Hi-Rez Studios, makers of MOBA game SMITE, recently announced that SMITE Blitz has finished its stint in technical alpha. It has moved into soft launch.

SMITE Blitz is a mobile SMITE spinoff game that takes place in an alternate SMITE universe. It's more of an action RPG than a MOBA. The soft launch includes the United States, the U.K., Canada, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and The Netherlands, but the full global launch is expected sometime later this year.

In Smite Blitz, players choose from 60 available gods spread across different mythologies, with the promise of more to come. They team up with other players to take on story mode challenges, PvP, and a unique challenge mode.

While in its alpha mode, Smite Blitz offered rewards for players who registered and additional bonuses for hitting significant registration milestones. That pattern looks like it will continue with Blitz as well, with a series of Gem rewards and what seems to be a new god for reaching each specific milestone of registrations.

It's a sensible way to ensure Blitz doesn't go the road of other games that rely on larger numbers of players to stay alive.

Those interested in seeing what Smite Blitz has to offer can check it out on the Apple App Store or Google Play.

The professional seasons for both SMITE and Paladins have begun, with competitions for both of the Hi-Rez Studio properties being broadcast from the Skillshot Media esports studio in Atlanta, Ga. 

The in-person competitions for the SMITE Pro League and the Paladins Premier League will last 26 weeks, culminating in each game's world championships at Hi-Rez Expo at Dreamhack in November. 

SMITE Pro League

Games for the SMITE Pro League, Console League, and Minor Leauge matches will all air on the official SMITE Mixer channel. SPL games will air at 11 a.m. EDT on Thursdays and Fridays; Console League games will air at 11 a.m. EDT on Mondays; and Minor League games will air at 11 a.m. EDT on Tuesdays. 

SMITE Pro League teams making an appearance this year include: 

• Splyce
• eUnited
• Spacestation Gaming
• SK Gaming
• Trifecta
• Pittsburgh Knights
• Renegades
• Team Rival
• Dignitas
• Luminosity

Season 6 of the SPL marks a rather important and large format change for the competition. Instead of games being played online, games will be played in LAN format at the Skillshot studios. 

Other changes include teams with no region restriction, no separation of the season into spring, summer, and fall sections, and no separation of win/loss records. Furthermore, "team rosters are locked for the entire year," according to a post by the company. 

Splyce beat Rival to win SMITE worlds at HRX 2018 by a score of 3-2. 

Paladins Premier League

Games for the Paladins Premier League, Console League, and Minor League will air on the official Paladins' Mixer channel. PPL games will air on Thursdays and Fridays starting at 11 a.m. or 1 p.m. EDT; Console League games will air at 11 a.m. EDT on Mondays; and Minor League games will air at 11 a.m. EDT on Tuesdays. 

Paladins Premier League teams making an appearance this year include: 

• Natus Vincere
• Pittsburgh Knights
• Ninjas in Pyjamas
• Spacestation Gaming
• Renegades
• Virtus.pro
• Kanga Esports
• Team Envy

Like the SPL, the PPL is also moving to LAN play at the Skillshot studios in Atlanta. Additionally, team records last the entire season and rosters are also locked in from beginning to end. 

At HRX 2018, Team Envy took the Paladins' crown from Natus Vincere by a final score of 4-2.

Passes for this year's Hi-Rez Expo at Dreamhack are currently available via the Dreamhack Atlanta website. The event runs from November 15-17. 

Eleven colleges and universities from around Georgia and several other southern states will come together on April 6 to compete in the Georgia Esports League (GEL) PantherLAN event at Georgia State University's Sports Arena in Atlanta, Ga. The gathering is the organization's fourth annual championship event featuring teams from all over the Southeastern United States.

Among the schools participating this year are:

• Georgia State University
• Georgia Southern University
• Georgia Tech
• Kennesaw State University
• Jascksonville State University
• Lee University
• Oglethorpe University
• Savannah College of Art at Design
• University of North Georgia
• University of Tennessee at Martin
• Univeristy of West Georgia.

The winners of GEL's championship won't just win bragging rights, though. They'll also receive scholarships sponsored by Greenberg Traurig LLP.

The event is free and open to the public; doors open at 9:00 a.m. EDT time, with the tournament kicking off at 10:00 a.m. EDT. For those who can't make it to Georgia State University to attend in person, the tournament will be streamed live on the Georgia State University and Georgia Game Developers Association Twitch channels.

The decision to hold the event at GSU is partially based on the exponential growth of the gaming industry in the state of Georgia, specifically Atlanta. Among the myriad video game development companies that call the city home, Hi-Rez Studios, developer of SMITE and Paladins, and Blue Mammoth Games, developer of Brawlhalla are two of the more well-known esports players. 

Said Andrew Greenberg, GEL commissioner and executive director of the GGDA:

Georgia has become one of the most prominent esports locations in the world. Schools know that the desire to make games is what drives many students to want to learn about technology in the first place. An esports team helps them attract even more good students.

For those interested in learning about a career in esports, both Hi-Rez Studios and Blue Mammoth Games will be represented at the GEL event presenting workshops on esports skills, including shoutcasting, livestreaming, and information on how to become a professional esports competitor. 

Today, Hi-Rez Studios' esports subsidiary Skillshot Media announced a unique partnership with the Northside Hospital Sports Medicine Network of Atlanta. The two organizations are working together to create an Esports Medicine Program for SMITE and Paladins pros.

The comprehensive program will apply Northside Hospital's extensive knowledge of sports science and sports medicine to esports in an effort to improve player performance while minimizing risk of injury.

Just as with traditional athletes, esports professionals are at risk of injuries related to competition. The most common of these are carpal tunnel, spine issues, brain fatigue, and ocular strain. Skillshot's partnership with Northside Hospital will combat these with preventative care, including pre-performance screenings and weekly endurance training. A team/league doctor will be provided for tournament play.

Teams will have access to Northside Hospital's Sports Medicine experts who will assist them with managing their overall health and provide nutrition advice. The players will also have access to an injury training room.

Skillshot Media President Todd Harris notes that the company is "thrilled to partner with Northside to provide complementary injury-prevention services for players." He added that discussions with Northside Hospital Sports Medicine Network made it apparent that the organization is "not only taking early notice of the rising trend of esports injuries, but also [aspires] to serve [Skillshot's] pro players just like athletes in traditional sports."

In addition to assuring the health of SMITE and Paladins esports athletes during the 2019  season, this partnership also allows for more research into esports-related health issues that can benefit the entire esports community. Throughout the season, the research portion of the partnership will spend time looking at injury prevention, measuring mental stamina, and more.

Dr. Vonda Wright MD, Orthopedic Surgeon and Chief of the Northside Hospital Sports Medicine Network, spoke on behalf of the hospital about the partnership, saying:

As the convergence of  technology expands our definitions of ‘athletes and competition,’ Northside Sports Medicine is proud to step into this unique role. The growth of esports is a worldwide phenomenon, and Northside is ready to provide elite sports medicine and performance therapy to the professionals of Skillshot Media.

Through preventive care and innovative research, we hope to maximize performance while minimizing injury for these pro players, while setting a standard of care for esports athletes at every level.

This is the first partnership of its kind in esports, and a major indication that Skillshot Media and Hi-Rez Studios takes the health of its professional SMITE and Paladins players seriously.

Hopefully, the players and teams will take advantage of these services in order to assure longer-lasting careers. 

Over the years, Sony Interactive Entertainment has shown a great deal of reluctance in allowing PlayStation 4 owners to play multi-platform titles with players on other consoles and PC. While a recent interview with SIE Chairman Shawn Layden suggests that the company is now open to facilitating cross-play, a number of developers have come forward indicating otherwise. 

Speaking with Game Informer, Layden says that while some players may be questioning why Sony does not allow games other than Fortnite and Rocket League to support cross-play, the company is "open for business on this one." He continues by explaining how a title should go about pursuing cross-play as an option:

All it takes is for publishers and developers who wish to permission it. As ever, just work with your PlayStation account manager, and they will walk you through the steps that we’ve learned through our partnership with Epic on how this works.

While this seems to be a straightforward process, certain developers are suggesting that this is simply not the case. For instance, the CEO of Chucklefish took to ResetEra, the home of a popular forum for video game discussion, to elaborate on the company's experience trying to get cross-play support for its new turn-based tactics game, Wargroove.

"We made many requests for cross-play (both through our account manager and directly with higher-ups) all the way up until release month," Chucklefish's CEO claims, but it seems that these asks were ineffective. "We were told in no uncertain terms that it was not going to happen."

Furthermore, it is indicated that Chucklefish could have cross-play working for PlayStation 4 players with the "toggle of a switch." This may leave some players wondering why Sony would simply not allow them to do so.

A recent tweet from Hi-Rez Studio CEO and President Stew Chisam suggests that the reason is that Sony is "playing favorites" with what titles are given cross-play support, despite Layden's statement that he doesn't believe there is "any gating factor." As with Wargroove, Chisam additionally indicates that his company has Smite, Paladins, and Realm Royale ready for cross-play.

Regardless of the reasons for Sony's reluctance, some fans are certain to be disappointed to hear that the company is still withholding cross-play support from eager developers. Perhaps Layden's remarks mean that a change is indeed on its way to the company, but Chucklefish and Hi-Rez's statements do seem to suggest that it has not yet arrived.

The interview with Shawn Layden can be found on Game Informer. Chucklefish's CEO's statement can be found on ResetEra. Stew Chisam's statement can be found on Twitter.

For the second year in a row, North America and Europe have come to face off. Rival has returned, aiming to claim first place this year, while Splyce has come to keep the title in North America. 

In one of the most anticipated fights in SMITE history, two teams, undefeated in their quarter and semi-finals, fought head to head for the title of SMITE World Champions. With such powerful players, on both sides, it was impossible to guess how these games would go.  

Similar styles of play from Splyce and Rival forced them into difficult games revolving around maintaining control of the pacing of the game. Ultimately, Splyce came out on top and the title of World Champions remains in North America.

