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Valorant 10.09 Update Brings Major Tejo & Breach Nerfs: Full Patch Notes

Sonu Banerjee
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Valorant 10.09 Update Brings Major Tejo & Breach Nerfs: Full Patch Notes

Riot Games has rolled out the Valorant 10.09 update to the game’s live servers, introducing some crucial hero changes that are certain to shake up the current meta of the competitive shooter.

The Valorant 10.09 patch brings some major nerfs to Tejo and Breach, two of the most popular Initiator picks across pubs and the pro scene alike. While Breach sees a minor tweak to just one piece of his utility, the adjustments to Tejo are far more severe.

Other than the aforementioned hero nerfs, the new Valorant update also brings an important change to the gifting system, increasing the number of gifts you can send per day from five to ten. The rest of the gifting restrictions remain in place.

Without further ado, let’s check out everything you need to know about the Valorant 10.09 update.

Valorant 10.09 Update Patch Notes

On May 13th, Riot Games officially disclosed the detailed patch notes of the Valorant 10.09 update.

Fans can take a look at the Valorant 10.09 patch notes below:

ALL PLATFORMS

AGENT UPDATES

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  • Tejo
    • We hear you. And we agree that Tejo has been overperforming in some factors. We’re constantly monitoring the state of our Agents and feel that Tejo’s rockets have led to higher frequency of unhealthy game states, such as Tejo’s repeated usage of his rockets being able to swing rounds without sacrificing as much compared to other Initiators. We want to maintain Guided Salvo as an ability that is very powerful and reliable at clearing space, but increase the commitment so that wasted or uninformed casts are less free, and so opponents have room to iterate and try different things round-over-round. We feel that reliable map-targeted flush is a powerful enough tool to warrant not having a cooldown. Additionally, we felt that Tejo’s economy could use rebalancing given the strength of Stealth Drone.
    • Guided Salvo
      • We’ve changed the Guided Salvo to be more flexible but have adopted the no recharge model (like on Skye) to maintain the power of the rockets while also increasing cost per cast. We’ve also reduced the ability to easily stall across the map in a handful of scenarios we felt wasn’t healthy.
      • Cost: 150
        • Grants a free charge on round start
      • Each individual rocket used will consume 1 charge.
      • The cooldown has been removed.
      • Map Targeting Range decreased from 55m to 45m.
    • Stealth Drone
      • Cost: 300 >>> 400
    • Special Delivery
      • Cost: 300 >>> 200
    • Armageddon
      • We’re raising the cost to put it in line with other ultimates that are in a similar power profile.
      • Ult points increased from 8 to 9

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  • Breach
    • Breach’s Fault Line has felt below our counterplay bar for abilities. We want to increase the amount of situations where you could get out of Breach’s stun if you aren’t completely in the center.
    • Fault Line
      • Time until Fault Line detonates after its cast increased from 1 second >>> 1.2 seconds

GENERAL UPDATES

  • Gifting
    • Due to popular demand, we are increasing the limit of gifts you can send to your friends from 5 to 10 gifts per day starting May 15. This change is going live when our Give Back // V25 Collection hits the Featured Store—so every gift from this bundle you send to a friend is also a gift to charity.

MODES UPDATES

  • Swiftplay
    • Maximum ultimate point costs have gone up since Swiftplay launched, making it harder for some Agents to reach their ultimates. We’ve adjusted starting ultimate points to give you a better shot at using their ultimates within a half. This change is part of a broader Swiftplay update to scale starting ult points based on ultimate cost.
      • Breach
        • Rolling Thunder starting points 2 >>> 3
      • Killjoy
        • Lockdown starting points 2 >>> 3
      • Viper
        • Viper’s Pit starting points 2 >>> 3

BUG FIXES

  • Cosmetics
    • In Patch 10.08, we fixed a visual bug that was found in the Bolt skinline that caused the skins to glow brighter than intended after equipping and inspecting the Bolt Flex.
      • We initially thought this bug could cause potential issues for photosensitive players. But after conducting extensive photosensitivity testing, we’ve concluded that there is no substantial risk. So we’ve decided to revert that bug fix and leave it as an Easter egg.
    • Fixed a bug where Kill Banners for certain skins (Oni, Evori Dreamwings, EX.O, Prelude to Chaos, Mystbloom, and more) were appearing smaller than normal after the first kill.

