Enhance your gaming experience with a top-tier headset that fully immerses you in the game, whether you’re playing alone or with friends online. If you’re a gamer on Xbox, PC, or Nintendo Switch, you now have the opportunity to grab the exceptional SteelSeries Arctis 9X at a 50% discount from its original price during Best Buy’s early Black Friday sale. Usually priced at $200, the Arctis 9X wireless headset is currently on sale for only $100 at Amazon and Best Buy. This particular model is compatible wirelessly with Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC, and it has received official licensing from Xbox.

Steelseries Arctis 9X

This headset eliminates the need for a USB dongle to connect to your console, and it can be used wirelessly with both your Xbox and a mobile device via Bluetooth, allowing you to take calls while gaming. Alternatively, it can also be used with any Bluetooth-enabled device, including the Nintendo Switch, making it a versatile and multifunctional headset. The SteelSeries Arctis range, especially the high-end models like the 9X, offers a well-balanced mix of mid to high sounds with clear delivery. Additionally, the headset’s plush design and excellent headband design ensure comfortable wear for extended gaming sessions.

The earcups are generously padded, and the two-piece headband design, featuring an adjustable elastic band reinforced with steel, significantly reduces strain on the head based on our experience. Out of the box, you can enjoy up to 20 hours of battery life on a full charge, and for games that require teamwork, the bidirectional microphone ensures clear voice transmission.

For another irresistible Xbox deal, don’t miss out on the early Black Friday offer for the 1TB WD Black C50 expansion card for Xbox Series X|S. This expansion card provides a convenient and straightforward way to increase your Xbox console’s storage capacity. Its plug-and-play design allows for immediate use without compromising the essential SSD features of the console.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is a game filled with unforgettable and explosive moments, but the central concept behind what would become one of the franchise’s most iconic missions, All Ghillied Up, didn’t initially win over many developers at Infinity Ward.

The mission is now replicated in nearly every contemporary military shooter, including almost every Call of Duty game released after 2007’s Modern Warfare. It’s a concept that is now legendary and almost synonymous with the franchise: two operatives, deep behind enemy lines wearing ghillie suits that render them nearly invisible to the naked eye, armed with silenced sniper rifles. One misstep could lead to certain death, forcing players to proceed cautiously, take calculated shots, evade enemies, and collaborate with their NPC partner to survive.

In an interview with IGN to commemorate the franchise’s 20th anniversary, one of the key minds behind All Ghillied Up, Modern Warfare designer Mohammad Alavi, revealed that the idea of creating Call of Duty’s first true stealth mission was not initially well-received by the team.

“No one thought it was cool, including myself,” Alavi admitted. “I’ve always preferred the more explosive missions, and this was the complete opposite.”

Fortunately, other members of Infinity Ward, such as Steve Fukuda, one of the game’s lead designers, and Preston Glenn, a level designer, recognized the potential of a stealth-based mission and eventually convinced Alavi.

“[Fukuda] said, ‘You’re walking in a field, you approach a bush and you spot two guys beyond the bush, and you raise your gun,'” Alavi recalled. “‘You’re about to take a shot, and the bush turns to you and says, hold up.’ And that’s all he said. And I was like, ‘I’m in.’

However, creating All Ghillied Up was no easy task. Alavi explained that developing the mission required reworking the code of Call of Duty.

“It was constant warfare,” Alavi explained. “The AI was never designed to not detect you. So I thought, ‘We can deceive them.’ But I dislike that approach because it’s instantly noticeable. I thought, ‘Or, I can make this Metal Gear Solid style. I can make this the ultimate stealth mission in a Call of Duty game.’ And without informing anyone, because I knew they would try to stop me, that’s what I attempted to do.”

The rest, as they say, is history. Alavi had to modify the enemy’s ability to detect players and wrote “nearly 20,000 lines of poorly written script” to create a custom system that allowed players to hide in shadows and bushes without being detected.

Make sure to visit IGN to read the complete story of how All Ghillied Up came to be. One of the original creators of Call of Duty also recently shared how the franchise initially aimed to surpass Counter-Strike, but only found its own identity when it abandoned that goal and instead focused on making Team Deathmatch as enjoyable as possible.

