Paid mods was one of 2015's most contentious issues, with Valve and Bethesda abruptly introducing, and just as quickly dissolving, a system in which modders could sell their Skyrim mods to players through the Steam Workshop. While this paid mods system was a failure for a number of reasons, Valve recently stated that it may reintroduce a paid mods system in the future, with Valve's Gabe Newell saying of modders, "...absolutely they need to be compensated."

Studio Wildcard, developer of Early Access dino-survival game Ark: Survival Evolved, is in agreement with Newell's sentiment about modders being paid, and are launching their own program that will allow Ark modders to earn some money. Not by allowing the sale of mods to players, but instead by paying modders directly on a monthly basis to work on and complete their mods.

In a call with Ark's lead designer, lead programmer, and co-creative director Jeremy Stieglitz last Friday, he explained how the new sponsored mod program will work. Each month, Studio Wildcard will select 15 modders and pay them each a stipend of $4,000 to work on their mods. Each month, the mods will be evaluated and it will be determined if those modders will continue to be paid for the next month, or if a mod will be dropped from the program and a new one added. There's also the potential to expand the number of modders being paid this monthly stipend.

"If we have to expand the program because the 15 mods are all doing so well that we don't want to cut any of them," Stieglitz said, "then we'll expand the program to more mods every month.

"The hope is that with this kind of stipend, these authors, who really are hobbyists and have day jobs so they can't really afford to spend as much time as they'd like on modding, that this will let them spend more time on modding, and ideally, hopefully, take some of these mods to completion."

Cedric Burkes of Studio Wildcard, whose own mod, Primitive Plus, was adopted into Ark as official DLC, will be deciding which mods make it into the new sponsored program, and determining each month if the mods will remain sponsored or be dropped and replaced by others. This could change down the line as a community feedback element may be added, which would have some influence on which mods become or remain sponsored.

"Once we get this kind of process going, we're almost certainly going to work out a community-driven aspect to is it as well," said Stieglitz, "where the community maybe even ultimately can vote, along with some discretion, maybe, on Cedric's part on who goes into that voting pool."

Naturally, there's the potential for complications with this type of paid sponsorship. Modders often work in teams, large or small, official or casual, to develop their mods. These teams often collaborate online, sometimes completing a project without ever meeting in person. They also borrow models, skins, textures, code, and ideas from one another, and many mods rely on other mods not just for inspiration but to actually function. While this type of sharing is what makes modding communities great, it sometimes leads to conflicts, infighting, and accusations of theft between modders.

One recent example: two Ark modders clashed over Pokémon mods they were each developing, leading to one modder filing a DMCA notice against the other. And, one of the immediate issues with Valve's failed system was that a modder started selling a mod that used animations from another mod without permission. This mod had to be removed from the paid mod program as a result. I asked Studio Wildcard about these types of complications, and how they planned to resolve issues if or when they arise.

"We ultimately feel that at the end of the day the modders that enter this program are kind of, you might say they're making a commitment, I guess, to handle that, to some extent," said Stieglitz. "When they sign up for this we do have them represent that they have the rights to all the work. They don't have to be closed source, but they have at least open source rights to the work. So, if there's some dispute, technically it's up to the modder to deal with that, at that point."

Considering games, even after launch, continue to receive patches, updates, and new content, and those patches often break or disable mods, I wondered how Studio Wildcard would insure sponsored mods will continue to work even after a modder has completed their work and is no longer part of the sponsored program.

"We don't expect anything of them after that, if they are no longer in the program, or if they quit, they have no obligation to us, it really is no strings attached. We're not looking to run their lives or anything like that," said Stieglitz. "But we do have an insurance policy."

That policy: when entering the sponsored mod program, modders will have to upload their source assets to the Ark devs. So, if the mod needs to be updated in the future to be compatible with a new version of Ark, and the modder is unavailable to do the work (or is uninterested in doing so), the developers at Studio Wildcard will be able to make fixes themselves and push out a patch for the mod.

"We hope to not have to do that," Stieglitz said. "That's kind of a safety net."

The official announcement from Studio Wildcard about this new sponsored mod program will take place this week at GDC. That same day a small update to Ark will be applied that adds a menu to the game allowing players to access the list of the current month's sponsored mods and easily download them. We'll update our story once Studio Wildcard has made their announcement and the patch arrives.

"Really," said Stieglitz of the sponsored mod program, "this speaks more generally to something that I think is kind of lacking in the industry which is a midway point between hobbyist modders, who are just really dabbling, and professional game developers."

