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Becoming the champion is the end goal for all the mainline Pokémon games, but it takes a lot of hard work to get there. In addition to traveling across the region to defeat all the Gym Leaders, you must also take down the bad guys and overcome other obstacles along the way before you can challenge the Elite Four and the reigning champion. As you’d expect, the champion battles are the toughest ones you’ll encounter in the main story. These champions are the best Pokémon trainers in their region, but some are definitely better than others. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

United Label and Odd Bug Studio also share a new launch trailer for Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter to celebrate its release. View the full article

Climbing the ranks of League of Legends is already a daunting and challenging experience, but certain players think their climb is tougher than yours. As if contending with complicated lane mechanics and epic monster spawns wasn’t enough, many league players have arbitrary rankings about which roles are the easiest and hardest to climb on. As it turns out, many players on Reddit believe Junglers and ADC mains have the toughest time ranking up in League. View the full article

From dry deserts, bustling forests, blazing volcanos to even frozen tundra, a variety of environments appear throughout the Monster Hunter series, each with its own unique ecosystem created by a diverse cast of monsters. The experience of adventuring through an unknown world, walking across its lands as you hunt, is one of the great joys when playing Monster Hunter. This holds true for Monster Hunter Wilds, the newest game in the franchise. After the Windward Plains and Scarlet Forest, hunters will take their next step into the harsh lands of the Oilwell Basin, a place covered in flames and oilsilt. Once there, they'll find their path blocked by dripping, viscous oil and all-blazing magma. While it may seem to be a sterile, lifeless place, one can see the sluggish movements of small creatures wriggling around in the mire. And here and there in the Oilwell Basin sits what looks like the remains of some ancient civilization. Yuya Tokuda, director of both Monster Hunter: World and Monster Hunter Wilds, describes the Oilwell Basin to us. "During the Fallow, the Oilwell Basin is a place filled with mud and oil. When the Inclemency known as the Firespring comes, it burns away that oilsilt, and at times during the Plenty the burned-away oil and soot vanishes, revealing the minerals, microorganisms and the original color of the manmade artifacts hidden underneath," he says. Down in the Muck What kind of concept did the development team have in mind when constructing the Oilwell Basin? We ask Kaname Fujioka, director of the first Monster Hunter as well as executive director and art director for Wilds. "We had two horizontally broad locales in the Windward Plains and Scarlet Forest, so we decided to make the Oilwell Basin a vertically connected place,” he says. “The environment there changes slightly when you travel between the top, middle and bottom strata. Sunlight reaches the top strata, where oil gathers like mud, and the lower you go, the hotter the place becomes, with lava and other substances." Tokuda continues: "From the middle to bottom strata, you'll find creatures not unlike aquatic life that may remind you of the deep seas or underwater volcanoes. In World, we created the ecosystem of the Coral Highlands using the idea of what it would look like if aquatic creatures lived on the surface, and we've used the knowledge we gained in the process to create the Oilwell Basin's creatures and ecosystem. It's a blazing and barren wasteland that becomes filled with vitality once the Plenty comes. Fujioka says he wants players to enjoy this contrast. "During the Fallow and Inclemency, smoke comes out of everywhere in the Oilwell Basin like it's some sort of volcano or hot spring,” he explains. “But during the Plenty, it takes on a clear, marine-like tone as we just mentioned. Look closely at the environmental biology and you'll find that it's even a region inhabited by the kinds of creatures you'd expect to find on the ocean bed." The Oilwell Basin's environment is made in a way that differentiates it from other locales. While it may look lifeless when covered in oilsilt, not only do shellfish like shrimp and crabs live under it, so do small monsters that provide raw meat. Large monsters eat small monsters, small monsters filter out and consume microorganisms from the environment and oilsilt, and microorganisms derive energy from the heat of the earth. If the Windward Plains and Scarlet Forest are ecosystems built upon sunlight and vegetation, the Oilwell Basin is an environment belonging to creatures that live by way of geothermal energy. The large monsters that live in the Oilwell Basin are distinct from those found in other locales as well. One such monster is Rompopolo, a globular and noxious creature with a mouth resembling thin needles. What ideas could have led the developers to Rompopolo's bizarre design? Fujioka explains "We designed it as a tricky monster that lives in swamps and creates chaos for players by using its stored up toxic gas,” he says. “The idea of a mad scientist came up often when we were trying to depict this trickiness. We were inspired by this concept when giving it a slightly chemical purple color and glowing red eyes. The equipment you can craft from it is surprisingly cute, though. So is its Palico equipment." While Tokuda categorizes the Rompopolo Palico equipment as "amusing,” I could see exactly what they both meant when I got to play with it myself. I hope you'll craft the equipment and check it out, too. Flames of Ajarakan Another new monster appearing in the Oilwell Basin is Ajarakan, a monster that feels like a massive gorilla enveloped in flames. That said, unlike the Scarlet Forest's Congalala, it seems to have a slimmer sort of silhouette. Another new monster appearing in the Oilwell Basin is Ajarakan, a monster that feels like a massive gorilla enveloped in flames. That said, unlike the Scarlet Forest's Congalala, it seems to have a slimmer sort of silhouette. While we saw many scenes of Rompopolo and Ajarakan fighting for turf in this video, we actually see it grab Rompopolo's body with both arms to give it a bear hug. Its martial arts-inspired movements make frequent use of its fists, giving it a charm unlike that of fanged beasts we've seen before. "Normally when we design fanged beasts, their hips are low to the ground, putting their heads at about eye level with the hunter,” says Tokuda. “We thought that this can make it harder to sense the threat that the monster poses. That's why we were conscious of giving this monster a more top-heavy and towering silhouette. We then added flame elements that are at home in the Oilwell Basin, as well as grabbing attacks reminiscent of a wrestler that highlight its physical strength. It's a monster that combines strength, physical attacks and flames, like its attack where it melts something and tosses it at you." Fujioka also comments on Ajarakan's design: "With one unique monster after the next making an appearance, we thought that this might be a good time to add a monster whose strengths are easy to understand. That's how we got Ajarakan. It just punches or slams its fists on the ground to make flames shoot up, making it the kind of monster