewer players can still be dominated by one faction if the population distribution remains uneven.

Similarly, the separate character creation restrictions may gradually influence faction balance, but their effects will depend on how players choose to create characters, join guilds, and settle into their preferred rulesets.

Players searching for WoW Forever gold for sale should also understand that this particular hotfix does not announce any changes to gold acquisition, trading, or the in-game economy. Its focus is on zone populations and the overall playing environment.

Ultimately, the value of these adjustments will become clearer as more players progress beyond the initial leveling stages.

Will Blizzard Make More Population Adjustments?

Blizzard has explicitly stated that it will continue monitoring how zones feel and make further adjustments when necessary.

That commitment suggests the November 9 change is not necessarily the final intervention.

However, the developer has not provided a specific schedule for future population adjustments or confirmed which additional zones might receive attention.

There are several factors worth watching:

1. Questing congestion: Whether players can complete common leveling objectives with less competition.
2. PvP encounters: Whether contested areas offer more manageable and meaningful faction conflicts.
3. Faction distribution: Whether character creation restrictions gradually bring Horde and Alliance populations closer together.
4. Player distribution: Whether congestion moves to other popular zones as characters continue progressing.

The most important consideration is that population management requires ongoing adjustments. A change that works during the initial launch period may need further refinement as players reach higher levels and explore different areas.

For now, Blizzard has taken a clear first step by reducing populations in congested zones, particularly on PvP rulesets. Whether this delivers a noticeably better experience will depend on how effectively the developer responds to population patterns over the coming weeks.

Path of Exile 3.30 Covens of Umbra League has officially buried Scarabs, much to the surprise of many players. After all, the system wasn't particularly bad, and quite a few established farming strategies were built around it.

Nevertheless, Scarabs are being replaced by an entirely new endgame system centered on Threads of Creation. This is one of the biggest shake-ups to Path of Exile's endgame in a long time. Let's take a closer look at how Threads system works, how it affects mapping and currency farming, and how players can make the most of Threads in the new league.

How The New System Works?

In Version 3.30, players can place Threads directly into Map Device to select which league mechanics they want to encounter in their maps.

So far, 10 major mechanics have been revealed, although more may be added later:

• Abyss
• Blight
• Legion
• Breach
• Incursion
• Betrayal
• Bestiary
• Expedition
• Ultimatum
• Ritual

Threads drop from the regular core drop pool. Players can use up to 8 Threads for each mechanic in a map.

Each map can have up to 3 mechanics in total, with additional Thread slots gradually unlocking as players progress through Atlas.

Your selections will persist between maps, and Threads will automatically be pulled from your Stash. This significantly streamlines the mapping process and eliminates much of the tedious inventory management involved in preparing maps.

Threads increase both the difficulty and rewards of monsters associated with the selected mechanic. They also introduce random events, with higher Thread counts increasing the likelihood of triggering additional outcomes from these events.

With just 1 Thread, theoretically, any of the possible random events can occur, but the chances are relatively low. As you add more Threads, up to the maximum of 8, the likelihood of obtaining these outcomes increases.

Although there are diminishing returns, stacking more Threads still improves your chances of getting the best possible outcomes. This makes farming strategies more variable than before.

The official goal is to make Atlas Tree itself provide regular players with effects that were previously available through Scarabs. So, players worried that juicing is dead don't need to be overly pessimistic.

What's more likely is that players will be able to make their maps extremely difficult and rewarding depending on how many Threads they invest. As a result, the strength of your character build will become much more important.

Winners And Losers

Losers

Scarab farmers are undoubtedly the biggest losers. Scarab farming has been one of the most consistent and rewarding strategies for a long time.

However, the problem is that Scarabs required by popular meta strategies have become increasingly expensive, while other Scarabs have lost almost all their value.

Players often end up picking up large quantities of worthless Scarabs and selling them to vendors at a 3:1 ratio, hoping to get lucky and receive a valuable jackpot Scarab in return.

