Anime Vangaurds Update 3.5 Adds Starting Questline and Boss Rush Multiplayer Support

Anime Vanguards update 3.5 is here with four new units, multiplayer functionality for boss rush, a starting questline, and a collection of bug and quality-of-life adjustments for Roblox players.

Developer Kitawari unveiled everything in its Fate Boss Event patch notes, pulling back the curtain with even more changes following the arrival of update 3.0 late last month. Topping the list of new content are four units – Sokora, Saber, Lilia, and Isdead – which can be found across different in-game challenges. There’s also a Saber boss event, which comes with its own rewards, including two Secret units, trait rerolls, gold and gems, and more that you’ll have to log in to see for yourself.

The Boss Rush overhaul includes multiplayer functionality for Roblox players looking to take on challenging tasks with friends, as well as normal and elite difficulty modes, tournament support, and boss event cycle changes. The Anime Vanguards Sand Village map has also gotten a full-on facelift that gives it a new design and enhanced visuals, and Worldlines have been reset, with additional resets coming every .5 update. Another new feature is one Kitawari says it added to address fan feedback: a starting player questline.

“We’ve acknowledged how overwhelming the early game may be for our new players,” Kitawari said. “To help with this, all new players will be greeted with a uniquely created questline which will guide them through the various elements of the game, and reward them with a Mythic Vogita Super upon quest end to start their journey in Anime Vanguards! We intend to create a great experience for all, and will continue looking into the various ways we can improve the gameplay for new as well as returning players alike in future updates.”

Anime Vanguards update 3.5 brings plenty to keep players fighting off waves of enemies, but it’s only Kitawari’s latest content delivery. Last month, the team rolled out update 3.0, which focused on more winter-themed goodies to enjoy but also introduced a brand-new lobby and the Portals game mode. These changes and more are here to bolster the Roblox experience around the one-year anniversary of its original launch in January 2024.

There’s currently no word regarding when Anime Vanguards update 4.0 will arrive, but at this rate, players may only have to wait a few weeks to learn more. For everything else on Kitawari’s anime tower defense game, you can see all active codes here. Finally, you can see the full update 3.5 patch notes, below.

Anime Vanguards Update 3.5 Patch Notes

Fate Boss Event

Features

NEW! 4 NEW UNITS!

This update is coming out with 4 new units! These units will be found in:

  • New Boss Rush

· Sokora, Sokora (Angra Mainyu)

  • New Secret Evolution

· Saber (Alternate), Saber (Black Tyrant)

  • New Mythic Banner Unit

· Lilia, Lilia And Berserker

  • New Worldlines Floor 50 Reward

· Isdead, Isdead (Romantic)

NEW! Saber (Alternate) Boss Event

Dark Sokora and the formidable Tyrant Saber (Alternate) have appeared! Dark Sokora plans to fuse with the malevolent Angra Mainyu; do you have what it takes to stop them?

Boss Rush Rewards Include:

  • 2 New Secret Units
  • Trait Rerolls
  • Gold & Gems
  • … and more!

How to Obtain Saber (Alternate)

You can obtain Saber (Alternate) by placing a Saber (King Of Knights) unit next to the A.W.E Boss that remains stationary at enemy spawn. The A.W.E Boss will spawn at Wave 15, and Wave 25, staying for 5 waves each time.

Upon Unit Placement or Boss Spawn, all Saber (King Of Knights) units within range will become “corrupted” and transform into Saber (A.W.E.), with the interaction having a small chance of dropping the Saber (Alternate) unit, up to a maximum of 3 tries per match (up to 6 while using the Saber Servant Mechanic).

Servants Mechanic

Bring forth a fabled figure of choice to assist you in battle – each Servant offers unique mechanics, so be sure to read their ability descriptions with care, some may be better suited for your team than others.

Unlocking Servants

The powerful Berserker Servant is available for free, while the others must be purchased using the servant’s corresponding unit’s evolution item. Once acquired, they are permanently available for use in battle. Choose carefully, or acquire them all and unleash their power!

Command Seal Activation

You can Activate or Empower your chosen Servant’s mechanic up to 3 times by pressing the red Command Seal button near the inventory. Use them wisely to turn the tide of battle!

NEW! Boss Rush Overhaul

We’ve made several changes to make playing boss rushes much more fun and meaningful! These include:

  • Multiplayer Functionality

You’re now able to play Boss Rush with your friends, or alternatively use Public Matchmaking to join other players from across the world!