that's strong by way of all its super-straightforward attacks." Ajarakan occupies a fairly high position in Oilwell Basins's ecosystem. Compared to Rompopolo, which makes full use of poison gas and oilsilt, Ajarakan really does stand out with its flashy appearance, with flames and magma accompanying each one of its attacks, making you very conscious of the area's pecking order. "At first it was just kind of a physically powerful monster,” says Fujioka. “That's why I talked quite a bit with our artists and designers about giving it more personality in some way. It's a monster in a fiery location, so I wanted to make use of flames and heat. That said, I didn't want it to simply breathe fire or create flames. That's how we ended up with a design where the monster seems to be wearing flames on its back, similar to the Buddhist deity Acala. From there we got the idea of Ajarakan's rising internal temperature giving it enough heat and power to melt anything in front of it, which seemed to give it so much more personality. Ajarakan will grab the hunter or hug Rompopolo, and we wanted to make players think about how much they'd want to avoid getting hugged by an absurdly hot creature. We decided to make it seem scary by making it so hot that it'll melt anything and everything around." Unlike the tricky Rompopolo, Ajarakan's design focuses on straightforward power. As there's the risk of its concept of depicting simple strength leading to no-frills movements, Fujioka says the team kept giving it flashier and flashier moves as they reached the end of development. "We kept adding lots of different interesting techniques, like it jumping into the air, balling itself up and falling to the ground," he says. A monster generations in the making Ruling over the Oilwell Basin's ecosystem as its apex predator with octopus-like tentacles is the “****** Flame,” which we can finally name for the first time: Nu Udra. With its slimy body covered with the flammable oil it secretes, it stretches and wriggles around the Oilwell Basin in every direction. Just as the Windward Plains' Rey Dau controls lightning and the Scarlet Forest's Uth Duna envelops itself in water, Nu Udra coats itself in flames. The two developers say that apex predators in Wilds are designed with the element of their region strongly in mind. Of course, finding an octopus in a scorching hot area is odd. Was this really the animal that inspired the monster? "Yes, it was octopuses,” says Fujioka. “We also wanted its silhouette to be striking when it rises up and gave it what look like demonic horns, but we also tried designing it in a way where you can't tell where its face is." Tokuda explains that even the music that plays when fighting Nu Udra is based on demonic imagery. "We had the composers include phrases and musical instruments reminiscent of ****** magic,” he says. “I think it ended up being a unique and good piece of music." The squirming movements of Nu Udra's tentacles apparently follow in the footsteps of monsters like Lagiacrus, which appeared in Monster Hunter Tri. A tentacled monster like this is a concept that both Tokuda and Fujioka have long wanted to make a reality. "One of the concepts in Tri was underwater combat, so I did write a proposal for an octopus-shaped monster at the time, emphasizing its distinctive underwater movements,” says Tokuda. “I had fun coming up with all kinds of ideas, like 'It has lots of legs, which means lots of parts you can sever!' There were challenges keeping us from making that a reality, though, including technical ones. But even so, I've been holding onto that proposal for all this time." We've seen monsters in the past such as Yama Tsukami and Nakarkos that wriggle around as they use appendages like their tentacles. I ask Fujioka if they took the movements of these past monsters into consideration when developing Nu Udra. "We're always interested in using monsters who move like that in moments where they'd stand out, as their silhouette and the impression they give are nothing like standard monsters with limbs and wings,” he says. “While including too many unique monsters will cause players to get tired of seeing them, dropping one in at just the right moment leaves such a strong impression. That's why we had Yama Tsukami appear in the game the way it did,” he says, referring to the scene in Monster Hunter 2 (Dos) where you encounter Yama Tsukami floating over the mountains in a deep forest. “You glance up, see it flying above you, and think, 'What the heck is that?' I think there's a kind of adventurous feeling you get from seeing something a bit odd, similar to cryptids." Hearing this, Tokuda adds with a nostalgic tone, "You know, I'm the one who put that (Yama Tsukami) there." While they weren't able to create the same kind of actions for Yama Tsukami as they have for Nu Udra due to the technology at the time, they say they wanted to find some way for it to leave an impression. A constant feeling I get throughout this interview is one of just how sincere Monster Hunter's team is throughout the development process about creating monsters, and that they make use of so many techniques in the process. Even if it can't be done with current technology, these creators have countless ideas in their heads about how they want to use a monster. Then when they develop a new title, they draw on this stockpile when creating new monsters. In that sense, you could call the realization of a monster that makes full use of its tentacles like Nu Udra a major accomplishment for both Tokuda and Fujioka. "While Yama Tsukami and Nakarkos were monsters that attacked you with their tentacles while fixed there in a stage, Nu Udra makes use of its physical traits as a cephalopod to freely move around the area. In that way, the gameplay it enables could be seen as something we're trying for the very first time here." Fujioka continues: "Monsters with tentacles like that pose a lot of technical challenges, like controlling it with respect to the terrain and its target. When we began development on Wilds, the technical department's tests went incredibly well, and so we felt like we could really make it happen this time." "When we saw the tests, we also thought to make it the apex predator of the Oilwell Basin,” adds Tokuda. “That's just how much of an impact this monster has.” "While there are countless proposals that I've had rejected due to technical reasons, it feels like I'm finally getting to attempt one of those this time around." Even outside of hunting, I get the sense that fine attention was placed on Nu Udra's animations. After you deal it enough damage, it wraps itself around what looks like an ancient ruined pipe in order to wriggle its way around the area. It even enters into small holes in the terrain without any trouble at all. Every one of Nu Udra's movements posed a challenge to the art team led by Fujioka. "We did quite a lot of work on depicting flexible bodies this time with Nu Udra,” he says. “At the start of development, we try coming up with pretty unreasonable ideas, whether or not we can actually achieve them. It's a challenge to ourselves in a way, and while it does cause a lot of challenges for our artists, the final product looks so amazing if we're able to actually make it take shape." The team uses new technologies to make possible the ideal expressions they've accumulated as the series progresses. They give it a try even if they aren't sure they can make it happen. I even get a sense of what it feels like