Another group likely to lose out is bulk traders and Scarab sellers. The market roles built around stockpiling Scarabs and earning profits from trading margins will largely disappear.

However, the official announcement did not say that every Scarab would be transferred to Atlas Tree, only that many of them would.

This means some strategies that players enjoy may no longer be available, although we will have to wait for the full Atlas Tree reveal before drawing any conclusions.

Winners

The biggest winners are casual players. Some of the additional mechanics that were previously inaccessible to regular players will now become baseline options through Atlas Tree, allowing everyone to experiment with interesting farming strategies.

They may not necessarily offer the highest returns or the greatest rewards, but being able to try them simply by allocating points on Atlas Tree is a welcome change for casual players.

SSF players are another group that stands to benefit. In the past, running a particular farming strategy in Solo Self-Found could be extremely difficult because obtaining the right Scarabs was often a challenge.

Some rare Scarabs might not even appear throughout an entire league. Threads should make SSF experience considerably smoother.

Overall, the biggest winner is character power. The strongest builds in the game will be able to push Threads to their maximum potential.

The main barrier to making currency will no longer be whether you have enough PoE currency to acquire Scarabs, but whether your character is powerful enough to handle the content.

Economic Impact

The impact of Scarabs on the economy is actually not so bad, because their acquisition costs helped balance the rewards of different mechanics, preventing many farming strategies from becoming too profitable.

When a particular strategy offered exceptionally high returns, Scarabs required to run it became expensive. Players who couldn't afford those Scarabs could instead farm them, find valuable ones, and sell them for currency. It was somewhat like selling shovels during a gold rush.

Normally, at the beginning of a league, very few players trade Scarabs. Even fast players don't start farming them on Day 1 because the efficiency isn't particularly good, and there aren't enough Scarabs circulating in the market yet. This helped slow down the pace of economic inflation in previous leagues.

Now, everyone will have access to Threads through drops at relatively similar rates. One major downside is that as long as their builds are strong enough, everyone can potentially run the same farming strategies.

As a result, the most profitable farms and those offering the best item drops could suffer from severe reward inflation.

The only major balancing tool available to the developers now is difficulty. However, Path of Exile 1 builds can become incredibly powerful, making it difficult to balance every potential farming strategy and its economic impact through difficulty alone.

We still don't know the exact value of Threads. However, based on the official gameplay showcase, their drop rate doesn't appear to be particularly low. That said, if you focus on a single farming strategy, you may still struggle to sustain your Thread supply. We'll have to wait until Covens of Umbra League launches to see how much demand the system creates and whether players can sustain their preferred strategies.

The Frigate has become one of the more frustrating challenges in ARC Raiders, with players reporting that repeated attempts to complete its complex objectives are being undermined by uncooperative teammates, aggressive Raiders, and a lack of support during fights against ARC enemies. Although the encounter is designed around cooperation, getting a random lobby to work together can be just as difficult as surviving the Frigate itself.

A recent complaint shared by Facebook user highlights the problem. After more than 20 unsuccessful attempts, the player is reportedly close to giving up on the encounter altogether. What makes the situation particularly disappointing is that they actually enjoy the Frigate's design. Their frustration comes from the difficulty of finding other players willing to cooperate rather than from the challenge itself.

The discussion raises an important question for the community: Has Frigate become too dependent on random player cooperation, or are Raiders simply approaching the encounter with different priorities?

Why Frigate Is So Difficult to Complete?

Introduced with the October 8, 2026, Frozen Trail 2.0 update, the Frigate is a new map condition that brings a large airborne structure, dangerous ARC enemies, environmental hazards, and a multi-stage objective. It is not simply another location where Raiders can enter, collect loot, and leave.

The encounter requires players to destroy multiple components, navigate the ship, deal with powerful ARC enemies, and coordinate their actions to unlock the cargo. Some objectives require simultaneous interactions, making cooperation particularly important.