Below is a list of the initial 15 modders who have been selected for the sponsored mod program. You can visit the official sponsored mods site here.

NPC Bush People by SwordsScorched Earth Decor, RP Decor, eco In Wonderland, and ecoTrees by ecoRagnarok by Excited KangarooStructures Plus, Platforms Anywhere, Platforms Plus by orionsunSteampunk Mod by iSpeZzRoraima by JeffCastles, Keeps, and Forts Architecture by enc | ExileAcidSurvival Plus by TaoArk Moon Survival by DavidBCShigo Islands by ExilogUploaderMadagascar Evolved by Hey my team rules!Thieves Island and Skies of Nazca by Tkat5200MRRadTools.Inc by MRRadioactivArk Postal Service and Offline Raid Protection by jslayAdvanced Admin Command Menu by Woeful Macabre

If history has taught us anything about Paradox games, it's that they often excel long after launch with post-release DLC, updates and expansions. As teased earlier this month, Stellaris' first major expansion, Utopia, looks to follow suit and now has a release date: April 6. 

With a focus on growing your space-flung empires further still, Utopia will see players crafting "wondrous" megastructures including Dyson Spheres and ring worlds, building Habitat Stations—which allow for tall structures in otherwise confined empires—and getting to grips with the expansion's more sophisticated Rights and Privileges, whereby they can "set specific policies for which of the many species under your thumb will have the rights and privileges of full citizenship."

Paradox marks all of that with the following reveal trailer: 

And also offers a rundown of Utopia's new Ascension Perks: 

"One of the core improvements in Utopia is the introduction of Ascension Perks. As your species advances and gains new traditions, it can choose how it wants to evolve as it is further enlightened. You can choose between a biological path, a psionic path or a synthetic path, with various options within these broad categories. Body, Mind or Machine—how will your species challenge the future?"

The outcome of that will be down to you come April 6 when Stellaris: Utopia lands. It'll cost $19.99/€19.99 (and I think £14.99) via Steam and the Paradox Store when it does.

For the first part of our guide covering the CN and SEA teams of the Kiev Major, click here.

The regional qualifiers for Valve’s Dota 2 Majors have lately been a source of controversy, especially in Europe, and the developers have certainly taken notice. Some massive changes have been made for the regions that we’ll be looking at today for the Kiev Major qualifiers. 

Teams in Europe have argued that past qualifiers have been too cutthroat, and they’ve since advocated for separate qualifiers for EU East teams. Meanwhile, South American players often find it difficult to connect to their North American opponents, much less fight through them for a spot at the LAN event. These two continents’ issues clashed when teams in Europe switched to the Americas qualifiers for a better shot (with limited success) before the Boston Major. Valve approved the tactic, but only because there were no rules at the time stating that it couldn’t be done. 

Valve likely heard these regions’ cries for help and have added two new qualifier spots, splitting EU East from EU West and South America from North America. In addition to solving some regional congestion issues, this move will put a new spotlight on regions that were previously lumped in with their neighbors.They have also implemented a three out of five rule, where three of the five players must reside in their qualifying region or else be disqualified. This may cause some confusion for multinational teams, but open qualifier admins at FACEIT plus Valve will likely step in to help with decisions. 

So how will this affect the Kiev Major’s early rounds? Who will we be seeing in the regional qualifiers’ invites, and who will be invited to Ukraine without needing to suffer the regional struggle? 

Here, we’ll look at the remaining regions’ squads, with consideration given to their performances at this past weekend’s Starladder. 

Europe West (EUW)

Considered a hub for both LAN events and esports organizations, the Dota 2 scene in Europe has been especially tightly-contested the last few years. In previous years, it was considered a 'bloodbath' due to the mix of Eastern and Western European teams. Now, due to the split, teams have a bit more room to breathe—which isn’t saying much due to the high number of qualified teams in the region. Of course, there are some teams that stand out among the rest. 

The shoo-in for this event’s direct invite is OG, the winners of the Boston Major, who have continued to show potential in the time since the Major and 7.00’s subsequent release.  Despite their loss at Starladder to second place winners VG.J, they had a solid run at the event. The team’s experienced lineup and effective, smart captaining have make the team a force to be reckoned with.The bigger question on everyone’s minds is who will be invited into the regional qualifiers.  Ad Finem, the Greek underdog who caused a fan movement in Boston, may be invited out of respect, but the question is their ability to qualify. Their performance has been relatively weak outside of the Major itself, but Valve may be willing to give them another shot, as there will probably be plenty of room in the regionals for them plus others. 

