Latest news with #Knull
Geek Feed
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Feed
Marvel Rivals Reveals The Next Two Heroes for Third Season: The Abyss Awakens
Season 3 is officially coming to Marvel Rivals , and with that comes the reveal of two new incoming heroes for what is dubbed The Abyss Awakens . Just in, we have a new preview, and it reveals the long-awaited Blade as well as X-Man Jean Grey a.k.a. Phoenix. Check this out: Here's the official description: In the wake of the Timestream Entanglement, Knull stirs deep within Klyntar's core, stretching his shadowed hands across the cosmos. Power promised by the dark symbiote god beckons the awakening of a new queen. The Phoenix arrives from across the stars to erase Klyntar before the darkness can rise again! However, she'll require unlikely aid from a warrior of two worlds who lives to fight against the tide of night. As the god of the symbiotes and the Phoenix Force collide, will you burn with the light of creation or embrace the darkness? Blade has been seen resting in Wakanda for a while, so a lot of people are pretty happy to see him actually be up and about. As for Jean, she wasn't the first hero I would guess would be coming next, but she does tease the arrival of other X-Men soon. Looking at the main villain of the season though, Knull is one of the newer comic creations, but his status as the Father of Symbiotes is essentially the reason why several heroes like Captain America, Squirrel Girl, Rocket, and Jeff are getting Venom-themed skins. We don't know if everyone in the roster is getting one, but it definitely fits the stage of Klyntar, the planet of the symbiotes and Knull's homeworld (or more accurately prison). Season 3 of Marvel Rivals launches for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on July 11.
CNET
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CNET
Marvel Rivals Season 3 Banks on Blade, Phoenix, Shorter Seasons Restoring Excitement to the Hero Shooter
Marvel Rivals is gearing up for the start of season 3 next week, and we got our first look at some of the upcoming changes, including glimpses at the two new fan-favorite Marvel heroes, Phoenix (Jean Grey) and Blade. The season trailer also heavily teased that the villain Knull might be making his way to the game in future seasons. Season 3 is a major turning point for the hero shooter, marking the start of its new two-month seasons and the start of the era where we'll be getting new heroes every month (one at the start of the season and one at midseason). Previously, seasons were about three months long, with new heroes coming out roughly every six weeks. The new cadence is an aggressive pace for expanding the game's roster and threatens to keep the metagame churning even faster, assuming those new heroes are relevant at launch. It's once again a high-stakes season for Rivals, which has been bleeding active players since launch. Based on SteamDB data, the start of each new half-season brings in fewer players than the previous (e.g. fewer players joined for season 2.5 than for 2.0). More concerningly, even the the start of each half-season doesn't bring in enough players to reach the lowest point from a full season ago: Season 2.0's peak count of 315,000 sits below season 1.0's low point of 331,000 players, and season 2.5's peak of 190,000 is just below the season 1.5 valley of 196,000. That means the start of new seasons -- the most exciting moments for the game -- are losing their ability to bring in new players or bring old players back. Steam numbers don't include console players, but it's difficult to imagine the story there looking much different. Rivals is probably hoping that the official launch of two long-awaited heroes and a faster seasonal rotation will reverse that trend. Here's everything we know about Marvel Rivals season 3.0 so far. When does season 3 start? Marvel Rivals season 3.0 is scheduled to start on Friday, July 11 UTC. Typically, this involves servers going down for a few hours around midnight PT before being turned back on for the new season in the very early morning. Marvel/Screenshot by Adam Benjamin New Marvel Rivals heroes It's finally happening! After half a year of being rumored additions to the roster, Jean Grey and Blade are officially joining the party. Jean Grey, wielding the powerful Phoenix Force, joins at season start. While we'll have to wait another day for a hero trailer to see her kit and abilities, the devs teased Phoenix's AOE damage through a chain-reaction mechanic and her mobility. They also said that Phoenix's ultimate deals massive damage and gets rid of enemy summons on the battlefield -- great news if you're facing down any combination of Namor's turrets, Moon Knight's ankhs, Peni's nests and Rocket's beacon (the latter of which have a team-up together). Rivals continues to make Blade fans wait, as that hero won't be added to the roster until season 3.5. But at least that's only a month away under the new season structure. Rivals season 3 balance changes Rivals devs gave us a quick breakdown of the upcoming balance