Game Balance
Ongoing coverage on Game Balance.
Latest coverage
Phasmophobia Haunts Gamers While Mario Gets a Major Upd... | TAG
Recent gaming news includes Mario Kart World receiving a patch that nerfs the Lightning Bolt item, a rumored Final Fantasy 9 remake being put on hold, and Amazon offering deals before its Big Spring Sale ends. Additionally, ASUS released the ROG Crosshair X870E Glacial motherboard, Disney is reportedly considering acquiring Epic Games, and a KPop Demon Hunters x McDonald's collaboration is being highlighted. Guides are also available for Crimson Desert's Secret Garden Abyss puzzle and Arc Raiders' Outstanding Balance quest.
Bungie has ripped Marathon's most busted movement trick out of the game, and brought back a lucrative loot opportunity
Bungie has released a balance patch for Marathon, removing a powerful movement exploit involving Thief's grappling hook and reintroducing a controversial shortcut on The Outpost map. The patch also increases the challenge and loot quality in the central Pinwheel zone, and fixes a bug on the Dire Marsh map. These changes aim to maintain the desired pace of play and offer a more lucrative, albeit challenging, experience for players.
Marathon boss cryptically suggests the game is too hard, outright confirms "we have some iterations / big balance…
Marathon game director Joe Ziegler cryptically suggested that significant balance changes are coming to the game, referencing Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit.' Bungie is brewing major iterations and balance adjustments that could impact weapons, items, factions, and the loot economy. The discussion around Marathon has often focused on its demanding difficulty, particularly in PvP and PvE encounters, and Ziegler's comments hint at potential shifts to make the game more approachable.
Marathon patch notes nerf Thief’s slide cancelling as it ‘is ultimately unhealthy’
Bungie has released patch notes for Marathon, addressing community concerns by nerfing the Thief's slide-canceling movement exploit. The update also includes significant loot improvements for the Pinwheel map, adjustments to the Outpost map, and various bug fixes across different game modes and UI elements.
First ever Riftbound ban list kills off popular cards that have become so ubiquitous they're hurting the game
Riot Games has implemented the first ban list for its trading card game Riftbound, removing seven cards to improve competitive balance. The changes target cards associated with "Miracle" decks, powerful Battlefield cards, and specific cards like Draven, Vanquisher, which were deemed too dominant or unhealthy for the game's meta.
Marathon’s latest patch just nerfed Thief’s ‘slide cancel’ movement tech, because if you give Destiny players an inch, they will always take a mile
Bungie has released a new patch for Marathon that nerfs the 'slide cancel' movement exploit previously available to the Thief class. The developer stated that rapid repositioning must have a meaningful cost, and unbounded movement is unhealthy for the game's pace. The update also includes numerous bug fixes and minor tweaks across various game systems.
Project Zomboid Build 42.16 makes your starting Occupation actually matter
The Indie Stone has announced that Project Zomboid Build 42.16 Unstable will introduce significant balance changes to starting occupations, making them more impactful from the beginning of the game. This update aims to make players feel like professionals by increasing starting skills and adjusting costs, alongside new traits and other balance adjustments to gameplay mechanics.
This Week's Patch Notes: Marvel Rivals, Battlefield 2042 Updates | Two Average Gamers
This week's patch notes detail significant updates for Marvel Rivals, focusing on enhancing White Fox's survivability and slightly nerfing Deadpool's mobility, which could shift the game's meta. Battlefield 2042 received minor maintenance updates with no substantial gameplay changes.
Riftbound gets 7 banned cards, and other new Unleashed rules that shakes up the Set 2 meta hard
Riot Games has implemented a ban list for seven cards in Riftbound, including Draven, Vanquisher, and Obelisk of Power, to address meta dominance and slow gameplay. Alongside these bans, several Unleashed rules have been updated to ensure consistency and impact deck-building strategies, particularly affecting mechanics like 'May' triggers and cost reductions.
Riot Games Announces First Riftbound Ban List for League of Legends TCG
Riot Games has announced the first ban list for its League of Legends trading card game, Riftbound, effective March 31, 2026. Several cards and battlefields, including Draven and Reaver's Row, have been restricted from the Standard Constructed format due to their impact on game balance and play patterns. The developers outlined their reasoning, emphasizing a commitment to maintaining core game rules and banning cards outright rather than restricting deck composition.