to be on the Monster Hunter development floor when I hear these two talk. "When we first implemented the movement of it going inside a hole, an animator told me, 'When you weaken it and it starts heading back to its nest, please wait here for a moment!',” says Tokuda. “Apparently they wanted me to see it going into its little hole, and I still remember replying, 'Oh, that really is amazing!' The animator looked so satisfied as well." "It might not be easy to get the chance to see it, but the way it squirms around while wrapped around a pipe is so well made too,” says Fujioka. “I do hope you check it out. Only games are able to depict things like that in real-time instead of as some premade scene. I'm incredibly proud of it as a crystallization of the staff's efforts." Fujioka's tone of voice gives me a strong sense of just how satisfied he is with the level of detail of Wilds' monsters and how proud he is of the team who created this game. Once I actually try taking on Nu Udra, I have significant trouble finding an opening on its flexible and ever-changing body. If I let my guard down and stick too close to it, it uses its head to launch a powerful counterattack. While I struggle, I somehow manage to focus enough of my attacks to successfully break a tentacle part, only for its severed tip to thrash around on the ground. Is it possible to destroy all of its many legs? "You can cut off so many tentacles,” Tokuda explains. “While I suppose it depends on how you count them, all of the parts that resemble legs that touch the ground can be severed. While the tentacles do move right after they've been cut off, they begin to rot after some time passes. If you try to carve a part that's rotten and no longer moving, you won't get good materials from it. The same also applies for breakable parts of other monsters, like tails.” “Nu Udra uses its tentacles to launch attack after attack on its target. We were conscious to give its attacks a unique tempo through a combination of focused attacks, and area-of-effect attacks using its head and flames. We wanted to make it a massive monster that still seemed to launch a barrage of attacks. With all of its tentacles, though, it's possible that it becomes difficult to tell who it's targeting in situations like multiplayer hunts. That's why we've made it so that it has sensory organs at the tips of its tentacles that use light to indicate when and who it's going to attack." At times, Nu Udra will hold its tentacles in the air and slam them into the ground as an attack. Like Tokuda says, its area that would correspond to the palm of a human hand gives off light when it does this. This light-emitting section of its body is Nu Udra's sensory organ. But as it doesn't use vision to understand the world around it, Flash Bombs don't affect it. Nu Udra poses a significant challenge. I ask Tokuda what players can do to start working toward defeating it. "Its body itself is fairly soft, and it has lots of breakable parts,” he replies. “I think hunters should think about how to determine where to attack. Cutting off a tentacle will also shorten its area of effect attacks, making it much easier to move around. You could also call it a monster made for multiplayer, as that means its targets will be split up. You may be able to enjoy it even more by using SOS flares, Support Hunters included." Fujioka expands further. "As we designed this monster, I thought it's one that can be tackled in a way that's very much like an action game in the sense that destroying its parts can help you get closer to defeating it. Gravios is another monster where you discover a way to defeat it as you destroy its tough armor, right? The ability to carefully watch a monster's movements and use that to make a decision fits perfectly with Monster Hunter's overall approach." A welcome reunion In his answer, Fujioka brings up the name Gravios. That's right, players can reunite with Gravios, who hasn't been seen since Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate, in the Oilwell Basin. As a monster covered in what looks like a rocky carapace and which emits hot gas, Gravios really is a perfect monster for the area. I ask Tokuda what led them to decide to have Gravios make another appearance (for more details, check out this Gravios interview as well). "When we were thinking of monsters that match the Oilwell Basin's environment, make sense in the game's overall progression and don't play too similarly to any other monsters, we thought that we could make Gravios seem like a fresh challenge and decided that it would reappear," he says. As Tokuda says, the reappearing Gravios had become a monster with an even harder body than I remembered. Its massive presence is overwhelming when compared to the other monsters in the Oilwell Basin. When I somehow figure out a way to attack its rocky carapace, I'm able to form red wounds on its body like any other monster and unleash a Focus Strike. "When bringing Gravios over to this game from previous titles, above all else, we wanted to make sure it still had its distinguishing features like its hardness,” says Tokuda. “From a game design perspective, we also wanted it to be a monster that appeared after you've progressed a good bit and had gone through everything the game's design has to offer. That's why I came up with the idea of it being a monster where it's difficult to figure out a way to defeat its hard body at first, only for hunters to find more and more clues as they make good use of the wound system and part breaking." If Gravios is making an appearance, does that mean we'll also be seeing its juvenile form, Basarios? I ask the question, only for Fujioka to simply reply, "Sorry, but Basarios will be taking this one off." It seems like the time isn't quite right yet, and we'll have to wait longer before we see Basarios again. As the two explained during our interview about monster selection, the Monster Hunter team is careful to not make offhanded decisions about having monsters reappear, only doing so if they can be used to their fullest in a game. That means that the team must have decided to not include Basarios in this game after multiple discussions. Though a bit unfortunate, many other monsters not touched on in this article will also make an appearance in the Oilwell Basin. I can't wait for the day when I get to go hunting there, Cool Drink in hand. Monster Hunter Wilds is scheduled for release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC on February 28. For more, check out our exclusive 4K gameplay videos hunting Ajarakan and Rompopolo in the new Oilwell Basin area, our interview with the development team on how Monster Hunter has evolved over the years, and details on the game’s delicious food system. And look out for more monstrous exclusives throughout January as part of IGN First! Shuka Yamada is a freelance writer for IGN Japan. This article was translated by Ko Ransom. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Long before Destiny 2 hit the high points of Forsaken, The Witch Queen, or The Final Shape—hell, before there was even a Destiny 2—The Taken King was peak Destiny. Aboard the Dreadnought, the titanic flagship spacecraft of the Hive God Oryx, the first game finally hit its stride, providing a compelling villain, an imminently repeatable public event in the Court of Oryx, and the Book of Sorrows: An in-game lore tome that turned Destiny's melange of proper nouns into a proper mythology... Read more.View the full article