Team Liquid will absolutely be a stronger contender here. Despite losing to Ad Finem in the Boston Major qualifiers, they kept working and, after one player swap, managed to qualify for DAC. Their Starladder victory will certainly be a golden frame on either a certain regional invite or a second direct invite, depending on Valve’s mood. 

A new player-run squad called B)ears gave Liquid a run for its money in the DAC qualifiers. The mixed-nationality team hasn’t had any other chance to shine yet, but Valve values the quality of a team’s players as much as results, and the mix of veterans and fresh blood may make them a solid choice for a chance to fight their neighbors. 

Although Team Secret has fallen out of favor due to scandal over its core players, they showed a bit of potential at Starladder and may be considered for an invite. Also fighting for a spot: Cloud9, formerly Imperial, who nearly won WESG but has been making the tier 2 rounds; Alliance, who make frequent appearances in tournaments with few tangible results; and ProDota, who have been consistently playing at the top of tier 2 tournaments.

Europe East (EUE)

It’s often difficult to talk about EUE teams without talking about the EU scene they used to be a part of. Still, the EUE teams have historically performed well internationally, so there’s quite a bit to look at for their region’s qualifiers. Virtus.Pro is the most stable presence in the scene. Despite their 5th-8th run at the Boston Major and lack of DAC qualification, they’ve shown up and performed well at a number of large and tier 2 tournaments with a solid roster.

At the very least, a consistent roster seems to be an important factor for Valve.Team Empire has made several major changes to their roster, but they managed to qualify for DAC through their EUE qualifiers. Working off this alone, they may snag a regional invite, but their hit-and-miss results may also make Valve unsure.

There are several other teams of note, including Effect, which revamped its roster and took second in the DAC qualifiers, and Vega Squadron, which has been training in the tier 2 circuit. Recently, the latter took down Team Empire in a tier 2 tournament. It’s unknown how many slots EUE will be given, though, as it’s an offshoot of the main EU qualifiers.

North America

North America has always been a contentious matter in Dota 2, but strong showings by a select few teams have garnered a degree of international respect. Namely, Evil Geniuses will likely receive a direct invite after a notable Boston run and a win in China immediately after the 7.00 patch. 

Digital Chaos is still powerful for their region, having won ESL One Genting. However, they took last in Starladder, and they were taken down by NP in the DAC qualifiers, so they will likely be less preferred over Evil Geniuses. NP may be a sure choice for regionals as well. They have presence and star power in the scene, perhaps without the results of DC and EG but certainly with enough strength to put up a fight. They were present at the Boston Major’s main event, and they qualified for DAC, so a regional invite to secure their Kiev spot may be in order. 

Regional upsetters WanteD are centered around EG owner and ex-captain PPD, with a mix of nationalities playing. They registered in time for regional qualifier consideration and Valve's emphasis on players over team plus the limited nature of American qualifiers in the past are all factors in their favour. With that in mind, WanteD may be able to grab a regional invite. After all, if PPD knows anything, it’s how to play the metagame at every level. 

There's a question over whether NA mainstay CompLexity will be able to find a full roster in time for invites, as one player left recently (though it seems they’ve found a strong temporary replacement). There is also the newly-formed Onyx, spearheaded by several notable NA players in a similar manner to NP. Depending on Valve’s mood, both CoL and Onyx may need to show their worth in the open qualifiers due to a lack of solid results. 

Other than the above, a number of tier 2 teams are present to fill in the regional qualifier’s gaps, such as FDL, Freedom and Doo Wop. There’s also, of course, the classic personality/player wild card team and extreme crowd-pleasers Vegetables Esports Club. They could re-emerge for a shot at the prize. 

South America

The South American Dota 2 scene is highly unstable, but their perseverance has to be rewarded as they have one of the highest Dota 2 populations. The formation of a South American Qualifier will probably put their regional pubstars on their toes, but the new need for consistency and strength hasn't made the region any less prone to shuffles. As in many other regions, the top teams have undergone massive changes, so Valve may look for brand power as well as player ability.

The Peruvian brand Not Today has had some success, but the team underwent a full revamp since their last tournament. The players themselves have had varying degrees of success, though, with two players earning fourth at WESG as Infamous. Plus, with an influx of new members in the last few days, Valve may be keeping an eye on them. 

Speaking of Infamous, the squad was somewhat strong before the facelift, but now their future remains uncertain due to the changes. The team’s captain has remained on board, and so there’s a chance that he can lead his new members through whatever qualifiers they may need to accomplish.  

