Dragon's Dogma 2 DLC Hype: Mystery Update & Anniversary Tease Point to Summer Game Fest Reveal

ArcheAge Chronicles is launching a brief Network Test in North America.

The available game content will be limited; the developers have stated that the test focuses on early-game areas and utilizes a build that is still under active development.

Meanwhile, AAC has recently released gameplay footage showcasing PvP and Trade Runs, allowing players to see combat, movement, and vehicle mechanics that more closely resemble actual gameplay than the promotional trailers did.

Network Test Schedule

AAC test runs from September 12 at 7:00 PM EDT to September 13 at 1:00 AM EDT (approximately 6 hours) and is open exclusively to Steam users in the United States and Canada.

XLGAMES has designated this event a Network Test, with the primary goal of assessing server performance and network stability under high-load conditions. Consequently, players will primarily access early-game areas rather than the full game content.

The developers have also noted that this is an early development build. Bugs, stuttering, functional errors, and other technical issues may occur, meaning the performance observed during the test is subject to further adjustment.

How to Join the Test?

The application process is handled directly via Steam. Visit ArcheAge Chronicles Steam store page, locate Steam Playtest section, and select Request Access to enter the applicant pool.

Submitting an application does not guarantee participation. Participants will be selected randomly from the applicant pool, and access to the test build is granted only upon selection.

Since Network Test lasts only about six hours, selected players are advised to complete the pre-download in advance.

If you have already submitted an application, the most important step now is to check your Steam notifications and game library to see if you have been granted access.

Available Test Content

AAC has confirmed that the test will offer a limited selection of content, focusing mainly on early-game areas, without releasing a full list of playable systems.

Therefore, the extent to which features like PvP, Trade Runs, and other recently showcased mechanics appear in this build will only be confirmed once the test begins.

However, based on recently released gameplay footage, the action combat, character movement, skill effects, open-world exploration, PvP, cargo transport, and wagon mechanics are all worth watching closely. 

Although this test does not focus on long-term character progression, systems such as trading, transportation, and the open-world economy could directly affect how players acquire and spend ArcheAge Chronicles gold in the future.

Regarding combat and movement specifically: even without progressing through many quests, a few hours of playtime are sufficient to evaluate the feel of attack feedback, the responsiveness of dodge inputs, and the smoothness of network latency.

PvP Gameplay

Recently revealed PvP footage showcases combat between melee classes and Mages. Visually, the pacing does not appear to be excessively fast; at least in this early demonstration, TTK allows enough room for attacks, movement, and skill exchanges.

However, the footage also reveals some obvious issues. Certain animations - such as running, falling, and taking hits - appear somewhat stiff. Stuttering is visible during combat, and combined with noticeable screen shake, this affects visual fluidity. VFX for Mage's lightning attacks have also sparked some controversy.

That said, it is difficult to determine from short video clips alone whether the stuttering stems from the game itself, the recording process, or network conditions.

When actually playing, it is worth paying close attention to any latency between skill inputs and character responses, as well as whether frame pacing and network synchronization degrade significantly during multiplayer battles.

PvP players should also observe whether the dodge mechanic is responsive enough, if hit feedback is clear, and how TTK varies between different weapon types.

Trade Run Gameplay

If Trade Runs remain a key component of the game’s economy, then selecting efficient routes and managing transport risks will likely be a primary method for players to acquire AAC gold and other resources. 

Recent videos have once again showcased wagon transportation, indicating that cargo delivery and vehicle movement remain part of ArcheAge Chronicles' design.

For veteran players, the appeal of Trade Runs often lies in the transportation journey itself.

Traversing the map after loading up cargo - considering route choices, travel time, and potential PvP encounters - infuses a standard trade mission with the unpredictability inherent to an open-world game.

While the details visible in the newly released Trade Run videos are limited, the presence of wagons suggests that the development team has not completely abandoned this traditional feature.

If this content is accessible during the network test, it is worth focusing on vehicle handling, terrain collision, and the interplay between cargo transport and world exploration.

What to Test First?

Given the very short duration of ArcheAge Chronicles’ test window, there is little need to prioritize advancing the storyline or grinding for higher levels. Prioritizing repeated practice of basic mechanics actually makes it easier to gauge the current state of the build.

Regarding combat, focus on responsiveness, dodging, movement, skill animations, hit reactions, and PvP TTK; on the networking side, pay close attention to skill latency, rubber-banding, disconnections, and whether significant stuttering occurs when players congregate.

