Latest news with #Overwatch
CNET
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNET
Killing Floor 3 Perks Explained: Which Class Makes Sense for You?
Killing Floor 3 completely revamps the series' perk system, bringing the game's classes more in line with hero shooters such as Overwatch or Marvel Rivals. This streamlined perk system differentiates every character, with each getting a unique arsenal of weapons as well as a signature gadget and grenade. But you start to feel the real differences as you level up and unlock nodes throughout the specialized perk skill trees. Killing Floor 2 veterans are used to having 10 perks to choose from, but Killing Floor 3 condenses the selection to six unique classes. Some classes (like the Commando and the Firebug) are familiar, while others (like the Ninja) are new additions to the sequel. While you can buy weapons from other perks mid-match, choosing a class to invest your time into is a big decision, since it takes a lot of time to level them up and earn skill points for their perk trees -- which you'll need to do if you want to take on the game's harder difficulty missions. Here's everything you need to know about each perk in Killing Floor 3. Pick up a rifle and get blasting with Killing Floor 3's Commando class. Tripwire Interactive The Commando is a classic first-person shooter hero Mr. Foster, the poster boy of the Killing Floor series, returns as this sequel's Commando perk (at least until the characters and classes are decoupled in a future season 1 update). This sarcastic gas-mask clad specialist is the easiest character to pick up and play, primarily focusing on putting the most lead downrange as humanly possible. He's like Overwatch 2's Soldier 76 or Marvel Rivals' Punisher in that regard. This class starts out with a basic assault rifle and a semi-automatic pistol, and the additional purchasable weapons aren't complicated. There are two more intermediate rifles that you can buy. These will let you do more damage by firing even more bullets, with the class's arsenal culminating in a small light machine gun with a high fire rate and large drum magazine. The most interesting part of the Commando perk's kit is the class gadget. Commando players can activate a drone that fires explosive squibs at enemies in front of the player, dousing them in acid and creating damaging pools on the ground beneath their feet. While most class gadgets feel reactive, this is a proactive tool that allows you to continue pumping out damage and denying the zombies extra space on the map, as well as focus-firing tougher foes. As you level up the Commando perk, you can unlock skills that let you buy weapons more quickly, recharge your acid drone faster, increase the amount of bullet time you gain by landing headshots on zombies and more. If you want to turn your brain off and gun down some zombies, you can't go wrong with the Commando perk. It's a simple and easy to understand class, and its ballistic weapons are effective against almost every enemy in the game. The Dragon's Breath shotgun gives the Firebug a ballistic weapon for when flames are less effective. Tripwire Interactive The Firebug is a flame-spraying debuff machine This is my favorite Killing Floor 3 perk. If you want to control space throughout a map, inflict debuffs on zombies and inflict death through a thousand burns, the Firebug is the perk for you. This class starts out with one of the most unique weapons in the game, a flare-firing submachine gun that lights enemies on fire. You'll also have a revolver sidearm to defend yourself against any enemies that don't burn down in time. Purchasable weapons include a Dragon's Breath incendiary shotgun, a flamethrower and a powerful superheated plasma launcher, letting you light your enemies ablaze at any distance. If you've lit up a massive horde but they still manage to close the distance and attack you, the Firebug's class gadget is a great panic button. Activating this ability creates a ring of flames around the player, vaporizing smaller zombies in the immediate vicinity and doing a chunk of damage to larger enemies. You also get a handful of invincibility frames while locked into this gadget's animation, which can help you survive particularly deadly boss attacks. Zombies that catch fire begin to panic, which stunlocks them for precious seconds -- the Firebug buys time for the rest of the team to set up their most devastating attacks. Your flames will also wreath zombies and coat every surface they touch, ensuring your foes will suffer from consistent damage-over-time as they attempt to advance on your position. The Firebug prevents most enemies from reaching melee range, and those who do are quickly dispatched with the class's ballistic weapons. As you level up the Firebug perk, you can unlock skills that spread debuffs among more enemies, spew more flames across the ground, heal you for standing in fire and more. If you just want to watch the world burn (or you want to slow down the approaching zombie horde) then Killing Floor 3's Firebug perk will help you hold the line. The Engineer gets one of the only fully automatic secondaries in the game, which compliments his semi-automatic shotgun primary weapon. Tripwire Interactive The Engineer is a room-clearing close quarters specialist If you want to punch