Diablo IV's new endgame event intended for level 100 characters is right around the corner, and will offer a powerful new Glyph as a reward.

In a recent Campfire Chat livestream, Blizzard detailed what all is around the corner for its popular ARPG, detailing the new seasonal Abattoir of Zir event coming as part of Season 2, as well as sharing more information about the game's upcoming holiday event, Midwinter Blight.

Abattoir of Zir kicks off on December 5 and will be playable through early January, Blizzard said. Only accessible by max level seasonal characters on World Tier IV, the event will see players battling against the forces of evil in a race against the clock. Players will have 10 minutes to defeat a required amount of enemies before challenging the event's most formidable foes. That doesn't sound too different from how the game's Nightmare dungeons work, but there is a key difference: a level-one Abattoir of Zir portal will be even more challenging than a Tier 100 Nightmare Dungeon. There will be 25 different levels of difficulty for Abattoir of Zir for players to overcome, giving min-maxing players a significant challenge to pursue. Dying even once during a Zir run will mean the run is over, and will require players to craft and open up a new portal and try again.

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For more than a decade, Call of Duty players have raised concerns with the series' skill-based matchmaking system. Call of Duty's matchmaking system tries to match players together with similar statistics dependent on their kills, deaths, and assists. Sometimes, this system does not work as intended and places vastly varying skills together with games becoming lopsided.

Earlier today, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3's team was quoted about the game's skill-based matchmaking. The team reiterated that it has placed the utmost care, time, and energy into the matchmaking and lobby system through a few different avenues. "[Skill-based matchmaking] involves people working at our Call of Duty studios, our backend services teams at Demonware, and other groups like our Player Insights team."

Outside of KDR (Kills/Death Ratio), the team said it also takes into account additional factors such as latency and search time to "find the best matchmaking experience" for players.

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A new patch is out now for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, and the biggest takeaway is that the update removes the "evil Groot" skin from the game temporarily. Players have, for months, complained that this skin, which is officially titled Gaia but has been referred to as "evil Groot" due to its resemblance to the tree-based Marvel character, was hard to see. Thus, using the Gaia skin gave players using it an advantage on the battlefield, many said.

The Gaia and Gaia BlackCell operator skins are now removed. Developers are now updating the Gaia skin to "improve the visibility," Activision said. There is no word on when Gaia may return, however.

The Gaia skin has been removed temporarily

Gaia debuted with 2022's Modern Warfare II and already underwent a round of adjustments to improve visibility. Now that's happening again after Modern Warfare III players complained.

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Call of Duty: Warzone is getting full integration with Modern Warfare 3 at the arrival of Season 1 on December 6. The big update includes the battle royale's new Urzikstan map, but the seasonal blog post announced that DMZ will remain playable without any new content or progression. Here's everything you need to know about the future of Warzone's extraction mode.

Warzone's free-to-play DMZ extraction mode will remain available to access through the Warzone section of CoD HQ app. DMZ will continue to be fully playable across all existing maps, including Al Mazrah, Ashika Island, the Koschei Complex, Building 21, and Vondel. Additionally, all existing missions will continue to be available.

According to Call of Duty's announcement, DMZ won't be directly connected to Warzone or Modern Warfare 3, meaning that progression and any new MW3 or Warzone content, including battle pass or store bundles, will not sync or carry back into DMZ. This also means DMZ isn't included in Warzone or Modern Warfare 3's cross-progression and DMZ progress will not earn any new battle pass progression beginning with Season 1.

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Pokemon Mega Blok sets are on sale at Amazon and Target. Amazon is matching Target's offers, which are only available today (November 30), so you'll have to be quick if you want to pick up these cool building kits focused on iconic Pokemon. If you're unfamiliar with Mega Bloks, it's a brick-building brand in the same vein as Lego. There aren't any Pokemon Lego sets, so if you want an officially licensed option, Mega Bloks is the answer.

Please note that many of Amazon's deals require you to click a coupon box below the price to get the full discount. Meanwhile, Target's offers require a free Target Circle membership.

