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World of Warcraft Forever is getting RP-PvP as a ruleset after all
Blizzard Entertainment has confirmed that Role-Playing Player vs. Player (RP-PvP) will be available as a ruleset option for World of Warcraft, contrary to previous statements. This option is expected to be available when name reservation begins on October 27th, with the game's beta concluding on October 23rd.
Diablo 4 PTR 3.3.0 confirms Season 16 is "carrying forward" some features by popular demand, and Blizzard is taking Druids back to school to address broken tags
The upcoming Diablo 4 Public Test Realm (PTR) for update 3.3.0 will feature some carry-forward elements from the Season of Hell's Legacy, alongside significant tweaks to the Druid class. A new War Plans Tactics progression system aims to make endgame activities more specific and rewarding, allowing players to tailor their experience. The Druid rework focuses on preventing excessive tag stacking and enhancing Resolve and Fortify mechanics.
"What if Larian had shut down after Divine Divinity?": Star Trek Online exec scorns publishers who close teams like BioWare in favour of "AAA veteran" start-ups and AI "magic beans"
Star Trek Online executive producer Thomas Marrone criticizes the industry practice of shutting down established development teams in favor of new studios led by "AAA veterans" or relying on emerging technologies like AI. He argues this approach is irresponsible and self-sabotaging, highlighting that successful studios like Larian and Blizzard often achieve breakthroughs after multiple titles and years of team collaboration. Marrone suggests that publishers prioritizing short-term financial gains should exit game development entirely.
Diablo 4 Season 16 is delivering some great upgrades to the endgame
Blizzard Entertainment is preparing to launch the Public Test Realm for Diablo 4 Season 16, introducing significant upgrades to the game's endgame system, particularly the War Plans feature. This update aims to provide more structure and player agency in endgame activities, including War Plan Tactics for activity selection and Tyrael's Boons for seasonal bonuses. The PTR will also feature new endgame bosses and loot modifications.
WoW: Forever Is Keeping Its Secrets Close To The Chest
Blizzard Entertainment stated that World of Warcraft: Forever still holds many secrets that were intentionally kept hidden during the beta phase. Senior game designer Josh Greenfield confirmed that some items and secrets were disabled, with more to be discovered at launch and beyond. Lead encounter designer Michael Nuthals also hinted at future content, with potential for new dungeons and raids planned for next year.
WoW: Forever Is Getting A New Server Option By Popular Demand
Blizzard Entertainment is adding a role-playing-player vs. player (RP-PvP) server option to World of Warcraft: Forever due to popular demand from the community. This new server ruleset joins existing PvE, PvP, and roleplaying options, addressing player concerns about avoiding streamer drama on the single existing PvP server. Initially hesitant, Blizzard has now decided to implement the RP-PvP server, with name reservations opening on October 27.
World of Warcraft Forever touts its campfires as a place to ‘rest, prepare, and connect’
Blizzard Entertainment has detailed the upcoming camping system in World of Warcraft Forever, which allows players to build temporary camps around cooking fires for buffs and social interaction. The system will support up to 10 objects at higher cooking levels, including crafting stations, and aims to foster player connection.
Ex-Blizzard boss says an $1,800 Xbox "will never sell" and current-gen consoles are "fine for 99% of the…
Former Blizzard president Mike Ybarra believes a next-generation Xbox console priced between $1,200 and $1,800 would be a commercial failure. He argues that consoles are mass-market devices requiring a low entry price, suggesting manufacturers should instead focus on optimizing current-generation hardware like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.
Everyone gets a free ticket to World of Warcraft: Forever today as Blizzard stress tests the servers ahead of launch day
Blizzard Entertainment is conducting a server stress test for World of Warcraft: Forever today, allowing anyone with a World of Warcraft account to play without an active subscription. This event aims to test server stability ahead of the game's full launch next month. Players can expect potential queue times and crowded leveling zones during the test.
Diablo 4 players rally for a homebrew fix to a huge season 15 annoyance, but you'll need at least one very good…
Diablo 4 players are developing a workaround for the inventory limitations of 'Splinters of Evil,' a rare seasonal drop that does not stack. This workaround, detailed by content creator Rob2628, requires the assistance of another player to bypass the intended design, which is causing frustration among endgame players due to the rarity of the items.