If you can try out Wagon or Trade Run activities, you can also test vehicle handling, collision mechanics, transport routes, and the trading process.

Spending time in crowded areas is also worthwhile. If you frequently encounter lag, desynchronized character positioning, or abnormal skill execution in densely populated zones, these issues reveal more about the state of Network Test than the early-game quests themselves.

A six-hour test is obviously insufficient to showcase the full economic system, progression loops, or the long-term value of resources like ArcheAge Chronicles gold, but it does allow you to observe the current foundational frameworks of these systems.

Therefore, treating this Network Test as a full demo can easily lead to unrealistic expectations. Once you gain access, rather than rushing to judge whether the game is ultimately fun, it is better to focus your time on server performance, combat responsiveness, PvP pacing, and core systems like Trade Runs.

Fallout 76 Season 26, Beware the Blood Moon, will launch on September 15, 2026, alongside The Slasher Update and the highly anticipated next-generation console enhancements.

This season will focus on a horror aesthetic and introduce a brand-new, multi-week-long mystery event, the returning Legacy Seasons system, and a series of bloody and exciting rewards.

This article will provide a detailed breakdown of the new content coming to Fallout 76 Season 26, allowing you to prepare in advance.

Return of Legacy Seasons

Fallout 76 Season 26 will bring a major systemic change: Return of Legacy Seasons. Starting with The Slasher Update, each regular season will run concurrently with the previous classic season, and both will share the same set of tickets.

This means you have complete freedom in how you use your tickets – you can choose to focus on the rewards of the current season or go back and claim items missed in previous seasons.

Fallout 76 Season 26 corresponds to Legacy Season - Cold Steel Season, which initially launched in September 2020. Legacy Seasons do not have a separate currency; they use the same ticket pool as regular seasons.

The only difference is that Legacy Season rewards must be claimed sequentially, while current season rewards can be claimed from your already unlocked rewards.

For veteran players, many previous rewards have likely already been claimed, so Bethesda has added some new rewards in this Legacy Season. You can think of them as official souvenirs indicating which players participated in the initial stages of the returning season.

It has been confirmed that Legacy Seasons will rotate over time. If you missed this Cold Steel season, it may be a long time before it reappears.

Season 26 Rewards

Bethesda has noted player feedback that recent season rewards have not met expectations and has promised to provide more and higher-value rewards starting with Season 26. Therefore, we can see that Beware the Blood Moon prize pool is quite rich, including a large number of Fallout 76 bottle caps and many distinctive cosmetic items, specifically:

Apparel and Cosmetics

A bloodstained white short-sleeved nurse outfit - Bloody Nurse Outfit and matching Bloody Nurse Hat - is the most complete look this season. At the same time, Batty Skirt will also be available, providing players with a darker, gothic visual effect. In addition, players can obtain a shrug emote to express emotions.

Player Icons and Titles

Fallout 76 Beware the Blood Moon rewards include six player icons: at Tamer, Castle, Night Person, Psychopath, T-51b, and Vamp. In addition, players can obtain title prefixes and suffixes to customize their in-game identity. Available prefixes include Eerie, Haunted, and Psycho, and suffixes include Mansion and Killer.

Power Armor Paints

Blood Moon paint is a highlight of Season 26 rewards. This item can be applied to various power armor models, including Excavator, Hellcat, T-45, T-51, T-60, T-65, Ultracite, Union, and X-01. Additionally, there's Jack Gourdon Power Armor Paint for players who prefer different styles.

Weapon Paints

Bloody Mess paint is available for Auto Axe, Chainsaw, Mole Miner Gauntlet, Ripper, and Super Sledge. These paint jobs will add a bloody and violent visual effect to these melee weapons.

Cryolator Mods

Players can also acquire various Cryolator modifications in Season 26 to enhance their cryogenic weapons. These modifications include Blasted Barrel Mod, Circuit Chiller Barrel Mod, Polar Lobber Barrel Mod, Cold Surge Muzzle Mod, and Hypothermic Muzzle Mod, alongside Cryolator Magazine Mods.

C.A.M.P. Items

Camp rewards are plentiful and constitute the largest category of Beware the Blood Moon rewards. Let's take a closer look.

Blood Moon and Cultist-Themed Structures and Decor

Blood Moon Weather Control Station is a striking item in Fallout 76, creating a sinister atmosphere in the camp; Creepy Cultist Well Collector, Cultist Cauldron, and Cultist Mansion further enrich the cultist theme.

