Category: IGN

There are so many different ways to experience The Witcher these days. My own entry point into this world was playing through the first Witcher game back when it first came out in 2007. But it wasn’t until The Witcher 3 that I really felt the depth of the story. I loved exploring the world, playing Gwent, and getting an up close and personal look at Geralt’s complicated love life.

I got a similar feeling with the first couple of seasons of The Witcher series on Netflix, but now that Henry Cavill has left the show I find myself mostly just looking forward to the next Witcher game in the franchise. Since that game is still years away, however, I’ve been recently looking into The Witcher TTRPG as a potential new way to experience that world. It’s currently only $15 for a six-book bundle at Humble Bundle and it certainly looks intriguing at that price.

Ubisoft is keeping Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 updates coming with the announcement of a new survival extraction experience called Survivors.

The team behind the long-running third-person shooter talked about how it plans to keep the sequel chugging along for at least another year during a gamescom 2025 panel livestream and in a blog post published on its website. It comes with a roadmap for the next few months of content, including a promise to keep players in the loop as development continues.

Today’s lineup of deals kicks off with something fans have been waiting years to see: Kirby Air Riders on the Nintendo Switch 2. Launching November 20 for $69.99 with Amazon’s preorder price guarantee, the game puts Kirby and friends into fast-paced vehicle battles full of charging, boosting, and chaotic spins. With multiple riders like Kirby and Meta Knight to choose from, and modes ranging from large-scale online brawls to classic races, it looks like a mix of racing action and party-style fun. City Trial mode in particular stands out, giving players the chance to explore, collect power-ups, and outlast unpredictable events before heading into a final showdown.

TL;DR: Deals For Today

If you’re not looking for a new game just yet, today’s list also includes a few other standout finds. Fanta is rolling out its Halloween-inspired Chucky’s Punch 12-pack for $9.99, a fruit punch soda that doubles as a festive party drink or fridge filler. Meanwhile, animation fans can pick up the newly remastered Wallace & Gromit: The Complete Cracking Collection in 4K Ultra HD, now $80.41 instead of its usual $119.98. Whether you’re gearing up for high-speed races, spooky movie nights, or a nostalgic stop-motion marathon, these deals bring a little something for everyone.

Kirby Air Riders

Fanta Chucky’s Punch, 12oz 12pk

Wallace & Gromit: The Complete Cracking Collection

Cheap Pokémon TCG ETBs

TCGPlayer is killing Amazon for the most in demand elite trainer boxes right now. Black Bolt is 25% cheaper at $84, White Flare is 17% below Amazon at $80.95 followed by Destined Rivals 17% cheaper at $94.48 and Twilight Masquerade at $86.87, which is a modest 6% cheaper. We’re still a ways off from MSRP, but if you want to get one of these ETBs this is the cheapest option right now.

Most Expensive Pokémon Cards from Japan’s Mega Brave and Mega Symphonia

Japan’s Mega Brave and Mega Symphonia Pokémon TCG sets have quickly gained popularity with collectors and competitive players alike, thanks to their focus on iconic Mega Evolutions, powerful Supporter cards, and premium artwork. High-value chase cards like Mega Gardevoir ex 092/063 and Mega Lucario ex 092/063 are priced at $664 and $444 respectively, while many others remain above the $100 mark.

These sets combine strong gameplay mechanics such as Psychic energy acceleration and hard-hitting Fighting-type attacks with visually stunning Special and Ultra Rare treatments that elevate their appeal. Booster boxes and Premium Trainer Boxes are available on TCGPlayer and include guaranteed rare pulls due to Japanese packaging rules. While the most expensive cards draw attention, more affordable options like Lillie’s Determination 086/063, Mega Kangaskhan ex SAR, and Mega Absol ex SAR offer great value with solid gameplay and collector-friendly art, making these sets a standout release for fans looking for both playability and display-worthy cards.

