For long-time Path of Exile 2 players, the drawbacks of crafting system have become increasingly apparent as the game has progressed. Not only do Path of Exile 1 players understand the difficulties of optimizing crafting system, but Path of Exile 2 players are even more frustrated by its practicality.

Currently, players have many complaints about crafting system. I will start with the most frequently raised issues and discuss from multiple angles what makes the current crafting system unsatisfactory.

Differences between POE 2 and POE 1 Crafting

1. Gems

As all players know, gems cannot be directly socketed into equipment. Players can find them in the skill bar and socket them manually. In Path of Exile 1, gems could only be socketed into equipment. This led to a significant weakening of early-game enhancements like socketables, soul cores, and runes.

2. Crafting Variety

While crafting materials are roughly the same as in the first game, there are currently over 80 different items crafted using almost identical materials. However, with the introduction of new classes and builds, crafting process will undoubtedly become significantly more complex.

The crafting system is meant to facilitate player progression and character enhancement, but the sheer number of crafting options adds unnecessary burden to players.

3. Missing Important Steps

Orb of Scouring Orb of Alteration are two of the most requested items, capable of resetting and regenerating equipment modifiers, respectively.

Surprisingly, PoE 2 lacks these items. Firstly, once equipment is enhanced, its modifiers cannot be changed.

Some argue that these items shouldn't exist in the current game. Their presence would lead to an overabundance of masterful crater items, causing numerical inflation and negatively impacting game balance.

However, I believe this idea is completely untenable. Only a minority of players actually have access to masterful crater items. Whether or not there are enhancement and reset attributes, the impact on this group of players is minimal, and the game content won't undergo large-scale changes because of some powerful weapons.

Introducing Orb of Scouring and Orb of Alteration would not only benefit players aiming for late-game crafting, but more importantly, it would allow newcomers to better navigate the crafting system and smoothly transition into the beginner phase.

4. Crafting Table

In PoE 1 crafting table, I could clearly feel that the approach to enhancing items was very straightforward. Basically, whatever modifiers you needed, you could enhance them accordingly, and it was directly stated on the crafting table.

However, in PoE 2 crafting table, while enhancements cannot be reset, unlocked modifiers can be locked, and an unlimited number of modifiers can be crafted.

To achieve powerful effects, in addition to the usual enhancement operations, many unavoidable steps are added. Even more troublesome is the amount of materials consumed. With some methods now missing, while you can lock in certain modifiers, you'll actually consume more materials.

To obtain more resistances and attributes, more comprehensive sockets are essential, and unlocking these requires another significant material expense.

So, does the current crafting table system truly optimize the crafting process as the developers claim?

More League content forces players to constantly craft

In the ever-changing game content, the frequency of League updates is one of the most important influencing factors. You need to do more than just understand the challenges of each League; more importantly, find the most suitable equipment for your character to face new adventures.

Now, with the continuous increase in League content, crafting suitable equipment requires a massive amount of POE 2 currency to support your crafting, which brings us back to our earlier question.

Does more game content provide most players with more opportunities to experience the game's content and mechanics, or does it simply increase the workload for players?

Low drop rate increases the difficulty of crafting

In the early stages of the game, there are several deliberately placed levels. The purpose of these levels is obvious: they are extremely difficult to complete.

This makes it much harder for players to become stronger. If you can't clear these levels, you can't unlock much of the game content, and you can't obtain many hard-to-find materials.

This has led to two types of players: those who study the characteristics of each level's boss and use one-hit kills to clear them, and mainstream build we're talking about.

Not many people can consistently clear levels using these characteristics; the complex mechanics and timing are beyond the reach of everyone. Most people use the mainstream build when facing these difficult levels. And the mainstream build requires a large amount of game resources to support.

Currently, these deliberately placed levels have led to an unavoidable situation. To achieve a build that most people can clear, you have to face an incredibly low drop rate, spending hours or even tens of hours farming for items. I don't deny that some players enjoy the process, but in reality, do many people truly find such lengthy, repetitive labor enjoyable? I believe that spending so much time farming loot is only enjoyable at the final reward, and this meaningless farming is merely a prerequisite for crafting.

In short, I think PoE 2 crafting system was designed with user-friendliness in mind; they wanted a unique style and features distinct from PoE 1. However, there are still many areas that need improvement to optimize the player experience.

More game content shouldn't offer players overly tedious repetitive tasks or frustrating crafting processes. What players need are other interesting aspects of the game.

I understand that some players feel the current crafting system is already quite good and doesn't need to revert to the old model. My view is that reverting to other models isn't necessary. We should adopt other methods, as long as we solve the existing problems and optimize most of the frustrating aspects, Path of Exile 2 gameplay experience will continue to improve.

Last week's football results are in, and the first batch of Star Performers for FC 27 has been revealed. Star Performers are the first items in FC 27 to be added to PlayStyles+Lab. In addition, this update includes Future Stars special player cards and PlayStyles+Lab content. Let's take a look!

No Room for Racism Objective

First, regarding Seasonal content, besides the newly added Star Performers Packs and No Room for Racism content, no other content has been added.

Completing three games will earn you 500 FC 27 Coins from No Room for Racism Objective, but no kit.

New Future Star: Milton Delgado

Next, you can obtain the new Future Star, Milton Delgado, in your campaign by completing Tango Rhythem, Thread Needle, Curled Home, and HomeGrown Victory missions. Each challenge offers a reward.

