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With the GTA 6 release date creeping up ever faster, you might want to scratch the GTA-shaped itch that we're all getting. GTA Online has been around for years, but there's never been a better time to jump into the sprawling sandbox. If you've never stepped foot in Rockstar's shared open-world multiplayer experience, here's a full guide on how to get started. What is GTA Online? GTA Online is an open-world shared multiplayer experience for servers of up to 32 people. It's set in Los Santos, which is a representation of Los Angeles, California. You can choose to play in private, invite-only lobbies or lobbies that are exclusive to your crew. Crews are similar to clans; anybody can create one, and it's free to do so. The aim of GTA Online is to get as much money as you can, and invest that in properties and businesses. In turn, this will allow you to get even more money, or make it easier to do so. You can use that money to buy vehicles, from supercars to military armored trucks, as well as other things like mansions. There is a ranked progression system, and you can be placed in lobbies against players of varying levels. You can opt for a pacifistic approach, but there's always the chance of other players taking a slightly more violent route. Passive mode is a good way to avoid hostile players. As a new player, everyone will have better stuff than you. But that's where we come in to help--we've got an extensive GTA Online guides hub with advice on everything from making more money to which businesses are the best ones to buy early on. Create your character When you first start GTA Online, you'll be prompted to create your custom character. You won't need to worry too much about getting every detail perfect, as your appearance can be changed later. Many of your decisions in the early game will have little-to-no long-term impact. Complete the tutorial If this is your first experience with GTA Online, we'd really recommend that you complete the tutorial. It'll introduce you to several key mechanics, including combat, driving, shopping, missions, how multiplayer works, and gives you some useful starter rewards. GTA$ GTA$ is the game's primary currency, used to buy vehicles, weapons, properties, businesses, upgrades, cosmetics, clothing, and more. Almost every activity in GTA Online either requires or rewards you with GTA$, making it the most important resource. After all, the long-term goal is to be rich. RP RP, or Reputation Points, are rewarded for completing activities. These points function as GTA Online's experience system, and the more RP you have, the higher level you will be. As you earn RP and rank up you can gain access to new weapons, vehicle upgrades, equipment, and activities. Aim to increase your rank alongside your cash balance, as it'll give you access to tools to make gaining money even easier. What to do first in GTA Online After you've completed the tutorial, you'll want to focus on several options. Claim all of your starter rewards to give yourself the best advantage. Complete any and all introductory missions that pop up. Buy snacks to help replenish health, and armor to take less damage from the more hostile players on your server. Complete the most profitable activities and begin saving for your first business, as this will provide you with a reliable method of passive income. Invest in businesses early. It's definitely tempting to buy a flashy car right away, but the business is more likely to help you increase your GTA$ balance faster, meaning the cars can wait. How to earn your first million GTA$ This should be considered your first major milestone in GTA Online, and it's easier than it sounds. You'll have to complete missions, look for contact missions as they give a good amount of cash and help you learn about combat and mission mechanics at the same time. You'll also want to play the weekly bonus activities. These reset each week and contain missions that will grant double or triple rewards for a quick boost to your balance. There's no limit to the number of times you can replay these missions, so you could grind them until you get to a million if you really wanted. The Cluckin Bell Farm Raid missions are a good way to make money. The Cluckin' Bell Farm Raid is a great series of missions to complete entirely solo, requires zero up front capital to start, and rewards $500,000. A run through should take between 45 and 60 minutes, so it's a small time sink to your first million if that's the path you choose. Invest in a business We've got more detailed GTA Online business guides, but as a general rule, choosing the right first business is key. Some recommendations include the Acid Lab, since it's relatively affordable but has strong profits and is solo-friendly to run, and the Agency, since it offers story content and consistent money-making opportunities. Having said that, there are definitely businesses to avoid early on. Steer clear of anything commercial and expensive, or businesses that require a lot of upgrading before they'll become profitable, like the Document Forgery Office or the Vehicle Warehouse. Getting your vehicles The Armored Kuruma is one of the best mission vehicles in the game since it has exceptionally strong bullet protection. It'll make your early missions significantly easier. The Duke O'Death is a durable, relatively affordable muscle car. The Buzzard Attack Chopper will be the best way to get around the map. You don't need a garage full of supercars to succeed in GTA Online ... although I will concede that it's much more fun to do so. Weapons and firepower You'll want to have a small collection of reliable weapons. It's more useful and cost-efficient than owning every gun. The best ones to grab early on are the Special Carbine, AP Pistol, Homing Launcher, and Heavy Sniper. Always carry snacks Snacks are healing items, and one of the biggest mistakes new players make is ignoring them. They'll help you out in a pinch by restoring health instantly. Similarly, armor provides additional protection in combat. You should be stocked up on these items before every mission. Session types There are several different session types in GTA Online. Public sessions are open lobbies containing up to 32 players. They're unpredictable, but if you want the most authentic GTA Online experience, go for this option. Invite-only sessions are private lobbies available only to invited players. You can create an invite-only session, or get invited to an existing one. Businesses and activities can still be completed here if you'd prefer to make your money solo. Activities are a reliable source of income. Friend sessions are restricted to those on your friends list, and work in a similar way to invite-only sessions. Crew sessions are designed for members of the same crew, but you won't have any control over exactly which crew members are included. Avoiding griefers Not everyone in Los Santos wants to play fair. If you're trying to earn money efficiently, there are several things you'll want to keep in mind. You can use invite-only sessions to have full control of the players in the lobby and eliminate unwanted interruptions. Passive mode can also be enabled, where you won't be able to take incoming damage from other players. Bear in mind though, you also won't be able to dish out any pain. Make sure to deposit your cash in the bank regularly, as you'll lose GTA$ every time you die. Depositing money means it's safe in the bank, so reduces potential losses if you get into a war with other players. Using armored vehicles can also help to improve your survivability, as they'll take more incoming damage before being destroyed. That's pretty much it for the basics of getting started in GTA Online. Remember the golden rules and you'll be fine: don't spend your first million on a supercar, invest in business early, play weekly bonus activities, carry snacks and armor, and focus on long-term progression over instant wealth. The game can seem intimidating for a beginner, but remember that passive mode is always an option, and our GTA Online guides hub has got you covered for every question you'll have.
If you've been playing GTA Online for a little while now, you might be familiar with the basics but there's so much more hidden under the surface. The game has come a long way since its 2013 launch, adding new businesses, heists, vehicles, and other improvements that make Los Santos more accessible than ever. Whether you're fairly new to the game or returning to GTA Online in anticipation of the GTA 6 release date, there are plenty of mechanics, shortcuts, and money-saving tricks that Rockstar barely mentions. Here are 15 things that you might not know about GTA Online. In This Article You can run most businesses in invite-only sessionsMaking your first million is more important than getting your first supercarSnacks are basically health packsFocus on passive incomeThe Oppressor Mk II is worth the grindYou don't need to play GTA Online with friendsDon't ignore the weekly bonusesArmored vehicles are better than fast carsDon't think of the nightclub as a nightclubThere are lots of freebies, actuallyRanking up isn't pointlessInsurance is everythingDon't be afraid to call for helpThe fastest route isn't always the bestThere's not that much Grand Theft Auto in GTA online You can run most businesses in invite-only sessions In its initial years, you could only make money from activities in public lobbies. This forced players to deal with griefers and ran the risk of random attacks, but this is no longer the case. Many businesses, including the Acid Lab, Bunker, Agency, and Nightclub, can be managed entirely in invite-only sessions. If you're a solo player or just want a more relaxed experience, you can make your millions in peace this way. Making your first million is more important than getting your first supercar The dream is logging into GTA Online, jumping into a flashy car, and blitzing around the map. Don't do that. Filling your garage with exotic cars can come later. Invest your first million dollars in a profitable business, and watch your balance multiply faster down the line. Snacks are basically health packs While GTA Online briefly introduces snacks, it doesn't reiterate their importance down the line. All experienced players are stocked up on snacks at all times since they give an instant burst of healing during combat. They can be the difference between completing a difficult mission and being forced to reload a checkpoint. Businesses are a good way to maximize your income. Focus on passive income If you're a new player, you're probably surviving solely on income from missions. While missions are important and definitely fun, the richest players in GTA Online have established a reliable passive income stream. Invest in something like the Acid Lab, Nightclub, or Bunker, and they'll continue to generate profit while you're doing other activities, allowing for a valuable income boost. The Oppressor Mk II is worth the grind The Oppressor Mk II is an expensive end-game hover vehicle. While the barriers to obtaining it are pretty high, its value comes in dramatically reducing the time it takes to traverse the map. It's even got homing missiles to handle any unexpected PvP situations that pop up. It'll set you back a cool $8 million via Warstock Cache and Carry, but it's worth it. You don't need to play GTA Online with friends While the multiplayer aspect of GTA Online can be fun, and it's true that certain activities benefit from teamwork, you can complete a large portion of GTA Online solo if you want to. Many businesses, contracts, missions, and activities are designed with solo players in mind. Don't avoid GTA Online because you don't have a regular group of friends to log on with. Don't ignore the weekly bonuses Sure, Rockstar is pretty good at advertising its weekly bonuses, but don't forget to complete them. Every week, payouts are boosted for specific activities, and those bonuses can completely change your personal economy. An activity that pays average rewards one week might become one of the best money-making opportunities the next week. Check which activities currently offer double or triple rewards when you next log in. Armored vehicles are better than fast cars If you're looking for survivability, armored vehicles are the way to go. While supercars are good at winning races, unless that's all you're focusing on then turn your attention to armored vehicles. The Armored Kuruma is one of the most popular vehicles in the game for a reason, and it'll help to make PvE content dramatically easier. Don't think of the nightclub as a nightclub We all have an image of a nightclub in our minds as soon as the word comes up, but don't think about it as a place for dancing, drinking, and making friends. Instead, use it as a central warehouse for your other businesses. It'll safely store cash and bring in resources from your other businesses while you barely need to think about it. In that way, it's more like the nightclub in The Sopranos--it's your office. There are lots of freebies, actually While GTA Online does focus on making money, and making it fast, there are lots of useful free services dotted around Los Santos. Head to the ammunition stores, clothing shops, vehicle customization garages, property access points, and mission hubs to see what you can get. Secondly, checking updates, events, and challenges can get you some freebies. The Duke O'Death can be a reward for returning players on some platforms, and if you link a Rockstar Social Club account, you'll get the Elegy RH8. Completing missions and collectibles will get you the Navy Revolver, Double-Action Revolver, Stone Hatchet, and more. There are more freebies than you think. Criminal Enterprise Starter Pack owners get a free bunker, office, clubhouse, and more. Some event weeks offer free or heavily discounted properties, too. You can get free GTA$ from daily objectives, treasure hunts, collectibles, weekly challenges, career progress rewards, promotional bonuses, and seasonal event rewards. As a brand-new player, the treasure hunts can earn you hundreds of thousands of GTA$. You can refill your snacks and armor from the Agency snack bar, Arcade snack bowl, Kosatka gallery, and Auto Shop for free. Ranking up isn't pointless Higher ranks unlock new weapons, equipment, vehicle upgrades, and other features, so focus on your level where possible. You might have access to better tools with a higher rank but lower bank balance. Insurance is everything Yes, it's fun to grief other players and shoot a rocket launcher into their expensive supercar, but if it's insured it'll cost you. Likewise, losing your own uninsured vehicle can be an expensive lesson. Pay attention to insurance before taking any risks. Similarly, taking a low-value civilian car off the street to your garage and insuring it will imply ownership. Sorry, random NPC. Don't be afraid to call for help There are a multitude of NPCs in your phone waiting to offer you help. Try calling for a vehicle delivery, ammunition, transportation, mission support, or for removing wanted levels. They'll make some tricky situations easier to handle. The fastest route isn't always the best If you're looking for the best GTA Online money method, you might be focused on the amount of profit you can make per hour. That might not be the most fun way though, and burning yourself out via the maximum efficiency methods can suck the fun out of the game. Instead, choose activities that you enjoy that are also profitable. The Cluckin' Bell Farm Raid series of missions is a fun yet worthwhile activity, for example. There's not that much Grand Theft Auto in GTA online Sure, you can steal civilians' cars and make them your own, and of course there's a lot of other crime such as robbing banks and completing other heists, but it's actually more like a management simulator if you're doing it right. The richest players aren't constantly pulling off heists, they're managing businesses and optimizing their income streams. If you want a garage packed full of supercars, you'd do the same. While it may have evolved into a massive multiplayer experience with deep levels, Rockstar expects players to figure that out for themselves pretty much. Once you understand these hidden systems and the best ways to spend your time, you'll be gloating with the game's richest.