In addition, there are several horror-themed decorations including Altar of Bones, Blood Spore Plant Bed, Taxidermy Snallygaster, and Vault of Terror House Kit with its associated Floor, Stairs, and Catwalk components.

Functional Workbenches

Bloodstained Armor, Chemistry, Tinker's, and Weapons Workbenches allow players to incorporate horror aesthetics into their crafting areas.

Small Decorative Items

A wide variety of small decorative items complete C.A.M.P. décor. These include Alto Saxophone, Axed Door, Boarded Up Door, Blood Moon Stein, Framed Magazine Displays, Tales from West Virginia Hills posters (Vol. 1 and Vol. 4), a Fish of Appalachia: Cranberry Bog poster, and Framed Beware The Blood Moon Wall Art.

The Slasher

Along with Fallout 76 Season 26 comes The Slasher Update, which will bring players an unprecedented horror event that will last for several weeks.

This content revolves around a small, terrifying creature lurking in Appalachian Mountains. Players must search for hidden clues, dig up unmarked graves, and battle dangerous fanatics lurking across the map before finally confronting the imposter.

Completing this weeks-long chase will reward players with a unique power armor set and a dedicated Super Slasher weapon.

Platform Enhancements

Along with the launch of Season 26, the native PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions of Fallout 76 will also be released simultaneously, which Bethesda calls a Gen 9 boost.

Following this, all console players, including those using older consoles, will experience improved performance, enhanced stability, and significantly enhanced graphics.

Meanwhile, Bethesda points out that forgoing backward compatibility and releasing a native version for current-generation consoles allows them to more effectively optimize the game for each platform in the future.

This concludes our analysis of Fallout 76 Season 26, Beware the Blood Moon. This season offers players a wealth of rewards, allowing them to fully experience the eerie horror of Appalachian times. Let's look forward to September 15th!

ARC Raiders Expedition 5 ends on September 29. 100K Damage Challenge may sound like a large number, but it is not particularly difficult to complete. As long as you keep attacking ARC enemies and accumulate enough damage, you can steadily make progress.

Expedition damage does not require a successful extraction to count. Even if you go down during a raid, the damage you have already dealt will not be wasted. When farming this challenge, you can confidently use high-damage weapons, ammunition, and explosives from your inventory without worrying too much about losing equipment.

Next, EZG.com will introduce the weapons and methods that are suitable for quickly farming ARC Raiders Expedition Damage.

Weapon

Hullcracker is a common choice for farming Expedition 5 damage. You can exchange for one each day at a cost of around 30K. For players without Legendary Weapons who still want consistent damage output, Hullcracker is sufficient to complete ARC Raiders challenge.

When comparing raw damage, Jupiter is usually stronger. Against large ARC enemies with their armor intact, Hullcracker’s actual damage is not ideal unless you can consistently hit their thinner Weak Points. Jupiter, on the other hand, can bypass armor. Although it has a lower fire rate, it performs better during the armor phase and allows you to maintain a safer distance.

A practical ARC Raiders strategy is to attack from a distance with Jupiter first. Once Body Armor is broken and core is exposed, move closer and use Hullcracker to deal damage. After reaching Level 4, Hullcracker can deal significantly more damage to exposed cores.

If you do not have Jupiter, that does not prevent you from farming damage. You can wait until other players break the armor of a large ARC, then use Hullcracker to attack its core. Alternatively, focusing your fire on other enemies, such as Bombardiers and Bastions, can also provide substantial damage.

Wolfpacks, Deadline, and Seeker Nades can also help you in ARC Raiders. Wolfpacks are suitable for attacking certain large ARC enemies or Vaporizers during Close Scrutiny. Deadline is better suited for burst damage after a core is exposed. If you have already accumulated ammunition and explosives in your inventory, Expedition 5 is a good opportunity to put them to use.

In addition, ARC Raiders Update 1.45.0 reduced Aphelion’s weapon sway, improving its aiming stability. With strong Strong ARC Armor Penetration, this weapon is suitable for continuously attacking armor and weak points at medium range, making it another option for farming damage.

Keep in mind that Aphelion uses a 2-round burst and has a 10-round magazine. During extended fights, you need to pay attention to ammunition consumption and your reload timing.

