WOW Classic Hardcore: You Should Learn These Tips Before Exploring To Make It Easy!

Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026 has already delivered a plethora of new game trailers, release dates, and new content for older titles. While the number of games on display this year is substantial, several announcements are particularly noteworthy for RPG, ARPG, and tactical game fans.

GGG has finally confirmed the release date for PoE 2 1.0; Square Enix showcased Final Fantasy VII Revelation again, bringing the final chapter of the remake trilogy closer to players; and Ubisoft unexpectedly revealed the turn-based Rainbow Six Tactics.

Meanwhile, CD Projekt Red has prepared two surprises for The Witcher 3 fans - an upgraded edition of The Witcher 3, released over a decade ago, and Geralt's final return as the protagonist.

If you don't have time to rewatch Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026, here's the most noteworthy information on these popular games.

Path of Exile 2 1.0 - Officially Launching on December 11th

For PoE 2 players, the biggest news from Gamescom this year was undoubtedly the confirmed release date for Patch 1.0.

GGG announced that PoE 2 will end its Early Access phase and enter Patch 1.0 on December 11, 2026. Simultaneously, Patch 1.0 will bring a more systematic adjustment to the full campaign, character progression, and Endgame.

More importantly, with Patch 1.0, PoE 2 will officially become free-to-play, adding a new sword-wielding class, Duelist, and the remaining two Acts will also be added to the game.

This means that December 11th is not just a regular seasonal update, but a true restart for PoE 2 after its Early Access phase.

In the past period, players have had extensive discussions about class balance, build depth, gear drops, and Endgame pacing. The final patch incorporates adjustments to the campaign, progression, and endgame systems all at once, making Patch 1.0 potentially one of the best points for veteran players to rebuild their builds and for new players to officially join the game.

Final Fantasy VII Revelation - Spring 2027

Square Enix presents Final Chapter of Final Fantasy VII Remake Project - Final Fantasy VII Revelation.

Gamescom's latest trailer, The Planet's Crisis, focuses on Weapons familiar to fans of the original games, including massive enemies like Ruby Weapon, Emerald Weapon, and Ultima Weapon. Meanwhile, Cloud and his companions will explore a wider world aboard Highwind airship.

If Remake rebuilt Midgar, and Rebirth truly opened up the world, then Revelation serves to conclude the entire remake trilogy.

Currently confirmed information indicates that Highwind is more than just a plot device. Players can pilot airships across the world and choose locations to land and explore; Cid and Vincent will also join as playable party members, and combat will continue the combination of real-time action and a command system.

Final Fantasy VII Revelation is planned for release in Spring 2027, and unlike the previous two installments, it is expected to launch simultaneously on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.

For players who have already played Remake and Rebirth, the real question now may only be one: Will Square Enix ultimately remain faithful to the ending of the 1997 original, or will they allow this altered timeline to reach a completely different conclusion?

Rainbow Six Tactics - Rainbow Six's First Fully Turn-Based Gameplay

Ubisoft also brought a rather unexpected new title to Gamescom - Rainbow Six Tactics, expected to launch in 2027.

It's not a new mode for Rainbow Six Siege, but a standalone single-player turn-based tactical game. Players will take on the role of Six, the commander of Rainbow forces, planning missions from headquarters, selecting operators, and then executing operations on the battlefield.

Ubisoft has confirmed that the game will include 15 operators with unique abilities, equipment, and skill trees, over 45 global operational locations, and various mission types such as hostage rescue, bomb disposal, and target elimination.

This direction is actually quite suitable for Rainbow Six. From the series' early emphasis on planning, intelligence, and teamwork, to Siege's reliance on operator skills to create tactical variations, Rainbow Six inherently possesses a strong strategy game DNA.

Now, Ubisoft has temporarily set aside shooting mechanics and placed operator combinations, mission planning, and battlefield decision-making at the core, which gives them the opportunity to revive the tactical command that the series had gradually faded in the past.

The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past - Geralt Hasn't Truly Retired

If you thought CD Projekt Red(CDPR) had completely ended content updates for The Witcher 3, then this year at Gamescom, it's clear they're preparing to keep Geralt on the team for a few more years.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Songs of the Past is the third full-fledged expansion for The Witcher 3, developed by CD Projekt Red in collaboration with Fool's Theory, and is scheduled for release in 2027.