On January 28, Steam released a client update for users to download, which fixed some errors that can occur when reconnecting to the service or accessing certain features in Big Picture Mode. The new Steam client patch came just a few days after Valve released a larger update that changed the user interface's download and installation progress bars. View the full article

The Staff of Ice returns in ****** Ops 6 as part of The Tomb map, and it’s a powerful Wonder Weapon that’s also crucial for the progression of the storyline. Unlocking the Ice Staff is tough enough, but it also must be upgraded for you to find true success in The Tomb. It’s a requirement for finishing the story quest, but it’s also an incredibly powerful weapon capable of clearing out large swaths of Zombies and keeping yourself safe. View the full article

Bungie announced during today's developer livestream that Star Wars-inspired armor and cosmetics will come to Destiny 2 when Heresy Act 1 goes live on February 4... Read more.View the full article

Heroes of the Storm has officially rolled out the first update of 2025, featuring some balance changes, bug fixes, and the return of Brawl Mode. Players can enjoy these special game modes on a rotating, biweekly basis in Heroes of the Storm right now, starting with the Lunar Rocket Racing minigame. View the full article

The Lunar New Year event for Pokémon Go has begun. It celebrates the Year of the Snake, which means several snake-themed Pokémon are in the spotlight. All players will receive a Timed Research they can complete during this event and a Premium version for those who want more rewards. There’s a free and premium version available. You don’t have to buy the premium version to get the most rewards for this event, but if you plan to play throughout the week, it never hurts to grab everything you can. The big rewards are in the free version, which offers several Zygarde cells, a hard-to-find currency to evolve your Zygarde. Here’s what you need to know about how to complete all Lunar New Year timed research tasks in Pokémon Go to get all the rewards. View the full article

There are a few places that are sacred in Counter-Strike 2’s esports scene, like the Spodek, the heart of IEM Katowice. This year, the best teams from all around the world are once again gathering in Poland to compete in the historic tournament. From 2025 onwards, CS2 tournament organizers must comply with Valve’s new rules. One of them is that most invites for pivotal events have to be distributed based on Valve’s Global Standings. The case is no different with IEM Katowice 2025, which will feature the top 24 squads from around the world. View the full article

Bungie has partnered with Lucasfilm Games to bring Star Wars-themed gear and accessories to Destiny 2. It will include three new armor ornaments (one for each Guardian class) “each inspired by the soldiers of the Galactic Empire”, plus a number of Star Wars-inspired accessories, emotes and finishers. The Star Wars content will launch on February 4 alongside Destiny 2: Heresy, the game’s third Episode and the final epilogue of the Light and Darkness Saga. Read More... View the full article

Jumping on the crossover bandwagon as a live service game can go one of two ways. You can either churn out a poorly-priced, mediocre collab that doesn't exactly align with your style and aesthetics. Or, you can bring players a collab so irresistible that nothing else really matters. Destiny 2's next crossover certainly leans towards the latter, because a lineup of Star Wars themed armor sets and cosmetics are hitting the space shooter soon. Read the rest of the story... RELATED LINKS: Destiny 2 codes for free emblems and shaders Destiny 2 confirms a world's first race for new dungeon, but there's a twist As Destiny 2 hits a new all-time low, here's what needs to change View the full article