through fodder but still keep a big gun in your back pocket for the largest threats, the Engineer might be the right perk for you. This jack of all trades is kitted out for close quarters combat, but also comes equipped with tools that let you activate ziplines and turrets throughout each map to help out the team. This class starts out with a shotgun that lets you clear multiple small enemies in a single shot, but you also get a compact secondary machine pistol for the hectic moments when you don't have the time or space to reload. If you earn enough money during a run, you can trade up your semi-automatic shotgun for a fully automatic variant or invest in a grenade launcher or plasma cutter for an explosive end to longer-ranged engagements. If you're able to line up a sightline on a massive horde, the Engineer's class gadget will thin it out immediately. You can activate a pair of massive shoulder-mounted soundwave turrets that are powerful enough to tear smaller zombies asunder, while staggering larger enemies such as Scrakes and Fleshpounds. This class is built for managing the zombie population to make waves more manageable for your team. The Engineer gets additional bullet penetration with all of his weapons, which means each shot will pierce multiple zombies and shred them extremely quickly. As you level up the Engineer perk, you can unlock skills that further increase your bullet penetration, allow you to use the soundwave turrets for longer, boost your defense against melee zombies and more. If your idea of a good time is booting up Doom and blasting chunks out of demons with a super shotgun or you enjoy setting traps to support your team, the Engineer is a solid perk for any team composition in Killing Floor 3. If you enjoy taking on Killing Floor 3's hordes from a safer distance, the Sharpshooter is the most powerful ranged class in the game. Tripwire Interactive The Sharpshooter is a high-risk, high-reward sniper If you'd prefer to stay a safe distance away from the fight and pick off large enemies with a couple well-placed shots, the Sharpshooter perk is right up your alley. This class has very little defense against melee attackers, but dominates zombies that fight at longer range. You'll start each match with a powerful semi-automatic marksman rifle and a high-caliber revolver sidearm (with a neat single-round shotgun alternate fire), but you can quickly upgrade to a rifle with a three-round burst if you want to grab a gun that puts lead down range a little bit faster. Other purchasable weapons include a long-barrel sniper rifle and a magnet-powered railgun, which have lower ammo capacities but do some of the highest per-shot damage in the game. If you make a mistake and a group of zombies sneak up on you, the Sharpshooter's class gadget functions as a killer get of jail free card. If you've ever seen Guardians of the Galaxy, the Sharpshooter's wrist-mounted arrow launcher will seem very familiar to you. This heatseeking tool zips through close to a dozen zombies before embedding in the final foe for an explosive finish. The Sharpshooter's grenade roots zombies in place by freezing them in prisons of dagger-tipped icicles, which is another great way to keep spacing out the most dangerous undead threats. As you level up the Sharpshooter perk, you can unlock skills that reward pinpoint accuracy with increased damage, additional targeting capabilities for the heatseeking arrow, a better freeze grenade and more. If you're a top-tier aimer and who loves prioritizing the most dangerous foes on the battlefield, the high risk, high reward play style of the Sharpshooter perk is perfect for you. While the Ninja class is by far the coolest addition to Killing Floor 3, it's also the hardest perk to master. Tripwire Interactive The Ninja is a stylish melee combo specialist If the Engineer doesn't fight up close and personal enough for your tastes, there's another perk that lets you plunge even deeper into the heat of battle. If you're a fan of melee-focused horde shooters like developer Fatshark's Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, you'll feel right at home when you choose the Ninja in Killing Floor 3. This class starts out with a kiba blade that lets you slice through enemies and block errant melee attacks, as well as throwing shurikens for encounters at midrange. Other purchasable primaries include throwing kunai, a compound bow and dual katanas -- this arsenal gives you options when it comes to dealing with armored, bladed enemies that might otherwise best you in melee combat. When it's time to dice up the baddies, though, no other perk moves as swiftly through battle as the Ninja. This class's gadget is a wrist-mounted grappling hook that'll yank you toward the zombie you're aiming at, doing staggering amounts of damage to any enemies between your starting point and the target. While other perks can only use their gadgets once before triggering a long recharge period, the Ninja is able to hold onto three uses of the grappling hook at a time, allowing the most efficient players to cleave through hordes of fodder enemies in seconds and then zoom away if necessary. As you level up the Ninja perk, you can unlock skills that upgrade the potency of your bleed status afflictions, allow you to pick up your throwing weapons from