changes, though we're still waiting on full details from official patch notes. Here's the quick breakdown, with any confirmed details in parentheses. Buffs: Venom Thing (gains a new ability to jump to enemies, possibly knocking down fliers) Namor (primary fire) Scarlet Witch (ultimate) Invisible Woman (healing efficiency) Mantis (healing and ultimate utility) Nerfs: Emma Frost Iron Man (poke potential) Punisher (turret) Mister Fantastic (survivability) Loki (ultimate charge) Ultron Phoenix adds some literal firepower to Wolverine's attacks with the new team-up. Marvel/Screenshot by Adam Benjamin Team-up changes Rivals is adding two new team-ups, tacking heroes onto two existing ones and removing two others (Storming Ignition and ESU Alumnus) from the game. It's also nerfing another. Here's the quick rundown: New -- Primal Flame: Phoenix anchors to add damage over time and lifesteal to Wolverine's attacks after his leap. New -- Ever-Burning Bond: Human Torch anchors to let Spider-Man shoot a burning web with a flaming tracer. (The flaming tracer stacks with Spidey's regular tracers, devs said.) Updated -- Symbiote Shenanigans: Adds Hela, giving her Soul Drainer Hel Sphere slowing tendrils. Updated -- Stark Protocol: Adds Squirrel Girl, giving her an explosive, homing gauntlet. Updated -- Guardian Revival: Devs said they'd be nerfing some element of the Guardians' team-up. Other things coming in season 3 The battle pass is getting some adjustments to account for shorter seasons. Battle passes still offer 10 skins, but you'll earn tokens at a faster rate to make it easier to progress through the entire battle pass in the shorter time period. Daily missions are also going away, with weekly missions shifting to permanent quests instead of being time-limited. Seasonal missions that offer large batches of tokens are also being added. Rivals devs also announced a new competitive mode coming in season 3.5 but said we'd have to wait for any details about it. The game is also adding accessories (which appear to be animated stickers that float above the KO notifications), new chroma options and visual effects for ultimate abilities. Perhaps the nicest quality of life change is the ability to mix & match MVP animations with any skins, instead of having certain MVP animations locked to specific skins.
Gizmodo
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
The Next ‘Marvel Rivals' Update Will Feel the Fury of the Phoenix Force
Marvel Rivals might be moving on from Krakoa for its new season, but that doesn't mean mutants are leaving the spotlight: Jean Grey is the latest X-Men superstar to join the game's roster of playable characters in a new spacebound season, alongside the arrival of the long-awaited Blade. Netease confirmed the theme for Rivals' third season in a new trailer released today, which will focus on Venom's homeworld Klyntar and the rise of Knull, the creator of the symbiote race, as he transforms Hela into his 'Queen in Black' in a bid to grow his influence across the cosmos. But of course, a vast cosmic being like the Phoenix Force doesn't take too kindly to that sort of thing, and dispatches Jean Grey to the world to purify it in flame—with a little help from a vampiric ally. Blade, while less of a surprise than Phoenix, is still a welcome addition to Rivals roster. The character has been teased as part of the lore in the game almost since launch, with background for Rivals' first season seeing Blade captured and imprisoned by Dracula himself during a vampiric invasion of New York. Blade was even viewable on a map added into the game, and while additional story releases eventually detailed his freedom, fans have had to wait a little while for him to finally take up arms and join the Rivals lineup. Little is currently known about how Phoenix and Blade will play (the trailer teases at least that Jean will balance her fiery phoenix force abilities with her psychic powers as part of her kit), or how either character will fit into the game's Vanguard-Strategist-Dualist role triangle. With Emma Frost and Ultron bulking up the Vanguard and Strategist casts, respectively, last season, it wouldn't be too surprising to see both Phoenix and Blade grow the crew of damage-dealing duelists. Phoenix and Blade's arrivals herald a change to Rivals' approach to character and season launches that will now see the already-expansive cast of the game grow on a more regular basis. While the launch of the game and seasons one and two operated on three-month rotations, adding a new hero at the start and midway points (outside of season 1's abnormal rollout of the entire Fantastic Four), starting with season three, the game will switch to a two-month seasonal length, releasing a new hero every month. Season 3 of Marvel Rivals, 'The Abyss Awakens,' is set to launch July 11. No doubt we'll learn more about how Jean and Eric play soon. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
The Guardian
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Has Marvel shot itself in the foot by bringing superfreak Sentry into Thunderbolts*?