Pokemon Mega Bloks deals at Amazon

• Gyarados (2,186 pieces) -- $98 ($172)
• Forest Pokemon Center (648 pieces) -- $42 ($80)
• Butterfree (582 pieces) -- $31.84 ($65)
• Lapras (527 pieces) -- $25.89 ($55)
• Charizard (11-inch, 1,664 pieces) -- $92.34 ($140)
• Charizard (4-inch, 220 pieces) -- $7.55 ($22)
• Kanto Region Team (130 pieces)-- $14.69 ($22)
• Dragonite (387 pieces) -- $13.29 ($33)
• Bulbasaur's Forest Fun (82 pieces) -- $4.89 ($11)
• Countryside Windmill (240 pieces) -- $7.83 ($33)
• Piplup and Sneasel's Snow Day (183 pieces) -- $6.27 ($22)
• Pikachu (205 pieces) -- $11.12 ($22)

See all deals at Target

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Activision has revealed the next store bundles in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III and Warzone, and there's a lot coming. Coming to Call of Duty in the Season 1 update include a scary version of Santa, characters from the Dune universe, and more heroes from Amazon's TV show The Boys.

The Santa Gnaws bundle comes with a spooky version of the holiday hero who dons a red cap but has massive muscles and looks like he's been through some stuff. The bundle comes with two weapons, a sticker, a charm, and an animated emblem.

Santa Gnaws comes to Call of Duty.

The Dune Part Two bundle adds Paul Atreides and Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, roles played by Timothee Chalamet and Austin Butler in the upcoming Dune: Part II. The movie was originally supposed to debut in November before it was delayed to 2024. A previous Dune DLC bundle came to Call of Duty earlier in November.

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Anime isn't just Japan's finest export; it's also the source material for several excellent video games. Over at Fanatical, you can experience some of the biggest anime video game adaptations of the last few years, as the Bandai Namco Collection contains several games from the Naruto, One Piece, and Tales series. With this promotion, you can get three games for $10, four games for $13.30, or five games for $16.50.

Fanatical Bandai Namco CollectionOne Piece World Seeker See on Fanatical

• One Piece World Seeker (Steam Deck Verified)
• One Piece Pirate Warriors 3 (Steam Deck Playable)
• One Piece Burning Blood (Steam Deck Verified)
• Tales of Symphonia (Steam Deck Verified)
• Tales of Zestiria (Steam Deck Playable)
• Tales of Berseria
• Dragon Ball Xenoverse (Steam Deck Playable)
• Sword Art Online: Lost Song (Steam Deck Playable)
• Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution
• Naruto : Ultimate Ninja Storm (Steam Deck Playable)
• Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 (Steam Deck Verified)
• Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 Full Burst HD (Steam Deck Playable)
• Little Nightmares (Steam Deck Verified)

For One Piece fans, there are three games to choose from. One Piece World Seeker is a 2019 open-world game starring Monkey D. Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hat Pirates as they explore Prison Island and tangle with new Devil Fruit-wielding enemies, while One Piece Burning Blood is a fast-paced fighting game featuring dozens of characters. For something a little different, One Piece Pirate Warriors 3 is a one-versus-too-damn-many Musou game set around the Dressrosa arc and its primary antagonist Donquixote Doflamingo.

Naruto fans can grab some of the best fighting games in the series, as the Ultimate Ninja Storm series is included in this sale. All of the games have eye-popping cinematic visuals from developer CyberConnect2, and by the time you reach the storyline of Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution, the roster has over 100 ninjas to use in battle. Looking for some RPG fun instead? The Tales games are part of a long-running series of JRPGs, and they all have universal themes of emotional storytelling, well-developed characters, and hours of fierce gameplay.

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It's beginning to look a lot like the holidays, and that means a winter-themed event is coming to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III and Warzone through the Season 1 update that launches on December 6. Activision has announced a new playlist called Santa's Slayground, and it sounds incredible.

As part of the CODMAS: Santa's Slayground limited-time event, which releases mid-season, players will be able to take part in themed challenges. Additionally, holiday-themed maps, including Shipmas and Hangover, are coming to the game. More details are coming soon.

