General News

The items produced by Torchlight Infinite SS12 Lunaria mechanic can greatly boost your character, but they are also the most valuable endgame items this season. New players often don't know how to use them, let alone how to farm them.

This is because Torchlight Infinite, much like Path of Exile, features a dizzying array of mechanics, each yielding different yet highly useful items, leaving newcomers unsure where to begin. So let's set aside the specific mechanics and look at what requirements new players need to meet in Season 12 before they can start endgame farming.

Core Resources

Many new players often ask when they can obtain the universal trading currency, Torchlight Infinite Flame Elementium. Keep in mind that this crucial resource does not drop before Timemark 5. Therefore, your sole objective from Timemark 1 through 4 is to push through as quickly as possible. Even for Timemark 5 and 6, it is advisable to transition quickly; your loot journey truly begins once you reach Timemark 7.

In terms of crafting, there is a key milestone. Upon reaching Timemark 3, you gain access to Tier 4 crafts. You should use this opportunity to craft gear and replace the weak Legendary or ordinary Rare items you acquired during the campaign.

After that, resist the urge to craft further until Timemark 7. Although Tier 2 and Tier 3 items become available at Timemark 5, they require almost the same materials as  Tier 2 items that drop at Timemark 7. To conserve resources, skip directly to Tier 2 gear from Timemark 7.

Boss Rushing

Boss Rushing is one of the most mainstream and recommended strategies for new players, especially when your character is at Timemark 7 (T7). In Path of Exile terms, a T7 map is roughly equivalent to a yellow map, with very limited loot drops.

You cannot rely on the season mechanic for high-efficiency farming at this stage, because T7 drops are far below those of Profound difficulty. Therefore, the main goal at this stage is to move beyond T7 as quickly as possible, unless you truly don't mind farming bosses repeatedly.

The primary rewards from boss rushing come from two sources. The first is Nether Realm Essence, a material used to reroll maps and add extra affixes. Every time you open a rerolled map, it consumes some of the essence from your inventory. In Season 12, Nether Realm Essence is extremely valuable (its worth fluctuates wildly between seasons; last season it was very easy to acquire).

The second source is the bosses' exclusive drops, including Precise Gems and boss-exclusive uniques. The value of most unique items declines as the season progresses, except for catch-up uniques. If you are not in a hurry, pushing later means your overall resource burden will be lighter.

How to Improve Your Character?

Increasing your character's damage in Torchlight Infinite is not solely about gear. Similar to Path of Exile, you must also consider your passive skill tree, support skills, and more. In fact, Torchlight Infinite is even more complex in this regard.

Hero Memories

Ensure you have the correct Hero Memories equipped. For the vast majority of builds, you need one of Strength, Dexterity, or Intelligence, depending on your skill's primary attribute. Aim for Memories that grant increased life, energy shield, or other defensive stats, or directly boost damage. By leveling up Memories, they gain an extra affix at level 20, and at level 30 they grant +1 to your Hero Trait level. You can use Memory Reconstruction feature to randomly reroll the affixes on a Memory.

Equipment

On your gear, especially weapons, prioritize Tier 2 affixes as much as possible. They provide a significant damage increase over lower-tier affixes. At the same time, make sure your equipment has ample Energy.

Each support gem you activate reserves Energy. You can use the gear enhancement feature to consume Energy Cores to randomly increase your maximum Energy. The more Energy you have, the more support gems you can socket into your skills for a high-end setup.

Rings

Be sure to distinguish between regular Rings and Spirit Rings. Spirit Rings have an implicit Minion Damage modifier and roll minion-related affixes. If your build does not revolve around Minions, do not use Spirit Rings under any circumstances.

Legendary Equipment

You can look for Legendary items on Auction House that provide a huge boost to your build for a very reasonable amount of Flame Elementium. Early on, target items that ask for no more than 5–10 Flame Elementium each. If you are unsure which Legendary items suit your build, browse the in-game Collection tab to check their drop sources.

Skills

Support Skills

Support gems only take effect when linked to your main skill, so carefully review your skill links to ensure each support gem provides a meaningful benefit to your main skill. If unsure, use a training dummy to test damage changes.

Auras

After entering maps, you should gradually replace the auras you used during the campaign with powerful auras that reserve 50% mana. Using support gems like Restrain can reduce aura reservation, allowing you to run two or even more auras at the same time. Support gems such as Aura Amplification can further enhance aura effects.

Slates

In endgame, you will need to equip a Slate of your chosen attribute, but early on you don't need to chase perfection. Use Auction House search function, set your Gods, then search for keywords like Additional to find Slates with damage-boosting affixes suitable for your build that require only a small amount of Flame Elementium.

How to Choose a Build?

When you plan to transition from your campaign build to a farming build but are unsure what gear and talents to pick, you can check Hero Rankings to see the gear and talent choices of top players at various points early in the season. This provides an invaluable reference.

If you follow all the steps above, clearing Timemark 7 shouldn't be difficult. However, as difficulty increases, your build may not handle Timemark 8 perfectly, and it may be more efficient to stick to T7 farming.

The major Monopoly Go event dominating most of this week is Aladdin Racers. Since it concludes on Sunday, you still have time to push hard and earn more of the associated tokens!

The primary sources for the flag tokens, which are essential for the Racers event, are the banner events and tournaments. While new tournaments pop up more frequently than banner events, the latter typically offer more substantial rewards per instance.

With that in mind, we're here to introduce Golden Lucks, a Banner Event running throughout the weekend, to ensure you don't miss out on this final opportunity to grab some flag tokens.

Golden Lucks event duration

This banner event kicks off on April 24 at 10:00 AM PT and runs until April 26 at 1:00 PM PT, spanning a total of 2 days and 3 hours.

It is worth noting that two new tournaments will also launch during this period. At the same time, you'll need to utilize the flag tokens you earn to make timely progress in Aladdin Racers competition. Therefore, be sure to manage your game schedule efficiently and strategically!

How to complete this event?

Rewards for all daily events are tied to specific milestones. Consequently, your objective is simply to earn points to unlock higher-tier milestones and claim the corresponding rewards.

To earn these points, you must first roll the dice and advance across the board based on the number rolled. Ultimately, whether that move counts toward the event depends on the specific type of tile you land on.

The specific tiles that trigger points usually vary with each banner event, but they generally fall into three categories: corner tiles, special tiles, or tiles featuring specific pickups.

For Golden Lucks event, the relevant tiles belong to the third category: pickups. This means that if you land on a tile featuring a specific pickup icon, in this case, a bowl of soup, you will earn points toward the event!

However, to keep the game engaging and balanced, the layout of the pickups on the board will reshuffle every time you successfully collect points. As a result, you may need to adjust your dice-rolling strategy on the fly.

In practice, this dice strategy primarily revolves around your use of the multiplier feature. When you have a plentiful supply of dice, you can choose to increase your multiplier to advance further across the board in a single turn, thereby increasing your chances of landing on a pickup and earning points.

Conversely, if luck isn't on your side and you keep rolling low numbers, using a high multiplier might actually be wasteful, as you could end up expending many dice without landing on any point-scoring tiles.