If you're new to GTA Online, or just coming back ahead of the GTA 6 release date, you might want to know the best first purchases. Joining, or rejoining, the game can feel a bit overwhelming due to its size and the number of regular updates GTA Online has had since its release in 2013. While it might be tempting to fill a garage with supercars, there are several purchases you should focus on that might help to increase your GTA$ rather than drain it. After you've read through our GTA Online beginner tips, you'll want to check out our breakdown of the best early purchases, what they do, how much they cost, and where to buy them. Armored Kuruma Armored Kuruma Price: $698,250 Where to buy: Southern San Andreas Super Autos This heavily-armored sports car adds an additional layer of protection against incoming gunfire, making it an effective PvE mission vehicle. Difficult early missions will become safer as a result of the armored protection, and it can absorb most incoming NPC fire thanks to the roof and cabin bulletproof panels. It has bulletproof windows and protective frames over the lights for additional protection. The Acid Lab Acid Lab Price: $750,000 Where to buy: Freakshop The Acid Lab is actually an upgrade for the 6x6 Brickade. To get the Brickade, you'll need to complete the First Dose missions, and then it's unlocked for free. If you don't want to do that, you can purchase the Brickade for $1,450,000 from Warstock Cache and Carry. Then, use the Freakshop interaction area to purchase the Acid Lab upgrade for $750,000. This mobile drug production business will generate passive income, making it one of the best early purchases if you're looking to make money fast. The Agency The Agency Price: $2-2.8 million, depending on location Where to buy: Dynasty 8 Executive The Agency is a high-end property that unlocks multiple missions. You can purchase only one from a selection of available agency locations, with optional extras such as an armory, vehicle workshop, and accommodation. After purchase, it is the central hub of the F. Clinton and Partner business. If you've played the main GTA 5 story, you'll recognize F. Clinton as Franklin. The Agency will unlock multiple jobs from Franklin's clients, which scale as you complete more of them. The top earner, though, is the Dr. Dre VIP Contract, which rewards $1 million upon completion and comes with a ton of story content. Buzzard Attack Chopper Nagasaki Buzzard Attack Chopper Price: $1,750,000 Where to buy: Warstock Cache and Carry While the Buzzard reduces travel time between GTA Online locations, it can also be used for combat thanks to its minigun and missiles. If you own a CEO office, you can spawn it instantly from the CEO menu after purchasing it. You can also spot the Buzzard being flown by Jason Duval through the Grassrivers in the second GTA 6 trailer, so it'll continue to be relevant way into the future. This time around, it has a side-mounted gun, so we may see updates to it in GTA Online soon. CEO Office entry CEO Office Price: $1 million and over Where to buy: Dynasty 8 Executive You'll be able to buy one office location from a selection via Dynasty 8 Executive, with optional extras including gun lockers, safes, or accommodation. You can customize your interior, too. But the reason it's one of our recommended early-game purchases is the unlocks it comes with. You'll get access to the Volatus CEO vehicle, and you can start an organization. You can also access special cargo, vehicle cargo, and special vehicle work via the office PC. If you have the Criminal Enterprise Starter Pack, the Maze Bank West office is completely free. The most expensive office is Maze Bank Tower at $4 million, but your most affordable entry route is paying $1 million for Maze Bank West (if you don't have the Criminal Enterprise pack). Special Carbine Special Carbine Price: $14,750 Where to buy: Ammu-Nation The Special Carbine rifle is a highly reliable assault rifle that performs well in most combat scenarios. You'll be getting into a lot of these, so you'll need a go-to weapon to take with you on missions, heists, and in general PvP combat. It's got a great balance of damage and accuracy, and it's pretty affordable. Grab it as soon as you can. AP Pistol AP Pistol Price: $5,000 Where to buy: Ammu-Nation You'll find yourself in need of a fast-firing pistol for shooting while driving, or drive-by missions. Its name is short for Armor-Piercing Pistol, and it does what it says on the tin. Grab the AP Pistol early on from any Ammu-Nation store. Snacks restore HP Snacks and Armor Price: Free to low cost for snacks, $500 to $5,000 for armor Where to buy: Convenience stores, Ammu-Nation These consumable items are used for protection during combat. Snacks act as a health pack, instantly restoring HP in tight situations. Armor protects against receiving that damage in the first place, often saving missions from failure.
Phasmophobia offers five preset difficulty options, plus a custom and challenge mode, for you to choose from. But these difficulty levels don’t simply dictate how aggressive the ghost will be; they also influence critical aspects such as how much official evidence you can gather, how quickly your Sanity drains, the number of cursed possessions, how long (if any) set-up time you get, and, most importantly, your rewards. That doesn’t mean you should jump to Insanity, the hardest preset difficulty level in Phasmophobia, as soon as you have a few successful contracts. Beginners should start on Amateur mode, where you’re offered a bit more leniency. Then, once you begin leveling up, unlocking higher-tier equipment, and becoming more comfortable gathering evidence, escaping the ghost, and identifying unique ghost abilities, you should gradually increase your difficulty level. Higher difficulty levels, like Nightmare and Insanity, are when a lot of Phasmophobia’s tips and tricks are particularly important to know, as investigations are much more challenging and the ghosts more lethal--with some difficulty levels offering only one or two pieces of official evidence. But once you graduate to these higher levels and can complete these contracts successfully with ease, the rewards are huge, with Insanity offering a x6 multiplier on your normal cash and experience payout. If you're feeling particularly brave, you can adjust Custom settings to take on the game's Apocalypse Challenges. Below, we break down all the available difficulty options in Phasmophobia, including the player level required to unlock them, their settings, and reward multipliers. In This Article AmateurAmateur player settingsAmateur ghost settingsAmateur contract settingsIntermediateIntermediate player settingsIntermediate ghost settingsIntermediate contract settingsProfessionalProfessional player settingsProfessional ghost settingsProfessional contract settingsNightmareNightmare player settingsNightmare ghost settingsNightmare contract settingsInsanityInsanity player settingsInsanity ghost settingsInsanity contract settingsChallenge ModeCustomApocalypse ChallengesApocalypse player settingsApocalypse ghost settingsApocalypse contract settings Amateur Beginners, start here. Amateur is unlocked for all players immediately. This difficulty level is best for beginners as it offers a long set-up time (how long you get before the ghost can hunt), long grace period (cooldown between hunts), and short hunt duration. Sanity pills also restore a lot of sanity and you can regain half of your lost equipment if you die. Amateur player settings Reward multiplier (cash and experience)x1Insurance50%Starting sanity100Sanity Pill restoration 40%Sanity drain speed100%SprintingOnPlayer speed100%FlashlightsOnLose items and consumablesOn Amateur ghost settings Ghost speed100%Roaming frequencyMediumChanging favorite roomNo chanceActivity levelHighEvent frequencyLowFriendly ghostOffGrace period5 secondsHunt durationLowKills extend huntsOffEvidence given3Fingerprint chance100%Fingerprint duration120 seconds Amateur contract settings Set-up time300 secondsWeatherRandomDoors starting open NoneNumber of hiding placesVery highSanity monitorOnActivity monitorOnFuse box at start of contractOnFuse box visible on mapOnCursed Possessions quantity1Cursed Possession #1Random Intermediate Once you feel a bit more comfortable, move up a level. Intermediate difficulty is unlocked at player level 10 and is best for those who have outgrown Amateur, but are still learning the ropes. This standard-level mode offers an average set-up time, hunt grace period, and hunt duration. In addition, sanity pills restore some sanity, but the fuse box starts off, there are fewer places to hide, and you'll only regain some of your lost equipment if you die. Intermediate player settings Reward multiplier (cash and experience)x2Insurance25%Starting sanity100Sanity Pill restoration 35%Sanity drain speed150%SprintingOnPlayer speed100%FlashlightsOnLose items and consumablesOn Intermediate ghost settings Ghost speed100%Roaming frequencyMediumChanging favorite roomNo chanceActivity levelMediumEvent frequencyMediumFriendly ghostOffGrace period4 secondsHunt durationMediumKills extend huntsOffEvidence given3Fingerprint chance100%Fingerprint duration120 seconds Intermediate contract settings Set-up time120 secondsWeatherRandomDoors starting open LowNumber of hiding placesHighSanity monitorOnActivity monitorOnFuse box at start of contractOffFuse box visible on mapOnCursed Possessions quantity1Cursed Possession #1Random Professional Unlock at player level 20, Professional is for those who feel pretty comfortable in their ghost hunting abilities, but still have some trouble identifying a ghost without evidence. On this difficulty level, the ghost's room can change (albeit rarely), there's no set-up time, hunts are longer, and the grace period between hunts is shorter. In addition, there are much fewer hiding places, you'll lose all your equipped items when you die, and the fuse box will always be off when you start a contract. Professional player settings Reward multiplier (cash and experience)x3InsuranceNoneStarting sanity100Sanity Pill restoration 30%Sanity drain speed200%SprintingOnPlayer speed100%FlashlightsOnLose items and consumablesOn Professional ghost settings Ghost speed100%Roaming frequencyHighChanging favorite roomLowActivity levelLowEvent frequencyMediumFriendly ghostOffGrace period3 secondsHunt durationHighKills extend huntsOffEvidence given3Fingerprint chance100%Fingerprint duration120 seconds Professional contract settings Set-up timeNoneWeatherRandomDoors starting open MediumNumber of hiding placesMediumSanity monitorOnActivity monitorOnFuse box at start of contractOffFuse box visible on mapOnCursed Possessions quantity1Cursed Possession #1Random Nightmare Step up the challenge with Nightmare. Unlocked at player level 30, Nightmare difficulty is for ghost hunters who want to seriously increase the challenge. If you're comfortable engaging with long ghost hunts with limited hiding places, smudging, and identifying ghosts without three pieces of evidence, then this may be the difficulty level for you. Nightmare player settings Reward multiplier (cash and experience)x4InsuranceNoneStarting sanity100Sanity Pill restoration 25%Sanity drain speed200%SprintingOnPlayer speed100%FlashlightsOnLose items and consumablesOn Nightmare ghost settings Ghost speed100%Roaming frequencyHighChanging favorite roomMediumActivity levelLowEvent frequencyHighFriendly ghostOffGrace period2 secondsHunt durationHighKills extend huntsLowEvidence given2Fingerprint chance100%Fingerprint duration120 seconds Nightmare contract settings Set-up timeNoneWeatherRandomDoors starting open HighNumber of hiding placesLowSanity monitorOffActivity monitorOffFuse box at start of contractOffFuse box visible on mapOffCursed Possessions quantity1Cursed Possession #1Random Insanity Are you feeling brave? Unlocked at player level 40, Insanity is for those who are feeling brave. This is the most challenging of the preset difficulty modes in Phasmophobia, offering little to no hiding spaces, only one piece of evidence, no cursed objects, and longer hunts that increase in duration every time the ghost kills a member of your team. Insanity player settings Reward multiplier (cash and experience)x6InsuranceNoneStarting sanity75Sanity Pill restoration 20%Sanity drain speed200%SprintingOnPlayer speed100%FlashlightsOnLose items and consumablesOn Insanity ghost settings Ghost speed100%Roaming frequencyHighChanging favorite roomHighActivity levelLowEvent frequencyHighFriendly ghostOffGrace period2 secondsHunt durationHighKills extend huntsLowEvidence given1Fingerprint chance100%Fingerprint duration60 seconds Insanity contract settings Set-up timeNoneWeatherRandomDoors starting open HighNumber of hiding placesLowSanity monitorOffActivity monitorOffFuse box at start of contractOffFuse box visible on mapOffCursed Possessions quantity0 Challenge Mode The challenge