• Tango Rhythem: Play three matches using at least one Argentinian player, and that player must be in your starting XI. You will then receive an Engine and a Shadow.
• Thread Needle: Use an Assist with a through ball once in three different matches to earn 2x78+ Gold Players Packs.
• Curled Home: Have a Future Star Player score three goals with a Finesse Shot to earn 2,500 FUT 27 Coins.
• HomeGrown Victory: Have at least 7 First Owned Players in your starting XI and win 7 matches. You will receive an Item Pick.

Note that all four challenges are completed in Squad Battles.

Speed ​​Bump Evolution

In FC 27's Evolution, we previously had Side Step and Center Stage; now, we've added Speed ​​Bump. It's a specific player Evo, and its gameplay is similar. You can give an Evo to a player to temporarily boost their abilities, then remove the card when a better Evo becomes available. However, it primarily targets slower CBs (Cross-Bound) players and cannot be CDMs (Cross-Driving Masters).

For example, Richards card can be used to boost his pace by 10, passing by 4, dribbling by 2, and physical by 4 after upgrading. Use him, then remove the boost. Any free evolution can be used for a short period.

What is PlayStyle+Lab?

PlayStyle+Lab is also an important feature introduced in FIFA 27, launched simultaneously with UEFA Star Performers. As an evolutionary feature, PlayStyle+Lab allows for customized player PlayStyles, enabling players to select PlayStyles and PlayStyle+ slots for eligible player cards, but only covering enhancement tiers.

Compared to PlayStyle Lab, the reduction in PlayStyle+ cap is the biggest structural change. It has been officially confirmed that in FUT 27, the maximum number of PlayStyle+ slots available on a single item has been reduced from 5 to 3, while the scale of attribute upgrades throughout the year has been reduced, focusing on preserving the unique qualities of each player.

This cap applies to all items in the game, including those obtained through standard Evolutions, and cannot be exceeded by Lab.

UEFA Star Performers are key to PlayStyle+Lab. They are a brand new special item category in FC 27 and are among the first items to be upgraded with PlayStyle+ through Lab.

This also significantly differentiates Star Performer Cards from other promotional cards.

How to add PlayStyle+ to Star Performers?

To add a PlayStyle+ to your favorite Star Performer Card, you need to first open PlayStyles Lab.

1. Open FC 27 Ultimate Team.

2. Navigate to Evolutions.

3. Find PlayStyles Lab and select PlayStyle+ Lab.

4. Select a Star Performer item that meets the requirements.

5. Choose the desired PlayStyle+ from the list (Meta PlayStyle+ costs 25K, Mid PlayStyle+ costs 10K, Bad PlayStyle+ costs 5K).

6. Confirm the upgrade.

An effective PlayStyle+ depends on the card's position, attributes, and intended use, so players should carefully read the options before choosing an upgrade.

Best PlayStyle+ for First Star Performers

For the first batch of Star Performers, offensive players like Lamine Yamal, Désiré Doué, and Bradley Barcola, upgrading their Sribbling, Shooting PlayStyle+ may yield better offensive results. For example, Cissé can have his Dribbling, Passing, or Shooting Attributes upgraded to make him an Attacking Midfielder. For Defensive Midfielders like Noah Sadiki, it's recommended to add his Defensive and Passing-Related PlayStyles.

Please note that not all cards are suitable for PlayStyle+, so we need to choose from the options actually offered by PlayStyles Lab.

Overall, the newly added Future Stars, Speed ​​Bump Evolution, and the brand-new PlayStyles Lab in FC 27 Ultimate Team offer players new gameplay options.

Star Performers customization space in PlayStyles Lab allows players to create their own unique set of Players Cards based on player position, characteristics, and more.

Choosing the right PlayStyle+ greatly impacts a player's performance on the field. Of course, before investing FUT 27 Coins, it's recommended to check the available PlayStyles for each player and their upgrade costs to avoid wasting resources.

In FC 27 Ultimate Team, building a squad on a low budget doesn't mean you have to settle for mere stop-gap player cards. While market prices fluctuate, 5,000, 25,000, and 50,000 coin tiers offer options that cover various positions - from starter-level picks to players capable of holding down a spot in your main lineup.

Let's organize some suitable FUT 27 players by budget - moving from low to high - so you can gradually upgrade your squad based on the coins you have available.

5,000 Coin Tier

If you're keeping your budget around 5,000 FC 27 coins, start by considering Portugal's Diogo Costa for the goalkeeper position. With an 86 OVR and Far Throw+ ability, he offers excellent value among budget goalkeepers.

For the defense, Frimpong is a great choice at right-back; featuring Quick Step+ ability and 94 Pace, he is invaluable for bombing up the flank and tracking back.

At left-back, Alphonso Davies is highly recommended. His 93 Pace, combined with solid dribbling and passing stats, makes him perfect for a starter squad, plus he offers chemistry links with Bayern Munich and Bundesliga players.

For center-back, look at Arsenal's Hincapié - his 84 OVR, Slide Tackle+ ability, and three standard defensive PlayStyles make him a highly practical choice among defenders in this price range.

In midfield, Juventus's Khéphren Thuram boasts a combination of Incisive Pass and Pinged Pass, which improves the quality of your forward passes and through balls.

For the attacking midfield (CAM) role, João Félix is ​​a great pick, as his dribbling, shooting, and passing stats are all well-balanced in FIFA 27.

