At Nintendo's April 2 Direct, the official announcement of Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition undoubtedly dropped a bombshell. This highly acclaimed game will be launched together with Hitman: World of Assassination, Borderlands 4, EA Sports FC 24 and new Switch 2 exclusive The Duskbloods.

But after the cheers, when I carefully examined the 45-second trailer, some details made me fall into deep thought and worry.

Performance Issues

In the trailer played at Nintendo's April 2 Direct, at 25th second, we can see that when the character summons Torrent in the shadow of a half-sunken castle, the camera zooms out to a panoramic composition of Erdtree and the moon. At this time, frame pacing drops sharply with the naked eye. Although FromSoftware cleverly concealed it with cinematic camera movements - such as the extensive use of slow-motion special effects and static environment displays - the lag in this only dynamic battle scene still caused concerns among hardcore players.

It is worth noting that this is not the first time FromSoftware has encountered performance controversy. The 30fps-locked problem of Bloodborne on PS4 is still its pain point. And Elden Ring's performance on More Powerful Consoles is also unsatisfactory. Frequent loading delays, frame rate fluctuations during battles and other problems have also troubled players for a long time.

It can be seen that this game has extremely high resource requirements, no matter from which aspect. Players need to accumulate Elden Ring Runes in the game; outside the game, players need to pursue more powerful gaming equipment.

But for soul games known for their high-difficulty action systems, such performance inevitably makes people worry about the smoothness of actual battle scenes.

After all, compared with other games of the same type, Elden Ring tests players' reaction speed and operation ability more. If the performance issues exposed on Switch 2 are not optimized, the already frustrating boss battles may become even more annoying.

Switch 2 Parameters

According to the leaked hardware parameters, the performance of Switch 2 seems to be far lower than that of PS5 and Xbox Series X. This performance gap is particularly fatal when rendering the open world of Elden Ring.

• Dynamic Global Illumination: The day and night cycle and weather system in the game require extremely high real-time lighting calculations.
• Game VFX: Many moves in the game have special effects, but this is too demanding for Switch 2 to achieve.
• Vegetation & Terrain Loading: When riding a horse across the grassland, the scene switching is even more of a test. To achieve smooth switching, the memory requirements must not be low.

At present, Shadow of the Erdtree has not been confirmed to land on Switch 2. But this is also a question worth pondering - if it is updated simultaneously, it may further overwhelm the hardware.

It is undeniable that the portability of Switch 2 has injected a unique charm into Elden Ring - who doesn't want to play a game anytime, anywhere? But the control adaptation of handheld mode may become a new pain point:

• Button Layout: The compact design of Joy-Con is not conducive to players using overly complex combat commands. This will make the battle more difficult.
• Screen Size: As a handheld, the screen size of Switch 2 must not be too large, but it is also difficult to present some details.
• Battery Life: Taking Switch version of The Witcher 3 as an example, we can know that its battery life may not even exceed 2.5 hours under high-load scenarios.

Nevertheless, FromSoftware may be able to resolve the dilemma through innovative interactions. The configuration of Switch 2 is inferior to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S in almost all aspects. This is expected, and it is not a bad thing - after all, Switch 2 is a handheld game console, and its performance is comparable to that of the same level of consoles.

And it is too early to deny it now. The first trailer was a bit rough, but FromSoft has plenty of time to improve its performance. Players can also enjoy smooth gameplay by lowering its graphical settings.

Although the game presentation effect of Switch 2 may not be as good as other devices, fortunately, Souls game community has always been more tolerant of frame rates. As long as there is no slow motion in combat, the handheld version is completely acceptable. After all, before this, no one thought that they could have the opportunity to fight bosses in bed or even on the toilet.

Trading Post is a cosmetics store in World of Warcraft The War Within. Players can use Trader's Tenders obtained from tasks in Traveler's Log to obtain these items.

Now, WOW The War has unveiled some of the high-priced items that will be available on the trading post in April. This update not only brings the dramatic Topsy Turvey-themed transmog, but also creates an immersive spring carnival experience through precise holiday scheduling - after all, in this MMO world, who can resist dressing up as a funny clown?

New Collectibles

As the highlight of April, Topsy Turvey Mask Set is a stroke of genius. This set of dual-form head transmogs, including bird headdresses and theatrical masks, perfectly reproduces the peculiar aesthetics of Darkmoon Faire. Some players have discovered that the irises of this mask will produce a parallax effect as the character moves, which is rare in the past trade store items.

