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Here's Why Halo: MCC's Recent Update Was So Huge

In March, Halo developer 343 Industries released a gigantic update for Halo: The Master Chief Collection. The update was 60 GB, which makes it much bigger than some brand-new games. Some people expressed frustration over this. After all, even a blazing-fast internet connection would require quite a while to download such a large update.

The studio has now shared more insight on why that update was so large and what fans can expect in terms of file sizes going forward. Design director Max Szlagor said said in a blog post that the studio is always trying to make file sizes smaller, but it’s not always possible.

“With such a large surface area of game, and the scope of changes that need to be made this can make them rather large,” Szlagor said. “Whenever core game data files are updated, this usually means a larger update. We manage this process very carefully to minimize the amount of times this happens. But it is one of those things that can come up.”

Thankfully, Halo: MCC has a system called “Intelligent Install” that allows players to choose which parts of the game they want to download. MCC comprises six different games: Halo: Reach, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 3 ODST, and Halo 4. This latest 60 GB update was mandatory for everyone, but new players–or those who uninstall MCC to free up space–can use the Intelligent Install system to only install what they want to play.

Szlagor said Microsoft will try to be “as mindful as we can” about the size of MCC updates, but at the end of the day, the company cannot guarantee there won’t be other massive file sizes in the future.”

Activision’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare also has seen some truly massive updates, too, as the Season 2 update was 100 GB on some platforms. For its part, developer Infinity Ward apologized for the large file size, and said future updates could be smaller.

As games become more and more sophisticated and grow in terms of scope, file sizes are likely to expand as well with next-generation titles. With that in mind, Microsoft’s Xbox Series X will feature expandable storage, though you need to buy a proprietary card to do so.

As more and more people stay home from work and school amid the COVID-19 crisis, Xbox Live is experiencing “record” numbers. To help mitigate additional server strain, Microsoft is apparently asking its publishing partners to hold back their big updates until off-peak hours.

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Where Is Xur Today? Destiny 2 Exotic Weapon, Armor, And Location (April 3-7)

Destiny 2’s Trials of Osiris is back again this weekend, and thanks to a new hotfix from Bungie, the weekend multiplayer event should no longer fail to drop rewards for players braving its intense battles. Exotic vendor Xur also returns to the solar system this weekend with a gun that’s been dominating in the Crucible–which you should definitely grab. Here’s everything you need to know about what Xur’s got and where you can find him.

Head to Io to find Xur this week, in the Giant’s Scar area. For his weapon this week, Xur is offering Hard Light. Hunters can pick up the Orpheus Rig leg armor; for Titans, there’s the Stronghold gauntlets; and for Warlocks, Xur has Controverse Hold gauntlets.

Xur Location

Start at the Giant’s Scar transmat zone, then hop on your sparrow and head north through the archway. You’ll find Xur inside a shadowy cave set in the wall on the northern side of the area, past a group of Taken.

Xur Inventory (April 3-7)

  • Hard Light (Exotic auto rifle)
  • Orpheus Rig (Exotic Hunter leg armor)
  • Stronghold (Exotic Titan gauntlets)
  • Controverse Hold (Exotic Warlock gauntlets)

Since the start of the Season of the Worthy, the Exotic auto rifle Hard Light has been dominating in the Crucible and the Trials of Osiris. This weekend is your chance to acquire the extremely effective gun from Xur–it does a whole lot of damage with no drop-off at range, and its rounds can ricochet around corners, making it possible to use Hard Light to finish off opponents even after they leave your line of sight. If you don’t already have one, this is an opportunity to expand your arsenal that you shouldn’t miss.