On the wing, consider Real Madrid's Athenea; she possesses Quick Step and Rapid combo, along with Low Driven and First Touch, making her arguably the best value-for-money player under 5,000 coins.

Chelsea's Pedro Neto is an excellent option for the right flank; with 91 Pace plus Low Driven, Rapid, and Quick Step, he delivers very reliable performance. For the striker position, consider Openda; with 94 Pace and 79 Shooting, he's a solid choice, though his Belgian nationality and Olympique Lyonnais club affiliation make linking him into a squad a bit tricky.

25,000 Coin Tier

Once you reach the 25,000-coin tier, you begin to have a wider selection of players for your lineup who are suitable for long-term use.

For goalkeepers, you can now switch to Chelsea's Emiliano Martínez; he possesses the highly valuable Far Reach+ PlayStyle, making him a real gem among keepers in this price range.

At right-back, consider Ona Batlle. Priced at around 7,000 FC 27 coins, she is agile and an excellent dribbler; combined with Rapid PlayStyle, she can effectively support your attack.

As for left-back, Theo Hernández boasts a combination of Quick Step and Rapid. His four-star skill moves also allow him to contribute to the attack, so he certainly won't disappoint.

Meanwhile, Chelsea's Lacroix is ​​fast, defends well, and possesses excellent height and physicality. With Aerial Fortress PlayStyle, she is a perfect fit for the center-back position.

In midfield, keep an eye on Lavelle; this card flies somewhat under the radar in FC 27 but proves highly effective in actual gameplay.

For the attacking midfielder (CAM) role, Barcelona's Vicky López is a top recommendation. She is versatile enough to play on the right wing, right midfield, or as a striker, CAM, or central midfielder.

With stats like 85 Pace, 86 Dribbling, and 94 Agility - plus PlayStyles including Finesse Shot, Tiki Taka, Inventive, Technical, and Trickster - she is ideal as an attacking playmaker.

In this 25,000-coin tier, Temwa Chawinga is a must-pick for left midfield; she feels fantastic to control (as seen in FIFA 27 Draft mode) and boasts impressive abilities.

Bryan Mbeumo stands out for the right midfield position; he possesses Game Changer+ and poses a serious threat with his shooting.

If you still need a striker in the 25,000-coin range, the aforementioned Vicky López is more than capable of filling that role as well. 

50,000 Coin Tier

With a budget of 50,000 coins in FUT 27, you can shift your focus toward player cards that approach top-tier status.

For goalkeeper, a superior option is Joan García from Barcelona; he possesses Rush Out+ ability and performs exceptionally well in actual matches.

You don't need to force a change at the full-back positions; while Ona Batlle and Theo Hernández belong to the 25,000-coin tier, they remain viable choices even as your budget increases.

At center-back, you can switch to Eric García. While his stats - 79 Pace and 85 OVR - might seem ordinary, his in-game performance in FIFA 27 is widely considered exceeding his face-card stats, making him a popular choice among high-level players.

Stanway (Bayern Munich) is an excellent choice for the midfield; her Pinged Pass+ significantly boosts her ability to create chances on the pitch.

Additionally, she features Jockey, Technical, and First Touch PlayStyles, making her highly versatile and effective in both attack and defense.

For the attacking midfielder (CAM) role, Messi is the undisputed choice - once you have him, you likely won't need to replace him. In FUT 27, his Incisive Pass+ replaces the previous Tiki Taka+, and with 90 Dribbling, 87 Shooting, and 89 Passing, he offers rock-solid reliability.

You can upgrade your left midfielder to Tabitha Chawinga. With 94 Pace paired with Quick Step, plus 83 Shooting and 81 Physical, she is perfect for beating the offside trap and making explosive runs following through-balls.

For the right midfield spot, Adeyemi (Barcelona) is highly recommended; boasting 95 Pace and Quick Step+, he is arguably one of the fastest players available for under 50,000 coins.

The striker position is once again filled by Tabitha Chawinga; her attributes make her ideally suited for a forward role that demands explosive attacking power.

By focusing on pace, passing, and defensive PlayStyles when building your squad, you can certainly assemble a competitive team in FC 27 on a modest budget.

Mythic 3.0 in Diablo 4 Season 14 introduced the possibility of upgrading almost any Unique item to Mythic quality - resulting in all affixes rolling to their maximum values ​​and a 30% boost to the unique aspect.

Season 15 further refines the acquisition methods and crafting rules for Mythic Uniques - a shift the community is calling Mythic 4.0. The core changes focus on three areas: increased predictability in the upgrade process, the return of Crafted tag, and adjustments to crafting pathways.

Change 1: Upgrading to Mythic Shifts from Random to Deterministic

In Season 14, upgrading a Unique to Mythic resulted in receiving a random item for that same slot. For instance, upgrading a pair of Unique boots could yield a Mythic version of any boot, which caused significant frustration for players targeting specific gear.

Season 15 completely changes this. Using Horadric Cube's Upgrade Direct Item to Mythic recipe, the item you input retains all its original attributes - including affixes, Tempering, and Masterworking - while simply gaining the additional Mythic quality bonuses.

There are two key details to note:

The number of Greater Affixes (GA) does not affect the upgrade result. Whether the base Unique has one GA or four, the original GA are fully preserved upon upgrading to Mythic, and the GA count does not increase. Therefore, if you possess a Unique with multiple high-quality GAs, it is already an ideal candidate for a Mythic upgrade.