The Vault of Glass is one of the oldest raids in the franchise, both in Destiny and Destiny 2, but the beloved weapons are finally getting a loot refresh next week. New perks aren’t the only draw, though: the reissued weapons will be craftable and have a new origin trait. Fatebringer is inarguably the most anticipated of the bunch. Thanks to good stats and excellent perks, this hand cannon remains a top-tier pick even almost four years after its release—a near-miracle for Destiny 2. With crafting coming into play, guardians can finally snag a perfect Fatebringer to change as they see fit. View the full article

As part of the New Bloom Festival event, the Whim Tangram puzzles give Infinity Nikki players a chance to help Qiao He in exchange for various prizes. Hailing from White ***** and docked at a magnificent ship docked by Florawish, this NPC will offer you valuable rewards when you complete one of their Whim Tangram puzzles. This is supposedly a popular game in the Linlang Empire, and it will only be around for a limited time, so it's worth trying it if you're a regular Infinity Nikki player. View the full article

The Blood of Dawnwalker is an upcoming title by Rebel Wolves, a new studio founded by veteran developers of CD Projekt Red (The Witcher series and Cyberpunk 2077). The game is described as a dark fantasy RPG set in medieval Europe in the 14th century. As plague and war rip through a human kingdom near the Carpathian Mountains, vampires rise to take control, make themselves lords, and enact a blood tax on the unwilling citizens. View the full article

During its Episode Heresy Act 1 livestream, Bungie reveals a new Destiny 2 collaboration event with the Star Wars franchise, bringing new armor and cosmetic items to the game. It was a big day for Destiny 2 fans as Bungie finally pulled the curtain back on the first act of Episode Heresy and the long awaited return of the Dreadnaught. View the full article

In a recent online discussion, Marvel Rivals fans expressed that they would like NetEase Games to add more hero proficiency ranks to the game beyond Lord. Marvel Rivals is currently nearing the middle of Season 1: Eternal Night Falls, which features a struggle between Dracula and the Fantastic Four. With Doctor Strange and Blade caught in a trap, it's up to Marvel's first family to lead the charge against the villain. View the full article

There's no doubt about The Sims being one of the best life simulation games out there. It's been around since the early 2000s, so it has decades of updates, expansions, and fan-created content for all to enjoy. In nearly two and a half decades, The Sims has amassed quite a following of casual players who use the game to unwind, and streamers and content creators who turn their gameplay into creative masterpieces. The Sims 4 itself has been around for 10 years now, the longest tenure of any core Sims game thus far. View the full article

It’s almost time to step into the shoes of Henry in Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, set in 15th-century Bohemia, when the civil war is dividing people and the soldiers are ready to draw their swords. While Kingdom Come: Deliverance II continues the story of Henry from the first game, you wouldn’t need to play the earlier game as the game teaches you the essentials so that you’re ready to make your name in an unforgiving world. Like the prequel, Henry’s decisions are crucial in shaping the game’s narrative. View the full article

One Marvel Rivals player shares the plethora of frustrations that come with the vanguard role, as players don't seem to understand the importance of tanking. With the game currently open-ended and allowing players the freedom to select any role, Marvel Rivals prioritizes a lot of player strategy and fusions. This lack of role ****** can be very fun in the potential it provides but equally leaves some roles feeling underfulfilled and frustrating for the team. View the full article

Many Call of Duty Zombies fans look back fondly on the ****** Ops 2 map Origins as one of the best in the series. The Wonder Weapon from that map, the Staff of Ice, has returned in ****** Ops 6 season two’s new map, The Tomb. But it’s not exactly going to be handed over to you without some work beforehand, so we’ve got you covered on what you need to do to get the classic Wonder Weapon. View the full article

Destiny 2 is getting the Dreadnaught back with its third episode, Heresy, next week, but the area has changed quite a bit. Oryx’s old ship brings ******* obstacles, some secrets, and rewards like Adept episodic weapons for taking more significant challenges. The Dreadnaught’s return is no surprise, but today’s Heresy livestream outlined what awaits guardians when they brave the depths of the spacecraft. The Nether, Heresy’s flagship seasonal activity so far, takes place inside the Dreadnaught and borrows roguelite mechanics and modifiers from previous seasons, like Deep Dives and the Coil (from seasons 21 and 23, respectively), plus a little bit of Contest of Elders’ Brawn. View the full article

World of Warcraft players can get the Lunar Launcher, a festive flying rocket mount, during the Lunar Festival in 2025. By collecting 75 Coins of Ancestry from the Elders scattered across World of Warcraft – including the eight new ones added to Khaz Algar – fans can add this mount to their collections until the event ends on February 11. View the full article