Game 1 

Winner: Rival 

Splyce: Erlang Shen, Artio, Vulcan, Jing Wei, Kuzenbo 

Rival: Raijin, Xbalanque, Ares, Ravana, Amaterasu

Rival started the game strong, picking up three free kills and gaining an early gold lead. Rival took their lead and ran with it, working to keep the enemy laners down. Rival’s aggression received some punishment in the solo lane as a tower dive led to Splyce picking up their first two kills.  

Splyce worked at evening out the score, but Rival’s attack didn’t let up. With each kill Rival grabbed, the gold difference increased. Rival successfully managed to grab the Pyromancer buff before twenty minutes, forcing Splyce to go on the defensive.  

Rival kept up their advantages, grabbing a few more kills and towers before securing the Fire Giant buff.  With Fire Giant and an aggressive fight, Rival was able to push down a Pheonix, forcing Splyce to focus on defending their Titan. 

Splyce held on, aiming to equalize in the late game, and the late stage turned into a tug of war. After a few minutes, Rival landed some good kills, opening the way to the Titan and giving Splyce their first loss at HRX.

Game 2

Winner: Splyce 

Splyce: Freya, Ne Zha, Geb, Agni, Artio 

Rival: Odin, Xbalanque, Pele, Zhong Kui, Cu Chulainn 

Game two kicked off with both teams trading kills for a while, until Rival gained an upper-hand and two extra kills in the jungle. Rival kept up their pressure and started invading Splyce’s jungle, leading to a few more brutal encounters where Rival took a heavy lead in kills and gold. 

Despite the score differences, Splyce refocused and secured a few kills, pushing hard to equalize the game. After grabbing kills and Gold Fury, Splyce had firmly placed themselves back in the game. A series of difficult team fights quickly led to an early win for Splyce. Rival was unable to hold up against the constant attack and Splyce was able to crush the Titan, earning themselves a victory. 

Game 3

Winner: Splyce 

Splyce: Xbalanque, Ne Zha, Fenrir, Terra, Raijin 

Rival: Au Puch, Odin, Ravana, Cupid, Fafnir 

With both teams tied at one win, game three started off a little slower than the last. Neither side made overly aggressive moves, but there was a tension as every lane looked for an opening. It was almost ten minutes before Rival and Splyce finally collided, with both teams picking up two kills before settling back into a tense standoff. 

The game continued in a slow and calculated manner, while the teams skirmished over objectives. Splyce finally gained some purchase as they found opportunities to collapse on (and kill) enemies in the jungle. Splyce took their kill advantage straight to Fire Giant, where they secured the buff and used it to begin pushing the lanes.  

With Splyce already ahead, paired with the Fire Giant buff, they were able to push all the way into Rival’s base, forcing them to focus on defending their Titan. Rival was able to keep their base safe for a while, but Splyce managed to pick up another Fire Giant buff, allowing them to pick up a second Pheonix soon after.  

Splyce kept the pressure on, pushing Rival into their base and finishing off the Titan at just over thirty minutes.

Game 4

Winner: Rival 

Splyce: Xbalanque, Fenrir, Au Puch, Ratatoskr, Kumbhakarna 

Rival: Ne Zha, Terra, Riajin, Artio, Jing Wei  

Both teams started game four aggressively. While Rival aimed to make it to a fifth game and Splyce hoping to secure the title, both teams were grasping at every advantage they could get. By ten minutes, Splyce held a slight lead in gold while they traded kill for kill, but each advantage gained seemed to grant the enemy their own benefits. 

Almost twenty minutes in, Rival found an opening and turned a fight around, picking up five kills for themselves in additions to Fire Giant. The buff helped them to secure a tower and Gold Fury, and giving them a firm foothold in the game. 

Soon after, a second fight around Fire Giant led to Rival picking up some more kills and gaining objective control across the board. With their second Fire Giant, Rival snowballed through another tower, picked up Gold Fury, and found some time to siege a Pheonix. 

A third Fire Giant buff saw Rival taking down another Pheonix and Gold Fury, before Splyce found a chance to effectively defend their base. Splyce gained a few minutes of breathing room, but having missed the past series of jungle objectives, they found themselves stuck in their base, defending.  

Splyce held up an impressive defense, but after Rivals sixth Fire Giant, the siege was finished. Rival pulled out a win, equalizing the score and bringing the World Championship into a fifth and final game.

Game 5

Winner: Splyce 

Splyce: Freya, Terra, Au Puch, Fenrir, Mercury 

Rival: Artio, Xbalanque, Raijin, Ratatoskr, Nike 

In the final game of the Championship, both teams aimed for a slower start, trading kills and securing jungle objectives. For almost twenty minutes, both teams focused on a tense game of trying to outmaneuver the other. 

In an unexpected flurry of activity, Splyce managed to pick up a few kills in the jungle. They took this moment to quickly grab Fire Giant and push down a Pheonix, all before the twenty-one-minute mark. Splyce continued their assault, sieging a second Pheonix and being swiftly repelled by Rival. 

Another Fire Giant, gives Splyce the momentum they need to move into rival’s base and take down a second Pheonix. Seeing an opening, Splyce dives in to finish off the Titan, winning them the World Championship.

After five intense games and over four hours of play, the SMITE World Championship has come to a close. Our new champions stand tall, enjoying their victory, but season six is coming soon. There is no telling what changes are in store, which begs the question: How long will they hold onto their title?

Today marks the beginning of Hi-Rez Expo at DreamHack Atlanta, and the studio is starting things off with a bang, sharing exciting news for fans of SMITE, Paladins, and Realm Royale.

First among these announcements is that cross-play and cross-progression will be coming to all three titles. Arriving in January 2019 for Paladins and SMITE, and at the official release of Realm Royale, Hi-Rez Studios has provided an extensive FAQ outlining all of the details about cross-play and progression.

Additionally, each of the developers have given details on some of the things fans can expect from these three properties in 2019. Here is a summary of everything that has been revealed thus far:

Paladins

• Imani, the Last Warder, Paladins' 40th Champion, is coming with Update 2.01 in January. Imani is a damage Champion who can harness the powers of fire and ice and summon a massive dragon. 
  
  
• Evil Mojo is implementing The Hunt, a commitment to improving the overall quality of Paladins through expanded development teams, more time scheduled for polish, and longer testing phases for patches on the PTS. This will begin as Update 2.01 hits the PTS on December 17.
  
  
• Fans can expect a slew of new content and features, including:
  • Major monthly content updates
  • In-game tournaments
  • Post-game commendations
  • Six new champions
  • Six new maps (including three siege maps)
  • A new battle pass every two months
  • The first ultimate skin
  • New game modes
  • A revamped in-game item store
• A player advocacy group called the Assembly of Champions is coming to Paladins. With the Assembly of Champions, players will elect year-long representatives that will act as direct lines of communication to the developers. Registration is now open at Paladins' website.
  
  
• In celebration of Hi-Rez Expo, current Steam and PC players have free access to the game's four newest Champions, as well as a skin and voice pack for each. This offer can be downloaded on Steam as The Paladins Starter Pack DLC, and it will automatically unlock for PC players that login from November 16 to December 15.

Realm Royale

• Heroic Leap is continuing to invite players to the Xbox One closed beta, and a closed beta is coming to PlayStation 4 "soon."
  
  
• Cross-play between Xbox One and PC will be active during the closed beta.
  
  
• "World creatures" are set to come to the game. The first is the Loot Goblin, making its debut this weekend, which will appear randomly throughout the map and will drop treasure when it has been slain.
  
  
• Players that log in over the next month will receive a free Cluckomorph skin and 100 crowns.

SMITE

• Titan Forge revealed the game's 99th and 100th Gods: King Arthur and the wizard Merlin. Arthur is currently in the play-testing phase while Merlin is in the stage of early prototypes.
  
  
• Season 6 will also feature several other new Gods, including Horus, Set, the World Dragon, and Gods of the underworld. It will conclude with "a being so powerful it will threaten the existence of all other Gods."
  
  
• Quality of Life changes are coming. Titan Forge highlighted the ability to role queue for Conquest, which they indicate will let players have their favorite roles more often (further assisted by the introduction of cross-play).
  
  
• A new arena is available now, and it features an updated art style, "improved gameplay clarity," and the Minotaur.
  
  
• A limited-time free Arena Bundle is currently available, which unlocks seven Gods and eight skins.
  
  
• A player advocacy group called the The Olympians is coming to SMITE. With The Olympians, players will elect year-long representatives that will act as direct lines of communication to the developers. Registration is now open at SMITE's website.
  
  
• SMITE is launching on Nintendo Switch. It will run at 60 FPS and include cross-play multiplayer. Early access begins on January 24, and players can guarantee access to this closed beta by purchasing the Founder's Pack through the Nintendo eShop. The Founder's Pack can be pre-purchased beginning today.

Further, Skillshot Media, the esports division of Hi-Rez studios, had some news to share about competitive play. This includes the beginning of competitive SMITE at the high-school level (more details are available at the PlayVS website). Additionally, Skillshot announced that all SMITE and Paladin Pro Leagues will be played live on LAN in 2019.

Hi-Rez Expo will continue throughout this weekend, and, along with the SMITE and Paladins World Championships, we may get some more exciting reveals.

Stay tuned to GameSkinny for developing news as these communities come together to celebrate their favorite games, as well as coverage on the SMITE and Paladins PC finals. 

Chernobog, the Slavic God of Darkness, is the latest addition to SMITE. This winged hunter comes with an arsenal of deadly abilities, along with an ultimate that allows him to travel across the map.

For those interested in traversing the shadows with Chernobog, this build guide will give you the best chance to dominate the duo-lane and sweep the late-game competition.

Everyone’s Favorite

Items: Warrior's Tabi, Transcendence, The Crusher, Jotunn's Wrath, Deathbringer, and Qin's Sais

• Basic Attack - 378
• Physical Power - 290
• Attack Speed - 1.61
• Penetration - 15%
• Critical Chance - 25%

This build starts off with you purchasing Transcendence. This item gives you a healthy reserve of mana for the abilities, namely your Crystallized Curses and Vicious Barrage.

