Aug 13, 12:00


Kotaku Saturday, August 13, 2022 10:00 AM
    

The more time I spend with Valve's Steam Deck, the more I'm fascinated by it. While it's obviously rad for the incredibly rich selection of games it plays, I've found it's actually a really solid mini-PC for work, creation, and just everyday PC-related tasks, so today I'll show you how to get started using your Deck…

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PCGamesN Saturday, August 13, 2022 11:41 AM
     Genshin Impact 3.0 schedule, banners, and free Collei event announced

We now know the Genshin Impact 3.0 schedule and the next Genshin Impact banners that we can expect to see from late August. The Genshin Impact 3.0 special preview program is here, and it gives us plenty of new details about the next expansion for the anime game. Along with the Genshin Impact 3.0 release date, we also found out when we will be able to summon several upcoming Genshin Impact characters - and got news of an event that will let players add Dendro user Collei to their roster for free.

The Genshin Impact 3.0 update release date is August 24. In addition, we learnt that the next three versions will run on a five week schedule rather than the usual six week period. This means that we can expect version 3.1 to arrive on September 28, version 3.2 on November 2, and version 3.3 on December 7. These dates are of course subject to change, but it looks like we'll be getting a faster rollout of new content following the launch of 3.0.

We also got news of two upcoming banners for the Genshin Impact version 3.0 period. Phase one will feature both five-star Dendro user Tighnari and four-star Dendro specialist Collei - two of the new Sumeru characters that have been revealed so far - along with returning five-star Geo expert Zhongli. The second banner features newcomer Dori, a four-star Electro character, alongside returning five-stars Ganyu and Kokomi.

RELATED LINKS: Genshin Impact 2.8 release date, Genshin Impact character tier list, Genshin Impact leveling guide

PCGamesN Saturday, August 13, 2022 10:33 AM
     Skyrim mod asks you to write a thesis on Elder Scrolls lore

If you've ever considered yourself an Elder Scrolls lore expert, this Skyrim mod wants you to turn that RPG game knowledge into in-game history books. The Scholarship of Skyrim mod tasks players with becoming a real in-world scholar, allowing you to research various ancient cultures in the fantasy game before writing a thesis about them that will also award additional bonus stats when completed.

The Scholarship of Skyrim mod, by creator Zamio1, hopes to lean into players' itch to uncover more about some of the mysterious ancient races and cultures that can be found dotted around the world of the Elder Scrolls game. Players can tackle their research in various ways - reading pre-existing books, talking to fellow scholars who may specialise in a given topic, and ultimately heading out into the field to get some hands-on experience.

Currently, there are three cultures available to focus on, though Zamio says they would like to include more over time. Players can research the underground-dwelling engineers the Dwemer, with their robotic craftsmanship and impressive underground architecture. They can dig into the Falmer, a previously prosperous culture who were said to have maintained a large empire before their downfall. Finally, they can learn more about the Ancient Nords who inhabited Skyrim long ago, before the arrival of the modern era.

RELATED LINKS: Skyrim mods, Play Skyrim, Games like Skyrim

PCGamesN Saturday, August 13, 2022 9:56 AM
     What is the current and next Genshin Impact banner?

Genshin Impact banners adhere to a pretty regular schedule. Each update arrives with a new banner (or two) that lasts three weeks, followed by a second phase of banners which also lasts three weeks (barring any delays), at which point a new major update will drop.

Wondering what the next Genshin Impact banner is? We never know the exact details until banners are officially announced during the livestreams that precede each update. Occasionally, banners don't stick to the typical schedule - most notably, update 1.3 had three two-week banners, so that Hu Tao's banner didn't cross over with the Chinese New Year.

Each limited character banner - or Event Wish - contains a five-star character, and three four-star characters with increased drop rates. There's also a Weapon banner - Epitome Invocation - which runs alongside each character banner, which changes weapons every update. Here's everything you need to know about the current and upcoming Genshin Impact banners.

RELATED LINKS: Genshin Impact 2.8 release date, Genshin Impact character tier list, Genshin Impact leveling guide

PCGamesN Saturday, August 13, 2022 9:35 AM
     Genshin Impact 3.0 release date, livestream, and more

When is the Genshin Impact 3.0 release date? Similar to the huge 2.0 update which released the Inazuma region, along with Electro vision and a host of new characters - it looks like 3.0 could be just as big.

