RPG

By Chris Watters @ Ubisoft

All right, Agents, who’s ready for a field trip? Starting today for Year 1 Pass holders and July 30 for all players, Episode 1 – DC Outskirts: Expeditions introduces a host of free new adventures that take Agents outside of Washington, DC. Two new main missions let you pursue the modern-day Benedict Arnold, President Andrew Ellis, at Camp White Oak, and hunt the ruthless Outcast leader Emeline Shaw at the Manning National Zoo. A new mode, Expeditions, takes players to Kenly College on an episodic series of missions. A new wing of the college unlocks once a week; complete all three wings to earn valuable loot. And speaking of loot, a new exotic rifle, exotic gloves, and two new weapons (Stoner LMG and Carbine 7) can be found within Episode 1′s content. There are also two Classified Assignments — accessible to Year 1 Pass holders only — that take place in Washington’s Central Aquarium and NSA Site B13.

In addition to Episode 1, today’s free update also includes a new difficulty setting for the Operation Dark Hours raid. Discovery difficulty will allow Agents to matchmake with other players, if they so choose, and take on a more forgiving version of The Division 2′s first eight-player raid. Complete the raid on Discovery difficulty to earn hefty rewards, then give it a go on Normal difficulty for the chance to earn exotic loot.

There have also been major changes to the skill system (check out our State of the Game recap for more details) that create new opportunities for powerful skill-focused builds. And the crafting table can now create gear up to the maximum Gear Score, giving players more flexibility to craft their optimum loadout.

You can watch the Tom Clancy’s The Division 2: Episode 1 Launch Trailer HERE.

More game information can be found on the official Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 website.

Episode 1 – D.C. Outskirts: Expeditions To Be Released on July 23rd 

Ubisoft has announced new details of its first episode of free content for Tom Clancy’s The Division 2. The episode is titled Episode 1 – D.C. Outskirts: Expeditions, and will be available for Year 1 Pass holders from July 23rd, and for all players from July 30th. Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 is available on the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Windows PC. The game will also launch on the new generation gaming platform, Stadia.

Episode 1 – D.C. Outskirts: Expeditions is part of the game’s Year 1 free content plan, and takes the fight outside the streets of Washington D.C. The episode features new locations to explore and picks up where the story leaves off after the final boss at Tidal Basin. Players will be taken to the surrounding areas of Washington D.C. in two new main missions and a new game experience where players will investigate the fate of a lost convoy, encountering unexpected threats along the way. Players can look forward to the following content in Episode 1 – D.C. Outskirts: Expeditions:

Two New Main Missions

• Camp White Oak: Division Agents stage a well-planned attack into the presidential compound, as they seek to bring the now-traitor President Andrew Ellis to justice.
• Manning National Zoo: Emeline Shaw, leader of the Outcasts, fled after her defeat in D.C. and is now held up at the Zoo regaining strength. Agents are on the hunt to eliminate Shaw, nipping the Outcasts’ reawakening in the bud.

New experience: Expeditions

• In this new experience, players enter Kenly College, where contact has been lost with a military convoy full of vital supplies. When they receive what appears to be a final broadcast, they form an expedition to find any surviving members in need of rescue. Expeditions will be split in three different wings for players to complete. Each wing will have a specific theme and tone, to be released on a week-by-week basis. Completing all three wings grants access to an exclusive treasure room full of rewards.

New Weapons and Gear: Players can obtain:

• One exotic weapon: Diamondback Rifle
• One exotic gear: BTSU Datagloves
• Two weapons: Stoner LMG and Carbine 7

Classified Assignments:

• Agents can take on two new classified assignments in Washington’s Central Aquarium and NSA Site B13 (Exclusive only to Year 1 Pass holders).

Alongside new content, Episode 1 will also bring game updates based on player feedback:

New Discovery Difficulty setting for the “Operation Dark Hours” Raid

• The new Discovery Difficulty setting, along with its corresponding matchmaking option, will allow more players to experience The Division 2 in its entirety. While Operation Dark Hours Exotic loot remains exclusive to the Normal difficulty setting, Agents playing the Discovery Difficulty can expect a variety of great rewards, while training for the Normal Difficulty.