According to the community discussion, however, many players seem more interested in grabbing whatever valuable loot they can find before leaving. Others may enter the encounter without understanding the puzzle or having enough resources to contribute to the fight.

This creates a frustrating situation for players who genuinely want to finish the encounter. Even when several Raiders are present, having a crowded lobby does not necessarily mean having a coordinated team.

The problem is especially noticeable when players reach objectives that require multiple people. If enough Raiders refuse to participate, those who remain interested in completing the puzzle may have to spend additional time and ammunition handling the remaining tasks.

Frigate therefore creates a difficult distinction between having enough players in the same location and having enough players working toward the same goal.

Related: How to Complete Frigate in ARC Raiders

Friendly Lobbies Do Not Always Mean Cooperative Gameplay

One of the biggest complaints from the community concerns the behavior of other Raiders, even in supposedly friendly PvE-style lobbies.

The player describes situations where other Raiders turn against them, refuse to help eliminate ARC enemies, or simply ignore teammates who have been knocked down. The lack of defibrillators is another major source of frustration.

This is an important distinction because a friendly encounter does not automatically guarantee teamwork. Players can choose not to initiate PvP, but that does not mean they will actively help strangers complete objectives or share resources.

There is also an important matchmaking detail worth clarifying.

Embark Studios introduced a temporary PvE matchmaking toggle from October 13 to October 20, 2026. However, the official rules explicitly excluded the Frigate map condition from PvE matchmaking. Frigate remained part of the standard PvPvE experience during that test.

Consequently, reports of friendly or PvE-like Frigate lobbies should not be confused with access to the official PvE matchmaking option. Friendly behavior is a player-driven choice, not a guarantee provided by the encounter's matchmaking rules.

This distinction helps explain why even Raiders expecting a relatively peaceful experience can still encounter unexpected hostility.

Defibrillators and Team Support Matter More Than Players Expect

Another issue raised in the discussion is the shortage of Raiders carrying defibrillators.

In a conventional Arc Raiders extraction run, players can often prioritize personal survival, avoid unnecessary fights, and extract with whatever resources they have collected. The Frigate creates a different situation because surviving its multiple stages can require sustained cooperation.

When a player gets knocked down during a fight against ARC enemies, having another Raider nearby with a defibrillator can make a significant difference. Without that support, a team loses another potential contributor, potentially making an already difficult encounter even harder.

The same applies to ammunition, healing supplies, and combat equipment. Players who enter the Frigate expecting others to handle the dangerous ARC encounters may find themselves contributing very little to the overall objective.

For Raiders preparing their next attempt, choosing appropriate Arc Raiders items and bringing enough combat supplies is therefore important. However, even a well-prepared loadout cannot compensate for an entire lobby that refuses to cooperate.

The encounter also creates a difficult risk calculation. Bringing valuable weapons and equipment increases the player's ability to fight ARC enemies, but it also raises the potential loss if another Raider decides to attack.

That uncertainty can discourage players from bringing their best equipment, creating another obstacle to completing the encounter efficiently.

Frigate's Teamwork Problem Is Showing Up Across Reddit

The complaint is not entirely isolated. Several recent Reddit discussions show similar frustrations with how players approach the Frigate.

• Frigate is a waste of time: Players loot a few containers and leave without progressing the puzzle.
• Kitted Raiders trying to complete the Frigate: Players struggle to coordinate the lower-deck objectives and destroy the coils before time runs out.
• Has anyone actually completed the Frigate in Solos: Solo players report running out of ammunition, shields, and time while attempting the objectives.
• Friendly lobbies in squads during Arc Frigate: Players report encountering hostile Raiders despite looking for cooperative runs.

These discussions suggest that the problem extends beyond individual disagreements. Different players enter the same encounter with very different expectations.

Some want to complete the entire Frigate and obtain its final rewards. Others are primarily interested in searching breachable containers, collecting valuable materials, or completing smaller objectives before extracting.