If Xur’s wares aren’t compelling for your Crucible or PvP loadouts, you can always roll the dice on a Fated Engram, which gives you a single Exotic from the limited pool of ones you haven’t already earned, for the price of 97 Legendary shards. All Exotic Engrams are now Fated Engrams, but you’ll have to level up your Season Pass or wait for a random drop to get some if you don’t want to buy from Xur. Since the new season has just kicked off, this is a quick (but expensive) way to get the Season of the Worthy’s new Exotic armors without having to wait for a random drop. Be sure to purchase it on the character who’s missing the Exotic, and note that you can only get one per week, so choose wisely which of your characters makes the buy. If you’re a PC or Xbox One player taking advantage of cross-save, you can now potentially get Wavesplitter from the Fated Engram as well, thanks to the fact that it’s no longer exclusive to PS4.

Destiny 2 News And Guides

  • Where Is Xur Today? Destiny 2 Exotic Location, Weapon, And Armor (April 3-7)
  • Destiny 2 Patch Notes: New Update Fixes Trials Of Osiris Loot Bug
  • Destiny 2 4th Horseman Exotic Quest Guide: How To Find Zavala's Office
  • Destiny 2 Seraph Towers And Bunkers Guide: How The New Events Work

Hard Light

The auto rifle that’s a must-have in the Crucible right now is Hard Light, and if you don’t have one, you need one. It’s got solid range and a good rate of fire, but better than that, it doesn’t have any damage drop-off at range, making it very effective in all situations. Its ricochet rounds are just as deadly bounced around corners. You can also change the gun’s element on the fly, making Hard Light useful in PvP as well as PvE.

Orpheus Rig (Hunter)

Xur’s offering for Hunters this week is a PvE must-have. Orpheus Rig powers up your Shadowshot tethers, producing additional Super energy and ability energy for you when you use it. You also get more shots with the Moebius Quiver version of the Super.

Stats:

  • Mobility: 12
  • Resilience: 6
  • Recovery: 6
  • Discipline: 6
  • Intellect: 12
  • Strength: 6
  • Total: 48

Stronghold (Titan)

If you’re a defensive, sword-using Titan, Stronghold is a handy Exotic for your collection. It maximizes the Guard stats on your equipped swords, and any shots that hit you immediately after you start guarding don’t harm you, they heal you.

Stats:

  • Mobility: 6
  • Resilience: 14
  • Recovery: 6
  • Discipline: 12
  • Intellect: 2
  • Strength: 12
  • Total: 52

Controverse Hold (Warlock)

Though it got nerfed a bit at the start of the season, Controverse Hold is still a powerful Exotic option for Warlocks in the Crucible. The Exotic gives you increased damage resistance when you charge up your Void grenades, and hitting enemies with them gives you back a random amount of grenade energy back when you land a hit. Paired with Handheld Supernova, Controverse Hold can still be very deadly in PvP.

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Twitch Prime April 2020: Amazon Prime Members Get 5 Free Games

April’s free offerings for Twitch Prime members are available now, and if you’re into classic first-person shooters, adventure games, and enigmatic puzzlers, then you’re in for a treat this month. Twitch Prime, which is included with any Amazon Prime member, is giving away five free games in April: the Turok remaster, Kathy Rain, and Etherborn as well as indie RPG Earthlock and first-person puzzle game Lightmatter.

Once you claim any Twitch Prime free games, you’ll have to download the Twitch client, where you can install and play said games. They’re available throughout the entire month, so be sure to claim them before April ends. (Plus, check out our full roundup of all the free games you can claim right now–there are tons of freebies floating around these days.)

Twitch Prime also offers free loot for certain games. This often comes in the form of in-game content or exclusive cosmetics for games like Destiny 2, Apex Legends, and Rainbow Six Siege. Destiny 2 players can expect a Prometheus Lens bundle drop, Apex Legends players can get a free Mirage skin, and Rainbow Six Siege has a pizza-themed mascot skin for Mozzie. In addition to those titles, you can expect content for Doom Eternal, League of Legends, and Borderlands 3.