CDPR envisions it as much more than just adding a few quests. Songs of the Past will introduce a new area, Letten, new enemies, new abilities, and new weapons, and the official description is Geralt's final adventure.

From the perspective of the series' timeline, this also resembles an adventure before the official handover - before The Witcher 4 enters the new phase dominated by Ciri, players can embark on one last journey as Geralt.

The Witcher 3 Remastered - Free Upgrade on September 29th

While waiting for the new expansion, CDPR is also planning to have everyone reinstall The Witcher 3.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Remastered will launch on September 29, 2026, offering upgraded graphics, performance, and gameplay compared to the original release. This includes more detailed environments, NPC and monster textures, and improvements to lighting, rendering, and ray tracing.

Players who already own The Witcher 3 on eligible platforms can upgrade to Remastered for free. Simultaneously, CDPR announced that existing players will receive Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine for free, both classic expansions, now available for additional payment.

Besides major gaming platforms, CDPR has also partnered with Blizzard Entertainment, with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Remastered launching on Battle.net for the first time on September 29th.

This collaboration goes beyond simply porting the game to Blizzard platforms. CDPR has confirmed that The Witcher 3, along with Songs of the Past (releasing in 2027), will be available on Battle.net, and the partnership will extend to Diablo 4. Players who get Songs of the Past on Battle. net will unlock a Geralt-themed Diablo 4 skin, with more collaboration content to be revealed at BlizzCon this September.

Based on the current schedule, these Gamescom announcements will soon become playable content. First, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Remastered on September 29th, followed by PoE 2's 1.0 release on December 11th; then, in 2027, Final Fantasy VII Revelation, Rainbow Six Tactics, and Songs of the Past will follow.

Of course, there are many more games announced at Gamescom, but if you're an ARPG, RPG, or tactical game player, these few should already make next year's gaming schedule very busy.

Elden Ring will be getting its Tarnished Edition on August 28th. This is a full edition for Nintendo Switch 2 and new players, while also offering veteran players a reason to start a new game with a few new additions.

For players who already own the base game and Shadow of the Erdtree, the standalone Tarnished Pack will be even more appealing. This smaller content pack includes two new starter classes, four armor sets, new Torrent skins, and pre-order bonuses such as gestures.

Whether you're new to Elden Ring or have hundreds of hours of gameplay, this article will guide you through what's new in Tarnished Edition and which starting builds are best suited for Heavy Knight and Idus Knight classes.

What's New in Tarnished Edition?

The confirmed new content includes:

• Two new starting classes: Heavy Knight and Idus Knight
• Four new armor sets
• Three interchangeable appearances for Torrent
• Additional gestures available with pre-order

For players new to Elden Ring, starting with Tarnished Edition is the easiest option, as it covers the base game, DLC, and the new content in one go.

However, if you already own the base game and Shadow of the Erdtree, Tarnished Pack is the real focus.

Tarnished Pack

Tarnished Pack can be considered a smaller, lower-priced DLC. Its standard price is €4.99, clearly not sold as a large expansion.

It's best suited for three types of players:

The first type is veteran players looking to start over. If your Faded Knight is already hundreds of levels high and you've fought the bosses countless times, going back to play might not be exciting anymore. Reborn as a Heavy Knight or Idus Knight will be much more fun than simply replicating an old build.

The second category is players who enjoy themed builds. For example, Heavy Knight is naturally suited to: heavy armor knight, greatsword knight, giant weapon, Strength build; while Idus Knight is clearly suited to: agility knight, light greatsword, agility/faith hybrid build.

The third category is collectors. The four new armor sets and Torrent skins won't change the build environment, but for players who enjoy collecting gear in Elden Ring, these items are valuable in themselves.

Heavy Knight

Heavy Knight is the most straightforward of the two new classes. He is a heavily armored knight wearing heavy steel armor, wielding a large scimitar, and crushing enemies head-on with Strength and Endurance.