Other than these teams, very few are actually currently prepared to accept invites, and so it seems that only two will be directly invited to regional qualifiers. This means that there’ll be a massive fight for the open qualifiers spot, and new players or rusty vets can brush up and face more stable teams that have fought against more experienced squads. There’s hope that this will create a new burst of interest in the regional competitive scene—something the populous region needed.

CS:GO players take a lot of pride in their ranks. Ranks represent countless hours spent learning the game and applying your skills alongside teammates. But for how much players tend to fret over their arbitrary skill group, there's not much info out there about how the ranks work. Generally, playing better will eventually rank you up, but Valve remains tight-lipped about the inner workings.

To help you understand this system better, we've collected the best-available information from Valve and a variety of other sources.

How CS:GO ranks work

• To earn your initial rank, you'll have to win 10 placement matches, at a limit of two per day. These allow time for the game’s ranking system to determine your caliber. Note that an unranked player will be unable to queue with anyone of rank Master Guardian 2 or higher, unless queuing with a full team of five.
• Once you've earned those 10 wins you’ll be assigned into one of 18 Skill Groups, depending on your performance. You’ll now be able to play as many matches as you like, but can only queue with players within +/- 5 ranks of your own (once again, excluding a team of 5 queuing).
• Based on successes and failures, your rank will be adjusted at the end of each match, assigning you a higher or lower Skill Group if necessary. The mechanics behind this are still unclear, but the surest way to improve is by winning as a team.
• Play no matches for a month and your Skill Group will disappear, requiring a win or draw to return it. Again, you’ll no longer be able to play with ranks above Master Guardian 1 until you’ve earned it back.

Rank distribution

CSGOStats, an independent analysis website provides a breakdown of the rank distribution, showing the percentage of active players in each rank over a day, week or month. This data is collected through randomly sampled matches, so extending the catchment period to a month gives a good idea of how the ranks spread out.

In the sample above we can that the average rank is Gold Nova 3, with around 35% of all players sampled in the Gold Nova bracket. If you’ve earned your way to Legendary Eagle, congrats, you’re in the top 5% of matchmaking players. In fact, you might be even higher than you think. The site’s random sampling technique means that because higher ranked players will, in general, play the game more often, they are disproportionately likely to be sampled. But what does each rank actually mean, and how does the game determine where to place you?

Elo and Glicko-2

Unsurprisingly, Valve has kept incredibly tight-lipped when it comes to the inner workings of its games, for fear that some players might game the system itself, prioritising their own progression over the success of their team. But back in 2015, a Valve employee let slip that CS:GO initially based its matchmaking on the Glicko-2 ranking system, though it has since been adapted and improved, involving some heavy modifications. 

Chances are you’ve heard of Elo ranking. Designed for player vs player competitions such as chess, each combatant is assigned a number to represent their rank. The difference between two competitor’s numbers indicates the expected outcome of the match, with the victor claiming points from the loser. Should the player of higher rank win, he’ll take significantly fewer points than the lower player would, outcome reversed.

Since the adoption of Elo, many variations have been designed to combat some of the system’s flaws. Glicko-2 is one such alternative, assigning a Ratings Deviation (RD) around a base number. A player’s Match Making Rank (MMR) then becomes a range (e.g. [1000-2000]), rather than a single number (e.g. 1500). This improves accuracy; the system can then say it knows a player’s rank will lie within this bracket to a 95% certainty. The better the system knows your real rank, the smaller this range will be. Glicko-2 also takes into account a player’s 'volatility,' how much a rank is expected to fluctuate over time (increased through erratic performances, decreased through consistency).

However, despite Glicko-2 being an open system, clear limitations stop it from applying directly to CS:GO. Both Elo and Glicko were designed with 1v1 competition in mind. In a 5v5, team-based game, far more factors come into play. An individual player’s impact on a game is a difficult thing to judge. Sure, one player can earn four kills in a round, but that may only be because of an ally securing the bomb-plant, or placing a well-timed flash. From K/D ratios to MVPs, performance statistics are varied, and Valve has said nothing about how they’re taken into account with regards to rank. In response to this silence, some players have their own theories on how CS:GO’s ranking system works.

Player theories

Back in 2014, Steam user RetriButioN posted a lengthy record of his experience ranking up multiple accounts. He's since updated the guide, acknowledging that all claims are based purely off his own anecdotal evidence, but it makes for an interesting read regardless. He proposes that ranking is determined on a round-by-round basis, adjusting all players involved to redetermine the expected winner. This method could explain why players sometimes rank up on a lost game, given a close scoreline. The chances of this occurring are extremely low, but multiple players have reported unexpected changes in rank—see Infamous_Blue’s comment here as an example. However, these cannot act as hard evidence for a round-by-round system, as external factors (e.g. previous games being removed due to a detected cheater) can also influence your ranking during a match. These outside events are more likely to explain especially bizarre claims like deranking after a 16-0 win.