In Warzone, "Zombie Santa" appears and players must work together to take him down. Players can also go hunting for zombie deer, open presents under special holiday trees on the map, and take part in themed challenges and events, which pay out special rewards. Additionally, Santa will ride the train on the new Urzikstan map and will hand out presents if you're well behaved. "Those who choose to be naughty, on the other hand, will be met with heavy resistance," Activision said.

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After critical success, memes, and Game Of The Year award considerations, Baldur's Gate 3's Update 5--which is called a "final goodbye" by the developer--has been released. Larian Studios has explained a few of the biggest changes to the game, including a few new ways to play through the adventure.

The update centers around new epilogue content, which according to Larian will let players "meet new friends and old, taking all the time they need to say their final goodbyes to the party." The new story beats take every player choice made throughout the game into account, and it includes over 3,500 lines of dialogue throughout the epilogue content.

A look at the new Honour Mode on the main menu.

The patch also introduces two new ways to play Baldur's Gate 3: Honour Mode and Custom Mode. Custom Mode is, as one might guess, a fully adaptable mode where players can choose how they wish to proceed through the adventure. Options available in Custom Mode include the ability to hide on-screen required rolls and HP stats--which more closely resembles the tabletop experience--as well as short rests which fully heal the party, disabling perception checks, and more.

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Absurd Ventures, the multimedia studio founded by former GTA boss Dan Houser, has announced two new intellectual properties. American Caper is family-centered crime drama and A Better Paradise is a thriller set in the near future.

American Caper centers on two ordinary American families in a world of crime and corruption, perhaps more Coen Brothers than The Godfather. It will debut as a graphic novel, with art from Simon Bisley, a storied artist who has worked on Lobo and ABC Warriors.

Details on A Better Paradise are a little scarcer. Set in the not-too-distant future, the IP is an "existential suspense thriller." Presumably some horror or sci-fi or horror-sci-fi schnanigans are afoot. A Better Paradise will debut as a 12-episode audio series, co-produced by Q-CODE media.

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Call of Duty is gearing up for the first full season of Modern Warfare 3, which includes the game's integration with Warzone. The December 6 update brings the new Urzikstan map, holiday LTM, and new features to the battle royale.

A new season of Call of Duty means a new battle pass to level up. The Season 1 pass for Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone includes a new battle pass to level up and unlock more weapons, operators, and cosmetics. The season's new operators are Nolan and Dokkaebi, and there will be five free new weapons and nine aftermarket parts to unlock.

Additionally, the $30 premium BlackCell pass returns, which includes the new Abolisher operator, extra tier skips, alternate BlackCell-exclusive skins earned throughout the pass, and more. New shop bundles were announced for The Boys, Dune, and Santa. Players can also expect new daily, prestige, and seasonal challenges.

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The first full season of Modern Warfare 3 arrives on December 6. The latest Call of Duty blog post reveals exactly what players can expect for Season 1 of multiplayer and Zombies. The big update includes the first set of brand-new multiplayer maps, and Zombies gets a new story act and another Warlord fortress to defeat.

As to be expected with a new season of Call of Duty, the first season of Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone will include a new battle pass to level up and unlock more weapons and cosmetics. The season's new operators are Nolan and Dokkaebi. Season 1 brings five free new weapons and nine aftermarket parts to unlock.

Additionally, the $30 premium BlackCell pass returns, which includes the new Abolisher operator, extra tier skips, alternate BlackCell-exclusive skins earned throughout the pass, and more.

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The final installment of Kill Code--an Apex Legends animated web series--was released earlier this week, revealing that an army of Revenant clones are currently on the loose. But it seems that Kill Code's story hasn't quite come to an end, as developer Respawn Entertainment just announced a new in-game event that expounds on the aftermath of Kill Code's explosive final episode and also features loads of new content for players to enjoy, including a never-before-seen 30v30 limited-time mode, a mysterious playable "cinematic event," and a Prestige Skin for Loba.

Starting on December 5, the Uprising Collection Event will go live, featuring a new set of 24 premium cosmetic items. Players who unlock them all will gain access to Loba's new Apex Lycanthrope Prestige Skin. But the Uprising Collection Event is unlike any Collection Event that has come before it--the event trailer states that players who join the event during the first hour it's live will gain access to "a cinematic experience that introduces [them] to the final battle of Kill Code--the one [they’re] about to take part in." It's not entirely clear what this means, but one thing is obvious: Apex's legends aren't playing a game anymore--they're going to war.