Interestingly, bird-shaped headgear is becoming a new trend in the MMO world. However, the developers are very confident in Topsy Turvey Mask because its animation bone system has a higher degree of freedom. This also shows that they are in line with the aesthetic needs of players. Because generally speaking, transmogrifications with exaggerated visual features can make players more interested.

Violet Darkmoon Charger, which was launched at the same time, also has a hidden secret: when the player summons it on Darkmoon Island, its horseshoe will randomly leave clown footprints. Considering the Jester's Bell jewelry set launched in March 2023, these nostalgic items are obviously showing goodwill to old players.

For fans of natural characters, Verdant Denizen's Rooted Garb set is definitely the best gift. The seven-piece set of vine textures uses a new physics engine, and the leaves will produce realistic swings when the character moves. With the dual-wielding weapon Blossoming Garden Spade, it instantly transforms into a visual effect of a mobile botanical garden. It's so beautiful that it's no wonder so many players are surprised by it.

Collection Strategy

To get all the collectibles, players need to carefully calculate the use of Trader's Tender. April tasks in Traveler's Log will issue a total of 900 tokens, enough for players to get all the new Trading Post products. This design is obviously to encourage casual players to “collect everything”. Some players humorously said that this time the token distribution finally doesn't have to do math problems.

Other April Events

The trading post update is just the tip of the iceberg of WoW TWW Spring Offensive. Players can start accumulating WOW The War Within Gold in advance to prepare for the exciting events to come.

April event calendar shows: March of the Tadpoles micro-holiday will start on April 5. Noblegarden celebration on April 21 will recreate the classic Easter egg hunt. Children's Week and Volunteer Guard Day, which will arrive simultaneously on April 28, will bring us more game fun.

Most importantly, World of Warcraft Patch 11.1.5 is scheduled to be launched on April 22, bringing with it new events and optimizations. Looking forward to more official news.

As the countdown to April update begins, players have begun to prepare their own carnival plans, just like the easter egg on Violet Darkmoon Charger says - laughter is the best artifact power.

Recently, Polish game giant CD Projekt game developer once again announced a shocking news-it will start a strategic cooperation with Scopely, the game upstart responsible for Monopoly GO, to develop a new IP together. Although both parties are tight-lipped about the details of the cooperation, this cooperation between the console 3A studio and the mobile game company has triggered intense discussions among players.

It is worth noting that these two developers are giants in their respective fields. The developer of Witcher series became popular again with Cyberpunk 2077 some time ago, and the developer of Monopoly GO recently even acquired the publisher of the large-scale game Pokémon GO. The cooperation between the two will inevitably collide with a wonderful chemical reaction, and people can't help but guess what kind of surprises they will bring us.

Cross-Border Cooperation

This cooperation marks CD Projekt's first attempt in the field of mobile games, and choosing Scopely as a partner is also an excellent decision-it not only brought us the phenomenal game Monopoly GO, but also recently acquired Pokémon GO developer Niantic for a sky-high price of 3.5 billion US dollars. However, Niantic executives Kei Kawai and Ed Wu will continue to stay. This means that Scopely will master the technology of both Pokémon GO and Monopoly GO.

CD Projekt co-CEO once said that they are always looking for innovative narrative carriers, and mobile terminals are reshaping the boundaries of the gaming industry. This statement coincides with the previous strategy of Scopely CEO. Many people believe that this cooperation is likely to adopt a hybrid model of CD Projekt's world view architecture + Scopely F2P model. I dare not imagine how exciting it will be.

Mobile Game Market

When the cost of console game development has soared to the level of US$200 million, mobile terminals are becoming a new hot spot. Data shows that Scopely's Monopoly GO set an astonishing revenue myth last year, and Niantic's Pokémon GO's cumulative revenue also reached a new breakthrough. On the other hand, CD Projekt's mobile terminal revenue accounted for a pitiful proportion in fiscal 2023. Therefore, this cooperation is undoubtedly the key to opening its new growth curve.

It is worth noting how their technologies will be integrated. Niantic's Real World Platform can enhance the immersion of the open world, while Scopely's Facebook social chain transmission mechanism is coupled with CD Projekt's iconic mesh task system. Some people commented that this cooperation is like an innovative dish, which will either achieve great success or become a disaster. The new experiment is extremely challenging.