KNOWN ISSUES

  • Cosmetics
    • We’re aware of a bug with the Bolt skinline that is causing the skins to glow far brighter than normal.
      • This is separate from the previous Bolt bug that was found, fixed, and reverted in this patch. This new bug causes Bolt skins to glow at an unacceptable brightness which could cause issues for photosensitive players and also affect competitive integrity.
      • We will be fixing this bug with patch 10.11.
  • Agents
    • We’re aware of an issue where Omen can enter his smoke targeting mode for Dark Cover, allowing dead allies to be able to see through Viper’s Pit or other nearsight effects
      • We will be fixing this bug with patch 10.10

Sony PS5 Price Hike Likely Amid Rising US-China Tariffs

Aritra Patra
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0
Sony PS5 Price Hike Likely Amid Rising US-China Tariffs

The PlayStation 5 (PS5) could soon see another price hike as Sony struggles with the cost implications of rising U.S.-China tariffs. This comes as part of wider industry woes, with rivals such as Nintendo also shifting strategies due to economic challenges.

Sony itself forecast a zero operating profit during the year ended March 2026 in its latest earnings announcement, attributing the lack of growth to the expected ¥100 billion ($680 million) dent from U.S. tariffs. The tariffs as part of sustained trade tensions have had a particularly big impact on Sony’s bottom line, causing price adjustment discussions for consumer offerings, such as the PS5.

Chief Financial Officer Lin Tao stated that Sony is considering several steps to counter the tariff effect. Some of them are possible price hikes, and the possibility of shifting manufacturing plants to the United States. At present, many of the PS5 parts are manufactured in China and so subject to a 30% tariff in the United States, as opposed to a 10% tariff for other countries.

PS5 Digital Edition and Disc Drive Prices Rise in Europe, Australia & New Zealand

The gaming market as a whole is experiencing the brunt of these economic changes. Nintendo, for example, has come under fire for the price of its new Switch 2 console, which will cost $449.99, about 50% more than the original Switch. The company has also pushed back U.S. pre-orders to gauge the possible effect of tariffs on prices and consumer demand.

Analysts indicate that these cost pressures can result in higher prices not just for hardware but also for software. With rivals like Microsoft already making adjustments to their pricing, Sony could follow suit, which could result in higher costs for consumers in general.

As trade tensions increasingly shape production and pricing decisions, consumers might have to budget for higher expenses related to gaming consoles and software. Sony’s deliberations about the PS5 are representative of general industry tendencies and reflect the intricate interplay between global trade policies and pricing in consumer electronics.

Marvel Rivals Season 0 Battle Pass Returns: Skins, Rewards & More

Aritra Patra
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0
Marvel Rivals Season 0 Battle Pass Returns: Skins, Rewards & More

Marvel Rivals is celebrating its first anniversary with the return of the Season 0 Battle Pass from May 15, 2025, until May 29, 2025. This return brings players the opportunity to obtain exclusive content from the original season, such as special character skins and cosmetics.

The Battle Pass costs 590 Lattice ($6) and, incredibly, does not have an expiration date, giving players the freedom to claim rewards at their own pace.

Exclusive Season 0 Battle Pass Rewards

Season 0 Battle Pass includes several unique cosmetic items:

  • Galactic Claw for Black Panther
  • God of Magic skin for Doctor Strange
  • Galactic Wings for Mantis

These cosmetic items were initially included in the game’s initial Battle Pass and are now available again for a short time.

Galacta’s Gift Event

Coming in conjunction with the return of the Battle Pass is the Galacta’s Gift event, providing players with more in-game rewards. Players can collect the following through participating in this event:

  • Nameplates
  • Sprays
  • Chrono Shield Cards
  • Costume Coins

New Character Skins: The Punisher and Namor

The May 15 update also includes new skin releases for The Punisher and Namor:

  • Dangan Ronin skin for The Punisher
  • Retro X-Uniform skin for Namor

These new additions bring new customization possibilities to players and extend the game’s run of frequent updates to character looks.

NetEase Games has recognized fans’ desire to access past Battle Pass content. Although the Season 0 Battle Pass is now out, the developers stated that future re-releases of old Battle Passes will happen, probably at premium prices and not in the next two seasons. This solution is attempting to balance new player accessibility and the exclusivity desired by veteran players.

