The latest weekly reset in Destiny 2 ends Crimson Days, the game's Valentine's Day event, and brings another Ascendant Challenge. We've completed the Dreaming City's six-week cycle on Ascendant Challenges, which means that this week, we're back to the beginning. This is your last chance to complete the challenge before Tuesday's reset. Here's where to go and what to do to complete the challenge.
As always, the Ascendant Challenge starts out with acquiring the corresponding bounty from Petra in the Dreaming City. You'll also need a Tincture of Queensfoil, a consumable item you can earn by taking part in certain activities in the Dreaming City (or you can outright buy one). Once you have both the bounty and a Tincture, you'll head to a Lost Sector, Aphelion's Rest, which is located in The Strand, just beneath the area where Petra is sometimes found. Using a Tincture will grant you a buff, Ascendance, that allows you to see a Taken portal. This one is located partway through the Lost Sector, atop a hill--it's hard to miss if you've used your Tincture.
Jumping into the portal takes you to the Ascendant Plane's Ouroborea. There, you'll have to explore the area to find four different blights. Enter the dome and destroy its core; you'll know you've done it when it disappears and the text "a seal breaks" pops up in the bottom-left corner. Once you've dealt with all the blights, you'll go back toward the center to destroy crystals (whose protective shield has been temporarily dropped). Just beware the knights who will chase you around as you do this--your best bet is to keep moving in a circle, which should let you destroy the crystals without allowing the knights to get too close.
Although the chest is unlikely to have much in the way of worthwhile rewards, finishing the Ascendant Challenge also completes the bounty you picked up from Petra. That rewards you with a piece of Powerful gear that is highly desirable and can increase your level, making this all worth the trouble, provided you're capable of getting it done. With The Black Armory expansion in full swing, players are back to the gear grind to get to the new level cap of 650.
Although this Ascendant Challenge is not a new one, there is a lot happening in Destiny 2 right now. Niobe Labs means the fourth of The Black Armory's new Forges to unlock, as well as a new step in the Mystery Box Exotic quest we've been tracking since the expansion released last month.
There are actually five new Exotic weapons in The Black Armory to find, four of which we know about (and one of which we can take a guess at). There's also a lot more happening in January and beyond: Bungie laid out its content calendar for the rest of Year 2, which is pretty extensive.
The Game Developers Conference next month will host a keynote talk from the search giant Google, the company announced today. The invite says to "gather around" and promises "all will be revealed" at the keynote, which together suggests the company plans to make some form of announcement.
Just what this project could be remains a mystery for the time being. We know that Google partnered with Ubisoft last year to test Project Stream. The test allowed interested players to stream Assassin's Creed Odyssey straight through their Google Chrome browser.
Recently rumors have circulated regarding Google's so-called "Project Yeti," which is said to be its own take on the home console. It would focus on streaming, and may even have its own exclusive games, but the price and details are unknown. Google's own open Project Stream test confirms it has been looking into streaming gaming in some capacity, but the rest of the rumors regarding Yeti are unconfirmed.
If Google is planning to jump into video games with some form of streaming box, it likely won't be alone. Microsoft has already announced its own streaming plans, called Project xCloud, and will be debuting it sometime this year. That announcement boasted that it would run on any kind of device including mobile, which Google's initial Project Stream test could not. We've also heard reports of other competitors exploring the idea, including Verizon.
Whatever Google will be revealing, it will be detailed at its keynote. It will take place in the Moscone Center on March 19 at 10 AM PT. The Game Developers Conference kicks off March 18.
The organiser of an ill-fated Fortnite festival is to be sued by the game's publisher, Epic. Fortnite Live took place over the weekend in the UK city of Norwich, but was met with a universally negative reception from attendees.
Tickets cost between £12 and £32 per person, which granted fans access to understaffed, generic, and poor-quality attractions such as a climbing wall and archery practice. Fortnite branding, including character likenesses, was used all over the event, despite none of that intellectual property being licensed for use by organiser Exciting Events. As a result, Epic has stated it will sue the event organiser.