  • Normal & Elite Difficulty

We have split Boss Rushes into two separate difficulties, “Normal” which is a CO-OP gamemode that does not have access to tournaments, as well as an “Elite” Solo gamemode for those of you looking for a challenge, and to gain access to the Elite Tournament.

  • Elite Tournament

You’re now able to participate in the Boss Rush Tournaments which will reset alongside the boss rush cycle. Aim to clear the Event in the least time possible, and compete against other players in your local bracket!

Be careful when the bosses spawn–the waves automatically and immediately skip whenever the boss is alive!

  • Boss Event Cycle Changes

Along with boss events cycling, your boss event currency of that cycle and boss event stock will now also reset! We will most likely include evolution items and other important items to the legacy shop, making your legacy tokens more valuable and immune to cycle resets.

NEW! Public Matchmaking

You’re now able to find matches with players to play your favorite game modes regardless of what server they are on through our brand new Public Lobbies system!

To join others, simply press the “Public Lobbies” button within the “fractures” UI and select any of the player hosted matches there.

To host your own match, press the “Create Match” button instead, and then press the “Find Match” button within the stage you have selected.

NEW! Worldlines Reset

All players have been reset to Floor 1, and Soburo is no longer obtainable.
However, all the corresponding floor rewards have now returned, with Isdead replacing Soburo as the new Floor 50 reward.

As previously announced in the Discord server, Worldlines will reset every X.5 update, with the next reset planned for Update 4.5.

NEW! Sand Village Remake

The sand village remake has finally arrived, featuring entirely brand new designs and enhanced visuals! As one of the last remaining original maps from release, this overhaul finally brings it up to the standard of our latest maps. We hope you enjoy exploring the new and improved Sand Village map as much as we do!

NEW! Starting Player Questline

We’ve acknowledged how overwhelming the early game may be for our new players. To help with this, all new players will be greeted with a uniquely created questline which will guide them through the various elements of the game, and reward them with a Mythic Vogita Super upon quest end to start their journey in Anime Vanguards!

We intend to create a great experience for all, and will continue looking into the various ways we can improve the gameplay for new as well as returning players alike in future updates.

Changes & QoL

  • Added a visual timer when a unit gets stunned
  • Added Visual Indicators for Enemy Spawn & Friendly Base/End Of Path during the voting phase
  • Worldlines Leaderboard incorrectly had the same rewards as tournaments, this has now been fixed to match the other global leaderboards
  • An In-Game Elemental Reactions table has been added, making figuring out what each reaction does easier than ever! Furthermore, it comes with a “Show Only Elements In-Match” setting, which when on, will only show the reactions that can happen between your units and the enemies
  • You can now delete multiple portals at once
  • We’ve heard your requests! Sukuno now applies bleed up until upgrade 9, which is then replaced by burn (this is unrelated to the plans stated in Sub Announcements on our server)
  • Added Amount Sliders for purchasing items or summoning units
  • Increased game start time from 30 to 60 seconds. This helps players who take a longer time to load in, need more time to strategize and change their lineup, or just want to look around the map!
  • Added a “NEW” flair to recently obtained units, which goes away after interacting with them, in order to make newly-obtained units easier to spot
  • Added “NEW!” text next to world markers in areas where new major content has been added
  • Slightly revamped the Unit Traits Index UI, to easier tell what each trait does at a glance.
  • Unit circle indicators now change to purple when a unit is maxed.
  • The opening animation for windows is now smoother.
  • Added Sasori viewmodel to the Pass icon
  • Added background frames to all stat previews when hovering over units

… and more!

Bug Fixes

· Fixed Valentine (AU) clones costing Yen to place

· Fixed Rogita 4 (Super) also taking money for his clone, effectively doubling his placement cost

  • Emmie & Emmie (Ice Witch) no longer freeze friendly summons
  • Fixed Sosora missing a cosmetic on both the Shiny and Non-Shiny variants.
  • Fixed Padoru familiar buffs stacking
  • Fixed being able to buy a mount more than once in shop
  • Fixed being able to apply the same potion effect despite already having one active. It wouldn’t stack the effect further, but would still remove all effects after the first one ends
  • Fixed having ability auto-use enabled after a match ended spamming you with notifications
  • Fixed Soburo’s cosmetic idle animation not looping
  • Fixed +0% buffs being displayed, e.g. when Haruka Rin buffs a unit after her already being maxed
  • Fixed Panda mount being very small in viewport
  • Fixed an issue where mobile players were unable to change inputs in sandbox mode!

… and many more!