Therefore, on one hand, avoid arbitrarily increasing the multiplier when you are low on dice; on the other hand, if you notice any changes in the distribution of pickups, be sure to lower it immediately.

All Golden Luck rewards

This round of event rewards comprises 62 items. Besides flag tokens, these rewards include dice, sticker packs, and various flash event triggers, each serving a distinct purpose. Their correspondence to milestone levels is as follows:

Milestone 1-10

• Milestone 1: 5 Points; 60 Flag Tokens
• Milestone 2: 10 Points; 25 Free Dice Rolls
• Milestone 3: 15 Points; Cash Reward
• Milestone 4: 30 Points; 1x Green Sticker Pack
• Milestone 5: 50 Points; 50 Free Dice Rolls
• Milestone 6: 35 Points; 80 Flag Tokens
• Milestone 7: 35 Points; 1x Green Sticker Pack
• Milestone 8: 45 Points; 40 Free Dice Rolls
• Milestone 9: 55 Points; 80 Flag Tokens
• Milestone 10: 170 Points; 150 Free Dice Rolls

Milestone 11-20

• Milestone 11: 50 Points; Cash Boost, 10 Minutes
• Milestone 12: 50 Points; 50 Free Dice Rolls
• Milestone 13: 75 Points; 100 Flag Tokens
• Milestone 14: 100 Points; 1x Yellow Sticker Pack
• Milestone 15: 450 Points; 375 Free Dice Rolls
• Milestone 16: 75 Points; 200 Flag Tokens
• Milestone 17: 75 Points; 70 Free Dice Rolls
• Milestone 18: 100 Points; Builder's Bash, 15 Minutes
• Milestone 19: 100 Points; Cash Reward
• Milestone 20: 725 Points; 575 Free Dice Rolls

Milestone 21-30

• Milestone 21: 100 Points; 200 Flag Tokens
• Milestone 22: 125 Points; 95 Free Dice Rolls
• Milestone 23: 125 Points; Cash Reward
• Milestone 24: 125 Points; 220 Flag Tokens
• Milestone 25: 1,225 Points; 925 Free Dice Rolls
• Milestone 26: 150 Points; 1x Pink Sticker Pack
• Milestone 27: 175 Points; 220 Flag Tokens
• Milestone 28: 150 Points; Cash Reward
• Milestone 29: 800 Points; 575 Free Dice Rolls
• Milestone 30: 200 Points; 220 Flag Tokens

Milestone 31-40

• Milestone 31: 200 Points; Cash Reward
• Milestone 32: 225 Points; 150 Free Dice Rolls
• Milestone 33: 175 Points; Cash Boost, 10 Minutes
• Milestone 34: 250 Points; Cash Reward
• Milestone 35: 1,600 Points; 1,100 Free Dice Rolls
• Milestone 36: 275 Points; 240 Flag Tokens
• Milestone 37: 300 Points; 200 Free Dice Rolls
• Milestone 38: 500 Points; Cash Reward
• Milestone 39: 1,425 Points; 925 Free Dice Rolls
• Milestone 40: 350 Points; Cash Reward

Milestone 41-50

• Milestone 41: 375 Points; 240 Flag Tokens
• Milestone 42: 400 Points; Cash Reward
• Milestone 43: 2,400 Points; 1,400 Free Dice Rolls
• Milestone 44: 375 Points; Wheel Boost, 15 Minutes
• Milestone 45: 475 Points; 250 Flag Tokens
• Milestone 46: 625 Points; 350 Free Dice Rolls
• Milestone 47: 525 Points; Cash Reward
• Milestone 48: 3,200 Points; 1,650 Free Dice Rolls
• Milestone 49: 600 Points; 250 Flag Tokens
• Milestone 50: 550 Points; Mega Heist, 40 Minutes

Milestones 51-60

• Milestone 51: 700 Points; Cash Reward
• Milestone 52: 1,925 Points; 800 Free Dice Rolls
• Milestone 53: 750 Points; 270 Flag Tokens
• Milestone 54: 875 Points; 500 Free Dice Rolls
• Milestone 55: 1,000 Points; Cash Reward
• Milestone 56: 4,800 Points; 2,200 Free Dice Rolls
• Milestone 57: 550 Points; Cash Boost, 15 Minutes
• Milestone 58: 850 Points; 375 Free Dice Rolls
• Milestone 59: 1,025 Points; Cash Reward
• Milestone 60: 1,475 Points; 625 Free Dice Rolls

Milestones 61-62

• Milestone 61: 1,600 Points; Cash Rewards
• Milestone 62: 10,675 Points; 5,000 Free Dice Rolls

While stickers are crucial in Monopoly Go, the odds of obtaining rare stickers through green, yellow, or pink sticker packs are extremely low.

Therefore, the best strategy for utilizing Golden Lucks to acquire rare stickers is to maximize your progress in Aladdin Racers event using flag tokens. Aim to secure the 1st place reward, which includes purple & blue sticker pack, and an additional Enchanted Storybook!

We hope this Golden Lucks guide helps you successfully complete your Monopoly Go journey this week! Good luck!

Premier League The EA FC 26 TOTS Week 2 squad is set to arrive on Friday, with this week's selections drawn mainly from Premier League, Barclays WSL and EFL Combined. Premier League is unquestionably the centrepiece, as it's packed with players that many fans adore.

It's precisely that huge enthusiasm for Premier League that causes its cards to carry a noticeable premium. So, let's take a look at the leaked players for Week 2.

TOTS Week 2 Player Leaks

Leaks for TOTS Week 2 surfaced very early. Unsurprisingly, Premier League's Bruno Fernandes tops the billing, boasting four extremely strong Playstyles+. Once he's officially in packs, he's expected to comfortably clear the 2 million FC 26 coins mark within three days.

Another card that comes with four Playstyles+ is 97 OVR Khadija Shaw from the Barclays WSL. While her card will still command a high volume of FC 26 coins, it's projected to deliver far better value for your coins than Bruno Fernandes. Let's dive into the full list of leaked players.

