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Upon completing the Diablo IV story campaign, players are met by a sentient tree called the Tree of Whispers. After speaking to the tree, players unlock the Whispers of the Dead questline, a repeatable endgame quest they can use to gain additional experience and obtain high-level gear. This is a brand-new mechanic in Diablo, so if you're having difficulty figuring it all out, don't worry; I've got you covered in this guide. After beating the campaign and speaking with Lorath, a new Priority Quest marker will appear on the map in The Writhing Mire in Hawezar with a new Waypoint for The Tree of Whispers. Interact with the tree, and it will ask you to collect 10 Grim Favors from special quests called Whispers, indicated by red and pink icons on the map. GameCrate/Diablo IV Completing the marked quests will reward the player with Grim Favors -- the amount of which can be viewed by scrolling over the event on the map. Complete the Whispers to gain Grim Favors, and once you have 10 Grim Favors, you can return to the Tree of Whispers to select 1 of 3 Collection Caches that you can unlock for Legendary gear. It's important to note that these quests have a timer that can expire but will refresh with new quests once the timer runs out. To check the progress of your Grim Favors, open the map and view the Whispers of the Dead Grim Favors bar at the bottom of the screen. GameCrate/Diablo IV The best caches are the Legendary Caches, as they have the best chance of dropping the most Legendary Items. However -- regular caches can also contain Legendaries. Caches from the Tree of Whispers can include all pieces of wearable equipment. They also include gems, gold, herbs, ore, and a variety of other items. Whisper Quests in Diablo IV There are various Whisper Quests in Diablo IV, each reflecting other events and missions you've probably already completed. The Whisper Quests in Diablo IV include: Dungeons: The typical dungeon involves completing a series of tasks, then taking on a dungeon boss. If you haven't completed the dungeon before, it will unlock an Aspect you can use. Local/World Events: These are the typical events outlined with an orange quest marker in the game. You'll need to complete the objectives in the allotted time. You'll also get some Obols for your trouble in most cases. Assassination Quests: Players must travel to a specific location, interact with a corpse, then defeat an enemy to gain Grim Favors. PvP: Players can enter PvP areas and take down bosses to gain Grim Favors. They can also collect Seeds of Hatred that they can then bank at Altars of Extraction to gain powerful items. Rituals: In these events, players must travel to set location markers and interact with in-game entities to Invoke rituals and complete the task. Harvest Events: Players must harvest a certain resource in a select area. Once they reach the cap, they'll be rewarded with Grim Favors. Typically this involves killing mobs. The Tree of Whispers is a powerful endgame entity in Diablo IV. Elias, one of the antagonists in the game, has his head mounted there, along with other characters from the lore of the game. While its origins remain somewhat elusive, it does provide fun daily activities players can complete to get really good gear.

Making a video game console takes a lot of spinning plates across several companies. The people that need to know important details know those details. Generally, unless you’re Microsoft trying to buy Activision Blizzard and possibly outing your biggest rival’s entire unannounced lineup unceremoniously, things remain top secret. Enter: PixArt. This SoC (or “System on a chip”, for those that don’t know) manufacturer has been involved in several previous Nintendo consoles. Their “CMOS image sensor SoC” chips and tech help power the motion sensors in JoyCon controllers. They’ve also made parts for both the Wii and the Wii U. Their catalog, when it comes to video games, has been primarily Nintendo as a client. Their latest financial report, unexpectedly but not surprisingly, had a very interesting tidbit mentioned. As reported this week by both Notebook Check and Chinese financial news site MoneyDJ, PixArt is helping a video game company with hardware. The manufacturer was super sneaky by not giving the name of the company. But, it might rhyme with "Bintendo". According to the financial report presented, PixArt is working with a “Japanese Game Console” that “will launch a new console that has not been seen for many years early next year”. Seeing their track record, it’d be really easy to connect those dots. However, as mentioned by Notebook Check, one could easily argue that it could be related to Sony’s “Project Q” and not Nintendo for the first time. Sony’s new upcoming portable hardware takes a page out of Nintendo’s playbook after all. Working against this theory is that Project Q is expected to possibly come out late this year as part of the holiday lineup. This would throw off the entire theory’s timeline. Coming out back in 2017, the Nintendo Switch has spent its geriatric years pretty well. Pikmin 4, for instance, just came out and is getting rave reviews across the board. So, are we expecting a Switch successor like the Switch 2 in early 2024? Is it Project Q that they’re helping build? Or could it be something else entirely? Only time will tell. Until then, take it all with a grain of salt. I hope the next Nintendo console comes with a Funky mode though.