changes every week, so you better act fast. Challenge Mode is a limited time difficulty level that changes every week. There are 26 challenge mode possibilities, each with its own difficult settings, forced equipment loadout, and task to complete a set number of times. Completing the challenge grants you $5,000 and 5,000 XP, so it's worth trying them. Custom Making the difficulty too easy will stop you earning rewards. Custom does what it says on the tin. You can adjust all the player, ghost, and contract settings to your liking, with the reward multiplier automatically calculated based on how challenging the settings you’ve chosen are. However, activating certain settings that make the contract far too easy, such as 'Friendly Ghost' (where the ghost doesn’t hunt), will result in no rewards. Apocalypse Challenges Apocalypse Challenges are not for the faint-hearted. In Phasmophobia, Apocalypse Challenges are extremely tough single-player challenges you can find on the event board, with each offering a special trophy, ID card, and badge to those who complete them. Unlockable at player level 50, there are three Apocalypse Challenges, each requiring you to identify the ghost, complete all optional objectives, and take a photo of the ghost during one contract. The hardest part? You need to be playing Sunny Meadows Mental Institution by yourself, on the highest difficulty level--which can be set through Custom difficulty--with Apocalypse I requiring x6 or higher rewards multiplier, Apocalypse II requiring x10 or higher, and Apocalypse III requiring x15 (the highest custom difficulty in the game). If you want to take it on, here are the settings you can use. Apocalypse player settings Apocalypse IApocalypse IIApocalypse IIIReward multiplier (cash and experience)x6x10x15InsuranceNoneNoneNoneStarting sanity75500Sanity Pill restoration 20%5%0%Sanity drain speed200%200%200%SprintingOffOffOffPlayer speed100%75%50%FlashlightsOnOnOffLose items and consumablesOnOnOn Apocalypse ghost settings Apocalypse IApocalypse IIApocalypse IIIGhost speed150%150%150%Roaming frequencyHighHighHighChanging favorite roomHighHighHighActivity levelLowLowLowEvent frequencyLowLowLowFriendly ghostOffOffOffGrace period2 seconds2 secondsNoneHunt durationHighHighHighKills extend huntsHighHighHighEvidence given210Fingerprint chance100%100%N/AFingerprint duration60 seconds60 secondsN/A Apocalypse contract settings Apocalypse IApocalypse IIApocalypse IIISet-up timeNoneNoneNoneWeatherRandomHeavy RainHeavy RainDoors starting open HighHighHighNumber of hiding placesNoneNoneNoneSanity monitorOnOffOffActivity monitorOnOffOffFuse box at start of contractOnBrokenBrokenFuse box visible on mapOffN/AN/ACursed Possessions quantity100Cursed Possession #1RandomN/AN/A
In Phasmophobia, keeping an eye on your Sanity level is critical, as it impacts important game aspects, including when a ghost can start hunting and whether you can safely use a cursed object. There are two measures of Sanity in Phasmophobia: a player’s individual sanity level and the average sanity level of your team. You can track each player’s Sanity level using the Sanity Monitor in the van, as long as you’re playing on a difficulty level that has it enabled. Your individual Sanity level, which can be tracked via your character’s watch, affects whether you can use a cursed object, as you need to ‘pay’ a certain amount of Sanity per interaction, and having an insufficient amount to do so will result in a cursed hunt (a longer, more aggressive hunt). However, the average sanity level measures the mean sanity level of all the alive players on your team, so even if your Sanity level is high, your friend could have a much lower level, dragging the overall average down. This is important as each ghost has an average player sanity threshold that, when reached, allows it to attempt to hunt. This is typically 50%, though there are some exceptions, with the Demon able to hunt at 80% and Banshee hunts triggered by its target’s individual Sanity level. So, if you want to delay a ghost hunt as long as possible and continue using cursed objects, you need to keep your Sanity level up. Unfortunately, that’s not so easy, as it can begin to drain from the moment you open the door to a property, with certain conditions, unique ghost abilities, and player deaths zapping your Sanity level even further. Below, we break down how your Sanity level is drained in Phasmophobia, how to increase it, and how to prevent drain. In This Article How Sanity is drainedHow Sanity is drained passivelyHow Sanity is drained by ghost abilities and eventsHow Sanity is drained by cursed objectsHow to prevent Sanity drain--and when you shouldn'tHow to increase your Sanity level How Sanity is drained In Phasmophobia, Sanity is drained in one of three ways: passively, as a result of ghost abilities and events (including killing a player), or by using cursed objects. How Sanity is drained passively Wandering around in the dark is a good way to lose Sanity quickly. Passive Sanity drain primarily applies when you are inside the investigation area, with the main lights of your current room (any lights connected to a wall switch) turned off. The longer you stand in the dark, the more Sanity you lose. The drain rate depends on the size of the map you’re playing, the sanity drain percentage of the difficulty level you’re playing, and whether you’re in the set-up phase. On smaller maps, such as Tanglewood, the drain rate is 0.09% per second during the setup period and 0.12% per second normally. On medium maps, like Point Hope, it’s 0.05% per second during setup and 0.08% normally. On larger maps, like Sunny Meadows, it's 0.03% per second during the setup phase and 0.05% normally. You must also account for the Sanity drain percentage speed of your difficulty level, with Insanity, for example, doubling how quickly your Sanity drains as the speed is set to 200%. In addition, if you’re playing a contract with the Blood Moon weather condition, passive sanity drain is increased by 100%. Note that passive Sanity drain is paused when you're outside the investigation area, and inside the brightly lit van, but other drain effects can still apply. How Sanity is drained by ghost abilities and events Certain ghost abilities will further drain your Sanity. Ghosts can also zap your Sanity level. If you’re targeted by a ghost event, such as a manifestation, and happen to collide with the ghost or a mistball, causing it to disappear prematurely, you’ll instantly lose 10% Sanity. If you’re unlucky enough to walk into a singing Banshee or an Oni during a ghost event, the Sanity drain is larger, with the Banshee zapping 15% and the Oni claiming 20%. Certain ghosts can also drain your Sanity through their unique abilities. Below are the ghosts that can drain your sanity, how much they drain, and how they do it. GhostAbilitySanity DrainPoltergeistWhen it throws multiple items, nearby players lose sanity.Sanity decreased 2% x number of objects thrown. YureiCloses an open door in its room and drains the sanity of all nearby players.15%PhantomDrains sanity if within 10 meters of manifested Phantom and within its line-of-sight.0.5% per second in its sight.MoroiCan curse players by successfully responding on the Spirit Box or Parabolic Microphone, or through a sound recording.Doubles player's Sanity drain, which cannot be prevented by standing in lit rooms. JinnCan drain a nearby player's sanity when the breaker is turned on.25% How Sanity is drained by cursed objects The Haunted Mirror will drain your Sanity fast. Cursed objects can be very useful when trying to gather evidence or identify the ghost, but many of them negatively impact your Sanity level when used. While the Tarot Cards and Monkey Paw only have a possibility to drain your Sanity--depending on the Tarot Card you pull or Monkey Paw wish you make--the other five objects zap your Sanity with every use. For example, every successful Ouija Board question you ask (except “Hide and seek?”) drains your Sanity 5%-20%. Just make sure you have enough Sanity to perform these interactions, or the object may break, triggering a cursed hunt. How to prevent Sanity drain--and when you shouldn't Use wall switches like this to turn on main lights. The main way to prevent passive Sanity drain is to turn on the main lights in your current room, as this pauses normal passive Sanity drain—except for that caused by the Moroi’s curse. By main lights, we mean lights that can be toggled with a light switch, not table lamps, TVs, computers, or other small light sources. If you’re playing on a larger map, you cannot fully stop passive sanity drain in bigger rooms like corridors by turning on main lights, but the passive drain will be reduced to 80% of its usual rate. Passive drain can also be slowed down by standing within two meters of a lit Firelight, with Tier 1 providing a 33% per second reduction, Tier 2 a 33% per second reduction, and Tier 3 a 66% per second reduction. Just remember to take a lighter with you and to relight the Firelight if the ghost blows it out or it burns out. To prevent Sanity drain from cursed objects, you can simply avoid using them or use the Monkey Paw without wishing for a Sanity boost or weather change—though you’ll still have to deal with its other consequences. Preventing a ghost from draining your Sanity is trickier, and we actually don’t advise it. That’s because allowing the ghost to drain your Sanity can actually be beneficial, as it can help you identify a ghost’s unique ability and therefore the ghost. For example, if a door in the ghost room slams shut, and your Sanity level suddenly drops 15%, you know you likely have a Yurei, or if you notice that your sanity dropped 25% when the ghost got near you, and the breaker is on, you likely have a Jinn. How to increase your Sanity level Sanity Medication is the best way to top up your level. If your Sanity level is on the low side, there are a few things you can do to instantly top it up. The most obvious is using Sanity Medication, which increases your individual Sanity by a certain percentage. That percentage is determined by the difficulty level you’re playing on (higher difficulty levels offer smaller increases) and the Tier of the pills you have equipped. On standard 40% Sanity restoration settings, Tier 1 restores 40% Sanity in 20 seconds. Tier 2 and Tier 3 work faster, restoring the same amount in 10 seconds--with Tier 3 also providing a useful 10-second sprint boost. However, you can only equip a maximum of four Sanity Medications to your team’s loadout (which works out at one each for a full team if you're keeping the overall average up), so you may need to resort to cursed objects for a Sanity boost. There are two cursed possessions that can boost sanity: the Monkey Paw and the Tarot Cards. The Monkey Paw boost is a double-edged sword, as you can wish for Sanity, which increases all players’ Sanity levels to 100%, but it increases the passive Sanity Drain by 50%. The Tarot Cards are also risky, as only two cards in the 10-card deck can increase your Sanity: The Sun (sets Sanity to 100%) and a green-burning The Wheel of Fortune (which grants 25% Sanity). However, if you draw The Moon or The Wheel of Fortune burns red, you lose Sanity, with the former dropping your level to 0% and the latter deducting 25%.
Over the past decade, Phoebe Bridgers has firmly established herself as one of the indie singer-songwriter scene's most captivating artists. However, leading up to the release of her third album, Lost Weekend, it seems as if the musician is looking to diversify her portfolio a bit. Days after sharing her RuneScape- and LARP-filled music video for the album's first single, "Lost Boys," Bridgers took to social media to announce her and her team made a "little game" based on the track. https://www.instagram.com/phoebebridgers/p/DaTasaUgYj3/?hl=en Also titled Lost Boys, the game follows the motorcycle-riding elf persona Bridgers assumes in her music video and can currently be played on Bridgers' official website. Like the vast majority of browser games, Lost Boy's gameplay and overarching premise are extremely simple: Press arrow keys to gather coins while avoiding running into goblins, walls of fire, and other obstacles. Its Temple Run-esque gameplay is accompanied by low-poly visuals and a chiptune version of "Lost Boys" that can be downloaded as a ringtone. Upon its release late last week, the "Lost Boys" music video quickly made nerd news thanks to Bridgers' inclusion of footage from Old School RuneScape. About a minute into the video, the classic MMO RPG is shown being played by actor Skyler Gisondo, who you might recognize from his role as Jimmy Olsen in 2025's Superman. With this video, Bridgers' joins the long list of celebrities who publicly appreciate video games, and the very short list of celebrities who have dressed up as an ethereal elf and showcased LARPing in a music video.