Blue Lock Rivals Ranked UPD Tier List: 🐦⬛UPDATE!
This Blue Lock Rivals Ranked UPD Tier List, updated as of March 30th, 2026, ranks playable characters based on recent balance changes. The list categorizes characters into S, A, B, C, and D tiers, highlighting the best performers and those considered reroll fodder. The article also provides information on new codes for free spins to acquire new styles.
The Next Risk of Rain Is Allegedly in Development...for Deadlock
The recent "Six New Heroes" update for Deadlock has introduced new characters, with the Drifter and Victor reportedly causing balance issues in low-skill matches. The article notes that these heroes are significantly impacting gameplay, leading to concerns about game balance.
Slay the Spire 2 beta patch rolls back some prior changes following player feedback
Mega Crit has released a beta patch for Slay the Spire 2, reverting several changes from the previous update based on player feedback. Co-founder Anthony Giovannetti detailed the design intent behind these adjustments, emphasizing the importance of community input for game balance. The patch includes reworks and reverts for various cards and mechanics, alongside bug fixes and UI improvements.
Slay the Spire 2's 'anti-infinite' balance patch has now itself been patched, much to the relief of some Silent and Necrobinder players
Slay the Spire 2 developers Mega Crit have rolled back several controversial changes from a recent balance patch that aimed to make 'infinites' harder to achieve. The beta patch reverts nerfs to cards for the Silent and Necrobinder characters, with lead designer Anthony Giovannetti explaining the design intent behind these decisions. The update also includes buffs for the Ironclad character and the Regent, alongside adjustments to enemy encounters like the Doormaker and Skulking Colony.
Slay the Spire 2 Dev Adjusts Update That Led To Review Bombing
Developer Mega Crit is rolling back some balance changes to Slay the Spire 2 that led to player backlash and a review bombing campaign. The studio announced the adjustments on social media, acknowledging player feedback and humorously referencing the review bombing. The update also significantly increased the character limit for in-game feedback submissions.
Slay the Spire 2 devs walk back the nerf that sparked 10,000 negative Steam reviews, and shovel buffs at The Regent after fans determine he's the worst class by a mile
Developer Mega Crit is rolling back controversial balance changes in Slay the Spire 2 after a significant negative review bomb on Steam. The team, led by Anthony Giovannetti, is encouraging players to use the in-game feedback tool for balance suggestions rather than Steam reviews. The Regent character is also receiving buffs due to community consensus that it is the weakest class.
Diablo 4 Patch 2.6.1 Nerfs Bloodsoaked Sigils After Players Said They Were Too Much
Diablo 4 Patch 2.6.1 has reduced the difficulty of Bloodsoaked Sigils following player feedback that they were too challenging. Blizzard Entertainment acknowledged that many players were unable to complete these sigils reasonably.
Diablo 4 Patch 2.6.1 Nerfs Bloodsoaked Sigils After Players Said They Were Too Much
Diablo IV's latest patch, 2.6.1, has nerfed Bloodsoaked Sigils following player feedback that they were too powerful. The article also mentions upcoming Free Play Days for titles including Killing Floor 3, Bassmaster Fishing, Worms W.M.D, and Tropico 6 on Xbox platforms.
'We want more for them': Arc Raiders' lead dev reassures players that balance and end-game content are a…
Embark Studios' production director Caio Braga addressed player concerns regarding Arc Raiders' balance and lack of endgame content. He acknowledged the challenges of balancing PvE and PvP elements and stated the team is focused on delivering impactful updates and more engaging endgame experiences for players.
Fortnite Pro Says One Weapon Away From Perfect Competitive Balance
Professional Fortnite player Peterbot believes the game is only one weapon away from perfect competitive balance, identifying the Chaos Reloader as the sole disruptive element. The community is divided on whether to vault or nerf the weapon, with some arguing for its removal to achieve ideal competitive integrity, while others advocate for tuning it to maintain weapon variety.