RetriButioN also goes on to claim that, aside from winning and losing the round, MVPs are the only factor to affect your ranking score. The logic behind this and the guide came from the use of console command, 'developer 1,' which revealed a ranking number that changed based on rounds and MVPs. However, Valve has dispelled this claim, confirming that files stored on the user-end no longer affect ranking. However, if MVPs previously played a role, there’s chance that they still do. Recently, reddit user dob_bobbs shared his own thoughts, covering the workings of the Glicko-2 system and suggesting that a high volatility may limit the loss or gain of points. The logic behind this is that a player may have an unusual bad patch or lucky streak, not indicative of their true skill, meaning that time to establish the trend is needed.

What we know for certain

With many fan theories floating around, it can be easy to get lost down a rabbithole of guesswork, but there are some key takeaways from what’s been learned. 

A wide number of factors affect your ranking, and it’s all stored by Valve.“All computations are performed on our matchmaking backend and multiple matchmaking parameters describing scientific set of rating variables of a player are represented to players as [their rank],” posted vitaliy_valve in response to RetriButioN’s guide. No matter how much data mining someone claims to have done, they cannot know the details of the matchmaking system. With a number of variables in effect, it’s better to focus on winning the game than arguing over factors like who gets to defuse the bomb, even if someone tells you otherwise.

The more games you’ve played, the harder it will be to change your rank.The nature of Glicko-2’s Rating Deviation means that the longer you play at a particular level, the more precisely the game will believe it has determined your appropriate rank. With a smaller RD, larger jumps in your MMR become improbable. If you’ve ever seen a popular streamer or Youtuber attempt to rank an account from Silver 1 to Global, you’ll notice that it usually takes a long time to progress during the Silver stages. This happens because the account has been intentionally deranked by a player losing repeated games on purpose. During this time, the rating system will believe it has obtained a good idea of the player’s true rank, and therefore responds slowly to subsequent victories. This isn’t to say you’ll never be able to climb the levels again. Given consistent hard work and competition with those above your level, your RD will widen again, allowing greater steps up.

A hiatus will reduce your rank’s certainty, but often leads to degradation.Quit playing CS:GO for a month, and you’ll find your skill group has vanished, requiring a draw or win to earn it back. If you stop playing for longer, there’s a good chance you’ll return at a different rank than before. It has often been suggested that MMR decays over time when inactive, but again it’s tough to find evidence to back this up. The most probable cause for degradation comes from increases in Rating Deviation. 

The longer it has been since your last match, the less certain the game can be of your level, which means you could be matched against players of a wider skill range than you would normally. If you’re in the upper half of the skill groups, you’re more likely to be matched against those lower than you due to the larger pool of players. However, if you find your rank has dropped then it’s best not to worry, as your increased RD should allow faster recovery.

Joining the small trend of 'roleplaying game NPCs made into full games' we've seen in games like Tavern Tycoon, Punch Club studio Lazy Bear Games has announced its next project, Graveyard Keeper, which it proudly proclaims as "the most inaccurate medieval cemetery management sim of the year." As the head of a fledgling fantasy burial ground, you'll have to find ways to cut costs, keep the customers coming, do "whatever it takes to build a thriving business."   

And we're not just talking about keeping your payroll down. Hot dogs attract visitors, but wieners cost money—maybe there's some other "resource" lying around that could do the job? Or perhaps you're a big believer in the environment: Why waste all those... well, "resources," when they could be put to better use (sold) elsewhere? 

People have to make a living, right? 

As a proper fantasy management sim, you'll also be able to explore the surrounding countryside, including mysterious dungeons, collect resources (like, actual resources) and ingredients, and craft new items that may nor may not pose a danger to your neighbors. Hold witch-burning festivals. Scare the locals into going to church. Make money—whatever it takes.

Graveyard Keeper is currently slated for release in the summer. Before that, there will be an alpha test that you can sign up for at graveyardkeeper.com.

Wonder isn’t dead. Despite having easy access to infinite knowledge from a dirty phone whose battery life is never enough, PCs capable of rendering individual hair follicles on brainless space marines, and the frozen treats section at Trader Joe's, I can still get all teary-eyed over a nice view. Set some moving synth music to it, and phew, you got me. 