Neither approach necessarily requires malicious behavior. However, when the encounter depends on several players coordinating their actions, conflicting priorities can make successful completion considerably harder.

It is also worth noting that Reddit discussions represent individual experiences rather than a comprehensive picture of the entire player base. Not every lobby is hostile, and some players report successful cooperative runs.

Could Embark Improve the Frigate Experience?

The Frigate's current situation raises questions about whether its cooperative design provides enough incentive for strangers to work together.

One potential improvement would be to make objective progression and individual contributions more transparent. Clearer indicators showing which components still need to be destroyed, which interactions require multiple players, and where additional help is needed could reduce confusion.

Another possibility would be to improve the relationship between participation and rewards. If players have a clearer reason to remain involved in the main objective, they may be less inclined to grab a few containers and immediately leave.

A dedicated PvE option for the Frigate could also appeal to players who want to focus on its environmental challenges without worrying about hostile Raiders.

For now, the official PvE matchmaking test has ended, and Embark has not confirmed that the Frigate will receive a separate PvE queue.

The underlying design challenge is straightforward: Frigate asks strangers to cooperate, but the game does not guarantee that they share the same objectives.

Is the Frigate Still Worth Attempting?

Despite these frustrations, the Frigate remains an interesting addition to ARC Raiders. Its multi-stage puzzle, dangerous ARC encounters, and large-scale environment offer a different experience from ordinary scavenging runs.

The bigger issue is that its difficulty does not come exclusively from the enemies or the puzzle mechanics. A considerable part of the challenge comes from coordinating with people who may have completely different plans.

For players who enjoy cooperative gameplay, that unpredictability can make successful runs particularly rewarding. For others, repeated failed attempts and lost equipment may eventually outweigh the excitement.

Until Embark makes further adjustments, players attempting the Frigate may benefit from entering with a coordinated squad, agreeing on objectives before starting, and avoiding unnecessarily expensive loadouts when relying on random teammates.

Ultimately, the Frigate should challenge Raiders to work together against ARC, not leave them wondering whether the person standing beside them is actually on their side.

What has your experience with ARC Raiders Frigate been like? Have you managed to complete the entire encounter with random teammates, or have uncooperative players made you give up?

COD Modern Warfare 4 Season 1 received a lot of negative feedback following its release. Although Season 1 introduced a fairly substantial amount of content, the multiplayer experience has been plagued by poor gameplay and numerous bugs.

Season 1 has indeed seen several serious glitches across different game modes. While the official team has already worked to fix some of them, the sheer number of issues makes it understandable why players are complaining.

Below are some of the glitches in CoD MW4 Season 1:

• Unlimited XP Glitch
• AFK Battle Pass Token Farming
• Unlimited Counter UAV Glitch
• DMZ Infinite Revive Glitch
• Vendor Duplication Glitch
• Night Vision Goggles Glitch

Unlimited XP Glitch

In Stockpile, whenever players eliminate an opponent, they can collect the dropped Tags and deposit them at a Bank or designated deposit point.

The glitch occurs on Kill Block map, which has no Bank. As a result, when Stockpile is played on this map, players have nowhere to deposit their collected Tags, causing the XP system to behave abnormally.

To trigger this glitch, you need to queue into the relevant playlist and get randomly matched into Stockpile on Kill Block. Alternatively, you can select Stockpile in Quick Play Filter and hope the game assigns you to Kill Block.

During the early stages of a match, relatively few Tags are dropped, so the pace is fairly slow. However, after minutes, the action becomes much more intense. Eliminating an enemy carrying a large number of Tags and collecting all of them at once can reward you with a massive amount of XP.

Obviously, this disrupts the game's economy and progression systems. The official team appears to have removed Kill Block from Grind map pool, suggesting that they may have noticed the XP farming issue. Hopefully, the map will return once the problem has been fixed.