Once you've finished Transcendence, you'll want to purchase The Crusher. This item gives you a much-needed attack speed boost, and when you activate Vicious Barrage, you’ll have your standard attack speed increased all the way up to 2.27 for five seconds.

Following The Crusher, you'll want to work on finishing Jotunn’s Wraith to increase your mana pool, but more importantly, you'll receive an increased cooldown on all of your abilities. This item allows you to optimize Vicious Barrage because it remains activated for five seconds and only goes on cooldown for eight seconds.

This means you only have a 1.61 attack speed as you wait for Vicious Barrage to return off cooldown. You’ll have to be on your guard during this time!

You’ll want to reserve purchasing Qin’s Sais until later in the game, making it your second-to-last item. This way, you can use this item’s passive far more effectively. It gives you bonus damage against any opponent with over 2,000 health. This grants you the opportunity to capitalize on your tankier opponents finishing their builds as the game draws closer to the end.

The last item you're going to want to purchase is Deathbringer, a standard final item favored by many hunters to round themselves out. You’ll receive a boost to your critical chance and physical power, making you a formidable opponent during team fights.

One reason this standard build is favored by hunters is the way they can change out their items during the game based on how their opponents build. An example for this is being able to swap out The Crusher for Titan’s Bane if you’re having trouble taking down the most defensive of tanks. The drawback is you’ll lower your attack speed, and Vicious Barrage will cap at 2.08 a second, but you’ll penetrate through physical armor far more easily.

Additionally, you can also swap out The Crusher for Brawler’s Beat Stick if an opponent’s healing causes you and your team problems.

While this build strays close to the nearly standard hunter build everyone uses, it works for Chernobog exceptionally well, especially when he’s facing down sturdy guardians and warriors looking to make short work of him.

Knock Out the Squishes

Items: Warrior’s Tabi, Transcendence, Asi, Deathbringer, Malice, and Wind Demon

• Basic Attack - 334
• Physical Power - 246
• Attack Speed - 1.61
• Penetration - 10%
• Critical Chance - 70%

Did your opposing team plan to outdamage you at every turn? Optimize on how few of them will have defensive items with this build. This time around, you're going to focus on boosting Chernobog's critical chance up and rely even more on your basic attacks. 

You won't notice too big of a change yet because you're going to stick with Warrior's Tabi and Trascendence for your first items. After you finish building those, instead of The Crusher, grab Asi and you’ll find yourself with a decent amount of lifesteal. 

Because Asi doesn’t give you the biggest amount of lifesteal, you'll want to pull away from an engagement as quickly as you can if things start to go sour. Don't get overconfident.

Following Asi, you’ll want to start working towards buying Wind Demon. With this equipped, your basic attacks will start hitting more frequently, and you’ll see these attacks have a small chance to land a critical. Also, for those wondering, you’re buying Wind Demon for its important passive, which increases your attack and movement speed each time you land a critical strike. Unfortunately, Wind Demon’s passive doesn’t matter all too much until you’ve purchased your last item.

Once you’re finished with Wind Demon, pick up Malice, and then your final item should be Deathbringer. You’ll see that at this point you’ve arrived at 70% critical chance to absolutely decimate any squishy opponent you line up in your sights. Remember Wind Demon’s passive? When you combine this passive with Vicious Barrage, you’re going to see your basic attack rise to 2.46.

For those planning on using this build, make sure you’re staying ahead of your opponents and not getting caught out too much. Stay close to your team and keep your wards active!

Knowing the enemy's location is the key to every good victory.

Crack the Armor

Items: Warrior's Tabi, Devourer’s Gauntlet, Jotunn's Wrath, The Crusher, Wind Demon, and Bloodforge

• Basic Attack - 368
• Physical Power - 280
• Attack Speed - 1.56
• Penetration - 25%
• Critical Chance - 20%

You’re in a new match and your opponents have chosen to create a tankier team with high defenses. Starting to sweat? Nonsense! Time to break through their armor and make short work of them.

This time around, you’re not going to build Transcendence. Instead, you’re going to go for Devourer's Gauntlet and stack lifesteal. This item remains a favorite to many as you can stay in the fight far longer than those who build Transcendence; however, it doesn’t offer as much physical power.

When you’ve finished purchasing Devourer’s Gauntlet and Warrior's Tabi, pick up Jotunn’s Wrath. You’ll want to do this for the physical armor penetration and to help make up for the lost mana you’re going to experience. Because you won’t have as much mana to work with as you did in the previous builds, you’ll want to make sure you’re not firing your abilities off from the hip and hoping they hit. Watch your mana pool much more closely, and make your abilities count!

After Jotunn’s Wrath, grab The Crusher. You’ll want this item for the same reason you have it in the first build: to increase your attack speed and also have a healthy reserve of armor penetration.

Because Chernobog is a hunter, you’re going to need a critical chance item. Of all the items you can purchase to increase your critical chance, you’re going to want to go with Wind Demon. While Deathbringer and Malice can provide Chernobog with some excellent passives, Wind Demon’s passive of increasing his basic attack and movement speed gives you the most benefit.

The final item you're going to get to finish up this build is Bloodforge. This item boosts how much lifesteal you receive and increases your physical power by an incredible amount. Additionally, each time you take out an enemy god, you'll receive a shield around yourself that provides you with an aura of protection, and you receive a boost to your movement speed. With Bloodforge in your back pocket, you should make it to the enemy's titan in no time.

And there you have it. These Chernobog builds should serve you well in the Battleground of the Gods. Do you have any build suggestions for Chernobog or any other gods from SMITE? Share your thoughts in the comments below with other SMITE fans here on GameSkinny.

With Season Five of SMITE having started already, hype for the game is once again rising. To meet that, Hi-Rez Studios has today released a brand-new adventure mode titled "Da Ji and the Legend of the Foxes". Visiting the studio earlier this week, we were able to get a hands-on preview of the new adventure. Here's what we learned. 

New Modes for New Adventures

With the new Senpai Da Ji skin making an appearance in this adventure, the event draws heavily on anime and its tropes. The highly stylized adventure feels almost like a completely different experience, especially when compared to other SMITE offerings. With colorful graphics and Da Ji's implacable attitude, players might feel like they've stepped into SMITE's very own anime.  

Nonetheless, the newest SMITE adventure focuses on a "horde mode" style of gameplay, where players must stay alive while defending Da Ji's fox from multiple waves of minions.  

Interspersed through the rampant slaughter of minions are larger (and more dangerous) enemies. These monsters have special abilities and methods of attack, such as pulling players away from the objective, summoning more powerful minions, and even lobbing in fireballs from far away. Each of these monsters is designed to provide a different set of challenges, ultimately forcing players to respond in unique ways, lest they find themselves without the health or numbers to continue the defense. 

Finally, after a few intense rounds of fighting, players are given one last chance to buy whatever items they can afford before the final fight. When the fight begins, they are pitted against a trio of powerful enemies that include a large monster boss and two other gods. Successfully defeating these final enemies will grant the player a chest where they can potentially find a new Ratatoskr skin (there are four up for grabs in the adventure). 

Fans of the previous season of SMITE's adventures will see the return of the "Gold Vault", which holds a variety of skins that will be released as the adventures progress, with each skin requiring a golden key to unlock. Golden keys are gained by purchasing bundles associated with the current adventure, but once obtained, they can be used to unlock specific skins from the Gold Vault. With two Gold Vaults, though, there are now two different types of keys differentiated by what year their corresponding vault was created. 

According to Hi-Rez, every adventure will be randomized, with each bossfight providing something completely different from the last. New enemies will need to be defeated, and new patches throughout the life of the adventure will add new big bads to defeat. 

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This is only the first of many exciting adventures and releases from Hi-Rez this year. We've already seen brand-new art and gameplay changes drop in recent updates, as well as the new playable god Cerberus. On top of that, the studio also unveiled at HRX 2018 that we would also be getting two new pantheons this year: Slavic and Voodoo. All in all, Season 5 of SMITE looks to be one of the best Seasons to date -- especially if you're looking from a little break from the typical Conquest grind. 

Da Ji and the Legend of the Foxes will be available for PC players starting Tuesday, February 13, and console players starting Friday, February 16. The new adventure will be free, although players will have the option to purchase the Senpai bundle, which will contain the Da Ji Senpai skin and other items for in-game use. 

Stay tuned to GameSkinny for more news and information on SMITE and Season 5 as it develops. 

Hi-Rez Studios has officially announced the release of SMITE's 5th season --as well as all the changes players can expect from the update to the highly-popular MOBA. 

With the update, the developers hope to enhance players' immersion in the game by introducing new art styles and improved gameplay mechanics to SMITE's Conquest mode.

The new, hand-painted art style will reportedly "bring more richness and clarity into the world." And as for Season 5's improved gameplay, SMITE's Conquest map has been symmetrically altered so that all players have a more even playing field. Adjustments made to the Jungle map and XP gains reportedly lets players feel a stronger sense of accomplishment as they progress. 

Two of the game's higher-level enemies have also received redesigns. The Fire Giant is now more difficult to defeat and grants more rewards once vanquished. And the Portal Demon has become the Pyromancer, who also grants better rewards once defeated. 

For an interactive look at the game's new features, you can visit the Hi-Rez website, and if you want to see the new map for yourself, watch the YouTube video posted below. Stay tuned to GameSkinny for more news and information as it develops. 

Death Squared

Rounding out our list is Death Squared. The cheeky narration in this game is reminiscent of Portal and really adds to the atmosphere of this co-op puzzler. Grab a buddy and work together to get your cubes where they belong without killing each other with lasers, spikes, or other silly traps. The fun comes in the dumb mistakes you're bound to make learning how each level works. You can also grab two extra friends and head into four-player mode for four times the chaos.

