Battlefield Studios has addressed the Battlefield 6 progression elephant in the room, explaining how it intends to patch out "XP farms" and improve player development in the long term. In an update that has begun rolling out across all platforms, players can look forward to a boost to experience points gained from match completion--this has been increased by 10%--and XP from completing daily challenges has increased by 40%.

The XP needed to unlock the first 20 Attachment Ranks has also been reduced, and the other big change is that the assignments that required players to reach career ranks 20, 23, and 26 have been adjusted, and will now require them to reach ranks 10, 15, and 20, respectively.

These updates come at a time when players have begun reporting that servers were filled to maximum capacity, as players would join matches populated with bots so that they could farm for XP quickly and improve their stats by taking on opponents who don't pose as much of a threat as your typical human player.

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As part of the ongoing Sony vs. Tencent lawsuit, a lot of information that was not intended to be made public is being made public, and now another morsel of news has emerged. Documents from the lawsuit reveal that PlayStation Productions boss Asad Qizilbash gave a sworn declaration stating that the upcoming Horizon live-action movie is aiming to release in 2027.

Qizilbash said in the testimony, filed on October 16, that there is already a "working script" for the film and that the team is "actively searching for a director," according to The Game Post. No names were divulged as candidates to direct, however. What Qizilbash did say, though, is that the goal is to begin shooting the Horizon movie in 2026 and release it in 2027.

PlayStation Productions and Columbia Pictures previously worked together on the Tom Holland-starring Uncharted movie and Gran Turismo. PlayStation Productions and Columbia Pictures are both owned by Sony.

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Marvel Rivals developer NetEase has revealed the game's first-ever PvE mode, and fittingly, it's a ghoulish addition to the game that will launch on October 23. As part of a collaboration with Marvel Animation, Marvel Rivals players can hop into Zombie Mode starting next week.

Inspired by last month's Marvel Zombies miniseries, the mode features a select team of heroes--Thor, Jeff, Magik, Blade, and the Punisher--joining forces to take on endless waves of zombies.

Not only will players have to survive against a horde of the undead, but they'll also face off against Zombie Namor and the Queen of the Dead. Marvel Games executive producer Danny Koo added that each playable hero will have a few unique abilities to help even the odds, like Thor having a persistent Awakened state to shock nearby zombies, Magik's Darkchild form, and Jeff's ability to charge through enemies.

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Glen Schofield, a video game industry veteran known for co-creating the Dead Space series and working on multiple Call of Duty games, has said the gaming industry is facing major challenges and that developers can look to artificial intelligence technologies to help solve some of the issues. Schofield made these comments at the same time that many in the video game industry have raised concerns, objections, and fears about the further adoption and implementation of AI.

"We need to fix the gaming industry right now," Schofield said at Gamescom Asia recently, as reported by IGN. "It's broken. It's beaten, it's battered, our developers are battered, they've been taking it on the chin for the last couple of years. We need to bring it back to what it was. Instead of all this negativity."

The games industry should embrace AI, not fear it, Schofield said.

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The former creative lead of the Assassin's Creed series wants to clarify that it wasn't his choice to step away from the franchise. Earlier this week, Marc-Alexis Côté left Ubisoft after roughly 20 years with the company--including the last three as vice president and executive producer of Assassin's Creed.

On LinkedIn, Côté stated that he's still passionate about Assassin's Creed, and he didn't "make that choice" to leave the series. "I did not walk away. I stayed at my post until Ubisoft asked me to step aside," said Côté, who prefaced this by saying he's not resentful toward Ubisoft.

Earlier this month, Ubisoft announced that a new subsidiary named Vantage Studios will oversee the Assassin's Creed franchise, along with Rainbow Six and Far Cry. With this reorganization, Côté noted that Ubisoft "decided to transfer the leadership of the Assassin’s Creed franchise." As previously reported, a "different position was mentioned" to Côté, but he said "it did not carry the same scope, mandate, or continuity" of what he was doing over the past few years.

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After less than two days, Battlefield Studios has announced that it's reverting the recent Battlefield 6 ticket changes based on feedback. For anyone just catching up, the developer said on Wednesday that ticket numbers for Conquest maps would drop from 1000 to lower values, but less than 48 hours later, the developer confirmed the ticket numbers are reverting back to 1000 for all maps.

All Conquest matches now begin with 1,000 tickets for each side and a 45-minute time limit. The developer previously dropped the starting ticket numbers down to 700-900 depending on the map, a decision the company made to help speed up matches. But that's all changing now, and Battlefield Studios said people may face longer matches on larger maps like Mirak Valley and Firestorm.