Noise cancellation is a feature that is becoming increasingly popular in gaming headsets. It can be a great way to improve your gaming experience by blocking out distractions and immersing yourself in the game world. There are two main types of noise cancellation: passive and active. Passive noise cancellation is achieved through the use of materials that absorb or reflect sound waves. This can include thick earcups, closed-back designs, and foam padding. Active noise cancellation (ANC) uses microphones to detect ambient noise and then generates sound waves that cancel out the noise. So, which type of noise cancellation is better for gaming? It depends on your needs and preferences. Passive Noise Cancellation Passive noise cancellation is a simpler and more affordable option. It is also more effective at blocking out low-frequency noise, such as the hum of a refrigerator or someone talking in the other room. Passive noise cancellation works by using materials that absorb or reflect sound waves. Thick earcups help to block out noise by creating a physical barrier between your ears and the outside world. The thicker the earcups, the more effective they will be at blocking out noise. Closed-back designs also help to block out noise by sealing off your ears from the outside world. This is in contrast to open-back designs, which allow sound to pass through the earcups. Foam padding helps to absorb sound waves. The more foam padding there is, the more effective it will be at absorbing noise. Active Noise Cancellation Active noise cancellation (ANC) is more effective at blocking out a wider range of frequencies, including high-frequency noise. ANC works by using microphones to detect ambient noise and then generating sound waves that cancel out the noise. ANC headphones have two microphones: one on the outside of the earcups and one on the inside. The microphone on the outside of the earcups picks up ambient noise, and the microphone on the inside of the earcups picks up the sound that is being played back through the headphones. The two signals are then sent to a digital signal processor (DSP), which calculates the difference between the two signals. By creating a "mirror image" of the ambient noise and then playing it back out of the headphones in phase opposition, the two sound waves then cancel each other out, leaving you with a much quieter environment. Active vs Passive Noise Cancelation: Which is Right for You? If you are looking for a simple and affordable option that is effective at blocking out low-frequency noise, then passive noise cancellation may be a good choice for you. If you are looking for the best possible noise cancellation, even in noisy environments, then active noise cancellation may be a better option. Some factors to consider Budget: Passive noise cancellation is generally more affordable than active noise cancellation. Noise levels: If you are in a noisy environment, such as on an airplane or in a crowded room, then active noise cancellation may be a better choice. Battery life: Active noise cancellation can consume more battery power than passive noise cancellation. Sound quality: Some people believe that active noise cancellation can degrade sound quality. However, this is not always the case. Both passive and active noise cancellation can be effective in gaming headsets. The best choice for you will depend on your needs and preferences. If you are not sure which type of noise cancellation is right for you, then it is a good idea to try out a few different headsets to see what works best for you.

With summer in full swing, Audeze has revealed they will be teaming up with Microsoft again to release a limited edition headset for Xbox gamers. This isn't the first time the two have teamed up together, with Microsoft and Audeze teaming up in 2021 with the certification of Audeze's Penrose gaming headset. Fast forward a couple of years, and Audeze has a brand new headset coming with some changes I think gamers are really going to enjoy. Audeze is preparing to release a limited-edition gaming headset as part of Microsoft's "Designed for Xbox" summer product collection this year. This new "ultraviolet" version of the Maxwell gaming headset will have a new finish that gives a unique look to a headset that is already one of the best available on the market. The Audeze Maxwell Ultraviolet Xbox Wireless Gaming Headset is available for pre-order in limited quantities on the Audeze site. The continuation of this partnership is bringing Audeze's planar magnetic headset to Xbox gamers. For those who need to become more familiar with what audio drivers are in gaming headsets, planar magnetic headsets have a lot of advantages. Audeze brings a new planar magnetic headset to Xbox For starters, the design of this type of headset makes it less prone to harmonic distortion. The drivers perform better than traditional dynamic drivers by having a faster and more uniform motion. It does a great job at reproducing the full audible frequency spectrum and can have a nice balance of the characteristics of dynamic and electrostatic drivers. The way that this basically works is that the diaphragm mechanism is replaced by directly vibrating a large, flat film, allowing for more precision and range. The audio in a planar magnetic driver is caused by the electrical flow through the wires suspended between magnets. For these limited-edition Audeze headphones specifically, a color-shifting finish was applied to the headband and ear cups by using an electroplating process. Audeze's Maxwell Ultraviolet Edition wireless headset will also feature Bluetooth 5.3 with LE Audio, Dolby Atmos, and Filter A.I. noise-reducing microphone technology. That means that this new headset will be using the latest technology to deliver the highest quality audio available in a gaming headset. Do you have any thoughts about this topic? Tell us in the comments below, or talk about it on Twitter. Don’t forget to tag us in the discussion! And don’t forget to subscribe to our weekly Patch Notes!