Whether you want to admit it or not, uniforms can play a significant role in selecting a team for a particular game mode in College Football 27. After all, you're going to be staring at whatever uniform you select for the duration of games and perhaps across many seasons, so you might as well enjoy what you're looking at. As always, there are several uniform options for every school in College Football 27. While some schools have far more choices than others, you'll usually find at least four or five uniform combinations regardless of who you're using. If you're stuck in an endless loop trying to find the best uniforms across 100+ teams, though, you might be at the menu screen for a while. Fortunately, we've compiled a list of the best uniforms in CFB 27, and you can see them in action below. The list is in no particular order. New Mexico Lobos - Current Alternate A school can either completely mess up its identity or hit the nail square on the head when it comes to changing around its base color scheme. Suffice to say, New Mexico absolutely nailed it with their Current Alternate uniforms in CFB 27. Instead of the standard black and red colors of the traditional uniforms, the Lobos are decked out in a turquoise jersey with red and white stripes. Paired with white pants and a striped helmet, these uniforms look fantastic on the field and actually give you a reason to play as New Mexico. UTEP Miners - Current Throwback We have another uniform that bucks the current color scheme for a school. However, in UTEP's case, their Current Throwback uniforms call back to the 1980s, when the team donned orange and light blue instead of navy blue. The helmets of these uniforms also have a fantastic throwback logo, replacing the current UTEP script logos. With pants to match and "UTEP" firmly over the front of the jersey, these go great with an already stacked UTEP uniform wardrobe. Minnesota Golden Gophers - Current Away Option Minnesota is a highly underrated school when it comes to uniforms. The Golden Gophers have a variety of color combinations and alternate options, but our favorite is the Current Away Option uniform. This uses a golden chrome helmet that features the large maroon "M" logo on one side and a massive gopher logo on the other. The base jersey and pants aren't anything out of the ordinary for Minnesota, but they go terrifically with the helmet. Oregon Ducks - Shoe Duck Alternate You knew it was coming; it was inevitable. Oregon continues to have the best lineup of uniforms in college football, and CFB 27 is no different. While there are a number of uniforms we could have selected, we've gone with the Shoe Duck Alternate that was introduced in 2025. Aside from looking amazing, this uniform hints at the rich history of how Oregon and Nike's relationship started as a cherry on top. The alternate duck logo on the side of the jersey, the marble numbers and helmet, and the golden wings on the uniform make this one of CFB 27's best. Kansas Jayhawks - Current 2nd Alternate There's just something about that Kansas logo that makes any of its uniforms feel classic, but the Current 2nd Alternate option takes the cake for us. Of course, you have the iconic Jayhawk logo on the helmet, but the rest of the uniform is bright red. Kansas' uniforms all have great lettering and numbers, but this jersey takes things to a new level with the words "Rock Chalk" written in between the shoulder stripes. It's an all-around great look that pops on any field you play on in CFB 27. Louisville Cardinals - Iron Wings Alternate Louisville is a team with an almost Oregon-level amount of uniform options. The school has a slew of alternate jerseys that all look terrific, but we're going with the Iron Wings Alternate. This uniform incorporates "The Ville" nickname on the front of the jersey, which is completely gray, along with the pants. Meanwhile, the helmet is bright red with an alternate Cardinals logo on it. You could sub that helmet out for one of Louisville's black helmets to match The Ville's lettering, but the red does look good with the socks and undershirts on the players. Florida International Panthers - 2024 Vice Alternate Finally, we're rounding out the list with the Florida International Panthers. If you've never played as this school in College Football games, it's likely because they've been so poor in recent years. While this makes them a prime Dynasty rebuild candidate in CFB 27, the Panthers make up for their deficits on the field with some outstanding uniforms. Most notable are their Vice uniforms, of which they have three. However, our favorites are the 2024 Vice Alternate uniforms, which incorporate the classic pink and blue colors of Miami Vice. You'll also find palm tree outlines on the uniform as well as a custom helmet with "Vice U" written across it. The uniform is one of the flashiest in the country, hands down.
Sony recently announced that it will stop supporting PlayStation game discs in January 2028. Even though Sony continues to sell many millions of discs, the share of digital game sales continues to rise as physical falls, and Sony cited this shift as the reason why it's going all-digital in the future. Now, Alinea Analytics analyst Rhys Elliott has weighed in with his thoughts on the matter, saying there is more to the story, and it's not necessarily a consumer-friendly decision. "This is all about control," Elliott wrote. He pointed out that physical game discs hold value for a company like Sony only until they're sold--rentals and resales of the same disc do not put any more money into Sony's pockets. "Every resale and rental is value flowing to players and retailers instead of to the platform. Without discs, that converts into a fresh full-price digital sale or it doesn't happen at all, and both outcomes obviously suit Sony better than a thriving second-hand market," he said. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FatSqS3VYY Elliott went on to say that physical retail pricing is "elastic" and is based on supply and demand. This leads to an environment where pre-owned games are regularly sold for less than what Sony charges itself on digital stores. In killing discs, gamers on the fence about buying a game can no longer "just wait and buy it used," Elliott said. "This move is all about profitability and control for PlayStation, at the expense of consumer choice," he said. On the more positive side, Elliott said developers stand to gain from the shift away from discs. Developers need to submit "gold master" copies of their new releases for certification, and this can happen about three months before launch. "On paper, that means a finished, cert-ready build of a game a quarter of a year before anyone's meant to play it," he said. "The reality is that already-stressed devs throw together a rough, held-together-with-tape build whose job is to survive cert, get it stamped, and then actually ship the game via a mandatory day-one patch." "Assembling those builds pulls the team's attention onto cert box-ticking tasks that should come after the core development, like controller-disconnect handling, storefront compliance, edge-case plumbing, and all that," he said. "Polish can be the difference between a clean release and a rocky one, so technically a digital-only title can punt the 'final' build much closer to launch.For a studio up against the wall (read: all of them…) that flexibility could mean the world. So that’s one silver lining." Elliott also predicted that, should others embrace Sony's all-digital policy, then times might get even tougher for brick-and-mortar retailers. Rockstar's GTA 6 will be sold at physical retailers, but players are getting a code in the box, not a game disc. "A code-in-box has none of the things that made physical worth choosing: no resale value, no lending, less collectability. The physical channel has no reason to exist, so it's the end for most dedicated games retailers. The nail in the coffin," he said. It's not just Sony that has reported an increased share of digital games compared to physical games, as Nintendo, Capcom, EA, and others have as well. Many expected Sony's announcement about ending support for PlayStation discs to be bad news for video game retailer GameStop, but the company's smallest business unit today is software.
A whole bunch of games are shipping out in July, but if you're in the mood for some treachery and leaps of faith on the high seas, then you're likely looking forward to Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced this month. Out on July 9, Ubisoft has revealed the official times for when you can expect to start playing, as well as the preload times in case you've preordered the game already. Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced - Standard Edition (PS5, Xbox Series X) $60 | Releases July 9 Preorder at Amazon View at other stores Preorder at Best Buy Preorder at Target Preorder at GameStop Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced Digital Deluxe Edition (PS5, Xbox Series X, PC) $70 | Releases July 9 Preorder at Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced Collector's Edition (PS5, Xbox Series X, PC) $200 | Releases July 9 Preorder at Amazon View at other stores Preorder at Best Buy Preorder at Target Preorder at GameStop Preorder at PS Direct Xbox Series X|S players have had the option to preload the Black Flag remake for over a week, while PS5 and PC players will have to be patient until July 7 before they can prepare for the return of Edward Kenway--the wait might be worth it on PS5 Pro, for extra-realistic hair effects. Assassin's Creed Black Flag: Resynced aims to modernize the original game with a whole host of improvements, but it might have created a few new problems in the process. Other Upgrades include an overhauled combat system, craftier enemies, social stealth, and various options to customize the Jackdaw, Kenway's vessel for his trip across the Caribbean. To get you in the mood for the swashbuckling adventure, you can sing along to the game's sea shanties and check out how some of the game's daredevil moves were recreated in real life. Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced preload times Xbox Series X|S: June 22 at 2 PM UTC PS5: July 7 at 12 AM local time PC: July 7 at 2 PM UTC Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced launch times (July 9) Los Angeles 7 AM PT (PC, Xbox Series X|S, PS5) New York 10 AM PT (PC, Xbox Series X|S, PS5) Montreal 10 AM (PC) 12 AM (Xbox Series X|S, PS5) Mexico 8 AM CST (PC) 12 AM CST (Xbox Series X|S, PS5) Sao Paulo 11 AM BRT (PC) 12 AM BRT (Xbox Series X|S, PS5) London 12 AM BST (Xbox Series X|S, PS5) 3 PM BST (PC) Warsaw 12 AM CEST (Xbox Series X|S, PS5) 4 PM CEST (PC) Paris 12 AM CEST (Xbox Series X|S, PS5) 4 PM CEST (PC) Abu Dhabi 12 AM GST (Xbox Series X|S, PS5) 6 PM GST (PC) Johannesburg 12 AM SAST (Xbox Series X|S, PS5) 4 PM SAST (PC) Shanghai 12 AM CST (Xbox Series X|S, PS5) 10 PM CST (PC) Tokyo 12 AM JST (Xbox Series X|S, PS5) 11 PM JST (PC) Seoul 12 AM KST (Xbox Series X|S, PS5) 11 PM KST (PC) Sydney 12 AM AEST (Xbox Series X|S, PS5) 12 AM AEST (PC) | July 10 10 Ways Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced Differs From Ubisoft’s Original Pirate Adventure View Images
The next batch of games for Amazon Luna has been revealed, and this July, you can look forward to superhero workplace drama, turn-based RPG action, and some escape room fun. In total, there will be 12 downloadable games for PC to check out, and five games to stream through Luna Standard. On the streaming side, the big draw for this month is Dispatch. One of the best games of 2025, the debut title from AdHoc Studio follows a down-on-his-luck superhero who takes up a desk job, where he's given control over superhuman resources. Similar to Telltale's classic games, Dispatch is a narrative-heavy experience where you're frequently tasked with making choices across branching dialogue paths, and then dealing with the consequences down the line. Other games being added to the Luna Standard streaming library this month include Sonic Mania Plus, Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures, YouTuber's Life, and Arcade Paradise. Right now, PC gamers can grab downloads for CyClones, LoneStar, and Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga, and each week in July will see more games made available. As a reminder, all of the free games that you claim through Amazon Luna are yours to keep forever, even if your subscription expires. If you aren't a member, you can sign up for Amazon Luna for as little as $15 for one month to take advantage of the subscription and its freebies. Sign up for Amazon Prime Amazon Luna Free Games For July 2026 July 2 CyClones (GOG) LoneStar (Epic Games Store) Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga (Epic Games Store) July 9 Still There (GOG) Regular Factory: Escape Room (GOG) July 16 Poly Vita (Legacy games code) Framed Collection (GOG) Escape Academy (Epic Games Store) July 23 In Sound Mind (Amazon Games App) Mystic Academy: Escape Room (GOG) July 30 Zoria: Age of Shattering (GOG) Weakless (GOG) Prime subscribers will also be able to play the following new games in July via the Luna channel: Dispatch Sonic Mania Plus Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures YouTuber's Life Arcade Paradise
Empulse is a new early-access 6v6 arena shooter for Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC, from developer 1047 Games, the team behind Splitgate and Splitgate 2. Touting itself as a spiritual successor to Titanfall 2, it features large mechs and fast-paced movement tech. While the early-access launch makes it feel more like a traditional arena shooter with mechs than Titanfall 3, this fast-paced shooter does offer a fair amount of strategy and nuance. If you want to succeed you need to know the best way to utilize the mechs, paint grenades, and movement abilities. Here's everything you need to know before jumping into Empulse. It's a movement shooter, so keep moving Empulse's arena maps and Call of Duty-like loadouts make it look like a relatively simple shooter, but it's important to know this game is about movement above all else. Using different paint grenades to boost your speed or jump, slinging yourself across the map with the grapple hook, and wall running from building to building is essential to avoid being an easy target for your opponents. If you aren't flying around chaining abilities together, you will spend a lot of time running back from spawn. Know your paint colors All grenades are paint grenades, creating a visible area of effect when thrown. Importantly, each grenade type has its own color, making it easy to tell at a quick glance what will happen when you touch it. Orange is a speed boost, and blue is a jump boost, making those both colors you should run through when given the opportunity. Green provides healing, yellow slows people down, and red is explosive. The sledgehammer does more damage to mechs One of the main gameplay features of Empulse is the mechs. These massive weapons have a huge health bar and can give a team a huge advantage over their opponents. They have 1,500 HP, making it quite a task to take them down, but there is an efficient way to tear through their health. If you can get up close, by sprinting or using the grapple, the sledgehammer melee weapon swings fast, so you can quickly take out a mech by just wailing on it. You can earn extra XP by selecting more game modes For quick play, at least during early access, you can gain a small XP boost by selecting multiple game modes in the playlist. When selecting quick play, hit the mode select button to pull up the list. Even if you really only enjoy team deathmatch, leveling up means more weapons and perks to choose from. If there are any game modes you can't stand, it's probably worth dropping 1% off the bonus XP, but otherwise select as many as you can. You can earn weapon skins after maxing out their level Each weapon has its own level to work through, unlocking new attachments and weapon skins for them. After you max out a weapon, it unlocks new challenges found in the gigs section of the main menu, under mastery gigs. Completing these earns you exclusive gun skins, making it a nice long-term progression to focus on, even after you've maxed out your favorite weapon. ADS is nice, but unnecessary While you can aim down sights, or at least get a limited zoom in, this doesn't affect your bullet spread or aim. In a style more akin to older Halo games, your aim is just as effective when firing from the hip, so don't feel the need to be overly cautious with your shots. If someone comes flying around a corner at you, just start blasting. Get high Movement is key to success in Empulse, but there is a particular strategy that is incredibly effective in most matches. Maps in Empulse have a ton of verticality to them, and with enough momentum and the right grapple spot, you can get yourself pretty high up. This can be sustained by wall-running and gliding, allowing you to rain down bullets on unsuspecting enemies. It takes people much longer than you would expect to look up in a first-person shooter, so take advantage by sticking to the skies. Grapple to friends and foes The grapple hook is your ticket to fast movement and quick positioning, but it can also be used in more creative ways. You can grapple directly onto another player, pulling yourself towards them quickly. Attaching yourself to a teammate lets you quickly get to their position, but grappling into an enemy is even better. If you successfully land a grapple shot on an enemy and make it all the way to them, you'll be rewarded with a one-hit KO melee attack. Mech's don't heal; use it or lose it While you do regain health while on foot in Empulse, the massive mechs that appear during a match do not regain health. Instead, they continue losing health until they explode, making it tough to play cautiously, since you can't exactly take cover in the giant mechs. Your best option is to play more aggressively and wait until the last second to bail from the mech before it explodes. You will pop out with full health if you exit a mech before it explodes, giving you the chance to surprise attack anyone nearby.