"We'll continue monitoring player feedback and gameplay data to ensure the pacing and overall flow of matches feel right," the developer said.

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Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2, the long-anticipated vampire action-RPG, has finally arrived. You awaken in Seattle with a pile of mysteries to solve, in a city on the verge of vampire war. Early on, you have to make an important choice: which clan you come from, and making this choice will change which abilities you have access to early in the game.

What's the difference between clans?You can gain access to abilities from other clans buy spending Blood Resonance currency.

Importantly, each clan serves as a class, giving you different passive and active abilities. Each clan has affinities with different types of powers, and unlocking new abilities for a specific clan unlocks more outfits as well.

While the clan you choose will determine which abilities you get first, you will have the opportunity to unlock abilities from other clans later in the story. However, your passive ability is determined by the clan you choose, and you will be locked out of the other passive abilities.

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Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines has always held a special place in my heart for many reasons, but certainly the most prominent is this: It was the first time I remember playing a game and thinking, "Wow, I am absolutely too young to be playing this."

I was 11 years old when I took my first stroll down the streets of Bloodline's Santa Monica--when I clumsily WASD'd my way through rooms filled with empty pill bottles, condom wrappers, and other bits of paraphernalia that I can only recall with an accompanying blush. I was too young (and timid!) to be sucking on necks, canoodling with the scantily-clad Jeanette, and traversing the Ocean House Hotel's utterly horrifying floorplan. And yet, I loved it. I loved knowing games could be... this: dark, mature, and wicked.

Alongside 2002's Neverwinter Nights, Bloodlines turned me into a die-hard fan of both TTRPGs and CRPGs in equal measure. So, needless to say, you can count me among the thousands of us who have been waiting--impatiently and a bit nervously--for Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2.

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Hori Guitar Life Controller and Software Bundle

$100 | Releases December 15

Preorder at Amazon

Guitars have been a popular choice for anyone wanting to learn how to play a musical instrument--they're easy to learn and challenging to master--and if you're looking to do just that, you might want to check out this controller and teaching game for Nintendo Switch. Hori Guitar Life launched last year in Japan, and preorders have now opened up for the peripheral ahead of its US release. Priced at $100, it'll be released on December 15, and you can preorder it now through Amazon. Just remember--no Stairway.

Hori Guitar Life Controller and Software Bundle $100 | Releases December 15

Unlike other guitar controllers on the market, the Hori model is designed to accurately replicate the feel of a traditional acoustic guitar and is ergonomically shaped to be comfortable to use. The controller is equipped with pressure-sensitive strings and even includes a pick for when you start strumming, while the software that comes bundled with it offers interactive lessons. Additionally, you can track your progress, see which areas you need to improve on, and use various modes to hone your skills. These include Lesson, Free Play, Musical Performance, Chord Run, and Rhythm Riff modes.

For the songs, Hori has included the following licensed tracks and public domain classics to learn:

• Sweet Home Alabama
• Amarillo by Morning
• Breakfast at Tiffany’s
• Closing Time
• So Far Away
• Born to Be Wild
• Ramblin’ Man
• Rhinestone Cowboy
• Absolutely (Story of a Girl)
• China Grove
• Happy Birthday to You
• Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
• Jingle Bells

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One thing to note here is that the controller is only compatible with original Switch Joy-Cons and not the new controllers that came with the Switch 2. You'll need to have a right Joy-Con plugged into the controller, but these are widely available. Amazon currently has a great deal on a single right-hand Joy-Con, as it's selling these for $29.86 (was $50). These are "renewed" models on sale, which means that they're refurbished controllers. The other option is a traditional two-pack of Switch Joy-Con controllers, and these typically retail for $80 for a brand-new set.

• Switch Joy-Con controller (Neon red right-hand model, Amazon Renewed) -- $29.86 ($50)
• Switch Joy-Con controllers (White, Amazon Renewed) -- $55
• Switch Joy-Con controllers (Neon red and blue) -- $80 ($90)
• Switch Joy-Con controllers (Neon red and blue, Amazon Renewed) -- $53 ($80)
• Switch Joy-Con controllers (Neon green and pink, Amazon Renewed) -- $78
• Switch Joy-Con controllers (Neon yellow, Amazon Renewed) -- $55 ($60)

Hori isn't the only company making guitar controllers right now, as CRKD has also ventured into this space. The CRKD Gibson Les Paul Wireless Guitar controllers work on multiple platforms, with pricing starting at $115 for the Black Tribal Encore edition and $125 for the Blueberry Burst Pro version. The company also offers the Neo S, a smaller controller priced at $60 that comes equipped with a five-fret attachment.