The audio driver is the most important component in a gaming headset. It is responsible for converting the electrical signal from your gaming device into sound waves that you can hear. There are different types of audio drivers used in gaming headsets, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Dynamic Drivers Dynamic drivers are the most common type of driver used in gaming headsets. They are relatively inexpensive to manufacture and can produce a wide range of frequencies. However, dynamic drivers can be bulky and heavy, and they may not be able to reproduce the highest frequencies as accurately as other types of drivers. Planar Magnetic Drivers Planar magnetic drivers are a more advanced type of driver that offers better sound quality than dynamic drivers. They are thinner and lighter than dynamic drivers, and they can reproduce a wider range of frequencies more accurately. However, planar magnetic drivers are more expensive to manufacture than dynamic drivers. Balanced Armature Drivers Balanced armature drivers are small, lightweight drivers that are often used in in-ear monitors (IEMs). They offer good sound quality and are very portable, but they cannot reproduce the lowest frequencies as accurately as dynamic or planar magnetic drivers. Hybrid Drivers Hybrid drivers combine the advantages of different types of drivers. For example, a hybrid driver might use a dynamic driver for the low frequencies and a balanced armature driver for the high frequencies. This can result in a wider range of frequencies and better sound quality than a single-driver headset. Which Type of Audio Driver is Best for Gaming? If you are looking for a headset that is comfortable to wear for long periods of time, and that produces a clear and accurate sound reproduction, then a balanced armature driver headset is a good option. However, if you are looking for a headset that produces powerful bass frequencies, then a dynamic driver headset is a better choice. Other Factors to Consider When Choosing a Gaming Headset In addition to the type of audio driver, there are other factors to consider when choosing a gaming headset. These include the size of the earcups, the type of connection, and the features that are included. Size of the earcups: The size of the earcups is important for comfort. If the earcups are too small, they will not be able to seal properly around your ears, which can lead to sound leakage. If the earcups are too large, they can be bulky and uncomfortable. Type of connection: Gaming headsets can be wired or wireless. Wired headsets are more reliable, but they can be restrictive. Wireless headsets offer more freedom of movement, but they can be more expensive and prone to interference. Features: Some gaming headsets include additional features, such as surround sound, noise cancellation, or a built-in microphone. These features can add to the cost of the headset, but they can also improve your gaming experience.

Team Fortress 2 launched before some of its players were even born, all the way back in October of 2007, but it hasn't stopped its developers, Valve, from updating the game consistently throughout the years. While maintaining any player base for over 16 years is an impressive feat by itself, what's even more remarkable is that it just hit its record for most people playing concurrently at 253,997 people on July 13, 2023. Currently, the game has anywhere from 160,000 to 180,000 gamers playing at any given time, making it the 6th most-played game on Steam, right under the highly popular Apex Legends. Most of the recent success of Team Fortress 2 likely stems from the Summer 2023 update that dropped on July 12 and introduced a host of new content, including 14 new community-created maps, cosmetics, taunts, and more. Another driving factor is likely the Summer Special Event, which includes the new maps and provides players with seasonal drops. As with other live-service games, creating this seasonal event model typically brings in more players who want to obtain special items, like the Summer 2023 Cosmetic Case and Summer 2023 War Paint Case. Bots are definitely a problem To see what all the hype was about, I hopped back into TF2 to see what it was like in 2023. Coming from someone with 1,500 hours in the game, I can say that a lot has changed, but the core gameplay that was so addictive back in the day has remained largely unchanged. Sadly, in many of the matches I played, both teams almost instinctively started a vote-kick for bots at the start of the game. While it's anecdotal evidence at best, every casual game I played had at least three to five bots the team had to vote to ban. Typically, bots linger around in the game to get loot drops without anyone actually having to play. Since TF2 implements a time-based drop system, many utilize bots for farming items in the game. Combine this with the fact that the game is free-to-play, and there aren't many deterrents to this sort of activity. More prevalent in games where loot is the primary goal, like ARPGs or MMOs, botting is a problem that has afflicted titles in the past, such as World of Warcraft and, more recently, Lost Ark. I’d like to say with pretty high confidence that if you hopped into a few casual matches, you’d probably have a similar experience. Just make sure you talk over your mic so that the team doesn’t kick you. While this isn't concrete proof that the player-count numbers aren't as high as the official stats would indicate (I was mistaken for a bot in my first game), it is strong anecdotal evidence that perhaps the record-breaking player-count numbers may not all be human after all. That being said, TF2 is still a blast, and there are a ton of new weapons, cosmetics, game modes, community maps, and more for returning players to explore. Regardless of the real player-count number, it's still a title worth revisiting or trying for the first time. Do you have any thoughts about this topic? Tell us in the comments below, or talk about it on Twitter. Don’t forget to tag us in the discussion! And don’t forget to subscribe to our weekly Patch Notes!