Going by Hoyoverse's teasers, the Genshin Impact 3.0 update could showcase the Dendro element, Archon quests, hangout events, new Genshin Impact characters, and another new region, Sumeru. There should be a new story arc, and hopefully an epic boss encounter like Raiden Shogun, who went on to become a playable character. We've put together a round-up of what we know so far, which involves some speculation.

RELATED LINKS: Genshin Impact 2.8 release date, Genshin Impact character tier list, Genshin Impact leveling guide

PCGamesN Saturday, August 13, 2022 8:55 AM
     Genshin Impact codes August 2022 – redeem free primogems

Looking for Genshin Impact codes? MiHoYo's charming open-world game is notoriously easy to lose yourself in, and if you're like us, you're constantly looking out for more Genshin Impact primogems and other handy consumables.

Gathering currency in Genshin Impact can be quite the grind - while you can earn mora and primogems by completing quests such as daily commissions, an injection of extra funds will always be gratefully received. Fortunately, the developers MiHoYo occasionally send out free gifts in the form of Genshin Impact codes that can be redeemed online.

These Genshin Impact codes are released periodically, frequently appearring in MiHoYo's special programs that reveal information about future updates coming to the game soon, but also to celebrate milestones or to coincide with new Genshin Impact events. Most codes also only work for a limited time - so it's a good idea to redeem them as soon as possible in case you miss out. Codes can only be redeemed once per account. Here are all the current Genshin Impact codes for August 2022, and how to redeem them.

RELATED LINKS: Genshin Impact 2.8 release date, Genshin Impact character tier list, Genshin Impact leveling guide

PCGamesN Saturday, August 13, 2022 7:03 AM
     WoW Classic PvP players won't be punished for refusing XP

WoW Classic PvP players who choose not to gain XP from player vs player combat in World of Warcraft's battlegrounds will no longer be placed into a separate pool of players in Wrath of the Lich King Classic. This change will likely be hugely welcome news to one segment of the MMORPG's player base, who prefer to avoid experience gains as they wish to compete in a specific level-locked bracket.

As described in a blue post from developer Pazorax on the WoW Classic forum, "the ability to earn experience from PvP was originally added to encourage people who enjoy PvP to do battlegrounds as part of their leveling up experience." However, the team realised that this change caused problems for one particular set of players.

PvP communities have formed around certain level brackets in WoW PvP - oftentimes because players particularly enjoy the balance at a particular level, or because it reminds them of an experience they had when first playing through the game. One particular example that is quoted in the post is 'level 19 Warsong Gulch' - much as you'd expect, this involves a subset of players who compete with highly optimised level 19 character builds.

RELATED LINKS: Best MMORPGs on PC, The best WoW addons, WoW Classic leveling guide

Twinfinite Saturday, August 13, 2022 9:37 AM
     THe Yowamushi Pedal Anime is coming back for a new cour, as shown by a new trailer.

Twinfinite Saturday, August 13, 2022 7:18 AM
     Level gating in Tower of Fantasy is a thing, and there's max a level as well.

Twinfinite Saturday, August 13, 2022 5:19 AM
     Come back Crows!

Twinfinite Saturday, August 13, 2022 5:10 AM
     Haikyuu's mysterious announcement is finally here!

Siliconera Saturday, August 13, 2022 11:00 AM
    

prism project

Prism Project from Sony Music Entertainment has opened up auditions for all genders. Auditions close on September 9, 2022. Though Prism Project's agency is in Tokyo, VTubers for Prism primarily speak English. However, those who can communicate and stream in other languages are welcome as well. [Thanks, ANN!]

Those who are interested need to apply through Prism Project's website. You also must live in one of these countries: United States, Canada, Mexico, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Peru, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, Republic of Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, or Singapore. Similar to other agencies such as Nijisanji EN, the job is much more home-based and you will not need to physically visit the office in Tokyo.

Applicants do not need to provide their own avatar, as Prism Project will make one for those who pass. Sony will also provide equipment if you need it. Additionally, you will become a Sony Music talent. According to the website, Sony will help applicants with career goals such as live performances, voice acting, merchandising, and more.

Prism Project first appeared in 2021. All of the VTubers in the agency are female-presenting in the sense that their avatars look female. This means that if any male-presenting VTubers pass this particular audition, they will be the first male VTubers to debut from Prism. Some VTubers in the agency include Miyoshino Shiki, Hoshifuri Iku, and Kamizuki Naki.

Prism Project is open for auditions until September 9, 2022.