Premier League

97 OVR Bruno Fernandes, CAM

• Long Ball Pass+
• Incisive Pass+
• Tiki Taka+
• Finesse Shot+

96 OVR Erling Haaland, ST

• Low Driven Shot+
• Quick Step+
• Finesse Shot+

96 OVR Gabriel, CB

• Bruiser+
• Anticipate+
• Jockey+

95 OVR Donnarumma, GK

• Long Ball Pass+
• Deflector+
• Cross Claimer+

96 OVR Declan Rice, CDM

• Pinged Pass+
• Incisive Pass+
• Anticipate+

95 OVR Virgil van Dijk, CB

• Intercept+
• Bruiser+
• Slide Tackle+

95 OVR William Saliba, CB

• Jockey+
• Intercept+
• Bruiser+

94 OVR Antoine Semenyo, LW

• Technical+
• Quick Step+
• Finesse Shot+

94 OVR Dominik Szoboszlai, CAM

• Intercept+
• Pinged Pass+
• Power Shot+

93 OVR Hugo Ekitiké, ST

• Low Driven Shot+
• Finesse Shot+
• Incisive Pass+

93 OVR Timber, RB

• Bruiser+
• Quick Step+
• Intercept+

93 OVR Marc Cucurella, LB

• Tiki Taka+
• Intercept+
• Jockey+

93 OVR Enzo Fernández, CM

• Incisive Pass+
• Pinged Pass+
• Technical+

93 OVR Rayan Cherki, RW

• Finesse Shot+
• First Touch+
• Technical+

93 OVR David Raya, GK

• Long Ball Pass+
• Footwork+
• Cross Claimer+

92 OVR Bruno Guimarães, CM

• Inventive+
• Bruiser+
• Tiki Taka+

92 OVR Igor Thiago, ST

• First Touch+
• Finesse Shot+
• Low Driven Shot+

92 OVR João Pedro, ST

• Low Driven Shot+
• Rapid+
• Incisive Pass+

91 OVR Xhaka, CDM

• Long Ball Pass+
• Incisive Pass+
• Bruiser+

91 OVR Reece James, RB

• Jockey+
• Bruiser+
• Whipped Pass+

90 OVR Lewis Hall, LB

• Quick Step+
• Anticipate+
• Long Ball Pass+

90 OVR James Garner, CDM

• Tiki Taka+
• Pinged Pass+
• Intercept+

Barclays WSL

97 OVR Khadija Shaw, ST

• Finesse Shot+
• Enforcer+
• Low Driven Shot+
• Power Shot+

96 OVR Mariona, C.M.

• Tiki Taka+
• Technical+
• Finesse Shot+

96 OVR Kerstin Casparij, RB

• Quick Step+
• Bruiser+
• Anticipate+

95 OVR Maya Le Tissier, CB

• Intercept+
• Quick Step+
• Anticipate+

95 OVR Alyssa Thompson, LM

• Finesse Shot+
• Technical+
• Quick Step+

94 OVR Yui Hasegawa, CDM

• Tiki Taka+
• Intercept+
• Press Proven+

94 OVR Jess Park, CAM

• Tiki Taka+
• Rapid+
• Technical+

93 OVR Tōko Koga, CB

• Jockey+
• Intercept+
• Block+

92 OVR Vivianne Miedema, CAM

• Low Driven Shot+
• Press Proven+
• Technical+

92 OVR Hannah Hampton, G.K.

• Deflector+
• Rush Out+
• Long Ball Pass+

92 OVR Katie McCabe, LB

• Rapid+
• Bruiser+
• Whipped Pass+

91 OVR Aoba Fujino, RM

• Low Driven Shot+
• Rapid+
• First Touch+

91 OVR Freya Godfrey, RM

• Low Driven Shot+
• Press Proven+
• Technical+

90 OVR Olivia Holdt, CAM

• Gamechanger+
• Finesse Shot+
• Low Driven Shot+

EFL Combined

96 OVR Hayden Hackney, CDM

• Intercept+
• Rapid+
• First Touch+

95 OVR Aaron Drinan, ST

• Low Driven Shot+
• Power Shot+
• Finesse Shot+

95 OVR Léo Scienza, LW

• Finesse Shot+
• Incisive Pass+
• Rapid+

94 OVR Ryan Wintle, CDM

• Tiki Taka+
• Jockey+
• Press Proven+

94 OVR Adam Reach, LB

• Intercept+
• Whipped Pass+
• Quick Step+

94 OVR Matt Grimes, CDM

• Long Ball Pass+
• Jockey+
• Technical+

93 OVR Haji Wright, ST

• Low Driven Shot+
• Rapid+
• Precision Header+

93 OVR Omar Sowunmi, CB

• Aerial Fortress+
• Bruiser+
• Slide Tackle+

93 OVR Rushworth, GK

• Deflector+
• Long Ball Pass+
• Footwork+

92 OVR Tristan Crama, RB

• Bruiser+
• Block+
• Anticipate+

92 OVR Caleb Taylor, CB

• Intercept+
• Block+
• Aerial Fortress+

91 OVR Sammy Braybrooke, CDM

• Intercept+
• Tiki Taka+
• First Touch+

91 OVR O'Shea, CB

• Intercept+
• Bruiser+
• Pinged Pass+

90 OVR Reyes Cleary, ST

• Trickster+
• Finesse Shot+
• Quick Step+

This Premier League TOTS selection feels a bit odd. For instance, a player like Hugo Ekitiké has not put in the performances to justify such a rating. On top of that, a large number of Arsenal and Chelsea players (clubs that didn't have particularly convincing seasons) have made the cut, meaning far fewer Manchester City players were included. The official picks have clearly left players scratching their heads.

How to Earn Coins?

For players working with a limited coin stack, the simplest profit point comes from fodder rotation. Right now, Weekend League rewards are flooding the market, which has driven the going rate for 85- to 86-rated common gold cards down sharply - 86 OVR cards have even dropped to 700 coins apiece. You can snap these up now and offload them after SBC refresh on Wednesday evening, targeting a profit of over 500 coins per card, essentially a near-100% return on the coins you had tied up.

Premier League content will definitely whip the market into even more of a frenzy, and the new season pass is performing well too. Now is the moment to think carefully about how you want to put your coins to use.

Whether you prefer completing programs or focusing on mastering the core gameplay mechanics, MLB The Show 26 Diamond Dynasty is an essential, must-play mode.

This core mode is actually composed of several distinct game modes, and many of the rewards found in the various programs are directly tied to them.

However, the rules for these different modes often vary; unless you are specifically prioritizing a program, you likely won't have enough time to actively progress through every single one simultaneously.

To help you get the most out of Diamond Dynasty, this guide will focus on how to play Mini Seasons and explain why this particular mode offers even greater value in MLB The Show 26.

What are Mini Seasons?

As a major component of Diamond Dynasty, which also features modes like Team Affinity, Conquest, and Ranked Seasons, Mini Seasons is just one of the many ways to play.

First and foremost, Mini Seasons is an offline mode. It is divided into distinct seasons based on specific themes; each standard season consists of a full 28-game regular season schedule, though you also have the option to choose a faster-paced Sprint season, which lasts only 7 games.

Building upon this seasonal structure, you also have the freedom to choose the format for individual games, either a 3-inning or 9-inning matchup, and then earn MLB 26 stubs or other rewards based on your performance.

If your goal is to complete a full Mini Season run as quickly as possible, the 7-game Sprint format is certainly the more suitable choice.

However, to ensure you secure a top-four seed (and thus a spot in the playoffs), it is best to opt for the 28-game format and aim for at least 14 victories.

The subsequent playoffs consist of a maximum of six games, played as a best-of-five series; winning two such series will earn you the championship title and its associated rewards.

If you wish to reach the playoffs faster and avoid playing through the remainder of the regular season once your spot is secured, you can simply quit or quickly lose your remaining games after reaching 14 to 16 wins. Doing so will not negatively impact your overall record or progress.

Why prioritize Mini Seasons?

As a primary source for earning stubs, every mode within Diamond Dynasty theoretically offers value worth exploring. However, at least in MLB The Show 26, Mini Seasons strikes the perfect balance between fun, profitability, and accessibility!

Before we dive into the specific reasons why, there is one additional feature worth mentioning: the newly optimized PXP system.

