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Players think they might be on the trail of Diablo 4’s cow level

The Diablo 4 cow level still probably doesn’t exist, but that hasn’t stopped fans of the action game from trying to find it

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The Diablo 4 cow level still probably doesn’t exist, but that hasn’t stopped fans of the action game from trying to find it. After killing 666 in-game cows, a group of dedicated players thinks they have some evidence that might suggest Blizzard has something bovine up its sleeve – or is just toying with people (thanks, PC Gamer).

Discord user and YouTuber Grampa Joe posted an update in the Not Finding A Cow Level Discord server (yes, it’s a thing) about an unusual event that happened when they dispatched their 666th cow.

“Uh hey, so I just got the Musty Tome from a cow after killing about 666 of them (it was hard to count),” they said. “The cow died with a red curse effect and the tome dropped from it.”

That might sound like a lame reward for so much bloodthirsty effort, but there’s some historical Diablo significance attached to the nasty book. It and a few other items are tied to cow levels in previous Diablo games.

That’s a tantalizing clue in itself, but the mystery goes even deeper. You can continue collecting relics – seemingly at random – from other dead cows, and eventually, you’ll have a trio: the Musty Tome, the Metallic Fragment, and the Bloody Wooden Shard, the latter two of which were also important in previous Diablo games.

If you use these relics at Ked Bardu, near the ox statues, you get a key that unlocks the Forlorn Hovel cellar, a mini-dungeon full of cows. Defeating them earns you a stamina potion, another nod to past cow levels. Diablo 2’s cow king dropped eight stamina potions.

All that, combined with the fact that Blizzard actually removed a quest called The Oxen Gods in July 2023 has players convinced that some kind of cow trickery is afoot. Maybe it’s true, and Blizzard has some kind of labyrinthine plan for Diablo 4’s cows in one of the upcoming expansions.

Or maybe the team just wants to see how long people keep looking for something that isn’t there.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

Blizzard announces Overwatch 2 K-pop collaboration with Le Sserafim

The next Overwatch 2 collaboration features rising K-pop stars Le Sserafim and their new music video for “Perfect Night.”

The next Overwatch 2 collaboration features rising K-pop stars Le Sserafim and their new music video for “Perfect Night.” The music video debuts on Oct. 27, 2023, at midnight Eastern time, and Le Sserafim is coming to Overwatch 2 shortly after as well.

“We’re extremely excited to be working with Le Sserafim for our game’s first musical artist collaboration,” Walter Kong, Overwatch general manager, said in a statement. “Like the heroes of Overwatch, the Le Sserafim members are amazing as individuals, but unstoppable when they come together.”

On Nov. 1, Blizzard will add a Le Sserafim-themed game mode to Overwatch 2’s Arcade section and a set of Le Sserafim hero skins to the multiplayer game‘s shop. Blizzard didn’t give any indication as to which heroes are getting the new skins, but promised more information on Oct. 30, 2023, after the music video’s debut.

Le Sserafim will also appear at 2023’s BlizzCon event and perform “Perfect Night:”

The Le Sserafim collab is Overwatch 2’s first musical venture and only its second collaboration event since launching in October 2022. Blizzard ran a crossover with the popular anime One Punch Man in March 2023 with skins for Doomfist, Kiriko, Genji, and Solider 76 and a bit of new Overwatch lore – all the heroes are anime fans. There’s a fair few heroes who haven’t gotten many new skins this year, so hopefully we’ll see some new threads for the likes of Bastion, Mei, Zarya, and Sombra.

Since these are unique event skins, bear in mind that, like with the Lilith-Moira skin, you’ll probably have to pay for them with real money instead of Overwatch coins

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

Microsoft completes its $69 billion Activision Blizzard acquisition

Microsoft completed its $69 billion Activision Blizzard acquisition, over 18 months after first announcing the deal

Microsoft completed its nearly $69 billion Activision-Blizzard acquisition following approval from U.K. regulators, over 18 months after first announcing the deal. The news comes as the U.K. Competition and Markets Authority reversed its stance on the acquisition’s anti-competitive nature and cleared the way for the deal to close.

The European Union approved the deal with little hesitation, but the CMA originally blocked the deal over concerns about dampening innovation in cloud gaming. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission sued to stop the deal and the potential negative effects the buyout might have on innovation in the games space before approving it after weeks of hearings.