"The quality of our player experience is incredibly important to us, whether it's inside the game or at official public events like last year's Fortnite Pro-Am," an Epic Games spokesperson told Eurogamer. "Epic Games was not in any way associated with the event that took place in Norwich and we've issued a claim against the organisers in the High Court of London."
Attendees complained of long queues and of very few of the activities having anything to do with Fortnite. The free-to-play game itself was playable at the event--once you paid for the privilege and queued to get in.
"It should have been a fun day out, but the whole event was a shambles. My kids spent most of the day in queues," one woman told the Guardian. "Fortnite is all about hunting people down and killing them--I felt like doing that to the people who organised it."
Exciting Events was offering refunds to people who requested their money back on the day and has since said it will aim to do better for next year's event. After Epic's legal action, Fortnite Live 2020 appears an unlikely prospect.
In other news, Fortnite's latest 7.40 update went live just recently. The patch introduces two new limited-time modes and some new items, including a limited-time Driftboard.
Microsoft has rolled out a new selection of Deals with Gold for Xbox One and Xbox 360. This week, Xbox Live Gold subscribers will find discounts on a couple of 2018's biggest releases, including Red Dead Redemption 2, while publisher Warner Bros. is holding a sale on a range of Lego games across both consoles.
The standard edition of Rockstar's critically acclaimed western is down to $40.19 USD for Gold subscribers this week. If you have a Gold membership, you can also pick up EA's latest football game, Madden NFL 19, for $15, while the recent Witcher spin-off Thronebreaker is down to $22.49. Destiny 2's big Forsaken expansion is also on sale this week; Gold members can download it for $20.
You can see some other notable deals for both consoles below; the full list can be found on Major Nelson's blog. All of these deals are set to expire on February 26, so you have until then to take advantage of any that strike your fancy.
This week's PlayStation Network sale in the US is a celebration of anime, thanks to deep discounts on loads of games from publisher Bandai Namco. The sale discounts games following popular anime franchises like Dragon Ball, Digimon, and Naruto, along with anime-inspired games like the .hack and Tales series.
Some notable deals include sales on Dragon Ball FighterZ ($23), including the FighterZ Edition ($47) and Ultimate Edition ($55). You can also get the first FighterZ Pass for half price at $17, which includes an extra eight fighters, or you can select individual characters for $3 a la carte. You can also get Dragon Ball Xenoverse for $10 or Xenoverse 2 for $15.
"FighterZ is complex and distinct enough to be enjoyed by fighting game competitors, but there's no question that it's been designed to tap into the hearts of Dragon Ball's most dedicated fans, and no doubt those same qualities will win people over who've never given the series a chance," wrote critic Peter Brown in GameSpot's review of Dragon Ball FighterZ. "Where past games attempted to get there through huge character rosters and deliberately predictable trips down memory lane, FighterZ has bottled the essence of what makes the series' characters, animation, and sense of humor so beloved and reconfigured it into something new: a Dragon Ball fighting game that can go toe-to-toe with the best of the genre."
Several of the listed games also have DLC packs on sale too, so even if you own these games you might still want to expand it. You can check out the full store listing for more deals and details and to make your purchases.
Anthem is already live for those with early access, but its official launch for all players will come later this week. It will be accompanied by a sizable day-one patch, set to fix a wide array of issues across all platforms just as the broader audience is cracking into the BioWare shooter.
The patch notes, as listed on Reddit, cite dozens of adjustments, but some are more prominent than others. The so-called "high-level fixes" improve loading times, fix infinite loading bugs and other crashes, fix challenge tracking, and make numbers appear for weapon and gear modifiers. Other notable improvements make the gather party mechanic work more leniently, and unlocks challenges at the correct levels. The notes go on to mention several tweaks for Strongholds, crafting, and other features.
For a few more days, Anthem is only available to those who have either EA Access on Xbox One, or Origin Access on PC. Those players are diving into the game without the benefits of these improvements, so you may have a better overall experience by waiting.