This Weeks Crashers and Climbers

Stellar Crown’s Illustration Rares like Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and Terapagos ex are dropping fast, with nostalgia-driven hype fading as supply grows and competitive players move on. Squirtle is down about 32% since February and Bulbasaur is down 31%, both sliding because their gameplay value is minimal. Earthen Vessel and the Special Illustration Rare Fezandipiti ex are also slipping, while Terapagos ex has been hit hardest, losing over half its value.

On the other hand, Shrouded Fable cards with practical utility are steadily climbing. Hyper Rare Basic Darkness Energy has gained around 17% as Dark-focused decks get more popular, and Dusclops is creeping up thanks to its creative ability. Even the Double Rare Fezandipiti ex is bucking the trend, nearly doubling in value as competitive players embrace it. Smaller gains from Powerglass and Okidogi ex reinforce the idea that functional, playable cards are holding their ground while flashy artwork is losing steam.

LISEN MagSafe Portable Charger

Baseus Charging Station 67W

INIU Portable Charger, Slimmest Fast Charging 10000mAh

Fallout: Season One (4K Ultra HD)

Spawn [Limited Edition]

Pokémon TCG – Black Bolt Booster Bundle Set

BOOKOO Jump Starter 2000A

Apple 20W USB-C Compact Power Adapter

tomtoc Slim Carrying Case for Nintendo Switch 2

EUKI Compressed Air Duster-150000RPM

MTG Final Fantasy Commander Deck Price Drop

Amazon has dropped the Magic: The Gathering Final Fantasy Commander Deck bundle to $189.99 (29% off MSRP), the lowest price yet and a significant saving over buying the decks individually. The set includes all four precons: Revival Trance, Scions and Spellcraft, Limit Break, and Counter Blitz. Limit Break offers strong reprints such as Darksteel Plate and Sword of the Animist, while Counter Blitz delivers powerful synergies built around counters and proliferate. Individually, three of these decks have been selling above $50, with Limit Break still listed at $72.50 on Amazon, making the bundle the best way to grab the full set at a discount.

MTG Aetherdrift Sale

Amazon has dropped one of the best Magic: The Gathering deals of the year, slashing the price of the Aetherdrift Finish Line Bundle from $79.99 to its lowest-ever $52.70. Packed with value, the bundle includes 2 premium Collector Boosters (worth nearly $20 each on their own), 6 Play Boosters, 20 foil lands, 3 exclusive Extended-Art cards, 2 foil Box Topper cards, a foil storage box, spindown life counter, stickers, and reference cards. Considering the Collector Boosters alone nearly cover the price, the rest of the contents are essentially a bonus, offering huge value for those chasing Aetherdrift’s rarest cards like the Radiant Lotus Fracture Foil or The Aetherspark First-Place Foil. With stock already more than halfway claimed, this deal won’t last long.

MTG Avatar Preorders Are Live

Best Buy and Amazon have posted its listings for Magic: The Gathering – Avatar: The Last Airbender,

The crossover Universes Beyond set officially launches November 21, 2025 (digital release November 18) and introduces bending-themed mechanics such as airbending, waterbending, earthbending, and firebending, along with fan-favorite characters including Aang, Katara, Zuko, Toph, and even the Cabbage Merchant.

Best Buy will offer multiple products at launch, including the $41.99 Scene Box, $189.99 Play Booster Box, $69.99 Play Booster Bundle, and $109.99 Commander’s Bundle. With full art treatments, collectible foils, and Standard-legal cards, this release is already shaping up to be one of the most anticipated MTG tie-ins of the year.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Trilogy [Limited Edition]

TMNT Classic Technodrome Playset – Amazon Exclusive

ACEMAGIC Vista Mini V1 Mini PC

Superman (2025) (Bonus X-Ray Edition)

The Legend of Zelda – The Complete Series

Fantom Drives – VENOM8 2TB NVMe Gen 4 M.2 Internal SSD

MTG: Spider-Man Play Booster Box Back In Stock

I’m expecting this MTG Universes Beyond expansion to web zip off shelves when it drops at the end of Feburary, so if you see a preorder like I have, just secure it.

The money won’t be taken from your bank until it ships either, so it’s a no brainer. I’ve also included the listings for the rest of the set from TCGPlayer incase you needed a massive ripping session.