IP Adaptation Speculation

Although the official is tight-lipped about the specific project, many people have already imagined it, including me. Here are some of my IP adaptation speculations.

The Witcher

First of all, this cooperation is likely to adapt a mobile derivative based on Witcher series, which may adopt the chessboard strategy gameplay of Monopoly GO and integrate Gwent combat system. Considering Scopely's monetization experience, the skin trading system and Season Pass may play an important role. Or maybe they will use an item similar to Monopoly Go Stickers.

Cyberpunk 2077

Of course, Scopely may also choose to continue the popularity of Cyberpunk 2077 and develop a cyberpunk world exploration game. Players can build gang strongholds between real blocks and obtain blueprints for prosthetic modification through augmented reality scanning technology - of course, some rare parts may need to be unlocked through trading.

New Original IP

In addition, the two parties may also create multi-platform works with an imaginary worldview, with a shared economic system between the host and mobile terminals. However, considering that CD Projekt is currently developing The Witcher 4, this possibility is relatively low.

Player Opinions

In CDPR section of Reddit, players are both excited and worried. The excitement is that both companies are very good in their own fields, and the works produced by the cooperation must not be too bad; the worry is that they are afraid that the final presentation will be just a money-making tool. However, some people speculate that the new IP may adopt a lighter and social design route to satisfy the public's gaming fun, rather than focusing only on a few hardcore players.

Double Challenge

For CD Projekt, this cooperation is like dancing on the edge of a cliff. Because they need to allocate resources reasonably during the development of The Witcher 4, balance the narrative depth expected by core players and the fragmented experience on mobile terminals, and avoid repeating the disaster of Cyberpunk 2077's first release. It can be said that there are many difficulties.

Scopely faces the problem of adapting 3A narrative to mobile terminals, how to find the golden balance between plot advancement and Daily Quest.

In short, the only certainty at present is that the cooperation between CD Projekt and Scopely will definitely attract everyone's attention. As for what they will do? At least for now, let us put aside our worries and wait for the last news.

Like its predecessor, POE 2 has a lot of power-enhancing mechanics and features, including orbs, affixes, and Shrine buffs, but like most RPG enhancement options, some are easy to implement and add, but some are not so easy.

Here, we’re going to take a look at Anoint in Path of Exile 2, which can add powerful passive skills to your equipment or add more bonuses to your map. Therefore, a better understanding of how to Anoint in the game is key to developing your character’s power.

How To Unlock Anoint?

However, it’s not that easy to unlock Anoint feature, especially for some newcomers who have just entered POE 2. Because Anointing your Amulets and Waystones is a feature that will only be available in the late game, and this requires a key currency item, Distilled Emotions.

If you are an old player of POE 1, you will know that Distilled Emotions is the exclusive currency in Delirium Maps, combining the characteristics of Delirium Orbs and Blight Oils. Currently, there are a total of 10 types of Distilled Emotions available, namely: Despair, Disgust, Envy, Fear, Greed, Guilt, Ire, Isolation, Paranoia, and Suffering.

Distilled Emotions Farming

As we said before, Distilled Emotions are the unique currency in Delirium, and the best way to get them is naturally to complete Delirium maps. Please note that after completing the map, the drop of Distilled Emotions is completely random, so if you want to get the Emotion you need, it depends on your luck!

In addition to completing the map, Currency Exchange is also a viable place to get Distilled Emotions. If you have enough POE 2 Currency, you can find the tab for selling Emotions you need here, and you can completely skip the grinding map and get these currency items directly.

There are different levels of Distilled Emotions, and if you want to upgrade them, the best way to do so is to use Reforging Bench. However, please note that you need to consume at least 3 Emotions of the same type to upgrade a Distilled Emotion. Although this will drain your inventory quickly, it is the best way to get Emotions you need as soon as possible.

Finally, there is another method that will also reward you with Distilled Emotions, but the rewards of this method are not proportional to the difficulty, and we do not recommend this as your primary farming method unless necessary, which is to clear Simulacrum waves. Each Simulacrum is composed of 15 waves of Delirium monsters, and they are enhanced by modifiers, so the difficulty is quite challenging. They are more challenging than completing Delirium map, and you must have a better build to start this method.