You can check out all of the available loot and games at Twitch Prime. To claim any Twitch Prime freebies, you just need to link your Amazon Prime account to Twitch, which will then give you all of the benefits of the premium service. You can learn more about Twitch Prime and how to connect your accounts at Twitch’s support site.

Twitch Prime free games for April 2020

April 1:

  • Turok
  • Etherborn
  • Lightmatter
  • Earthlock
  • Kathy Rain

Twitch Prime free loot for April 2020

Available now:

  • Apex Legends – Mirage Lucky Charmer Skin
  • Doom Eternal – Exclusive DOOMicom Slayer Master Collection
  • Borderlands 3 – Exclusive Superstrength Shotgun and three Golden Keys
  • Destiny 2 – Legendary Ship, Exotic Prometheus Weapon Ornament, Exotic Ghost
  • Rainbow 6 Siege – Pizza Party Skin and Charm for Mozzie
  • League of Legends (Drop 3) – Mystery Skin Permanent
  • Teamfight Tactics (Drop 3) – Mystery Little Legends Egg
  • Legends of Runeterra – Champion Card Slot, Expedition Run, Rare and Epic Card
  • Ring of Elysium (Drop 3) – Three weapon skins, exclusive equipment, three supply boxes
  • World of Tanks – Exclusive Care Package
  • Raid Shadow Legends – Six Legendary ATK Artifacts, three 3-Day XP Boosts
  • Black Desert Mobile Drop 7 – Karlstein Outfit and Chest
  • Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (Drop 1) – Hanzo Permanent Skin + Hero and Skin Trial Cards
  • Mafia City, Prime Bundle (Drop 1): 50 Gold, 10k Cargo X5, 10K Cash X5, 5-Minute Building and 5-Minute Training Speed-Up X2

April 7:

  • Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (Drop 2) – Amazon Prime Chest + Hero and Skin Trial Cards

April 10:

  • Mafia City Prime Bundle (Drop 2) – 50 Gold, 10k Cargo X5, 10K Cash X5, 5-Minute Building and 5-Minute Training Speed-Up X2

April 14:

  • Black Desert Mobile (Drop 8) – Epic Accessory Chest

April 21:

  • Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (Drop 3) – Amazon Prime Chest + Hero and Skin Trial Cards

April 24:

  • Mafia City Prime Bundle (Drop 3) – 50 Gold, 10k Cargo X5, 10K Cash X5, 5-Minute Building and 5-Minute Training Speed-Up X2

Best Deals This Week

  • Free Games To Claim This Week: Rayman Legends, World War Z, And More
  • Amazon Just Launched A Big Sale On PS4, Switch, And Xbox One Games
  • PS Plus Drops To $40 In Limited-Time PS4 Deal
  • Where To Buy A Nintendo Switch Right Now
  • Fantastic Sale On Steam Games Includes Pre-Order Discounts On Resident Evil 3, Trials Of Mana

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Valorant Closed Beta: How To Sign Up For New Multiplayer Shooter From League Of Legends Dev

League of Legends developer Riot Games is branching out with multiple new projects, one of which is a free-to-play multiplayer shooter called Valorant. The game remains some time away from official release, but Riot has now announced there will be a closed beta testing period for the game.

This closed beta test will begin on April 7, and you can sign up right now. The beta, at least the first stage of it, will be limited to the United States, Europe, Canada, Russia, and Turkey. More regions could be supported later, but Riot said this is “pending developments with the current COVID-19 pandemic.”

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/g8amyzDHOKw

It sounds like you will need a Twitch account to access the beta. To become eligible for the beta, you need to follow the instructions laid out below.

How To Sign Up For Valorant Closed Beta

  • Register for a Riot account (do that here)
  • Link your Riot account to your Twitch account (sign up for a Twitch account here)
  • Watch Valorant streams on Twitch to find out how to gain access to the closed beta. More details on the specific streams will be announced later.