further away, impart stat bonuses upon executing perfect parries and more. If you love blocking attacks and hacking away at enemies, feeling like Mortal Kombat's Scorpion when he yanks enemies in to finish them off or moving around the map faster than your allies, the Ninja is the perfect Killing Floor 3 perk for you. The Medic's weapons combine ballistic firepower with secondary healing dart functions to bring massive value to a co-op team. Tripwire Interactive The Medic is a healer and the backbone of a co-op team In Killing Floor 3, healing items are hard to come by. You no longer have access to the recharging syringe that existed in previous games -- now you have a maximum of three heals per round, and each one costs cold, hard cash. That's why the Medic is the most important support perk you can bring to your lobby. This class starts out with a submachine gun and a pistol, which are among the weakest starting weapons. Crucially, the Medic's weapons have a built-in syringe dart underbarrel attachment that'll let you fire healing shots at your teammates from afar. That's where you'll truly prove your worth in the heat of battle. The perk's other weapons include a more powerful submachine gun with the same underbarrel alternate fire, as well as a healing beam (similar to the one wielded by Team Fortress 2's Medic) and a longer-ranged beam weapon. While the Medic might not have the strongest guns, this class isn't completely defenseless when the horde bears down on you. The class gadget activates a healing aura that keeps you and your team healthy if you stay within the designated area. Meanwhile, any zombies that encroach on your territory will take damage over time while the effect is active. The class's biotic grenade spews toxic anti-zombie gas. Medics will have to invest their cash inflow into buying more healing darts, but your team will fall apart without consistent sources of healing at higher difficulties. You'll still have an intense, high-stakes Killing Floor experience, but you'll be aiming at your teammates more often than the zombies. As you level up the Medic perk, you can unlock skills that let you revive downed allies quicker, buff your allies' weapon damage while they stand within your gadget's area of effect, spread toxic damage among the horde and more. If you want to be a good team player and have the best chance of going the distance on harder difficulty survival runs, you'll definitely want to invest in Killing Floor 3's Medic perk.
Express Tribune
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Elon Musk adds anime girl companion to Grok AI in latest SuperGrok update on X
On July 14, Elon Musk unveiled a new feature for SuperGrok, the premium version of his Grok AI, introducing an anime girl companion named Ani. Photo: X The update, announced on X, adds a visual avatar designed to resemble Misa Amane from Death Note, though described as an 'un copyrighted' version. The new release is part of Grok 4, Musk's most advanced AI model to date, which he claims is 'better than PhD level in every subject, no exceptions.' Alongside Ani, users can now interact with a panda avatar called Rudy and a profane variant dubbed Bad Rudy. A male anime-style character named Chad is also listed as 'coming soon.' To access Ani, SuperGrok subscribers must toggle the 'companion' option by selecting the top-left menu and the settings gear at the bottom-right. Musk shared these steps directly with users on X. The update quickly gained attention among anime fans and Musk followers, many noting the character's resemblance to Misa. The connection was reinforced by the X account AutismCapital, which claimed Ani was deliberately designed to avoid copyright issues while paying visual homage to the popular anime figure. Musk's interest in anime has been public for years. In 2023, he posted photos of Amber Heard dressed as Mercy from Overwatch—a cosplay he had personally requested.
Express Tribune
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Overwatch 2 director says Blizzard is interested in a TV series
Overwatch 2 director Aaron Keller has stated that Blizzard is interested in producing a TV series for the game and bringing back animated shorts. Keller shared these comments while speaking with Twitch streamer Jay3, where he discussed the future of Overwatch 2's story following the cancellation of its PvE content. Keller said the team would 'love to do that' when asked about a potential TV series for Overwatch 2. He also noted, 'Even more than just a TV series, one of the things we see or hear our players talk about is Overwatch has dropped the ball when it comes to story and lore.' Blizzard previously released animated shorts to introduce heroes and expand the game's universe before the launch of the first Overwatch. While Overwatch 2 has had some shorts, they have been less frequent, and Keller expressed a desire to increase their presence. 'For me, personally, for us to say that Overwatch 2 is firing on all cylinders, we need to have some of those [shorts] come back,' Keller said during the discussion. Reports cited by journalist Jason Schreier have indicated that an Overwatch TV series was previously in development along with series for Warcraft and Diablo, but plans were cancelled following legal disputes between Blizzard and Netflix.