NiP Kick Out G2 from PGL Astana 2025

Sarjyo Mukherjee
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NiP Kick Out G2 from PGL Astana 2025

Ninjas in Pyjamas are in the playoffs of PGL Astana, having taken down a vulnerable G2 side that was far from their best shape. This NiP roster is slowly building momentum, and so far, they have only lost to Aurora and Spirit, two of the best teams in this tournament.

VETO

  • G2 removed Train
  • Ninjas in Pyjamas removed Mirage
  • G2 picked Dust2
  • Ninjas in Pyjamas picked Nuke
  • Ninjas in Pyjamas removed Inferno
  • G2 removed Anubis
  • Ancient was left over

Map 1: Dust 2; Pick: G2; Winner: NiP

G2 on the T side failed to put up a convincing performance, leading to NiP putting a stop to any and all plans. Having won 10 rounds in the first half alone, NiP walked into the second half oozing with confidence, but G2 started making a comeback at that point, leading to NiP losing a few rounds early on. G2 reached 8 rounds on the offence, almost closing in on the scoreline before NiP did not let it slip any further and closed the map.

Map 2: Nuke; Pick: NiP; Winner: NiP

Starting on the T side, NiP were closely matched by G2 for the better part of the first half, but NiP managed to edge out a two-round lead. With two more rounds to their name, NiP started their defense, though closely matched with G2, they were the better team as malbs and HeavyGod failed to make up for the loss of firepower due to the absence of Hunter. Both teams’ trading rounds led to NiP closing out the map with a 13-10 scoreline as the G2 offence failed to produce a comeback. Arrozdoce and R1nkle were the two pillars for NiP in securing playoffs, having 1.32 and 1.32 IR respectively.

The absence of Hunter came at a heavy cost for G2, having failed to make it to the playoffs, their confidence will be at an all-time low since losing m0NESY and NiKo. TaZ is nowhere near the level required to play in Tier 1, and the lack of one player has taken the roster to a new low. With the whole line-up set to return for Dallas, time will tell how they will fare at the next IEM.

New Genshin Impact Character Skirk Revealed

Sonu Banerjee
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0
New Genshin Impact Character Skirk Revealed

HoYoverse has confirmed the addition of Skirk to Genshin Impact as a new playable character with the game’s version 5.7 update.

While information about Skirk in Genshin Impact had been circulating for quite some time, it wasn’t until May 12th that HoYoverse officially unveiled the character.

Skirk, who was first seen in Genshin Impact during the Fontaine Archon Quest finale, has been fighting in the Abyss for several years. She was trained by her master, Surtalogi the Foul, and is herself the mentor of Fatui Harbinger Tartaglia.

Skirk will likely be a 5-star character in Genshin Impact and has been confirmed to use the Cryo element. While her weapon of choice hasn’t been officially confirmed at the time of writing, it’s safe to assume from her artworks that she will use a sword.

Other than that, not much is known about Skirk in Genshin Impact as of yet.

As mentioned earlier, fans will be able to play Skirk with the Genshin Impact 5.7 update, which is expected to hit the live servers on June 18, 2025.

The following lore was dropped by HoYoverse alongside the announcement of Skirk:

“The stars hang above in their night-veiled skies. The Abyss lies beneath in chthonic depths. None can know what lies beyond the bespangled heights, just as none can perceive that which dwells in lightless depths. As the ancient Khaenri’ahn augur once said: ‘Venturing out into the universe and down into the abyss are the same—’ ‘In that both are braving the dark unknown.’ In the days after the underground civilization collapsed, upon a patch of unremembered, scorched earth—The one who despised destiny plucked a young girl from the hand of fate. Once she had grown up, she too saved a child ensnared by providence. How good it would be, if warmth could be the measure of all things, if all tales could end in joy…Yet the road ahead is uncertain, the sights beyond unknown.”

StarLadder Announces Second CS2 Major of 2025 in Budapest

Sonu Banerjee
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StarLadder Announces Second CS2 Major of 2025 in Budapest

The second Counter-Strike 2 Major of 2025 will take place in Budapest, Hungary, StarLadder announced on Monday.

Set to kick off on November 24, 2025, the Budapest Major will see 32 elite CS2 teams battle it out for a shot at the lion’s share of a $1.25 million USD prize pool.

Contrary to previous CS2 Majors, the opening stages of the Budapest Major will feature a live audience. Matches during this phase will be held at the MTK Sportpark, which seats up to 2,000 spectators.