This mechanism applies across the entire Diamond Dynasty mode: as you use specific player cards in games and complete various designated actions, those cards accumulate PXP to advance their Parallel levels, ultimately resulting in attribute boosts.

Building upon this foundation, MLB 26 introduces a new Parallel Mod feature. Once you reach a specific Parallel level and complete the associated missions, you can equip custom attribute mods to further enhance your players.

Separately, Mini Seasons mode itself has been updated to feature more flexible seasonal mechanics, ensuring that you can level up or farm stubs, the in-game currency, much faster than in other game modes.

More specifically, you can now toggle between 7/28-game seasons, as well as 3/9-inning games. This allows you to take full control of the game's pace and set your own schedule, rather than having to adjust your own routine to fit the game's demands.

When combined, opting for the more compact pace of Mini Seasons allows you to earn PXP at an accelerated rate, thereby leveling up your players and unlocking mods much faster.

Also Read: MLB The Show 26 Starting Pitcher Tier List | From S-Tier Must-Have aces to F-Tier cards you should avoid

In short, Mini Seasons provides a fast-paced, highly flexible format for earning PXP; by pairing this with the use of mods to enhance your players, you can indirectly and progressively boost your overall rewards.

Most importantly, as an offline mode, Mini Seasons is inherently less difficult than online play. When combined with its fast-paced style, utilizing this mode is generally a much more relaxed experience than engaging with most other MLB 26 gameplay modes.

Furthermore, as we previously touched upon in our discussion of Programs, many Program missions are specifically designed to be completed within Mini Seasons environment.

Therefore, you can seamlessly combine these elements to earn both Mini Seasons rewards and Program XP simultaneously, ultimately netting you a massive haul of rewards!

Which Mini Season should you choose?

Currently, Mini Seasons available in MLB 26 include two new themed seasons, World Baseball Classic (WBC) and New Threads, as well as the classic mode.

Comparatively, WBC Mini Season is the superior choice; completing a full run in this mode requires approximately six games, whereas the other two modes require at least ten games, resulting in a much slower pace.

For every full run you complete in WBC Mini Season, you will receive a specific number of Ballin' is a Habit packs, the quantity of which depends on your accumulated score, up to a maximum of three packs per run.

Additionally, by accumulating a specific total of extra-base hits, you can earn up to five bonus Show packs. If you manage to reach a cumulative total of 200 hits, you will also unlock an additional Deluxe Pack.

Finally, once you've played through the finals and claimed the championship, the system will grant you an additional bonus: a pack containing 10 card packs.

In other words, for every complete run of WBC Mini Season that ends in a championship victory, you stand to earn a total of 19 card packs, along with various other minor rewards that require no further explanation. Best of all, this entire process takes only about 40 to 60 minutes!

So, if you're an MLB 26 player with limited playtime, or simply someone who prefers to take it easy, Mini Seasons is absolutely the perfect game mode for you! Stop wasting your time in other modes!

The developers recently announced the release date for WoW TBC Classic Anniversary Phase 2. It will officially launch on May 14th, and everything - from the raid schedule to raid composition and even loot distribution - will be drastically different from Phase 1.

Whether you are a hardcore or casual player, it is essential to understand what Phase 2 brings and how the pacing will change.

The Impact of Phase 1 Being Delayed

The developers had clearly promised that TBC Classic would follow a significantly accelerated timeline, and there were even rumors that the final phase would arrive in winter 2026. This almost frenetic pace means that the time players have to enjoy raids and collect BIS gear will be severely compressed.

Most players originally expected Phase 2 to start in late April or early May, but the developers pushed it back to May 14th, extending Phase 1's duration to roughly 12 weeks. Although this is still 3 weeks shorter than 2021 Classic TBC era, losing those 3 weeks directly means three fewer chances to obtain highly sought-after items like Bloodmaw Magus Blade and Dragonspine Trophy .

Moreover, this will inevitably shorten the phases that follow. If we set aside Phase 1, the remaining four phases would each be squeezed into roughly two and a half months. The developers might even take a more drastic approach - for example, heavily compressing the duration of Zul'Aman while allocating more time to Black Temple and Sunwell Plateau. For players, this means less room for error, less time farming gear and earning WoW TBC Classic Anniversary gold. Your gear planning needs to start right now.

Harder Raids

Phase 2 raids are noticeably more complex and feature many more mechanics to learn. They will pull players back into the kind of lengthy progression rhythm from the original days - you may face four- or five-hour progression nights, constant wipes, complicated trash-clearing routines, and boss encounters with a real sense of pressure.

This is a stark contrast to the relaxed Phase 1 experience of clearing Karazhan in two hours. It is still unclear whether Phase 2 raids will be nerfed (considering the length of Phase 1 and players' gear situation, it is very likely), but in any case, the demands on raid leaders and team coordination will increase significantly.

Therefore, for teams that are underprepared, have an imbalanced composition, or suffer from a loot distribution system falling apart, Phase 2 may lead to many players quitting. No one wants to be stuck before the first boss for an entire week.

DPS Becomes Much More Important

Phase 1 was a version with virtually no DPS checks. Whether it was Gruul or Magtheridon, you could even take ten DPS and slowly wear the boss down.

In Phase 2, however, even in a nerfed Serpentshrine Cavern and Tempest Keep, bosses like Lady Vashj and Kael'thas Sunstrider have strict DPS requirements. If the raid's overall damage per second doesn't meet the threshold, all that awaits you is a wipe.

This means you can no longer field compositions like Phase 1, where you could stack eight healers and cram in five warriors and five rogues. Phase 2 will force you to reduce the number of healers and assemble a more optimized, balanced roster.

Although the developers may release the raids after nerfing them, Phase 1 wasn't very long, which left many players without optimal gear, so Phase 2 raids will still be a challenge for the majority of players.

Melee DPS Dilemma

A considerable number of players in WoW TBC Classic Anniversary have rolled Warrior and Rogue, and both classes will face difficulty finding raid spots in Phase 2. In fact, even in Phase 1, rogues already struggled to get into raids.

Although Phase 2 greatly needs DPS, the situation for melee DPS hasn't improved - in fact, it has become even tougher. Over half of the raid spots are taken by tanks, healers, warlock tanks, and ranged DPS, leaving limited room for melee. Even more critically, melee classes heavily rely on support from utility classes within the raid.

Take warriors for example: without buffs from a Feral Druid, Enhancement Shaman, or even a Hunter, their damage plummets drastically. It is precisely this dependency on other classes that puts many raid leaders in a dilemma. They must either painfully reduce the number of melee spots, benching teammates who have invested so much effort, or squeeze the caster group - but doing so would make encounters like Lady Vashj, Kael'thas, and Al'ar exceptionally difficult.

Shortage of Support Classes

In theory, the best way to solve the melee dilemma is to add more Shadow Priests, Balance Druids, Elemental Shamans, Feral Druids, and Enhancement Shamans to the raid. The reality, however, is that very few players want to play these classes. Warriors are regarded as the class with the best feel and most satisfying gameplay in TBC; many are even considering rerolling a warrior for Phase 2, and rogue numbers remain stubbornly high. In contrast, support classes that provide buffs to the team but offer a mediocre personal gameplay experience have always lacked interest.