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Here’s What Comes in Each Edition

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is set to release on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on April 24. It’s a turn-based RPG, but it also incorporates real-time mechanics sort of like the Mario RPG series. But the tone is way more serious, weird, and artsy. It looks great. It’s coming out in standard and deluxe editions, and they’re all available for preorder now (see it at Amazon). Let’s dive in to see what comes in each.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Standard Edition

PS5

Xbox Series X|S

PC

If all you want is the base game, grab the standard edition. It doesn’t come with any extras, but it has the game and that’s all you really need.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Digital Deluxe Edition

The deluxe edition comes with the base game, plus the following extras:

  • The “Flowers” Collection – Six outfits and hairstyles inspired by the Flowers of Lumière, along with six additional “Gommage” outfit variations. One for each playable character.
  • “Clair” – A custom outfit for Maelle
  • “Obscur” – A custom outfit for Gustave

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Will Be on Xbox Game Pass

The standard edition of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will be available on day one for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers. Above, you’ll find the best current deal on a three-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

How Does the Deluxe Edition Upgrade Work?

If you have Xbox Game Pass, but you want the extras that come in the digital deluxe edition, you can buy the deluxe edition upgrade on the Xbox Store with the link above. It does exactly what it sounds like: turns your standard edition into a deluxe edition.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Preorder Bonus

Unfortunately, there are no preorder bonuses available at this time. If that changes, we’ll drop them here.

What Is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33?

Clair Obscur is a turn-based RPG developed by the French studio Sandfall Interactive that uses real-time elements during battles. It’s set in a dark fantasy world in which, once a year, a powerful being called the Paintress wakes and paints a number on her monolith. When she does, everyone of that age vanishes from the earth. As the game kicks off, the Paintress is going to wake soon and paint the number 33. You plays as Expedition 33, a group of 33-year-olds who plan to kill the Paintress.

The combat sounds like a real selling point for the game. It’s turn-based, but you do a lot of other things besides choosing attacks for your expeditioners. You can dodge, parry, and counter incoming attacks. You can chain combos together by pressing buttons in a rhythm, and you can use a free-aim system to target enemy weak points. It looks pretty cool. Check out our Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 preview for more info.

Other Preorder Guides

Chris Reed is a deals expert and commerce editor for IGN. You can follow him on Bluesky @chrislreed.com.

The Last of Us Season 2 Will Feature ‘Pretty Brutal’ Content Cut From the Game

The Last of Us Season 2 on HBO will feature content that was cut from the original The Last of Us Part 2 video game, showrunner and Naughty Dog studio head Neil Druckmann has said.

Druckmann told Entertainment Weekly that “pretty brutal” content will be revived through the show, including some of the Lost Levels that were somewhat restored in the PlayStation 5 remaster of The Last of Us Part 2.

These included three different early versions of scrapped levels, including Jackson Party, The Hunt, and Seattle Sewers. The first two of these are much more calm, with Ellie attending a party in the first and tracking a bleeding boar in the second, but the final one presents plenty of the intense horror fans of the game and show are familiar with as she’s stalked by monsters in the tunnels underneath Seattle.

Whatever cut content has made its way into the show will seemingly put fans on edge, however. “[It’s] pretty brutal, but I’m very excited for people to see it,” Druckmann said. He also teased that a “pretty prominent” character only talked about in the game will make an appearance, “similar to what we did with Frank in Season 1.”

Season 2 is set to add many new characters, of course, including Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, Danny Ramirez as Manny, Tati Gabrielle as Mel, and many more, but one question mark remains as Catherine O’Hara has also joined in a mystery role.

Fans likely don’t have too long to wait before each mystery is answered, as Episode 1 of Season 2 is set to premiere in April, but there’s a chance some things will remain unclear for much longer. This is because HBO plans to extend The Last of Us Part 2 beyond a single season, unlike the critically acclaimed Season 1 which covered the entirety of the original game.

Fellow showrunner Craig Mazin has said previously that Part 2 features a lot more story to cover, so while Season 3 isn’t greenlit as of yet, they’ve built Season 2 with a “natural breakpoint” after just seven episodes.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.

Destiny 2: Heresy Has Missing Voice Lines Due to Ongoing SAG-AFTRA Strike, Bungie Warns

Destiny 2’s next Episode, Heresy, is just around the corner. The “final epilogue entry” for the Light and Darkness Saga will have some unvoiced lines of dialogue though, due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike.

In the recent This Week In Destiny update, Bungie said its teams have taken care to deliver the narrative and story content, but warned that certain voice lines will be silent due to the ongoing Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists strike.

Subtitles will be enabled by default so players don’t miss any story, and Bungie outlined a number of accessibility and visibility options for said subtitles. Heresy activities that have missing voice acting will display a warning before launch.