While the ongoing Writer’s Guild strike is finally nearing a resolution, the film and TV actors are still in the midst of their own strike. And now, it seems that video game voice actors and motion capture performers are ready to join them. In the latest development regarding the potential strike action in the gaming industry, members of SAG-AFTRA who work on video games have unanimously voted to authorize a strike. This means that a strike could be called at any moment as negotiations continue.

A press release issued by SAG-AFTRA reveals that the vote in favor of authorizing a strike passed with an overwhelming majority of 98.32%. The negotiations are centered around the Interactive Media Agreement, with SAG-AFTRA representing voice actors and motion capture performers in discussions with major companies in the gaming industry such as Activision, Disney, EA, Insomniac Games, Epic Games, Take 2, WB Games, and production service providers for other industry giants.

The negotiations for the Interactive Media Agreement have been ongoing for nearly a year. The union claims that the companies involved still refuse to offer satisfactory terms on crucial matters such as wage growth, workplace safety, and the utilization of artificial intelligence. The next bargaining session is scheduled for September 26 to 28, and the possibility of a strike serves as additional leverage.

“It is high time for the video game companies to cease their games and approach these contract negotiations with seriousness,” stated Fran Drescher, the president of SAG-AFTRA. “The outcome of this vote demonstrates that our members comprehend the critical nature of these negotiations and that these companies, which are generating billions of dollars in revenue and compensating their CEOs extravagantly, must provide our performers with an agreement that ensures a sustainable career in video games.”

In 2016-2017, video game voice actors embarked on their very first strike, which lasted for 11 months. This strike resulted in improved working conditions and remuneration for voice actors. Now, the union’s industrial action encompasses motion capture performers as well, who play an increasingly vital role in major AAA productions. Whether the upcoming negotiations will lead to an actual strike remains to be seen.

Scheduled for release on February 8, 2024, Helldivers II, a squad-based third-person shooter, is all set to make its debut on PS5 and PC. Just like its predecessor, this sequel brings together teams of up to three players who must confront swarms of lethal extraterrestrial creatures during their intergalactic missions.

With the launch date fast approaching, Arrowhead Games has recently unveiled two editions of Helldivers II: the standard edition priced at $40 and the digital-only “Super Citizen” edition priced at $60. The latter edition offers a plethora of additional content. Both versions of the game are now available for pre-order on PS5 and Steam. If you pre-order the game before its release, you will receive bonus in-game items as a token of appreciation.

Helldivers II Preorder Bonus

Every Helldivers II pre-order comes with three exclusive sets of in-game armor:

• TR-7 Ambassador of the Brand
• TR-2 Cavalier of Democracy
• TR-52 Knight

If you’re interested in swiftly acquiring some games for your Steam Deck or PC, the Fanatical Favorites bundle provides a convenient opportunity to obtain a handful of games at a low cost. It is one of the retailer’s customizable bundle options. For $6, you can select two games, $8 will grant you three games, and $12 will add five games to your Steam library. The majority of the eligible games have been confirmed to be playable on Steam Deck.

There are numerous notable titles included in this bundle, with Dead Island: Definitive Edition being the most prominent. This gory first-person adventure, set in a tropical island called Banoi during a zombie outbreak, is one of the pioneering open-world zombie apocalypse games. The desktop PC version boasts impressive visuals and includes a substantial amount of additional content. Moreover, it features an optional difficulty mode that enhances the power of your attacks, allowing you to revel in the blood-soaked paradise while embodying the spirit of an anime protagonist.

Another enjoyable game to acquire is BPM: Bullets Per Minute, which can be best described as a fusion of Doom and Guitar Hero. Instead of wielding a musical instrument, you will be armed with rhythmic firepower, and as you defeat more enemies, the game becomes increasingly challenging, culminating in a crescendo of carnage. Other noteworthy titles in this bundle encompass the atmospheric survival-platformer Rain World, the narrative-driven adventure game Burnhouse Lane, the classic hack-and-slash-inspired action-RPG Chronicon, the charming low-fi adventure Garden Story, and the first-person Siberian survival-horror Tunguska: The Visitation.