Final Fantasy 7 Revelation wraps up a story years in the making when it launches in 2027, but beyond that? The Unknown Journey might continue a little longer, as one store listing for the game mentions an expansion pass. As seen on the Epic Games Store (via IGN), Final Fantasy 7 Revelation will have plenty of downloadable content and a "Story Expansion Pass" for purchase. It's not clear yet what these items are for--or if the titles are using placeholder text--but the Story Expansion Pass item does suggest that Cloud and company could venture into new territory. The Final Fantasy 7 lore certainly allows for this--the animated film Advent Children and the spin-off game Dirge of Cerberus took place after the original game--while game director Naoki Hamaguchi hinted at possible character-specific stories in the future. "We have had a lot of voices from fans wanting to explore the stories, or side stories, of other characters and other parts of the story as well. That is something that is interesting," Hamaguchi said to GameSpot last month at Summer Game Fest. What lies beyond the Unknown Journey? Square Enix had previously expanded on the Final Fantasy Remake trilogy with Intergrade, a post-launch expansion for the first game focused on Yuffie. Oddly, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth didn't receive an expansion after launch, as Square Enix opted to instead focus on developing Revelation. One of the big changes with Final Fantasy 7 Revelation is that it won't be available exclusively on PlayStation when it launches. Square Enix is aiming for a multiplatform release, as the game will arrive on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch 2 on the same day as PS5. For more on the game, you can check out how minigames will be more optional, what the new FITS system brings to the table, and why Revelation's director believes that streamers are contributing to an RPG crisis. The Best Final Fantasy Spin-Offs View Images
If you have some downtime over the 4th of July weekend and are looking for a game to play, Microsoft is bringing back its Free Play Days promotion, offering up some top titles to play for the low, low price of $0. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7's multiplayer and Zombies modes are free now through July 6, while Diablo IV is free through July 7. Demonschool and The Stone Madness have free two-hour trials now through July 5. None of these games require an Xbox Game Pass subscription during the free period. Free is a nice price. Ikonei Island: An Earthlock Adventure is part of the Free Play Days promotion through July 5, but you'll need Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, or Essential. This Free Play Days event comes at a tumultuous time for Xbox, as the company is expected to begin mass layoffs on July 6. Microsoft may close at least five studios as well, though it's possible other arrangements could be made that does not result in studio closures or game cancellations.
The new Resident Evil movie from Weapons and Barbarian director Zach Cregger does not feature characters from the games--why is that? Cregger said in a new interview that it would be "inorganic" for his movie "try to shoehorn" legacy characters from Capcom's series into his film because it's a "self-contained story." "I have to put the story first and foremost," he said told Empire magazine, as reported by GamesRadar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_KDtokTO1c Cregger's Resident Evil movie tells an "entirely original story" that takes place in the Resident Evil universe. Some fans have questioned this approach, saying they'd rather see one of the game's stories adapted and for the film to feature popular characters like Leon Kennedy or Jill Valentine. That's not going to happen, though, and Cregger thinks fans of the game will be happy with what he creates. "When you watch it, you'll be like, 'This is very Zach.' It's just [that] it takes place in the Resident Evil world. I don't think fans of the games are gonna be bummed," he told Entertainment Weekly. The Resident Evil movie comes to theaters on September 18. It stars Austin Abrams as an "idiot" medical courier named Bryan who gets mixed up in a horrifying adventure that Cregger says is akin to The Lord of the Rings. “Not that he’s stupid, but he’s not your typical game character, with no combat skills whatsoever and completely inept at survival. Bryan is very much an everyman who happens to be burdened with this kind of sacred mission that’s going to take him into the heart of everything. It’s kind of like Frodo going into Mordor," he said.
With the PlayStation 5, Xbox, and Switch 2 increasing in price, Jake attempts to figure out why console gaming has gotten so expensive. In this video he sits down with an analyst to understand how we got here, and what the future looks like. Spoilers: It isn't good.
Last week, Microsoft raised the prices of its Xbox consoles. The cheapest Xbox Series S model, originally positioned as a low-cost entry point in this console generation, will be $499.99 by August 1, 2026. Meanwhile, the PlayStation 5 Pro has jumped in price by $200 since its debut in 2024. The console market is changing, and it’s not looking good for consumers. The smoking gun is the chip shortage caused by artificial intelligence and the construction of data centers across the world. Tech giants, including Microsoft, are buying up large quantities of memory in order to power their AI tools. This doesn’t seem like a short term shortage, either, with some experts expecting it to last until 2030. Alongside the chip shortage, player habits have changed significantly over the last decade. Any handheld device can double as a game console now, and the younger generation is more likely to play Roblox on their phone than pick up a $600 console to play God of War. Grand Theft Auto VI will likely give console sales a significant bump, even with the price hikes, but monumental releases like GTA 6 don’t happen often. https://youtu.be/4FatSqS3VYY In this video, senior video producer Jake Dekker attempts to break down the volatility in the console market. He digs into the chip shortage, AAA development costs, inflation, the loss leader strategy, and how manufacturing costs adjust with scale. He sits down with Mat Piscatella, an industry analyst with decades of experience, to dive into the details. These price increases don’t happen in an economic vacuum, though. Wages have stagnated and everything has gotten more expensive across the board. Writer and professor Jake Steinberg shares insight on how these price increases are emblematic of wider economic decay. Video game consoles likely won’t go away entirely, but as consumers get priced out of consoles, that audience will shrink over time. This will have innumerable implications and ramifications across the industry as platform holders, developers, and publishers reassess their strategies.
Sony plans to sell PlayStation games exclusively as digital products starting in 2028, and it's rumored that Microsoft will also adopt a digital-only approach with its next-gen Xbox Project Helix, a move that could leave Nintendo as the only console manufacturer that will still release games physically--at least for this current gaming generation. Speaking to VGC, Circana senior director and video game industry advisor Mat Piscatella commented on how he believes that both the PS6 and Project Helix will be digital-only gaming consoles. The upside to this is that, thanks to Nintendo operating in its own bubble, it doesn't look like it'll be ditching cartridges in response to Sony and Microsoft's plans. "My gut says Nintendo does what Nintendo wants to do, and I don't see them changing anything in their plans based on what Sony or Microsoft do on anything, really," Piscatella explained. "Nintendo is going to be Nintendo, for better and/or worse. Retail has already leaned into Nintendo support more and more over the past few years--Nintendo also holds a very strong share of physical software and hardware sales since the launch of Switch 2 in particular--so this could continue to increase, sure." According to its FY25/26 end-of-year report, Nintendo says that digital sales of its games account for 67.2% of software purchases. Digital sales on Sony platforms have climbed dramatically over the last decade, with 78% of its sales being digital purchases. Reports now claim that both the PS6 and Project Helix will do away with disc drives entirely. While Nintendo still has a sizable physical presence, it's worth noting that many games--especially third-party ones--are sold as Game-Key Cards. These are essentially authentication keys in cartridge form, as players will still have to install game data to their Switch 2 and keep the cartridge inserted to play their games. Fortunately, the carts are not locked to a Switch 2 account or console, and they can be resold, allowing a new user to download a game--for as long as the servers are kept online, that is. PlayStation and Xbox game discs have functioned along the same lines for years now, as both consoles required users to download data from the discs onto their respective machines and keep the physical media for authenticating the installs. While Game-Key Cards are designed to be a cheaper publisher-friendly alternative, they're not without criticism, as some historians have expressed fears over the future of video game preservation efforts. The Best Games Of 2026 (So Far) View Images
Microsoft is removing more titles from Xbox Game Pass, and it looks like there could be a lot of removals for July. The "leaving soon" page on Xbox's website lists off 11 titles set for removal on July 15. These include Golf With Your Friends, Stellaris, EA Sports FC 24, PowerWash Simulator, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider. You can see the full list below, as relayed by PureXbox. While PowerWash Simulator is leaving, PowerWash Simulator 2 is still on Game Pass. This is expected to be the first of two sets of removals for July, as Microsoft typically axes titles in the middle of the month and then again at the end. As a silver lining, Game Pass subscribers can save 20% on these titles before they leave. As for new additions for July, we know that Halo: Campaign Evolved (July 28) is among the new additions, but the rest have not yet been announced. For more, check out GameSpot's rundown of the best Game Pass games. Game Pass removals for July 15 Golf With Your Friends -- console, PC, cloud Stellaris -- console, PC, cloud EA Sports FC 24 -- console, cloud My Friendly Neighborhood -- console, PC, cloud Super Fantasy Kingdom -- PC PowerWash Simulator -- console, PC, cloud Whiskerwood -- PC Techtonica -- console, PC cloud Dungeons of Hinterberg -- console, PC, cloud Back to the Dawn -- console, PC, cloud Shadow of the Tomb Raider -- console, PC, cloud
Filmmaker Christopher Nolan's newest movie, The Odyssey, releases on July 17, and ahead of that, an official companion game is now available on Roblox. A survival sailing adventure game, The Odyssey: Defy the Gods, is out now on Roblox, and it's free. Players will assemble a crew, ration supplies, and "appease the gods for the right of safe passage" across the ocean. In the game, players will scavenge mysterious worlds to find food and crew that have gone missing. Out on the ocean, players have to survive in the elements like Odysseus did during his perilous journey. Defy the Gods is out now on Roblox. Defy the Gods is rated "Minimal" for its maturity rating, and as part of Roblox's new safety measures, it's limited to people 18 and up. The game's content description notes that it contains occasional/mild "fear" and "violence." Roblox is so big and popular that brands make games for it to promote their content, and that's what Universal Pictures did here with Defy the Gods. The movie is expected to appeal to an older audience, so reaching out to Roblox's younger base could be an effort to help convince younger people to go see it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyIZ9tiiN8I Written and directed by Christopher Nolan and based on Homer's epic tale, The Odyssey stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, with Tom Holland portraying Telemachus. Anne Hathaway plays Penelope, while Robert Pattinson appears as Antinous. The movie also features Charlize Theron, Lupita Nyong'o, Zendaya, Elliot Page, and Jon Bernthal. It's Nolan's first film since 2023's Oppenheimer, which made $975 million globally.