The Playoffs for the event will be held at the MVM Dome, which has a seating capacity of 20,000 people.

This marks the first major CS2 event that StarLadder has organized since the acquisition of the company by NODWIN Gaming for $5.5 million USD in January.

“Hosting another Major is an incredible honour, and we’re determined to make it unforgettable,” Roma Romantsov, CEO of StarLadder, said in a statement. “Budapest gives us the perfect stage to push the boundaries of what a live CS2 event can look and feel like. We invite every Counter-Strike fan to be part of this iconic moment with us.”

Tickets for the Budapest Major are currently on sale. If you’re looking to attend the Major in person, be sure to visit the official StarLadder website and book your seat before they run out.

Stellar Blade PC Release Date Confirmed By Sony in Accidental Trailer

Sonu Banerjee
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0
Stellar Blade PC Release Date Confirmed By Sony in Accidental Trailer

Sony has accidentally confirmed the release date of Stellar Blade on PC in a now-deleted trailer that was posted on its official YouTube channel.

If you didn’t manage to catch the Stellar Blade trailer in time, don’t worry. Fans were swift to archive the trailer, which was likely posted in error as a result of a scheduling mistake, on the Stellar Blade subreddit.

Sony Confirms Stellar Blade PC Release Date

 As per the trailer, Stellar Blade is all set for its PC release on June 11, 2025.

Alongside PC, the Stellar Blade Complete Edition will also be available to purchase on the PlayStation 5.

The Complete Edition will feature the base game and all additional content that has been added since the initial release of Stellar Blade, including the Nier: Automata and Goddess of Victory: Nikke collaborations. Players will also be able to flex the Fluffy Bear Pack drone cosmetics and the Planet Diving Suit (Captain) Eve skin upon purchasing the Complete Edition.

If you’re looking to dress up the Stellar Blade protagonist with even more cosmetics, you’ll be able to do so by pre-ordering the game. Players who pre-order the Stellar Blade Complete Edition will receive an additional Planet Diving Suit (White Edition) skin, a pair of glasses, and some earrings that they can put on Eve.

Pre-orders for Stellar Blade Complete Edition are likely to kick off in the near future when the trailer officially drops.

How to Get Kingambit in Pokémon Go?

Aritra Patra
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0
How to Get Kingambit in Pokémon Go?

The powerful Kingambit, a Dark/Steel dual-type Pokémon, has entered Pokémon GO, presenting trainers with a new evolution challenge. Kingambit first came out in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, evolving from Bisharp, which evolves from Pawniard. Though the mainline games needed particular requirements, including the Leader’s Crest, Pokémon GO has a different evolution process.

In this article, we will explore how you can get Kingambit in Pokémon GO without any hassle.

How to Get Kingambit in Pokémon Go?

To transform your Bisharp to Kingambit in Pokémon GO, use these steps:

  • Make Bisharp Your Buddy: Go to your Pokémon inventory, choose Bisharp, and make it your active buddy.
  • Take Part in Raids: Take part in and win 15 Dark- or Steel-type Pokémon raids. Bisharp must be your buddy for the raids, though it doesn’t have to join the battles itself.
  • Amass Pawniard Candy: Make sure to have at least 100 Pawniard Candy. You can acquire candy through catching Pawniard, having it walk with you as your companion, or receiving duplicates.
  • Evolve: As soon as the aforementioned requirements are fulfilled, evolving Bisharp into Kingambit will become an option.

This evolutionary path follows the official debut of Kingambit in the game, providing trainers with a distinctive challenge to integrate this formidable Pokémon into their rosters.

How to Obtain Pawniard and Bisharp?

Pawniard, the initial stage in this evolution line, is not very common in Pokémon GO. Here is how you can get it:

  • 12 km Eggs: Pawniard can hatch out of 12 km “Strange Eggs,” which are earned through defeating Team GO Rocket Leaders.
  • 7 km Eggs: Through particular events, e.g., the “Crown Clash,” Pawniard can also hatch out of 7 km eggs earned through completing Routes.
  • Field Research Chores: Completing specific chores, such as “Power up Pokémon 5 times” or “Complete a raid,” will reward you with a Pawniard encounter.
  • Wild Encounters and Raids: In events, Pawniard can be found in the wild or as a one-star raid boss, but this is not common.

To evolve Pawniard to Bisharp, you will use 50 Pawniard Candy.