Starting Stats

The currently displayed initial stats are:

• Level: 10
• Vigor: 14
• Mind: 8
• Endurance: 17
• Strength: 15
• Dexterity: 11
• Intelligence: 7
• Faith: 8
• Arcane: 9

The most striking stat is the high Endurance of 17. This means Heavy Knight can simultaneously handle heavy armor, wield large weapons, and meet high Endurance requirements very early on.

High Endurance is crucial in the early Elden Rings. Many Strength characters' initial problem isn't insufficient damage, but the rapid depletion of their stamina bar.

When you equip heavy gear, you easily enter a heavily burdened state, significantly slowing your rolls and affecting your invincibility frames. You either need to prioritize increasing Endurance or replace some of your overly heavy gear.

Heavy Knight starts with 17 Endurance, alleviating some of the burden and reducing the need to prioritize Endurance too early in your stat allocation. Combined with 14 Vigor, the early game margin for error is quite high, whether traversing the map or fighting bosses.

If you want to get these early stat upgrades in place faster, you can also buy Elden Ring Runes from EZG.com and put more levels into Vigor and Strength without spending as much time farming.

Therefore, if you're new to Elden Rings or simply don't want to stick to ranged kiting, Heavy Knight is a very convenient choice.

Starting Weapon

Based on current demonstrations, Heavy Knight wields a large, curved weapon, remarkably similar in appearance to the existing Dismounter.

The official announcement has explicitly mentioned four new armor sets, without specifically highlighting the new weapons. Therefore, this weapon is highly likely part of the existing weapon system, rather than a new addition specifically for Tarnished Pack.

This also makes Heavy Knight seem less novel than Idus Knight. Its biggest changes are primarily in starting attributes and equipment combinations, rather than bringing a completely different combat style.

Idus Knight

Compared to Heavy Knight, Idus Knight is significantly more interesting. He hails from a region called Idus, characterized by lightweight equipment and an emphasis on Dexterity and weapon handling.

Starting Stats

The currently announced initial stats are:

• Level: 7
• Vigor: 10
• Mind: 12
• Endurance: 11
• Strength: 13
• Dexterity: 15
• Intelligence: 8
• Faith: 11
• Arcane: 6

The most striking initial stat for Idus Knight is undoubtedly 15 Dexterity. However, his other stats are also quite good: 13 Strength, 12 Mind, and 11 Faith. This makes him less suited to a pure Dexterity build and more easily adaptable to a hybrid build.

What's even more interesting is 11 Faith. Many early-game Incantations in Elden Rings don't have high skill ceilings, and this class can use buffs early on with just a little Faith. Combined with 12 Mind, his Power Points are also significantly higher than Heavy Knight's, allowing for more comfortable use of weapon arts and prayers.

Therefore, if you prefer a melee-focused playstyle, incorporating buffs, Incantations, and Weapon Skills, Idus Knight is clearly better suited for this build.

Starting Weapon

The most appealing aspect of Idus Knight right now is its starting weapon.

From the official previews, this weapon looks very similar to Milady. Milady is a Light Greatsword added in Shadow of the Erdtree, with lighter and more agile movements than traditional Greatswords while retaining decent attack range. Its feel is noticeably different from straight swords and Greatswords.

Normally, Milady is only available after entering Shadow of the Erdtree, meaning it's impossible to build around this weapon from the start in the base game.

However, if Milady is confirmed as Idus Knight's starting weapon, its difference from other classes becomes more significant. You can start the game from Limgrave with Light Greatsword, instead of waiting until you enter Land of Shadow to finally obtain the core weapon.

This is why I'd prefer to try Idus Knight first. Heavy Knight's advantages are more straightforward and practical, while Idus Knight brings a completely new way to start the game.

For veteran players who are already very familiar with Elden Ring, Tarnished Edition may not be enough to support a whole major update. But if you were looking for a reason to start a new game anyway, it at least provides a more interesting option than simply copying the old build.

In Path of Exile Patch 3.29, Sanctum remains very popular farming content. Besides the traditional rewards, you also have the chance to obtain Fracturing Orbs, Volatile Valor Orbs, Divines, and rare special Relics. Therefore, choosing a suitable build is still very important for players looking to improve their Sanctum farming efficiency.