That war will take place via the new Revenant Uprising LTM, a 30v30 mode that allows players to choose a side in the battle. Players can choose to fight for the good guys and play as one of the game's legends, or join Revenant and the army of clones he set loose in the final episode of Kill Code. Players on the legend squad will fight to survive and make it to the Evac Point, while players in Revenant's Army will be tasked with doing everything they can to make sure the legends don't make it out alive. Revenant's Army will be led by a player-controlled Red-Eyed Revenant, who will spawn with high-tier loot. Though the legend squad may have the upper hand at first, any squads that are wiped will respawn as members of Revenant's Army, making it easy for the remaining legends to become outnumbered and overwhelmed.

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Those who purchase more-expensive editions of Diablo IV's Vessel of Hatred expansion may be granted additional stash tabs and even early access to new Legendary aspects, Unique items, and major game features, according to a recently leaked survey.

The news comes via YouTuber Bellular, best known for covering Blizzard's World of Warcraft but who also makes videos related to other Blizzard titles and video games in general. In a video titled "Blizzard's Latest Survey Is VERY Concerning," Bellular discloses he was sent a leaked survey related to the pricing of Diablo IV's first expansion and the features more expensive versions of the expansion might theoretically grant access to.

According to the survey, Vessel of Hatred could be sold for $50, $70, $80, or $100, with each different price point potentially granting players access to various in-game items and other bells-and-whistles. Some versions listed include the base version of Diablo IV. Others don't.

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While Mortal Kombat 1 players have seen some of Quan Chi's capabilities in the campaign mode, the evil sorcerer confirmed for the Kombat Pass has yet to be fully shown off. That will change this weekend, as MK series creator Ed Boon has confirmed that the Quan Chi reveal trailer is on its way.

Boon tweeted a brief clip of Quan Chi clashing with Shang Tsung after the character-select screen, which is the first look at him outside of the campaign. Shang Tsung remarks that he wished the alliance between him and Quan Chi "would be more…deadly"--an obvious reference to Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance on PS2--and Quan Chi simply laughs.

CCXP in Brazil should be fun.#MortalKombat1 pic.twitter.com/p9cy5oVHHF

— Ed Boon (@noobde) November 30, 2023

Boon captioned the video "CCXP should be fun," which implies the trailer will debut at the upcoming CCXP convention in Sao Paulo, Brazil. According to the convention's official website, Boon is slated to appear on December 3.

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Development on a Cyberpunk 2077 sequel is currently gathering momentum, but CD Projekt Red isn't done with the original game just yet. A monumental 2.0 update revitalized Cyberpunk 2077 with a substantial overhaul of its gameplay systems several months ago, and CD Projekt Red is preparing to drop a 2.1 patch that will introduce "new and hotly anticipated gameplay elements" to Night City. More details on Cyberpunk 2077's 2.1 update will be revealed on CDPR's Twitch channel at 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET on December 1.

This is a surprise, as CDPR announced in September that the 2.0 update was the last major upgrade for the game as it shifted resources toward a Cyberpunk 2077 sequel. Redesigned Skill Trees and Phantom Liberty's Relic Skills were game-changers when they were added to Cyberpunk 2077, so it'll be interesting to see how CDPR builds on these elements ahead of the launch of Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition on December 5.

2023 has been an especially good year for the series, as CDPR reported that over 4.3 million copies of the Phantom Liberty expansion have been sold since its release on September 26. There has been bad news mixed in with these successes, as CDPR saw about 10% of its workforce laid off in July. For a fascinating look at the human side of game development, don't forget to check out GameSpot's new documentary that went behind the curtain at CD Projekt Red.