In Phasmophobia, the Ouija Board is a cursed object that lets you communicate directly with the ghost. You can use the Ouija Board to ask the ghost questions about itself, including its motives and behaviors, location, cause of death, and age, or ask it to tell you your sanity level, to reveal the bone’s location, and more. The ghost will respond to valid questions using the board, either indicating ‘yes,’ ‘no,’ or spelling out its answer using the numbers and letters on the board. If you’re feeling brave, you can even prompt the ghost to play a game of hide-and-seek with you. To activate the board, simply pick it up, place it on a flat surface, and press the use button. You’ll know it’s active because the planchette (a black, upside-down heart piece) drops onto the board. You can then use the game’s voice chat or text-based UI to ask your questions. Just note that the text-based UI options are more limited than the voice chat ones. If the planchette doesn’t move, you’ve asked an invalid question; if it does, then your question has been successful. As with all Phasmophobia’s cursed objects, using the Ouija Board doesn’t come without consequence. Every successful question zaps a percentage of the user's sanity, ranging from 5% (for questions less critical to the investigation) to 50% (for questions that will greatly aid your investigation). If you ask a question that requires more sanity than you have, or don’t deactivate the board safely, the board breaks, and a cursed hunt is triggered. Below, we’ve listed the main Ouija Board questions you can ask, their potential answers, and the drain on your sanity the question will have. However, this list is not exhaustive, as players have asked countless silly questions when using the board over the years and, in some cases, the ghost has responded. So, it’s always worth trying some of your own, too. All Ouija Board information questions, answers, and effects These Ouija Board questions can help with your investigation. QuestionResponseEffects"Where are you?"Spells out the name of the room the ghost is currently in (e.g. "classroom"). Will only spell out its favorite room name if it's currently in there.Drains 20% sanity."Where is the bone?"Spells out the name of the room the bone is in (e.g. bathroom).Drains 20% sanity."Do you speak to everyone?"Answers yes or no, indicating whether or not it responds to people who are alone or everyone when the Spirit Box is used.Drains 20% sanity. Voice chat only QuestionResponseEffects"Are you here?"Will respond yes or no, indicating whether or not the ghost is currently in the same room as you.Drains 20% sanity. All Ouija Board sanity questions, answers, and effects Sanity questions can be useful when you're unable to monitor your sanity level. QuestionResponseEffects"Am I insane?""No" means your sanity level is over 90%, "Maybe" means between 20% and 90%, and "Yes" means your sanity level is below 20%.Drains 5% sanity."How sane am I?"Will indicate your sanity level. "Healthy" means more than 80%, "Good" means 60%-80%, "Average" means 40% to 60%, "Bad" means 20% to 40%, and "Awful" means under 20%.Drains 5% sanity. Voice chat only QuestionResponseEffects"How insane am I?""Not very" means sanity level is more than 50%, "Very" means it's between 25% and 50%, and "Insane" means your sanity level is under 25%.Drains 5% sanity. All Ouija Board miscellaneous questions, answers, and effects These questions allow you to have a bit of fun with the ghost. QuestionResponseEffects"Hide and seek?"The ghost will count down from five to 0, after which the board breaks and a cursed hunt is triggered.None."How old are you?A randomly-generated number response between 10 and 90. Can be useful when trying to identify a Thaye, as the age will increase over time.Drains 5% sanity."How did you die?"Responds with a method of death, responses include "accident," "fell," "shot," "murder," "choked," "drowned," or "slipped."Drains 5% sanity. Voice chat only QuestionResponseEffects"How many people are in this room?"A number. It's not clear how this is determined, but may be influenced by the number of people in your current room.Drains 20% sanity."Why are you here?"The ghost will tell you its purpose, either "hatred," "you," "peace," "kill," "lonely," "love," "scared," "vengeance," "trapped," "lost," or "revenge."Drains 5% sanity."How long have you been dead?"Responds with a number between 50 and 1,000.Drains 5% sanity."How do you feel?"Ghost tells you how it feels, either "angry," "cold," "weak," "scared," "sick," "lonely," "hurt," "excited," "empty," "sad," or "scared."Drains 5% sanity."Knock knock"Who's thereDrains 5% sanity."Marco"PoloDrains 5% sanity.
If you want the thrill of playing supernatural russian roulette, then Phasmophobia's Tarot Card cursed objects offer the opportunity--but use them at your own risk. There are 10 unique Tarot Cards in Phasmophobia, each of which triggers a positive or negative effect on either the ghost or the player. While these positive effects can prove helpful to your investigation by boosting your sanity, reviving a dead player, or trapping the ghost in its room, the negative effects can be lethal, potentially triggering a cursed hunt, draining your sanity, or even killing you instantly. When you pick up a deck of Tarot Cards, it contains 10 random cards from the overall selection, which may contain duplicates. By using the deck, you draw one card from it, which burns in your hand in a specific color (apart from The Hanged Man, which doesn't burn). While most cards have one unique burn color, one has two--signifying if the effects are good or bad. The risky part? You don’t know which card you’ve pulled until it’s too late. Each card has its own draw chance, with some cards, like The Tower, more commonly drawn and others, like The Hanged Man, much rarer finds. While you don’t have to draw all the cards, it may be worth it if you’re after a specific card, like The High Priestess, which can revive a dead player. Below, we break down what all 10 Tarot Cards in Phasmophobia are, what effects they have, and the chance you have of drawing them. All Tarot Cards, effects, and draw chances The Tower Get used to seeing this Tarot Card. The Tower (which burns blue) is one of the most common cards you’ll find in the Tarot deck, with a draw chance of 20%, and you’ll likely draw it more than once in the same deck. While this can be a bit frustrating, The Tower is useful for identifying the ghost as it doubles ghost activity for 20 seconds, potentially helping you gather an extra bit of evidence. The Wheel of Fortune Keep an eye on the color The Wheel of Fortune burns. The Wheel of Fortune is another common draw from the Tarot deck, with a 20% chance of being pulled. However, whether this card has a positive or negative effect depends on the color it burns. If the card burns red, you lose 25% sanity; if it burns green, you gain 25% sanity. There’s an equal chance of either burn color. The Fool If you pull a card and it burns light purple, it is actually The Fool. The Fool card (which burns light purple) is a bit of a pain, as it has no effects and will first mimic another Tarot card before burning up to reveal it's actually this one. There’s a 17% chance of pulling The Fool normally, but if you draw Tarot Cards during a hunt, every card will be this one. The Devil Have a camera (and maybe a hiding spot) at the ready. The Devil card (which burns pink) has a 10% chance of being drawn, and if it is, it will trigger a ghost event next to the player who’s closest to the ghost. While this can be useful for media capture, it makes The Devil the card most likely to give you a jumpscare. Death You better hide quick. Death (which burns purple) is one of the Tarot Cards you probably don’t want to draw. Fortunately, there’s only a 10% chance of doing so. This card triggers a cursed hunt--an aggressive, longer hunt that extends the duration of all subsequent normal hunts. The Hermit The Hermit can be useful for identifying the ghost room. The Hermit (which burns cyan) has a 10% draw chance and forces the ghost to return to its favorite room, where it is trapped for one minute. During that time, it can still hunt and trigger ghost events, but this card can be a useful pull when you need help identifying the ghost room, capturing media, or collecting evidence. The Sun The Sun saves you from popping sanity medication. The Sun (which burns yellow) sets your sanity to 100%, but isn’t a common find, with just a 5% draw chance. The Moon You may need to pop some sanity medication after this pull. The opposite of The Sun, the Moon (which burns white) sets your sanity to 0%. Fortunately, it is also an uncommon pull, with just a 5% draw chance. The High Priestess If your friend dies, pulling this card could resurrect them. While there’s only a 2% chance to draw it, The High Priestess (which burns light yellow) is one of the most coveted cards in the Tarot deck. This card revives a dead player in the spot in which they died--if there’s more than one dead player, it goes in order of who joined the lobby first. The best part is, even if no one is currently dead, it will resurrect the next player to die, but it can only resurrect one player, no matter how many times you draw it from the same deck. Just make sure to give your team a heads up you’ve drawn it, because there’s nothing worse than being resurrected while you’re AFK, only to be killed again. The Hanged Man You do not want to draw The Hanged Man. With a 1% draw chance, The Hanged Man is the rarest card you can draw from a Tarot Card deck, but also the most dreaded. Pulling this card instantly kills the player who drew it. Tarot Cards tip You can make the Tarot Card deck a bit less risky. If you're a bit of a scaredy cat, there is a Phasmophobia trick you can use to avoid the main effects of the Death and The Devil Tarot Cards. Take your deck of cards outside and stand in front of an open exit door facing toward the inside of the property. Move inside the investigation area/property--just enough over the door threshold for the cards to be interactable--and draw a card, immediately (and quickly) backing out of the door again during the draw animation. Make sure to back up as the card is being pulled and to back out of the door before the card burns up. By using this method, if you draw a Death card, the cursed hunt will trigger, but you won’t be inside the investigation area, so you won’t have to escape the ghost hunt but the extended hunt duration for normal hunts afterward will still apply. Just make sure your squad is out, too, unless you’re a chaos merchant. In addition, this trick renders The Devil card redundant. However, the effects of all other cards can still be activated, including the dreaded The Hanged Man.