Matriarch

Matriarch is another major source of ARC Raiders damage. A common strategy is to use Snap Hook to reach the top of Matriarch, destroy the top panel first, find an exposed area, and then use Deadline against core.

ARC Raiders Update 1.45.0 fixed a bug affecting Matriarch. Previously, Matriarch’s Stomp could sometimes deal damage through tall cover, and players standing on top of Matriarch could even be affected by the attack.

This fix improves the margin for error, but you still need to pay attention to Boss’s attack animations when dealing damage at close range. Do not completely let your guard down simply because you are standing on top of Matriarch or behind cover. 

Ideally, two players should work together to handle one Matriarch. This makes it easier to coordinate positioning and damage timing, as well as extract together after the fight.

Queen

ARC Raiders Queen Events are also an effective way to accumulate Expedition 5 damage. Queen is large and tends to move within a relatively concentrated area, allowing you to deal considerable damage in a short period by continuously using Hullcracker alongside explosives.

Spaceport is a suitable location for farming Queen. Other players may arrive at Spaceport Queen Event later, giving you a chance to attack Queen early with less competition and accumulate more damage.

However, Queen Events can also attract other ARC Raiders squads, especially in areas such as Dam, where ambushes and rats can increase the risk. Entering the event area with a team improves your chances of survival and allows you to cover each other if other players get involved.

Preparation

When continuously using Hullcracker, Wolfpacks, Deadline, and Seeker Nades, the biggest expenses are Ammo, Shield Chargers, and the materials required to craft these ARC Raiders items. Ammunition can run out quickly, especially when farming Matriarch or Queen events for several hours.

Before you start farming, check materials such as ARC alloy, motion cores, and crude explosives in your stash. There is no need to craft all your available materials into ammunition at once. Bringing enough supplies for a few raids and then deciding whether to craft more based on what remains is usually a better way to control your spending.

When materials run low, you can pause large ARC farming and play one or two regular ARC Raiders Raids to replenish your resources. Regular raids allow you to collect ammo, shield chargers, and other consumables, while also giving you opportunities to obtain crafting materials such as ARC alloy and motion cores.

Matriarch and Queen may also provide relevant resources. During ARC Raiders battles, pay attention not only to Boss but also to drops from targets such as Bastions and Bombardiers. This allows you to progress toward your damage goal while replenishing materials for the next round.

ARC Raiders Expedition 5 100K Damage Challenge can be completed steadily before Expedition ends by continuously dealing damage during large ARC events such as Matriarch and Queen, while managing your weapons, ammunition, and materials efficiently.

As Diablo 4 Season 15 approaches, features like Soul Splinters, new gear, and expanded build synergies will continue to boost character power.

However, this exacerbates a long-standing issue with the base campaign: character progression is accelerating, yet the difficulty ceiling for the story hasn't kept pace.

Players have noted that even without using meta builds - relying instead on just a few decent Legendary items - one can quickly dispatch Lilith. Some players reach Level 70 without even finishing Act IV, yet they still lack the option to bump the campaign difficulty up to Torment.

Campaign Difficulty Feels Outdated

When Diablo IV first launched, the pacing of leveling, gear acquisition, and build power differed significantly from the current state of the game.

After multiple seasons of skill adjustments, gear system updates, and expanded progression, players can finalize their core builds much earlier and easily achieve the damage output needed to melt bosses during the story phase. 

Access to stronger Diablo IV items also makes it easier for characters to outgrow the campaign's intended difficulty curve.

Consequently, the existing difficulty caps for the campaign feel increasingly conservative. Even when a character's power clearly surpasses Expert tier, the game offers no way to further increase the story's difficulty.

The issue here isn't that the campaign needs to be brutally difficult.

Newcomers to Diablo 4 still require a relatively gentle progression curve, and the story mode shouldn't force everyone to face endgame-level enemy scaling. However, players who can handle higher difficulties currently lack options.

When a final boss fight - built up over dozens of hours - ends in mere seconds because character power has vastly outpaced the story's difficulty, a boss like Lilith (intended to be the narrative climax) fails to deliver the tension and challenge the encounter deserves.

Season 15 Could Widen The Gap

Based on 3.2.0 PTR details revealed by Blizzard, Season 15 will further expand the possibilities for character builds.

Soul Splinters are a prime example of this.

These new items, which can be socketed into jewelry, come in various tiers. They offer effects that influence stats like critical hit chance, attack speed, health, damage reduction, and damage multipliers, while also introducing negative effects that force players to rethink their build compositions.