Is there ever a right time to introduce into your superhero universe a psychologically unstable god-being with the potential to sneeze a continent off the map? It is probably not when – 17 years in – you are being accused of having lost half your audience to superhero fatigue. But that's exactly what Marvel is doing this weekend as Thunderbolts* brings us Sentry, quite possibly the freakiest superhero to ever grace the comic book publisher's hallowed pages. You thought Rocket Raccoon was weird and unhinged? Reckon Moon Knight is a bit of a handful? This guy makes them look like well-adjusted professionals with decent pensions. Sentry first appeared in 2000 in The Sentry miniseries which offered a sort of meta-commentary on superhero mythology; the character was initially presented as a forgotten Silver Age icon, retconned into Marvel history via an elaborate in-universe memory wipe that made everyone forget he existed – including himself. A glowing, golden powerhouse with the 'power of a million exploding suns' he suffers from crippling anxiety, addiction, and the inconvenient tendency to transform into a malevolent entity known as the Void, a living embodiment of all his worst fears and impulses. Imagine Superman, if he cried after every rescue, kept forgetting he had a dog, and occasionally blacked out and levelled entire cities. In Thunderbolts*, he's initially known as Bob, a dishevelled, twitchy presence who, soon enough, finds himself plunged into the middle of Marvel's latest motley crew of antiheroes, reformed villains and government-sanctioned liabilities. Without giving too much away, it's fair to say that Sentry may end up playing a far larger role in the next phase of Marvel's cinematic sprawl than any of his teammates, if only because he has more raw power in the tip of his fingernail than the rest of them do in their combined emotional baggage. At a time when Disney would probably pay good money to stick the entire multiverse in a box and relaunch with just Iron Man and a really good trailer, Marvel has chosen instead to hand us a deity-level eccentric with apocalypse issues. For that, you have to give the studio credit, even if it's a bit like a tightrope walker setting the rope on fire just as the insurance team shows up with a clipboard. The real question here is how this is going to pan out long-term, though the smart money is on Sentry being depowered just enough to ensure he doesn't completely overwhelm the narrative of every Marvel episode he appears in. This has happened in the comics: in World War Hulk, the superhero's battle with the not-so-jolly green giant was so intense that Sentry ended up reverting to his frail human form; in King in Black, he swooped in like a golden deus ex machina, only to be torn in half mid-monologue by Knull, a symbiote god with the vibe of a heavy metal album cover. To add insult to evisceration, the Void (Sentry's destructive dark side) was absorbed into Knull's own symbiote arsenal. Will Sentry end up playing a huge part in the twin Avengers movies, Doomsday and Secret Wars, now due in 2026 and 2027? Could it even be he who decides to rip all our superheroes from their own realities and send them to Battleworld in the latter – a role originally taken in the comics by the Beyonder, and later by Doctor Doom? The superhero otherwise known as Bob Reynolds certainly has the power to shape Marvel's reality in his own image if he really wants to.
Washington Post
19-04-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
How much do you know about home inspections?