McFarlane Marvel and DC Sale

Plenty of awesome figures to choose from here for more than 50% off in most cases. I absolutley love the comic front cover diorama ones, fantastic display pieces and belong on everyone’s show-off shelf for these kinds of prices.

LEGO Deals

We’re not just talk about bricks here, we’ve even got a cracking deal for a physical copy of LEGO Horizon Adventures on PS5 for $21.99, a massive 63% off. Sick of buying your better half flowers and them dying quick? Just make some out of LEGO Botanicals instead thanks to some big savings on Amazon. Even Harry Potter has rocked up with some deals

Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection Nintendo Switch

INIU Portable Charger

A Nightmare on Elm Street: 7-Film Collection

HOTO 25 in 1 Precision Electric Screwdriver Set

Donkey Kong: Bananza is a triumph, earning a rare IGN 10/10 and prompting our reviewer to call it “a brilliant successor to Super Mario Odyssey and a smashing return for a classic Nintendo character.” It’s high praise for a brand new Donkey Kong game, and one made seemingly without much input at all from original Donkey Kong creator Shigeru Miyamoto. But Miyamoto did still share some feedback on Bananza with the development team, and now we know a bit about what exactly that was.

We’ve already learned from past interviews that Miyamoto couldn’t stop digging around whenever he played the game in development. But now, thanks to a new interview with Nintendo Dream Web (independently translated by IGN), we also know a bit about what he thought about how digging worked. According to game director Kazuya Takahashi, it was Miyamoto who suggested that “B” prompt Donkey Kong to dig downwards, as opposed to being a jump button like in Super Mario Odyssey. As he puts it:

Takahashi: Mr Miyamoto also suggested the button assignments. Since the game was an extension of Mario, we initially had you jump with the B button. But Miyamoto pointed out, “If you’re digging down, wouldn’t B be more intuitive?” Indeed, when I tried it out, the key assignment felt intuitive, so that was based on Mr Miyamoto’s opinion.

Interviewer: I see. The Y button is to the side and the X button is to the top, which is in line with the Switch 2’s button layout, so even people who aren’t familiar with action games will find it easier to play if they keep that in mind.

Takahashi: Of course, there are people who are used to using B to jump with Mario, so for those people, we’ve made it possible to change this in the options.

But that’s not all. Miyamoto also apparently influenced a small but crucial element of the sound design, as related by producer Kenta Motokura and sound director Naoto Kubo:

Motokura: During development, both Mr Miyamoto and Mr Koizumi were constantly destroying the ground and the surrounding area. There were lots of options in the field to play with, so I thought that felt good. He made some adjustments to the sound, right?

Kubo: Yes. Miyamoto-san said something like, “Donkey Kong’s movements look a little light. Maybe his footsteps are a little too light as well.” When it comes to sound, footsteps are something you hear all the time, so we thought that if we made them too loud and heavy, the impact of the destruction sounds might feel weaker, so we had kept them quite subtle. We turned up the volume a little and had Mr Miyamoto listen to it, and we repeated this several times. In the end, I think we were able to strike a good balance that gives a sense of weight without losing the satisfying feeling of destruction.

So it’s also thanks to Miyamoto that Donkey Kong’s footsteps sound juuuuust right in comparison to all the digging and smashing sounds he’s making. Thanks, Mr. Miyamoto!

We’ve learned all sorts of interesting behind-the-scenes tidbits about Bananza in the last few months. We did a big interview ourselves with Motokura and Takahashi, in which we learned how and why the game was conceived, the game’s place in the Donkey Kong “canon” and the necessity of releasing on the Nintendo Switch 2.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

Double Fine is poised to release a brand new game called Keeper in October, but what comes after that? According to development chief Tim Schafer, he’s working on multiple projects at the Microsoft-owned studio, none of which are sequels.

Keeper is an atmospheric puzzle adventure in which a long-forgotten lighthouse is awakened and goes on a journey. It’s led by Double Fine’s Lee Petty, which means Tim Schafer is hands-off and free to work on other things.