In addition, D4 Season 15 will introduce new Legacy Uniques and adjust systems related to Mythic items, giving players even more ways to improve their D4 items and overall build power. 

Meanwhile, Season 15 PTR has begun offering more testing opportunities for high-power characters. New Challenge Dungeons allow players to enter portals and face off against formidable bosses.

At Torment difficulty, players can even raise Challenge Dungeon's difficulty level - up to three Torment tiers above the current World Tier - in exchange for greater rewards.

Overland Ambush is another feature aimed at high-power characters; players are hunted by demons in the open world and can choose to either flee or stand and fight.

Blizzard has clarified that Challenge Dungeon encounters in PTR are primarily for system testing, and the content in the official Season 15 release remains subject to change.

While Season 15 already allows players to manually increase the difficulty of certain endgame content - even challenging enemies beyond their current Torment level - characters remain locked to Expert difficulty when replaying Lilith storyline.

As Soul Splinters, new gear, and build synergies continue to boost character power, the difficulty cap on the original campaign feels increasingly outdated.

More Ways To Raise Difficulty

Current viable adjustments can be categorized into several levels.

The most conservative approach is to unlock Penitent difficulty earlier, giving characters that have clearly outgrown Expert power levels access to a higher difficulty setting.

A step further would be to allow Torment difficulty for the campaign once a character reaches a certain level or meets the requirements to unlock that difficulty tier. Going even further, the game could introduce a New Game+ style system, enabling high-level characters to replay the entire main storyline.

D3 offers a straightforward point of comparison. Adventure Mode and Story Mode can be experienced separately, and characters can choose higher difficulty levels when re-entering the story based on their current strength.

In contrast, while Diablo 4 features a complete main storyline and boss encounters, it lacks a way for fully developed characters to engage with this content repeatedly.

Of course, simply unlocking Torment might not fully resolve the issue. Higher difficulties usually come with better items and faster progression; if character power continues to scale rapidly, the campaign could quickly lose its challenge once again.

Therefore, in the long run, Blizzard may need to consider independent difficulty scaling, progression rate adjustments, or replay mechanics.

What Could BlizzCon Change?

BlizzCon 2026 is also scheduled to take place around this time. Blizzard has confirmed that BlizzCon 2026 will take place on September 12-13.

In addition to Opening Ceremony, Diablo franchise will feature a Developer Update on September 12, followed by a dedicated Diablo IV: What's Next session on September 13; officials state this segment will cover upcoming content, features, and future plans.

However, there is currently no official word indicating that Blizzard plans to announce adjustments to Campaign difficulty at BlizzCon, so it is premature to assume this change is confirmed for Season 15.

That said, Diablo IV Season 15 PTR reveals that Blizzard is introducing more high-difficulty challenges for powerful characters. Challenge Dungeons allow for increased Torment Tiers, and Overland Ambush encounters are clearly designed for high-performance builds.

In contrast, the base Campaign remains capped at a relatively low difficulty level, making this disparity increasingly apparent.

If a final boss like Lilith can be defeated in mere seconds, the actual gameplay experience differs vastly from the game's launch, even if the main story content itself remains unchanged. As the seasonal system continues to expand, Campaign's difficulty and replayability warrant a fresh look.

ResurrectedBlizzard Entertainment, a developer that has dominated various game genres for decades, creates a huge stir with every new move it makes, especially its annual BlizzCon, which unveils major updates and future directions for all its games in the next year. This year, Blizzard has scheduled this grand event of September 12-13 Pacific Time.

So in this weekend, you can expect to see a ton of surprises Blizzard has prepared for all its fans: various esports competitions held on-site, future perspectives on each of its games, and the stories behind cutscenes or art designs that you've never noticed before in the games, and much more. Among these, the future development direction of the game is of most concern to players.

According to EZG.com's analysis of current community discussions regarding BlizzCon 2026, players' focus is primarily on four games: Diablo 4, Diablo 2 Resurrected, WoW Classic series, and Overwatch, due to their top-tier player base and commercial value. So based on existing and leaked information, we will speculate on what major announcements Blizzard will make for these games in the next two days.

Diablo 4

Let's look at Diablo 4 first. Although it's only been released for three years, its player activity and commercial value, both in and out of the game, are the highest in the series. At this point, Blizzard is very likely to announce some details about its next Season 15 at Diablo IV: What's Next event held on September 13th from 11:00 to 11:45.