The post Prism Project Audition is Open to All Genders appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Saturday, August 13, 2022 10:00 AM
    

Final Fantasy XIV Island Sanctuary

Final Fantasy XIV's latest patch, version 6.2, launches next week. Alongside new story developments, its premiere addition is the Final Fantasy XIV Island Sanctuary. That's a new long-term game mode focused on peaceful pioneering. The latest Letter from the Producer Live broadcast gave players a long-awaited gameplay preview of the Island Sanctuary.

The FFXIV Island Sanctuary is actually a sizeable piece of territory in itself, akin to a small or medium-size zone in itself. The official accounts clipped a bit of the stream to demonstrate. Akin to special zones like Eureka and Bozja, the sanctuary will have unique UI elements. It'll have its own inventory space, too. Given the space's size, movement abilities like Sprint will have a shorter cooldown, and mounts will move faster.

https://twitter.com/FF_XIV_EN/status/1558071523931561987

Though the FFXIV Island Sanctuary's focus is on development and cultivation, it's not specialized for crafters or gatherers. Players won't need experience in Disciple of the Hand or Land jobs to do what they need to in the area. They will be doing some crafting and gathering, though. Nodes for resources and animals to capture, as well as building structures all play a role in the available activities. Players will need to cultivate the land by planting and tending to crops. Kind of like farming-based RPGs and other games, they'll plant seeds, water them, and later on, hire and assign NPCs to take on some of the work. They'll capture and herd livestock, raise them for materials, and manage their status.

Building new buildings will require various tools and resources, and proceed in real time. Like an idle game or a base-builder, some more complex structures have a real-time building time attached. According to Yoshi-P, the FFXIV Island Sanctuary isn't designed to be consumed in a single grindy sitting, but something players go through at their own pace. Progression is managed through an Island Sanctuary-specific Scrip currency. Players can pay NPCs with Scrip to help out with tasks or trade it in for unique rewards. The rewards include exclusive glamours, like farming-themed outfits. The team intends to add new features every two major patches. This means that after the mode debuts in patch 6.2, it'll expand or deepen further around patch 6.4.

Final Fantasy XIV is available on PC, PS4, and PS5. The Island Sanctuary debuts alongside patch 6.2 on August 23, 2022.

The post Final Fantasy XIV Island Sanctuary Demoed Before Patch 6.2 appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Saturday, August 13, 2022 9:00 AM
    

FFXIV Patch 6.2 Trailer

Square Enix uploaded a new trailer for the next stage of content for Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker. The FFXIV Patch 6.2 trailer previewed some previously announced additions to the game. These included the Island Sanctuary space, new story developments, and more. Producer Naoki Yoshida revealed the new trailer during the latest Letter from the Producer Live broadcast.

Check out the FFXIV Patch 6.2 trailer below.

Note that it contains spoilers for Final Fantasy XIV: EndwalkerAvoid watching it if you're not caught up with the Main Scenario Quest.

(The rest of the article will focus on non-story content, though.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5vqrKfADW4

Aside from continuing the Warrior of Light's adventures in the post-Endwalker era, the FFXIV patch 6.2 trailer previews some of the new content players can expect. These include another tier of the Pandaemonium raid series, Abyssos. Abyssos will feature a boss called "Proto-Carbuncle", a boss-sized version of the little Carbuncle creatures used by Scholars. There's also a new instanced dungeon, the Fell Court of Troia, and an as-yet-unnamed Trial. Patch 6.2 swaps the Unreal Trial for Containment Bay S1T7 as well, letting players battle Sephirot to satisfy the Faux Commander. FFXIV Patch 6.2 will also expand improvements to the Main Scenario Quests of previous expansions. Five additional dungeons from Heavensward and A Realm Reborn will be revamped. The Duty Support system will also be added to several story-critical Heavensward dungeons.

Some other content, though, will follow after the debut of patch 6.2. The game's first "Variant Dungeon" game type debuts in Patch 6.25. Players will plumb The Sil'dihn Subterrane, a dungeon that scales its difficulty to the number of players participating. A variant of the Variant Dungeon, called the Criterion Dungeon, is a high-difficulty dungeon built to challenge expert parties. The same goes for the next phase of Hildibrand quests, Manderville Weapons, and a new Tribe quest series are also set for Patch 6.25.

Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker is available on PC, PS4, and PS5. Patch 6.2 debuts on August 23, 2022.

