Gaming

For many Valorant players, the climb up the ranked ladder can feel like a battle of willpower. When Valorant players discuss the hardest rank to escape, many people focus on the higher ranks like Ascendant or Immortal. But in truth, the real struggle often lies much lower.

Despite being so low in the rank tiers, Gold has earned a reputation as a frustrating and difficult rank to escape. Many players find Gold lobbies more toxic, inconsistent, and volatile, making the climb out of this rank a mental and skill-testing hell.

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Valorant recently entered the console market and is doing pretty well in that space. Image credit: Riot Games

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One of the primary reasons Valorant‘s Gold rank is so challenging lies in the mindset of the players. Gold players often develop an inflated sense of skill, believing they’re far superior to their rank. This mentality breeds arrogance, leading to poor decision-making and communication breakdowns.

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In Gold lobbies, many players fail to acknowledge their mistakes, choosing instead to blame teammates for losses. This environment fosters a toxic atmosphere where teamwork suffers, making it difficult to maintain a cohesive strategy throughout a match.

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Another factor that contributes to Gold being the hardest rank is the inconsistency in skill levels. In Gold, you’re likely to encounter a mix of players who belong in Silver or Platinum, which disrupts the balance of the game. This creates lobbies with skill gaps between teammates and opponents.

A match can feel like a constant uphill battle when one player consistently carries while others struggle to keep up. The disparity in individual skill can make matches feel more chaotic and unpredictable compared to higher ranks, where the skill level tends to even out.

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Some players have even gone as far as to say that Gold lobbies are harder to win than those in Diamond or Ascendant. This is partly due to the sheer unpredictability of the players in Gold.

Despite the perception that Gold is a toxic cesspool, some argue that it’s also a critical learning phase for players. The rank forces players to improve their game sense, communication, and adaptability, as they’re constantly exposed to different styles of play. Those who persevere through Gold often come out with stronger skills and a deeper understanding of the game.

Players often report that despite performing well in terms of kills and assists, their Ranked Rating (RR) gains are minimal. This is because Valorant’s ranking system prioritizes overall match performance and win-loss ratios rather than individual combat scores.

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A player might consistently carry their team but still see slow progress due to the hidden MMR system working behind the scenes. This mismatch between visible rank and hidden MMR means that Gold players often feel like they’re stuck in limbo, unable to break free despite their efforts.

In contrast, once players reach higher ranks like Platinum, Diamond, or Ascendant, the environment becomes more stable. Communication improves, and players are more likely to focus on strategy and team play.

Higher-ranked players are often more focused on winning, which creates a more consistent and enjoyable experience. But for many, the mental and emotional toll of grinding through Gold is so exhausting that they’re unable to appreciate it once they finally escape.

What do you think about Valorant‘s ranked system? Let us know in the comments!

New releases in fiction, nonfiction and comics that caught our attention.

Harper

Normally a book described as being largely about a teen love triangle wouldn’t be something I’d reach for, but I decided to give this one a go after reading many glowing reviews, and found myself drawn in by Louise Erdrich’s prose right away. There is a love triangle, yes, but The Mighty Red is about much more than that. It covers a lot of ground, including the struggles of a farming community facing economic recession, land degradation and concerns about the chemicals being used to keep the land productive.

The Mighty Red follows characters Crystal and Kismet, a mother and daughter, and the people in their orbits in rural North Dakota. There is a tragedy that underlies much of the story (and a hint of the supernatural), but there’s a fair amount of humor mixed in too.

$23 at Amazon

W. W. Norton & Company

Every so often I’ll be minding my own business, just going about my day, when I suddenly remember the terrifying possibility that a small asteroid could someday strike Earth and do unfathomable damage. Mood ruined. This exact scenario is something that scientists have been investigating for decades and devising tactics to prevent. Promisingly, they’ve made some major strides in recent years. In How to Kill an Asteroid: The Real Science of Planetary Defense, science journalist Robin George Andrews dives into the ongoing efforts to develop a planetary defense strategy, like asteroid redirection.

The beginning of this book reads like an apocalyptic nightmare, which is to say it’s pretty engrossing. As Andrews moves on from the hypothetical and into reality — the history and the science that the book is all about — he keeps it interesting with a conversational writing style that makes even the jargon feel readable.

$28 at Amazon

Oni Press

Despite being obsessed with Cult of the Lamb, it’s taken me a little while to get around to reading the comics, the first of which was released back in June. I finally snagged issues 1-4 this week, though, after the fourth and final book of this arc was released, and it’s been a lot of fun reading through them. The comics (so far) rehash the game’s already established lore — how the Lamb came to be leading a cult, why they’re fighting the Bishops of The Old Faith, etc — but there’s some new stuff to latch onto even for people who already know the story really well. At least, new to me (did you guys know Clauneck is a duck?).

Running a cult is complicated stuff, as anyone who has played the game can attest, and the comics get into the emotional ins and outs of that burden. It’s just as cute-yet-horrifying as you’d expect a Cult of the Lamb comic to be. Issues 1-4 are being collected in a volume called  that’s due to come out in December, but you can find them individually at your local comic store or in digital form.