Phasmophobia’s tutorial may teach you the basics of gathering evidence and escaping a ghost hunt, but there are plenty of ghost-hunting tips and tricks it doesn't tell you, including pointers for finding the ghost room, identifying the ghost without evidence, improving the likelihood of gathering evidence, and ways to fix frustrating equipment or voice recognition issues. The list below is far from exhaustive and primarily focuses on the Phasmophobia tips we believe are, generally, the most helpful. While many of these suggestions are aimed at beginner and intermediate players, there may be some useful tips that more seasoned players don’t know about. So, read on for our top 14 tips and tricks for Phasmophobia. In This Article Recommended starting equipmentFix the Tier 3 Head Gear's blurrinessLearn how (and when) to loopUtilize cursed possessions when you need helpUse the text-based UI if you're struggling with voice recognitionLearn to smudge properlyGet in the habit of closing doorsUnderstand unique ghost abilitiesGet down a Ghost Writing Book earlyMoving mannequinsAccount for the weatherTurn off your electronics during a huntHigher tier equipment isn't always betterFinding the ghost on larger maps Recommended starting equipment Make sure to turn off the breaker immediately. This one is definitely for beginners. If you’ve just started your ghost hunting journey, you may be wondering what equipment to take into the investigation area first. Three of the best starter items are an EMF Reader, a thermometer, and a video camera (though you may need to leave one behind and take a torch for light), as these items can help you identify the ghost and its room. The EMF will help you detect early activity, with stronger readings closer to where the ghost is, which may lead you to its favorite room. The video camera is useful as, with night vision enabled, it can be used to find ghost orbs. You won’t always find ghost orbs, but if you do, you know you’ve found the ghost’s location. Ghost orbs also count as evidence, but they’re not very trustworthy, as a Mimic will spawn ghost orbs, even if it's not a piece of official evidence. The thermometer is our favorite starter item, as the ghost’s room is usually colder than the other rooms of the property, meaning you can wander around and take the temperature of each room to find which it is (you may also get a cold breath animation in the correct room). Just make sure you immediately turn on the breaker if it’s off when you begin the contract—to raise the house to normal temperature—and keep it on if you want to test for freezing temperature evidence, indicated by a zero-degree Celsius reading. Do note: if it’s snowing outside, the investigation area will naturally be colder, but a temperature below five degrees may indicate the ghost room. Fix the Tier 3 Head Gear's blurriness Make the Tier 3 Head Gear's image clearer. If you’re a more seasoned player who avoids using the Tier 3 Head Gear due to its blurry night vision, this trick might help make it more palatable. When you’re in the van, equip the Tier 3 Head Gear and activate it using the Head Gear toggle button. Go to the CCTV camera screen, with the headset activated, and look at the camera, then step away. This should make the night-vision image clearer, even if it’s still green. If you get a bug where your surroundings are blurry after you take off the headset, look at the camera again (without the night vision headset activated) to fix it. Learn how (and when) to loop Dining tables are great for looping. If you also enjoy a bit of Dead by Daylight, you’ll be no stranger to looping. In Phasmophobia, looping is an evasive technique in which you tightly circle an in-map object (like a piece of furniture or a car) while being chased by a ghost during a hunt, staying within its line of sight so it continues to follow you, but far enough away from the spooky spectre to not be killed. It’s a great way to waste the ghost’s time during a hunt, to escape the ghost when there are no hiding spots, or to buy time for your teammates to scarper or gather evidence, especially during more difficult contracts. However, looping is risky, and you may die a few times before you get it right. So, it’s worth watching streamers do it first, then practicing on smaller maps at lower difficulty. Be aware that sometimes looping isn’t the best choice, especially against fast ghosts like Revenants, Morois (at low sanity level), Thayes (early game), Hantus (when its cold), Raijus (if you have electric equipment active), and Mimics (if they’re copying any of these ghost types). Utilize cursed possessions when you need help A risky way to increase ghost activity. If you’re stuck identifying a ghost room or type, using cursed objects, including the Monkey Paw, Voodoo Doll, and Tarot Cards, may help with your investigation. These objects can increase ghost activity, tell you the ghost’s location, and even resurrect a friend, but using them will drain your sanity -- and some come with even greater risks. Use the text-based UI if you're struggling with voice recognition If you’re finding that you’re having difficulty using cursed objects that require voice recognition, like the Ouija Board or the Spirit Box, then it may be worth changing your in-game settings to a text-based UI. Open your menu, go to ‘Options,’ then select ‘Game’. Next to ‘Voice Recognition Mode,’ it should say ‘Voice.’ Select the arrows next to it until you get to ‘Text’, then select ‘Apply’. Now, you will be presented with a text-based UI menu of interactions and question options when you use an object that requires voice recognition. This is particularly helpful if you don’t have a headset or, like me, have an accent the game struggles to understand. Learn to smudge properly Make sure you time it right. Knowing how to properly smudge a ghost with Incense can be the difference between life and death, as it can temporarily blind a ghost, slow it, redirect it, or stop it in its tracks (depending on its tier), giving you a few extra valuable seconds to escape. However, like looping, smudging takes practice, and you may die a few times before you get it right. Like Phasmophobia’s other equipment, each tier of Incense has different capabilities, with increased range and burning duration at the higher tiers, plus the ability to slow the ghost at Tier 2 and stop it at Tier 3. All require an equipped Igniter to use. To smudge a ghost during a hunt, wait until you hear your heartbeat and are within your Incense tier’s required radius, then either light the smudge and break line of sight to give you extra time to escape. However, the more effective method is to face the ghost, wait until it’s within range, then light your Incense and quickly run through the ghost. During the smudge's brief burning duration, you are invulnerable, so this gives you enough time to walk through the ghost and sprint in the opposite direction to where it’s walking. Get in the habit of closing doors Keep an eye and ear out for door movement. It may sound simple, and I may sound like a mother, but closing doors can help you identify where the ghost is and gather evidence. Whenever you and your squad search a property, make sure everyone gets used to closing doors behind them, even in the ghost room. While your instinct may be to leave doors open so you can easily escape to a hiding place if a hunt starts, closing them allows you to easily spot (and hear) if a door moves, helping you work out where the ghost may be lurking or roaming and potentially increasing the chance of picking up UV evidence. Understand unique ghost abilities Learn the characteristics and behaviors of each ghost. While ghosts have three pieces of official evidence you can gather to identify them, each also has hidden abilities, characteristics, and behaviors that you can’t tick off in your journal, such as the sanity level it hunts at, its speed, how a room’s temperature or lighting affects its activity, and unique evidence. For example, the Obake is the only ghost that can leave behind a six-fingered UV handprint and shapeshift. The best way to learn these behaviors is by reading the ghost’s description in your journal, watching streamers, and, well, playing. Keep your eyes and ears open during the contract, listening and watching for extra tells and getting to grips with differences between each ghost. This skill becomes essential at higher difficulty levels when there's less (or even no) evidence available. Get down a Ghost Writing Book early This could take a while. Getting the ghostwriting evidence can take some time, as ghosts that do have this as official evidence will randomly decide when they’ll scribble something down. So, as soon as you identify the ghost room, you should place down a Ghost Writing Book (or two) as early as you can. If the book remains undisturbed for a while but is definitely in the right room, try moving it a smidge, but don’t rule out ghost writing as evidence. However, if the ghost throws the book, it has rejected it, and you can rule ghostwriting out. Moving mannequins They're creepy, but they can be useful. Spotted a mannequin in an investigation area that’s not where it normally would be? It might indicate where the ghost room is. Mannequins can be found in Bleasdale Farmhouse, Grafton Farmhouse, Willow Street, Edgefield, and Ridgeview Court, usually in the basement or garage — though they are also found in the workroom in Grafton and in the attic or master bedroom in Bleasdale. If a mannequin suddenly appears in a location different from its original one, it’s worth checking the room it's usually found in for the ghost, as the ghost can teleport mannequins. Also, occasionally check for a change in mannequin poses or positions, as ghosts can interact with mannequins outside of teleporting them, but not when you’re looking at them. Account for the weather The Blood Moon makes hunts more challenging. When you start a contract, look at the weather. Is it snowing? Rainy? Windy? Or is there an ominous red moon in the sky? Weather is randomly generated and can affect your investigation by impacting visibility, noise disruption, and the temperature of the investigation area, but some conditions have a more noticeable impact than others. The ones to be particularly mindful of are Blood Moon (the red sky), snow, and heavy rain. The Blood Moon weather condition makes the ghost faster during hunts, increases ghost activity, and increases sanity drain by 100%, but it also increases contract rewards by x10. Snow will mean you see cold breath throughout the property, not just the ghost room, and it drops the overall temperature to between three and five degrees Celsius, which can make it harder to identify the ghost room if one of the ghost’s pieces of evidence isn’t freezing temperatures. Then there’s heavy rain, which stops Tier 1 and Tier 2 Igniters and Firelights from working outside, making it difficult to have the ghost blow out a Firelight in outdoor maps and preventing you from using Incense outside. Turn off your electronics during a hunt Turn it off to prevent the ghost finding you easily. Another beginner tip, but one that even seasoned players can forget from time to time. Have you ever hidden from a ghost, only for it to find you, despite not being a Deogen? If you take electronic equipment into the investigation area, make sure to turn it off when the ghost is hunting, especially when you’re hiding. Active electronic equipment makes you more visible to ghosts and, if you’re facing a Raiju, it’ll actually make it more powerful. If you regularly forget, it may be worth using lower-tier, non-electrical equipment to prevent this. Higher tier equipment isn't always better Use the equipment you feel works best for you. Just because you unlock the higher tier of an item doesn’t mean you have to use it. In fact, sometimes lower-tier equipment is more beneficial due to its capabilities or general handiness. Take the Salt, for example. Tier 3 Salt slows down a ghost that steps in it, but it also forces the ghost (outside of a hunt) to change direction. This may not be ideal if you want the ghost to come your way or gauge the ghost’s speed properly. Others choose lower-tier items simply because they prefer them, with some players feeling sick using the Tier 3 Head Gear due to its night vision or preferring to stick to lower-tier non-electric equipment that they don’t need to turn off during a hunt. See what suits you and go with that. Finding the ghost on larger maps Follow the sound. Locating the ghost on larger maps like Sunny Meadows and Prison can be tricky, but there are a couple of ways to make it a bit easier. First, check the CCTV cameras in the van for visible ghost orbs that may help you narrow down your search area. You may not see any, but if you do, it can be helpful. However, one of the best ways to find the ghost on a large map is by using a Parabolic Microphone. This item can amplify sounds, so turn it on and follow the direction of any ghost interaction sounds. Just make sure you don’t accidentally follow your teammates' footsteps.
It's a momentous milestone for the US this weekend, as it marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Various events are planned for the July 4 weekend, and if you're a PGA Tour 2K25 player, you can also join in on the fun--with some pure nightmare fuel. 2K Games has unveiled a new cosmetic skin for the game, designed to add some extra liberty during each tour of the greens. It's also a weaponized distraction, as you can only imagine how nerve-wracking it would be, trying to putt your way to victory while your competition stares at you while wearing this: https://twitter.com/PGATOUR2K/status/2072393772151754906 Yikes! While the skin might make your golfer look like the Statue of Liberty if they were a guest character in Dead by Daylight, it's actually designed to resemble the neoclassical sculpture. The outfit certainly captures the wear and tear that the statue has picked up across the decades, but when that look is transformed into a golfing ensemble--complete with mask and crown--it just looks unsettling and filthy. If that's your kind of fashion while you nail a putt, then you can drop some Virtual Currency on this fashion crime through the PGA Tour Superstore. Individual July 4 cosmetic items typically cost between 1,000 VC and 1,500 VC each, with a full outfit ranging from 4,000 to 6,000 VC. In real-world cash, that means you could pay up to $50 for a complete PGA outfit. Anyone who has picked up a 2K game from Take-Two Interactive--including its wrestling and NBA games as well--will be familiar with how these titles are monetized. GTA 6 is also looking to extract extra value out of players, as the base edition of the game costs $80, while the Ultimate Edition on preorder is priced at $100 and includes access to several extra stores, alongside various cosmetics. Is that approach turning people off? Not in the slightest, because preorders are already looking very healthy.
What's next for the Metroid franchise? Following last year's release of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, it looks like Nintendo has more plans for the franchise, and thanks to a Brazilian ratings board leak that has since been removed, it looks like we know what the title of the next game is: Metroid Ravenous. Posted by the Brazilian Ministry of Justice and Public Security (via Necrolipe and the Famiboards gaming forum), the listing mentions a production start date of 2026 in the US for the title. Other details include "violence--weapons, blood, death--and light sexual content" for the in-development game. It has been rumored that this could be a sequel to MercurySteam's 2021 Metroid game, Metroid Dread, a 2.5D adventure that modernized the classic NES and SNES Metroid experience for Switch and received positive reviews. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYFZwzo7qlQ Selling over 3 million units, Metroid Dread was a hit game for Nintendo, and MercurySteam announced in 2023 that it had two projects in development. The first of these, a fantasy game called Blades of Fire, hit shelves last year. After many years in development, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond also launched last year, but its reception was frostier in comparison to Dread. The game has sold over 1 million units as of February 2026, but that milestone was only reached when you combine its performance across Switch and Switch 2. It's worth noting that Metroid has historically underperformed next to other IPs. For example, the Switch 2 Edition of Pokemon Legends: Z-A reached 3.89 million units sold, while Mario Kart 8 Deluxe continues to be a sales juggernaut years after launch. While Nintendo has yet to officially confirm what--or if--the next Metroid game is, the company did reveal during a recent Direct livestream that its tentpole game for the holiday season will be a remake of The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, alongside a few more surprises in 2026. The Best Nintendo Switch And Switch 2 Exclusives Of 2025 View Images
Deadpool has always left references for fans to hunt down in every media he's in, but this time it's more geared towards fighting games in his recent announcement in MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls. We get to the bottom of almost all of them.