Crafting improvements

• Players can now craft their gear up until Gear Score 500 and share blueprints across characters. Additionally, crafted weapons can now be recalibrated.

Weapons balancing and skills buff

• As part of the ongoing updates to answer community feedback, awaited balance and buffs will be added to the next title update.

The Year 1 Pass gives players even more content in The Division 2. Click here for full details on what’s included with the Year 1 Pass. You can also purchase your Year 1 Pass for Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 to get early access to Episode 1 content.

Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 will also be available on Uplay+, Ubisoft’s subscription service. More details on Uplay+ can be found on Uplay.com.

More game information can be found on the official Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 website.

Free Weekend to take place June 13-16

Today, at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Ubisoft announced updated details for the Year 1 roadmap in Tom Clancy’s The Division 2. Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 is available on the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Windows PC. Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 will also launch on the new generation gaming platform, Stadia. Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 will also be available on Uplay+, Ubisoft’s subscription service. More details on Uplay+ can be found on Uplay.com.

To get a sneak peek of the action, newcomers can play The Division 2 on all platforms for free as part of Ubisoft’s Free Weekend offer (June 13-16).

The first year of free post-launch content will include three episodes packed with story driven missions that will ultimately lead agents back to where it all started. Players can look forward to the following episodes over the next year, each one of them bringing new areas, modes, rewards, specializations, exotic gear and weapons:

• Episode 1 D.C. Outskirts:Expeditions – July 2019 Episode 1 is all about exploration. Agents will scope out the outskirts and woodlands of Washington DC, as well as discovering the 11 biomes of the Washington National Zoo. The hunt is on to find the leader of the Outcasts and President Ellis.

Episode 1 will also include the brand-new Expeditions in which players will have to participate every week to progress through the different wings of Trinity College.

• Episode 2 Pentagon: The Last Castle – Fall 2019: Taking place at the Pentagon, players in Episode 2 will experience escalation in DC. The Black Tusks continue to wreak havoc around the city and it’s up to the Agents to stop them. In Episode 2 main missions players must fight to solve the ongoing outbreak crisis. Agents have to defend the Pentagon, and its secrets from the Black Tusk.

Episode 2 will bring a new iteration of the most challenging content to date; our second 8-player Raid. This time, Agents will venture in the core of a Foundry, setting the stage for epic combats in the middle of melted metal and massive metal castings.

• Episode 3 Coney Island: Homecoming – Early 2020: A showdown takes place in Episode 3 that will lead players to Coney Island. Agents will encounter new challenges as they must stop a familiar nemesis and face the biggest threat of all.

Players will have the opportunity to play Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 on PC or consoles for free during its Free Weekend from June 13th to June 16th. Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 will also be on sale (up to 40% off from June 7 to June 24), allowing players to continue the adventure at a discounted price after the end of the Free Weekend. Those who purchase the game will keep their progression.

More game information can be found on the official Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 website.

Source: Blue’s News

Bethesda Softworks offers the Official E3 2019 Wastelanders gameplay trailer showing off a free update coming to Fallout 76. Word is: “One year after the opening of Vault 76, other humans have returned to Appalachia. Factions of Settlers and Raiders aim to make the world their own and claim a rumored fortune. Embark on a new main quest of choice and consequence, interact with characters and their unique stories, discover the faction settlements of Crater and Foundation, and collect powerful new weapons and armor. Your choices decide their fates.” They also announce Nuclear Winter, a new 52-PLAYER battle royale “experience” coming to the irradiated RPG this fall, saying a sneak peak at this will be available to all starting tomorrow during a Fallout 76 Free Trial Week. This video developer diary explains that this take on the genre will retain the core focus of the game, and will include PvE elements, story elements, base building, and, of course, nukes. Here’s word on what makes this S.P.E.C.I.A.L. from the Fallout website:

Nuclear Winter is an all-new 52-player PvP Battle Royale mode, free for Fallout 76 players. Nukes have set the world ablaze and the battle to claim your spot as Overseer of Vault 51 has begun – will you be the last one standing or be consumed by the ring of fire? Rank up, unlock exclusive perks and build your C.A.M.P. to weather the storm in true Fallout fashion. Scavenge for weapons, supplies, and nukes to take on other players and creatures and earn unique cosmetic rewards. Sneak Peek Starting June 10, 2019.