It’s been a truism that with every CPU and GPU upgrade, game designers have pushed the envelope and made use of every ounce of performance and then some. But RAM requirements had been holding steady. That’s starting to change. Read the requirements for the newest gaming titles and you’ll see the same increases in CPU and GPU recommendations. That’s natural, because as Intel and AMD produce faster products, game developers do everything they can to squeeze out every ou6eneration with anticipation of faster CPUs and GPUs to come. For the last ten years or more, the recommended RAM has mostly held steady at 16GB. That is starting to change. Today, several games are including 32GB of RAM in their recommendations, primarily for running at 4K and/or with ray tracing turned on. Here come RAM hungry games The following are a couple of examples of ultra-demanding games that might make you want to consider configuring your next PC gaming PC with 32GB, or upgrading your existing machine. Returnal Returnal originally recommended 32GB of RAM but took that back when the game was released. The implication is that 32GB is likely a good idea, but it’s a lot to swallow especially with DDR5 RAM being so expensive. Right now, its specifications show the following: Minimum CPU: Intel Core i5-6400 or AMD Ryzen 5 1500X GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 6GB or AMD Radeon RX 580 8GB RAM: 16GB DDR4 Medium CPU: Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600 GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 or AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT RAM: 16GB DDR4 Recommended CPU: Intel Core i7-8700 or AMD Ryzen 7 2700X GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super or AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT RAM: 16GB DDR4 Epic CPU: Intel Core i7-9700K or AMD Ryzen 7 3700X GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 10GB or AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT RAM: 32GB DDR4 Ray Tracing CPU: Intel Core i7-11900K or AMD Ryzen 9 5900K GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 6590 XT RAM: 32GB DDR4 Diablo IV This title pushes the envelope when it comes to RAM requirements. Low-end CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K or AMD FX-8350 GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 660 or AMD Radeon R9 280 RAM: 8GB Medium CPU: Intel Core i5-4670K or AMD Ryzen 1300X GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 or AMD Radeon RX 470 RAM: 16GB High-end CPU: Intel Core i7-8700K or AMD Ryzen 7 2700X GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 or AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT RAM: 16GB 4K CPU: Intel Core i7-8700K or AMD Ryzen 7 2700X GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080, RTX 40 Series for DLSS3, or AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT RAM: 32GB Which games benefit the most from more RAM? Even if a game doesn’t require 32GB, many will run much better than with 16GB. This is particularly true for multiplayer games where you can host your own server. In that case, you’ll want as much RAM as possible as you add more players. But that’s not the only kind of game where more RAM is helpful. Games with extremely immersive environments and ultra-high-quality graphics can use more RAM. This depends in part on how much VRAM (video RAM) your GPU has installed, because if a game’s graphics max out VRAM then the overflow goes to normal RAM. Games that use large maps can also take up more RAM. The larger the map, the more elements of the virtual environment that need to be stored. Some games have incredibly large maps that can use as much RAM as you’re willing to throw at them. Examples of games that can use a lot of RAM include Ark: Surival Evolved, Star Citizen, Galactic Civilization 3, and Microsoft Flight Simulator. Some of these are older games that have received updates over the years increasing their requirements for the best performance. While you can still get away with 16GB of RAM with most games, if you want to future-proof your gaming PC, then 32GB is the way to go. Can you allocate more RAM to a game? Windows 11 allows you to allocate more RAM to any program that needs it. That’s important if you’re multitasking, that is, if you’re running other applications along with your game. In fact, the more you multitask, the more RAM you’ll need. If you’re a heavy multitasker who also runs high-end games, then 32GB of RAM or more is a wise investment. To allocate more RAM to a game, you simply need to open the Windows Task Manager, select the Details tab on the left-hand side, right-click on the game’s executable, and select “High” under “Set Priority.” That will allocate more resources to the game, including RAM. Note, though, that this means your other background applications will receive less RAM. Again, that argues to add as much RAM to your PC as you can afford. The more RAM, the better (usually) As applications, not just games, become more complex and demanding, the need for RAM continues to increase. There was a time when 8GB of RAM was sufficient, but today, you’ll want to opt for at least 16GB of RAM. If you’re buying a laptop, then you’re probably stuck with whatever amount you buy up front, so plan carefully. Heavy gamers should start considering 32GB as the norm, especially if they multitask. And it won’t be too long before you’ll be required to run with 32GB if you want the best experience.