The SAG-AFTRA strike started last July after the union confirmed it had failed to reach an agreement with video companies following a series of negotiations. SAG-AFTRA cited a lack of agreement over regulating generative artificial intelligence (or GenAI) in projects.

Even games not subject to the strike have been affected. Activision, for example, recast several Zombies characters in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 after the voice actors reportedly chose not to sign new contracts in solidarity with striking union members. Some projects and teams have since struck an interim agreement, permitting members to work on those games.

The extent of Destiny 2: Heresy’s lack of voice-acting is unclear, though some fans have noted that it appears Sloane will be one of the silent characters. There’s no note on whether these voice lines could be added in a future update, if the studio and publisher reach a deal with the striking actors.

For more on how the strike has, and will continue to, affect the games you play, check out our feature from last year, What the SAG-AFTRA Video Game Actors Strike Means for Gamers. Destiny 2: Heresy goes live on February 4, 2025.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Microsoft Announces Xbox Game Pass February 2025 Wave 1 Lineup

Microsoft has announced the Xbox Game Pass February 2025 Wave 1 lineup.

Out today, February 4, is Far Cry New Dawn (Cloud, Console, and PC) across Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard. In a post on Xbox Wire, Microsoft described the Ubisoft shooter as follows: “Dive into a transformed, vibrant, post-apocalyptic Hope County, Montana, 17 years after a global nuclear catastrophe. Lead the fight against the Highwaymen as they seek to take over the last remaining resources.”

February 5 is a big day for Game Pass, with a number of additions to the Game Pass Standard tier. Another Crab’s Treasure (Console), Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes (Console), and Starfield (Xbox Series X|S) all hit Game Pass Standard then.

And here’s a big one: on February 6, Madden NFL 25 (Cloud, Console, and PC) hits Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass via EA Play.

Fast forward to February 13, and Kingdom Two Crowns (Cloud and Console) makes a return to Game Pass via Game Pass Ultimate and Game Pass Standard. “In Kingdom Two Crowns, players must work in the brand-new solo or co-op campaign mode to build their kingdom and secure it from the threat of the Greed. Experience new technology, units, enemies, mounts, and secrets in the next evolution of the award-winning micro strategy franchise!”

Then, on February 18, another big one: Obsidian’s Avowed (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) launches as a day-one Game Pass launch across Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. It’s worth noting that Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members can buy the Avowed Premium Upgrade Addon to receive up to five days early access, two sets of premium skins, and access to the Avowed digital artbook and original soundtrack.

Xbox Game Pass February 2025 Wave 1 lineup:

  • Far Cry New Dawn (Cloud, Console, and PC) – February 4
    Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
  • Another Crab’s Treasure (Console) – February 5
    Now with Game Pass Standard
  • Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes (Console) – February 5
    Now with Game Pass Standard
  • Starfield (Xbox Series X|S) – February 5
    Now with Game Pass Standard
  • Madden NFL 25 (Cloud, Console, and PC) EA Play – February 6
    Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
  • Kingdom Two Crowns (Cloud and Console) – February 13
    Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Standard
  • Avowed (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – February 18
    Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

As always, as new games hit Game Pass, existing games leave the service. You can save up to 20% off your purchase with your membership to keep these games in your library.

Games leaving Xbox Game Pass on February 15:

  • A Little to the Left (Cloud, Console, and PC)
  • Bloodstained Ritual of the Night (Cloud, Console, and PC)
  • EA Sports UFC 3 (Console) EA Play
  • Indivisible (Cloud, Console, and PC)
  • Merge and Blade (Cloud, Console, and PC)
  • Return to Grace (Cloud, Console, and PC)
  • Tales of Arise (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

As the Bloodborne PSX Demake Becomes the Latest Fan-Project to Suffer a Copyright Claim, the Creator of Bloodborne’s 60fps Mod Has Offered His ‘Copium’ Official Remake Theory

The Bloodborne PSX demake has become the latest Bloodborne-related fan project to be hit with a copyright claim after the Bloodborne 60fps mod was struck last week.

Well-known Bloodborne 60fps mod creator Lance McDonald announced last week that he’d received a takedown notification on behalf of Sony Interactive Entertainment “asking that I remove links to the patch I posted on the internet, so I’ve now done so.” The DMCA takedown arrived four years after the mod was released.

Now, Lilith Walther, creator of Nightmare Kart, which was previously known as Bloodborne Kart, and the eye-catching Bloodborne PSX demake, tweeted to say a YouTube video of the demake was hit with a copyright claim by a company called MarkScan Enforcement.