Valorant is a 5v5 multiplayer shooter that gives off Overwatch vibes, for sure. Gunplay is a big part of Valorant, while each character–called an “Agent”–will have special powers and abilities, too. You can check out some Alpha gameplay in the video above.

In addition to Valorant, Riot is working on a digital card game called Legends of Runeterra, in addition to ongoing support for League of Legends.

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Resident Evil 3 Remake Safe Codes Guide: Every Location And Solution

You need all the help you can get to survive the Nemesis in Resident Evil 3 Remake, especially at its harder difficulties. Raccoon City is teaming with mutated fiends who want you to join their ranks, and the only way to deal with a lot of them is with a lot of bullets (or explosives, as the case may be). The good news is, there are plenty of weapons around the city to help you survive its final hours, and upgrades to make them more effective–especially if you can find and open the several safes located throughout the game.

The trouble with the safes in Raccoon City is that it’s easy to miss their combinations, denying you some extremely helpful hardware. You’ll need to scour the game for files and clues to find the combinations you need. Or you could use our guide: we’ve cataloged all the safes in the game, along with their codes, and the rewards they’ll dish out. Here’s everything you need to know about where the safes are, what’s inside them, and how to find their combinations.

If you need more Resident Evil 3 content, we’ve got you covered. Check out our full Resident Evil 3 Remake walkthrough for help on everything. We’ve also got a complete list of Resident Evil 3 lockpick locks, a guide to finding every Hip Pouch, a full rundown of weapon upgrades and where to find them, and a guide to finding the jewels for the Kite Road Railway Monument puzzle.

Downtown

Art Storage Room

Find this room by heading up the stairs to the right of the Donut Shop. You’ll find the safe beside the Drugstore Owner’s Journal file, which mentions that the code is with Aqua Cure Queen. You’ll find the code marked on the Aqua Cure poster in the back of the drugstore.

  • Code: left 9, right 1, left 8.
  • Reward: Handgun Red Dot Site upgrade.

Raccoon City Police Department

West Office

This safe also appears in Resident Evil 2 Remake, and houses the same item. The code is located in the Internal Memo file you’ll find in the Darkroom near the stairs to the second and third floors.

  • Code: left 9, right 15, left 7
  • Reward: Hip Pouch

Spencer Memorial Hospital

Nurses’ Station

Getting to the code for this safe is difficult; you’ll first need the Locker Room Key from in the Courtyard to open up the Locker Room, then the ID Card from the locker to open the Operating Room. With that, you’ll find the RE: Lost Items file, which contains the code.

Note that you must open this safe as Carlos. If you wait until you revisit the area as Jill, someone will have opened the safe and pilfered its contents.

  • Code: left 9, right 3
  • Reward: Assault Rifle Dual Mag upgrade

Raccoon City Police Department Dial Locks

You can also find two dial locks on lockers in the RPD, which are the same ones that you’ll find in Resident Evil 2 Remake. These only contain regular items and not upgrade materials, but they’re worth opening anyway.

Third Floor Locker

You’ll find this one in the hallway just past the Shower Room. The code is located on a photo in the Safety Deposit Room.

  • Code: DCM
  • Reward: Assault Rifle ammo

Shower Room Locker

The code for the second locker isn’t located in a file. Instead, you’ll see it scribbled on a whiteboard in the Operations Room when you first start to explore the RPD.

  • Code: CAP
  • Reward: Flash grenade

Resident Evil News & Guides

  • Resident Evil 3 Remake Safe Code Guide: Every Location And Solution
  • Resident Evil 3 Remake Review
  • Resident Evil 3 Remake Full Walkthrough, Guides, And Tips
  • Resident Evil 3 Pre-Orders Available: Collector's Edition, Pre-Order Bonus, Release Date
  • How Long Is Resident Evil 3?

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Drawful 2, Gone Home, and Hob currently free on the Epic Games Store, Sherlock Holmes next

The Epic Games store is currently offering three free games, with a fourth coming next week.