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Overwatch 2 Stadium patch notes: New update buffs DVa and Junkrat, nerfs Kiriko
Game developer Blizzard just released a fresh Stadium patch for Overwatch 2 on July 9, 2025. This update focuses on balancing several heroes in the fast-paced Stadium mode. While some got stronger, others were toned down to improve overall gameplay. From DVa's stronger slam to Kiriko's reduced clone power, here's everything that changed. DVa and Junkrat among the biggest winners DVa got a buff to her Tokki Slam, which now deals more damage. This should make her a stronger pick during close fights. Junkrat received multiple improvements. His cash income from damage and healing went up by over 11 percent. His Hop Boom now deals more damage, and Rainin' Lead fires more frequently. Items like Lithium Alloy and Fawkes' Funny Fuel also got a power boost, improving his overall damage and healing abilities. Nerfs for Kiriko, Juno and Ana Kiriko took a clear hit. Her Clone Conjuration now heals and damages much less than before, although its duration has been increased. Juno's Hyper Healer got weaker as the Overhealth dropped from 100 to 75. Ana also saw changes. Her 'Our Turn' power now reduces cooldown for less time, while 'My Turn' and' Your Full Potentia'l give stronger buffs. Her Venomous damage was raised too. NEW STADIUM PATCH NOTES! 🚨🦊 Kiriko - Clones will have reduced damage and increased duration 🐀 Junkrat - will cause more mayhem and earn more cash👩🚀 Juno - Hyper Healer has decreased overhealth✨ And so much more!📝 Overwatch (@PlayOverwatch) July 8, 2025 NEW STADIUM PATCH NOTES! 🚨🦊 Kiriko - Clones will have reduced damage and increased duration 🐀 Junkrat - will cause more mayhem and earn more cash👩🚀 Juno - Hyper Healer has decreased overhealth✨ And so much more!📝 Zenyatta gets tweaks, Mei and others see changes Zenyatta's Dual Harmony healing reduction was slightly lowered, and his orb effects now last longer. His ultimate meter cap also got a boost. Mei's Twice As Nice now resets her snowball cooldown, letting her launch attacks more often. This patch is aimed at making Stadium mode more balanced and fun. With stronger builds for Junkrat and DVa, and fairer tweaks to support heroes like Kiriko and Zenyatta, the July 9 patch brings a more competitive edge to the mode. Keep testing different heroes and see how the changes affect your playstyle.
Geek Dad
08-07-2025
- Geek Dad
Gaming With the Nacon Revolution X Unlimited Xbox Controller
If you're an Xbox gamer looking for a new controller, now's a great time to shop as your choices are plentiful. Back when I first started playing Overwatch, I realized that I needed a controller that offered more features than what you can find in the still-excellent standard Xbox controller. So I graduated to the Xbox Elite Series 2 controller, with its back paddles and customizable joysticks. And while I loved that controller, I'd find I'd burn through ones in about a year. And so the search for something similar, yet better, began. Back in April, Nacon released the Revolution X Unlimited controller, a pro wireless controller designed specifically for Xbox and PC. They recently sent me a unit to test drive. What Is the Nacon Revolution X Unlimited? The Revolution X Unlimited is an officially licensed, wireless controller for use with Xbox and PC. It comes with the following features: Instant Triggers: adjustable instant triggers with micro-switch components. adjustable instant triggers with micro-switch components. Mechanical Precision: micro-switch components for ultra-responsive gameplay. 6 additional shortcut buttons that can be configured with keyboard keys pc mode only. micro-switch components for ultra-responsive gameplay. buttons that can be configured with keyboard keys pc mode only. Customization via LCD Screen: easy and intuitive customization, mapping programming, and audio source mixing. easy and intuitive customization, mapping programming, and audio source mixing. Hall Effect Magnetic Technology: joysticks and triggers benefit from greatly enhanced precision and durability through magnetic effect, preventing 'joystick drift'. joysticks and triggers benefit from greatly enhanced precision and durability through magnetic effect, preventing 'joystick drift'. Wireless Connectivity: 2.4GHz USB radio frequency, Bluetooth compatible with Android devices. 2.4GHz USB radio frequency, Bluetooth compatible with Android devices. Total Customization: 3 sets of weights, 6 joystick heads, 2 D-pads, storage case, 4 joystick rings (two medium and two large), and more than 60 customization options. 