Fry, Leela, and Bender head to Fortnite today We’re back, baby! This week has been big for Futurama fans. After a decade of cancellation, Futurama’s 11th season premiered on Hulu. But, the tie-in marketing to go along with it sees Matt Groening’s futuristic sci-fi show head to a less likely place as well: Fortnite. Futurama, for those that either have lived under a rock or are too young to remember it, was The Simpsons creator Matt Groening’s follow up show that originally released in 1999. It follows the story of pizza delivery boy Phillip J. Fry as he’s cryogenically frozen on New Year’s Eve 1999 and wakes up in the year 3000. Fry makes friends with a ragtag crew of a delivery service, including the one-eyed Leela and alcoholic robot Bender. They, among several other characters, go on adventures through space and (sometimes) time. I feel old writing these words, having watched the show during its original run. So, what crossover did Fortnite get with Futurama? Fry, Leela, and Bender skins are all currently available for purchase in the Item Shop on Fortnite. They look like they were ripped directly out of the show and retain their animated look, similar to the Rick and Morty skins. Each skin comes with the main skin, an alternate color of the skin (each being a reference to the classic episode The Farnsworth Parabox), and a back bling. Fry comes with a Hypnotoad back bling. Leela’s rocking Nibbler on her back, while Bender’s son Ben Rodríguez dangles from Bender’s back. You can also pick up three pickaxes based on the show, purchased separately. These include the solid gold fiddle, an unbendable girder, and a giant nutcracker. The references involved with this are all incredibly deep cuts to the show. But wait, there’s more. The Planet Express ship, the crew’s trusty spaceship, is now available as a glider. But, the best part is that Zoidberg’s Scuttle is available as an emote to purchase. This is going to get me to start playing Fortnite again, isn’t it? Seasons 1 through 10 of Futurama are all available on Hulu, if you didn’t know. Season 11 premiered this week and the first episode is available as of this writing, also on Hulu. The Fortnite crossover items are available right now on the Item Shop. Let’s go already! Do you have any thoughts about this topic? Tell us in the comments below, or talk about it on Twitter. Don’t forget to tag us in the discussion! And don’t forget to subscribe to our weekly Patch Notes! Check out some other topics on GameCrate: I bring the Smoke: Mortal Kombat 1 shows off Smoke, Rain, and more Xbox gets a long-awaited feature: Voice reporting Toxic Destiny 2 “fan” owes half a million dollars to Bungie over harassment Xbox Live Gold to be retired in September, replaced with Game Pass Core

Back in May 2019, what felt like a decade ago, The Pokémon Company International announced a new gamified app that was in development, Pokémon Sleep. The app would track your sleep patterns and turn it into a game to help people sleep better while making friends with Pokémon along the way. We expected to see it soon after, maybe by early 2020. Other games and apps announced at that same press conference came out not long after, such as Pokémon HOME and Pokémon Masters. But, Sleep kept hitting the snooze button for another four years. It’s finally out. After several days of releases across the world, it finally hit North America and Japan. What is Pokémon Sleep? Pokémon Sleep is a sleep tracker app that gamifies your sleep patterns, sounds you make while sleeping, and tries to help people get a full night’s rest. Then, from your sleep, it can calculate points and have Pokémon join you that sleep in various ways and poses. Then, you do it all over again the next night. If you don’t have the Pokémon GO Plus +, a device that costs $54.99, you have to keep your screen and app on for it to track you. It also requires itself to be on your mattress with you. If you share a bedroom with a loud sleeper or use a wireless or MagSafe charger to charge your phone, it might not be the app for you. The upside is that the app ties into Pokémon GO and you can earn rewards for the long-running mobile game. The Pokémon Sleep app is out now in all major territories. You can pick it up on iOS and Google Play for free. It also has microtransactions. Do you have any thoughts about this topic? Tell us in the comments below, or talk about it on Twitter. Don’t forget to tag us in the discussion! And don’t forget to subscribe to our weekly Patch Notes! Check out some other topics on GameCrate: I bring the Smoke: Mortal Kombat 1 shows off Smoke, Rain, and more Xbox gets a long-awaited feature: Voice reporting Toxic Destiny 2 “fan” owes half a million dollars to Bungie over harassment Xbox Live Gold to be retired in September, replaced with Game Pass Core