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This concludes out list of games to play with your more "casual" friends. Be sure to let us know which games from this list you've tried and which are your favorites. Did we miss a game you would recommend to gaming newbies? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to stick around GameSkinny for more game recommendations!

SMITE

Do you want to introduce your friend to League of Legends or DotA but that learning curve is just a little to steep for them? Then you should seriously consider giving SMITE a shot. The third-person camera and opportunity to automate your item and skill builds makes this the best MOBA for beginners to learn the genre. SMITE also features an arena mode which is shorter in length and lets you and your team focus on fighting other heroes rather than farming creeps. Also, it feels really cool to be a god like Thor or Athena ... just sayin'.

Snipperclips: Cut It Out, Together!

Snipperclips is a must-play game if you own a Nintendo Switch. Hands down one of the most creative games to come out of 2017, this co-op puzzler exceeds expectations with its unique challenges. Kudos to the developers for imagining so many ways to make one mechanic feel fresh every single level. The game is simple to learn while keeping you and a friend thinking critically as you work together in this charming title.

Human: Fall Flat

This whimsical game feature ragdoll physics and open-ended platforming. Get a buddy or a few and hop into the world of Human: Fall Flat. Work together to figure out how you wanna climb that castle wall. Do you use that plank of wood lying on the ground for support, or do you build a human pyramid and try to get over that wall the most ridiculous way possible? Climbing ledges in this game is trickier than it first appears and can lead to some hilarious antics.

SpeedRunners

Once you get the hang of the swing mechanic in SpeedRunners, which doesn’t take too long, you’re in for some very rewarding 2D racing against your friends in this exciting pick-up-and-play game. Before you know, you'll be jumping off the couch due to exhilarating victories and soul-crushing defeats! Be sure to work on your trash talk game if you and your buddies have that extra bit of competitiveness in you. 

Rocket League

Rocket League is a thrilling game of soccer with race cars, explosions, and delightful customization options! The best part about this game is it can appeal to players of all skill levels. You don't have to know how to make your car fly to get a rewarding rush of adrenaline from chasing after the ball and making solid contact. If you want to mix things up, you can even head into Snow Day or Rumble game types, where the puck or power-ups respectively make the game even easier for beginners. The game also features an upbeat soundtrack that really pumps you up to play!

Ultimate Chicken Horse

Ultimate Chicken Horse starts simple, is easy to understand, and always offers something new. The goal is simple: work with your friends to create a platform level that you can beat but your friends can't. Each round introduces extra items for you to use against your friends, but be wary you don't accidentally screw up your chances of beating the level yourself or you'll be one sad chicken ... or horse ... or sheep (there's a bunch of cute animals to unlock!).

Jackbox Party Pack

Often a dual-stick controller can be hard to wrap your head around if you’re new to gaming and don’t have that muscle memory. With Jackbox Party Pack that’s a non-issue since everybody uses their phones or tablets! These fun games also accommodate groups larger than four, so like their title implies, they're perfect for parties. For raucous laughs, I recommend Tee KO, where you and your friends design silly shirts and face-off to see which shirt is best, and Fakin' It!, where everybody answers question but one friend must fake their way through the answers. Both games are part of the third Jackbox Party Pack.

Overcooked

Grab your friends and become silly chefs in Overcooked! You and your friends must travel back in time to hone your cooking skills at various kitchens so you can protect the present-day world from the spaghetti monster! This chaotic co-op is easy to learn, charming to look at, and sure to make even the grumpiest food critic laugh.

I'm a strong believer in the idea that there is a video game out there for everyone. Some people might not like the RPGs, first-person shooters, or sports games that find their way into the mainstream. It might take some time to find the right game, but if want to spend some time playing video games with your loved ones and are in a pinch for time, look at the nine games on this list to start your search.

The Greek pantheon of gods in SMITE welcomes a new playable character -- Cerberus, Warden of the Underworld. Many players initially believed that Cerberus would be a great guardian, but he actually works best as an offensive mage character.

Before getting into the optimal damage build for Cerberus, let's take a look at his abilities and see how they fit within the current meta. Of course, different modes will require different approaches, but Solo games are the primary focus of this guide.

Cerberus Abilities Overview in SMITE

Passive Ability: Spirit of Death

Cerberus' passive ability is a heal steal that makes enemy gods heal for 20% less, while Cerberus gets 40% of that same heal. 

It's a really useful ability that won't let your enemies stay alive for too long, but you will.

First Ability: Paralyzing Spit

This god's tail is not just a tail, but a weapon that spits poisonous projectiles dealing 50/80/110/140/170 damage points. Each consecutive projectile deals 20% less damage, but if you manage to hit the enemy with four such projectiles in a row, the enemy gets stunned.

Second Ability: Ghastly Breath

Here's something for those who like to deal with mages. The three heads of Cerberus emit a ghastly breath that removes enemy's magical protection and slows them down significantly.

Third Ability: Soul Expulsion

Soul Expulsion is another healing ability, but this time you get to actually use it when you need it. It makes Cerberus leap forward and sever the soul of an enemy. This soul can be damaged, and each time you damage a soul, Cerberus will heal for 30/50/70/90/110.

Ultimate Ability: Stygian Torment

The new god's ultimate ability is definitely overpowered. It works as a magical AOE by which Cerberus summons the souls of the damned to lift all enemies into the air and separate them from their souls. The key part of this ability is the amount of damage, which is quite significant, dealt during the process: 160/230/300/370/440.

Best Cerberus Build

At first glance, it's hard not to come to the conclusion that Cerberus has great magical powers in addition to high amounts of damage. Now let's take a look at the items, which you can purchase, that turn Cerberus into a real magical offensive machine.

Book of Thoth

Mana is power, and producing additional mana from kills is essential. This is what Book of Thoth gives you. Additionally, you will be able to convert mana into magical power.

Shoes of the Magi

If you're going to use shoes, then take these for speed of movement and even more magical power. 

Rod of Tahuti

This item has both active and passive stats, and both of them contribute to one and only one goal -- increasing your magical powers.

Obsidian Shard

This item complements Cerberus' Ghastly Breath ability that removes the magical protection of the enemy gods. Obsidian Shard will increase this ability by 33%.

Chronos' Pendant

All of the above abilities have a cooldown time, so you need something that will help you reduce it. This is what Pendant is for. It will bring down all of your cooldown timers by 20%.

Gem of Isolation

Finally, you want something that will keep slowing your enemies down. Purchase Gem of Isolation and deal your damage without too much hassle, as all your enemies will be 25% slower.

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Hopefully, this guide will help you decide to play Cerberus and give him those extra magical powers. And for any other SMITE guides at GameSkinny, check out the list below:

• How to Build and Play the Nine-Tailed Fox
• How to Build Warriors
• How to Build Assassins
• How to Build Guardians
• How to Build Hunters

On the final day of HRX, the SMITE World Championship Finals was one of the few events left, and it was massive. Two incredible teams fought their way to the top for a chance at the title.  

EUnited was looking to bring the World Championship title back to NA, while Rival, having already defeated the previous world champion, was looking to prove that they deserve the top spot in the SMITE pro scene. 

Rival and EUnited provided an unforgettable game. Having never played against one another, they had to adapt quickly to deal with the curveballs from their opponents. Team Rival gave it their all, but EUnited won out in the end, becoming the new SMITE World Champions. 

Game 1 

Winner: EUnited 

Rival: Raijin, Odin, Sylvanus, Anhur, Amaterasu 
EUnited: Ullr, Cu Chulainn, Bastet, Discordia, Ganesha  

EUnited started off strong, pulling ahead with a minor gold lead and picking up first blood around the 2-minute mark. They kept up the pressure, forcing Rival to abort a few attempts at Gold Fury, and giving them the space to whittle down the first tier towers a little bit more.  

A few minor scuffles saw EUnited up two kills, but Rival remained undaunted by the minor setbacks. A fight on the right lane, left the middle open for a quick push. EUnited earned a tower, but Rival saw the tower and raised them a kill. With EUnited down a player, Rival comfortably took Portal Demon getting ready to demolish any lead that EUnited might have had. Unfortunately, Rival wasn't able to capitalize on the jungle buff, and EUnited fought hard to keep ahead. 

A close fight at Fire Giant led to EUnited picking up a few kills alongside the jungle buff, which they used to push down two phoenixes. With the added pressure from two lanes, EUnited was able to pick up the remaining towards, leaving Rival in a precarious position.  

A final, brutal fight at Rival's remaining phoenix left them with only two players to desperately defend against EUnited's full team. Even with Rival's knack for turning games around, they couldn't stand against the full might of EUnited and their titan fell, giving the first game to EUnited. 

Game 2 

Winner: Rival 

Rival: Raijin, Osiris, Ullr, Susano, Geb 
EUnited: Cu Chulainn, The Morrigan, Fenrir, Hou Yi, Terra 

The game started off intensely. Where players often engage in small fights that result in minimal damage, both teams were aggressively grasping any small advantage. A few small fights heralded a ton of action in the near future, and they didn't disappoint. When EUnited dove onto an opportunity, they  almost walked away with two easy kills, but instead, Rival managed to turn it around ending the fight at 2-0 in Rival's favor.  

Repeatedly, fights ended in Rival's favor as they picked up kills across the map. They aggressively grouped, always bringing more to the fight than their opponents. The constant attacks paid off with them gaining a healthy gold lead, along with the kills which Rival was able to use to pick up Gold Fury and Fire Giant, uncontested. 

An intense tower dive on the right lane, left EUnited lacking in defenders. Rival took the opportunity to take both the right and middle phoenix, increasing the pressure on EUnited. A short time later, Rival managed to take both Gold Fury and Fire Giant, before sweeping back into EUnited's base to finish off their phoenix and the titan. 

While most saw the first game as an easy victory for EUNited, the second game showed that Rival wasn't out of the game yet. Their aggressive second game, showcased Rival's ability to analyze and respond to their opponent's playstyle.  