McDonald followed up to tweet that MarkScan are a company hired by Sony Interactive Entertainment, and the same company that “DMCAed my page about the Bloodborne 60fps patch.”

“And now they’ve DMCAed an old video about the Bloodborne PSX demake project. That’s pretty wild. What the hell are they doing??”

Bloodborne is of course one of the biggest conundrums in the video game industry. The FromSoftware masterpiece launched on PS4 to critical and commercial acclaim, but since then Sony hasn’t touched it. Fans are desperate for an official next-gen patch that would make the game run at 60fps, up from 30fps, but there are also calls for a remaster and a sequel.

Recently, fans managed to get PS4 emulators to deliver something akin to a remaster on PC. The tech experts at Digital Foundry released a video covering “a breakthrough in PS4 emulation” via ShadPS4, which means Bloodborne is now fully playable start to finish in 60fps. Could this breakthrough have triggered an aggressive response from Sony? IGN has asked Sony for comment, but it has yet to respond.

McDonald offered what he called his “copium theory,” though: that Sony could be working on an official remake.

“My copium theory is that Sony DMCAed the 60fps patch and the video about the Bloodborne demake so that when they announce a 60fps remake, google searching for ‘bloodborne 60fps’ and ‘Bloodborne remake’ won’t have collisions with our fan projects,” McDonald said.

“Let me cope.”

Then: “Like if they plan on trademarking ‘bloodborne 60fps’ and ‘Bloodborne remake’ they need to actually clean up in order to actually file a trademark request. Right??”

Despite these latest aggressive actions by Sony, the company has so far offered no indication that it plans to return to Bloodborne in any way. Last month, former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida delivered his Bloodborne no-show theory in an interview with Kinda Funny Games:

“Bloodborne has always been the most asked thing,” Yoshida began. “And people wonder why we haven’t really done anything, even an update or a remaster. Should be easy, right? The company is known for doing so many remasters, right, some people get frustrated.

“I have only my personal theory to that situation. I left first-party so I don’t know what’s going on, but my theory is, you know because I remember, you know, Miyazaki-san really, really loved Bloodborne, you know, what he created. So I think he is interested, but he’s so successful and he’s so busy, so he doesn’t want, he cannot do himself, but he does not want anyone else to touch it. So that’s my theory. And the PlayStation team respect his wish. So that’s my guess, right? Theory. I am not revealing any secret information, to be clear.”

The upshot is Bloodborne remains dormant nearly 10 years after the first game came out. But is there hope? In interviews, Miyazaki often deflects questions about Bloodborne, pointing to the fact FromSoftware does not own the IP. But in February last year, Miyazaki at least admitted the game would benefit from a release on more modern hardware.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Art Book Leaks on a Hentai Site, of All Places

New details about the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Shadows are circulating online after an artbook purportedly leaked on, among other places, a hub for hentai.

Spotted over on r/GamingLeaksAndRumours, an artbook entitled “The Art of Assassin’s Creed Shadows” has been spreading like wildfire around the internet. It contains several hundred pages of concept art, quotations, and development info surrounding the next Assassin’s Creed.

The leak itself is notable, but the post on Reddit also alleged it originated from a site known for hosting hentai. Bizarre, to say the least. IGN has asked Ubisoft for comment.

The gallery had already been removed from the site in question, but has since been archived in other file-sharing sites and galleries.

Several interesting details are shown throughout, including concepts for famous historical characters, major cities, and a variety of weapons. The art also, presumably, leaks some potential spoilers for the plot of Assassin’s Creed Shadows. We can’t confirm as much until the game is actually out, but the images we have seen seem real enough.

The leak arrives just ahead of Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ launch on March 20, 2025, after a previous delay pushed it out of 2024 into February.

At a recent preview event for Shadows, IGN spoke with Assassin’s Creed Shadows game director Charles Benoit, who confirmed that the month delay was “mostly about polishing” and did not change any big systems. The team did update “a couple of things in progression to make it more engaging, also balancing a bit more,” Benoit added, but the main feature that needed extra tweaking was the parkour system, which was running up against an obstacle unique to Feudal Japan.

“The Japanese architecture, the roofs [are] super complex,” he said. “Probably the most complex thing that I ever worked with if we compared to Odyssey and Syndicate. We needed specific codes and specific animations to support something super fluid, changing the transition of the parkour to make it even more fluid. So that’s one of the specific feedback that we heard that we wanted to address, and it really improved since the last few months.”

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Helldivers 2’s First Big Update of 2025 Lets You Emote While Ragdolling Once Again, Tweaks Balance, and More

Arrowhead has released Helldivers 2‘s first big update of 2025, making a number of important changes to the game.