Do not Transmogrify the item before upgrading. Items that have undergone Transfiguration are marked as Unmodifiable, and the Upgrade Direct Item to Mythic recipe cannot be applied to them. The correct sequence of operations is to upgrade a Unique item directly to Mythic first, and then perform Transfiguration or other subsequent operations.

Change 2: The Return of Crafted Tag

This is one of the most controversial aspects of Season 15 Mythic changes. Diablo 4 Mythic items obtained through direct upgrades in Horadric Cube will bear a Crafted tag, and each character can equip only one item with this tag.

This restriction was previously removed in Season 14 due to strong community backlash, but it has returned in a new form for Season 15.

The core of the community's contention is this: given that players have already invested significant time and materials to acquire a top-tier Ancestral Unique and used the new system to upgrade it directly to Mythic, why is there still a limit on how many can be equipped simultaneously?

This is particularly relevant for players who already own multiple top-tier Uniques. The new system offers a valuable progression path - allowing players to retain existing affixes, Greater Affixes, Tempering, and Masterworking progress while upgrading the item directly to Mythic. However, if all items obtained through crafting or upgrading carry Crafted tag, players may find themselves in a situation where they have successfully crafted the gear but cannot equip all of it at once.

This is the primary reason players feel the Crafted tag conflicts with the new Season 15 Mythic system.

Change 3: Adjustments to Crafting Methods and Targeted Rune Crafting

Season 15 has restructured the methods for crafting Mythic items. Players are no longer limited to a single approach; instead, they can choose between direct upgrades in Horadric Cube and Rune Crafting at Jeweler, depending on their goals.

Rune Crafting at Jeweler is better suited for targeting a specific gear slot. By combining Resplendent Sparks with specific Runes and selecting a target slot - such as helmet, ring, or weapon - players can obtain a random Mythic item from the pool of Mythics available for that slot and their class.

It is important to note that targeting a slot is not the same as targeting a specific item.

For example, if you want a Mythic version of Andariel's Visage, selecting the helmet slot via the corresponding Rune recipe means you will receive a random item from the helmet Mythic pool; there is no guarantee you will get Andariel's Visage.

There is a clear distinction between crafting methods:

• Horadric Cube - Upgrade Direct Item to Mythic: Best suited for players who already possess a top-tier Unique item. This is a true 1:1 upgrade; the original item's Affixes, Tempering, and Masterworking stats are preserved, though the item gains a Crafted tag. Additionally, a single character can only equip one Mythic item created via this specific recipe.
• Jeweler - Rune Crafting: Ideal for players who lack a specific base item but wish to narrow down the pool of random outcomes. By specifying Runes, you lock in the equipment slot and then receive a random Mythic from that slot's specific pool; items created this way do not carry Crafted tag.
• Blacksmith - Mythic Cache: Represents a separate acquisition path. In Season 15 PTR, Blacksmith's Mythic Cache can yield class-appropriate Mythic Uniques or Iconic Mythics - none of which bear Crafted tag.

Therefore, the key for players in Season 15 is not simply to craft a Mythic the moment the opportunity arises, but to select the crafting method that best aligns with their resources and goals.

Related: Diablo 4 Season 15 Begins on September 15: Prime Evils Return, Soul Splinters Arrive & Class Meta Shifts in Season of Hell's Legacy

If you have already farmed an Ancestral Unique with excellent Affixes, Greater Affixes, Tempering, and Masterworking stats, its value may well exceed that of a standard Mythic. In this scenario, it is better to prioritize using it as the base item for Horadric Cube's direct upgrade process.

Conversely, if you lack a suitable Unique base item and simply want to use Sparks and Runes to increase your odds of obtaining a Mythic for a specific slot, Jeweler's Rune Crafting method is the more appropriate choice.

Most importantly, avoid dumping all your Resplendent Sparks into a single crafting method in pursuit of a specific Mythic. Season 15 system encourages players to allocate resources strategically based on base item quality, target slots, and the limitations associated with Crafted tag. For players with established builds, planning ahead - determining which Mythics should be obtained via direct upgrades versus those acquired through Rune Crafting or other means - is far more important than simply maximizing the total number of Mythics owned.

With the release of the full schedule for BlizzCon 2026, discussions within World of Warcraft community have quickly become lively. The overall arrangement of BlizzCon this year differs significantly from 2023; instead of a single main stage, it has returned to a format where different games each have their own independent stage, along with numerous themed panels.

Meanwhile, TBC Classic Anniversary Phase 3 is in full swing, with news emerging one after another regarding Project Camelot, Chinese test environment, WoW CN Beta, and the official WoW Armory. Even the large private server Ascension WoW has announced the closure of all its WoW servers.

While these events haven't been directly linked by Blizzard, their timing, all occurring before BlizzCon 2026, naturally fuels speculation among Classic players. Especially given the long-standing discussion surrounding Classic+, this upcoming BlizzCon could very well become the most anticipated event of the year.

TBC Anniversary

WoW TBC Classic Anniversary Phase 3 officially opened on August 27th. The most important content in this phase is Mount Hyjal and Black Temple. After the two raids opened, the initial raid races didn't last long.

European guild Spatha from Spineshatter was the first to complete all 14 bosses of both raids, taking approximately 90 minutes. Progress followed second, also completing everything in under two hours.