Fanatical Favorites: Build Your Own Bundle

• BPM: Bullets Per Minute (Steam Deck compatible)
• Arboria
• The Darkest Tales (Steam Deck verified)
• Gun Gun Pixies
• Gal Gun: Double Peace (Steam Deck compatible)
• Gal Gun 2
• Rain World (Steam Deck compatible)
• Tunguska: The Visitation
• Beyond the Long Night (Steam Deck verified)
• Dead Island Definitive Edition (Steam Deck compatible)
• Burnhouse Lane
• Bad North: Jotunn Edition (Steam Deck verified)
• Marsupilami: Hoobadventure (Steam Deck verified)
• Home Sweet Home: Episode 2 (Steam Deck verified)
• White Day: A Labyrinth Named School Fanatical Edition (Steam Deck verified)
• Garden Story (Steam Deck verified)
• My Summer Adventure: Memories of Another Life
• Chronicon (Steam Deck compatible)
• The Smurfs – Mission Vileaf (Steam Deck verified)

Disclosure: GameSpot and Fanatical are both owned by Fandom.

We are examining the Mythic+ Ranking for the third week of Patch 10.1.7.

DISCLAIMER

The subsequent article is based on information from our sibling website U.GG, which has combined nearly 39K evaluations from active servers. Consequently, the information provided here may differ from Petko’s Mythic Ranking Lists maintained on our website.

How the Information is Calculated

U.gg’s ranking list is formulated by assessing damage and healing scores from the most skilled players and considering the frequency of each specialization’s appearances in the top rankings of the current Mythic+ season. The ranking list for each specialization is determined by its effectiveness and prevalence at the highest levels of Mythic+ gameplay.

Mythic+ Ranking for Patch 10.1.7 Week 3

This week’s affixes are: Fortified, Volcanic, Spiteful.

Healer Ranking

• S-Tier
  • Holy Paladin
• A-Tier:
  • Discipline Priest
  • Restoration Shaman
• B-Tier:
  • Holy Priest
  • Mistweaver Monk
  • Restoration Druid
• C-Tier:
  • Preservation Evoker

Tank Ranking

• S-Tier:
  • Guardian Druid
• A-Tier:
  • Blood Death Knight
• B-Tier:
  • Brewmaster Monk
  • Vengeance Demon Hunter
  • Protection Paladin
• C-Tier:
  • Protection Warrior

DPS Ranking

• S-Tier:
  • Augmentation Evoker
  • Shadow Priest
  • Fire Mage
• A-Tier:
  • Retribution Paladin
  • Fury Warrior
  • Beast Mastery Hunter
  • Balance Druid
  • Enhancement Shaman
  • Subtlety Rogue
  • Destruction Warlock
  • Frost Mage (up from B)
• B-Tier:
  • Outlaw Rogue (down from A)
  • Windwalker Monk
  • Arcane Mage
  • Feral Druid
  • Arms Warrior
  • Survival Hunter
  • Havoc Demon Hunter
  • Frost Death Knight
  • Affliction Warlock
  • Elemental Shaman
• C-Tier:
  • Marksmanship Hunter
  • Devastation Evoker
  • Demonology Warlock 
  • Unholy Death Knight
  • Assassination Rogue

A brand new armor set with a Night Elf theme is being introduced in Guardians of the Dream.

The set consists of the following three items:

• Darnassian Moonsilver Spaulders
• Darnassian Cloak
• Darnassian Tabard

Set Appearance

We are examining the Visage of Ursoc, a novel Head cosmetic that will be introduced in Patch 10.2.

The item will most likely be obtainable at some stage in the Trading Post.

Visage of Ursoc

“An ancient and disregarded ceremonial headdress displaying the countenance of the sagacious Bear Lord.”

Amazon has unveiled the dates for its upcoming major sales event. Named Prime Big Deal Days, the two-day sale is scheduled to take place on October 10-11. This exclusive 48-hour sale will be available only to Prime members, although there will likely be enticing deals for non-members as well.

Prime Big Deal Days: A Sequel to Prime Day

Big Deal Days is essentially a follow-up to Prime Day

If you’re sensing some Prime Day vibes, you’re not mistaken. Last year, Amazon held a sale in October called Prime Early Access, which turned out to be quite similar to Prime Day itself. Although the name has changed to Big Deal Days, this sale bears all the hallmarks of a Prime Day 2023 sequel.

Prime Big Deal Days will kickstart the holiday shopping season, as deals seem to arrive earlier each year. This new sales event by Amazon will serve as an early opportunity to snag Black Friday 2023 deals.

It’s highly likely that Amazon won’t be the only retailer offering a wide range of deals on October 10-11. Competing retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, and Target always hold their own sales during Amazon’s major events. Expect the same to happen during Big Deal Days, even though no rival sale has been announced yet.