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The Switch 2 has consistently shattered expectations in the four months since its release, breaking sales records and bolstering overall industry figures while other hardware manufacturers have struggled. Nintendo expects the Switch 2's momentum to continue, and has ramped up production of the console.

Nintendo has asked its suppliers to produce 25 million Switch 2 units by March next year, Bloomberg reports citing anonymous sources close to the company. The console has thrived in its first few months on the market, and Nintendo is doubtless counting on demand to stay strong following the release of Pokemon Legends Z-A, and onwards into the busy holiday season.

The increase in production suggests Nintendo is easily on track to beat analysts estimate of 17.6 million consoles sold in its first fiscal year--itself higher than Nintendo's own conservative estimate of 15 million units given to investors. The new production plan suggests Nintendo may sell as many as 20 million units this fiscal year.

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Depite carrying the Legends subtitle, it turns out that Pokemon Legends: Z-A is far more of a sequel to Pokemon X & Y than to its predecessor, Pokemon Legends: Arceus--and the clues have always been right there in the name.

As mentioned in GameSpot's review of the latest Pokemon title, Legends: Z-A can easily be considered a sequel to generation 6 titles Pokemon X & Y--it's set in Lumiose City just five years after the events of that game, and brings back many of that game's characters, Pokemon, and even Mega Evolutions. Looking back, the game's status as a sequel has always been right there in the name--following on from X and Y, the next letter of the alphabet is Z, then it would cycle all the way back around to A.

The name could also be a reference to Pokemon Z, a rumored Pokemon title that many expected would be released following X & Y. All the signs seemed to be there for a Zygarde-centered gen 6 sequel, following the long tradition of third Pokemon releases like Crystal or Emerald, but Pokemon Z never eventuated. Instead it took over a decade for X & Y to finally get its follow-up, even if the name also bears the Legends subtitle.

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Locke & Key: Keyhouse Compendium (Hardcover)

$68.51 (was $125)

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If you enjoyed Netflix's supernatural horror series Locke & Key, you should check out Amazon's deal on the original comic book series. The Locke & Key: Keyhouse Compendium is on sale for only $68.51 (was $125) at Amazon. This beautiful compendium collects all six volumes of the original run in one 976-page hardcover book.

Released in 2021 by IDW Publishing, the Keyhouse Compendium still frequently sells for its full $125 cover price, and Amazon's current deal is within a few bucks of the all-time lowest price. Deals on the Keyhouse Compendium tend to disappear fast, so check it out while you. It's currently the cheapest way to get the full series in physical format.

Locke & Key: Keyhouse Compendium (Hardcover) $68.51 (was $125)

Written by best-selling horror novelist Joe Hill and illustrated by Gabriel Rodriguez, Locke & Key debuted in February 2008 and ran for 37 issues before the story reached its conclusion in December 2013. Heralded for its great writing and awesome full-color illustrations, Locke & Key was one of the most popular horror comics of its era.

The six books listed below are compiled in the Keyhouse Compendium. We've included the price of each individual hardcover edition. Spoiler: You'd spend a lot more, as each volume is $20-$30, and Volumes 4-5 are only available from third-party resellers.

Locke & Key (Hardcovers)

1. Welcome to Lovecraft -- $20.82 ($25)
2. Head Games -- $20.82 ($25)
3. Crown of Shadows -- $25
4. Keys to the Kingdom -- $30
5. Clockworks -- $25
6. Alpha & Omega -- $30

The Keyhouse Compendium is 7.38 x 1.89 x 11.06 inches, so the pages are slightly larger than the original hardcover editions and trade paperbacks.

Locke & Key follows three kids who move into their father’s childhood home after his murder. Known as Keyhouse, the kids quickly discover it’s hiding a bunch of horrifying (and magical) secrets.

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While the Keyhouse Compendium gets you the entire main story, you'll need a few other books to truly complete your set. None of the stories not included in the compendium are required reading, but they are worth checking out if you enjoy the mainline series. Locke & Key: The Golden Age is the newest collection of stories in the comic book's universe. This 232-page hardcover collects three prequel stories about the Locke family's ancestors who lived during the early 20th century. Amazon has a limited-time deal on The Golden Age that drops the price to $21.43 (was $30).

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Step into a world of pixelated carnage with Terrifier: The ARTcade Game, a gory retro fighting beat 'em up packed with intense action, dark humor, and tons of fun! Inspired by the classic beat 'em up games of the 80s and 90s. Become Art The Clown, the sinister and unpredictable villain from the Terrifier series, as you unleash chaos across a variety of locations. Each stage is a movie set where a film about Art is being produced, but you're here to disrupt the show!