This result wasn't particularly surprising. Players has studied TBC raids for many years; boss mechanics, class rotations, gear combinations, and even raid routes are no longer secrets.

Phase 3 added a practical change: Attunements were removed. Previously, you needed to complete a specific opening process; now you can challenge them directly. For players preparing to farm TBC gold and BiS, this undoubtedly reduces a lot of preparatory work.

Arenas also entered a new phase. Europe will enter a new Arena Season on September 2nd, with higher-tier Season 3 gear becoming available. Blizzard's continuous optimization and investment in TBC Anniversary ensures that Classic content goes beyond simply replicating older versions.

This demonstrates that Classic remains a crucial part of WoW content ecosystem. With BlizzCon 2026 approaching, is Blizzard preparing to bring some entirely new content to Classic?

WoW CN

Around August 21st, a 1.60 build was discovered on independent infrastructure used by Blizzard and NetEase in China, deployed via a Chinese CDN. This confirms that a mysterious WoW version is being prepared or tested in a Chinese environment.

A few days later, on August 28th, data miners discovered another independent product called WoW CN Beta, further fueling speculation.

Meanwhile, the official statement indicates that Titan Reforged is a product jointly developed by Blizzard and NetEase specifically for the gaming habits of Chinese players, and there are currently no plans to release a European or North American version.

Blizzard believes that Chinese players' gameplay in WoW differs significantly from that of Western players. For example, Chinese players tend to have more characters, spend more time in raids, and invest relatively less in other types of content. Therefore, Titan Reforged was designed from the outset around these gaming habits.

Currently, Blizzard does not see sufficient demand in Western market, so Titan Reforged will not be released in Europe and America for the time being. This also means that Titan Reforged and Classic+ cannot be simply equated.

Also Read: WoW TBC Classic Anniversary Arena Season 3 Rogue PvP BiS: What Gear Should You Actually Use?

Project Camelot

Project Camelot has not disappeared, and some current information even leads outsiders to suspect that Blizzard may be developing two versions with different directions. Classic+, as previously understood, typically adds new content to the original WoW, such as new zones, raids, quests, or class-based gameplay.

But another, more radical speculation has emerged: Classic+ might not simply be an extension of 2004 WoW, but a relatively independent new game. If so, it could involve a redesigned old world, new races, new visuals, or even a completely different Warcraft timeline.

What would Azeroth have become if certain classic events had never occurred? This idea sounds audacious, but it's precisely what makes Classic+ so exciting.

Classic Armory

Compared to the various rumors surrounding Camelot and Classic+, WoW Classic Armory is a feature that has actually been implemented. Blizzard has finally added Classic characters to the official WoW Armory.

In addition to viewing Modern WoW characters, you can also view Era, Season of Discovery, Hardcore, TBC, and Mists of Pandaria Classic characters.

This feature is actually quite late; WoW Classic has been around for almost seven years, and the demand for an official Armory has existed for many years as well.

Now that Blizzard has finally added Classic characters, and right around the time of BlizzCon 2026, some players are naturally speculating whether this is some kind of preparation for Classic+ announcement.

What's Next?

After the opening ceremony at BlizzCon, World of Warcraft will quickly take center stage, starting with World of Warcraft: What's Next. According to Blizzard, this panel will give you a sneak peek at the next chapter of Azeroth, including new adventures, features, and some surprises for both new and veteran players.

This description is quite broad, and one of the most discussed speculations in the community is whether Classic+ will make its debut here. If Blizzard is indeed planning to announce Classic+ at the opening ceremony, then this could very well be where we first see more details about the project.

Player Housing

The second day's World of Warcraft: Crafting Cosiness and Creative Freedom will focus on Player Housing. Based on official information, this panel will discuss layout, decoration, customization, and how to create a truly personalized space through various details.

Housing has become an increasingly important part of WoW, and Blizzard is clearly not just showcasing the final result, but also having developers explain how these spaces were designed and built.

World of Warcraft Developer x Creator Showcase is also worth noting. This event will allow WoW developers and content creators to play, converse, and engage in community activities. If Blizzard wants to preview Classic+ through content creators, this segment is a great opportunity.

World Building

The official description states that BlizzCon 2026 will invite World of Warcraft World Builders to discuss how to create a world that truly makes players feel alive, involving culture, geography, visual language, history, and various details within the environment.

For ordinary players, this type of content may not seem as immediate as a new raid or class, but WoW's world design has always been one of the game's most distinctive features. A similar panel appeared at BlizzCon 2019.

The developers even opened Wowhead and used different zones to explain the world design of Azeroth. For players who have played for many years, this kind of content can explain why a certain zone is the way it is now, and it also shows how Blizzard handles the relationship between culture, history, and environment.

If Classic+ ultimately involves an expansion of the old world, then World Building content will become even more noteworthy. How the new zones connect with Classic Azeroth is a problem that Blizzard must face.

Art Design

World of Warcraft art design is also worth noting. The official description of this panel is that it allows players to understand how WoW artists enhance familiar landscapes while maintaining the original spirit of Azeroth. This easily reminds us of regions like Quel'Thalas and Northrend, which are related to later WoW content.

However, from the perspective of Classic+, this panel can also be interpreted differently. The environment of Classic WoW is still based on the art style of 2004 version. If Blizzard is truly preparing to expand Classic world, then the new zones cannot completely abandon the original visual language; otherwise, the entire world would easily feel fragmented.