Marvel Rivals Season 1 introduced Invisible Woman and Mister Fantastic to the rapidly growing Hero roster, debuted two new Maps alongside a new game mode, and promised to shake up the meta with a massive slate of Hero Balance Adjustments. Now that the dust has settled a little on the new season, the meta is finally beginning to solidify as players adapt to the changes and continue to learn how to min-max their favorite Marvel Heroes. While some S-Tier Season 0 standouts like Doctor Strange, Hela, and Luna Snow have refused to give up ground to their counterparts despite receiving nerfs, other Heroes like Storm, Moon Knight, and Wolverine have seen a noticeable upgrade to their competitive viability. Before getting to our Season 1 tierlist, it’s vital to note that every Hero in Marvel Rivals can thrive under the right circumstances and when used by players who understand the character’s strengths, positioning, limitations, and ideal Team-Ups. This tier list will rank all the Heroes based on how easy it is to extract value from them in the current meta, but the best Hero to pick is always the Hero you’re most familiar with or the Hero that fills the role your team needs. [/url] Without further ado, let’s get to our Marvel Rivals Season 1 tier list: S-TierHulk, Doctor Strange, Luna Snow, Cloak and Dagger, Hela, Magneto, Invisible Woman, Storm, MantisA-TierGroot, Namor, Loki, Star-Lord, Psylocke, Iron Man, Winter Soldier, Hawkeye, Moon Knight, WolverineB-TierThor, The Punisher, Venom, Adam Warlock, Magik, ****** Panther, Rocket Raccoon, Squirrel GirlC-TierCaptain America, Peni Parker, Jeff the Land Shark, Mister Fantastic, Spider-Man, Iron FistD-Tier****** Widow, Scarlet Witch Disagree with our rankings? Put together your own Marvel Rivals tier list and contribute to the community vote below. [/url] S-TierHulkWhen he makes it past the ban phase, when paired with competent Strategists Hulk can be nearly impossible to eliminate, despite his gamma shield losing 50 HP in the recent patch. His mobility allows him to create space and pressure the enemy support line, but one of Hulk’s biggest strengths is inarguably his Gamma Charge Team-Up with Doctor Strange and Iron Man. The Gamma Charge Team-Up boosts the damage and radius of Strange’s Maelstrom of Madness ability and substantially increases the damage of Iron Man’s Repulsor Blast and Unibeam.Doctor StrangeDespite receiving a noticeable nerf to his Maelstrom of Madness and Gamma Maelstrom, Doctor Strange is still one of the best Vanguards in Marvel Rivals. With an impressive damage output, an 800 HP shield that can block or dampen many fight-winning ultimates, and a TP that allows your team to take engagements on your terms, Doctor Strange is a jack-of-all-trades. If you can manage it without bans, pair Strange with Hulk to take advantage of the Gamma Charge Team-Up buffs.Luna SnowLike Doctor Strange, Luna Snow was nerfed and can no longer spam healing and damage boost during her ultimate, but this has had little to no impact on her viability. Luna Snow remains arguably the best and most versatile Strategist in the game thanks to her high damage and healing output, easy-to-land freeze, and ultimate which all but makes your team unkillable for 12 seconds.Cloak and DaggerWith the recent balance updates, Cloak and Dagger received a buff to their Dagger Storm Cooldown and their ultimate ability gained an additional dash. This only further cements Cloak and Dagger in the meta, as the sustain and damage provided by this two-in-one Hero cannot be overstated. Just look out for the Magnetos that will surely look to solo ult you after you pop your own ultimate ability. HelaThis season, Hela’s base health was reduced by 25 HP and her season bonus was reduced from 20% to 15%. These nerfs have failed to knock her off her throne as the best Duelist in Marvel Rivals and elite Hela players continue to act as server admins when uncontested. Though she continues to dominate, Hela’s nerfs have changed several breakpoints, so you’ll need to be more precise with your hitscan aim to continue having a similar impact as you did in Season 0.MagnetoThe only balance update Magneto received this season is a buff to the father-daughter Team-Up of Metallic Chaos. Yet, Magneto has steadily risen through the ranks to contest for the spot of top Vanguard in Season 1. Because of the impenetrable sustain provided by some of the most OP support ultimates in the game, Magneto’s ultimate has emerged as a reliable solution. The immense damage of Magneto’s ultimate can one-shot ulting Strategists such as Cloak and Dagger, Mantis, and even Luna Snow in ideal situations. Magneto’s bubble or Metal Bulwark ability also stands out because it allows you to temporarily save allies kidnapped by Wolverine or Winter Soldier, or protect a teammate using an ultimate that leaves them vulnerable. Invisible WomanMarvel Rival’s newest Strategist is arguably the Hero that most resembles the support archetype because of her top-notch healing output, insane utility, and fight-saving ultimate. Because of her cleaving primary fire, Invisible Woman thrives in stacked team compositions or on maps with tight chokes. While she’s undoubtedly more of a team-based Strategist, using her pull to hinder disengaging dive tanks or knock enemies off high ground will differentiate a good Invisible Woman from a great one.StormStorm is undoubtedly the biggest winner of Season 1 after receiving four buffs. Her damage has been augmented, increasing her pick potential, and her ultimate allows Storm to briefly retain her 450 bonus health after the ability has ended. This enables the Omega-level mutant to be far more aggressive when casting her ultimate. MantisWith Luna Snow and Cloak and Dagger often being subject to bans, Mantis continues to be a top-tier Strategist because of her high damage output and potent defensive ultimate that simultaneously provides healing over time and movement boosts for nearby allies. Mantis took a small hit from a movement speed nerf in this