The post FFXIV Patch 6.2 Trailer Teases Island Sanctuary, New Story appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Saturday, August 13, 2022 8:00 AM
    

Azur Lane English 4th anniversary event to add KMS Blücher

Yostar revealed more new Azur Lane content at the English 4th Anniversary stream it held in August 2022. It announced a new event titled "Operation Convergence" that will add three shipgirls. One of the new characters joining the ever-growing Azur Lane roster will take inspiration from KMS Blücher, the second ship of the Admiral Hipper-class of heavy cruisers.

The inclusion of KMS Blücher will complete the Admiral Hipper-class roster in Azur Lane. Besides Admiral Hipper and Prinz Eugen, the game has also included the other two ships that were historically never completed as German cruisers. The fourth ship Seydlitz became the projected converted carrier named Weser. The final ship Lützow appeared as a Northern Parliament shipgirl named Tallinn, as inspired by her historical transfer to the Soviet Union.

The new event will also feature the debut of KMS Z16, based on the destroyer named after Friedrich Eckholdt. In history, the ship met her end at the Battle of the Barents Sea after her crew mistook the British cruiser, HMS Sheffield, for Admiral Hipper. A fictional battlecruiser named KMS Brünhilde will complete the event's roster.

[gallery ids="933636,933635,933634" link="file"]

"Operation Convergence" will be the third event featuring the Germany-inspired Iron Blood faction in less than a year. The 2022 new year holiday event, "Tower of Transcendence," added mostly fictional ships inspired by the Kriegsmarine's Plan Z, such as the H39 battleship Ulrich von Hutten. In late April 2022, the team launched "Rondo at Rainbow's End" and added World War I-era warships like the light cruiser Emden.

The anniversary stream also revealed more content coming to the mobile game. DD-570 USS Charles Ausburne will receive a new retrofit that improves her stats and skills. CL-50 USS Helena will have a new wedding-inspired skin when the Commander has performed an Oath on her.

[gallery columns="2" ids="933637,933638" link="file"]

Azur Lane is available worldwide on iOS and Android devices. The "Operation Convergence" event will run from August 18 to 31, 2022.

The post Azur Lane English 4th Anniversary Event Will Add KMS Blücher appeared first on Siliconera.


Siliconera Saturday, August 13, 2022 7:00 AM
    

Kirby's Dream Buffet

Kirby's Dream Buffet launches next week, and Nintendo wants you to learn some table manners. A new Kirby's Dream Buffet overview trailer explains the basics of the "Gourmet Grand Prix" for waiting players.

The trailer lays out how everyone's favorite pink puffball pal got into this situation. The Dream Fork randomly shrank Kirby down to morsel-size, and now he and his multicolored buddies need to consume to completion. The winner of the new Gourmet Grand Prix - and eating competition for the ages - is the biggest Kirby.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cp54D3Pkd5E

Up to four Kirby's Dream Buffet players will begin each session by embracing tradition with a gourmet race. It's a combination of kart racer (Kirb racer?) and Katamari Damacy. Strawberries consumed during the race will increase Kirby's size, making them able to knock other players off the track. They'll also swallow Copy Foods that trigger special effects. Minigames follow the race, with a number of bespoke mechanics across a number of events. Things come to a head when the Kirbies choose violence: Battle Royale closes out the match as brothers smash each other around the arena. Sustained play earns Kirby's Dream Buffet in-game rewards. These can unlock cosmetic upgrades, character treats, and new play stages.

The game supports two-player play with the Joy-cons. Up to four can join in a local wireless match between Switch consoles. There's also an online mode for folks alone at home (A Nintendo Switch Online account is required).

Kirby's Dream Buffet launches on August 17, 2022 on Nintendo Switch. The game is an eShop-exclusive, and no physical version is planned. It will cost $14.99.

The post Kirby's Dream Buffet Introduces a Gourmet Grand Prix appeared first on Siliconera.


Latest Games on Play iDev Games Saturday, August 13, 2022 10:25 AM
     Make a nice song...

Pivotal Gamers Saturday, August 13, 2022 4:05 AM
     What's up all? Giveaway Of The Day holds a new giveaway for Admiral Nemo. Read on for their offering. Admiral Nemo is available as a Giveaway of the day!You have limited time to download, install and register it. A few words about Admiral Nemo Exclusive offer from Giveaway of the Day and ToomkyGames! No third-party advertising and browser add-ons! Last minute notes Login with your Facebook o...