One of the most important steps home buyers can take — especially first-timers — is to have a thorough inspection before they finalize their purchase. Whether you have plenty of experience from owning a home and understanding its systems, or you've always relied on your landlord to fix any issues, it's best to know the quirks and potential problems of any property to avoid starring in your own version of the 1980s movie 'The Money Pit.' Take this quiz to see if you know what to do before, during and after a home inspection. No. 'The home inspection is an opportunity for the buyer to gain valuable insight into the condition of the home from their home inspector,' said Anslie Stokes, a Realtor with Corcoran McEnearney in Washington. 'Having the seller hovering around will not help the process. But a seller should make accessing the roof, main water shut off, break panel, etc. as clear as possible. And both the seller and listing agent should be readily available by phone for questions.' No. 'Don't be silly,' said Morgan Knull, an associate broker with RE/Max Gateway in Washington. 'A home inspection is not a license to renovate at a seller's expense.' However, Stokes said it depends on what your contract says. 'If your inspection contingency allows you to request repairs or credits in lieu of repairs then you can certainly ask, but you should likely expect pushback if the dishwasher is still functioning properly,' Stokes said. Yes 'There is generally no prohibition on asking for repair records but also generally no obligation on a seller's part to provide them,' Stokes said. 'That being said, transparency builds trust so ideally the seller would be open to providing any information that can help alleviate concerns.' Knull recommended asking the inspector to use a moisture meter to detect any active moisture presence under the sink. No 'Sometimes accessing a roof isn't a possibility for an inspector — weather, roofing types and association rules prevent us from walking many roofs,' said Andrew 'Drew' McNeill, owner of D.C. Home Authority, a home inspection service in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. 'However, that doesn't mean an inspector can't assess the roof and give valuable information as to age, type and average life expectancy.' Knull suggested that the inspector buy a drone. 'Or borrow one from a teenager,' he said. Although it may not be necessary, if your contract allows for it and you're worried about the roof, you can hire a roofing inspector or company for an additional assessment, Stokes said. No 'A good home inspection will include a review of the electrical system and note any visible defects or concerns,' Stokes said. 'It cannot, however, provide a guarantee that the house is safe to live in because the scope of the inspection is largely limited to what the inspector can visually see or test with limited tools.' On the other hand, McNeill said inspectors can get a general idea about the quality of the electrical system. 'Home inspectors cannot see through walls any better than you can, however by looking at the main panel and the sub-panels to assess wiring types and workmanship — and by testing the system — we can generate a pretty good idea as to whether the system has been updated,' McNeill said. No 'Cracks in foundations can be concerning, or not that big of a deal,' McNeill said. 'It depends upon the size and type of the crack. If it is one of concern, generally inspectors will suggest a structural engineer to come for further investigation and evaluation.' What you do next depends on how much you like the house, Knull said. 'The next step for buyers is a costly structural analysis to determine the cause and correction of the crack,' he said. No 'It's not a 'problem'; it's a discretionary home improvement that a buyer can make after a purchase,' Knull said. But, as with most home inspection issues, what you do depends on your contract. 'If your inspection contingency allows you to request repairs or credits in lieu of repairs, then you can certainly ask for the seller to insulate these pipes,' Stokes said. 'But all repairs or credits for repairs are generally negotiable between the buyer and the seller. It's unlikely that the seller 'must' make this repair unless they want to satisfy the buyer so the contract does not become void.' No 'Windows not latching are something that we come across all the time, particularly in homes with historic windows, but what is or is not a dealbreaker for anyone is a highly personal issue,' McNeill said. Stokes said whether it's a dealbreaker depends on the circumstances. 'Is the house a complete fixer-upper and the buyer is planning to replace all the windows anyway? If so then no, this is not likely to be a dealbreaker,' she said. 'Is the house in a historic district where window replacements or repairs must be approved by a historic commission? If so, then the cost of repairing or replacing the windows could be extremely expensive and the buyer might think twice about proceeding with the contract.' Yes 'Buyers are responsible for all inspection costs,' Knull said. 'But instead of a sewer scope, why not propose a home inspection deliverable for the seller that says, 'Laundry room sink to drain properly at time of closing.'' Stokes recommends asking the seller to investigate and clear the blockage, which could be something as simple as a clog. If it's an older house without an obvious clog, then a sewer scope might be required to see if the main waste line for the house needs to be replaced. 'These kinds of situations are when it is absolutely critical to have knowledgeable agents representing both parties so the issue can be negotiated fairly and fully resolved so that no litigation issues arise post-settlement,' Stokes said. No 'Permit information is largely public information in D.C., so the buyer can see what records exist online through the Department of Buildings portal,' Stokes said. 'That being said, just because a permit was issued does not mean the deck is 'legal' or 'up to code.'' However, Knull said, if there's a code violation citation that is active and unresolved, that is treated as a title issue that must be addressed.