Battlefield 6's latest update almost introduced a great change to XP boosts, only for developer Battlefield Studios to state it was an "error" and walk it back. Even more confusing--it's actually the second time the exact same mistake has been made in three weeks. As part of Battlefield 6's June 30 update, one that overhauled the game's gunplay and introduced a new mode, a surprising, but welcome, message greeted players who logged in: "XP Boost Update: Now Based On In-Game Time." Since Battlefield 6's launch, XP boosts have counted down in real time. Considering how long it takes to find a match or load into a game, players would often lose valuable minutes of double XP for no reason at all. Someone who needed to log off while an XP boost was still active or do something quick around the house between matches was simply out of luck. A change to make XP boost count down during an actual match has been a frequent ask by the community, and it seemed like Battlefield Studios was finally listening. https://www.reddit.com/r/Battlefield6/comments/1ujnpt3/thats_a_neat_surprise/ The message in full read: "To improve how useful XP boosts are to you, XP boosters will now count down based on in-game time instead of real time. We will track what percentage of the length of the match you have an XP booster active, then multiply the final Match Bonus XP by the appropriate percentage for each. If your XP booster expires mid-match, don't worry. Your match bonus will still get a boost, based on the duration that your boost was active during the match. Plus, for easier tracking and activation, the Booster menu is now located in the lobby." Players on Reddit reacted to the "neat surprise." However, much to the community's confusion, they quickly discovered nothing about how XP boosts worked in-game had actually been changed as part of the update. A Battlefield Comms social media account quickly clarified that the in-game message was in error and no changes had been made. https://x.com/BattlefieldComm/status/2071966104939864144 "That message has now been removed, and there are no changes to how XP boosters currently work," the Battlefield Comms account stated. Such an easy win actually being a mistake is bad enough, but that wasn't the first time almost the exact same scenario had played out. Just a few weeks earlier on June 11, the Battlefield Comms account made a similar statement clarifying an inaccurate in-game message regarding XP boosts. "We're aware of an incorrect in-game text description for XP boosters that was introduced with the latest update," the statement reads. "XP boosters count down in real time, as they have since launch." https://x.com/BattlefieldComm/status/2064866700265492973 With two separate instances of XP boost change notification mistakes, it seems likely an actual, real change to how they work is on the way. After all, a detailed description of how XP boosts are being changed doesn't just magically appear in game, twice, for no reason at all. The real question is why Battlefield Studios doesn't announce such a change is still being worked on but is not quite ready just yet, instead of continually pulling the rug out from the community. Battlefield 6 Season 3 is currently still in full swing, with its upcoming Season 4 set to bring back Wake Island for the 11th time in the franchise's history.
A number of companies have responded to the news that Sony will no longer support physical PlayStation discs beginning in 2028. That includes iam8bit, a company known for its physical gaming collectibles, which said it is "profoundly disappointed" by the news. "Physical games are vital to games preservation, ownership, and consumer choice, values that have guided iam8bit since our first physical release in 2016," the company said. The company added that it remains committed to these values. "Long live physical media," iam8bit said in its sign-off. iam8bit collaborates with numerous game companies like Blizzard, Remedy, Capcom, Annapurna, and Xbox on physical games and merch. The company also releases vinyl soundtracks for games like Arc Raiders and Persona. The company also funds and publishes games through its iam8bit Presents label. GameFly, the game-rental service, also expressed its disappointment and used the opportunity to promote an opportunity for certain ex-subscribers to renew for $2.50. "We are disappointed in the news today about the future of PlayStation video games," the company wrote. "GameFly is run by people who believe physical products still matter. It is a belief that has been at the core of our company since day one." https://twitter.com/GameFly/status/2072404434529710540?s=20 Another company, the independent game developer Aeternum Game Studios, reacted to Sony's announcement as well, saying its commitment to physical editions of its games remains intact. "We pledge to work urgently to bring every game we create--and those already on the way--tangibly to your shelves before that fateful early 2028 deadline," the company said. It added: "The industry may try to change its course but we will not let go of your hand. Your shelves will keep being filled with stories." The Video Game History Foundation director Frank Cifaldi also lamented the "unfortunate news" with regard to consumer rights and other related areas, but noted that for professional preservationists, "this doesn't have as much of an impact as you might expect." https://bsky.app/profile/gamehistoryorg.bsky.social/post/3mpm6jzps6k2i PlayStation fans are also among those to express their disappointment with the news, with many expressing their support for physical media. Sony continues to sell many, many millions of physical, disc-based games, but the number it sells each year continues to drop, and that trend is expected to continue for Sony and other game companies. Against this backdrop, Sony will no longer support disc-based games starting in January 2028, and the implication here is that the PS6 also won't work with disc-based games. A recent report said Microsoft's new console, Project Helix, may not support discs, either.
The unlicensed Companion Cube engineered, illegally, for Valve's Steam Machine will never go on sale again, with those who preordered already being refunded. But what about the handful that made it out of the door and into the hands of journalists, influencers, and content creators? Instead of becoming collector's items, it seems they're all being destroyed. The fate of the existing Companion Cubes wasn't covered in the lengthy statement describing the entire fiasco, which was published by manufacturer Dbrand earlier this week. But it seems that the company is requesting existing samples to be sent back to them so that they can be destroyed, mimicking the fate of many of the cubes across both Portal titles. At least that's what's happening to the sample sent to The Verge, who captured the entirety of the cube's design and elaborate packaging before it was ripped away. The detailing, from the Portal iconography to the actual reproduced cube itself, shows exactly why Valve would've been extremely irate at a company making money on one of its IP without consent. Dbrand admitted that it made a mistake attempting to sell the Steam Machine accessory without explicit permission from Valve, but also didn't do itself any favors with the cube's advertising, which even hints at a non-existent Half-Life 3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfITSn5pcrQ The Steam Machine launches next week for those lucky enough to have secured the chance to throw lots of money Valve's way, with the base 512GB model without a Steam Controller starting at $1,050. Valve says this is much more than it originally wanted the compact computer to cost, and cannot promise that it'll come down in the future, either.
College Football 27 offers players a variety of game modes, but the most popular is Dynasty Mode. Dynasty allows players to completely take over a university's program, becoming the head coach and gaining access to all of the school's resources. While some players might opt to select their favorite college team or one that's set up to dominate the country for years to come, other players like to take on a total rebuild. Usually, these types of Dynasty playthroughs consist of picking a low-rated team and building it up to become a true threat to win the College Football Playoffs. If you're looking to go this route in CFB 27, you're in luck, as we've handpicked six teams that are in a prime position for a Dynasty rebuild. UMass Minutemen - 71 OVR First up, we have perhaps the worst college football team of the 2020s. While the University of Massachusetts isn't the lowest-rated team in CFB 27, it comes extremely close. UMass has been rated 69 OVR in the previous two games, so while they're improved slightly, they're nowhere near ready to compete in a vast majority of games. One of the biggest challenges in selecting the Minutemen for Dynasty is being located in the northeast part of the country. This region usually doesn't offer the best crop of talent, and it's harder to entice players from other regions to join the program. So, in addition to developing the current roster, you have an uphill battle when it comes to recruiting --not to mention UMass isn't exactly flush with resources. Its stadium looks worse than a Texas high school football field, and it has very little NIL money to work with. Still, UMass has some decent uniforms and a couple of speedy wide receivers on the roster, so hope isn't totally lost. UL Monroe Warhawks - 69 OVR Naturally, we couldn't make this list without including the lowest-rated team in CFB 27, and that dreary distinction belongs to none other than UL Monroe. The Warhawks are the worst team in the country, both offensively and defensively, but they're particularly poor on defense. Don't get your hopes up for the offense, though, as UL Monroe's top offensive player is a 77 OVR wide receiver. While Warhawks' current roster is the worst in the country, bar none, it has a few things going for it. Located in Louisiana, you'll have plenty of hometown talent to recruit if you take over UL Monroe. Of course, NIL money will be at a premium, so that's still a challenge. Aside from the roster, UL Monroe doesn't have a great stadium, but they have several uniform combinations. The Warhawks also play a relatively easy schedule in 2026, so you won't be bombarded with ranked teams right away. East Carolina Pirates - 74 OVR East Carolina is one of the higher-rated teams we have on our list at 74 OVR. The roster isn't in complete disarray, and the offense should actually be threatening in 2026. The Pirates have three wide receivers in the low 80 OVR range, one of whom has a 93 speed rating. You'll likely want a new QB beyond 2026, and the defense could use some help, but ECU is in a decent spot all things considered. We're picking the Pirates as a rebuild option in CFB 27 due to a variety of external factors. ECU consistently rates as one of the best environments in college football, with the fans and stadium playing a large role in that. ECU also has tremendous uniforms with a cool name and mascot. Of course, it's not all flowers and rainbows. ECU opens 2026 against Alabama and plays some decent teams throughout the year, like USF and Memphis. However, this just adds to the fun of playing as the Pirates and makes you want to rebuild them quicker. Georgia State Panthers - 73 OVR Over the years, a surprising number of NFL players have come out of Georgia State, which is the fourth-best college team in the state. The Panthers often attract downtrodden prospects who were rated highly coming out of high school, but didn't find their fit at Power Five programs. While GA State won't have near the resources of Georgia Tech or Georgia, you'll still be able to attract a number of hometown players to play for you. Many of these players will likely be three or four-star recruits who didn't get lucrative offers from the other in-state schools. A major bonus of selecting the Panthers in Dynasty is that you get to play in a much larger stadium than other schools on this list. GA State plays at the former Turner Field, which was previously home to the Atlanta Braves. It's a huge stadium, and it looks spectacular when filled with fans in CFB 27. Wyoming Cowboys - 73 OVR Let's take things out west, where the Wyoming Cowboys reside as one of the lowest-rated teams in CFB 27. Wyoming only has a 73 OVR offense and 72 OVR defense, meaning they need major work all over the roster. Unfortunately, as is the case with most schools in the Mountain West, talent isn't readily available for Wyoming. It's hard to recruit players from most regions, leaving you with slim pickings until you can turn the program around. What the Cowboys lack in roster construction and resources, though, they make up for in aesthetics. Wyoming has a fantastic stadium with a tremendous atmosphere and some underrated uniforms. It's a tough job taking over the program in Laramie, but with enough work, you can hopefully find the school's next Josh Allen. North Dakota State Bison - 75 OVR The North Dakota State Bison are the highest-rated team on our list, coming in at 75 OVR in CFB 27. However, it's not their rating that makes them an interesting rebuild candidate in Dynasty. This is the first year the Bison are in a College Football game and their first year as a full-fledged FBS program. Joining the Mountain West, NDSU looks primed to contend for the conference championship in 2026. The Bison have some solid players, including a great offensive line and starting running back, but you'll have some serious recruiting to do in your first couple of years with the program. Making a school FBS-ready isn't an easy task, but you'll have an easy schedule in 2026 to help NDSU make the leap. NDSU also plays in one of the coolest stadiums in the country, the Fargodome, and has some classic uniforms.
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