Patch 01.002.101, out now, increases the duration of the gas status effect from spray weapons, returns the ability to emote while flying or ragdolling, and makes a number of other balance changes and fixes.

Helldivers 2 is nearing its first anniversary, and with the arrival of the Illuminate enemy faction breathing new life into the game, players are wondering what’s next in the ongoing meta narrative that is the Galactic War. Fans also suspect this update sneakily adds new content as well as the balance changes and fixes, given it weighs in at over 5GB.

And it’s worth highlighting this particular change, just because it’s so… troubling!

  • Fixed a small visual bug with the Stalker’s tongue (you don’t want to know what it took to fix it)

Helldivers 2 update 01.002.101 patch notes:

Balancing

General Changes

  • The duration of the gas status effect from spray weapons has been increased from 6 to 10 sec
  • Implemented a timer for the Illuminate dropship wreckages to despawn to prevent them from obstructing paths in the colonies

Helldiver

  • The Ministry of Humanity has added a clause to its Principles of Correct Posture for Safe Lifting, now allowing Helldivers to jog while carrying two-handed items such as barrels and SEAF Artillery Rounds

FRV

  • Helldivers have now also been authorized to deploy grenades and stratagems while leaning out from the FRV
  • Tuned FRV handling for a better driving experience when cornering

Sidearms

  • Starting magazines increased from 2 to 3
  • Spare magazines increased from 4 to 5

Stratagem Support Weapons

TX-41 Sterilizer

  • Removed the crosshair drift recoil
  • Decreased the camera climb recoil
  • The duration of the gas status effect from spray weapons has been increased from 6 to 10 sec

Armor Passives

  • After hearing player feedback, we have decided not to fix a bug with the Siege Ready Armor Passive which gives more ammo to all magazine-based weapons, instead of just primary weapons as described. We will eventually update the Armory description to reflect this but for now we’re evaluating if it’s causing any other additional unforeseen bugs

Backpacks

AX/TX-13 “Guard Dog” Dog Breath

Has been reworked to increase its effectiveness and to ensure it remains distinct, focusing on its unique gas-based mechanics.

  • It will now preserve ammo by only prioritizing enemies unaffected by the gas status effect. Once an enemy is affected by gas the drone will move on and target another unaffected enemy
  • The targeting logic has been reworked to prevent the drone from roaming too far. The origin of the targeting will be from the Helldivers position rather than the drone itself
  • The targeting range has been increased from 10 to 20m
  • The duration of the gas status effect from spray weapons has been increased from 6 to 10 sec

Stratagems

MD-6 Anti-Personnel Minefield

  • Cooldown decreased from 180 to 120 sec
  • Damage increased from 350 to 700
  • The deployment spread of mines has been increased by 20% to minimize the risk of chain explosions

MD-I4 Incendiary Mines

  • Cooldown decreased from 180 to 120 sec
  • Damage increased from 210 to 300
  • The deployment spread of mines has been increased by 20% to minimize the risk of chain explosions

MD-17 Anti-Tank Mines

  • Cooldown decreased from 180 to 120 sec

SH-20 Ballistic Shield Backpack

  • Now blocks melee attacks until it breaks from taking enough damage

Fixes

Resolved Top Priority issues:

  • You can once again emote while falling or ragdolling! It should no longer reduce fall damage, but you’ll be able to freely express yourself as you fall to your imminent death or severe injuries – Nothing a stim can’t fix!
  • Fixed Illuminate spawner ship shields not taking impact grenade damage
  • Fixed an issue with collision gaps inside the Illuminate spawner ship, preventing grenades thrown in close proximity to the door from destroying the ships
  • Health packs now fully restore all of the Helldiver’s stims
  • High damage weapons will now detonate spawned Hellbombs on the map

Crash Fixes, Hangs and Soft-locks:

  • Fixed a crash that occurred when aborting missions with the Democracy Space Station effects active on them
  • Fixed a crash that could occur when hot-joining a mission on a planet with the Democracy Space Station present
  • Fixed a crash caused by quickly switching between different emotes before another client interacted with the emoting player
  • Reduced the chance for crashes caused by fires
  • Fixed a rare crash that occurred at the end of the drop-in sequence when hot-joining a game in session
  • Fixed a crash that occurred when the player returned to the ship while reloading their primary weapon
  • Fixed a soft-lock during drop-in when the host left or disconnected the session right after loadout
  • Fixed a crash that occurred when repeatedly changing armor pieces in the armory
  • Fixed a crash that occurred after finishing the tutorial and after naming your Destroyer
  • Fixed a crash that occurred during extraction
  • Fixed a crash that occurred when returning to the ship during heavy projectile fire
  • Fixed a crash for clients when the host was holding a carryable objective and quit the game
  • Fixed a crash that could occur when a player left the game when an encounter started
  • Fixed a crash that could occur when changing text language
  • Fixed a crash that could occur when reloading the SG-20 Halt