What are those other things? Speaking to IGN at gamescom 2025, Schafer of course wouldn’t divulge Double Fine’s upcoming games, but did say the studio has multiple projects in the works and they’re all original IP.

“I’m working on other stuff,” he confirmed. “The studio is doing multiple projects right now and they’re all original IPs, because we did Psychonauts 2 and that will hold us for sequels for a while.”

So, that rules out Psychonauts 3 or — and this was always an unlikely one — Brütal Legend 2, at least in the short to mid-term. As game developers are fond of saying, never say never, but Schafer’s rather definitive comment gives us an idea of what to expect from Double Fine in the coming years — and that is the unexpected.

Psychonauts 2 was Double Fine’s first release following Microsoft’s acquisition of the company in 2019. Schafer has spoken before about how Double Fine had to cut boss fights from the game due to budget concerns, but the Microsoft buyout meant it had the resources to add them back in. Schafer described Keeper as smaller-scale compared to Psychonauts 2, but with an impressive level of quality.

Psychonauts 2 eventually came out in 2021. Now, four years later, Double Fine is about to release its next game. Keeper comes out October 17, 2025, on PC and Xbox Series X and S.

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Stardew Valley developer Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone has revealed he doesn’t ask for any compensation when his fan-favorite farm sim collabs with other franchises, saying he only does them because “[he] was a fan of the other games, or because [he] genuinely thought players would like it.”

The statement comes as fans prepare for a crossover event between Stardew Valley and Infinity Nikki, which goes live on September 1. Although we still don’t really understand what this will involve, exactly, there are already some surprisingly mixed reactions coming from the community, with some players upset about the timing, suggesting it’s an all-too-convenient distraction from the recent controversy around leakers.

“There have been a few collaborations between Stardew Valley and other games over the years,” Barone posted on X/Twitter yesterday. “To be clear, I never receive any money from these collabs. I’ve only done them because I was a fan of the other games, or because I genuinely thought the players would like it.”

Interestingly, Infinity Nikki responded directly to Barone from its official X/Twitter account.

“We really appreciate you sharing your feelings on this. Any unintended stress was the last thing we wanted. It was our way of saying thanks — a free love letter to Stardew Valley from our team and for the community,” the message said.

“Working on it felt like we were all tending a little farm together. The care and detail you pour into your world is exactly why we want to make cozy games too. We’re still learning from you every day.”

To be fair, it feels as though the fallout from the Stardew Valley collab is just a matter of bad timing here. The Infinity Nikki community has been unhappy ever since update 1.5 added some controversial changes to the game, such as retconning Infinity Nikki’s story, and ramping up the money and time investments required to collect full outfits.

It’s not that Barone does this all that often, either. Stardew Valley has only ever worked with a handful of other games, such as Balatro and Terraria.

Back in May, Barone admitted that he “didn’t want to just be the Stardew Valley guy,” explaining that was why he’s currently working on Haunted Chocolatier. We shouldn’t expect a release date anytime soon, though — there’s “still a lot to be done,” Barone recently admitted, particularly as he feels it’s “got to be better” than Stardew Valley.

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world’s biggest gaming sites and publications. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

DICE has outlined what it’s learned — and what it’s changing — following the open beta test for Battlefield 6.

With “tens of thousands connecting on Discord to play together, over 600,000 hours streamed, and over 30 million hours watched,” the Battlefield team said it would “like to take a moment to look back at the recent Open Beta to share our key learnings and in-game changes we’re making based on your feedback and in-game data,” including tweaks to weapons, movement, maps, modes, player counts, and playlist options.

Perhaps one of the biggest complaints from players was around movement mechanics, particularly the speed of movement, and moving out of a slide into a jump. DICE says it’s now “adjusting” this “to create a more balanced and traditional Battlefield experience.”

“Momentum, especially horizontal speed, carried from a slide into a jump has been reduced,” the team wrote. “There is now a greater penalty for consecutive jumps, which lowers jump height when jumps are spammed. Firing while jumping or sliding will result in increased inaccuracy. These changes are designed to make sliding and jumping more situational, so they are no longer ideal options for engaging in gunfights, and will contribute to a gameplay pace that rewards skillful movement without becoming too fast or unpredictable.