If you want to level up your weapons safely without exploiting glitches, you can buy CoD MW4 Bot Lobbies. You can also complete some camo challenges along the way with it.

AFK Battle Pass Token Farming

On the day MW4 Season 1 Battle Pass launched, players could also farm tokens simply by staying AFK. Strictly speaking, this is not a glitch, but the official team will likely adjust the mechanics to prevent this method from working.

All you need to do is select an Operator you don't particularly care about, equip no Traits, and then enter DMZ Dynamic Operations.

If you also want to farm regular XP and Weapon XP, make sure to enable Squad Fill.

You can still receive XP and Deployment XP when your teammates complete missions or participate in other activities. However, bad teammates (L teammates) might report you for being AFK, so be careful.

If you only care about Battle Pass tokens, it's better to disable Squad Fill, equip a random Loadout, and get ready to start. Token progression is primarily tied to playtime rather than Deployment XP.

You can earn approximately 3.5 tokens per match. Simply stay AFK for around 40 to 45 minutes, then return and start another match.

Unlimited Counter UAV Glitch

One of the most serious multiplayer issues appeared in Drop Zone, where teams discovered a Counter UAV glitch.

Players reported in Modern Warfare 4 community that Counter UAVs in Drop Zone could become indestructible, allowing their interference effects to persist until the match ended.

The first team to obtain a Counter UAV from a Care Package could keep its effect active for the entire match, and Counter UAV could not be shot down. This made the classic Drop Zone mode almost impossible to play normally. The official team may already be aware of the issue, but no fix has been announced yet.

DMZ Infinite Revive Glitch

Another glitch allows you to farm Weapon XP in DMZ. First, make sure your character has Bandages, Painkillers, a Med Kit, and Stims, along with the weapon you want to level up. Then enter Gunsmith and equip the attachments you need.

Next, enter Operation Iron Citadel. It's best to bring a Grenade with you. If you don't have one, you can also let an AI Bot knock you down.

Make sure you do not carry any Self-Revive items. Once you're downed, use your Health to revive yourself. This ensures that you won't return with full health.

Next, open your Inventory and quickly activate your Bandages, Painkillers, Stims, and Med Kit in succession. If performed correctly, your health bar will display an abnormal visual effect, including a yellowish background.

After this, every time you get downed, you can revive yourself using Health without actually consuming it, allowing you to repeat the process indefinitely. However, keep in mind that your character will no longer regenerate health naturally after performing this glitch.

With this glitch, you can farm AI enemies in Iron Citadel. Since CoD MW4 Season 1 update weakened vehicle-based farming methods, a more effective approach is to stand next to an Ammo Cache, continuously replenish your ammunition, and eliminate enemies to keep earning XP.

Vendor Duplication Glitch

In DMZ, you can repeatedly purchase the same item from a Vendor, allowing the item to appear in your Stash while remaining available in the shop.

To do this, hover over the item you want in the Vendor menu and hold the interaction button. Immediately after acquiring the item, exit the shop before it disappears and the transaction is fully processed.

Re-enter the shop to check whether the item is still available, then open your Stash to confirm that you have received it. As long as you have enough funds, you can repeat the process.

Although this glitch was only discovered recently, the official team has historically been quick to fix economy-related exploits like this.

Night Vision Goggles Glitch

First, enter Operation Shopping Hacks mission and head to the tent to collect Night Vision Goggles.

Following a recent update after Season 1, equipping Night Vision Goggles and entering a vehicle will automatically unequip them. However, you can work around this by hovering over the goggles in your Inventory and selecting both "Equip" and "Drop" at the same time.

Once the Night Vision Goggles hit the ground, immediately place them in your backpack. This allows you to retain the green visual noise and night vision effect on your screen even after entering a vehicle.

There are plenty of other glitches in COD Modern Warfare 4, but these are some of the more significant ones affecting gameplay. Although certain exploits can give you an advantage, it's best to avoid using them, as doing so could put your account at risk of being banned.