This is not unfounded: Season 14 Season of Death Awakening in Diablo 4 will end on September 15th, and Season 15 PTR has been over for a month. Given that, this BlizzCon is the best time to announce the release date and content of S15. After all, no company would be so foolish as to give up existing promotional opportunities to hold another live stream to announce the season change.

So which aspect of the season's content will Blizzard emphasize? EZG.com reasonably speculates that it will definitely be related to Diablo 4 item crafting. In Season 14, the remake of Mythic Uniques garnered significant popularity, but this buzz didn't last long.

Players discovered the excessive randomness in the remake process early, making it impossible to fully utilize the character builds they had painstakingly created, which sparked controversy. In Patch 3.2.0 PTR, the developers modified the production process to make it more predictable, so they certainly won't miss this opportunity with this announcement.

Many players in the community are discussing whether the newly added Diablo 4 Legacy Uniques will become Blizzard's second major promotional feature, but EZG.com might have to pour cold water on that - the possibility is extremely small. These build options are nominally inspired by previous games in the series, but in reality they are just copied, except for some differences in statistical values .

Furthermore, the developers might give a brief discussion instead of a long speech about the season mechanic in Season 15, because Soul Splinters are essentially a form of borrowed power: relying on specific items to provide buffs or debuffs to a build. If you look closely, you might find that this season mechanism works in the same way as S9/S10/S11 seasons.

If Diablo 4 releases a new Class later this year or a third expansion in the next year or two, Blizzard will undoubtedly talk about it extensively. So, if you're getting tired of the current dominance of Sorceress in the base game and Warlock in DLC, keep an eye on this. Currently, the most talked-about Classes are Monk, Amazon, Blood Knight, and Shaman; let's wait and see who will be the lucky one.

By the way, Diablo 4 did a lot of marketing recently, mentioning its expected release on the Nintendo Switch 2 and reminding players to prepare. However, Nintendo hasn't officially confirmed this, so EZG.com believes the likelihood is very low. It would be a tremendous loss for Blizzard to make it a major focus of this year's BlizzCon.

Diablo 2 Resurrected

Having discussed the currently hottest title, Diablo 4, let's turn our attention to its sibling, Diablo 2 Resurrected. It experienced a resurgence in Season 13 with the introduction of the new Class Warlock, but subsequently faded into obscurity in the following two seasons. Given this, players are eagerly anticipating how the developers will handle it at this year's event.

Although the developers haven't created a dedicated announcement section for D2 Resurrected on the schedule, Diablo: Developer Update, held from 13:45 to 14:30 on September 12th, will probably provide some detailed information about the game that players still have hope for, specifically focusing on Act 6 and in-game balance changes.

For a long time, players have been critical of the three standard difficulty levels: Normal, Nightmare, and Hell, as well as 5 Acts of gameplay they comprise, especially given that the series' ongoing rival, Path of Exile, has been constantly releasing new Acts and content, leading them to believe that D2R's gameplay is too monotonous.

Therefore, if Blizzard can announce a new Act for this declining game during this future development announcement, it will undoubtedly be the biggest highlight of the period. This is because it will bring much more than just additional story missions; it will also include a brand new campaign, new D2 Resurrected items, a new exploration pace, and much more.

Regarding the balance changes in Diablo 2 Resurrected, players are most concerned about the skill and item affixes of Druid and Paladin classes. However, due to the limited time allocated for introductions and reviews of this game at BlizzCon, the developers are unlikely to provide detailed information, instead offering only a general promise of balance improvements.

If you're a big fan of the game, EZG.com suggests you don't need to specifically wait for the announce event between 13:45 and 14:30. Instead, focus on the next in-game patch released by the developers, since the last major patch 3.3 was released when Season 15 launched, which was over a month ago. Perhaps the next patch will include the content you're hoping for!

WoW Classic Series

World of Warcraft may have one of the most complicated futures to discuss at BlizzCon 2026, as Blizzard is simultaneously pushing the modern game forward and maintaining its Classic ecosystem.

One small but interesting feature is Winds of Mysterious Fortune Event in WoW Midnight, whose bonuses are particularly useful for leveling alts and helping additional characters catch up. If BlizzCon announces that this progression system will eventually be extended to other World of Warcraft experiences, BCC Classic Anniversary and Mists of Pandaria Classic will surely be revitalized!