CEO Bobby Kotick will remain in his position until the start of 2024 and report to Phil Spencer, after which Kotick will depart with a roughly $400 million payout from the deal.

Kotick remained company CEO following calls for his removal after allegations surfaced that he covered up evidence of sexual harassment at the company, and he reportedly led union-busting efforts in 2021 as Activision Blizzard employees organized a workers’ alliance.

Xbox head Phil Spencer told staff in an internal memo that Xbox management would share plans about integrating Activision Blizzard games into Xbox Game Pass. Meanwhile, Spencer will visit Activision Blizzard campuses in the coming weeks.

“Today, we officially welcome Activision Blizzard and their teams to Xbox,” Spencer said in a post on Xbox Wire. “They are the publishers of some of the most played and most beloved franchises in gaming history across console, PC and mobile. From Pitfall to Call of Duty, World of Warcraft to Overwatch, Candy Crush Saga to Farm Heroes Saga, their studios have pushed the boundaries of gaming for players around the world.”

“I’ve long admired the work of Activision, Blizzard, and King, and the impact they’ve had on gaming, entertainment, and pop culture.”

The Communication Workers of America published a statement saying they believe the deal will benefit workers, thanks to Microsoft’s neutral stance on labor.

“Microsoft President Brad Smith has said that he wants to make it ‘simpler, not more difficult’ for employees to choose whether to join a union, and the company’s actions show that they mean it,” the CWA said on their website for Activision Blizzard employees. “Microsoft has a legally binding agreement with CWA for a fair, streamlined process for union representation. Now is the time to join together at Microsoft/Activision Blizzard!”

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

Overwatch 2 Season 7 patch notes: All hero nerfs and buffs

The Overwatch 2 Season 7 patch notes outline a slew of changes to heroes as Blizzard continues adjusting the multiplayer game’s balance

The Overwatch 2 Season 7 patch notes outline a slew of changes to heroes as Blizzard continues adjusting the multiplayer game’s balance. Sombra is this season’s biggest change, though a comparatively small number of heroes get a range of nerfs and buffs as well. Most of them aren’t serious enough to affect the game, save for a few exceptions with Mei and Ramattra.

Season 7 adds a round of Halloween events, a controversial new Moira skin, and a brand-new Control map, and Blizzard even opened up about a behind-the-scenes feature that affects your battle pass XP.

Here’s everything new and changed in Overwatch 2 Season 7.

The Overwatch 2 Moira-Lilith skin is here – and fans are not happy

The highly anticipated Overwatch 2 Moira Lilith skin is live in the multiplayer game, and fans are less than pleased about it

The highly anticipated Overwatch 2 Moira Lilith skin is live in the multiplayer game, and fans are less than pleased about it. The skin dresses Moira up as Diablo 4’s Lilith and featured heavily in Blizzard’s advertising for 2023’s Overwatch 2 Halloween event, alongside Hanzo’s mythical skin and a few others.

The problem is that, unlike Hanzo’s mythical skin, the Moira Lilith skin is separate from this season’s battle pass. The only way to get it is if you purchase it with money, and while it’s not exactly new for Blizzard to offer unique skins in the Ultimate Bundle, fans aren’t taking the news well.

“The skin that was the focus point of advertisements for this season is exclusive to the $40 bundle… good job Blizzard :)” reads the title of a popular Reddit post on the subject.

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“I really was looking forward to this season,” one Twitter user wrote. “Then I log on and see the new featured Moira/Lilith skin behind a $39.99 paywall. That left a nasty taste in mouth [sic]. I’m tempted to say screw this whole season.”

For only half the price of a triple A game!

— Shadow (@TheAgentShadow) October 10, 2023

The bundle includes Pharah’s Inarius skin and a few other bits and bobs, and admittedly, this practice of locking desirable skins behind paywalls isn’t that unusual. Respawn does the same thing in Apex Legends, and Epic charges at least $20 or so for Fortnite’s headline skins. The difference is that you can earn Apex Coins to put toward the Apex Legends skins, and Blizzard won’t let players use Overwatch Coins on this one. You can buy most other skins using Overwatch Coins earned through completing weekly challenges, including 2022’s Witch Kiriko skin.

There’s also no option to buy just the new Moira skin at a lower price on its own.

“I had premium currency saved up for this and the battlepass,” Reddit user Mothman405 said. “I’m floored the only way to get it is pay $40.”