With BlizzCon 2026 drawing ever closer, WoW Classic community has once again entered a familiar state of waiting. TBC Classic Anniversary is progressing steadily, and Blizzard's true plans for the future of Classic+ are what we should be paying the most attention to now.

In Diablo 4's endgame gameplay, the most important progression system is War Plans.

This system, presented as a skill tree, connects various endgame content such as Helltide, Nightmare Dungeon, The Pit, Infernal Hordes, Lair Bosses, Tree of Whispers, and Kurast Undercity. Therefore, once a player enters the endgame, they inevitably need to progress through War Plans.

However, this system has long suffered from several issues that have drawn criticism from players, many of whom hope these problems will be addressed in Season 15:

Progress Is Not Account Wide

Because each account in Diablo 4 can only choose one class, players who want to experience other classes must create alt characters. Therefore, experienced players typically have multiple alt characters.

However, since progress in War Plans is extremely time-consuming and labor-intensive, and War Plans progress is not shared between accounts, players must grind War Plans on each of their alt characters. Therefore, players have been calling for War Plans progress to be shared across all accounts.

Successful Case Study

In fact, the game has a proven successful account-sharing mechanism: Paragon Points.

In Diablo 4 Season 14, Paragon Points were account-wide. Players only needed to level any character to 60 to unlock Paragon Boards.

Subsequently, when alt characters under the same account in the same Season reached level 60, they would immediately inherit the acquired Paragon Level and Paragon Points. This design received widespread praise from players.

However, with War Plans system, each alt character had to start from level one and unlock all event bonuses again, which was very time-consuming and tedious.

Player Feedback

Therefore, many players stated that they did not level any alt characters because War Plans were not shared. This led to two problems:

First, players leveled their main characters to max level and then stopped logging in until the next season started; second, players were unwilling to try new classes and builds. This directly led to a significant decrease in player activity.

In fact, another similar game, Path of Exile 2, had the same problem. In Path of Exile 2, each alt character had to run through the lengthy campaigns again, which deterred many players from creating alt characters.

Lack Of Catch Up Mechanism

Some players suggested that in Season 15, even if War Plans weren't completely account-wide, a catch-up mechanism should at least be provided, such as significantly increasing the speed at which alt characters gain War Plans experience, or directly inheriting a certain percentage of the main character's progress.

The key is that War Plans system shouldn't leave alt characters with no advantage in progress; otherwise, the tedious experience of having to repeatedly play the same content will only drive players to quit the game.

Although there are rumors that Season 15 will address this issue, the developers have not yet made any promises or released any information.

Insufficient Rewards

The rewards offered by War Plans have also been heavily criticized. This system offers players two types of rewards: first, the buffs provided by nodes, and second, other rewards - such as Diablo 4 items, gold, or experience points.

Regarding the former, a problem arises: for most players, only a few nodes in War Plans are truly useful - the double chests from Lair Boss branch, the extra Glyph upgrades from The Pit branch, etc. - other branches become worthless after reaching a certain level.

However, players are forced to spend a significant amount of time progressing through War Plans for a few useful nodes.

On the other hand, the rewards for the latter are too meager. This leads many players to believe that it's better to use their time on other endgame activities than to waste it on War Plans.

Furthermore, in stark contrast to the meager rewards, resetting nodes is prohibitively expensive. In Diablo 4, resetting a single node can cost nearly 50 million gold, and resetting an entire tree of skill nodes requires an astronomical amount.

Players can't even cover these costs with the benefits of War Plans - because the benefits are too meager.

Flawed Leveling System

Finally, some players have raised concerns about War Plans' leveling system. War Plans contain multiple independent skill trees, each with multiple levels. Each level requires a significant amount of experience points, which can only be obtained by completing the corresponding endgame content.

Therefore, if you want to become stronger or farm materials faster in various endgame content, you must have War Plans buffs. However, to obtain these buffs, you must participate in endgame content to grind experience and level up.

As a result, by the time you've maxed out the corresponding skills in War Plans, you no longer need those buffs.

For example, advanced nodes in The Pit's skill tree provide additional Glyph upgrades - but players often need to run The Pit hundreds of times to unlock these nodes, by which time their main character's Glyphs are already maxed out.

These are the opinions of Diablo 4 players regarding War Plans mechanic. Overall, on the one hand, War Plans consume too much of the player's time, causing fatigue; on the other hand, the benefits they provide are disproportionate to their cost.

Players hope the developers will modify War Plans in Season 15 to make it more reasonable and engaging.

ARC Raiders team will be participating in Gamescom from August 26th to 30th. Besides merchandise and freebies, there's also a chance to see Scrappy. For us, the more anticipated aspect is whether this event will bring more information about Frozen Trail.

Many people haven't lost interest in ARC Raiders, but have already completed most of the current game's content. Frozen Trail is highly anticipated, and players now want to know if October update can solve the game's long-term problems.

If Frozen Trail can give veteran players a reason to continue playing, its significance will go beyond just content addition; it could become a major turning point for ARC Raiders.

Endgame

Expeditions is currently one of the most discussed topics in ARC Raiders community. Many players want to know how Expeditions system will continue to develop after its suspension. After Frozen Trail, will new goals, rewards, or gameplay elements that players can engage with long-term be added?

This question is closely related to endgame content. As players complete quests, projects, workbench upgrades, and other long-term goals, new content in Frozen Trail will gradually become available. At this stage, if players dislike PvP and are tired of repetitive loot loops, the amount of content they can continuously pursue will significantly decrease.