But the bigger question is: Classic Plus. Instead of sending players through another expansion they have already experienced, Blizzard could use the original Azeroth as a foundation and add completely new quests, zones, dungeons, raids, items, and class changes. This would give Classic something it currently lacks: genuine uncertainty about what comes next.

This is far more exciting than another predictable expansion release, and BlizzCon would be the perfect place for Blizzard to finally reveal whether it has bigger plans for Classic. At the same time, the modern version of WoW is approaching a major turning point with The Last Titan, the final chapter of Worldsoul Saga.

Blizzard could use this opportunity to tease what comes after the trilogy, potentially including new gameplay systems or even new classes. Bard and Tinker are among the classes frequently discussed by the community, although neither has been officially confirmed. If developer is preparing a major post-Worldsoul Saga roadmap, these could become some of the most interesting surprises for modern WoW players.

Therefore, EZG.com would keep the biggest expectations on Classic Plus, while also watching for clues from The Last Titan about the next era of WoW. Winds of Mysterious Fortune already shows that Blizzard is willing to rethink progression, and a future Classic project could take that idea much further.

Overwatch

Overwatch is in a somewhat different situation. Blizzard does not need to convince players that the game still has a future; instead, the main question is what direction the developers want to take it next. With Overwatch returning to the spotlight at BlizzCon 2026, players have good reason to expect more than another collection of cosmetic rewards.

The most obvious attraction will be the new Hero. Blizzard has already arranged a dedicated Hero Deep Dive, which means this year's event should provide a much more detailed look at the character than the short reveals usually shown during a regular update. Players can reasonably expect information about Hero's design, abilities, role, and place within the game's wider roster.

However, EZG.com does not think the new Hero will be the entire story. A dedicated presentation gives Blizzard plenty of time to talk about the gameplay systems surrounding the character, and this could include balance changes, upcoming seasonal content, or adjustments to how players' experience matches.

After several years of Overwatch 2 updates, simply adding another Hero is no longer enough to create the same level of excitement as it once did. This is particularly important because the current Overwatch community is interested in the game's long-term direction, like how competitive play will evolve, and whether future seasons will bring meaningful gameplay changes.

Therefore, EZG.com expects the developers to use BlizzCon stage to explain at least part of their plans for the months ahead. The event's esports content is another reason to keep an eye on Overwatch. The return of Overwatch World Cup gives the game a much larger competitive presence at BlizzCon, and this is especially meaningful as developer continues to build the game's esports identity.

A major tournament alongside a new Hero reveal also gives the developers an opportunity to demonstrate the character in an actual competitive environment instead of relying entirely on trailers. There is also plenty of room for Blizzard to talk about collaborations.

Overwatch has become one of the company's most effective platforms for crossover events, and players have become accustomed to seeing popular characters and entertainment brands appear through skins and themed events. With Blizzard continuing to emphasize art, collaborations, and character design at BlizzCon, another collaboration announcement would not be particularly surprising.

What EZG.com would not expect, however, is a completely unexpected Overwatch spin-off or another massive project that has not been heavily hinted at beforehand. Blizzard has enough established material to fill Overwatch presentations without relying on a surprise announcement of that scale. That's enough.

With Diablo 4, D2 Resurrected, WoW Classic, and Overwatch all having something worth watching, BlizzCon 2026 could be a particularly important event for Blizzard's current and future lineup. Of course, speculation is still speculation until Blizzard puts everything on stage. EZG.com will be keeping an eye on the announcements, reveals, and any unexpected surprises throughout the event, so stay tuned if you want to know what Blizzard actually has in store for its games.

Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.5b mainly focuses on bug fixes, crash issues, and adjustments to some endgame content.

Among these fixes, the abnormal reward issue that previously occurred in Trial of Chaos has received particular attention. In addition, Expedition drops, Ritual encounters, Ultimatum, and multiple maps and online features have also been adjusted.

For players currently trying to earn their first Divine Orb in POE2 Forbidden Rites, there are also several changes worth paying attention to.

Expedition

Patch 0.5.5b adjusts the drop performance of POE 2 Expedition, fixes an issue where some Expedition monsters could not drop Expedition Tablets, increases the number of Tablets dropped, and fixes an issue that prevented Expedition from naturally appearing in Endgame.

Based on these changes, Expedition farming is currently one of the most efficient ways to farm POE 2 currency in Forbidden Rites. First, you should choose the Increase Number of Runic Monster Markers modifier to increase the number of Runic Monster Markers on the map.