3 sets of weights, 6 joystick heads, 2 D-pads, storage case, 4 joystick rings (two medium and two large), and more than 60 customization options. Application: possibility to import up to 4 custom profiles per platform and program the 6 shortcut keys via a customization application available on PC and Xbox. Specific programming of shortcut keys to assign them to keyboard keys (in PC mode). Joystick range adjustment, audio mixers and pre-recorded profiles available. possibility to import up to 4 custom profiles per platform and program the 6 shortcut keys via a customization application available on PC and Xbox. Specific programming of shortcut keys to assign them to keyboard keys (in PC mode). Joystick range adjustment, audio mixers and pre-recorded profiles available. Vibration: four vibration motors (two in the handles and two in the triggers). four vibration motors (two in the handles and two in the triggers). High-Performance PC Mode: latency reduced to 1ms with wired connection and 2ms with wireless connection, Gyroscope function to simulate a joystick or the D-pad. Mapping of PC keyboard keys to controller buttons. latency reduced to 1ms with wired connection and 2ms with wireless connection, Gyroscope function to simulate a joystick or the D-pad. Mapping of PC keyboard keys to controller buttons. Long Battery Life: +10 hours battery life for extended gameplay without needing to recharge the controller. +10 hours battery life for extended gameplay without needing to recharge the controller. Charging dock : store and charge your controller easily in six hours with the included charging station The Revolution X Unlimited controller retails for $199.90, and is available on Amazon or directly from Nacon. Opening up the clamshell case. Image by Paul Benson. Unboxing the Revolution X Unlimited When you open the Revolution X Unlimited box, you're greeted by a Nacon-branded clamshell storage case. Opening it up, you'll find a number of goodies inside: Revolution X Unlimited controller Charging Station 3m USB-C cable USB dongle Accessory storage box 2 D-pads 6 Weights 6 Joystick heads (2 concave, 4 convex) Metal joystick rings Everything out of the case. Image by Paul Benson. Already placed inside the accessory storage box are the majority of the accessories: Weights, D-pad, Joystick heads, joystick rings. Image by Paul Benson. It's very handy that everything fits inside, but that does make for a larger case than you'll find with most controllers. Here are a few different views of the Revolution X Unlimited. As you can see, there are a lot of buttons and switches: This slideshow requires JavaScript. I won't bore you as to what each and every button and switch does on the controller- if you're interested, you can download the user manual to read at your leisure. Setting Up the Revolution X Unlimited Controller To start with, I charged up the controller. You can either use the charging station, or connect the USB cable for fast charging. As I was setting the controller up for use with my Xbox, I plugged the charging station into one of the USB ports on my Series X and placed the controller on the cradle. To fully charge the controller takes about 7 hours. The red ring indicates the controller is charging. Image by Paul Benson. Once the controller was charged, I then went to adjust profiles using the Revolution X Unlimited application. This app is available on both Windows and Xbox, and I downloaded it for both. As noted in the instructions, you must manually set the controller to wired and advanced modes in order to make changes via the app. Having already connected the charging station to the Xbox, this was a bit of an inconvenience as I had to now disconnect the station and plug the cable into the controller to make adjustments. An interesting sidenote: to play wirelessly, you can either plug the USB dongle into a USB port, or slot it into the charging station itself, so that you don't have to take up more than one USB port to operate both the charger and the wireless dongle. There are a total of 20 profiles that you can store on your controller, spread across Xbox, PC, and Bluetooth. These profiles are customizable in the app, and you have a pretty good amount of granularity when it comes to adjusting the controls and appearance of the Revolution X. Here's what you can adjust via the app: • Create, optimize, download and share controller settings profiles with other expert players. • Easy update of your controller • Shooter pro mode : Joystick digital deadzone deactivation, increased joystick sensitivity option • Full mapping of all buttons and the 6 shortcut buttons • Presets and manual configuration of stick and trigger sensitivity • Inversion of left/right sticks • 4 or 8-way directional pad • Customizable right stick lighting • Audio menu to access equalizer settings based on game type • LCD Screen brightness, battery ECO Mode • Vibration motors ON/OFF