Many guild managements have tried various incentives to persuade members to switch to support roles, but few have responded. If this class preference doesn't change, a large number of melee players in Phase 2 will find themselves in the embarrassing situation of having gear but no raid spot.

Attunement

Before entering Serpentshrine Cavern and Tempest Keep, you need to clear heroic dungeons like The Arcatraz and Shattered Halls, and also defeat Nightbane and Magtheridon. While this attunement process is not tied to Phase 2 itself, it will seriously affect your Phase 2 experience.

If you put everything off until the final week before the new phase launches, you'll likely be forced into endless suffering with nightmarish pick-up groups, or worse, because of messed-up quest steps, find yourself locked out on raid opening day, watching your team enter while you can do nothing about it. This could render the character you painstakingly built almost useless.

Phase 2 timeline is now set, and the information above represents the challenges you may face in this upcoming phase. You can prepare in advance - for instance, by addressing gear and attunement - and beyond that, it all depends on how you and your team handle the test that lies ahead.

Players, there is less than a week left until the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Season 3 Reloaded. According to official leaks, while a full roadmap hasn't been released yet, we can still glean details revealing a wealth of brand-new game modes.

All modes are scheduled to launch simultaneously on April 30th, a departure from Season 2, where content was released in staggered waves. Let's take a closer look at the new content coming in CoD: BO7 Season 3 Reloaded!

Endgame

Free to Play

Players will be able to play Endgame for free for a limited time. This is great news for both new and veteran players, as it offers everyone a chance to experience this squad-based PvE cooperative mode. Encounters and boss battles can be replayed as often as you like.

Operation Broken Mirror

In the narrative of Operation Broken Mirror, players return to Avalon to undertake a series of missions focused on gathering Diagnostic Data against Guild, ultimately leading to the discovery of a new Glitch Fracture. With two Glitch Fractures already appearing this season, the pace of the storyline is clearly accelerating.

A key feature of this gameplay is its high difficulty right from the start. Unlike Act 1, which began in Zone 1, Act 2 requires players to execute missions in Zone 3 or higher right from the very first step.

There is also a new boss battle mechanic introduced here. Players must defeat Virus Injection Glitch Boss while simultaneously completing two other objectives: eliminating Guild Strike Boss and taking down Mega Abomination. Once you defeat Mega Abomination, it will drop an Exotic Weapon Case.

By defeating Virus Injection Glitch Boss using Vermaak, Zaveri, and Jurado respectively, you will earn a unique Aftershock Operator Skin for each of those characters.

If you collect all three skins, you will unlock Neon Gallows Animated Weapon Camo. If you only manage to acquire one of the skins, don't worry - you can still unlock Braincase Weapon Camo.

Additionally, there are other enticing rewards up for grabs, such as Weapon Blueprints, Emblems, XP, Restore Tokens, and Loading Screens.

Multiplayer Mode

Free Run

As soon as this update goes live, players will be able to jump into this brand-new mode. The launch map is currently named Ascent, where 10 players will compete against each other in a race. Future zones will incorporate Grappling Hook and Wingsuit mechanics, putting players' comprehensive movement skills to the ultimate test.

Regardless of your race ranking, simply completing the full course three times will earn you an Emblem and 1,000 XP. If you collect all Ciphers within the map, you will earn Upswing Weapon Charm. Complete the task within 14 minutes with fewer than 10 errors, and you will be rewarded with Innovate Universal Weapon Camo.

Additionally, there are separate challenge events available that offer two more unique camos as rewards.

Heat Wave Havoc

This is a brand-new limited-time mode. Players must continuously raise their Heat Level through team support actions to unlock additional abilities. There are five levels in total. The mode features a Mosh Pit playlist comprising Team Deathmatch, Kill Confirmed, Domination, and Hardpoint game types.

Freeze Tag

A 6v6 respawn-enabled mode. Players who are eliminated enter a frozen state - encased in shatterable ice blocks - rendering them immobile until a teammate shoots the ice to free them.

If one team manages to freeze all 6 opposing players simultaneously, a Total Freeze event is triggered; all frozen players are instantly thawed, preventing the match from ending immediately. Of course, you can first familiarize yourself with 6v6 map layout in CoD Black Ops 7 Bot Lobbies to ensure a smoother game process.

This mode, perfectly suited for a winter theme, is scheduled to go live slightly later in the season.

Zombies

The new map, Totenreich, makes its debut in this update. Furthermore, we believe the new weapon introduced in this update - Jotunn Star - is sure to become a fan favorite, as it is truly awesome. It is capable of unleashing a five-hit combo that discharges devastating spectral energy.

Complete the main storyline quest to earn Richtofen character skin as a reward.

Weapons & Attachments

Attention players: Banshii is finally making a powerful return in this update! You can acquire it through upcoming special events. Since it requires predictive shooting, it excels in close-to-medium range combat. Plus, its high damage output is guaranteed to help you rack up those killstreaks.

There are also several enticing new attachments to look forward to:

• MK.78 Lightframe PDW Conversion: Enhances the rifle's mobility.
• Fabricator Mag: Automatically generates ammunition; exclusive to Carbon 57 SMG.
• Warden 308 Badlands Pistol Kit: Exclusive to Warden 308 marksman rifle; improves handling.
• Apex Sweeper Rig: Specifically for Ryden 45K; converts the weapon into a semi-automatic firing mode.

RoboCop Crossover

As a final little surprise, this update also features a crossover collaboration with RoboCop, based on the original 1987 film.

The premium reward track offers three RoboCop character skins, Weapon Blueprints, and other exclusive items. The free tier, meanwhile, grants Greasy Punk Operator Skin and Siren weapon.

Additionally, Terry Crews, a highly requested fan favorite, will join the roster as a playable Operator, finally fulfilling everyone's expectations.

And that wraps up the update highlights for CoD BO7 Season 3 Reloaded. Let's look forward to April 30th!

The full scope of Diablo 4 Season of Reckoning and Lord of Hatred expansion has finally been revealed following an official livestream. It brings a wave of transformative changes: the developers have introduced a Tempering mechanic for Mythic and Unique items, and The Pit has been completely reworked.

The team shared a wealth of new details never before disclosed - a revamped item system, an overhauled difficulty structure, and QoL improvements - all of which have players more excited than ever. Let's dive into the specifics.

Global Launch Times

The detailed release schedule for Season 13 was announced during the livestream, and the good news is that it's arriving earlier than many of us expected. Players in Americas can even start their new journey on April 27. If you want to jump in the moment servers go live, the 3.0.0 patch is already available for pre-load.

Detailed launch times:

• US Pacific (PDT): 4:00 PM
• US Mountain (MDT): 5:00 PM
• US Central (CDT): 6:00 PM
• US Eastern (EDT): 7:00 PM
• United Kingdom (BST): 12:00 AM (April 28)
• Germany (CEST): 1:00 AM (April 28)
• Istanbul (TRT): 2:00 AM (April 28)
• Beijing (CST): 7:00 AM (April 28)
• Japan (JST): 8:00 AM (April 28)
• Australia Eastern (AEST): 9:00 AM (April 28)

Item System

Horadric Cube

The item system as a whole is also getting a massive overhaul. Even at the highest difficulty, you will still see Rare and Magic items drop. These lower-quality items can now roll Greater Affixes and reach maximum Item Power. To support this, a Loot Filter will be provided to prevent too much junk from cluttering your screen.