Ubisoft has announced that “Operation Dark Hours”, the first eight-player raid in Tom Clancy’s The Division franchise history, will go live for all The Division 2 players globally on 16th May 5pm BST. Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 is available on the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Windows PC.

With “Operation Dark Hours”, Ubisoft introduces the toughest of all challenges to date. “Operation Dark Hours” will test the teamwork and ability of the most experienced agents who have reached World Tier 5 and defeated Tidal Basin. Operation Dark Hours will bring Agents to Washington National Airport, controlled by the Black Tusks who are using it to fly in even more soldiers and supplies. Capturing the airport will strike a significant blow to their operations. Players will discover that the technology available to the Black Tusk is even more advanced than what they have had to face so far.

Players will take on some of the games’ most challenging bosses yet. In a team of 8 players, agents will have to work closely as a team to execute their strategy in order to overcome these tenacious opponents. The Raid will reward players with exclusive loot, such as new gear sets, an exotic weapon and other unique rewards.

The first team to complete “Operation Dark Hours” after it goes live will be forever immortalised in-game by having their team photo and names displayed in The Division 2’s White House for all players to see. All other players that complete “Operation Dark Hours” between 16th May and 23rd May will receive a commemorative Arm Patch, while players who complete the raid after those dates will be rewarded with a clan banner icon and a trophy in their clan space.

Fans can follow the race to the by checking out “Operation Dark Hours: Race to a World First” Twitch Rivals Program at https://www.twitch.tv/twitchrivals beginning at 5pm BST.

Watch the Tom Clancy’s The Division 2: Raid Trailer- Operation Dark Hours HERE.

More game information can be found on the official Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 website.

New Update 5.0 Adds New Story Elements, New Ship UI, Final God Challenge and Turn Based Mode Enters Full Release

Genre-defining RPG developer Obsidian Entertainment, in partnership with indie powerhouse publisher Versus Evil, is today announcing that update 5.0 for Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is now available. On the one year anniversary of its launch Obsidian continues to refine the player experience for Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire and introduces a whole host of new content, balances, and fixes with update 5.0, including the full release of turn-based mode.

The update provides further refinement to ship to ship encounters as players navigate the exotic open ocean of the Deadfire archipelago. Obsidian has also written in new story content recorded by the original actors which improves story aspects with Woedica and Eotha characters in the game. The final God Challenge will also be live with this update and turns on not only all the other God Challenges, but also Solo (the game must be played with no companions), Trail of Iron (you only have one save file and if you die, the save is deleted), and Path of the Damned (the hardest difficulty), for players looking to test their mettle.

And there’s more! – with update 5.0 Obsidian is also providing a revised set of the Pillars of Eternity pen-and-paper rules for everyone to be able to try out. Anyone who is interested in playing a tabletop game in the world of Eora, can head over to https://eternity.obsidian.net and download the ruleset now! Those who already had the rules either through backing the game on Fig, or in the Deluxe or Obsidian Editions of Deadfire will also get the updated ruleset.

Furthermore, Obsidian is holding a competition for the Ultimate God Challenge where players can get an embroided patch from Obsidian and their name, class, character and level engraved on a plaque for prosperity to be hung in the Obsidian offices. For full guidelines for the competition, check out the latest Deadfire Backer Update on Obsidian’s forums.

Source: Blue’s News

Ubisoft announces they are delaying the release of Title Update 3 for Tom Clancy’s The Division 2. This patch, which includes a new eight-player raid, was due next week, but it’s now expected some time next month. This post explains further, saying they’ve received a lot of feedback on social media on ways the game can be improved. In the meantime, they’re running a Public Test Server to assess new features, though this does not include the new raid. Here’s the plan:

The team at Massive Entertainment has announced that, in order to ensure the best experience for Division 2 players, they are creating a Public Test Server to test new features and fixes before they are implemented. The PTS will be available to anyone who owns The Division 2 on PC, starting on Wednesday, April 17, and the developers will use feedback from players’ play sessions, surveys, and forum threads to improve the updates and address any issues that arise. (Operation Dark Hours will not appear on the PTS, in order to ensure that the entire community can explore it at the same time.) The full PTS schedule will be announced soon.