Google Earth VR is Inspirational Crane Shot: The Game, where you’re given free reign of Google’s global imaging data across a simulated Earth, and set loose. Most impressive is how Google uses terrain and imaging data in coordination with some magic Silicon Valley math to render mountains, valleys, and even individual trees and buildings—to magic math’s best ability, that is. 

From a bird’s eye view, seeing four walls and roof on every house in San Francisco or London is pretty astounding. I feel like Superman, peering down at a real place, even if it’s not exactly to scale until you’re right on the street.

Down and dirty

And street level is where things get wack. Every object looks like it was rendered circa 1995, and then corrupted by a maniacal AI bent on eliminating the human race by luring them into a venus fly trap recreation of our reality. Everything is normal here, in low-res San Francisco where no people live and the cars are fused with the ground. Trees billow like toxic clouds, buildings sport messy polygonal appendages, and Google’s Magic math turns power lines and shadows into abstract sculptures. It’s not exactly pretty, but it’s still just familiar enough to tap into your memories of a place, like a dream you’re trying to remember. And in that way, Google Earth VR is powerful, especially given the implication that their data and algorithms will improve, and VR headsets will someday become advanced enough to mirror our eyes’ ability to see . 

As of now, only major cities and a few national parks have been given the 3D treatment, but in time we could all be esteemed world travelers, minus the whole human cultural experience. 

The better VR games, like Chronos and Hover Junkers, have come and gone before the platform has even found its footing. I can always go back, but they're beginning to feel dated. Google Earth VR, as awful as it can look now, is built to grow with the platform. It's only going to get better, which isn't something we can always say of videogames, let alone the real world. For that alone, it would hold my interest for years to come, but it's already intensely strange and curious. 

Dibs on VR Everest, by the way. Canada, too. And wherever they filmed Jaws. Nice beach. 

In response to loud and long complaints about the new Essence currency in its free-to-play hero shooter Paladins, Hi-Rez Studios said today that it will modify the system by reducing the cost of Legendary cards from 18,000 to 12,000 Essence, increasing the amount of Essence granted by duplicate Common cards from 60 to 250, and upping the amount of Essence given to players for performing tasks in the game. 

Essence, as we covered yesterday, is now used instead of Gold to unlock Legendary and loadout cards. But the cost is tremendously high, and the rate at which Essence is doled out so low, that making any sort of real progress through the game without dropping cash on it is effectively impossible. Nor is dropping cash any guarantee of success, because all you can buy are temporary boosters or chests, which are subject to the vagaries of RNG. As one unhappy player put it, "spending money wont get you ahead, unless you spend a fortune."   

The changes are meant to alleviate the need to blow cash on the game to gain access to the good stuff, particularly for newcomers. Veteran players were allowed to keep any Legendaries they'd accumulated prior to the rollout of the Essence currency, but newbies are going into it completely empty-handed, which puts them at a serious disadvantage.   

"We are committed to ensuring new players can earn the cards they want at a very reasonable pace and get rewarded for the time they put into the game. As such, in a future patch we will begin granting 1000 Essence for each achievement earned, and will be retroactively granting Essence for achievements earned when that change goes live. We will also be adding new achievements in a future patch for new players that provide a boost in Essence—an example might be 'Build your first custom loadout' which will provide 12,000 Essence," Hi-Rez said. "Additionally, we will be increasing the First Win of the Day (FWOTD) reward Gold from 300g to 450g which can be obtained 3 times daily." 

The studio said that anyone who purchased Legendary cards at the old price will be given a refund for the difference. It also apologized for the delay in getting out Radiant Chest refunds for changes in the Mastery Rewards system in OB44, explaining that its servers are simply unable to cope with the strain of opening all those chests at once. Hi-Rez has thus decided to hand out Essence directly at a rate of 2250 per owed chest, a process it said should be completed by the end of today. 

"In the coming updates, we will be evaluating Legendary card balance and making adjustments to bring them all in line," Hi-Rez said. "We appreciate your continued feedback on this system as we move towards a further balanced state!" 

Patch notes for the next update, OB45, are expected to be ready for reveal next week. 

You may have held off from picking up Call of Duty's latest annual instalment following Tyler's lukewarm review last year. After awarding Infinite Warfare a paltry score of 48, he labelled it "a beautiful action movie that punishes improvisation, with under-populated multiplayer that can’t compete with a nine-year-old game." But if you fancy giving it a go and arriving at your own conclusions, know that it's free to try this weekend. 

From right this minute through Sunday 1pm PT/9pm GMT, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare is free on Steam, and, if you like what you see, is discounted thereafter. Until 10am PT/6pm GMT on March 2, the interstellar shooter is half price—meaning you can take to the wargrounds of space for £19.99/$29.99 during that time.  