How To Anoint Amulets?

Please note that anointing amulets is not the only option at this time, you can also choose to apply on Waystones to improve the loot quality of the map. However, since the game is in early access, more anointing options may be added in the future, so here we will use anointing amulets as an example to let you understand how to use this mechanism.

When you want to anoint amulets, you can select a Distilled Emotion to open the Instilling window. The so-called Distilled Emotion does not need to be carefully selected, what you need to pay attention to is how to operate to find Distilled Emotion you need.

• First, you need to place the amulet in the middle box.
• Then, place Distilled Emotion in the three boxes at the bottom.

When you hover over a prominent passive skill and press alt on the keyboard or R3 on the controller, you can find the emotion you want to anoint the ability in Passive Skill Tree.

Although you need to find the emotion, you need for the anointing ability to operate, it does not mean that it will not change, on the contrary, it will change depending on your build ability.

If you want to change the passive anointed on the amulet, you can do so by repeating anoint. As the new anoint replaces the old anoint, the skills it generates will also be adjusted to the new stage accordingly.

Benefits Of Anointing Them

Similar to how we talked about how to anoint amulets, you can also choose to do this with Waystones. Although this operation will have a certain degree of challenge, the benefits and risks coexist. You can get more substantial rewards through this operation.

By anointing Waystones and amulets, you can both upgrade them and enhance the power of your current build. For players, it works similarly to the reward mechanism of currency items, and these rewards can play a role in improving the power of equipment. Please note that you must protect Waystones and amulets from corrosion, otherwise you will not be able to anoint them.

In short, if you want to enhance your abilities and characters in POE 2, anointing is an effective method.

Path Of Exile 2 0.2.0 Dawn of the Hunt will be released on April 4 at 12:00 PM PDT, with some new characters, an economy reset, and some endgame experience improvements.

In addition, there are several enhancements to Atlas passive skill tree to provide players with more build options and diverse improvements. Tower encounters will also have new variations that can be generated through various mechanisms, which will increase the fun and challenge of the game.

Grinding Gear Games has been teasing various elements of this update, including a new weapon lock function and visual improvements to Essences. But whether these changes can achieve the effects that players expect remains to be seen.

What To Expect From Dawn Of The Hunt Update?

Grinding Gear Games is preparing to launch one of the most important updates for Path Of Exile 2. It is not only a supplement to the previous content but also a feeling of completeness and development of the game. Whether you’re a hardcore player or a newbie, the updated content will keep you entertained.

New Ascendancy Classes: Huntress And Druid

The headline feature of 0.2.0 is the introduction of Ascendancy Classes: Huntress and the possible Druid. Huntress is part of the official video, while Druid is currently rumored, but it’s still unknown whether it will eventually be launched.

Huntress excels in tactical combat, focusing on traps, minions, and ranged attacks. You can lead animal friends, set difficult traps, and shoot from a distance. Her passive skills focus on speed, evasion, and critical strikes. If you like to hit and run and get more POE 2 Currency, she will be your best choice.

Druid

Druid, on the other hand, is said to bring shapeshifting into battle. Players will be able to transform into savage beasts in battle, launch devastating melee attacks or channel the power of nature through elemental magic. Druid offers flexibility between brutal frontline damage and strong support capabilities, making him a versatile choice in solo and group games. We are not sure if Druids will be part of this update, but it is very likely.

In addition, it is rumored that Druid will bring shapeshifting into battle, allowing players to quickly transform in combat and launch devastating attacks. Druids can provide more flexibility under the harsh front-line damage and support capabilities, which has become the preferred choice of many players. However, given the operation of Grinding Gear Games, we will wait and see about this.

New Area: The Wildlands

Dawn of the Hunt introduces a huge new area: The Wildlands. This unexplored area is home to large and dangerous animals, ancient ruins, and forgotten gods. Dynamic weather systems and environmental hazards will play a key role in your journey.

Thick fog will block enemies, sudden downpours may limit visibility, and strong winds will affect ranged attacks. These changes will require players to improve their combat strategies.

New Endgame Hunts And Bosses

One of the most exciting contents for players in 0.2.0 is the hunting system. This mechanism adds a large number of beasts wandering in the wilderness. Players need to cooperate with the team to hunt these top predators more efficiently and quickly.