“Thats [sic] the whole issue for me, its just weird that is PREMIUM CURRENCY where we spend REAL money but we can use it here,” came another response.

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Whether Blizzard plans to let players use Overwatch Coins to purchase the skin in the future, after the Halloween event ends, is uncertain. However, it’s also worth mentioning that previous Ultimate Bundle skins have shown up in the Overwatch shop for players to buy with coins, including the Sigma Beekeeper outfit, which is available in the shop during Season 7.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

Blizzard says you can expect a new Diablo 4 expansion every year

Blizzard is moving Diablo 4 to a yearly release schedule in a manner not unlike Destiny 2, franchise manager Rod Fergusson said

Blizzard is potentially moving Diablo 4 to a yearly release schedule in a manner not unlike Destiny 2, franchise manager Rod Fergusson said in a recent interview. That means you can expect big Diablo 4 expansions once per year, with several seasons in between that offer supplementary quests and storylines (thanks, Dexerto).

“When you look at the launch of the game and this first season, we see that as building a foundation on which we can build for the future,” Fergusson said. “So, as we look at our quarterly seasons, and we look at our annual expansions, those are the things that we’re really focused on for our live service.”

The news comes a few months after Blizzard confirmed that the team was working on two expansions at the time Diablo 4 launched. That announcement fit with Blizzard’s approach to previous Diablo games. The studio launched critically acclaimed expansions for Diablo 2 and Diablo 3, with a second expansion planned for each that ended up getting canceled.

Fergusson evidently wasn’t just talking about the team’s plans for launching the two announced expansions. He told Dexerto’s Patrick Dane that Blizzard has plans that go “well into the future…it’s years and years.”

Associate game director Joe Piepiora previously said Blizzard doesn’t intend you to play Diablo 4 forever like the best MMOs, but it sounds like that might not be the case anymore.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

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Blizzard halts Diablo 4 trading to stop cheaters

Diablo 4 trading is on hiatus for the foreseeable future as Blizzard works out a solution to stop cheaters and item duplication glitches

Diablo 4 trading is on hiatus for the foreseeable future as Blizzard works out a solution to stop cheaters and duplication in the RPG. As we usually see with games like this, including Diablo Immortal and Lost Ark, players are using gold and item glitches to get more than their fair share during trades, and Blizzard isn’t happy about it.

“We’ve suspended player trading in Diablo IV until further notice due to a gold and item duplication exploit,” a Blizzard representative said on the game’s subreddit. “We are working on a fix to amend this issue and will update you once we’ve reinstated the ability to trade. Once that is done, we will continue to monitor this activity to ensure a healthy playing experience for all.”

“We thank you for reporting this exploit to us and your patience.”

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Players who take advantage of these glitches will likely get banned, though Blizzard clarified that those who unwittingly traded with cheaters will be unaffected.

The trading scene in Diablo is one of the more important parts of the endgame. Here, you can buy and sell gems and certain pieces of equipment using in-game currency. If you’re lucky – and loaded with gold – you can walk away with some pretty nice augmentations for your characters, so it’s unsurprising that players game the system and try for unlimited gold or rare items, especially with how long it takes to grind for anything in Diablo 4.

Blizzard didn’t offer an anticipated timeframe for when it might restore Diablo 4 player trading.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

Overwatch 2 is one of the least popular Steam games ever

Blizzard launched Overwatch 2 on Steam at the start of Season 6, and it’s safe to say things aren’t going well for the multiplayer game

Blizzard launched Overwatch 2 on Steam at the start of Season 6, and it’s safe to say things aren’t going well for it. In less than a week, Overwatch 2 became one of the least popular games on Steam, with over 100,000 reviews that are “overwhelmingly negative,” a level of intensity you don’t often see on the platform.

“I have over 300 hours in Battle.net,” one user commented. “I loved Overwatch. I think I still do love Overwatch 1, the game I purchased, which I’m no longer able to play. Blizzard stole my copy of Overwatch 1 and replaced it with an altogether inferior product; from its gameplay, to its balancing, to its microtransactions, to its broken promises and outright lies.”

“Outright lies” is perhaps a slightly unfair take on Blizzard’s – admittedly sudden – change of plans for Overwatch 2’s PvE, though when Overwatch 2 launched, the studio did completely revoke access to the original Overwatch and replaced it with a very different game.