Anyone with an Epic Games account can pick up Drawful 2, Gone Home, and Hob for free. But starting next week, mystery fans can step into the shoes of a world famous detective in Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments.

Drawful 2 is a drawing party game from the makers of Jackbox games like Quiplash and Fibbage. Players can draw on their screens, while family, friends, or a streaming audience try and guess what the picture’s of. It’s a great game for staying inside and streaming to your friends or family.

Gone Home is an exploration based mystery game from The Fullbright Company. Originally released in 2013, Gone Home is about solving a family mystery. Meanwhile, Hob is an action-adventure game set in a colorful world. Players take control of a little character with a giant arm, and adventure to save the planet.

Drawful 2, Gone Home, and Hob are all available for free through April 9. On April 9, players can download Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments.

Crimes and Punishments is a Sherlock Holmes adaptation that allows players to enter into the detective’s mind to solve crimes. The game comes with six different cases for the titular detective to solve. It’ll be free until April 16.

Alienware Aurora R8

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Battlefield 5 Will Give You A Free Bonus Just For Signing In

The encourage people to choose Battlefield V as their quarantine game of choice, DICE is giving everyone who logs into the military shooter a free bonus over the next few days.

Everyone who logs into Battlefield V on April 2, 3, or 4 will receive a stimulus package of sorts of 1500 Company Coin that will go directly into their game balance. People who log in over the weekend will get the Sapper Chassis and turret set for the Valentine MK VIII tank.

Battlefield V is regularly updated with new content and tweaks, so if you’ve been curious about the game or looking for a reason to come back, now seems like a good time to jump in.

Company Coin is the main in-game currency for Battlefield V that players can spend on various cosmetics, so this is a nice perk that everyone can enjoy.

In other news, Electronic Arts has confirmed that a new Battlefield game is launching for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, though this game has yet to be announced.

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Amazon Is Going Big On Gaming, Launching A Streaming Service And Multiple New MMOs

Amazon could soon be a force to be reckoned with in the world of gaming, as the company is said to have invested “hundreds of millions” of dollars into trying to become a major player in the games business. The New York Times reported that figure, and also noted that Amazon’s new push into gaming represents the company’s “most significant investment” in original entertainment since it launched a movie and TV business with Amazon Studios.

Amazon’s film and TV business has enjoyed a lot of success over the years, including the acclaimed TV show Transparent and the Oscar-winning movie Manchester by the Sea. Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel also won high acclaim, picking up multiple Golden Globe and Emmy wins.

Amazon is looking for success in gaming, too, and this begins with the launch of its first original game, the sci-fi shooter Crucible. The game, which is developed by Relentless Studios in Seattle, is due to launch in May, following delays related to COVID-19. Amazon is also working on multiple MMOs, including the 17th century New World (from Amazon’s Irvine, California studio) and a Lord of the Rings MMO from the same studio in southern California.

On top of this, former Sony Online Entertainment boss John Smedley is running a new Amazon game studio in San Diego, but the company’s game has not been announced yet. Like many other game studios, Amazon’s teams are working from home, and development continues in this new setup.

Amazon is also said to be working on interactive “casual games” that streamers on Twitch–which it owns–can play with viewers “in real time.” In addition to games themselves, Amazon is creating a “full-fledged” cloud gaming platform with the codename Project Tempo, according to the report. This service had been rumored for more than a year already.

Amazon would become just the latest big name to get into game-streaming, joining Google Stadia, Microsoft’s xCloud, and Sony’s PlayStation Now, among others. Electronic Arts, too, is said to be developing a cloud gaming service.

Project Tempo was supposed to release an “early version” in 2020, but the launch might move to 2021 due to “disruptions” related to COVID-19, according to the report.

Amazon’s gaming boss Mike Frazzini, said the company is trying to take the best of Amazon and work it into its games business. “We have been working for a while, but it takes a long time to make games, and we’re bringing a lot of Amazon practices to making games.”