Game 3 

Winner: EUnited 

Rival: Osiris, Ullr, Geb, Ra, Serqet 
EUnited: Raijin, Cu Chulainn, Ah Muzen Cab, Amaterasu, Nemesis  

Off to an unusual start, EUnited picked up first blood after a wild chase through their jungle. Other scuffles indicated that EUnited had more damage during the early game, but a couple of poor choices saw Rival keeping the score fairly even. An incredible play in the middle lane, gave EUnited two kills and an opportunity to grab Gold Fury. 

EUnited was on top of their objectives finding time and opportunity to dive under tower, earning a kill then following, the tower's destruction, and portal demon, shortly after. They suffered their own setbacks with occasional deaths, but it wasn't enough to deter EUnited and they managed to stop Rival from taking the next Gold Fury, while securing a kill and the buff for themselves.  

EUnited's objective control stayed strong. After two quick kills, they swept in and took Fire Giant and a tower, though not without their own losses. Rival made a desperate push to take a tower, and though they were successful, EUnited managed to chase them all the way back to their base, diving past phoenix in an attempt to avenge the tower.  

Despite EUnited's firm hold on objectives so far, Rival managed to steal Fire Giant out from under them. Unfortunately, the Fire Giant alone could not stop EUnited's push and they destroyed another phoenix before backing out and preparing their push for Rival's final phoenix.  

The final fight was difficult, with EUnited splitting Rival's attention across all three lanes as they pushed their way to the titan, giving EUnited their second win. 

Game 4 

Winner: EUnited

Rival: Athena, Poseidon, Erlang Shen, Hachiman, Bellona  
EUnited: Osiris, Ullr, Bastet, Sylvanus, Zeus  

With everything on the line, Rival had a good start picking up first blood in an early turret dive. They kept up their strong start with a seven-minute Gold Fury, but EUnited managed to stand up to Rival going kill for kill for the next few minutes. Keeping the score even was a short-lived dream though and Rival pulled ahead again with a few more kills. 

Rival came at this game with the same aggression that they won with earlier, and it worked out for them. The constant, overwhelming attacks on every lane wore down EUnited, until Rival held a comfortable lead in gold and experience. This lead culminated in a fight at Fire Giant, where EUnited managed to steal the buff from Rival, then follow it up with a few kills.  

A vicious fight in the jungle led to EUnited picking up two kills and a phoenix. Having effectively reversed Rival's lead, EUnited backed and prepared for the next round of fighting. The next fight became the last as EUnited managed to kill three members on Rival's team. Without a full team to defend, EUnited was able to sweep into Rival's open titan and take it out, earning them their final win. 

For the first time in three years, the World Champion title has returned to North America. Season 5 changes are coming soon, and with them, plenty of surprises. We'll have to wait and see how our World Champions fare.

As the fourth day of HRX got under way, things were pretty intense. There was a lot going on, but the biggest event of the day, by far, was the SMITE semi-finals. Four teams fought for the chance to become the next World Champions, with a two-time World Champion already among them.  

NRG vs Rival 

NRG, the two-time world champions faced off against Rival, an up and coming team, in the first semi-final match. Rival started off strong, earning themselves a win, right out of the gate.  

The second game started pretty poorly for Rival, with NRG taking the lead and staying there for most of the early and mid-game. Surprisingly, Rival managed a few picks that gave them the opportunities to turn the game around, allowing them their second win. 

The threepeat dream is over. pic.twitter.com/w5XFDmvkIA

— Team RivaL (@TeamRivalGG) January 6, 2018

With only one game needed to secure their place in the finals, Rival aimed to clean up with a 3-0 victory, but NRG fought hard and earned their two wins of their own, forcing the match to the fifth and final game. 

The final game, Rival managed to push to a phoenix early on, allowing themselves to get ahead. After picking up the Fire Giant, Rival managed to bust into NRG's base and take down the titan, securing their spot in the finals tomorrow. 

EUnited vs Obey 

The second semi-final match between EUnited and Obey Alliance was a surprise to most. With Obey being a contender in last year's finals, everyone expected a hard fight.  

With a clean sweep, EUnited won all three games. In each game, EUnited managed to get ahead with early kills and incredible objective control. In an almost superhuman display of tactics, EUnited seemed to predict their opponents moves flawlessly, earning them their final win and a chance at the title of World Champions. 

NA IS BACK!

We defeat @ObeyAlliance 3-0 to advance in the @SmitePro World Championship Finals. GGWP!#StandUnited #EUNWIN #TheNADream pic.twitter.com/mvSmOnQZwR

— eUnited (@eUnitedgg) January 6, 2018

With an intense day behind us, we're looking forward to the culmination of Rival and EUnited's hard work. Don't forget to check out the live stream of the World Championship Finals tomorrow on the SMITE Twitch channel. 

Season 5 of SMITE is set to kick off soon -- and players of the popular MOBA have a lot to look forward to in the coming year. During their keynote address at Hi-Rez Expo 2018, the Atlanta-based developer confirmed that SMITE Season 5 will see a plethora of additions in the form of new gods and pantheons, new maps, and gameplay upgrades. 

To kick things off, Hades will churn the lands of SMITE asunder in a new conquest map featuring what the studio calls "enriched art and gameplay." Shaking things up in the game's normative 5v5 mode, the newest map is set to bring a few changes and tweaks to the table in order to create more uniform gameplay for both teams. SMITE Lead Game Designer A.J. "Ajax" Walker said: 

The Season 5 map will feature perfect vertical symmetry between Order and Chaos. Lanes and Jungle paths will have the exact same shape on top and bottom. This balances the map and removes timing differences to each side. Overall, this creates a more consistent gameplay experience.

On top of the map featuring a level playing field and seeing the return of jungle fog, it will also feature new, more detailed art assets, bringing the world of SMITE into greater detail.

Players will be able to test the new conquest map and see the chaos Hades has wrought beginning Jan. 17 on the game's public test servers. 

This season will also see new pantheons and gods enter the arena, bringing even more variety to SMITE's already large roster. Starting Jan. 9 alongside the PC's 4.25 patch, players will be able to take control of the mythical Warden of the Underworld, Cerberus. There's currently no official word on what abilities this 93rd addition to SMITE's roster will wield. 

Later in the year, Hi-Rez will also release two brand-new pantheons to the SMITE community: Slavic and Voodoo. Information on which gods will make up the initial rosters has yet to be released. 

Stay tuned to GameSkinny for more coverage from HRX 2018, as well as SMITE news and information as it develops.   

Hi-Rez Studios recently announced a grand partnership with Sony to bring the biggest content pack they have ever released to PlayStation players. If you are a PlayStation Plus member, you will be able to access this extensive content pack from the PlayStation Store today. Although SMITE has been around for some time, this extra content pack is completely free for PlayStation Plus members.

The pack unlocks 31 different skins, 20 Gods and Voice Packs, and the Khepri Announcer Pack. You’ll have access to a variety of new playable characters and cosmetics that continue to expand on the game and help you find your perfect layout for those SMITE tournaments. This offer ends on January 9 and gives you an opportunity to jump back into SMITE with a fresh set of gods and a whole host of content.

Since SMITE’s initial release in 2014, the game has garnered a massive following. As of 2016, the player count was estimated to be sitting around the 20 million mark. The game continues to grow because of its availability on consoles and PC. Many Reddit users have praised the MOBA for the community surrounding it and the availability of content, and with this free pack for PS Plus members, many more players are sure to jump back in.

What do you think of the content pack? Does it make you want to play SMITE again? Let us know in the comments below. 

Ever since video games started being released internationally, developers have been changing or removing certain pieces of content. These changes usually end up being cosmetic only, with some larger changes required depending on the region,and the most common things to be changed are depictions of violence, sex or nudity, and religious content. However, it's not just games released in the US that end up changed. Japan, Europe, and some Middle Eastern countries adapt releases to suit their particular cultures or needs as well.

Censorship or Localization?

Many games go through a variety of changes when they are released for different areas. These are often minute changes to fit the cultural differences between the areas they are being released. The changes do not mean that a game is censored, however; it's more that they are localized for that specific region.

Censorship means that there is a suppression or prohibition of parts from a game and other forms of expression, such as books or films, whereas localizing a game is the process by which a company adapts something to be local in character. So, in other words, "localisation is not outright censorship, but merely adapting a piece of work," while censorship deals more with the suppression of thought and ideas.

With that in mind, a lot of games that move between regions fall under the category of localization, rather than censorship. These changes are typically made because of cultural differences, tragic circumstances in the region, or for religious purposes. Some regions may have issues with nudity, with North America being one of the major regions where this change is made, alongside Middle Eastern areas, such as Saudi Arabia.

Or the culture could have issues with certain religious depictions, and these are changed in the localization process to fit that region's perspective. It doesn’t restrict free speech, as it doesn’t tend to restrict ideas, but change certain cosmetic effects to fit the sensibilities of the region.

Nudity and Sex

This is one of the major aspects of video games changed for all sorts of launches. It is especially true of releases in North American and Middle Eastern nations, since they tend to have a greater aversion to nudity, rather than other things like violence, but other nations aren't always happy with certain depictions of sexual content.

Cover-Ups

You can find numerous examples of localization changes made for American releases when it comes to sex and nudity, especially with a series like Final Fantasy. Final Fantasy IV and Final Fantasy VI were games that were changed for American releases by removing anything risqué. For example, the town dancers in bikinis were covered up with leotards in Final Fantasy IV, and all nudity was covered up for the Espers in Final Fantasy VI. More recent games were localized for nudity and sex too. Games like Indigo Prophecy and The Witcher had graphic sex scenes removed, and most of the nudity was removed as well, unless the scene happened to be integral to the story.

The FFIV remake, however, stuck to the original intention for the dancer's design.

Although countries such as Japan are more open about nudity and sex in video games, that doesn't mean every instance is permissible. GTA V, for example, was changed for Korean and Japanese launches, removing or modifying a lot of controversial sex and nudity. However, the examples and instances where this is changed for Japanese audiences are fewer by far compared to North America.

Why Bother?