Discharge Assassin build is one of the best choices for Sanctum in Curse of the Allflame. This build revolves around Discharge and Charge mechanics and high burst damage, while also possessing excellent mobility, making it well-suited to Sanctum's requirements for mob clearing efficiency and movement speed.

Next, EZG.com will introduce the core mechanics and gear choices of this Discharge Assassin build to help you understand why it's suitable for farming POE Sanctum.

Core Mechanics

This build utilizes Assassin Ascendancy, which grants high Critical Strike Chance and Critical Strike Multiplier against PoE enemies not in low life, while also triggering Culling Strike through Critical Strike.

For Discharge build, which already boasts extremely high burst damage, many monsters don't even need a second attack; a single Discharge is enough to wipe them out.

Assassin passive skill Unstable Infusion further increases Maximum Power Charge. Combined with Badge of the Brotherhood, the character's Maximum Frenzy Charges can reach the same amount as Maximum Power Charges.

Since Discharge deals higher damage based on the amount of Charges consumed, the higher Charges stacked, the more explosive the burst damage can be with each cast.

In Path of Exile combat, rapid Charge recovery is equally important. Discharge Assassin build utilizes gear and mechanics such as Feral's Fur, Aspect of the Cat, and Badge of the Brotherhood to quickly replenish Power Charges and Frenzy Charges, maintaining the ability to continuously cast Discharge.

Discharge Assassin also uses Spectres for additional support. Spectres provide Auras like Zealotry and Wrath, further enhancing your Path of Exile character's Critical Strike, Spell Damage, and Elemental Damage.

You'll need two Timeclasp with Power Charge Corruption and to reduce Skill Effect Duration to near zero. Combined with the third Ring Socket provided by Ritualist Ascendancy and the effects of the third ring, Discharge interval can be further shortened, with Cooldown reduced to approximately 0.24 seconds.

Therefore, Discharge Assassin doesn't require complex skill rotations. Keep moving and continuously unleashing Discharge to consistently create high-frequency, full-screen explosions in PoE.

Gear

Two Void Batteries are key pieces for this build to expand Path of Exile's clear range. They provide additional Area of ​​Effect based on your Power Charges, further increasing the blast radius of Discharge and allowing a single cast to cover more enemies.

For the helmet, choose Double Power Charge Helmet, a Warlord Helmet whose core attributes include additional Power Charge. Note that to tackle higher difficulty content, you'll need to add affixes like Intelligence, Life, Resistances, and Area of ​​Effect, making it quite difficult to craft and requiring further corruption after completion, resulting in a very high ultimate cost.

Badge of the Brotherhood is the core unique amulet for this Discharge Assassin build. It links Frenzy Charges with Power Charges, making it easier for the character to maintain Charge resources needed for Discharge.

Meanwhile, you need to utilize Shaper Influence to acquire Cooldown Recovery affix, further reducing Discharge cooldown. The combination of these two significantly increases the frequency of Discharge usage, which is one key to this build's ability to quickly clear PoE Sanctum.

Discharge Assassin build can forgo Belt in exchange for a third Ring Socket. This is a crucial part of the entire gear system. While casual players might not find Timeclasp particularly expensive, in Patch 3.29, Path of Exile Currency required for a top-tier Timeclasp with Power Charge Corruption and an exorbitant amount of Reduced Skill Effect Duration is approaching that of a multi-mirror ring.

Feral's Fur is responsible for maintaining Charge. It allows the character to quickly switch between Cat's Agility and Cat's Stealth, thus helping to continuously gain Power Charges and Frenzy Charges, solving the recovery problem after frequent Charge consumption during Discharge in PoE.

Furthermore, Gloves utilizes Aspect of the Cat, paired with Swift Affliction, Less Duration, Faster Casting, and Lightning Warp to further shorten the duration of related skills and improve casting and movement efficiency.

Passive Tree

Since Discharge inflicts Fire, Cold, and Lightning Damage simultaneously based on the consumed Charges, and is released as an AoE Nova, Passive Tree can be enhanced around universal attributes such as Elemental Damage, Area of ​​Effect, Critical Strike, and Critical Strike Multiplier.