patch, but her reliable sleep and Allied Inspiration DPS boost allow her to excel when you land critical hits to generate Life Orbs instantly.A TierGrootIn Season 1, Groot’s value has increased despite receiving no balance updates. This is due to the prevalence of three support compositions, plus his sustain. Pair Groot with a Namor or Moon Knight, then combo your ultimates for a near-guaranteed fight win. Even stacking support ultimates can’t heal through the overwhelming amount of damage. Groot’s Ironwood Wall ability is another highlight of his kit because hitting enemies within 10 meters of the wall grants Bonus Health that can balloon Groot’s HP up to 1100. Of course, Groot’s walls are always a threat because of the potential to wall off supports, trap enemies out of position, or prevent your enemies from reaching the objective.NamorNamor is the bane of all flanking Duelists. His primary fire can two-tap most of the squishy Heroes in the game, and his summons can rack up damage as they autofire on enemies across the map. As mentioned above, pairing Namor’s ultimate with stuns such as Groot or Doctor Strange’s ult makes for sure-fire fight wins, though Moon Knight’s ult packs more punch. LokiBecause Loki is one of the most complex Strategists, his full potential has yet to be unlocked. In the meantime, his Regeneration Domain immortality field is incredible and his ultimate allows him to copy supports with overpowered ultimates such as Luna Snow. Alternatively, you can copy Heroes with game-changing offensive ults such as Magneto to instakill an enemy, but remember that you do not need to cast your copied ultimate right away. Star-LordStar-Lord is a reliable Duelist whose incredible mobility enables him to function on any map or game mode. Star-Lord’s ultimate continues to be a near-guaranteed kill regardless of your rank, and the reloads provided by his Stellar Shift make him a threat in just about every 1v1 duel. Pair Star-Lord with an Adam Warlock to unlock the Leader’s Soul passive which allows you to resurrect yourself every 120 seconds.PsylockeLike Star-Lord, Psylocke is a versatile Hero who can work in almost any composition, but she thrives when off-angling in line of sight of her supports. Though Psylocke is one of the greatest threats to companionless supports, she can also play wide of her team to help cut through solo Vanguards. The prevalence of triple support compositions makes all flankers slightly less viable, but Psylocke remains one of the best, especially when sharing the battlefield with Magik to unlock a recall ability.Iron ManBecause Iron Man’s biggest threat Hela often doesn’t make it through the ban phase, Iron Man gets to rain down damage from the skies while remaining relatively safe. Though Iron Man’s ultimate can be fairly telegraphed, its burst damage in a triple support meta heightens its value. Lastly, when paired with Hulk, Iron Man’s Repulsor Blast and Unibeam receive substantial damage increases.Winter SoldierWinter Soldier was already a relatively popular pick in Season 0 and he received buffs to his base HP and the bonus health earned when using Bionic Hook and Tainted Voltage. Now tankier, Winter Soldier provides consistent mid-range damage and Bionic Hook allows him to pull enemies away from their team for a free pick. Bucky’s ultimate continues to be impactful, and combining him with Rocket’s Ammo Invention Team-Up temporarily grants the Winter Soldier infinite ammo.HawkeyeAfter spending Season 0 as one of the best Duelists alongside Hela, the nerf to Hawkeye’s medium to long effective range has made him slightly less of a consistent threat. Still, Hawkeye remains the only Duelist with a ranged one-shot, and the pick potential alone places the archer in A-Tier.Moon KnightAt the launch of Season 1, Moon Knight received two ultimate buffs that have drastically increased his usage, especially when paired with Groot. When your Groot pops his ultimate to imprison your enemies, quickly use your Hand of Khonshu ult on top of them to decimate your foes. When well-timed, this ult combo is nearly impossible to survive even if your enemy stacks support ultimates.WolverineAt the start of Season 0, Wolverine was seen as one of the worst Duelists in Marvel Rivals, but this communal opinion has shifted as players continue to familiarize themselves with this iconic Hero. Toward the end of Season 0, Wolverine was well-known for preying on, hunting down, and eating tanks alive. Yet, he still received buffs to his base health to further cement his place amongst the elite DPS.B-TierThorIn Season 1, Thor’s base HP increased by 25, and his ultimate gained crowd control immunity to prevent Luna, Peni, and others from canceling it. As the rest of the Vanguards continue to get banned in high ranks, Thor players have adapted to use their Storm Surge ability to displace tanks and boop them into the waiting arms of their allies. Thor’s ultimate is also one of the few tanks with an ultimate that can reliably one-shot most non-Vanguard Heroes.The PunisherThe Punished is Mr. Reliable. Both of The Punisher’s primary attacks received a spread decrease buff in the Season 1 patch, and his easily understandable kit makes him a great character to select if you’re new to hero shooters. Still, he doesn’t provide as much mid-fight pressure as some of the other Duelists on this list, and his ult is difficult to get value from in higher elo because your enemy will typically kite and retreat behind natural cover.VenomVenom is a solid Vanguard with high mobility that he uses to disrupt enemy backlines before disengaging with his sizeable health pool. Venom is likely in need of a minor damage buff to secure one of the top spots in this meta, but for now, he’s a perfectly acceptable pick on most Maps.Adam WarlockAdam Warlock is a damage-heavy support who’s all about second chances. His Regenerative Cocoon passive lets him resurrect himself every 105 seconds, his Team-Up grants Star-Lord and Mantis the ability to rez themselves, and his ultimate can respawn all allies within range. When using his ult, remember that the resurrection range is centered on Adam, so you can cast your ultimate from a safe area, then walk out toward your fallen teammates to bring them back into the fight.MagikMagik is amongst the best brawl Duelists in the game and she can singlehandedly carry your games when expertly handled. Magik’s first passive, Limbo’s Might, converts damage inflicted into Bonus Health. Meanwhile, her Team-Up ability is also fantastic, as it grants ****** Panther and Psylocke the ability to rewind to return to their previous position and gain missing health like the dual-pistol-wielding mascot of another well-known hero shooter. Magik also received an ultimate buff this patch which increased Umbral Incursion damage in Darkchild form from 115 to 135.