“To me, OW2 represents everything wrong with the industry and Activition-Blizzard-King,” another user said. “And that’s without taking into account the fact that the changes for OW2, including the removal of a tank role as well as the rework of a few characters, destroyed what I enjoyed about the original game.”

While this one didn’t actually say what they believe is wrong with the industry, most of the other reviews fill in the gaps. One of the recurring complaints is about the expensive microtransactions in the multiplayer game, where a character skin can cost as much as a new game, depending on which one you get. The original Overwatch used the controversial loot box system, where you didn’t pay outright for a skin – but you paid for the coins to use on boxes that may or may not have a cosmetic you wanted.

Essentially, Overwatch fans are using Steam reviews as a way to express their displeasure with the game in lieu of any official channels for feedback that they can direct their complaints to Blizzard through.

Niko Partners director of research and insight Daniel Ahmad said a substantial number of Chinese reviewers are using Overwatch 2 reviews on Steam for the same reason. They have no way to communicate their anger and displeasure after Blizzard and NetEase shut the game down in China earlier in 2023, so Steam reviews are the method of choice.

Blizzard hasn’t acknowledged the Steam review situation or offered a roadmap for the game’s future that might address some fans’ concerns.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

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Overwatch 2 is coming to Steam with more Blizzard games to follow

Blizzard is putting Overwatch 2 on Steam and promises more of its popular PC games will follow in the near future

Blizzard is putting Overwatch 2 on Steam and promises more of its popular PC games will follow in the near future. Blizzard made the announcement in a new blog post and outlined how the process will work when Overwatch lands on Steam on Aug. 10, 2023, which is basically “the same way you normally play Overwatch 2, but with Steam achievements now.”

You’ll still need a Battlenet account to get started, which Blizzard says helps make cross-play possible, and you can invite your Steam friends to the multiplayer game in the same way to invite them to any other Steam game.

“It’s our goal at Blizzard to listen to players and try to exceed their expectations in everything we do,” said Mike Ybarra, President of Blizzard Entertainment. “While Battle.net remains a priority for us now and into the future, we’ve heard players want the choice of Steam for a selection of our games, starting with Overwatch 2 on August 10th. We’re happy to work with Valve to make that happen.”

Valve founder Gabe Newell said Steam’s developers will “benefit from the effects of having the talented team at Blizzard helping us evolve our supported features and functionality for Overwatch 2,” though Newell didn’t say what features they might be working on.

Aug. 10, 2023, is also when Overwatch 2 season six starts, adding a new mode, a new hero, and the first round of paid story missions that take over from the canceled Overwatch 2 PvE expansion, albeit without new skill trees and other features planned for the PvE mode.

A month later, the Overwatch League teams will vote on whether to remain in the League, leave, or work toward something new.

Blizzard didn’t say which other games would end up on Steam or when – only that the team is continuing to look into which popular games might be a good fit.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

Big changes are coming to Overwatch League and Blizzard esports

The Overwatch League may cease to exist in the coming weeks as the multiplayer game’s esports division undergoes significant changes

The Overwatch League may cease to exist in the coming weeks as the multiplayer game’s esports division undergoes significant changes. The Verge first reported on Blizzard laying off approximately 50 employees from the company’s esports department without notice and also found a tidbit about the future of the Overwatch League’s future tucked away in the company’s latest financial report.

“During the second quarter, we amended certain terms of our collaborative arrangements with team entities participating in the Overwatch League,” Blizzard said in the report. “According to the amended terms, following the conclusion of the current Overwatch League season, the teams will vote on an updated operating agreement. If the teams do not vote to continue under an updated operating agreement, a termination fee of $6 million will be payable to each participating team entity (total fee of approximately $114 million).”

The current Overwatch League season ends on Sep. 10, 2023, after the new season with story missions launches, but there’s no indication which teams might be around then or even how the league would function. Sean Miller, head of the Overwatch League at Blizzard, told The Verge that he’s optimistic about the future of esports.

“I want to be clear on one thing in particular, that Overwatch remains committed to a competitive ecosystem in 2024 and beyond, and we’re building toward a revitalized global scene that prioritizes players and fans,” Miller said.

Miller wasn’t able to say what that revitalized scene might look like, but it includes 50 fewer employees at Blizzard. One spoke anonymously with The Verge and said the layoffs came without warning, as the team was in the middle of creating new tools for Blizzard esports, tools that won’t be ready by the time the League teams vote on their future.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF