Game Systems
Ongoing coverage on Game Systems.
Latest coverage
Persona 4 Revival Broadcast – 22-minute deep dive
ATLUS has released a 22-minute "Persona 4 Revival Broadcast" detailing the game's story, characters, and battle system. Persona 4 Revival is scheduled for release on February 18, 2027, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC, and will be available on Game Pass.
Blue Protocol Star Resonance teases stat-boosting items, hall of fame, and Starland updates
Blue Protocol Star Resonance developers have teased upcoming updates including additions to the Battle Imagine system with an archive and conversion event. A new Star Honor Roll feature will be implemented, acting as a hall of fame for high-difficulty dungeon clears, offering unique titles and trophies. Further plans include AI teammates for guild hunts and new activities for the Starland amusement park.
Elder Scrolls Online’s ‘hybridization initiative’ continues with update 51, due out August 31
ZeniMax Online Studios is continuing its 'hybridization initiative' with The Elder Scrolls Online's upcoming Update 51, scheduled for August 31. This update will further streamline character resources and stats by removing or replacing duplicated effects and overhauling systems like Mundus Stones, buffs, class passives, and alchemy to lower the barrier for creating effective builds.
Kyoto Xanadu details more characters, requests, cursed armor, and conversation events
Falcom has revealed new details for the action RPG Kyoto Xanadu, introducing characters Wyatt Warren and Marina Yuino, along with systems for facility requests, cursed armor, and conversation events. The game is set to release on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC on July 16 in Japan and Asia, with a western release planned.
Vindictus previews the aggro system rebuild coming in its July update
Vindictus is previewing its July update, which includes a complete overhaul of the aggro system. The rebuild aims to standardize aggro based on damage dealt, making boss movements less erratic and combat fairer. The update also introduces a new raid boss named Esras and character balance adjustments for Lann, Delia, Arisha, Lynn, and Evie.
[S2 Preview #5] Myth of Empires: Throne Adds New Horse Skills and Increases Mount Health Scaling
Myth of Empires is introducing significant updates to its mounted combat system in Season 2, focusing on enhancing mount survivability and utility. New horse skills like Hunter's Bane, Ironbone Stride, and Rider's Bulwark will be added, alongside increased base health scaling for Horses, Elephants, and Rhinos. These changes aim to improve the impact of mounts in transportation, exploration, and large-scale Guild conflicts.
The Daily Grind: What deleted skill or class system in MMORPGs do you still miss?
This article discusses the nostalgia for deleted skills and class systems in MMORPGs, using Final Fantasy XIV's Paladin skill 'Savage Blade' as a specific example. The piece invites readers to share which removed game mechanics they miss the most.
SHIP SYSTEMS V
SHIP SYSTEMS V, a feature for the upcoming sci-fi ARPG Carbon, will expand the core experience with tactical support, modular progression, and mobile hideouts. Players can customize their personal spaceships with various modules like Missile Pods and Cargo Shuttles, which will integrate into gameplay for exploration, combat, and survival.
Elder Scrolls Online details the class mastery system launching with U50 in June
ZeniMax Online Studios has detailed the upcoming class mastery system for The Elder Scrolls Online, launching with Update 50 on June 8th. This new system introduces a passive skill line for each of the game's seven classes, offering five unique abilities per class to further enhance player builds and reward specialization.
Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter details more characters, ‘Brave Rush’ and ‘Enforcer Boost’ systems
Nihon Falcom has released new details and screenshots for The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd, introducing additional characters and explaining game systems such as 'Brave Rush' and 'Enforcer Boost'. The information provides a deeper look into the upcoming RPG's mechanics and cast.
SHIP SYSTEMS II
The blog post for SHIP SYSTEMS II details the Damage Modules available in the game Carbon, which are active combat abilities that extend player combat style. Examples include the MISSILE POD and CORROSIVE GAS EMITTER. The ship system aims for diverse endgame loadouts through modular customization, combining Utility, Engine, and Damage modules.
Crimson Desert's latest patch gives the people what they want, which is to tame and ride a random bear with your own two hands—or a goat, if you're freaky
Crimson Desert has received a patch that allows players to tame and ride various animals, including bears, wolves, and mountain goats, through quest chains or by defeating them. This update also introduces a partial refund system for equipment upgrade materials, allowing players to recover all special materials and 70% of common materials when respeccing.
Stars Reach outlines plans for item durability, stats and character UI updates, and interlinked systems
Stars Reach, a sci-fi sandbox MMORPG, is planning significant updates to its game systems, including item durability, character UI, and interlinked mechanics. These changes, discussed by Raph Koster, will affect inventory management, crafting, combat, and the in-game economy. While no firm release dates are set, the developers anticipate these updates will fundamentally alter the game experience within the next two months.
The Manor Lords trade rework is on hold while Slavic Magic sorts out systems "that had quietly degraded over time"
Slavic Magic has postponed the planned trade rework for Manor Lords to address underlying systems that have degraded over time. Instead, the next update will focus on a pathfinding rework, with a rural traditions update to follow. CEO Tim Bender apologized for the delay in communication and assured players that technical improvements are being prioritized for a better overall game experience.
Chrono Odyssey Reveals Big Changes to Highly Anticipated MMORPG | Console Creatures
Chrono Studio has announced significant quality-of-life updates for the upcoming MMORPG Chrono Odyssey, including improved server stability and UI enhancements. New game systems like The Matrix System, The Supporter System, and Monster Equipment are being introduced to offer combat specialization and new challenges. The game is currently in development and available to wishlist on Steam.
Chrono Odyssey showcases its matrix progression system, NPC helpers, and monster lewks
Chrono Odyssey developer Chrono Studio has detailed several upcoming game systems, including a class-specific, node-based matrix progression system and a supporter system allowing players to bring friendly NPCs into boss fights. The game will also feature 'monster equipment' for cosmetic customization, alongside quality-of-life updates like a multi-channel server system and UI improvements. The MMORPG is currently slated for a 2027 release.
Chrono Odyssey Reveals Big Changes to Highly Anticipated MMORPG
Chrono Odyssey has revealed significant changes to its anticipated MMORPG ahead of its next testing phase. Key updates include the introduction of the Matrix System for character progression, a Supporter System for NPC assistance, and Monster Equipment for cosmetic and trait-based gear. Quality-of-life improvements for server stability, navigation, and quest tracking are also being implemented.
Temtem Pioneers explains its Pedigree system to backers as Kickstarter nears 500K
Crema Games is detailing the Pedigree system for Temtem Pioneers, a co-op survival sandbox currently on Kickstarter and nearing $500,000 in funding. Pedigree is a global marker for a species that improves through player interaction, benefiting all members of that species. This explanation comes amidst controversy surrounding previous Temtem titles, including the original MMO which was maintenance-moded after backlash.
EverQuest Legends previews its item-merging exaltation system
EverQuest Legends has released a new video showcasing its item-merging "exaltation" system, where players can combine gear effects and appearances. Senior Engineer Sean Norton demonstrated how this system allows for granular customization, similar to other MMOs and OARPGs. The video also offered a glimpse into the game's visuals and UI, though it was noted that one item shown will not be available at launch.
World of Warcraft housing was disabled all night in the Americas and Oceania thanks to a ‘critical bug’
Blizzard Entertainment disabled the housing system in World of Warcraft across the Americas and Oceania regions due to a critical bug discovered after the deployment of Patch 12.0.5. The studio is prioritizing a fix for the issue, which caused unacceptable errors for some players, and will bring the feature back online with a subsequent maintenance.