New accessibility options are always great, especially when it comes to Xbox controllers Microsoft generally has some slam dunk options for accessibility and customizability when it comes to Xbox controller options. Sometimes you get full Adaptive controllers for accessibility, sometimes you get a controller that smells like pizza. This time around, the recent patch notes released shows that they’re allowing players to map keyboard keys directly to their Xbox controllers. (Image: Microsoft) In the release notes for the Alpha Xbox Insiders, they revealed a new function for both the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 and the Xbox Adaptive Controller incoming. Keyboard Button Mapping allows games that are designed specifically for a keyboard and mouse setting to be played on a controller. If you’re a PC gamer, there’s a high possibility you play games on a controller attached to your rig. The majority of games automatically have controller support. However, some don’t. They require a keyboard and mouse and nothing else. This can prove to be problematic for people with limited mobility and capability in their hands. This would make those that require a controller (and especially those requiring the Xbox Adaptive Controller) be left out from a gaming experience. Now, that just won’t do, will it? This is clearly in early stages of testing, as it’s being released to the Xbox Insiders “Alpha” ring, which is the earliest place that the public can try to features and functions. Currently, it only works with some games entirely, some games partially, and some games not at all. If you’re a member of the Xbox Insiders, you can try out the new feature by following these steps: Open the Xbox Accessories app Configure Create a new profile or edit an existing one Select a button to map Choose Primary or Shift Then move over to the new Key tab You can only map a single key to a button at a time. But, you can add modifier keys to it. They use the example of being able to do Ctrl+Alt+W, but not Ctrl+Alt+W+E in the release notes. Also: if you’re rocking your controls using Bluetooth, you need to plug in for the feature to map on PC currently. If you want to become an Xbox Insider, poke around over on their official FAQ. For a complete set of their release notes, you can check their official blog. Do you have any thoughts about this topic? Tell us in the comments below, or talk about it on Twitter. Don’t forget to tag us in the discussion! And don’t forget to subscribe to our weekly Patch Notes! Check out some other topics on GameCrate: Xbox gets a long-awaited feature: Voice reporting Toxic Destiny 2 “fan” owes half a million dollars to Bungie over harassment Xbox Live Gold to be retired in September, replaced with Game Pass Core Keep your Ubisoft account active: You (won't) lose all of your games (UPDATED)

Update 7/25/2023 12:00 AM: Ubisoft has made some updates to the official help page about this. If you have an active Ubisoft subscription or have purchased any PC games digitally through their service, you are not eligible for deletion. So, if you have games on your account, you're good. The original article: A user over on X (AKA Twitter) was recently sent an email stating that their Ubisoft account was “temporarily suspended” and that it was going to “permanently” close in 30 days due to inactivity on the account. The reason for this is really more to do with GDPR procedure from Europe, as opposed to anything nefarious. Image: Ubisoft An account closure does sound scary. You’ll lose your entire account in that case, including any and all games, purchases, and unlocked items tied to that account. But, how can it get that far? According to Ubisoft in 2021, they don’t mark accounts for inactivity for four years. According to the company, you will be informed if you are marked as inactive. What do I do if my Ubisoft account is inactive? According to an X (previously known as “tweets”) put out on X (previously Twitter), Ubisoft has an easy solution for those marked for death. If you get the email that the X user got, need have no fear. You just need to log into your account and click the “Cancel Account Closure” link that they provide in the email. You’re done. You can now forget about your account again for four years. How do I avoid Ubisoft trying to close my account altogether? This one is easy. Go log in to your Ubisoft account right now. You can do it through Ubisoft.com or use the Ubisoft Connect client on PC. That’s it. It doesn't matter if you have 8 games or 80. It's worth logging into Ubisoft real quick while it's on your mind. For those of us old enough to understand this reference: it’s basically like jiggling the mouse to keep your screensaver from popping up. Either way, don’t worry. It’s nothing you need to worry about and if you are marked as inactive on Ubisoft, it’s easy to fix. Update 7/25/2023 12:00 AM: Ubisoft has made some updates to the official help page about this. If you have an active Ubisoft subscription or have purchased any PC games digitally through their service, you are not eligible for deletion. So, if you have games on your account, you're good. Do you have any thoughts about this topic? Tell us in the comments below, or talk about it on Twitter. Don’t forget to tag us in the discussion! And don’t forget to subscribe to our weekly Patch Notes! Check out some other topics on GameCrate: I bring the Smoke: Mortal Kombat 1 shows off Smoke, Rain, and more Xbox gets a long-awaited feature: Voice reporting Toxic Destiny 2 “fan” owes half a million dollars to Bungie over harassment Xbox Live Gold to be retired in September, replaced with Game Pass Core