Social Issues & Matchmaking

  • Improved the matchmaking logic to better match players with players from nearby regions
  • You’ll now be more likely to get matched with the same difficulty lobbies as the one you have currently selected
  • Fixed an issue where the chat history was cleared when going to a mission and returning from it

Weapons and Stratagems

  • Opening and closing the text chat while in an emplacement now allows the player to remain in the emplacement instead of switching to their weapon
  • Fixed Arc weapons not reliably hitting the Impaler’s tentacles if aimed at the lower parts of the tentacle
  • The E/AT-12 Anti-Tank Emplacement now has the correct armor penetration tag in the ship menu
  • Stratagem turrets will no longer target Illuminate Tesla Towers
  • Fixed a visual bug where heat weapons would show numbers over the progress bar in the weapon wheel menu
  • Melee weapons should no longer send civilian cars and other objects in the world flying long distances
  • B-1 Supply Pack will now once again provide stims to other players. Remember Helldiver, sharing is caring!
  • Fixed a bug where players could get stuck in the E/AT-12 Anti-Tank Emplacement after depleting all of its ammunition

FRV

  • Following an investigation into the effects of severe survivorship bias during FRV Impact Testing, all FRVs have been reinforced. Minor parking mishaps will no longer result in catastrophic FRV explosions
  • General improvements to the FRV camera to make it look cooler and prevent it from getting stuck underground when driving downhill. Absolute cinema!
  • Reduced the chance FRVs get dropped on rooftops when being called in
  • The FRV movement key bindings should now accept non-QWERTY keyboard inputs
  • Fixed a bug where some enemies such as the Brood Commander was launched away further than intended when hit by the FRV

Helldiver

  • Fixed an issue where player ragdolling into the FRV would cause the vehicle to be yeeted into space
  • Fixed an issue preventing Helldivers from climbing and vaulting over civilian cars
  • Helldivers should no longer slide around on the ground after ragdolling from a blast (despite it being the year of the snake)
  • Fixed an issue where ragdolling into shallow water caused a stuck prone gliding animation
  • Fixed an issue where the Helldiver was not playing the sample pick up animations

Enemies

  • Fixed a small visual bug with the Stalker’s tongue (you don’t want to know what it took to fix it)
  • Fixed an issue where enemies wouldn’t react to missed shots from projectiles or melee attacks near them

Miscellaneous Fixes

  • Fixed an issue where clients would trigger the wrong audio when waiting for the host to join the loadout
  • Fixed an issue of Helldivers exiting the hellpod right after readying up and before transitioning to the loading screen
  • Fixed an issue of civilians being blocked from finding the shuttle door during Emergency Evacuation missions
  • Purple question marks should be encountered less frequently during Illuminate missions on Sandy and Arctic planets
  • Fixed the floating head syndrome affecting Helldivers donning the AC-2 Obedient armor while using certain helmets
  • Fixed a bug that was introduced in December where weapons with lower armor penetration than the target’s armor incorrectly dealt one (1) damage rather than zero (0), resulting in misleading visual feedback and negligible extra damage to enemies and Helldivers alike
  • Enemies will now start sinking into the ground when killed near terminals or the extraction point, preventing players from being physically blocked

Known Issues

Top Priority:

  • Black box mission terminal may be unusable if it spawns clipped into the ground
  • Stratagem balls bounce unpredictably off cliffs and some spots
  • Balancing and functionality adjustments for DSS
  • Pathfinding issues in Evacuate Colonists Illuminate missions
  • Dolby Atmos does not work on PS5

Medium Priority:

  • Players can get stuck on Pelican-1’s ramp during extraction
  • Explosives can cause Helldivers hidden behind terrain to ragdoll
  • Currently equipped capes don’t display properly and show a blank grey cape in Armory tab
  • Players who use the “This is Democracy” emote on their ship might unintentionally send their fellow Helldivers on unauthorized unscheduled spacewalks
  • AX/TX-13 “Guard Dog” Dog Breath does not show when it is out of ammo
  • The Barrager Tanks turret has armor 0 and no weak spots
  • Higher zoom functions do not zoom the camera in through the scope on the LAS-5 Scythe
  • Weapons with a Charge-up mechanic can exhibit unintended behavior when firing faster than the RPM (Rounds Per Minute) limit

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

ID@Xbox Showcase to Kick Off IGN Fan Fest 2025

ID@Xbox is kicking off IGN Fan Fest this year with an exciting new showcase on February 24. Get ready to see trailers, gameplay, and reveals from indie studios including Raw Fury, Team 17, Akapura, 11 Bit, and many others. Highlights include the next big collaboration for Balatro, and much, much more.