Combined with Horadric Cube's multiple functions - such as Upgrade to Legendary and Imprint Aspect - you now have a real chance to find an exceptional Magic item and, through crafting, turn it into a Legendary with top-tier affixes.

Using Horadric Cube, you can do something even crazier with Unique items: break one down to craft a Unique Charm. This frees up a slot so you can equip another Unique item.

Unique Items

Unique items are seeing a massive change. Their inherent unique powers remain, but now the affixes on Unique items will roll completely randomly. You might end up with bonuses like Cold Damage, Life on Kill, or Critical Strike Damage.

You might think this makes it harder to land a Best-in-Slot piece, but the good news is that Unique and Mythic items can now be Tempered. This means that even if you don't find a piece with perfect Affixes, you can at least use Tempering to add the affix you need.

Inventory and Rune

Improvements In terms of inventory space, all items can now stack up to 1,000 each. You'll never again see your stash overflow with boss summoning materials. Runes have also been streamlined - useless runes have been completely removed, leaving only the good ones, and they can now fit neatly into your inventory.

On top of that, Horadric Cube gains new Rune Crafting recipes. You can throw in several Legendary, Magic, or other quality items to precisely craft that one rune you've been missing.

Map Quality of Life

This update also introduces a Map Overlay and a Pathfinder feature. You can customize Map Overlay's opacity, color, and more.

You can also activate Pathfinder in the settings. Once you place a pin on the map, the game generates a dotted path beneath your character leading to that point, so you won't have to constantly reopen the map.

The Pit Rework

The Pit's tier system remains unchanged, still ranging from 1 to 150; what's changing is its internal layout. Right now, when you enter The Pit, you encounter the first and second floors, and sometimes you run into dead ends - which is incredibly annoying. Going forward, The Pit will have five floors, and the developers say dead ends should be a thing of the past.

The boss arena has also been removed. Now you'll have to fight your way through The Pit, and once the progress bar is full, the boss will spawn right where you stand. The boss is randomly drawn from the boss pool of The Tower, and some frustrating boss mechanics have been removed.

Even better, death penalties are gone - dying and resurrecting no longer deduct time or penalize your upgrade progress. The Pit rework isn't huge, but the quality-of-life improvements are fantastic.

Season of Reckoning Season Rank

Season of Reckoning doesn't introduce a traditional seasonal mechanic; instead, it offers 100 Season Rank objectives - 100 in total. These objectives can all be completed naturally through regular gameplay.

Season Rank track will award up to Skill Points, Paragon Points, and Resplendent Sparks, plus a mountain of rewards like pets, mount trophies, crests, titles, a special title laurel, and masterworking materials. With so much to chase, this might explain why there isn't a standalone new activity this season.

Torment Difficulty

Expansion The next update also adds 8 new Torment Tiers, bringing the total to 12. Torment Tier 12 is equivalent to roughly Pit tier 100 in difficulty, so you'll need a very powerful character. The tiers below correspond to Pit 60, 70, and so on, letting you progress step by step.

As difficulty increases, your rewards become more generous, including more Ancestral Unique items. As for Torment Tier 12, don't worry about the challenge - the expansion brings many new items that provide massive damage increases, and your character's power will receive a genuine, substantial boost.

Druid and Necromancer Changes

Druid and Necromancer players are also in for some great news. Druids can now actively choose which form a skill uses directly in the skill tree. When you use a skill, you can decide whether to cast it as a Bear, a Human, or a Werewolf. You no longer need specific gear to make Earth skills become Bear skills - that setting now lives right in the skill tree.

And Necromancers finally get a Command Skill. You can now order your Skeletal Warriors to attack a specific target. Once you drag them onto your skill bar, they will be automatically summoned. You can actively command them, and choose which type of skeletal warrior you want through the skill tree. Their functionality has also been refined, making the play experience feel very different from before.

The content coming with Lord of Hatred goes far beyond what players expected. While it's a bit of a shame that Season of Reckoning doesn't come with a full-fledged theme mechanic, given all the skill tree reworks and systemic changes, we players certainly have plenty to keep us busy. Now let's wait for the expansion to go live.

Recently, the most intriguing development in ARC Raiders has likely been the changes to Expedition mechanics, specifically, the revised method for unlocking permanent skill point rewards.

While the key factor determining your character's strength is often their gear, skills serve as the foundational framework for character building; in fact, crafting certain items requires the prior unlocking of specific skills.

Consequently, beyond simply acquiring more skill points, optimizing your skill tree is an essential step toward enhancing your overall ARC Raiders experience. But the critical question remains: Is the current skill tree system adequate as it stands?

Interestingly, one of ARC Raiders producers recently addressed this very issue during a blog interview. We will summarize the key points of that interview and explore what changes the skill tree might undergo in the future.

ARC Raiders skill tree overview

In ARC Raiders, each character's skill tree system is divided into three distinct branches: Conditioning, Mobility, and Survival. These branches are color-coded green, yellow, and red, respectively.

As their names suggest, each branch governs a specific aspect of your character's capabilities. The game does not strictly mandate that you invest in any particular branch, though a common strategy is to focus more heavily on one specific path.

For every level your character gains in-game, you earn one skill point to unlock abilities, up to a maximum of 76 points.

However, these points are reset at the conclusion of an expedition. The only points that remain unaffected, persisting across Expeditions, are the permanent skill points earned through Expedition-specific rewards.

Nevertheless, regardless of your current stage of progression, if you are dissatisfied with your current skill tree configuration, you can reset it by using 2,000 coins.

Currently, there is no option to reset just a single branch; therefore, you should exercise caution and forethought when making your initial skill choices.

Why should the skill tree be optimized?

As you are aware, ARC Raiders is a PvPvE game. Put it more simply: during a single raid session, you must simultaneously contend with hostile ARC enemies and other rival players.

Due to the inherent differences in mechanics, the tactical requirements for PvP and PvE combat differ slightly.

In certain MMORPGs that feature both elements, yet keep them functionally distinct, you might be able to swap between specialized builds as needed; however, the very nature of ARC Raiders makes such on-the-fly switching extremely difficult.

Furthermore, skill progression in ARC Raiders is linear and incremental, rather than allowing for jump-ahead unlocking.

If a specific skill you desire is located at the very end of a particular branch, you are required to unlock all the prerequisite skills leading up to it before you can finally acquire it.

Additionally, the distribution of skills within the tree is not categorized based on a PvP vs. PvE distinction; instead, placement is primarily determined by a skill's overall potency, with the most powerful abilities typically situated closer to the end of the branch.

Some skills are better suited for PvP players, while others cater more to PvE players. Consequently, this sometimes creates a situation where, in order to unlock a specific node you truly desire, you are forced to acquire prerequisite skills that are currently irrelevant to your actual gameplay experience.

In summary, ARC Raiders' current skill tree is not well-aligned with the game's inherent PvPvE nature; it exists in a somewhat disjointed state and fails to adequately meet the needs of players who choose to specialize in a single area.