Simultaneously, you need to use Militant Faith Timeless Jewel and leverage its keystone Supreme Ostentation. This keystone prevents PoE characters from receiving attribute bonuses, allowing numerous Strength, Dexterity, and Intelligence nodes to serve as more easily utilized Jewel conversion bases, reducing the build's reliance on other attribute requirements.

Elegant Hubris provides additional benefits to Passive Nodes in specific areas through its randomly generated Notable affixes. The build also combines Tattoos to further optimize some modified or no longer important attribute nodes, thus gaining additional damage and other auxiliary benefits based on your specific PoE gear and Passive Tree configuration.

Looking for more PoE 2 builds and gameplay tips? Follow EZG Facebook via the top navigation bar to discover our latest guides, news, and community content. Giveaways are also shared from time to time!

In actual combat in Path of Exile Patch 3.29, Discharge Assassin build features a tight skill rotation of Lightning Warp, Charges, and Discharge, allowing for quick clearing of most normal rooms. Even with unfavorable affixes like 40% Less Damage and 50% More Monster Life, this build maintains high map clearing efficiency.

With mastery, a Sanctum run takes approximately 7-8 minutes. If you're looking for the ultimate Sanctum Farming experience, this Discharge Assassin build is indeed an exceptionally powerful choice in Patch 3.29.

The recent leak of GTA 6 gameplay and maps has caused quite a stir. Although one of the main figures involved, Cyberleek, only released a few gameplay clips, it has already given us a lot of room for speculation about unreleased content.

The leaked clips mainly include details of the game's open-world design, environmental interactions, NPC behavior, and daily activities. While the official stance on the authenticity of the content hasn't been explicitly stated, Rockstar's repeated subpoenas to various media outlets suggest that at least some of this content is genuine.

Vice City Map

The most striking aspect of the leaked video is Rockstar's adjustments and optimizations to the environmental details of Vice City.

Unlike previous Grand Theft Auto titles, where buildings and landmarks primarily served as visual decorations or specific mission areas, in GTA 6, the developers seem to have focused on creating fully functional open spaces closely integrated into daily gameplay.

The video showcases various types of locations, including nightlife venues, beaches, shopping districts, and indoor commercial spaces.

Based on Rockstar's previously released Leonidas setting, these leaked details suggest the new map may include more diverse environments, expanding from the previous urban areas to the current coastal regions.

Nightlife Gameplay

One of the most detailed areas shown in the leaked Vice City Map video is a nightclub.

Compared to similar buildings in GTA 5, GTA 6 nightclub is much more lively. The video shows many NPCs gathered, dancing and moving around, with significantly more frequent interactions with the environment.

In previous games, NPCs typically followed simple rules, with limited interaction and reactions. However, NPCs in GTA 6 seem to have been introduced into a richer social environment, with increased interaction between crowds, animations, and characters, making the entire Vice City atmosphere feel more realistic.

Beach

The beach scene in the leaked footage further demonstrates GTA 6's pursuit of realism. In GTA 6, the beach is no longer just a tourist attraction, but a place full of pedestrians, vehicles, and various activities, with added details such as the movement tracks left by Jason riding his bike.

If the leaked details are accurate, this design philosophy aligns well with Rockstar's long-standing practice of creating a believable Vice City even without direct player interaction.

This same philosophy is evident in Vice City's traffic density, NPC movement, and environmental effects.

Previously released official videos showcased a highly detailed Vice City skyline, featuring dense buildings, waterways, and various modes of transportation, confirming Rockstar's claim of creating one of their most complex open worlds to date.

Besides Vice City, the leaked videos also revealed Leonidas's surrounding islands, rural areas, and wetlands, hinting at a richer exploration environment.

The expanded map could make GTA 6's open world one of Rockstar's most ambitious environments to date.

Shops

The leaked gameplay videos show a shopping area with multiple stores, including a game store and other retail establishments. These details suggest that GTA 6 may expand the influence of commerce in the open world and introduce a new commercial economic system.

In previous GTA titles, many shops primarily served to create atmosphere or provide simple interactive features. However, in Grand Theft Auto VI, shops seem to have been given more detailed elements to encourage exploration, such as replica game boxes, posted advertisements, and layout changes.