$5 at Amazon

Even though Bethesda tried its best to hype up Starfield: Shattered Space, the DLC hasn’t been received well by gamers. Over on Steam, the story-driven only managed to draw in a little under 600 reviews within the first 24 hours, with the majority of them being negative.

Gamers have labeled Shattered Space a massive flop and given Starfield the classic review-bomb treatment once again. All of this is quite disappointing to see, considering the fact that Todd Howard has fantasized about this phenomenal IP for nearly 55 years at this point.

Even though Starfield hasn’t exactly hit the mark, Bethesda still considers the project to be the best thing they’ve ever developed. In an interview before the game’s launch last year, Todd Howard opened up about the development process and what motivated him and Bethesda to take their RPG formula to space.

Howard shares his personal and professional journey, which led to the creation of Starfield. Since his birth in 1970, he has always been fascinated with space and the moon landing, which coincidentally connects to his family’s history.

Howard’s brother was born on the same day as Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon. This sparked a lifelong dream for him to create a space-themed video game that would shake up the entire gaming industry.

Even though Starfield spent eight years in development, it’s been on Howard’s mind for nearly 55 years. Sure, it’s not a perfect game by any means, but it brings a universe packed to the brim with stars, planets, and galaxies to explore. The title allows gamers unprecedented freedom and the next level of immersion.

Starfield truly expresses Howard’s personal love for space exploration, his childhood dreams, and his experiences growing up with NASA’s moon landing, which all contributed to his vision for the game. It’s Howard’s ultimate project, which, with quite a few fixes, will be right up there with Bethesda’s most iconic franchises.

Even though the space RPG is Howard’s biggest project ever, it still doesn’t change the fact that its latest expansion, Shattered Space, has failed to live up to the expectations. Currently, it’s being torn apart by gamers who believe Bethesda has truly lost its way, and it won’t be long before it suffers the same fate as Ubisoft.

So, why did Shattered Space DLC fail? It’s simply because Howard and his team didn’t bring much to the table for a $30 DLC. Despite the steep cost, for which you can buy some quality games, it doesn’t feature any new ship parts, skills, or gameplay mechanics that you’d expect with any DLC.

It took the company over a year to develop Shattered Space. In the past, it has delivered some phenomenal additions to its classic games, which were developed in way less time and altered the titles completely.

It’s time for the development team to own up to its failures and finally do Howard’s dream project justice. All it needs is some meaningful additions, and it’ll be back at the top of Steam charts.

With that said, do you think Starfield has failed to deliver on its promises? If so, let us know in the comments below.

“The Rotterdam-based (The Netherlands) indie games publisher/developer SOEDESCO and the Berlin-based (Germany) indie games developer FreetimeStudio, are today very happy and excited to announce that their upcoming farm-life RPG “Garden Witch Life”, is coming to PC (via Steam) and consoles (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X//S, Xbox One, and the Nintendo Switch) this year (Q4 2024).” – Jonas Ek, TGG.

343 Industries has announced that Halo Infinite will be getting a third-person mode next month, complete with a gameplay video that has fans both excited and somewhat perplexed. After all, Halo has been synonymous with first-person shooters for over two decades, so seeing the Spartans from a new perspective is bound to raise some eyebrows.

But amidst the hype and the inevitable debates about whether this is sacrilege or a breath of fresh air, one can’t help but wonder: is this really the feature that Halo Infinite needs most right now?

The announcement of the upcoming third-person mode for Halo Infinite came in the form of a tweet from the official Halo account, accompanied by a minute-long gameplay video showcasing the new perspective in action.

And while it’s certainly interesting to see your Spartans from a different angle, it’s not exactly the game-changing feature that fans have been clamoring for:

Experience a new way to play!

3rd Person Mode is coming to Halo Infinite this November 🔥 pic.twitter.com/WkDkGLx8fF

— Halo (@Halo) October 4, 2024

In fact, some players are even questioning whether this is a step in the right direction for the series. After all, Halo has always been known for its immersive first-person gameplay, and switching to a third-person view could potentially disrupt that classic formula.

As one Redditor put it:

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And they’re not alone in that sentiment. For years, fans have been vocal about their desire for one specific feature in Halo Infinite: split-screen co-op.

Split-screen co-op has been a staple of the Halo series since its inception, allowing players to team up with friends and tackle the campaign together from the comfort of their own couch. It’s a feature that has been sorely missed in recent entries, and fans have been hoping that Halo Infinite would finally bring it back.

Unfortunately, 343 Industries has been rather evasive when it comes to addressing the split-screen co-op situation. Despite promising to include the feature in future titles following its absence in Halo 5, the developer has yet to deliver on that promise.

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It’s a frustrating situation for fans, especially when you consider the fact that modders have already managed to implement split-screen co-op in the game through an exploit. While it’s not an official solution, it proves that the feature is possible—and that 343 Industries’ excuses for not including it are wearing thin.

At the end of the day, fans just want to be able to play Halo the way they always have: with friends, on the same couch, blasting through the campaign together. And while a third-person mode is a neat addition, it’s not the feature that will keep players coming back for more.