A quick glance at the game's Steam reviews suggests players feel similar to Tyler (Mixed overall, and Mostly Negative recent), however it's still nice to trial something free-of-charge. Head in this direction if you fancy that. 

As noted in the strap line above, action fighter Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja STORM 4 is also in for similar free-to-download treatment this weekend—keeping the same now-through-Sunday schedule. 

Ultimate Ninja STORM 4 is also subject to a 50 percent reduction—going for £12.49/$14.99—however this one only lasts through Monday, February 27 at 10am PT/6pm GMT. The Naruto games are certainly an acquired taste, however overall Steam reviews are clocking in as 'Mostly Positive.' Again, free is free if you fancy giving it a whirl—head this way for more on that. 

Four hours ago, I mugged a homeless old man for his battered DVD player. I didn’t even need to: he would’ve handed it over for a hot drink. But the only shop in town that sells proper, Turkish coffee—he’s fussy, apparently—is on the other side of town, and I needed the tech sharpish. 

"I won’t forget what you’ve done here today," he says, "and you shouldn’t either." A comment I’d pay no notice to in any other game. But in Shadowrun: Dragonfall, it’s the kind of thing that festers at the back of your mind. From that moment on, I’m constantly getting pangs of guilt thinking about Schrotty Buchman, the old man who lives in a junkyard in Berlin, cobbling together scrap just to get by.

In fact, my character, a sharp-talking elf, has turned into a bit of a monster. I’ve shipped a cyberzombie—a troll horribly mutated into a killing machine—to a morally shady organisation just to get a few extra Nuyen in my pocket, when I could’ve put the poor thing out of its misery. I’ve sold the names and addresses of members of a political organisation to anonymous bidders through a pay phone, and I’ve put a bullet in the head of an innocent, unarmed man just because the goons that hired me told me to. "That’s a little cold, boss," Dietrich, one of my companions, says.

Each time, I’ve felt genuine remorse. Other RPGs give you tough choices, but Dragonfall makes them tougher than any other I’ve played. It’s got more heart and more atmosphere than most AAA titles, thanks to its blunt, poetic writing.

That writing has made me feel a part of Dragonfall’s dystopian vision. I’ve been able to justify all the terrible things I’ve done by pointing to my ultimate goal: I need to raise money as quickly as possible to pay an information broker for details about Feuerschwinge, a human-dragon hybrid about to wreak havoc on war-torn Germany.

I’ve just finished one of the crucial missions, blowing up the HQ of the world’s second largest corporation, Aztechnology. If I’m bad, then they’re worse: they’re cloning humans, in vats, to conduct blood magic experiments. I’m feeling pretty good about myself, and I’ve now got enough money to mount my final assault. 

I head back to the safehouse and flick on the computer. One unread message. It’s from Maliit, a blue-haired dwarf who’s been rescuing corrupted DVDs to help piece together the story. "I’ve recovered one last DVD for you," it reads. "Actually, that’s a lie. I was forced to subcontract." 

And who could this mysterious subcontractor be? Who else? "Schrotty is very good with old things such as this. All credit where it’s due." 

I run back to the scrapyard to find the old man, to apologise, to help him find a new DVD player, to buy him a coffee—anything. He’s still there, but his back is turned, and I can’t talk to him. It’s too late. My chance has gone. A story in just two scenes has had more impact on me than other games’ entire plotlines. 

Well played, Dragonfall.

For more on the EU West, EU East, North American and South American teams of the Kiev Major, click here.

As the snow melts in the north, Dota 2 fans’ eyes shift towards western Europe, anxious but excited for Valve’s upcoming Kiev Major—and more importantly for now, for the invites to the LAN that are yet to be sent.

This tournament is one of two events sponsored by Valve in the time between the annual International. These Majors offer $1 million to the winning team and a guaranteed spot at the next event so long as the team’s lineup remains locked in. The Kiev Major is also, notably, the first official event in the CIS region, which is known for its large population of players and fans. 

The invite process for the Major isn’t always clear, but Valve's commitment to including as much talent per region as possible is. The number of direct invites, or teams guaranteed to appear at the LAN event itself, has remained pretty inconsistent - even for their top-level events. For those that aren’t directly invited but worthy of consideration, there are also regional qualifier invites, where invited teams from several regions fight for a spot at the event. Within those are also the open invites in which any team - yes, even you and your recent MOBA converts - may participate for a chance at a spot in the regional qualifiers. Open qualifier teams have certainly gotten far: Peruvian team Unknown.Xiu was present at 2015’s fall Frankfurt Major, and some teams, suffering from shuffle deadlines, have had to fight back to the top - specifically for TI6.  