"I'm currently treating Anthem's disparate missions as an excuse to try a new weapon or special attack, which, combined with flight, gives me incentive to keep going," wrote critic Kallie Plagge in our early review impressions. "I'm hoping that I get more out of the story as I go on, but so far it's too generic to get its hooks in me."
While you wait for release, you can prepare by reading details on how to claim your pre-order and special edition bonuses once you do get your copy. Or just watch the short film from District 9 director Neill Blomkamp. The full day-one patch notes are below. Anthem releases for everyone on February 22.
Anthem Day One Update Patch Notes
High level fixes
Improved loading times
Fixed many infinite loading screens
Fixed multiple challenges not tracking properly
A number of issues have been fixed that were causing players to disconnect or crash
Weapons and gear now have numbers present for modifiers
General Fixes and Improvements
Loot Reveal and Expedition Summary now correctly play during the end of expedition screen.
The gather party mechanic has been made more lenient in a number of situations
At the end of expedition screen players will no longer get stuck on "Recording Victories" or "Skipping All".
Game no longer hangs in Javelin menu when unlocking the second, third or fourth javelin
During the mission "What Freelancers Do" dying after killing Junkmaw & freeing Arcanists leaves you unable to progress, this has been fixed
Challenges now unlock for players at the correct levels
Fixed some camera issues during cutscenes
Legendary Contracts can now be accepted from the Social Hub contract board
Some enemies have had their shield values decreased
Loot now properly drops for players who are downed
The texture quality on the NPC Prospero has been improved
Final boss of strongholds now drop loot instead of only being shown on the end of expedition screen
Fixed the time outs on echoes and relics to prevent griefing and to handle disconnections properly
Players can no longer fall through the floor during the 3rd trial in the Fortress of Dawn
Completing the tutorial expedition will now show the correct Ranger appearance
After disconnecting, rejoining an expedition will now place you back into a squad if you were in one previously
Corrected an issue where players could not interact with each other in the launch bay in certain circumstances
Corrected an issue during the Mission "Bad Deal" where outlaws won't spawn, blocking progress
The start of expedition screen has been improved
Addressed a variety of situations where killing enemies does not properly progress world events
Opening a chest now increments Tomb of the Legionnaire progress for all squad members present
Scar snipers can no longer shoot through Storm Shield
Corrected an issue where players would get stuck on the end of expedition screen in some situations
Players will no longer get disconnected if joining the "Finding Old Friends" mission while the cinematic is playing
Addressed a number of situations where players can get stuck on the environment in the launch bay
Increased the damage of the electric status effect
Corrected an issue where the Shield of Dawn could be crafted with less materials then intended in some situations
The Platinum Mission feat now grants completion as intended
Status effects can more reliably be applied to Titans
Strongholds
Fixed an issue that would cause a Stronghold server crash after defeating the last boss
Temple of Scar - Players can no longer get stuck in the mined tunnel in the explosives room
Temple of Scar - Players can no longer be blocked from entering the explosives room due to fog wall
Fixed Tyrant Mine so people that join the stronghold in-progress do not end up locked away from their team
Adjusted lighting in Tyrant Mine underwater section to make it easier to navigate to the exit
The Swarm Tyrant will no longer get stuck in the side cave entrances in some situations
Corrected an issue where players would spawn into different areas of the Tyrant Mine in certain situations
Gear and Weapons
After having 1st pilot unlock suit after tutorials, creating a new pilot and going to forge no longer causes load screen hang
Ice damage bonuses are now correctly applied on ice gear
Suit-wide bonuses from inscription are now functioning properly
Players can no longer salvage equipped items
Javelin specific gear and/or weapons are no longer able to be used on javelins they aren't intended for
Corrected an issue where in some circumstances Masterwork Components do not have any inscriptions
The Endless Siege Masterwork Autocannon no longer displays a damage increase of 0% in its tooltip
Javelins
The Colossus javelin is now able to activate its shield more quickly after using an ability or firing a weapon
The Storm javelin now reacts to getting hit when its shields are up