So why is there a massive difference between places like North America and Japan when it comes to sex and nudity? 

There is a substantial cultural difference between Japan and America, which explains the frequent level of localization between the two countries. Culturally, Americans are more sensitive to nudity, and sex is a particularly sensitive topic. The 2015 Parents Ratings Advisory Study showed that 80% of Americans studied were more concerned with sex scenes in films than violence. This was a study predominantly looking at films; however, considering the gaming medium's similarities with the film industry, the concepts involved are still closely linked.

There is not the same stigma in Japan and European countries, especially regarding female nudity. My own experience can attest to that. When I was working in a gaming store, a woman wanted to bring back a copy of GTA V that she had bought for her 8-year-old son. She told me she knew about the violence in it, but didn’t realize there was nudity and brought it straight back. Whereas traveling through Europe, I saw many of the beaches throughout Europe are topless, and the Scandinavian spas normally have a clothing optional policy. Being in Spain at the moment, I see even their advertisements featuring full-frontal nudity, as long as they air after the watershed.

Religion

Religion is another reason why games can be altered, because religion is central to lives of those who worship, regardless of the creed. Insulting or demeaning someone's religion, even without meaning to, can send people into a fury and cause backlash against the company.

Holy [Censored] Batman!

One issue that caused mass controversy was the design of Hindu gods in SMITE, especially Kali. The Hindu community in India was not pleased with the representation of their goddess and asked Hi-Rez to make changes. The developer eventually removed Kali from the website, but not much more. 

Kali is an important goddess within the Hindu community, and some sects worships Kali as the ultimate goddess or the true form of Brahman. She is the goddess of death, time, and sexuality, but has always had strong roots in motherhood too.  Hi-Rez didn't want to issue a statement on their removal of Kali from the website, but the Hindu community is still pressing for their other gods to be removed as well. 

However, Hi-Rez's Todd Howard believed that:

Hinduism, being one of the world's oldest, largest and most diverse traditions, also provides inspiration toward deities in our game. In fact, given Hinduism's concept of a single truth with multiple physical manifestations one could validly interpret ALL the gods within SMITE to be Hindu. And all gods outside of SMITE as well. Ponder that for a minute. Anyway, going forward SMITE will include even more deities, not fewer.

Although this opinion suggests that Todd Howard would have preffered not to remove the gods altogether, the Hindu community still wants their gods to be removed from the game. Rajan Zed, a Hindu statesmen and the President of Universal Society of Hinduism said that the removal of Kali from the website was "a 'step in the right direction,' thanking Hi-Rez Studios for being so understanding."

Games like CoD 4 have been banned in countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates because of the perceived negative presentation of Arabs, along with passages from the Qur'an being added into the game. Since the games are banned outright, these issues come under censorship, rather than localization. But the religion and culture of these places will not permit these offenses, so it also relates to localization and shows how the two are often closely connected. 

The Devil in the Details

It isn't just the Middle Eastern and Asian worlds affected by religious imagery in video games. Many localization changes from Japan to America change the religious imagery presented as well.

Religious imagery had to be removed in games like Final Fantasy IV and Super Castlevania IV. Any references to Christianity in FFIV were removed, including Holy, and religious imagery and all references to prayer were taken out or altered, such as the Tower of Prayer being changed to The Tower of Wishes. Even direct references to death were taken out.

The other early Castlevania games were no different, with a lot of crosses taken out of the North American release, among other things. The only piece of religious imagery to stay throughout Castlevania was a piece of rosary that was integral to the game and it's overall image.

There was also the infamous chanting debate surrounding the Fire Temple in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. There has been some controversy about what happened with the Fire Temple and whether the chanting was removed from the game before release. It has always been argued that the chanting was removed to avoid religious controversy, along with changing the original Gerudo symbol--which resembled the Islamic crescent and star--over misusing religious elements. Continuing with the Zelda series, but on a smaller scale,the Bible was turned into the Book of Magic, even though Link's shield retained its cross.

Violence

Violence is another aspect of video games that is often changed for releases. However, we mainly tend to see  North American games being changed to accommodate European and Middle Eastern standards of what constitutes over-the-top violence.

Some interesting examples of these changes relate to North American games released in Japan. Games like Crash Bandicoot 2 and The Last of Us were altered for their gratuitous violence. One of the death scenes was altered for Crash, where he was just a squashed head and feet, as it resembled the work of a serial killer in Japan at the time. The Last of Us was mainly altered in multiplayer to remove any dismemberment or exploding heads. The change doesn't feature in the main story, and the dismemberment is obscured and covered by camera angles, rather then removed.

Other games, like Manhunt, were banned for their excessive violence in a variety of different countries, from the East to places like the United Kingdom.  Germany has strict rules for their games, as decided by the USK, that limit the amount of blood and gore that is visible in their video games. (The USK "is the officially recognized institution responsible for the classification of computer and video games in Germany.") For example, the German version of Team Fortress 2 has no blood or detached body parts shown as part of the required regulations for the game. The USK is responsible for the protection of children and youths particularly in the gaming industry and the content they are available to see.

One theory for Germany's censure of video games is that:

due to its history and a cohesive nation opinion, the legislature limits content severely, much more severely than the surrounding European nation.

This is why the USK exists, as the general consensus of those living in Germany is to limit profanity and violence in video games.

You Decide

Perhaps all these changes are limiting our gaming experience and we're putting too much pressure on the companies. Yet some also argue that many of these changes are purely cosmetic and do not alter the story. However, one anti-censorship opinion is "it is no one’s responsibility but yourself to determine what is offensive or not."  Video game development is a business, though, and companies, at all cost, want to avoid backlash, since it is much better for business if they aren't involved in a major scandal. In the end, there are multiple sides to the story that make it difficult to arrive at an easy answer. 

Do you think that games should be changed at all? Or is it not worth worrying about? Let us know in the comments!

Absolver: Halloween 1.08 Update

Sloclap and Devolver Digital released Absolver's latest update recently, which includes new seasonal gear, among other updates and accessories.

Your 1v1 Combat Trials matches can now take place at night, but more importantly for some players is the fact that all 6 Marked Ones are sporting Halloween masks--Halloween masks that can be dropped upon your victory. You can check them out in the trailer above.

There are a couple of other important inclusions in the update. One of them is the Prestige system, which lets you advance your Absolver beyond level 60 and provides additional subsystems to help you grow them even further. Each level gained nets you a Crystal, which you can use to reset attribute points.

The random loot drops from Combat Trials have been replaced with Rift Disks and Rift Coins, items that can be traded for rare gear. You also can acquire Rift Disks by trading in Crystals.

There's a new, more intuitive inventory management system included in the update too. And the other major addition? You can now be bald.

Hearthstone: Hallow's End

It wouldn't be Halloween without Hearthstone! The Hallow's End event is back, and the Headless Horseman is your master of ceremonies. He's taken control of the tavern, which you'll find has been remade to match the seasonal mood, but there's more to the event than just that. Once each week during the Halloween spectacular, the Headlass Horseman will be handing out card packs and an Arena ticket.

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• Log in before October 30 at 10:00 pm PDT to receive two Whispers of the Gods packs and an Arena ticket.
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• Log in between October 31 at 12:01 am PDT and November 5 at 10:00pm PDT to recieve two Knights of the Frozen Throne packs and an arena ticket.
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Arena Matches

There's a brand new dual-class Arena match for the duration of Hallow's End too. Each Hero is wearing a special Halloween costume; you'll choose both a Hero and a Hero Power and then receive cards from both classes, alongside your neutral cards.

Tricky Tavern Brawl--Now Through Oct. 28

Don a costume and travel throughout the countryside to find the Headless Horseman and put an end to his tricksy deeds. What costume you'll wear is Discovered once the Brawl begins, and each costume has its own deck featuring cards from across the classes, plus a passive Hero Power.

Fortnite: The Fortnitemares

Epic Games' Fortnite is yet another hero shooter joining in the Halloween fun. The Fortnitemares Fortnite Halloween event, starting October 26, brings with it a brand new stage: Hexsylvania. Hexsylvania is full of creepy catacombs and long hallways lit only by the dim light of floating candles and is covered with dense fog that obscures your path. There are plenty of other good things in store, too:

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• 25 new story quests
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• 2 new spooky creatures -- Vampire Taker and Pumpkin Head Husk
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• Spooky llama you can buy with candy
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• 8 Hexsylvanian-themed heroes of each class and gender
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• New weapons -- pumpkin launcher and gravedigger
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• New storm effects and visuals
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There are some new Halloween skins on sale in the store too, purchasable with V-bucks.

Character Skins

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• Skull Trooper
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• Ghoul Trooper
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Weapon Skin

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• Reaper Skin--Pickaxe
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Fortnite Patch 1.8

All of this is part of the much larger Fortnite update out now, and here are the details about it.

Leaderboards

The patch implements different types of rankings to help you see how you stack up to the competition in these categories:

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• Total wins
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• Solo
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• Dual
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• Squad
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There are two types of leaderboards too, and they all automatically reset on Wednesday of each week.

Division Leaderboard

These are based on different groups, or divisions, of players.

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• Each division is made up of 50 players competing against each other.
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• Players are automatically assigned to new divisions each week.
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• Each match type gets its own division.
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Friend Leaderboard

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• Compare and compete with your friends by turning on "friends only" on the board settings.
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Team Chat

PlayStation 4 and Xbox One players who own a microphone now have the option for team chat in their games, and it's a default setting. PC players have voice options too--added in the last update--but they need to push talk to activate it, and it's bound to the Y key. Chat isn't mandatory, though, and can be deactivated in the  Audio Options menu.

Slurp Juice

This consumable item is a major new piece added in the update. It grants the user one health and one shield per 25 seconds and can restore your health all the way up to 100. You'll find them in the same areas where you find other consumables, and you can also stack up to 2 of them.

Season Levels

These seasonal perks are a way to help level up your character and get exclusive items into the bargain. The first level gives you the ability to raise your character to 100 and displays your level in your banner. It also adds banner flair from levels 2-49 so you can display your prowess for all to see.