As Halo Infinite continues to evolve, it remains to be seen whether the devs will finally give fans the one thing they really want. But until then, we’ll just have to keep our fingers crossed and hope that the developer is listening to the community’s feedback.

What do you think about Halo Infinite‘s upcoming third-person mode? Is it a feature you’re excited about, or would you rather see 343 Industries focus on implementing split-screen co-op? Let us know in the comments below!

In an MMORPG like Throne and Liberty you will constantly be grinding for something. This game doesn’t have classes, though, so you will mainly be leveling up your character and their equipment. That is a fun system on the surface, but it can create a problem where you don’t want to upgrade to a new weapon because you’ve already leveled up a lower-tier weapon so much. Thankfully, there’s a way to pass along all that XP you gained on one weapon into a better one. Here’s how it’s done.

How to transfer weapon stats

You will unlock the ability to transfer gear stats automatically as soon as you get your first piece of gear that can be upgraded. This should happen very shortly into your adventures. All it requires is two weapons of the same type and some Sollant.

Step 1: Get two pieces of the same gear or weapon type.

The piece you want to transfer XP to must be of a higher level than the gear you’re drawing XP from — you can’t pass XP down to a lower-level weapon.

Step 2: Open the Gear Enchantment menu and go to the Transfer tab.

Step 3: Put the gear you want to receive the transfer in the top circle and the gear you want to take XP from in the bottom from the grid on the right side of the screen.

Step 4: Once both are in place, you can see what the end result will be for your new piece of gear.

Step 5: Hit Transfer at the bottom of the screen and a warning will appear letting you know that the gear you’re drawing XP from will be destroyed in the process.

Additionally, the gear you get after the transfer is complete will become bound, meaning you can’t trade it.

Gekko’s ability to use his little companion Wingman for planting or defusing the spike in Valorant has been a game-changer for the game. And players have found a trick with Wingman on Bind. Gekko players have recently found a hilarious and effective trick to use Wingman creatively on the desert map.

By throwing Wingman to plant the spike right as you enter the teleporter from the A site outside of Hookah, Gekko players can have Wingman sprint back to the A site to plant. This makes for a funny little sight, but it’s also a neat trick to fool the enemy team.

The trick is made even more powerful by Wingman’s ability to both scout and plant. While the enemies are focused on defending or retaking a site, Wingman can stealthily rush in and complete the spike plant. This makes Gekko one of the better initiator agents.

A great use of Gekko and the bind teleporters
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With Bind’s teleporters, this technique is even more effective, allowing Gekko to switch locations quickly while Wingman is on the long run back to the site.

To do this trick, Gekko players need to enter a teleporter while releasing Wingman at the same time. The timing is crucial. If done correctly, Wingman will sprint through the teleporter and continue to the planting site, while Gekko remains safely on the other side.

wingman doesn’t complain, scream, be toxic, or have an ego.

be more like wingman. pic.twitter.com/Hp0rfg3Kb1

— Keeoh (@Keeoh) April 15, 2023

This tactic has been perfected by many players, turning Wingman into a high-speed delivery system for the spike. Players describe the sound of Wingman zipping through teleporters as almost comical, likening it to a “super-speed” rush as he hurries to plant.

Gekko’s Wingman Plant and Defuse Ability#VALORANT pic.twitter.com/zM1oHgb0Oy

— Valorant Updates (@ValorantUpdated) March 4, 2023

Pulling off this Wingman trick requires practice and precision. The timing of throwing Wingman and teleporting must be perfect, or the ability won’t work as intended. Some players suggest heading into custom games to get the rhythm down before trying it in competitive matches.

Wingman’s trick works particularly well in coordination with other agents. For example, agents like Sage or Harbor can provide cover with their walls or utility, allowing Wingman to safely plant while the enemies are distracted. Gekko is a great pick for the current meta.

wingman doesn’t complain, scream, be toxic, or have an ego.

be more like wingman. pic.twitter.com/Hp0rfg3Kb1

— Keeoh (@Keeoh) April 15, 2023

The possibilities for team plays and synergies are endless, making this trick not just something you do for fun but possibly a team strategy. Imagine your whole team teleports and forces the enemy team to rotate off of the site only for them to find out that Wingman planted it on the site they just left empty.

Since we all agree that Gekko is meta, especially on Icebox, here is an A-exec molly you can swipe from #VCTPacific
Thanks @lakiaone pic.twitter.com/lPtyvoyziv

— Elevated (@ElevatedSpeaks) April 13, 2024

With the right setup, Gekko and Wingman can dominate a round, especially on maps like Bind where rotations can make or break a match. And this is just one of many situations where the agent shines.

Gekko’s Wingman has plenty of potential across other maps as well. Players are experimenting with different ways to use the little companion in high-pressure situations.

The ability to send Wingman into dangerous areas without risking a player’s life makes Gekko a highly desirable agent for teams looking to take a more strategic approach to their matches.

Have you tried out this Gekko trick? Let us know in the comments!