Supercars and Gas Stations

Another leaked gameplay video shows Jason driving a high-performance sports car through Leonidas, eventually stopping at a gas station.

Unlike Grand Theft Auto 5, where vehicles were mainly used for transportation, GTA 6 seems to place greater emphasis on vehicle-related immersion.

The video showcases mechanics potentially related to fuel and more detailed vehicle interactions, suggesting that driving may be more than just a means of transportation; it's a deeper part of the exploration process.

The video concludes with a chaotic conflict involving NPCs and vehicle damage, further highlighting Rockstar's emphasis on the unpredictability of open-world events.

Zombix

A video leaked by CyberLeek also features a game item called Zombix, which may be a consumable related to health restoration, temporary effects, or character status management. It's reasonable to speculate that GTA 6 might feature a more sophisticated item system and consumable mechanics than its predecessors.

This also hints at a deeper level of gameplay preparation, allowing players to carry and use different items to provide varying effects for their characters depending on the situation.

A similar mechanism appeared in Red Dead Redemption 2, where food, medicine, and other supplies played a crucial role in maintaining Arthur Morgan's condition.

Taser

An interesting video clip shows Jason infiltrating a suspected industrial facility, engaging in a confrontation with security personnel, and then using a taser to subdue them.

The introduction of the taser, a non-lethal weapon, likely indicates that Grand Theft Auto VI will no longer be limited to the traditional combat or escape modes of its predecessors.

Players may have more options when dealing with specific situations, especially in stealth encounters, rather than simply having to immediately shoot enemies.

Furthermore, during Jason's infiltration, he also interacted with vehicles, including a car theft. This may suggest a more sophisticated car theft mechanic, requiring players to bypass security systems or choose different methods depending on the situation.

Areas Still for Improvement

While the details revealed in these leaked videos have generated considerable excitement among players, they also expose several areas that require further refinement.

NPC Animations

Some NPC animations shown in the videos appear repetitive, with certain movements seeming less natural than others. Interactions with characters sometimes lack smooth transitions, and some physics-based environments show signs of unfinished development and optimization.

These issues are not unexpected for a AAA game. Rockstar's ambition to develop a more complex and expansive open-world environment and more diverse gameplay modes makes these minor flaws difficult to avoid.

Furthermore, with a considerable amount of time remaining before GTA 6's release, it's hard to guarantee that Rockstar won't make changes in these areas after this leak. The specific game environment and gameplay will only be revealed in the extended gameplay demo released on Netflix on August 27th.

If you want to learn more about the latest official updates and leaks, follow our GTA 6 Shop. You can also find the game resources you need after the game's release here.

Let's look forward to the official news tomorrow!

In NBA 2K series, shooting mechanics have always been one of the most discussed aspects among players.

Many players have noticed that Rhythm Shooting mechanic, which sparked heated debate in NBA 2K26, has been modified in NBA 2K27. The game also adjusted Button Shooting mechanic.

With the game's official release imminent, this modification has once again ignited controversy. So, what changes has NBA 2K27 made to these two major shooting mechanics?

Rhythm Shooting

First, let's address the highly anticipated Rhythm Shooting. In NBA 2K26, some players felt that this mechanic lowered game's skill ceiling, making shooting too easy. In NBA 2K27, its difficulty has been increased.

Dual Detection

Specifically, in NBA 2K26, the core mechanism of Rhythm Shooting was relatively forgiving - players only needed to master speed of pushing the joystick, but did not need to precisely time the shot.

This means that once you're familiar with a player's shooting animation, you can almost mindlessly shoot with a high accuracy rate.

However, NBA 2K27's Rhythm Shooting requires players to make two precise judgments simultaneously:

First, timing. Players need to shoot instant the shot meter fills to  green window; otherwise, the shot may miss.

Second, rhythm. The speed at which Pro Stick moves up and down is synchronized with rhythm of player's shooting animation, so players need to be familiar with player's shooting animation.

However, similar to its predecessor, scale on the shot meter reflects stick's physical movement in real time. If the player moves stick up and down too quickly or too slowly, scale will disappear prematurely or lag behind, indicating a rhythm error.