“Parachute physics have also been re-tuned, with reduced initial acceleration when opening the parachute for more controlled aerial movement.”

The team was also keen for you to know that it heard your “strong feedback” about larger-scale maps, and says that while the Open Beta intentionally featured smaller, more fast-paced maps, “larger-scale maps are already part of our package, delivering action-packed gameplay and memorable, unique moments for every player.” As Battlefield Labs continues — that’s the closed test available to select players who sign an NDA — it’ll introduce two new multiplayer maps: one set in Mirak Valley, the other a remake of the fan-favorite from Battlefield 3, Operation Firestorm. These two maps “include the full complement of vehicles, like Liberation Peak, along with a more vast combat space.” Details about Mirak, you may remember, leaked earlier this week.

And of course, the studio is looking at feedback on modes, too. DICE recently made changes to Rush mode after a negative response from fans, noting “the conversation we observed wasn’t just about player count, but also about how maps play, and the tactical experience they offer.”

For those who aren’t aware, Rush was initially known as Gold Rush in Bad Company, where matches typically ranged from 12v12 to 16v16 players.

“We’ve experimented with larger player counts over the years, such as 64- and even 128-player versions. While these matches created intense, fast-paced moments, they also led to issues: Overwhelming defenses, stalled frontlines, and too many games ending in the first sector,” DICE explained. “Rush is especially sensitive to higher player counts due to its tactical and strategic requirements; when a player tries to arm the M-COM while more than 20 opponents are defending, the intended gameplay becomes less tangible. Based on feedback throughout recent titles, we’re lowering the default player count for Rush to improve the flow of combat and restore the tactical, methodical experience that defines the mode.”

Those who enjoy a “large-scale” Rush, however, will still be able to “experiment” with different player counts via the Portal from launch. “Finding the right balance is an ongoing process as everyone gets familiar with map size, lanes, and combat spaces,” the team added. “For now, we’ve found that 8v8 provides a solid starting point for small-scale, fast-paced modes like Team Death Match, Squad Death Match, Domination, and KOTH.”

“With the insights gathered during the Open Beta play sessions, we will be introducing in-game adjustments in upcoming Battlefield Labs events. Stay tuned for progress updates and future opportunities to get involved,” the team concluded. “Lastly, thanks again for joining the Battlefield 6 Open Beta. Your feedback and participation made it an incredible experience.”

We’re having a great time with what we’ve played so far, writing in our Battlefield 6 review-in-progress: “We are still in the beta period, but I’m already having an absolute blast with Battlefield 6’s multiplayer. The action is sublime, with a cinematic quality to the constantly raining debris that is enhanced by how legitimately effective it is to take strategic advantage of that destruction.

“Right now, even in beta form, Battlefield 6 might be the most fun shooter I’ve played this year.”

Don’t forget that from now until October 7 — Battlefield 6’s launch day — EA has a “wave of content” planned for Battlefield 2042, including a free new pass “celebrating the legacy of Battlefield,” new hardware, and a reimagining of the fan favorite Iwo Jima map. As you progress through the ‘Road to Battlefield 6’ pass, you can expect 50 “exclusive cross-rewards,” including 20 for Battlefield 6 that will be ready for you on launch day.

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world’s biggest gaming sites and publications. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater contains a secret mode developed by PlatinumGames, the studio behind the likes of Bayonetta and Nier: Automata.

Warning! Spoilers for Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater and the original Metal Gear Solid 3 follow:

Fans of the original Metal Gear Solid 3, which Konami has remade for this Delta version, may be aware of Snake’s Nightmare. Dubbed Guy Savage by fans, it’s a time-limited third-person hack and slash sequence in which ‘Guy Savage’ cuts his way through a demon-filled hellscape, triggered by saving while Snake is in prison and then reloading.

Guy Savage was in the original Metal Gear Solid 3 on PlayStation 2, but was removed for most of the versions that followed. Now, Guy Savage is back as ‘Guy Savage Delta,’ courtesy of PlatinumGames. Even better, you’re able to unlock the secret mode to replay it via the main menu screen once you’ve beaten the game (or you can trigger it the old-fashioned way).