Chance to Duplicate Runic Monsters modifier has a chance to duplicate generated Runic Monsters, while Quantity of Log Books increases the number of Logbooks that drop. You should also choose modifiers that increase the chance of Vile Relics appearing.

After entering the map, focus on finding Runic Monsters. By duplicating monsters, increasing the number of Remnants, and improving your chances of getting Log Books, you can increase your overall returns.

Try to route through areas with a high density of Runic Monsters and arrange your path based on the locations and effects of Remnants. Remnants with effects such as Opulent Rune and monster duplication can be prioritized.

However, as more and more Path of Exile 2 players adopt the same Expedition Farming strategy, the supply of Log Books will also increase quickly, which could cause their prices to fall. If you plan to take advantage of this profit opportunity, it is recommended to sell your stored Log Books as soon as possible to avoid shrinking profits.

Trial of Chaos

Early in Path of Exile 2 Forbidden Rites event, Trial of Chaos had a serious bug that allowed some players to join an already completed Trial of Chaos instance and receive Ascendancy Points after boss was defeated. Under the normal mechanics, only players who were already inside the instance when boss died should receive the corresponding rewards.

This issue allowed some players to bypass the normal challenge process and quickly obtain large amounts of POE 2 currency. If it had continued, it could also have affected the overall game economy. Fortunately, Patch 0.5.5b has fixed this bug.

Now, when you normally fight a boss in POE 2, you should enter, complete, and leave the instance through the standard process. Do not attempt to obtain rewards through disconnecting, rejoining in an incorrect order, or other abnormal methods. Even if you are not intentionally exploiting a bug, these actions may prevent you from receiving rewards correctly.

Ultimatum

Ultimatum changes mainly affect the retry system after failing a challenge. Previously, when new players used Trial of Chaos or Ultimatum-related tickets for the first time, they could easily fail because they were unfamiliar with the mechanics, losing both a challenge and opportunity and their resources.

Now, after failing, you can obtain another relevant challenge opportunity from Trial Master at Temple of Chaos entrance in POE 2, significantly reducing the cost of trial and error in Ultimatum.

Crash

Several hotfixes in Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.5b target game crashes, including client crash and instance crash. The former mainly refers to errors within the game client that cause you to crash directly, while the latter occurs when a map or dungeon instance runs into an issue that may prevent the current map from functioning properly.

One noticeable issue was related to Atlas Map Device. Using the device could trigger a buffer underflow crash, so Map Device had previously been temporarily disabled. After the issue was fixed, POE 2 has re-enabled Atlas Map Device.

In addition, POE 2 development team fixed several abnormal issues in certain maps and activities. These changes remain important for the stability of Forbidden Rites Event.

Ritual Bug

POE 2 Ritual content has also received multiple bug fixes. Previously, monsters that respawned during some Ritual encounters could behave abnormally, being unable to attack you or becoming impossible to defeat, preventing the entire Ritual Encounter from being completed properly.

In addition, some monsters generated by Strongboxes and appearing during Ritual encounters could experience similar issues. Patch 0.5.5b fixes these problems, allowing Ritual combat process to proceed normally.

Patch 0.5.5b also adjusts the guidance for some campaign quests. After defeating Kezuli in Temple of Kopec, you will now receive further guidance related to completing Ritual. For new Path of Exile 2 players encountering this content for the first time, this makes the progression more straightforward.

Visual and Interaction

POE 2 Patch 0.5.5b also fixes several visual and interaction issues with map mechanics. In Expedition, some Verisium Remnants could still leave abnormal visual effects after exploding. This issue has now been fixed.

Delirium Mirror in Forbidden Rites had a similar map interaction problem. In certain maps, a respawned Delirium Mirror could be blocked by the surrounding environment, preventing you from properly entering or triggering Delirium Encounter. This patch fixes the issue.

In addition, Patch 0.5.5b addresses several abnormalities in Path of Exile 2 map quests and campaign encounters, as well as incorrect health and mana displays in co-op games. For players using a controller, some issues that occurred when adjusting stash tabs have also been fixed.

Path of Exile 2 Patch 0.5.5b mainly fixes bugs that affect the gameplay experience while improving the rewards of some endgame content. For players who are currently building their wealth, the changes to Expedition and Ritual are worth paying close attention to, as they may directly affect the efficiency of resource acquisition during Forbidden Rites event farming.