WoW Forever Beta Extended to Friday, Name Reservations Go Live Tuesday
The beta for World of Warcraft Forever has been extended by a couple of days due to its popularity. Name reservations for the game are scheduled to go live on Tuesday.
Don't call the new Diablo board game a dungeon crawler, it's a "dungeon battler" with fighting and…
A new Diablo board game, titled 'Diablo: Unbound,' is in development by Glass Cannon Unplugged, who describe it as a 'dungeon battler' rather than a traditional dungeon crawler. The game will feature iconic classes, customizable skill trees, and modular replayability, with a crowdfunding campaign planned for early 2027. Players can get hands-on with the game at SPIEL Essen from October 22-25.
World of Warcraft: Forever's beta has been extended, as community members mourn the loss of their hunter pets
The beta for World of Warcraft: Forever has been extended until this Friday, allowing players more time to experience the MMO's level 1-30 journey. Associate production director Clayton Stone announced the extension on X, with a server stress test also scheduled. Players are sharing emotional farewell posts for their hunter pets as the beta concludes, highlighting the community's attachment to the game.
Diablo Immortal marks the spooky season with Hallow’s Phantom
Diablo Immortal is celebrating the Halloween season with its "Hallow's Phantom" event, which includes a special Defense of Cyrangar mode where players can earn rewards. The event, running until November 11th, also features new Legendary Gear and Essences. Alongside this, the game receives Patch 5.1.2, introducing UI improvements, balance adjustments, new content, and the 21st season of Challenge Rift.
Overwatch's director discusses why King's Row is so iconic, but admits that 'every single map in the game…
Overwatch game director Aaron Keller discusses the enduring popularity and iconic status of the King's Row map. He highlights its balanced design, offering strategic advantages for both attackers and defenders, and providing satisfying team fight moments throughout its layout. The article also touches on player preferences for different map types and modes within the game.
Hearthstone: Reign of the Black Empire - 10 decks to try on Day 1
Hearthstone: Reign of the Black Empire has launched, introducing 145 new cards and a new mechanic. This guide presents ten decks from professional players and streamers to try on day one, covering various classes and strategies including Mech Hunter, C'Thun Warlock, Manastorm Mage, Egg Demon Hunter, Holy Paladin, Combo Rogue, Yogg Druid, Blood Death Knight, Armor Control Warrior, and Blade Priest.
WoW: Forever Is Soaring, But Midnight Is Struggling
World of Warcraft: Forever is experiencing a highly successful beta and upcoming launch, contrasting sharply with the struggling retail version, World of Warcraft: Midnight. Midnight's latest patch, 12.1.5, was plagued by bugs, particularly in its new labyrinth feature, and received criticism for an anticlimactic character death. Blizzard Entertainment's focus at BlizzCon was heavily on Forever, with less detail provided for Midnight's future or the next expansion, The Last Titan.
WoW: Forever Hall of Thanes Dungeon Guide – Quests, Map, Bosses, and Loot
This guide provides a comprehensive walkthrough for the Hall of Thanes dungeon in World of Warcraft: Forever. It details how to reach the dungeon, outlines all five associated quests with their rewards, offers strategies for the four bosses (Faldrim Anvilmar, Magmatus, Plunder, and Durgen Dirgehammer), and lists all obtainable loot. The guide recommends players be at least level 14 before attempting the dungeon.
World of Warcraft Forever devs "want blood" between Horde and Alliance players, as long as you aren't "truly degenerate"
Blizzard Entertainment developers Josh Greenfield and Tim Jones discuss the PvP philosophy for World of Warcraft Forever, aiming for organic player-vs-player encounters and encouraging faction conflict without becoming 'truly degenerate.' They emphasize the importance of choosing the correct server type (PvE, PvP, or RP) at launch, as re-rolling will not be an option. The team wants PvP to feel free-form and casual, with Battlegrounds designed to match solo players against other solo players.
Discussion time: Do you think zone chats in MMOs are forces for good, or evil?
This article discusses the nature of zone chats in Massively Multiplayer Online games, such as World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy 14. While intended to foster community, these chats often devolve into toxic or nonsensical conversations, with specific examples like 'Barrens Chat' and bot-dominated trade channels highlighted. The author questions whether these chats are ultimately a force for good or ill within the gaming community.