Furthermore, the team is moving the release of Title Update 3, which includes Operation Dark Hours (the eight-player raid) from April 25 to May 2019. They will use the extra time to perform further testing and balancing. Visit the official site for more details from the development team.

Ubisoft has revealed that “Tidal Basin”, the first post-launch update for Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 is available from tomorrow on the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Windows PC. “Tidal Basin” is part of “Invasion: Battle for D.C.”, the first free post-launch update that includes upcoming releases of “Operation Dark Hours”, the first 8-player raid in the history of The Division, and a brand new Specialisation.

As part of the endgame and post-launch first philosophy of Tom Clancy’s The Division 2, ”Invasion: Battle for D.C.” brings new challenges and content:

• Players face a new challenge in encountering Tidal Basin, a new stronghold held by the Black Tusk Faction. Tidal Basin is now home to some of the most powerful enemies in the game, and they’re not going down without a fight.
• After completing the Tidal Basin Stronghold, players will be able to advance to World Tier 5 and unlock the possibility to obtain gear scores 450-500.
• “Invasion: Battle for D.C.” introduces a new Heroic difficulty setting making for some of the most challenging gameplay yet.
• Upon reaching World Tier 5, weekly invasions will be introduced with the Black Tusk taking control over selected main missions and strongholds in the city. These activities are harder to complete but more rewarding in loot and gear.
• Players can now enjoy two new exotic weapons, Pestilence and Nemesis as well as three new gear sets: True Patriot, Hardwired and Ongoing Directive.
• As part of the update, all players will also have access a new PVP map called Fort McNair
• The Invasion Apparel Event, which will allow agents to collect outfits inspired by the enemy factions, as well as new masks and weapon skins.
• Operation Dark Hours is the toughest of all challenges: an 8- player raid that will test the teamwork of the most experienced agents, coming April 25th.
• Coming in a future update, Agents will have the chance to unlock a brand new Specialisation.

You can watch the “Year 1 Update – Invasion: Battle for D.C.” Trailer HERE.

More game information can be found on the official Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 website.

Now is the time for all Agents to come to the aid of Washington, DC, as The Division 2 launches today on Xbox One, PC, and PS4. Playable solo or in co-op with up to three teammates, this open world shooter challenges you to take back the city by aiding its citizens, building up your Base of Operations, and fighting the enemy factions that patrol the streets. Grow your Agent’s capabilities by looting and customizing weapons, scavenging and crafting gear, and unlocking new skills to increase your impact in firefights. Flex your prowess in the Dark Zones, where enemy factions and other players pose a deadly threat, or go head-to-head in competitive multiplayer combat. Then prepare for the endgame, when a new high-tech faction arrives, and you unlock a powerful new Signature weapon to take them on.

In the coming months, new stories and challenges will be coming to all players of The Division 2, and Year 1 Pass owners will be the first to get their hands on them. From the franchise-first eight-player raid to a series of DLC episodes, you can find more details in The Division 2′s post-launch plan.

Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 is now available for purchase exclusively via the Epic Games Store and the Ubisoft Store.

More game information can be found on the official Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 website.

Not about doomsday preppers, but number one with doomsday preppers!

By Mike Williams @ USGamer

Yesterday, I loaded up The Division 2, intending to create my character and play for around 30 minutes to give myself a mental foothold. When I looked up, I had dumped around four hours into Ubisoft’s version of a Washington D.C that has fallen into chaos and anarchy. It’s the kind of game where you’ll tell yourself, “I’ll just peek around the corner and log off,” only to find yourself hip deep into several missions an hour later, backed by a silent squad of two players.

The Division 2 picks up seven months after the events of the first Division, where the United States collapses after the outbreak of a deadly virus. Gone are the snowy streets of New York, replaced by Washington D.C in the summer. As a native, I can tell you that it’s already unbearably muggy in June, and The Division 2′s slow encroachment of forests and swamps is probably not making things any better. While The Division’s New York dealt with the immediate aftermath of the viral outbreak, The Division 2′s D.C. is beginning to adjust. There are gangs, sure, but there are also pockets of peaceful civilization that you need to protect.

Read on…