How should it change?

In a blog interview, the producers stated that while the game's skills initially functioned according to their intended design, their actual performance during player gameplay did not unfold exactly as the development team had originally envisioned.

Therefore, to optimize the system, the first step should be to conduct a theoretical re-evaluation based on how players actually interact with the game, and subsequently make informed decisions regarding adjustments to specific systems or progression loops.

More specifically, the mechanics of the skill tree require clearer differentiation, moving beyond mere skill designs that involve only minor numerical tweaks, though such designs certainly have their own merits.

In contrast, skill tree modifications that grant entirely new abilities, or enable players to execute maneuvers that were previously impossible, are far more critical and urgently needed.

However, it must be acknowledged that this presents a genuinely thorny challenge for ARC Raiders development team, as the difficulties and requirements involved in balancing PvE and PvP modes differ significantly.

Given this context, the simplest and most viable approach, one that draws upon established industry practices, is to adopt a dual-standard operational model: establishing two distinct skill tree systems that apply separately to PvE and PvP.

This approach would provide players specializing in different modes with much greater flexibility and scope when customizing their skill trees. Conversely, if you prefer a hybrid playstyle, you could simply build and utilize a single, integrated skill tree.

Ultimately, the core function of ARC Raiders skill tree in the future should be to facilitate the enhancement of your character's various capabilities, allowing you to define your own unique combat style while effectively accommodating the distinct demands of both game modes.

Taking this a step further, the skill tree should also form more effective synergies with specific gear, such as mods, guns, or grenades, rather than existing merely as an isolated, foundational system.

Other potential strategy

The points outlined above reflect the views and opinions shared by the producers during the interview; however, we also have a few ideas of our own regarding potential solutions for optimizing the skill tree.

Assuming no major overhaul is made to the existing layout of skill nodes within the branches, we propose a system where, based on skill point requirements and combined with other new unlock conditions, players are permitted to progress through the skill tree in a non-linear, jump-ahead fashion.

For players who prefer PvE gameplay and tend to avoid PvP encounters, the game could introduce specific alternative unlock requirements for certain high-tier skills.

This would enable them to unlock these advanced abilities efficiently, thereby empowering them to defeat more ARC units during raids.

For instance, a player could bypass prerequisite skills and unlock a specific ability directly by expending the necessary skill points in addition to fulfilling a specific PvE objective, such as eliminating a designated type or quantity of enemies within a particular map or event.

For even higher-tier skills, the system could require players to meet additional specific criteria while also expending a greater number of skill points.

However, the total point needs should not exceed the cumulative requirements previously needed to unlock all the prerequisite skills in the standard progression path.

Of course, this remains merely a conceptual proposal on our part. Whether such a system is feasible, and what the final optimized implementation might look like, ultimately depends on the official response and final decisions made by the developers.

We hope you found the content of this discussion interesting. Thank you for reading.

Beyond these still-uncertain potential changes to the skill tree, what matters most to you right now is the upcoming Riven Tides update and Expedition 3 window, both arriving in just four days.

To ensure you can level up your character and secure your rewards as quickly as possible when the update drops, the safest and most reliable strategy is to buy ARC Raiders blueprints from IGGM right now!

We offer a wide range of fast and convenient blueprint trading options, allowing you to craft all the gear you need to take on your enemies and achieve victory with greater ease!

In the current Monopoly Go Ever After Album, we find ourselves immersed in a whimsical fairytale world filled with childlike wonder. Each fairytale narrative captivates Tycoons among us. Fittingly, this season's Tycoon Express adopts a Fairytale theme as well, whisking players away toward a trove of generous rewards.

Building upon the foundation of Tycoon Express, Fairytale Express introduces players to a brand-new ranking system and a unique method for earning rewards. Typically, the rewards you receive are determined by Class (or level) of your train car. In other words, the higher your car's Class, the more bountiful your rewards will be.

Now, let's take a closer look at exactly how Fairytale Express works!

How ​​Fairytale Express Works?

Just like the previous Pawprint Express event, Fairytale Express requires you to participate in in-game tournaments to earn Express Coins. This is because Fairytale Express exclusively accepts this specific currency. To ensure you accumulate enough Express Coins to facilitate your progress through the event, it is highly advisable to aim for the highest possible rankings in your tournaments.

If you don't earn enough Express Coins in a single day to upgrade your Cabin, don't worry - your progress accumulates! You can simply wait until the next day to earn the remaining balance needed. As long as your ranking on the leaderboard remains above the designated threshold displayed on the interface, you will be eligible for an upgrade.

By the way, while ranking is certainly important, finishing within the top 10 is generally considered an excellent result. Once you've reached that tier, you might want to conserve your Dice rolls and save them for future gameplay opportunities.

As you gradually upgrade your Cabin within Fairytale Express, the event will bestow upon you an increasing array of rewards. These typically include Emojis, Shields, Tokens, and Dice rolls. Furthermore, and this is a key point - your Cabin upgrades will also have a direct impact on the rewards you receive from standard tournaments. This means that your tournament prizes will become even more enticing!

Additionally, players should take note that even if you achieved an outstanding performance in the previous Car event, that progress will not carry over. 

Carriage Classes

Your train consists of a total of ten distinct carriage classes. Rest assured: once you have successfully upgraded to a higher Class, you cannot be demoted back to a lower one during the current season. Your journey of progression through the ranks should therefore be relatively stress free. As mentioned earlier, the higher your Class, the more attractive and valuable the rewards you receive will be. Let's take a look at the specific tiers and requirements:

• Tycoon Class: 5 Express Coins
• Premier Class: 20 Express Coins
• Deluxe Class: 40 Express Coins
• Elite Class: 65 Express Coins
• Supreme Class: 100 Express Coins
• Monopoly Class I: 140 Express Coins
• Monopoly Class II: 180 Express Coins
• Monopoly Class III: 220 Express Coins
• Monopoly Class IV: 260 Express Coins
• Monopoly Class V: 310 Express Coins

Set Monopoly Class V as your ultimate goal! With generous rewards on offer, believe in yourself - it's not as difficult to achieve as you might think.

How do you earn Express Coins?

If your Net Worth level in Monopoly GO meets the threshold required to participate in Fairytale Express event, you can start earning plenty of Express Coins.

Tournaments

Participating in tournaments is not only the best way to earn Express Coins, but it is also the only way. Don't worry that having just one method to earn Express Coins might mean you won't get enough. First, each tournament typically lasts 1 to 2 days; given their continuous nature, you can earn rewards through tournaments every single day. Second, as your tournament ranking improves - and since Express Coins accumulate over time - your total Express Coin count will only continue to grow.

Of course, if you want to achieve an ideal ranking, you'll need to employ some more efficient strategies.

Bank Heists

Bank Heists should be your primary choice for earning points. A single Successful Bank Heist can net you as many as 8 points. And what about at a 1000x multiplier? That's 8,000 points! This can help you effortlessly rocket to the top of the leaderboard. You can save this strategy for a final sprint during the closing stages of the event.

Other actions also yield substantial points. A Successful Shutdown earns you 4 points, a Blocked Shutdown earns 2 points, while landing on Bankrupt or a Failed Heist spot can still earn you 6 points.