There are two seasonal awards for progressing through the first season as well.

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• Level 10: Unique seasonal banner
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• Level 25: Unique seasonal glider
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Daily challenges are the way you raise your seasonal experience points, with a new one provided every day and the ability to have up to 3 active at one time.

Clash of Clans: Halloween 2017

Fans of Clash of Clans won't be surprised to hear that Supercell appears to be gearing up for yet another seasonal event. Details aren't confirmed as of yet, but here's what seems to be in store.

Troops

Supercell is introducing two new troop types: Pumpkin Barbarian and Giant Skeleton Troop. The Pumpkin Barbarian is a regular Barbarian dressed up as a pumpkin and with an extra shield -- a pumpkin shield, of course. Don't let the images you might have seen fool you either. The Pumpkin Barbarian doesn't have low HP; that's just for the shield.

The Giant Skeleton has its own unique characteristics that actually encourage you to let it get defeated. It carries around a giant explosive that goes off when it dies. It can even destroy structures like spell factories.

Obstacle

This year's Halloween obstacle is a baby dragon skull. Like other obstacles before it, it costs 25k elixir to remove and gives you 75k in return.

We'll post more as it becomes available, so check back soon!

Pokemon GO: Halloween 2017

Niantic finally announced what dataminers already discovered: Halloween introduces Generation III Pokemon from Ruby and Sapphire! The event runs from October 20th at 12pm PST to November 2 at 1pm PST.

As in previous years, there will be higher chances of finding the returning spooky Pokemon, including Houndoom and Gengar, but you'll also get to catch Gen III's Ghost types as well--Duskull and Dusclops, Shuppet and Banette, and Sableye. And, starting in December, Niantic will be slowly rolling out additional Hoenn Pokemon, though which ones and when specifically have not yet been stated. However, you'll also want to be on the lookout for the special witch-hat-wearing-Pikachu seen in the trailer.

Special boxes are on sale too, with items including Raid passes, Super Incubators, and, of course, candy. Pokemon will be earning twice as much candy as normal during the event too. There's also a Gen VII surprise in store, in the form of a Mimikyu hat you can get for your avatar.

Guild Wars 2: Shadow of the Mad King

The Mad King returns in Guild Wars 2 for yet more Halloween mayhem! The event brings with it numerous spooky diversions for your gaming pleasure, from battles to puzzles and more besides!

The Mad King's Labyrinth

Find your way through the maze, knocking on doors to trick-or-treat, if you have the courage for it. Watch your back, though; monsters prowl the maze, looking for an easy meal. If this all gets too much for you, there's always the Lunatic Inquisition you can try instead, the event's PvP mode

Ascent to Madness

Face off against the Mad King himself--Oswald Thorn. Study his tactics carefully if you want a chance for survival. But be careful--you never can tell what a madman might do next.

The Mad King's Clock Tower

Race your way to the top of the crumbling, haunted clock tower. Mind your step as you go, because one wrong move sends you tumbling into the rising tide of horrors below.

Lion's Arch Festivities and More

Drink in the Halloween atmosphere at the creepily bedecked Lion's Arch, and you might even have Oswald Thorn himself drop in for a game of Mad King Says. But of course, it wouldn't be Halloween without treats, and there are plenty to go around, including Halloween skins, weapons, and armor.

Rocket League: Haunted Hallows Event

Rocket League''s first ever Halloween event is here! It runs until November 6th at 10am PST, and it introduces a brand new form of currency for a limited time: Candy Corn.  You'll be using this throughout the event, so here's a short guide to help get you started.

What is It?

Candy Corn is your spendable reward that you use to purchase Haunted Hallows Crates, alongside Decryptors and other Halloween items. You receive Candy Corn as a reward for completing an online match, so it's a simple and intuitive system.

Your Candy Corn will disappear one week after the event ends, but everything you purchase with it remains in your inventory, including crates. To spend your candy, click the Special Events button on the main menu, and go from there.

What Can I Get with It?

The Haunted Hallows Crates are your the main draw for spending your Candy Corn, and they contain a variety of items for your Halloween enjoyment. These items are separate from the ones you can purchase in the event store as well.

However, you can also purchase Decryptors with Candy Corn, Decryptors are a new way of unlocking crates in Rocket League and, for now, can only be purchased with Candy Corn. Be sure to note that crates unlocked with Decryptors cannot be traded.

Anything Else I Should Know?

There are two other ways of obtaining Haunted Hallows crates. One is through regular online play; there's a chance a crate will drop at the end of each match. The other is through purchasing them directly, with real-world money. However, like crates unlocked through Decryptors, Haunted Hallows crates bought with money cannot be traded. The crates won't be updated for next year either, which means you can wait an entire year to open them, if you so choose.

Trailer Park Boys: Greasy Money Zombie Outbreak

What happens when zombies and killer zombie raykins invade your neighborhood? Well if you want to know, check out the Trailer Park Boys Halloween event, running until October 20th!

Take down the zombie horde before they become out of control, and seek out the source of the creeping plague by taking on the evil raykins. Depending on your performance, you may just unlock a raykin for your wrestling arena too, which boosts profits for your ring.

Minecraft: Spooktacular Server Events

Sandbox fans aren't left out of the Halloween fun either! Mojang's server partners are running several different Halloween events from Friday 13th (quite appropriately) until October 31st. From trick-or-treating to fleeing from zombies, there's plenty to keep you in the Halloween spirit.

Lifeboat

The lobby received a Halloween makeover, featuring pumpkins, glowing green goo, and spiders, but there's more lurking in the dark than the eye can see right away.

You'll need to keep an eye out for a tiny skeleton wandering around the lobby, and if you catch him, you receive a cave spider zombie jockey as a pet to accompany you until Halloween. But beware: the hunter can easily become the hunted. Zombies prowl the lobby, looking for their next snack. However, you can always take a break and enjoy the Haunted House parkour course too--if you dare.

InPvP

There are changes afoot in the lobby here too. The entire lobby has taken on an eerie Halloween-themed neighborhood look, complete with spooky skins for your characters. Get your skin from the Jack-o-Lantern by the spawn point, then head over to the house for your treat--but be prepared for tricks too. You can also bring along one of the limited time DLC pets, including blaze, wolf, or mooshroom, among others.

On top of that, you can play the Halloween themed SkyWars map, where every island is a grave, and you have to keep on your toes to ensure it isn't yours.

Mineplex

The Mineplex event is all about rewards. The Pumpkin King has arrived, and he brings with him an assortment of quests, each with their own rewards, on a three hour basis. There are also flaming pumpkins that will randomly appear in games, each offering prizes to those who smash them, from gems and keys, to Top Rank.

This one has its own limited time DLC too, in the form of trick-or-treat boxes you can gift to your friends (or hoard for yourself). They contain lobby effects, potions, costumes, and food.

Paragon: Shadow's Eve

If Overwatch or SMITE just aren't your favorite, you'll be happy to know Epic Games' Paragon Shadow's Eve event is now live. It brings several new skins and banners, in addition to the return of some old favorites, and the event runs until November 1.

Skins

New Skins

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• Narbosh Bash-O'-Lantern
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• Infernal Wukong
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• Crypt Goddess Yin
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Returning Skins

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• Spider Witch Belica
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• Murdock Dock-O'-Lantern
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• Mephisto Gideon
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• Franken-Grux
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• Sweet Dreams Khaimera
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• Feline Queen Sparrow
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• Skullbot TwinBlast
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Banners and Chests

There are three new banners, featuring the three new skins, you have a chance of winning in a chest after each match. Each chest also gives you the chance to win one of the new or older skins, alongside the usual keys and tokens.

Miscellaneous

The in-game store is also running a 25% discount on these additional Halloween skins.

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• Silver Ghost Kwang
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• Death Mask Sevarog
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• Undertow Gideon
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• Biofreak Murdock
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• White Tiger Greystone
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• Grux Pelt Khaimera
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---

Be sure to check back for more details as they come in. For now, let us know in the comments which of these you're playing or planning on playing!

CoD: Infinite Warfare -- Willard Wyler's Halloween Scream

Call of Duty: WW2 might be coming out soon, but that doesn't mean you can't still enjoy the series' latest offering in the meantime. Willard Wyler's Halloween Scream is back, with some frightful extras to help spook out your game.

Items

Every week, there will be a free Halloween-themed Supply Drop at the beginning of the week. At the end of the week, you'll get a free Halloween cosmetic item and an extra drop on the 30th, including:

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• Zombie Ear (Friday the 13th)
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• Calling Card and Emblem (Friday the 20th)
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• Gravestone Accessory (Friday the 27th)
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• Zombie Mercenary RIG (Monday the 30th)
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Extra Modes

Boss Battles

Starting Friday the 13th, you can re-challenge select bosses from the zombie campaigns. Do note that you have to own the respective DLC packs in order to access these battles.

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• Zombies in Spaceland + Rave in the Redwoods (Friday the 13th)
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• Spaceland + Shaolin Shuffle + Attack of the Radioactive Thing (Friday the 20th)
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• Spaceland + Director's Cut + The Beast from Beyond (Friday the 27th)
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Carnage

The event also features the return of fan-favorite Carnage DLC map, along with double XP. This one lasts until November 1.

Elder Scrolls Online: Witch's Festival

The Elder Scrolls Online Witch's Festival makes its return this year as well, with a glut of new content for you in the Crown Store. However, a good chunk of it is limited to certain periods of time, so make sure to note the dates for your favorites listed below. Note, too, that everything listed is available on all platforms.

Housing

Like the creepy witch's cottage you see above? It's called the Coven Cottage, and it's for sale from October 19 through November 1. It's allegedly guaranteed not to be haunted...but who knows?

Mounts

Ditch your regular mount for Halloween and pick up one of these eerie rides instead:

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• Shadowghost Guar (October 12-16)
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• Zombie Horse (October 16-20)
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• Shadowghost Wolf (October 19-23)
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• Shadowghost Senche (October 26-30)
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• Jackdaw Daedrat (October 12-November 1)
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Personalities, Polymorphs, and Masks

Dressing up for Halloween is the perfect chance to play around with a new personality, and Halloween in ESO is no exception.