Fixed an exploit that allowed the Storm's ultimate attack to be used more times than intended
The Colossus javelin can now shield and revive at the same time
Interceptor Combo Aura has been increased in power and now has a damage over time component
Crafting
Non-Masterwork materials purchased from the crafting store now show as their proper rarity instead of incorrectly showing as Masterwork
Controls
Additional Mouse and Keyboard control improvements have been made
UI
Some conversations were not popping up the reputation points post conversation completion, this has been fixed
The squad screen now displays the correct information for each player
Fixed a number of issues where subtitles will no longer get stuck on the screen after dialogue has finished as often
Settings should no longer reset upon exiting and restarting the game on Xbox One
Motion blur can now correctly be turned off
The Electric Status Effect now shows scaled damage properly
An option has been added to hide the Squad Member HUD
The edge of the compass will now pulse to indicate enemy locations
A notification has been added in Fort Tarsis if a player's vault is at the cap of 250 items
On the "Repair the Strider" step of "A Cry for Help" the search radar has been adjusted to correctly lead the player to all 4 tools
Primer and Detonator icons have been added to all Interceptor gear
Corrected a user interface issue where a player's ultimate would show as available when it isn't
Nintendo has released a new Switch system update, but unfortunately it doesn't change much. The firmware patch fixes a bug pertaining to Pokemon: Let's Go, Eevee / Pikachu and introduces "general system stability improvements."
As Nintendo's patch notes state, update 7.0.1 resolves "an issue where the Pokemon: Let's Go, Pikachu and Pokemon: Let's Go, Eevee games cannot reconnect to the Pokemon Go app if the game software was closed after pairing with the app." Aside from that and the general improvements noted above, that's about it for this latest patch, which is not a mandatory download.
The previous update, version 7.0.0, was similarly minor, despite its round number. That update did at least include some new player icons themed around New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe.
Epic Games has released a new patch for Fortnite on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile. The 7.40 content update introduces a new item, as well as a couple of Limited-Time Modes. Undoubtedly the biggest addition is the Driftboard, which lets players "catch air, perform tricks, and imagine whole new ways to use the Driftboard in Creative mode."
The Dirftboard is only a "limited-time item," and we don't know how long it will stick around for. Whatever the case, you can do a variety of things while riding--fire your weapons, use consumables, loot, and revive allies--but you can't build. You'll find Driftboards located "all around the map."
The new Driftin' LTM is an opportunity to make good use of the Driftboard, as it has a racing element to its gameplay. If you're after something a little more chaotic, Catch mode removes all guns, but leaves in grenades and other items that can be thrown at enemies. Take a look at the full patch notes below to see all the new content coming to Fortnite's battle royale mode. You can head to the official Fortnite website to see what's new with the Save The World and Creative modes.
Presumably to compensate for the addition of the Driftboard, two other movement-focused items--Gliders and Balloons--are now less likely to spawn as floor loot. Dual Pistols are also now less likely to be found as floor loot.
Fortnite Content Update 7.40 Patch Notes
Limited Time Mode: Driftin'
Summary
Gear up and grab a Driftboard from a Red Supply Drop, meet up with your team, then race to eliminate the enemies. Last team standing wins!
Mode Details
Two teams of 32 players.
All Chests and Ammo Boxes have been removed.
Red Supply Drops fall all over the map, each containing a Driftboard, weapons, and ammo.
Health and Shields slowly regenerate when riding on a Driftboard.
Limited Time Mode: Catch!
Summary
In this mode, all guns have been removed. The only weapons are grenades and other items that can be thrown or tossed. Get in there and throw the enemies back to the lobby!
Available grenades/items:
Smoke Grenades
Clingers
Remote Explosives
Port-a-Forts
Impulse Grenades
Shockwave Grenades
Mode Details:
Chest spawns and Floor Spawns set to 100.
Can only get consumables out of Chests, Floor Loot, and Supply Drops.
Increase Supply Drops throughout the game.
Faster circle times.
Increased drop stack counts.
Weapons + Items
Driftboard
Use weapons or consumables as you ride the slopes. Boost past the competition with electrifying speed. Loot and revive downed allies. All without ever getting off the Driftboard!