For as long as Call of Duty campaigns have existed, so has the option to play them at whichever difficulty suits you best. Whether recruit, normal, hardened, or veteran, long-term COD players know their level. But this year’s entry, Black Ops 7, won’t let you pick.

Black Ops 7 has a campaign that can be played solo or in co-op for up to four players. As part of that, the difficulty scales based on how many are playing, and cannot be adjusted in the settings.

“For the difficulty, it’s baked in,” associate creative director Miles Leslie told IGN in a recent interview. “We’ve built it for solo or four-player squads as well. You cannot pick a difficulty like past games. We’ve baked it in because you have to approach a co-op campaign differently, and we wanted to make sure the missions felt right for solo players — we’re not forgetting about you, we love you — but also because it is a social experience we want to make sure it’s fun, but the right amount of challenging for two, three, and four players as well.”

So, no more veteran-level runs for single-player fans in this year’s Call of Duty. Are you someone who enjoys testing yourself with the toughest challenges COD campaigns have to offer? Are you disappointed by the fact that Black Ops 7 won’t have this option at launch?

For now, you can check out my full preview of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. For more from the devs, check out their thoughts on Call of Duty being called “lazy,” the proliferation of “goofy skins,” and how generative AI is being used in Black Ops.

Simon Cardy is a Senior Editor at IGN who can mainly be found skulking around open world games, indulging in Korean cinema, or despairing at the state of Tottenham Hotspur and the New York Jets. Follow him on Bluesky at @cardy.bsky.social.

Eight years after its initial launch, first-person extraction shooter Escape from Tarkov has a version 1.0 release date: November 15, 2025. That’s over eight years after Escape from Tarkov first entered beta, and 13 years after initial development began.

Developer Battlestate Games announced the release date alongside patch notes for update 0.16.9.0, which serves as an “interim milestone” that brings a significant number of improvements and changes. Meanwhile, the development team is focusing on optimizing the final version of the game.

The main highlight, Battlestate Games said, is synchronization between EFT: Arena and EFT PvE Zone. Its “key feature” is a one-way sync: progress in EFT: Arena will sync with PvE Zone, but progress in PvE Zone will not sync with EFT: Arena.

“This one-way synchronization includes the addition of the trader Ref, the ability to transfer currency, synchronization of Tactical Clothing sets and Battle Pass rewards, along with several other innovations,” Battlestate Games said. “Additionally, improvements have been made to enemy AI systems and in-game audio.

Escape from Tarkov update 0.16.9.0 patch notes:

Changes:

PvE mode synchronization

Added synchronization between Escape from Tarkov: Arena and Escape from Tarkov PvE mode.

The main feature of this synchronization is that it only works one-way (excluding regular tasks), meaning the progress in EFT: Arena syncs with PvE mode, but not the other way around.

Trader Ref

• Added Ref to PvE mode with his related tasks and trade offers;
• Arena’s task lines in PvP & PvE modes now contain a special label indicating the game mode;
• These tasks can be completed simultaneously in both modes.

Item transfer

• Added the ability to transfer currency (Roubles, GP coins, Lega Medals) and loot crates to PvE mode;
• Items and currency from PvE mode cannot be transferred to EFT: Arena;
• Item transfer game mode selection option is available at Ref’s services tab;
• Item transfer between Arena and PvP mode remain unchanged;
• Item transfer limits are separated between the two EFT game modes, not affecting each other.

Tactical clothing

• Obtaining clothing in EFT: Arena unlocks it in both PvP and PvE mode;
• Obtaining clothing in PvP mode unlocks it only in EFT: Arena;
• Obtaining clothing in PvE mode does not unlock it in PvP mode and EFT: Arena.

BattlePass

• Earning rewards in BattlePass now also unlocks them in PvE mode;
• The already earned BattlePass rewards, including trade offers and clothing, are also unlocked in PvE mode.