Personality

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• Zombie (October 19-November 1)
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Polymorphs

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• Scarecrow Spectre (October 23-27)
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• Pumpkin Spectre (October 23-27)
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Hats and Masks

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• Deep Elf Executioner's Hood (October 12-November 1)
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• Moonshadow Wings Mask (October 12-November 1)
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• Jhuna's Owl Mask (October 16-20)
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• Rajhin's Cat Mask (October 16-20)
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• Dibella's Doll Mask Pack (October 19-November 1)
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• Nightmare Demon Mask Pack (October 19-November 1)
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Black Desert Online: Halloween in Wonderland

Kakao Games and Pearl Abyss are bringing a unique new crossover and aesthetic to Black Desert Online starting October 18. As the above trailer shows, it centers around mysterious wormholes linking Wonderland to the world of Black Desert -- and, of course, the White Rabbit plays an important role. But so do you: you're enlisted by the White Witch to assassinate the Black Witch.

Other Halloween additions include spooky makeovers for central hubs like Velia and Heidel, and there will also be special Alice in Wonderland- themed areas and props, like the Mad Hatter's Tea Party.

Of course, it wouldn't be Halloween without costumes, and there'll be plenty of those. The Angelic and Demonic Queen outfits are two notable inclusions, and you can also dress your horse up with the Skeletal Horse Set. Throughout the event, you can wear Scarecrow Masks and Halloween pets Neurotic Cabby and Witch Hat Charlotte make their return this year too.

More information is set to come next week when the event starts, so be sure to check back!

Paladins: All Hallows Evie

Paladins: Champions of the Realm's treat bucket is full to bursting with the All Hallows Evie patch. There's something for everyone in the Little Box of Horrors chest, from exclusive VIP content and items to new skins for your favorite characters, making this Halloween 2017 event full of scares and delights.

All Hallows Evie Skins

Hi-Rez has included a number of well-designed skins for this Halloween 2017 event, including --finally!-- the tantalizing PumpKing.

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• Evie Bewitching (Epic)
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• BombKing Pumpking (Epic)
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• Grover Blightbark (Uncommon)
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• Mal'Damba Wickerman (Epic)
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• Strix Raven (Rare)
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The Strix and Mal'Damba skins are connected to the Harrowing Horrors Quest Line -- which involves paying crystals and defeating a set number of enemies -- so keep that in mind. Strix's outfit is tied to the new "Give 'em a Scare" Harrowing Horror quest (more on that later) and once you unlock his, you can get Ma'Damba's as well.

VIP Content

This content is exclusive for VIP members and includes the Bruce Buffer announcer and a special dance for Pip. However, you'll also get the Nightmare Mount, a horse with ram's horns --of course-- and green glowing hooves.

All Hallows Evie Accessories and Weapons

The Little Boxes of Horror could contain a number of other things, including costume pieces for your heroes or, for some, weapons.

Available Weapons

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• Pumpking's Bomb (Epic)
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• Bewitching Broomstick (Epic)
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• Blightbark Throwing Axe (Uncommon)
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• Pip's Boo Blaster (Epic)
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Available Accessories

Note: All of these are rare.

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• Parasite (Seris)
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• Screech (Androxus)
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• Ghoulish Goalie (Jenos)
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• Lil' Andy (Ruckus)
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• Grave-Robbers' Spoils (Torvald)
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All Hallows Evie Quests

The Halloween patch also brings three new Harrowing Horror Quest lines with it:

A Night's Haunting

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• Heal for 200,000 health
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• This unlocks the next quest, Toil and Trouble, and a spray for Wickerman
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Toil and Trouble

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• Win 10 Games
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• This one gives you Strix's talon rifle and leads to the last quest
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Give 'em a Scare

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• Accumulate 40 kills
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• As mentioned, this unlocks Strix's costume
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SMITE: Departure to the Afterlife

Hi-Rez Studios is offering a Halloween 2017 event for SMITE players, too. It comes in the form of its Departure to the Afterlife event, which is part of the latest SMITE patch, 4.19. It includes plenty of features to help infuse your game with some frightful fun.

SMITE Halloween Skins

There are six new skins in the Departure to the Afterlife event to help put you in the Halloween mood. And of course, they're all appropriately afterlife themed:

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• Grim Reaper Thanatos
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• Trick or Treat Cupid
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• Warchief Raijin (Odyssey)
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• Hachiman Mastery
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• Yurei Susano (Odyssey)
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• Mummified Izanami (Odyssey)
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Other Departure to the Afterlife Treats

In addition to the new God skins, the Halloween map makes a return appearance, alongside the Scary Potion. You'll also get some new Halloween chest items, including the Cupid and Thanatos skins mentioned earlier, a  Jack-o'-Lantern Jump Stamp, and the Spooky Music Theme. 

The patch itself includes the return of foul-mouthed announcer Tactless Tina, which may or may not count as frightening, depending on your viewpoint -- and your playstyle.

Overwatch Halloween Terror 2017

Overwatch's Halloween Terror event is back! And the best part is that there's even more to it this year, from new skins and new items to Halloween-themed arenas and a brand new game mode. You've got a good while to enjoy this hero-shooter event, too: it runs from now through November 1.

PvE Brawls

Dr. Junkenstein makes his return in Junkenstein's Revenge, and Blizzard added an endless mode for it -- appropriately named "Endless Night"-- to really test your skills as you battle endless waves of enemies fighting to gain entrance into the castle. You can also choose from four additional characters for this mode: Genji, Torbjorn, Zenyatta, and Widowmaker. Alongside that is a brand new leaderboard to record the highest scores and see who made it the farthest.

New Skins

In addition to the skins from last year's event, there are eight new skins for the 2017 Overwatch Halloween event:

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• Dragon Symmetra
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• Van Helsing McCree
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• Jiangshi Mei
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• Corsair Ana
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• Cultist Zenyatta
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• Totally '80s Zarya
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• Viking Torbjorn
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• Vampire Reaper
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Spooky Arenas

Two maps have received a Halloween makeover as well. During the event, you can play in spooky versions of the Hollywood and Eichenwalde maps.

Loot Boxes

In true Trick-or-Treat style, there are also Halloween themed loot boxes for you to purchase. These loot boxes contain a wide variety of things, from new skins and voice lines to avatars, emotes, and even last year's items -- some of which you might have missed.

It's that time of the year again! Developers are slowly starting to unveil and release their yearly Halloween events. And for gamers, there's a lot to choose from. Every year, there's a wide variety of games that offer Halloween events, from Final Fantasy XIV to Pokemon GO and Paladins to Overwatch and beyond. The events themselves include a multitude of different updates and skins as well, including additional game modes, accessories, and item skins.

To date, there are only a handful of games whose 2017 Halloween events have started or been revealed so far, so this piece will be updated as we continue to get more information about what's to come. For now, check out what's currently on offer to help get you in a spooky frame of mind.

SMITE, the number one action MOBA in the world on PC and consoles, is launching a new initiative in which they plan to improve the game a sizable amount. Project Olympus will include many improvements to polish the game and improve its core mechanics over the next three patches, as well as quality-of-life improvements starting around the start of Season 5 (January 2018). These changes will occur on both PC and console versions of the game.

The Executive Producer of SMITE, Chris Larson, commented on Project Olympus, saying:

"We’ve taken several key changes to gameplay, user interface, and overall progression and combined them into one massive overhaul that we are calling Project Olympus, Project Olympus is full of big changes that SMITE fans have wanted for a long time, and we are excited to deliver on these requests as we take SMITE to a whole new level."

 The changes we know about now are limited but still promising. Here's the rundown of what's been revealed as part of Project Olympus so far:

• Major engine and system upgrades and a downloadable HD texture pack to go with it
• A 64-bit client for higher graphical quality for players who want it
• Console-specific updates like HUD improvements, additional controller configuration options, and improved match history sorting
• An improved library of tutorials with basics for beginners and advanced tutorials for more advanced players
• Ranked changes, including a pick and ban phase as well as improved leaderboards
• New prestige levels which go beyond the initial 30 levels.
  • If you played far beyond level 30, you've been gaining experience the whole time and will level up accordingly once the patch happens

With a free-to-play game like SMITE, big changes like this are often necessary to keep its player base entertained and even bring in new players. This certainly seems like a lot of changes will be coming to SMITE in the next year -- and we still don't have all the details as to what's being changed. So stay tuned!

What changes do you want to see in SMITE from Project Olympus? Give your feedback in the comments below and keep your eyes on Gameskinny for all future SMITE news.

Atlanta-based developer Hi-Rez Studios has announced a brand-new game mode for their MOBA, SMITE. Detailed in a recent press release is the addition of a new adventure game mode titled “The Trial of King Hercules”.

This new mode will play “like a classic dungeon experience”, offering SMITE players “a whole new way to play the gods and goddesses of mythology with their friends”. As seen in the screenshots released, this new mode is reminiscent of those found in the Dota and Diablo series.

Not only does this new game mode offer a change of perspective for the MOBA, but also a completely different playing experience. Instead of the already-established arena based, PVP combat SMITE is known for, “The Trials of King Hercules” presents the player with the opportunity to traverse dungeons as part of a team of three, testing their mettle against AI-controlled enemies.

It also introduces a new town hub, where players have the chance to accept different quests in exchange for gold, which can then be used to purchase in-game items, such as equipment and buffs, that can be used on adventures.

Project Lead on SMITE Adventures, Travis Brown, expressed his excitement surrounding the addition of this new mode, and revealed the different experience players will face in the all-new Adventure mode.

The Trials of King Hercules is our most detailed SMITE Adventure to date with unique methods of progression, quests, mobs, bosses, and loot drops.

For more information on “The Trials of King Hercules”, check out the official SMITE website.

SMITE is currently available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.