Game Balance
Ongoing coverage on Game Balance.
Latest coverage
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.
Buffs, Nerfs, and Bugs
Blizzard Entertainment has reversed a controversial decision regarding loot changes in Diablo 4's upcoming season. The company initially planned to alter powerful loot items, a move that was met with significant backlash from players.
Guild Wars 2 outlines the balance updates planned for July 14
Guild Wars 2 has previewed upcoming balance updates scheduled for July 14th. The patch aims to make more Elementalist weapons and Weaver spec abilities viable, improve lesser-used Engineer skills, continue to nerf the Deadeye Thief's stealth, and implement several updates for Druids, among other granular adjustments.
Grow A Garden 2 Update Guide – First Update
The first update for Grow A Garden 2, released on June 19th, introduces new plants like the Venom Spitter, items such as the Megaphone and Player Magnet, and a new pet Bear. The update also adds Aurora Borealis weather and a Double Or Nothing feature at the Sell Shop, alongside anti-cheat measures and a planned future update for June 26th.
Why Canadian Players Should Test Game Updates Before Ranked Sessions | Invision Game Community
This guide advises Canadian players to test game updates before engaging in ranked sessions to avoid losses due to unforeseen changes. It emphasizes that patch notes alone are insufficient and recommends a brief technical and gameplay check, including connection tests, to adapt to new mechanics, map changes, and potential performance impacts. The article also draws parallels between understanding game patch notes and casino bonus terms, highlighting the importance of reading conditions carefully.
Camelot Unchained ramps up spawn rates for enemies and resources, applies its big stats rebalance and character wipe
Camelot Unchained has implemented a significant stats rebalance and a subsequent character wipe in its latest patch. The update adjusts various character attributes and stat scaling, with only personal bank items being preserved. Additionally, spawn rates for enemies and resources have been increased, and changes have been made to resource quality and drop guarantees.
Buffs, Nerfs, and Bugs
Marathon players are experiencing an excessive amount of loot in Season 2, a phenomenon the developers are actively investigating. Separately, StarCraft 2 developers are addressing game balance issues.
Blizzard isn't done with Starcraft 2 yet, and it seems committed to big changes
Blizzard Entertainment is continuing to implement significant balance changes to Starcraft 2, focusing on refining the meta established by recent overhauls. The latest patch notes address feedback from the Public Test Realm, with adjustments to Zerg early game buffs, Terran Ghost nerfs, and Protoss unit warp-in times. The controversial shift to eight starting workers remains in place as developers aim to find an optimal balance for the real-time strategy game.
StarCraft 2 devs take another swing at getting the RTS game's surprise new update right, but Blizzard still hasn't rolled back the one change fans most want undone
Blizzard Entertainment has released a public test patch for StarCraft 2 addressing player feedback on recent balance changes, including adjustments to spawn rates and costs. However, the developer has not yet reverted the controversial reduction of starting workers from 12 to eight, a change that remains unpopular with a significant portion of the player base.
Slay the Spire 2 removes Act 3 boss, addresses RNG and balance changes in Major Update
Mega Crit has released a major update for Slay the Spire 2's Early Access, introducing significant changes including the removal of the Act 3 boss, The Doormaker, and its replacement with a new boss named Aeonglass. The update also addresses community concerns about RNG issues by fixing a flaw in the game's random number generators and implements various balance adjustments and bug fixes.
League of Legends patch 26.13 is finally dealing with its Senna problem
League of Legends patch 26.13 introduces significant nerfs to the champion Senna, addressing her problematic synergy with items like Doran's Helm and Stattik Shiv, and reducing her soul drop rate. These changes aim to rebalance Senna's effectiveness as both a damage dealer and a support. The patch also includes buffs for Aphelios, Kindred, LeBlanc, and Qiyana, and nerfs for Bard, Brand, Cassiopeia, and Rek'Sai, alongside a buff to the Imperial Mandate item.
Overwatch season 3 kicks off with the gift of Jetpack Cat nerfs after the Apache helicopter meta dominated the World Cup
Overwatch season 3 has launched with significant balance changes, notably nerfing the 'Jetpack Cat' character, which had become a dominant meta strategy, particularly when paired with Bastion. The patch addresses concerns about her mobility and the effectiveness of her 'Lifeline' ability, which was prevalent in the recent Overwatch World Cup. While some abilities were weakened, Jetpack Cat also received buffs to her damage and healing output.
Buffs, Nerfs, and Bugs
Arc Raiders is testing a ban on free loadouts, a change that the author supports. This move aims to address game balance issues within the title.
[S2 Preview #8] Myth of Empires: Throne Profession Skill Balance Adjustments
Myth of Empires is preparing for Season 2 with significant profession skill balance adjustments based on player feedback and combat data from Season 1. These changes aim to refine skill usage, improve PvP combat experiences, and reinforce each profession's intended role, with active skill cooldowns being increased across the board. Specific adjustments are detailed for Imperial Guard, Tiger Step, Berserker Battalion, Silver Wing Guard, and Martial Archery Expert, with the Season 2 launch date to be revealed soon.
Helldivers 2 Update Brings Galactic Campaigns, Armor Penetration Rebalances, Control Center Terminal
Arrowhead Game Studios has released a significant update for Helldivers 2, introducing the new Galactic Campaigns system, a Control Center terminal, and a new Forest biome. The update also includes extensive rebalances to enemy armor penetration, vehicles, and Stratagems, aiming to enhance gameplay and narrative progression. Game director Mikael Eriksson highlighted the new rewards system tied to Galactic Campaigns.
