• Pings -> Upgraded most ping SFX to use new sci-fi sounds.
  
• Species Avatars -> Replaced AI-generated placeholders with human and alien icons.
  
• Diplomacy Panel -> Has new sci-fi holographic SFX, instead of a repetitive typewriter sound.
  
• Colony Siege -> When colony is occupied, some buildings are demolished.

• Ubiquity -> Asteroid fields no longer spawns in systems with multiple stars.

• Game Events -> 'Asteroid Appears' may happen every 25 in-game years instead of 50.

• Fix: Ubiquity Inspector -> New black holes don't appear correctly.
  
• Fix: Ubiquity -> Cinematic Mode Lens -> Does not hide starbase labels.
  
• Fix: Ping -> Does not have click/hover SFX.
  
• Fix: Fleet -> Merge and Split -> Duplicates fleets with large numbers (12 gunboats became 14).
  
• Fix: Main Menu -> Steam details not displaying.
  
• Fix: Fleet -> Splitting fleet with five ships creates a sixth ship.
  
• Fix: Fleet -> Merge and Split -> Copies the same name over and over.
  
• Fix: Built -> Interaction Manager -> Sometimes visualized hyperlanes remain.
  
• Fix: Ubiquity -> Ship branding not working for crimson ships.
  
• Fix: Load Save -> Does not work and requires game reload.
  
• Fix: Starbase Order Manager -> Designate Dock completed instantly.
  
• Fix: Starbase Designation -> Takes no time.

• Remove: Old Avatars -> Replaced with human created avatars.
  - Note: Previous saves will have empty avatars.

Greetings, video game enthusiasts!

The time allotted for the update is upon us, and with a heavy heart, we must inform you of a delay in development. With each passing day, the quantity and quality of the content we wanted to present to you increased, and with that, our actual deadline was pushed back. Thus, we have decided to move the scheduled update time by 10 days to exactly one month after the launch!

With respect for the players,
Extela Games

Defense Matrix – Text Chat Changes, Stopping Cheating, and Improving Reporting

In our latest update to our Defense Matrix initiative, we’re sharing new changes to make the Overwatch 2 experience fun and fair.

Hello heroes! We’re back with news from the Defense Matrix team, covering our latest efforts to bring a positive and fair gameplay experience to Overwatch 2. We've been taking big steps to help discourage and remove disruptive behavior and cheating and wanted to share more details with you.

Hold on, what is Defense Matrix?  We’re glad you asked! Defense Matrix is the name for our collection of efforts to quell the cheating, disruptive chat, and griefing issues that negatively impact many multiplayer video games, including Overwatch 2.  These efforts are the product of a dedicated task force of developers, researchers, and community experts, all working to improve our existing systems while finding new ways to counter disruptive behaviors.

Guided by two core principles, we strive to keep Overwatch 2 a positive player experience. The first is Fair is Fun, meaning all players should have the same level playing field when it comes to the game. The second is to foster a Safe and Inclusive Social Experience, working to prevent and discourage disruptive and unwanted behaviors from players.

Text chat is one of the most basic ways players communicate with each other in-game. Previously, there were three text chat settings: Unfiltered, which did not have any restrictions, Mature, which allowed for more “adult” common language, and Friendly, which removed any words identified as obscene, vulgar, or offensive.  Starting this season, we are removing the Unfiltered text chat option from the social menu, since this allowed harmful language and phrases that have no place in our community.

We recommend you use the Friendly setting if you want to avoid seeing inappropriate and disruptive language that we commonly filter. All new players start with this as their default text chat setting.

The Mature text chat option permits some vulgar words commonly seen in open communication in any team-based online game that, in many cases, are considered acceptable when not used to insult or harass other players. Players who had their text chat filter set to Unfiltered have been moved to Mature.

Regardless of which setting you decide to use, it’s never acceptable for anyone to direct disruptive chat toward other players, no matter what language is used. Our filters are constantly updating, but so is the online culture lexicon. If you see anyone using any offensive language that is not being filtered, or anyone working around our filters using altered or misspelled text, please report them in-game for disruptive communication. For all platforms, you can find the report option in the social menu. If you play on a PC, you can also right-click the username directly in text chat.
We’ve talked previously about our use of machine-learning algorithms to help identify, transcribe, and verify reports of disruptive voice chat. We’re proud to have this running effectively in most regions, and we’ll continue rolling this out worldwide in all in-game supported languages. We've seen this technology correct negative behavior immediately, with many players improving their disruptive behavior after their first warning.

Your reports make a difference! If you encounter disruptive voice chat, please report it as quickly as possible, as this increases the likelihood that the disruptive voice chat is captured, transcribed, confirmed, and appropriately actioned.
Names matter. What we choose to call ourselves in-game is an important part of playing the fantasy we want. But sometimes they can be disruptive too. We’re working on quickly identifying and removing inappropriately named custom games and BattleTags.

If you encounter inappropriate custom games, please report them directly via the mode’s information panel. Custom Games deemed inappropriate will be removed and cannot be created the same way again, and actions will be taken on accounts that maliciously post inappropriate Custom Games.

Along the same lines of inappropriate naming, utilizing user-generated content features like Custom Games to advertise services violates our in-game Code of Conduct. In effort to get rid of such cases, we’re increasing the requirement for new accounts to be able to name Custom Games up to 25 unranked or arcade games played.
Cheaters are never fun to play with, and we have a zero-tolerance policy toward cheating and botting in Overwatch 2.  Since Overwatch 2’s launch, we’ve detected and banned over 250,000 accounts for cheating.