Building is not possible while on the Driftboard.
Can be found scattered all around the map.
Reduced availability of Balloons from Floor Loot from 1.08% to 0.73%.
Reduced availability of Gliders from Floor Loot from 1.85% to 1.2%.
Reduced availability of Dual Pistols from Floor Loot from 1.39% to 0.66%.
Fortnite Season 8 is quickly approaching and although it remains unclear what Epic has in store for players, it seems the transition is going to have a big impact on the island. Players have been reporting earthquakes for a few weeks now and, more recently, cracks in the island have started to appear. It could be that Epic is planning to break off chunks of the landmass to mix things up a bit.
Although Season 7's challenges have come to an end, there are now Overtime Challenges to do. They're quite easy and completing 13 of them will unlock a free Fortnite Season 8 Battle Pass. The Overtime Challenges are currently set to expire on February 27, which has led to speculation that Season 8 could begin on February 28, though Epic hasn't officially confirmed this.
Take a look at our complete Fortnite Season 7 challenges roundup if you still have outstanding challenges from the current season. The roundup compiles all the tips and guides we've written for Season 7's tricker challenges, so you can use it to get them done quickly.
Sony will soon cease production of the PlayStation Vita in Japan. The company revealed the news on the PlayStation Japan website, where it was confirmed both remaining models of the handheld will be discontinued soon.
While Sony has not confirmed what this means for the handheld in the West, the writing has been on the wall for a while. In May 2018, physical PS Vita games were discontinued in the US and Europe, while incoming PlayStation boss Jim Ryan said in June 2017--when he was head of PlayStation in Europe--that the Vita was "not an active line" outside of Japan.
The Vita launched in Japan in late 2011 before being released elsewhere in early 2012. A smaller, lighter model was released in 2013 in Japan and the following year in other parts of the world.
The handheld was a critical success, as reviewers and consumers praised its hardware and many of its games. However, it struggled commercially and Sony admitted as early as March 2016 that its focus had shifted elsewhere.
Respawn Entertainment has released an update for Apex Legends, its wildly popular battle royale title. The patch, which was detailed on Reddit, is available for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Generally, it is focused on reducing crashes and addressing gameplay bugs.
Players on Sony's console shouldn't have a more stable experience, as Respawn has addressed an issue with GPU hangs and also resolved crashes that happened when a button was pressed in the loading process. An issue where players would occasionally move slower after a revive has also been resolved, as has one that caused crashes because of Mirage's special ability. Finally, on Xbox One, crashes related to Gibraltar's Epic skin have been addressed. Take a look at the full patch notes below.
Apex Legends February 19 Patch Notes
Fixes for PS4 crash issues.
Addresses issues we saw with GPU hangs.
Fixed crash when pressing button early in load process.
Fixed issue where players would sometimes move slowly after revive.
Fixed issue with Mirage Ability causing crashes.
Fixed issue with Gibraltar Epic skins on Xbox One causing crashes
Apex Legends launched on February 4, somewhat unexpectedly. The game has taken the world by storm and hit 25 million players in its first week of availability and, at one point, reached "well over" 2 million peak concurrent players. Of course, Fortnite is still very much the genre leader, with 200 million players and a peak concurrent record of 8.3 million players, but it's been a very strong start for Apex Legends in a highly competitive genre.
In GameSpot's Apex Legends review, critic Phil Hornshaw awarded the game 9/10. "Apex Legends is a mix of smart shooter ideas that makes for a competitive, team-based game that gets at all the best parts of battle royale while addressing a lot of the weaknesses," he said. "Respawn's intense focus on team play makes Apex more than just a worthy addition to the genre; it's an indicator of where battle royale should go in the future."
If you've been playing the game and need a little help improving, make sure to check out our Apex Legends character guides. Each of the playable Legends requires some getting used to, and you'll have to consider their strengths and weaknesses in battle if you want to be the champion. Our character breakdowns will help you do that. We're still working our way through the roster, so we'll have guides for the remaining heroes soon.
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