Big Deal Days: Exclusively for Prime Members

Prime Big Deal Days will take place on October 10-11

Yes, just like Prime Day, Big Deal Days is reserved for Amazon Prime members. A Prime membership costs $15 per month or $139 per year. However, new subscribers can take advantage of a complimentary 30-day trial. Since the sale is within 30 days, you’ll be able to access all the official Big Deal Days offers without paying for a membership.

However, anyone who has ever shopped during Prime Day knows that there are always plenty of deals available on Amazon that don’t require a membership. This is because of the competing sales. Amazon often matches deals from rival sales without restricting them to Prime members. As a result, Amazon’s sales end up being even more extensive than advertised.

Furthermore, Amazon’s official deals will extend beyond the Amazon website this time. Prime members will have the opportunity to access the same deals directly from select manufacturers, including Targus and Wyze.

Early Deals for Big Deal Days

Expect Amazon Fire devices to take center stage during Big Deal Days

Most of the best Big Deal Days promotions won’t go live until October 10 at 12 AM PT / 3 AM ET. However, it wouldn’t be an Amazon sales event without a selection of early offers. Amazon has already created a sales hub where early deals will be featured.

At the moment, there aren’t many deals available, but you can save on select Amazon Fire TVs and tablets, Bluetooth speakers, and smartwatches. Similar to Prime Day earlier this year, members can also request invitations to purchase specific products.

During the event, you can expect a diverse range of deals on gaming, tech, and entertainment products. These Amazon sales are always a treat for those looking to expand their game libraries for Nintendo Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series X. It will also be an excellent opportunity to purchase gaming accessories such as controllers and headsets, as well as PC gaming hardware and gear.

How to Score a Free $15 Amazon Credit before Big Deal Days

Amazon is once again offering Prime members the chance to receive free credit to spend during Big Deal Days. All you need to do is download the Amazon Photos app and upload a picture by October 7. If you took advantage of this offer leading up to Prime Day, you won’t be eligible, but those who missed out have another opportunity.

Amazon is also running several other promotions in the weeks leading up to Big Deal Days. If you own an Amazon-branded credit card, you can receive 10% back on Amazon devices purchased between October 2-12.

If you’ve never subscribed to Amazon Music Unlimited, you can enjoy four months for free. Meanwhile, current subscribers can switch to a family plan for four months while paying the individual membership price.

Be sure to keep an eye on GameSpot’s deals hub, as we will be covering all things Prime Big Deal Days leading up to and during the sale.

The Xbox Series S is a fantastic console for individuals who are not overly concerned with 4K gaming, and currently, you have the opportunity to acquire the recently launched 1TB edition with a $100 gift voucher from Dell. Initially introduced in a white 512GB model, this new iteration of the Xbox Series S increases the storage capacity to 1TB and provides the console with a sleek new coat of Carbon Black paint.

Xbox Series S 1TB

Although it lacks the raw 4K graphical power of its larger sibling, the Xbox Series X, the Xbox Series S instead aims to deliver a gaming experience at 1080p and 1440p that comes close to the capabilities of the more advanced console. It is smaller, lightweight, and features the same high-speed SSD technology that significantly reduces loading times and enables the suspension of multiple games through the Quick Resume function. Additionally, it comes with an Xbox wireless controller, allowing you to start gaming right out of the box.

Combine it with an Xbox Game Pass subscription, and you have a fantastic little console that can access and store a surprisingly large number of games. With this deal, you also receive a $100 gift voucher that can be used in the Dell Store. You are free to spend it on a variety of items in the Dell Store, such as an additional controller for the Series S or a high-spec gaming headset, but there are also numerous recently released games available as digital codes.

We have reviewed the exclusions for promotional gift cards and did not find digital games listed, so it appears that you can use your gift card to purchase a couple of games once you receive it.

• Star Wars Jedi: Survivor — $70
• Street Fighter 6 — $60
• Immortals of Aveum — $70
• Diablo IV — $70
• Dead Island 2 — $70
• Dead Space — $70
• Cyberpunk 2077 — $60
• Resident Evil Village — $50
• Resident Evil 4 — $70
• WWE 2K23 — $70
• Evil West — $60
• Persona 5 Royal — $60
• Control: Ultimate Edition — $40
• Aliens: Dark Descent — $40