If you still have any other queries regarding it, let us know in the comments below.

NAVI Beat Aurora to Qualify for PGL Astana Playoffs

Sarjyo Mukherjee
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NAVI Beat Aurora to Qualify for PGL Astana Playoffs

NAVI went through to the playoffs of PGL Astana after beating Aurora 2-0. Following the embarrassing loss against MongolZ, NAVI found their mojo against the Turkish side and found themselves in the next round of play.

VETO

  • Natus Vincere removed Anubis
  • Aurora removed Ancient
  • Natus Vincere picked Train
  • Aurora picked Inferno
  • Aurora removed Mirage
  • Natus Vincere removed Nuke
  • Dust2 was left over

Map 1: Train; Pick: NAVI; Winner: NAVI

Having managed to catch Aurora off guard with the Train pick, NAVI led the charge on the T side. Winning a few rounds right from the get-go, they dropped the ball, allowing Aurora to level the scoreline before switching sides. Aurora managed to go 10-6 up before NAVI could get going on their CT side. Once NAVI managed to stabilise their defence, Aurora failed to get anything further they NAVI closed out the map, and the Turkish side failed to manage anything more than one round.

Map 2: Inferno; Pick: Aurora ; Winner: NAVI

Starting on the defence, Aurora managed to get a strong start as they looked to take the series to a third map. As they managed to run away with it, NAVI won the final three rounds of the first half to close the lead before moving to the defence. After winning the pistol round, NAVI managed to get into the lead and continued their momentum as Aurora failed to get more than 3 rounds before NAVI closed the series. Despite being the best player on the server with 24 kills, XANTARES could not push it over the line for his team.

Aurora need one more win to advance to the next stage, and they’re likely to get it in the upcoming match. They will face ODDIK in the final round of the groups, and they are the favourites.

Riot Games Introduces New Player Behavior System to Combat League of Legends Toxicity

Aritra Patra
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0
Riot Games Introduces New Player Behavior System to Combat League of Legends Toxicity

Riot Games is stepping up efforts to create a more respectful and enjoyable atmosphere within League of Legends. In a recent message, Lead Gameplay Designer Matt Leung-Harrison described the company’s new strategy to combat in-game toxicity, calling for a balance between punishment and behavioral change.

Traditionally, Riot’s response to misconduct was strict penalties. Yet Leung-Harrison identified a shift towards “timely nudges”. Real-time feedback systems are intended to signal to players where they are behaving improperly. Internal data has informed this approach as a way to show that players are far less likely to reoffend if they have an awareness of misconduct, and that reoffending can fall below 10% if players are quickly reminded of their misbehavior.

Augmenting the Reporting Ecosystem

The credibility of the reporting system plays a central role in Riot’s disciplinary system. Leung-Harrison encouraged players to make appropriate use of reporting mechanisms, noting that wholesale reporting tends to devalue the usefulness of the system. Riot algorithms evaluate the merits of reports, and false-reporting patterns decrease a player’s standing within the system. Helpful and considerate reports increase the system’s efficiency in detecting and dealing with genuine instances of impropriety.

Although most players react well to corrective feedback, a very small percentage, less than 0.1%, continue with egregious behavior. In such instances, Riot implements permanent bans to maintain the health of the community. The company recognizes the difficulties presented by account swapping and the utilization of alternate accounts to evade bans and is working diligently to address these issues.

Technological Innovations in Behavior Monitoring

Riot has incorporated sophisticated machine learning models into its monitoring systems, allowing for real-time analysis of in-game chatter. The models are capable of recognizing and silencing offensive language in real-time, stopping hurtful messages from being received by other players. The capabilities of the system reach all types of in-game chat, including party and team chat, and are constantly updated to ensure higher accuracy and responsiveness.

Aside from punitive measures, Riot is taking proactive steps to assist players impacted by harassing behavior. The “Disruptable Behavior Repair” initiative provides rewards, i.e., autofill safeguarding and consolation LP, to players whose games are detrimentally affected by leaving or purposefully feeding teammates. The move is designed to recognize and dampen frustration felt by players in these circumstances.

Riot’s dedication to building a positive gaming community goes beyond deterrence. The company has retooled the Honor system to reward players consistently showing sportsmanship, collaboration, and respectful communication. Players who earn consistently high Honor levels are eligible for special rewards, such as special skins and in-game content, that reinforce the importance of positive behavior.

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