Game Balance
Ongoing coverage on Game Balance.
Latest coverage
New Diablo 4 hotfix finally increases Mythic drop rates and removes limits on equipping them as Blizzard admits…
Blizzard Entertainment has released a hotfix for Diablo 4 to address community concerns regarding Mythic item drop rates and equip limits in Season 14. The update increases the drop rate for Mythics from the Corrupted Reaper boss and removes equip limits for Mythic Uniques. Future patches will further adjust drop rates and add new keys to the game.
Slay the Spire 2 makes painful but necessary nerfs, and some scary buffs, in a big new balance overhaul
Mega Crit has released a significant balance overhaul patch for Slay the Spire 2 on its beta branch. The update introduces several new relics and buffs, alongside a number of painful but necessary nerfs to previously strong cards and relics. The patch also includes enemy adjustments, multiplayer improvements, and new art.
Marvel Rivals’ Latest Patch “Cuts Down On Battlefield Chaos”, Per NetEase
NetEase has released a new patch for the hero shooter Marvel Rivals aimed at reducing visual clutter and improving readability during intense gameplay. The update adjusts visual effects for several hero abilities and Team-Ups, making it easier for players to track action and dodge incoming Ultimates. Marvel Rivals is currently available on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC, with Season 9 live and introducing Jubilee as a new character.
Guild Wars 2 delivers its delayed balance patch along with a new promo video
ArenaNet released a delayed balance patch for Guild Wars 2 on a Wednesday due to a hardware failure impacting their network. The patch addresses game balance, particularly for PvP, and also reintroduces cats and other pets associated with the 2025 Extra Life charity drive. A new promotional video highlighting all game classes has also been released.
Marvel Rivals players are airing their frustrations over Season 9's excessive "visual clutter" and other issues making it difficult to enjoy
Players of Marvel Rivals are expressing significant frustration with Season 9, citing excessive visual clutter from character abilities that hinders gameplay readability and causes performance issues. Concerns also include team-up synergies and overall game balance, leading to a 'Mixed' review rating on Steam and a desire for the development team to address these problems.
Marvel Rivals has upset players yet again with some peculiar balances that buff some of the strongest heroes
Marvel Rivals has faced player backlash following a recent patch that introduced controversial hero balance changes, including buffs to characters like Cyclops and Gambit. Developer NetEase claims the adjustments are necessary to maintain a dynamic meta, but players express frustration with the perceived lack of balance and homogenization of hero kits.
Blizzard responds to Diablo 4 Season 14 Mythic complaints by making them easier to craft and fixing a bug that stopped…
Blizzard Entertainment is addressing player complaints regarding Mythic Uniques in Diablo 4's Season 14 by making them easier to craft and fixing a bug that prevented some bosses from dropping them. While these changes are a step towards improving the crafting process, they do not address all the systemic issues players have raised about the season's mechanics.
Marvel Rivals needs to pick a lane and either fully embrace balancing for 'fun' long term or stick to some…
This opinion piece argues that Marvel Rivals needs to commit to either a balanced competitive experience or a more casual, chaotic fun. The article criticizes the new Team-Up system for introducing overly powerful and unbalanced combinations, suggesting that developers should make a clear decision to avoid alienating players.
Fellowship adjusts item traits, hero abilities, stamina, and absorb shields with its latest patch
The co-op dungeon crawler Fellowship has received a new patch that standardizes absorb shields to always take 50% damage, ensuring a consistent player experience. The update also increases Stamina on items above level 315 and makes significant balance adjustments to various hero abilities and item traits.
Blizzard is already patching Diablo 4 Season 14 after players proved Mythics got screwed up, update coming next week…
Blizzard Entertainment is preparing a patch for Diablo 4's Season 14, 'Death Awakening,' to address player concerns about extremely low drop rates for Iconic Mythic items. The update, expected within the next week, will also fix issues with Mythic Uniques tagged as 'Crafted' when obtained through the Horadric Cube. This adjustment aims to improve the game's long-term health while addressing immediate player feedback on item acquisition.
Marvel Rivals' Season 9 update will affect 80% of its roster as NetEase throws balance out the window for a more…
Marvel Rivals is set to receive a massive overhaul in its upcoming Season 9 update, affecting approximately 80% of its hero roster. This update includes significant hero reworks, a complete revolution of the Team-Up system, and a substantial nerf to ultimate charge rates, aiming to address player frustrations with the game's balance and stale meta.
Marvel Rivals Season 9: Way Too Early Predictions
This article analyzes the significant balance changes coming to Marvel Rivals in Season 9, including the introduction of Regenerative Shields, a rework of Team-Up abilities, and slower ultimate charge rates. The author speculates on the impact of these changes, particularly noting Deadpool's shift to a tank role, before the season launches on July 10.
Riftbound announces a proactive ban ahead of Set 4, with more ban updates on the way
Riftbound lead designer Dave Guskin announced that the card Stealthy Pursuer will be proactively banned in Set 4 due to an infinite combo. A full rules update and ban list will go live on July 24th alongside the Vendetta Pre-Rift. Riot Games is monitoring the card pool and willing to act before problematic combos become entrenched in tournament play.
Buffs, Nerfs, and Bugs
Players are expressing dissatisfaction with recent changes to Diablo 4's Mythic items, citing concerns about balance and unintended consequences. The adjustments, which include buffs, nerfs, and bug fixes, have not been well-received by the community.
Camelot Unchained ends spawn camping, balances classes, and applies quality-of-life updates
Camelot Unchained has released a patch addressing spawn camping by implementing safe zones around portals. The update also includes balance adjustments for party buffs, veil abilities, and fighter/performer classes. Additionally, quality-of-life improvements such as a quest log, ambient audio, removal of character collision in towns, and bug fixes have been applied.
Slay the Spire 2 just got 15 new cards out of nowhere, including some big co-op heavy hitters
A new beta patch for Slay the Spire 2 introduces 15 new cards, many focused on enhancing co-op gameplay, alongside balance adjustments and a visual overhaul for the boss Aeonglass. The update also includes improvements for modding support, with Mega Crit aiming to bring these changes to the main branch soon.
Not So Massively: Blizzard’s reckless experimentation on StarCraft II and Heroes of the Storm
The article criticizes Blizzard Entertainment's recent balance patches for StarCraft II and Heroes of the Storm, suggesting reckless experimentation with minimal testing and communication. The author argues that these drastic changes, particularly to core mechanics, are detrimental to the games and their communities, drawing parallels between the two titles under Blizzard's classic games team.
Buffs, Nerfs, and Bugs
The article discusses potential changes to Battlefield 6 that were considered but ultimately deemed 'errors' during development. It touches upon game balance and development decisions.
SMITE 2’s open beta is still going as Hi-Rez patches in Chronos and lots of god stat changes
Hi-Rez Studios has released a new patch for SMITE 2's open beta, introducing the God of Time, Chronos, and implementing numerous god stat changes. The update also includes adjustments to base health, protections, minion health, and item balance, aiming to alter time-to-kill and overall survival rates.
Resident Evil Requiem 1.3.1 update out now, patch notes
Capcom has released update version 1.3.1 for Resident Evil Requiem, primarily focusing on the Leon Must Die Forever mini-game. This update lowers the difficulty of certain ranks, adjusts skills for more varied combinations, and increases the effectiveness of throwable weapons and the 'Strategist' skill. A story expansion for the game is also in development.