The Association for UK Interactive Entertainment (Ukie) has recently established new guidelines governing how loot boxes will work in the country, aiming to protect children and provide more transparency to gamers. In 2020, the UK's entertainment regulatory arm, The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), launched a call to gather evidence on the potential harm that loot boxes can have on players. The goal was to explore whether new regulations should be set on gaming companies and whether it falls under the UK's 2005 Gambling Act. Based on findings from an InGame report, the DCMS released a statement saying, "While many loot boxes share some similarities with traditional gambling products, we view the ability to legitimately cash out rewards as an important distinction." They continue, "Most loot boxes currently on the market do not meet the definition of gambling under the Gambling Act 2005, as the prize is confined for use within the game and cannot be converted into real-world money." Ultimately, this led the regulatory body to pass the responsibility to Ukie, a group representing gaming organizations in the country. Alongside companies including the likes of Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony, Ukie formulated 11 new guidelines to help regulate loot boxes in the country. While the DCMS concedes that there have been 15 peer-reviewed studies correlating loot box use and problem gambling, it claims that research is still early and that there may be other "plausible explanations" linking the behaviors. New guidelines tasks developers with disclosing odds, protecting children While the UK may not consider loot boxes officially gambling, they recognize the harm they can do, which is why many of the new regulations set by Ukie will help gamers make more informed decisions when buying loot boxes. One important new guideline governs how odds are presented to the player. Loot boxes should now provide clear probabilities, which should lift the veil behind the chances of getting certain items. The guidance also tasks the gaming industry to develop stronger technologically-based parental controls to restrict anyone under the age of 18 from getting a loot box without the permission of a parent or guardian. In addition, it calls for fair and lenient refund policies to act as a backstop for instances when children purchase loot boxes without parental consent. A clear problem that still persists is the existence of third-party websites that will buy and sell in-game items with real-world money. This defeats the argument that loot box buying and gambling are different, as the potential to bring in real-world revenue is more than possible with just a little research. While against the terms of service for most titles, selling your entire account for real-life money is also possible and something gamers have done in the past. Even when players can’t redeem in-game items for money, platforms like Steam enable players to sell items for account credit, which could theoretically result in thousands of dollars in “free” games. That being said, the new guidance does touch on this, as one of the new recommendations includes, "Continue to tackle the unauthorised external sale of items acquired from Loot Boxes for real money and continue to invest in IP protection to combat such sales." While probability disclosures and better tech for parental controls are better for gamers at large, only time will tell whether the regulatory guidelines will positively affect problematic loot-box purchasing behavior. What’s also unclear is whether or not gaming companies in the UK will make a concerted effort to adjust loot box mechanics if there are no penalties for breaking the new rules. Do you have any thoughts about this topic? Tell us in the comments below, or talk about it on Twitter. Don’t forget to tag us in the discussion! And don’t forget to subscribe to our weekly Patch Notes! Check out some other topics on GameCrate: ● Team Fortress 2 Hits Its Highest Player Count in 15 Years ● Can FPS Games Be "Too Real?" These Titles are Pushing the Limits ● 5 Best Warhammer Games Coming Up (and 2 You Can Skip) ● Breaking the Mold: Innovative Ideas from Indie Devs