ARC Raiders Endgame needs to provide veteran players with substantial gear and resources, with something worthwhile to invest in. New arcs, hardcore arc maps, and more dangerous events can provide a renewed challenge for accounts nearing completion.

Besides Expeditions, Skill Tree is also key to changing the endgame content after Frozen Trail. I hope ARC Raiders team can answer at Gamescom 2026 whether Skill Tree Rework will be released with October Update, as this directly affects future gameplay.

QoL

Another issue players are concerned about is the optimization of QoL. Future updates to ARC Raiders will almost certainly revolve around loadout system. For players who enjoy experimenting with different gear, each new loadout setup can take 5 to 10 minutes, followed by reorganizing parts.

The raid itself might only take a few minutes, but the pre-raid preparations significantly slow down the pace.

An ideal loadout system doesn't need to be overly complex. Saving 3 to 5 favorite loadouts and displaying whether inventory is missing items during configuration selection would solve a large part of the problem. If an ARC Raiders Item is missing, it should be clearly indicated instead of requiring players to revisit the stash.

Stash management is another QoL area that ARC Raiders needs to optimize. Organizing stash, preparing ammo, crafting gear, splitting the stack, and selling or recycling are not difficult operations in themselves, but they are repeated for every raid.

Ammo is particularly problematic. Having enough materials but being unable to craft ammo because of a lack of stashes slots makes inventory management go from a strategic trade-off to a mere operational burden.

A search bar function also needs to be implemented. As your inventory and materials grow, even finding recently crafted items can require searching through countless resources. A direct search by name would greatly simplify stash management.

Repairs suffer from similar issues. Having the blueprint and necessary materials but having to leave ARC Raiders repair page, craft in another interface, and then return to complete the repair is cumbersome. A repair interface that directly handles crafting would streamline the process.

Outfit

Currently, ARC Raiders outfit design is relatively complete, but players want more freedom to combine headwear, body, sunglasses, and other components. For example, owning a cowboy hat should allow players to combine it with other outfits, rather than being limited to official preset combinations.

Many discussions also compare it to The Finals. Since the same development team has already implemented rich character customization in The Finals, players naturally wonder why ARC Raiders still restricts the combination of different parts.

The official explanation mentions preserving the aesthetic vision, but this doesn't completely dispel doubts. After all, some outfits already feature a mix-and-match design, so we're more interested in whether this is because of technical limitations, visual style considerations, or simply a current lack of plans to open up more combination options.

PvE Servers

PvE-only serves and a No-ABMM mode are another area worth noting. ARC Raiders' core is PvPvE, but as playtime increases, some players do want more options, such as a fully PvE environment or the ability to disable ABMM.

Therefore, whether there are any plans for PvE-only servers or a No-ABMM mode is a question worth raising during Gamescom. The community's demand for PvE doesn't mean PvP has lost its appeal. What truly affects the experience for some players are cheaters, free kits, and extreme PvP behaviors.

Meanwhile, the differences in experience between Solo, Duos, Trios, and Squad Fill are also significant. Some players prefer teaming up with a fixed group of players rather than relying on random matchmaking. Therefore, the question isn't whether ARC Raiders should abandon PvPvE, but whether Frozen Trail can offer more gameplay options while retaining the core value of PvP.

Lore

ARC Raiders' world-building leaves much to explore. Its story isn't told all at once, but pieced together gradually as players explore. This makes Frozen Trail even more noteworthy, as the icy environment itself could become a crucial vehicle for expanding the world-building.

Embark developed both ARC Raiders and The Finals. Although the two games have completely different gameplay, historical settings, and narrative styles, the community has never stopped searching for possible connections between them and Lore. Gamescom 2026 provided an excellent opportunity to ask these questions.

Instead of directly asking if the two games share a universe, it's more appropriate to ask: How closely are the worlds and lore of ARC Raiders and The Finals connected, and should players expect those connections to become more obvious in the future? If Embark has indeed planted some connections between the two titles, Frozen Trail might be one such point to watch.

ARC Raiders Frozen Trail, while adding new maps, missions, and cosmetics, could certainly bring a sense of novelty, but for veteran players who have already completed most of the content, this appeal might not last long. What truly matters is whether it can change the existing game loop, and Gamescom 2026 will be the best platform for officially answering these questions.

Players, the PTR for WoW TBC Classic Anniversary Phase 3 concluded successfully on August 17th, and Black Temple was undoubtedly the core raid many players eagerly awaited. Based on players' experiences in the PTR, this magnificent temple truly delivers a game pace drastically different from Tier 5 content.

For casual guilds with limited time and varying skill levels, understanding the difficulty of this raid beforehand is far more practical than blind optimism.

Gear Basics

Do you need very strong gear to participate in TBC Classic Anniversary Black Temple raid? The facts from the PTR tell us that you don't.

Some characters participating in the PTR were still wearing Phase 2 gear (dropped by Serpentshrine Cavern and Tempest Keep), with only a few having obtained Phase 3 items in advance.

Even so, the progression through the first seven bosses was quite smooth, indicating that the first half of Black Temple wasn't designed with excessively high barriers to entry - as long as your team could consistently clear SSC and TK and possessed the corresponding Tier 5 gear, you were fully qualified to enter Black Temple in Phase 3.