Getting Placed in Easier Groups

To avoid running into players with vastly superior strength during tournaments, we can leverage the game's grouping logic to try and get placed into a relatively easier competitive group.

You can delay your entry into the tournament by intentionally waiting about 8 hours before rolling the dice. Once you do join, immediately check the leaderboard to see where you stand. If the top-ranked player in your group has a score of no more than 4,000 points, it means you've landed in the right bracket. Save up your dice and unleash them in a massive roll-off during the final moments of the competition - go all in for the win. This strategy is often enough to secure victory.

Maximizing Dice Efficiency

First and foremost, there is an optimal timing - based on probability - for rolling your dice. You should set your multiplier to its maximum level when you are positioned close to a Railroad space. Generally speaking, the ideal distance is 6, 7, or 8 spaces away.

Seasonal Resets

Fairytale Express journey will come to an end alongside the conclusion of the current album. Each time the event returns, it will feature an entirely new track layout. Furthermore, since each of us invests a different amount of effort and dedication, the final destination where we disembark will vary from player to player. This particular Fairytale theme adds an even more whimsical and magical flair to this core game mechanic.

So, cherish your journey aboard Fairytale Express; you still have ample time to upgrade your Cabin. We are also looking forward to seeing Monopoly GO introduce more cars and themes in the future, allowing players to unlock new Monopoly GO stickers and experience a wider variety of unique journeys.

Good luck during Fairytale Express!

Have you been holding off on stepping into the batter's box for MLB The Show 26 because the near seventy-dollar commitment feels a bit steep? If you're a Switch owner, there's some welcome news headed your way.

MLB The Show 26 is currently available at a reduced rate on Switch platform and, more importantly, is hosting a roughly week-long free trial period. Every ounce of progress you make during this trial is carried over to the full experience. So how does it actually hold up on Nintendo's hardware, and is it worth clearing space on your microSD card to give it a swing?

Free Trial Dates

The digital version of MLB The Show 26 is featured in a limited-time promotion. Those who secure the game for their library right now will benefit from a 25% reduction off the standard listing. If you happen to be a Nintendo Switch Online member, you can take the diamond for a test run before deciding whether to commit.

The free trial will run from 10:00 AM PT on April 23 to 11:59 PM PT on April 29 (1:00 PM ET on April 23 to 2:59 AM ET on April 30). Note that the promotion will end before the free trial closes, so please don't miss it.

Storage Footprint

The store listing for MLB The Show 26 suggests you'll need 28 GB of free space. However, once the base installation is complete and the latest update is applied, the actual footprint on your system settles in at a leaner 24.7 GB. That figure is even a hair smaller than last year's MLB The Show 25 (which took up 25.5 GB).

Core Modes

World Baseball Classic

Plenty of players have reported feeling a bit lost trying to locate World Baseball Classic mode on the main menu. Take note: it doesn't have its own standalone tile. You'll find it tucked away inside Diamond Dynasty.

Here's the path:

• Enter Diamond Dynasty.
• Complete the setup of your custom squad, uniform creation, and initial player card collection.
• Navigate to Play menu.
• Look under Single Player modes for Mini Seasons. That is where WBC experience lives.

One important quirk to keep in mind: When you opt into WBC tournament, the game will slot your created team into one of the real-world groups (A, B, C, or D). This effectively replaces one of the actual national teams in that pool. Make sure you're comfortable with this arrangement so you don't accidentally overwrite a club you'd rather keep in the mix.

March to October

The dedicated March to October mode has been retired in MLB 26. The development team has folded its signature key moment mechanics directly into Franchise mode instead. While managing your ballclub over a full season, you aren't just limited to playing complete nine-inning contests. You can now use Custom Entry feature to set the leverage of the situation and which inning you want to jump into.

The simulation engine will intelligently bypass the dull blowouts and drop you right into the high-stakes pressure cooker - runners in scoring position, late-game ties, you name it. Of course, if you'd rather manage every pitch of every frame, Full Game option remains readily available.

Daily Lineup

Daily Lineup feature syncs directly with the actual, real-world MLB starting rosters and schedule for that day. If you want to run a simulation or take the sticks with the exact arms and bats taking the field that afternoon, you can jump right into today's authentic matchup.

New Additions to the Toolbox

Challenge Calls

The real-world MLB Challenge Calls system makes its debut. You can contest a call on a ball/strike or a close play on the bases. Crucial Strategy Note: You only get two challenges per contest. Blow them early on ticky-tack pitches and you'll be kicking yourself in the ninth inning when a blown call at the plate costs you the game.

Pitcher Pressure Mechanic

In high-leverage moments (bases loaded, final outs of a tight game), your hurler will enter a state of heightened tension. When this kicks in, you can activate a slow-motion targeting aid to help you paint the corners more precisely. This isn't a bottomless resource; it must be built up through strong performance.

Pitching Control Wheel

Tapping a designated button while on the mound now brings up a new Wheel Menu, granting quick access to:

• Batter Analyst
• Substitution
• Bullpen: Manage warm-up pitches without diving through clunky submenus.
• Mound Visits
• Player Card: Check current batter-pitcher matchup stats on the fly.

PitchCom Audio Cues

The game integrates the actual PitchCom system used in the big leagues, where the catcher relays signs electronically. If you prefer silence or find the audio cues distracting, you can disable the catcher's voice by navigating to: Settings > User Settings > Audio > Pitching Delivery Audio (PitchCom) Toggle this to Visual Only or Off.

Performance on Switch

MLB The Show 26 runs on both the original Switch hardware and Switch 2. It's worth noting there isn't a bespoke, native version crafted exclusively for the newer console; Switch 2 runs the title via backward compatibility. The gap between the two experiences isn't night and day, though Switch 2 does pull ahead thanks to its extra horsepower.

MLB 26 targets 720p resolution on Switch. Compared to the experience on Switch 2, loading speeds are slightly slower on the older model, but still within acceptable limits. Regardless of the model, the core mechanics of hitting and throwing remain smooth and don't affect the core gameplay experience.

The most obvious shortcoming on the launch-model Switch is a visible frame rate dip during transitional animations - cutscenes of a batter walking to the box or a celebration after a big strikeout. This is an ongoing limitation tied to the original hardware's memory bandwidth and is par for the course with this series on the aging platform.

If you're playing on Switch 2, the game benefits from increased memory headroom and can run at 1080p when docked. More importantly, those pesky frame drops during cutscenes smooth out significantly.

When stacked up against MLB The Show 25, there isn't a massive graphical leap on the older Switch hardware. The differences you'll notice are rooted almost entirely in the new gameplay mechanics and updated rulebook rather than a visual makeover.

Should You Step In on an Older Switch?

MLB The Show 26 provides series fans with the core gameplay and rich modes they've been waiting for. The subtle adjustments haven't disrupted the game's smooth feel, and the new content brings a fresh experience. However, it's undeniable that the game's visuals have stagnated since its 2022 release on Switch.

While Switch 2 offers a smoother frame rate experience, it doesn't mask the disappointment of not having a native version developed for the new console. If you're only looking to update the player roster and experience the new Black League storyline, don't miss this discount.