We’re continuously refining our anti-cheat detection and prevention systems to strengthen the game against cheating and botting. Your reports help us identify new cheat programs as well as cheating players, so please keep reporting!
We’ve previously shared that we take action on accounts that conspicuously group with cheaters in an attempt to benefit from the cheating. Already, we’ve suspended and banned thousands of accounts verified as grouping with cheaters. The rollout of this system in regional tests has proven successful, and we’ll be expanding to new regions worldwide.

If you see something suspicious, please continue to report the cheaters and not others on the cheater’s team. Once the cheater is correctly identified, we’ll take action on the players grouped with the cheater separately as necessary.

Okay, but does my reporting really matter? Yes! It’s important to report disruptive behavior as you see it. Along with our continued development of the Defense Matrix, your reports help verify consistently disruptive players, as well as help us to identify emerging trends in disruptive behavior as the culture in online games continues to evolve.  And to make sure you know just how important your report is, we’re working to improve timely feedback on your reports, such as providing more consistent log-in notifications when your reports result in successful actions against misconduct. When you see that notification, a player you reported has been actioned for their disruptive behavior so that you can see the positive impact of your reporting. Keep up the good work!

Thank you, heroes, for your continued efforts to help us keep Overwatch 2 a fun and fair game for everyone to play!

Greetings, brave champions! In this spotlight, we dive deep into the mystic waters of the East, where the Dragon God Ryujin reigns supreme. With his legendary jewels, Manju and Kanju, he commands the very essence of the sea. These jewels are yours to wield, and they will empower you to cleanse the battlefield of the Dominion Forces with the might of the ocean itself. Let's explore the awe-inspiring gifts bestowed upon you by the Dragon King and his jewels:



Upon invoking this celestial gift, you conjure a swirling zone of water around you. This aqueous vortex periodically damages any nearby enemies, enveloping them in the cleansing power of the sea. As you move through the battlefield, the Dominion Forces will feel the tide of your wrath, washing over them like a relentless wave.



With this jewel’s power, the water zone expands, amplifying its reach and influence. Enemies caught within this area face the full force of your aquatic onslaught. Additionally, the Jewel of Manju grants you a one-time boost in movement speed, allowing you to swiftly maneuver through the battlefield.



The Jewel of Kanju enhances your control over the waves. It increases the chance of hitting enemies multiple times, ensuring that no Dominion Forces escape the deluge of your assault. Furthermore, it allows the waves to carry the potential of on-hit effects, delivering additional punishment to your foes.


Harness the power of the Dragon King's jewels to become a force of nature on the battlefield. Cleanse your surroundings with Ryujin's Aura, expand your reach with the Jewel of Manju, and unleash devastating multi-hit attacks with the Jewel of Kanju. The Dominion Forces will soon learn that when the sea rises, so does the tide of your power.

Stay tuned for more celestial gift spotlights as we unveil the diverse array of powers you can wield in Champion Shift!

Hey everyone!

I’m super excited to announce that 2 new creature games are in development and are wishlist-able on Steam! To help fund development, I also developed a new website with an official creature-branded merchandise store!

Forge an army of creatures to defeat your opponents in epic battles across distant lands! Duel against your friends online, or conquer the campaign to unlock new parts that upgrade your creatures' stats and abilities. Will you emerge victorious?
https://playcreature.com/creature-battle-simulator
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2489760/Creature_Battle_Simulator

Design an ecosystem and watch your creatures evolve through millions of years by means of natural selection. See them fight for survival and produce offspring which share their genes… occasionally mutating to form monstrosities! What will your creature’s final-stage of evolution be?
https://playcreature.com/creature-evolution-simulator
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2561380/Creature_Evolution_Simulator

To help fund the development of these new games, I have developed a new website with an official merchandise store! If you want these games to become a reality then this is the best way to show your support!
https://playcreature.com/merch


Another big release (which probably deserves its own announcement) is the Education Edition of Creature Creator! Similarly to Minecraft and Roblox, Creature Creator now has an educational edition! This version includes everything from the original, but now enables devices on the same local network to connect to one another, and is available for half the original price as a special discount for schools.
https://playcreature.com/creature-creator/#educate


Thank you all for your continued support! This has been a massive undertaking, but I'm very excited about the future of the CREATURE franchise!

Cheers,
Daniel

Hello Everyone,

We are happy to report that the DOKAPON KINGDOM CONNECT - NEPTUNIA RE;BIRTH bundle is now visible on the Dokapon Kingdom: Connect Steam page. Fans can get an additional 5% off Dokapon Kingdom: Connect on top of the 15% off launch discount if they have Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth1 on their Steam library.

You can also head to the link below to check out the bundle:
https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/34290/Dokapon_Kingdom_Connect__Neptunia_ReBirth1/

Thanks for your patience and we hope you enjoy the kingdom of Dokapon!

Best,
Team IFI

🪐Prime Cosmic Bundle💫
This month's new bundle includes:

• "Prime Directive" Spitfire Turret
  
• "Meteorite" Drop Pod

Grab the bundle here. Let us know what you think!

Star Knight: Order of the Vortex is a rogue-lite, shoot-em-up made to give you fun and interesting decisions and test you skill in action-packed, bullet-hell gameplay. Choose your crew, upgrade your ship, and explore the unknown depths of the Vortex.

As the Solo Developer of Void Knight Games, watch me play the game, chat, or ask questions.

Fixed bug in the "Restart" option on end screen