The ID@Xbox Showcase will stream on Monday, February 24, 2025 at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST across IGN platforms. Along with all the new reveals, IGN’s Podcast Unlocked will be breaking down the biggest moments from the showcase in a special IGN post-show, which will immediately follow the main show.

Check out the some of the studios who will be a part of the ID@Xbox showcase, below:

  • 11 Bit
  • BigFan
  • Critical Reflex
  • Daedalic
  • Game Source Entertainment
  • No More Robots
  • Panic
  • Playstack
  • Raw Fury
  • Thunderlotus
  • Cult Games
  • Team17
  • Curve
  • Akapura
  • Don’t Nod

While we wait for all things Xbox, make sure to check out the biggest reveals from 2024’s ID@Xbox partnership with IGN, where it shared exclusives from games including Dungeons of Hinterberg, 33 Immortals, Astor: Blade of the Monolith, Vampire Survivors, and many more.

And throughout February, stay tuned to IGN for more information about the exclusive reveals, interviews, gameplay, and trailers that will be showcased during IGN Fan Fest the week of February 24 – 28. From games like Monster Hunter Wilds, WWE 2K25, and Alien Rogue Incursion, to shows including Daredevil: Born Again, Mythic Quest, and it’s new spin off Side Quest, to comics such as TMNT, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Godzilla, IGN Fan Fest will be a week full of exciting reveals you won’t want to miss!

Anime Royale Update 5 Adds New One Punch Man Units, Raid, and Cosmetics

One Punch Man has arrived in Anime Royale as part of update 5, and he’s brought new units, cosmetics, quality-of-life changes, and codes with him.

The anime-themed Roblox tower defense experience’s latest update takes players into Saitama’s superhero world with a fresh batch of additions to enjoy. Patch notes reveal everything players can look forward to when they log in, including a selection of units inspired by characters from the One Punch Man anime, such as Tatsumaki, Sonic, Metal Bat, Boros, and, of course, Saitama himself. It breaks down to two Secret units, seven Mythical units, two Legendary units, and one Epic unit, but Anime Royale update 5’s changes don’t stop there.

A new Raid, Story, and Raid Shop, as well as new cosmetics, are also accessible to those who hop into the Roblox experience. The quality-of-life changes mostly focus on tweaking Meruem but also saved some room to deliver balance adjustments to Muzan and Aizen. Additionally, players will notice that the Killua blessing bug has been fixed, too.

Anime Royale update 5 follows the release of update 4.5 last week. That patch introduced Hunter x Hunter content for tower defense fans, including even more Mythical, Legendary, and Secret units. There is currently no release date for the next update, but at this rate, Roblox players likely won’t need to wait too long to learn more.

For more, you can check out IGN’s full list of all active Anime Royale codes here. To see every new code added with update 5, you can see the full patch notes below.

Anime Royale Update 5 Patch Notes

Update 5 One Punch Man

What’s new?

Added:

New 2 Secret Unit

– Evolution

– Drop from Strongest’s City last act

New 7 Units:

Mythical:

– Saitama

– Tatsumaki

– Atomic Samurai

– Metal Bat

– Bang

Legendary:

– Sonic

– Boros

Epic:

– Mosquito Girl

NEW Double Evo:

– Boros -> Boros Released -> Boros True Form

New Evo:

– Saitama

NEW Raid

NEW Story

NEW Raid Shop

New Cosmetics

All Units from update that are Mythic+

New Passives

Balance Changes:

– Meruem can no longer eat other Meruems

– Meruem can no longer eat buffed damage, instead only taking base damage of unit he eats

– Meruem can no longer eat Farm Units in range to prevent accidentally losing farms to it

– Muzan can no longer give Farm Units Demon Passives (Except for Pot)

– Aizen Passive now buffs 20% damage for all tower in his range (Cid and Netero excluded) like Warlord instead of enemies coming closer to him, it can stack with Warlord

QoL Updates:

  • The search doesn’t get reset when interacting with unit in units frame anymore

Fixes:

  • Killua blessing anchoring the player

Codes:

  • Strongest
  • Bald
  • 50KFavsTysm

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).