In part one of this primer, we'll discuss about two of these regions: China and Southeast Asia. Each of these Eastern areas are hotspots for Dota 2 competition, with a large number of in-houses in the Chinese community and a fierce, dedicated circuit of Filipinos, Malaysians, Singaporeans, and more fighting across the isles.

Much will be settled after StarSeries Season 3 this upcoming weekend, where many of these teams will fight it out. The Dota Asian Championships’ recently-finished qualifying rounds may be an indicator for who’s strong at the moment, as only four teams were actually invited, and the rest needed to fight in similar regional qualifiers. Valve is surely keeping their eyes on these results as open and regional qualifiers draw near.

In this first part of two previews, we’ll peek at who in the East to look out for during the Kiev Major’s invite process.  

China

As always, the Chinese Dota 2 scene remains highly competitive. The most recent international showing was at ESL Genting, where Newbee took out TI6 champions Wings. The latter was also knocked out fairly early in the Boston Major, and so Valve may not be keen to give them a direct invite. Meanwhile, Newbee has been giving a strong showing in the scene, and so they may be under consideration. If not Newbee, then perhaps IG.Vitality will have a shot: the team qualified for SL and will show their chops this weekend. 

Also strong in the running at SL is the VG.J team, endorsed by honorary captain Jeremy Lin, which also qualified for DAC and is participating in Starladder this weekend.

IG’s primary team may certainly be under consideration as well, as they won the second Chinese spot in the DAC. While their tournament results aren’t spectacular, their appearances are fairly consistent, and it would only be fair to hand an invite.

Many other teams in the Chinese scene have faced roster swaps and mild performances, including Boston Major teams LGD.Fy and their main LGD squad, and haven’t shown up in international settings. Still, Valve likely has at least once source keeping their eye on the in-house and Chinese circuits, and so the slots will certainly be filled with a tightly-packed open qualifier round.

Southeast Asia

A label of “underdog” isn’t quite fitting for teams of SEA, but they’re often treated as such. With a bad reputation from public game behavior and connectivity issues, much of the community underestimates the power of this region, despite regularly consistent performances in official and/or major international tournaments.

For instance, Malaysian Warriors Gaming Unity took a 5th-8th place finish in Boston and have showed consistent top results in a number of tier 2 tournaments. However, their local rivals Faceless have been a constant presence in major tournaments, placing among the top international teams, especially impressive for their short existence. The two teams will likely be top contestants for a direct invite, and the other will certainly put up a fight in regionals.

After two major fall shuffles, Execration, hailing from fan-packed Philippines, seems to be doing well after recently curing three out of their five TI squad members. Showing consistent strength, TNC most recently won WESG and qualified for the upcoming SL tournament, and so they’ll more likely than not fight for a Kiev spot too.

Execration had been a regional powerhouse and received a direct invite to Boston, though they were tragically unable to participate due to visa issues. However, they won’t be appearing in Starladder nor DAC, and thus they won’t be able to show their strength. There’s a good chance Valve will give them another chance through the regional qualifiers, given their stellar reputation and massive Filipino fan base. 

Also from the Philippines is esports organization Mineski, which has two squads, GG and X. Mineski.GG has had consistent top results in regional tournaments, and the latter has certainly been training. If Valve had to choose between the two, GG would certainly make the cut, though there may be room for both. 

Normally, at least one iteration of Korean org MVP is given an invite, considering the respect shown for the country’s esports history and the consistent showing of the org at Valve events. However, their more renown Dota 2 team, MVP.Phoenix, split after Boston, and MVP.Hot6 hasn’t been given a chance to shine yet. Depending on whether Valve has their eye on other regional teams, they may have to fight through open qualifiers, but there’s no doubt that there’s potential in this team, given the mix of experience present.

The region’s most famous team, Fnatic, has had some rocky times lately. After failing to qualify for Boston, which was captured in Valve’s True Sight documentary, captain Mushi left, as did many of their other members. It’s unknown if the org will pick up another group before at least the open qualifiers, but it leaves fans both local and international shaken for now. 

Fortunately for Valve and regional fans, SEA has no shortage of teams aiming for the win. In other words, even if any of the above teams don’t make it, there are squads such as Geek Fam, Clutch Gamers and HappyFeet with extremely limited experience but solid potential to keep an eye on. If nothing else, these open qualifiers will certainly be entertaining.