Each hunt ends with a massive boss fight. This is more complex than any adventure seen in the original game. Of course, defeating the beast will earn your exclusive loot, such as POE 2 Divine Orb, which will become one of your merits.

Weapon And Skill Overhaul

Dawn of the Hunt update not only adds content but also overhauls many core systems.

Weapon Specialization

The weapons in Path Of Exile 2 have a specialization system. Players can now freely customize their weapons, allowing for deeper weapon builds. For example, a bow can be modified to increase the speed of the projectile while reducing its critical hit chance.

Or a staff can gain an elemental damage bonus at the expense of mana efficiency. Of course, you can also improve weapons and obtain higher force values ​​through POE 2 Currency.

Support Gem Rework

Support Gem has also undergone major changes. In 0.2.0, the design of many gems has been simplified, making build planning more intuitive and generous. In addition, some new support gems have been introduced, providing new ways to enhance skills and synergy effects.

Overall, Path Of Exile 2 adds many new tasks, skills, and areas, which can make players enjoy a more enjoyable gaming experience.

As Monopoly GO’s Racers minigame event continues to heat up, more and more players are showing off their racing skills and strategic acumen on this game. It gives players the opportunity to experience some fast-paced racing action and compete for tokens.

Moreover, Racers event not only continues the essence of classic Monopoly gameplay but also brings a brand new gaming experience to players through innovative racing mechanics.

But the most exciting thing is that players can get a lot of awesome rewards in Racers event! These include dice, rare Sticker Packs, and beautiful tokens. Here is some information you may want to know about Racers Monopoly GO event, including game mode selection, reward mechanism, and how to make clever use of Lucky Rocket.

Game Mode 

Racers event is originally a team activity, but Monopoly GO recently added Solo Mode for players who like to compete alone. This new mode was added based on a lot of player feedback - many players were frustrated in past Racers team events because some inactive teammates would drag down the performance of the entire team. But now, you can choose to participate alone to avoid the uncertainty of teamwork.

In addition, the game will give you one day to form a team before the event starts. Therefore, for those players who want to make the most of the event time and maximize their benefits, it is recommended to evaluate their own game style and schedule in advance and consider whether they should play in a team or alone. This may directly affect your gaming experience and final gains throughout the event.

The main goal of players in Racers event is to complete as many laps as possible. Each lap has rewards, including Monopoly Go Dice, Stickers and more. If you play in a team, everyone can choose their own lap rewards. At the end of all the games, the team with the highest cumulative score will win the highest prize.

One thing to remember is that the game also distinguishes between team and individual modes in the reward setting: you can win better rewards in team competitions than single players. Those top teams that can consistently win matches and accumulate a large number of medals have a better chance of unlocking bigger rewards. Take Sticker Pack, for example. It obtained by the two will differ in the composition of the content: the successful team players will receive a Wild Sticker Pack and Purple Stickers Pack, while the single player who won the first place will receive a Blue Sticker Pack and Pink Sticker Pack.

Therefore, if you want to get more valuable rewards, teaming up with friends may be the best choice. Of course, this requires confirmation that the team members can communicate and work together in a friendly manner, otherwise it is better for some players with strong individual abilities to directly choose the more autonomous single-player mode.

Lucky Rocket

In addition to Solo Mode, Racers minigame also brings Lucky Rocket.

As before, Lucky Rocket is a short-lived event that gives players in Monopoly GO a temporary boost in Racers minigame event. When a player activates it, it guarantees that their next roll of the dice will result in a number between 4 and 6 on all three dice. This significantly increases your chances of rolling a high number on the dice. Another thing players should note is that Lucky Rocket is a group buff when used in a group, meaning you can consistently achieve higher numbers by working with your teammates.

But there is a problem, players can only have one Lucky Rocket at a time. This means that you need to consume the current Lucky Rocket before you can get another one. Therefore, players are better off using it strategically.

And the best strategy in team games is to cooperate with your teammates. You can see who has Lucky Rocket by observing rocket icon next to the teammate’s avatar, make sure everyone uses their booster, and then collect another one from the lap rewards to maximize the benefits.

In summary,  future Racers events may also offer different rewards for single and team players. And this continuous optimization of game mechanics also shows that Monopoly GO’s developers will listen carefully to player feedback and constantly adjust event design to improve the gaming experience of players with different preferences.