****** Panther****** Panther is a menace in the backline when he stacks his dashes with his Vibranium Mark and passes back and forth through your enemies. In addition to the overwhelming sustain provided by triple support comps, ****** Panther is only hindered by his recent nerfs which reduced the additional health earned when refreshing Vibranium Marks.Rocket RaccoonRocket Raccoon is a shifty Strategist with significant healing and the ability to resurrect an enemy that has fallen early in a team fight. This can be a game-changer when tanks or supports die first, because not only will your teammate quickly rejoin the fight, but your enemy likely invested lots of resources to eliminate your ally. Rocket is a perfectly capable Strategist but his ultimate is lacking compared to top-notch supports like Luna Snow and Invisible Woman.Squirrel GirlIn this patch, Squirrel Girl’s ultimate was adjusted and the Squirrel Tsunami now tracks enemies at the cost of 300 HP. This makes the ultimate more lethal in most ranks, and her burst damage makes her one of the few Heroes who can burst through the massive amounts of sustain provided by supports. Unfortunately, she still falls short of her fellow Duelists because she has less sure-fire kill potential than Heroes like Hela or Psylocke.C-TierCaptain AmericaCaptain America sits somewhere between B and C, but he’s been placed in C-Tier because of his lack of solo carry potential. Though he’s a great disruptor, Cap is not as much of an offensive threat as his fellow Vanguards and many players have yet to learn how to play alongside him. Captain America has the potential to rise through the ranks as the community continues to solve him, but for now, the buffs he received this patch don’t seem potent enough to grant him a seat alongside Hulk, Doctor Strange, and the other elite tanks.Peni ParkerThough Peni Parker is the lowest-ranked Vanguard in this tierlist, she remains a solid choice in lower elo and can control narrow chokepoints when defending on Convoy and Convergence maps. Peni’s defensive playstyle is heavily reliant on her Bionic Spider-Nest which decreases her viability in higher ranks, but her Team-Up with Venom grants her 50% damage reduction and dishes out 50 damage on release, followed by 50 damage per second for 4 seconds. Jeff the Land SharkThe adorable, fan-favorite Jeff the Land Shark is the worst Strategist in the game. Though you may have encountered some slippery Jeffs who are seemingly immortal because of the land shark’s best-in-class self-heal, Jeff is unfortunately nowhere near as competitive as top-tier supports like Luna, Cloak and Dagger, or Invisible Woman. While we’ve placed him in C-Tier, Jeff’s viability immediately increases on Maps where he can use his ultimate to ***** enemies to their death.Mister FantasticMister Fantastic is a Duelist and Vanguard hybrid, but unfortunately, he doesn’t excel in either category enough to justify selecting him over the first-class DPS or Tank Heroes in the cast. Mister Fantastic’s incredible survivability ensures he’s difficult to take down, but he poses little threat against mobile DPS or supports with peel, and his ultimate leaves a lot to be desired. This doesn’t mean Mister Fantastic is a throw pick since he can work well alongside two other Vanguards, but other Duelists simply provide more for your team.Spider-ManSpider-Man, like Iron Fist below him, is looking to pressure and eliminate backlines, but with the prevalence of triple support compositions, they’re simply outmatched. Great Spider-Man players will be able to get value from the friendly neighborhood hero by maximizing combos and quickly disengaging after securing eliminations, but if you hope to climb out of Silver with Spidey, you may be in for a grind.Iron FistIron Fist is arguably the worst flanking Duelist in the roster because he lacks the speed or stealth of Heroes like Psylocke, ****** Panther, and Spider-Man. Even worse, the triple support meta will make killing Strategists near impossible, so it may be best to shelf Iron Fist unless you’re an expert on this Hero.D TierScarlet WitchScarlet Witch may terrorize lower-tier lobbies with her auto-aim primary fire and team-wiping Ultimate, but her value will steadily decline as you climb the ranks. Her primary fire damage is unimpressive even when leeching off enemies with high Max Health, and she’s simply outclassed by the damage, versatility, or utility provided by the rest of the DPS cast.****** WidowThough ****** Widow can be viable on maps with long sightlines or when protected by peeling supports, it’s hard to rationalize picking her over the other Duelists in Marvel Rivals. Use ****** Widow to pub stomp in Quick Match, but switch to Hela or Hawkeye in Competitive if you want to flex your aim. As the Marvel Rivals community continues to learn and master the roster of over 30 Heroes, the meta will evolve and get shaken up by the imminent mid-season patch. Until then, who do you think are the S-Tier Heroes in Marvel Rivals Season 1? Which Heroes would you like to see nerfed or buffed? Let us know in the comments before queuing up your next comp match. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]