“It was very clear to everyone that people, customers, love video games,” the executive said. “It was so obviously important to customers that we need to be doing something.”

Amazon’s push into video games hasn’t always been smooth. The company’s first big game, Breakaway, was canceled because it did not live up to the company’s high bar. The company also hired big names, including Portal designer Kim Swift and Far Cry 2 director Clint Hocking, but they left the studio without releasing anything.

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Last Chance To Claim This Great Game For Free On PC

Ubisoft announced today that it plans to provide people with free games, trials, and more throughout April as a way to support those who are stuck at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. The first bonus is a free copy of Rayman Legends on PC, which is available to claim until April 3. You can find this offer as well as all future ones at Ubisoft’s free giveaway page.

All you need to claim Rayman Legends is a Uplay account–you can sign up for one at Ubisoft’s website. Once you’ve done that, head over to the free giveaway page and click “Get Free Game.” You’ll be directed to a page where you can choose your platform (PC is the only option for Rayman Legends), after which the game will be added to your account. Rayman Legends is a fantastic 2D platformer that you can play alone or with your friends. Ubisoft says that this is just the first giveaway of many, with more trials and offers on the way from series like Assassin’s Creed and Just Dance.

Ubisoft recently took part in the massive Twitch Stream Aid livestream that raised $2.8 million for the COVID-19 Solidarity Relief Fund. Ubisoft itself pledged $150,000 to the cause and stressed in a press release that it hopes its initiatives will encourage people to stay home in these uncertain times.

In addition to Rayman Legends, Ubisoft has a number of free offers on its giveaway page. These include free trials for Ghost Recon: Breakpoint, The Crew 2, and Trials Rising as well as free games Might & Magic: Chess Royale and Rabbids Coding. Ubisoft also recently gave away its beautiful RPG, Child of Light. If you’re interested in more, be sure to check out all of the free games you can claim right now and keep forever.

Best Deals This Week

  • Free Games To Claim This Week: Rayman Legends, World War Z, And More
  • Amazon Just Launched A Big Sale On PS4, Switch, And Xbox One Games
  • PS Plus Drops To $40 In Limited-Time PS4 Deal
  • Where To Buy A Nintendo Switch Right Now
  • Fantastic Sale On Steam Games Includes Pre-Order Discounts On Resident Evil 3, Trials Of Mana

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Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot DLC Features Dragon Ball Super Story Arcs

Bandai Namco has unveiled the first piece of DLC for Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, and it’s called A New Power Awakens – Part 1. It will continue Son Goku’s adventure after the events of Dragon Ball Z–introducing the characters and storylines of Dragon Ball Super. If you already own the Ultimate Edition of the game, the DLC comes included. For those who don’t–don’t worry, the DLC can be purchased separately.

The DLC will involve Goku preparing to face off against Beerus, the God of Destruction, who serves as the first antagonist of the most recent Dragon Ball series. You’ll be trained by Whis, who fans of the anime and manga will recognize.

This DLC, which can be accessed at any time during the game (regardless of whether you have finished) will also allow you to unlock the Super Saiyan God form. Super Saiyan God, which gives Goku red hair and higher speed in the anime, is somehow only the fourth or fifth most powerful Saiyan form introduced in Super, but it’s stronger than any of the Super Saiyan forms in the game so far.










According to the screenshots Namco Bandai has released (above), Vegeta will be able to access this form too. Once unlocked, you can use the form in the base game, which will let you go back and absolutely wipe the floor with past enemies.

It’s unclear what Part 2 of A New Power Awakens will involve, but based on this, it seems likely that it’ll let Goku and Vegeta turn Super Saiyan Blue.

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot scored a 7/10 in the GameSpot review. Heidi Kemps said that the game’s “modern, semi-open approach to telling the saga of DBZ–despite some minor issues–is a good one.”

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