Impact

This dual-judgment mechanism significantly increases the difficulty of Rhythm Shooting in NBA 2K27 compared to its predecessors - players not only need to master rhythm of pushing the joystick, but also correct timing.

If you compare this game to a music game, in 2K26, you only needed to hit beat to score; but in 2K27, you not only need to hit beat accurately, but also perform another action simultaneously on accented beat.

However, if you're a player who excels at shooting while moving, this new mechanism will be perfect for you - your fadeaway jumpers, pull-up jumpers, and step-back shots will become smoother when triggered by Pro Stick, and you'll have more space to shoot.

In other words, while Rhythm Shooting is more difficult to control, once you master the mechanics, you can make shots that would be impossible with Button Shooting.

Predictably, at Hall of Fame difficulty, players skilled in Rhythm Shooting will be able to hit more difficult shots, thus widening gap between themselves and other players.

If you're struggling to master Rhythm Shooting, you can use NBA 2K27 MT to acquire player cards with higher specific attributes, thereby expanding your shooting window and improving your shooting accuracy.

Button Shooting

Besides Rhythm Shooting, NBA 2K27 has also optimized another major shooting mechanic, Button Shooting.

Shooting Window Modification

In NBA 2K26, shooting window sizes for Button Shooting and Rhythm Shooting were not equal, forcing players to choose between two shooting methods.

In NBA 2K27, however, both have the same base shooting window size, and both provide a 10% accuracy bonus when Shot Meter is off. This means that, mathematically speaking, there is no inherent superiority of one over the other.

No-Dip Shooting

The biggest change to Button Shooting in this game is the return of No-Dip Shooting gameplay, but this gameplay is directly linked to new Badge Quick Trigger.

Specifically, when you use No-Dip Shooting, the speed and consistency of your shot depend directly on your Quick Trigger Badge level.

When your Badge level is high, your shooting experience will be closer to previous game. However, when your Badge level is low, or you are not equipped with a Badge: your shot release speed will be slower, the consistency will decrease, and you will be penalized in terms of shooting ability.

This means that in NBA 2K27, even if you use the same player and press same button to shoot, the final effect of your No-Dip Shooting will be drastically different due to different Quick Trigger Badge levels.

How to Choose Your Shooting Style?

So, in NBA 2K27, should you use Rhythm Shooting or Button Shooting more often?

Advantages of Rhythm Shooting

If you enjoy one-on-one play and frequently use moves like Stepback, Hop-step, and Spin shot, Rhythm Shooting is worth investing time in practicing.

As mentioned earlier, these Moving Shots are triggered more naturally with Pro Stick, and the application of Rhythm Shooting in this game has expanded to Free Throw scenarios, meaning you can use it almost throughout the entire game.

Advantages of Button Shooting

However, if you are a catch-and-shoot player, or prefer to create open opportunities through tactical movement, Button Shooting is perfectly adequate.

Button Shooting's single-shot judgment logic is less prone to errors under pressure, and with the widespread adoption of techniques like Quick Stop, its release speed is sufficient to handle most defenses.

Furthermore, it reduces number of steps required, allowing you to focus more on observing defense and choosing your shooting opportunity.

The above summarizes the adjustments made to Rhythm Shooting and Button Shooting in NBA 2K27.

According to early community testing, both shooting methods can result in high-difficulty shots on Hall of Fame difficulty.

Rhythm Shooting has a higher skill ceiling than Button Shooting, but it is also more difficult, so your final choice should be based on your playing style and preferred controls.

The official release date for Path of Exile 2 1.0 has finally been confirmed, meaning we're about to say goodbye to Early Access and embrace new challenges!

At Gamescom Opening Night Live, the developers officially unveiled the first gameplay trailer for the long-awaited Duelist class and confirmed that the 1.0 version will officially release on December 11th.

This announcement not only confirms the exact release date but also reveals one of the most requested updates from the community: Swords will finally be added to PoE2.

In addition to the new weapon type, Duelist trailer showcases a faster-paced melee combat style characterized by highly mobile attack and defense mechanics, as well as various new combat effects.