In-game tasks

• After completing tasks in EFT: Arena, you receive rewards into your in-game stash and can transfer them to either PvP or PvE mode.

Trader standing

• Trader standing increase from EFT: Arena transfers into both PvE and PvP mode:
• Completing tasks in PvE mode gives trader standing only in PvE mode;
• Completing tasks in PvP mode gives trader standing both in PvP mode and EFT: Arena.
• Note: Trader standing in EFT: Arena and PvE mode may differ due to PvE trader standing not transferring to EFT: Arena.

Character experience, skills, and weapon mastery

• Experience, skills and mastery leveled in EFT: Arena transfers it to both PvE and PvP mode:
  • Gaining experience in PvE mode does not transfer it elsewhere;
  • Gaining experience in PvP mode also transfers it to EFT: Arena.
• Note: Experience, skills and mastery in EFT: Arena and PvE mode may differ due to PvE experience not transferring to EFT: Arena.

Character wipes

• In the event of a character wipe (global, personal, or Prestige) in PvP or EFT: Arena, only PvP and EFT: Arena progress will be reset:
  • Progress in tasks related to PvE mode and EFT: Arena will not be reset.
• If you perform a character wipe in PvE mode, your progress will be reset only in PvE mode:
  • Progress in tasks related to PvP mode and EFT: Arena will not be reset;
  • Progress in tasks related to PvE mode and EFT: Arena will be reset.

AI:

• Readjusted the general AI detection system;
• Readjusted the AI detection system through smoke;
• Improved the AI enemy detection system;
• Improved the AI looting patterns;
• Improved the AI grenade launcher aiming system;
• Improved the AI detection system when the AI is hiding in vegetation;
• Several Boss behavior fixes;
• Fixed the situations when an AI would drop their NVG to the player;
• Fixed the specific situations when the cultists would stop shooting the player;
• Fixed the issue with AI PMCs not patrolling the territory on Factory;
• Fixed the several situations when Rogues would fire the stationary AGS-17 outside their detection sector;
• Fixed the situations when bots were spawning in front of players;
• Fixed the situations when a bot group would summon an ally next to the player.

Audio:

• Fixed the incorrect volume of certain sounds;
• Removed the M67 grenade fuze ignite sound;
• Fixed several issues with sound occlusion on Streets of Tarkov and Customs;
• Added noise cancelling and microphone sensitivity options for voice chat;
• Fixed the issues with short clicks and sound artifacts when using VoIP;
• Fixed the issue with players still hearing VoIP after disabling it in the settings;
• Added the ability to quick-swap microphones to use in VoIP;
• Now, if the user encounters a microphone error, they can enable/disable voice chat to receive incoming voice streams;
• Added the ability to adjust VoIP volume.

QoL:

• Changed the surgical kit auto-use priority to legs.

Balancing changes

• New balancing changes to the Hardcore Wipe mechanics:
• Returned access to the Flea Market at level 35 with the ability to place one Found in Raid item at a time;
• Reverted the trader prices to the values before the Hardcore Wipe;
• Reverted the Scav cooldown to the values before the Hardcore Wipe;
• Returned the missing trade offers at Therapist Loyalty Level 4;
• Returned the ability to insure items at Prapor and Therapist, and disabled insurance at Fence.

Fixes:

• Fixed numerous visual issues, incorrect culling, object ballistics, decals, and lighting across all locations;
• Fixed the ability to use gestures while jumping to gain an advantage;
• Fixed the character behavior when attempting to equip a grenade while using the bipod;
• Fixed the in-raid compass interaction;
• Fixed the incorrect Glock 18C recoil when shooting in small bursts;
• Fixed the ability to add incompatible attachments on an equipped weapon;
• Fixed the issue with max level skills not leveling correctly after using a stimulant;
• Fixed several visual issues with Hideout zones;
• Fixed the Ammo used and Overall accuracy statistics during local PvE raids;
• Fixed the RShG-2 explosion visuals in thermal optics;
• Fixed the ability to equip regular and helmet-mounted headsets at the same time;
• Fixed the cause of Error 228 when auto-sorting stash in certain cases.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.