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Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition

$60

Preorder at Best Buy (PS5) Preorder at Amazon (Xbox)

After a turbulent launch in 2020, Cyberpunk 2077 has steadily evolved to become a truly fantastic open-world RPG. Along with a great update for Xbox Series X and PS5, the phenomenal Phantom Liberty expansion has breathed new life into the dystopian adventure. If you're looking to dive into the revamped experience this holiday, the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition is a solid option. Preorders are now available ahead of the Ultimate edition's December 5 launch.

Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition $60

The Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition includes the base game and the Phantom Liberty expansion. Of course, you'll also get access to the free 2.0 update, offering reworked gameplay mechanics, a new perk system, and authorities that actually pose a threat to your criminal endeavors. Amazon currently only has the Xbox edition up for grabs, though the PS5 version should be available soon. Over at Best Buy, you'll find the opposite: The PS5 version is available to order, but the Xbox version isn't. In the meantime, you'll find both versions available at Target and GameStop.

Preorder at Best Buy (PS5) Preorder at Amazon (Xbox)

When purchasing a physical copy of the Ultimate Edition, you'll also get a few collectibles. This includes a sticker set and rewards leaflet with a Wild Hunt Jacket and Scorch Pistol.

Thanks to consistent updates from CD Projekt Red and the major expansion, which earned a 10/10 in GameSpot's Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty review, there's never been a better time to check out Night City. Along with striking new visuals on new-gen platforms, large portions of the game are completely unrecognizable compared to 2020.

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Tom Holland has provided an update on his next Spider-Man movie, and it doesn't sound like a sure thing at this stage. He said at the Critics Choice Association press conference recently that he and his team have been "actively engaging" in discussions about what another Spider-Man movie might look like, but nothing has been decided yet.

"Whether or not we can find a way to do justice to the character is another thing. I feel very protective over Spider-Man. I feel very, very lucky that we were able to work on a franchise that got better with each movie, that got more successful with each movie, which I think is really rare, and I want to protect his legacy," Holland said, as reported by Collider. "So, I won't make another one for the sake of making another one. It will have to be worth the while of the character."

He went on to say that he would jump at the chance to play Spider-Man again if a pitch for another movie made sense to him. "If we can figure that out, I would be a fool not to put the suit back on again because I owe everything to Spider-Man," he said. "I love the character and the people I get to work with. So, I would love to tell another story, but I'll only tell it if we can find the right one."

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You might never have the cool jacket or perfect hair of Leon Kennedy, but you can go behind his eyes with the release of the Resident Evil 4 VR Mode on December 8. Capcom has announced the free add-on will arrive alongside a demo for all PlayStation VR 2 owners on PS5, too.

Resident Evil 4 VR Mode features the entire main story of the game and includes 3D audio. In addition, Capcom notes there's also a Shooting Range to test out physical interactions with the various weapons in the game, like the iconic handgun or rifles. This Shooting Range mode will also be a part of the free demo for PSVR 2 owners.

Capcom originally unveiled a VR version of Resident Evil 4 was in the works at the beginning of the year. The company then showed off a debut trailer for the remake's VR mode at a PlayStation Showcase in May. Back in September, Resident Evil 4 got the Separate Ways DLC starring Ada Wong.

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Video game controllers come and go, but the Switch Pro Controller has proven to be an enduring icon of the Nintendo Switch era. It's a durable piece of hardware that has a longer shelf-life than the regular Joy-Cons attached to a Switch, although it's seldom discounted. Fortunately, you can pick up a brand-new one at eBay for $10 off. It's being sold by a top-rated seller on the platform and you'll get free shipping with your purchase.

Nintendo Switch Pro controller See on eBay

The Switch Pro Controller has everything that you need in a modern peripheral. It has an ergonomically pleasing shape, the textured grips feel satisfying, and it has a long-lasting battery life. It's also an attractive piece of hardware thanks to the translucent shell, and you can use it on PC and Mac thanks via Bluetooth or a USB-C wired connection. It's very rarely on sale from big brands, so even if the $10 discount seems small, it's still better than nothing.

Alternatively, you can check out the 8BitDo line of Ultimate controllers. These regularly go on sale, but even at their standard MSRP of $70, you're getting a reliable controller with Hall Effect joysticks, a lot of customization features, and its own dedicated charging cradle. Even better, this wireless Bluetooth controller works very well on PC.