Duelist

As seen in the trailer, unlike some of the traditional melee classes in Path of Exile 2: Return of the Ancients that rely on heavy attacks and a slower combat pace, Duelist shown in the trailer seems to emphasize speed, positioning, and continuous movement.

From the gameplay demo, we can see that Duelist primarily uses swords in combat, allowing for movement while attacking. Their skills unleash wide-range melee attacks, balancing defense and offense.

For veteran Path of Exile 2 players, Duelist seems poised to offer a more advantageous melee experience. Traditional ARPG melee builds often rely heavily on a balance between damage output, survivability, and mob clearing speed.

Duelist allows players to maintain mobility in melee combat, unlike some current classes that require standing still to attack.

Swords

The introduction of new swords is just as important as the arrival of Duelist.

Prior to this announcement, players had already experienced various weapon types in Early Access, but swords remained a highly anticipated missing element. With the imminent release of Path of Exile 2 1.0, the developers have finally brought this classic weapon type into the weapon system.

The trailer reveals several attack characteristics of sword-based weapons:

• High-speed melee combos
• Mobile attacks
• Large-area clearing skills

Although the official Duelist Skill Tree hasn't been revealed, the short trailer gives players a preliminary understanding of the class's characteristics: fast, aggressive, and especially suitable for players who like to take the initiative.

What Can We Predict?

Even though the trailer is short, we can still glean several useful details about Duelist skills:

1. Parrying and defense mechanics

If this mechanic is ultimately part of POE2 Duelist class design, it will introduce a defensive approach different from traditional armor or evasion builds. This means players will no longer simply absorb damage, but will need more precise timing and positioning to survive challenging battles.

2. Stance or Combat State System

The trailer also showcases different visual effects, including red and sand-like themes appearing during certain attacks.

Regarding this, some players believe these effects might represent different combat states or stances, perhaps allowing Duelist to switch between different offensive styles.

3. Cyclone-Style Skill Returns

Another important clip in the trailer shows Duelist unleashing a large, spinning attack similar to Cyclone, one of the most iconic skills in PoE2.

In the footage, Cyclone appears to generate additional effects around the character, including projectile-like shockwaves and area-of-effect damage. This means that a build primarily using swords could have the following characteristics:

• Fast map clearing
• Continuous movement
• Attack speed bonus

For players already interested in fast-farming builds in Path of Exile 2 0.5.0, Duelist may become the most attractive option after version 1.0 is released.

Duelist Could Change PoE 2 1.0 Meta

The addition of each new class has the potential to impact the game's character building landscape, and Duelist is no exception.

Sword weapon gameplay may bring new weapon combinations, different defensive configurations, new skill gem choices, and new crafting strategies.

Players preparing for Path of Exile 2 1.0 release may need to plan their character builds in advance, especially with a large influx of returning and new players into the system.

Meanwhile, the introduction of Duelists typically creates opportunities for players who want to understand the game's economy early, especially in the initial weeks after launch, when demand for popular gear and crafting materials increases significantly.

Therefore, having sufficient PoE 2 Currency is crucial for players who want to try Duelist build, quickly upgrade their gear, and adapt to the early 1.0 environment.

To help players smoothly navigate the current endgame phase of PoE 2 and prepare for the upcoming Patch 0.5.5 and 1.0 releases, EZG has also prepared some surprises.

At the top navigation bar of the homepage, players can click the quick access to giveaways to follow EZG Facebook and participate in discussions related to future updates and receive occasional free resource giveaways.

Path of Exile 2 1.0 Release Date

In addition to announcing Duelist class, the official announcement also confirmed that Path of Exile 2 will launch its full 1.0 version on December 11th. Players will be able to play for free.

Currently, it can be predicted that the 1.0 version release will integrate Duelist class, sword weapon gameplay, remaining campaign content, additional improvements, and final launch features.

Furthermore, for the existing player base, the arrival of version 1.0 is not just an update; it also marks a new phase for PoE2's economy, character builds, and endgame environment.

In short, the official message from Gamescom is clear: Path of Exile 2 is about to enter its next major chapter. This 1.0 update may be the largest expansion pack in PoE series to date, giving players another reason to prepare for the new era and plan their next new journey.