Once you reached this basic level, gear wouldn't be a factor affecting your progression speed in TBC Black Temple.

The First Seven Bosses

From High Warlord Naj'entus to Mother Shahraz, the overall experience of these fights was roughly equivalent to Tier 5 raids.

They all had relatively clear combat mechanics. For example, Supremus's volcano required special attention - its damage radius was much larger than it appeared, and if you were distracted, you could easily be killed.

Teron Gorefiend and Shade of Akama felt like free bosses during the raid; once you were familiar with the basic mechanics, you could clear them on your first try.

The mechanics of Gurtogg Bloodboil and Reliquary of Souls are perhaps the most complex of the first seven bosses, requiring some time to adapt.

However, it's currently unclear how much Shadow Resistance we need to stack when facing Mother Shahraz in BCC Phase 3.

In short, the common thread in these fights is that individual members of your guild can make mistakes, but as long as the healers can compensate, the raid can still progress.

For casual guilds, the first few weeks might require two or three nights of trial and error, but once everyone has seen the boss's abilities, the pressure of clearing the raid will be much less.

The Illidari Council

From player feedback on the PTR, we know that the real difficulty turning point in the entire TBC Black Temple isn't the final boss, Illidan Stormrage, but The Illidari Council.

This fight is significantly more complex: blizzards and Flame Strikes occur simultaneously, and the four council members will alternately gain magic or physical immunity shields. This means your team must be able to flexibly switch targets - when Lady Malande is magic immune, a physical damage dealer needs to interrupt her Circle of Healing.

And when she becomes physical immune, a Mage's Counterspell or Shaman's Earth Shock is needed to interrupt her spell.

The entire fight demands near-perfect execution of each member's role, as any critical mistake could lead to casualties or even a wipe in BCC.

On the PTR, even experienced teams were stuck on The Illidari Council fight for nearly three hours, highlighting the extremely high discipline and patience required.

Illidan Stormrage

After successfully defeating The Illidari Council, Illidan Stormrage felt more like a celebration after a fierce battle.

While he has many abilities, including Eye Beam, Shadow Cage, Flame Burst, etc., each is simple and easy to understand; with practice, you can defeat him.

As long as your team's positioning is reasonable, and your DPS handles Flame Burst during the transition phase, defeating Illidan Stormrage is only a matter of time.

Based on PTR projections, if you can defeat The Illidari Council, Illidan Stormrage will probably fall within two to three attempts.

Therefore, casual guilds should focus their efforts on conquering The Illidari Council in the early game, as that is crucial to clearing WoW TBC Classic Anniversary Black Temple.

Practical Advice

Casual guilds aiming for success in TBC Phase 3 Black Temple should carefully consider the following advice:

First, do not blindly believe in extreme strategies like requiring the entire raid to stack Shadow Resistance.

Preparing the required Shadow Resistance gear often costs a fair amount of TBC Classic Anniversary gold, especially if your guild needs to get materials from Auction House.

Try using gear without Shadow Resistance first, and then gradually adjust accordingly.

Second, it's best to pre-assign members responsible for interrupting Lady Malande's spellcasting during The Illidari Council fight to ensure smooth target switching.

Next, you don't need to fill the first few weeks of TBC Phase 3 Black Temple with activities to avoid fatigue.

Finally, remember to use simple and easy-to-understand tactical phrases so that each member remembers their core tasks for each phase of Black Temple.

Phase 3 Black Temple won't destroy casual guilds; it will only weed out teams willing to support each other and learn from failures.

With patience, all well-functioning, established teams can complete Black Temple by the middle of TBC Classic Anniversary Phase 3 and achieve a great sense of accomplishment!

Players, Madden NFL 27 officially launched on August 13th. While everyone is focused on the new features and changes, they often overlook the removed content. However, these are often the elements that directly affect your daily gaming experience and even determine whether you'll continue playing Madden 27.

Some removals are official bug fixes, which deserve our appreciation. But others will leave veteran players feeling regretful, as they provided us with unique enjoyment.

Next, let's review seven noteworthy removals and adjustments in MUT 27:

1. Superstar KO Mode Removed
2. Online Co-op 2v2 or 3v3 with Regular Teams Removed
3. Speed ​​Boosting Bug Fixed
4. Old Skill System Removed
5. Defense System Reworked
6. Some Team Traditions Removed
7. Heavy Weather Adjusted

Superstar KO Mode Removed

Since its introduction in Madden 20, Superstar KO, as a fast-paced and simple-rules mode, has always been popular with players - matches are about ten minutes long, requiring only a few star players to start, and the win/loss determination method differs from regular matches.

While Superstar KO wasn't a core pillar of Madden 27 like Franchise or Ultimate Team, as an easy-to-learn and entertaining gameplay mode, who can deny its value in the game?

However, it has now been completely removed in Madden 27, along with its built-in regular teams online co-op function.

Online Co-op 2v2 or 3v3 with Regular Teams Removed

Before Madden 27 MUT, players could select the online Head-to-Head sub-option through Superstar KO, allowing them to play 2v2 or 3v3 co-op matches with friends using regular NFL teams, without relying on MUT Squads in Ultimate Team.

This option has now been removed along with Superstar KO, and multiplayer co-op is currently only available within Ultimate Team.

However, Ultimate Team requires a significant investment of time and Madden 27 coins to develop a team, which doesn't meet the casual demand for instant play.

We can only hope that the game will restore this feature in another way in the future; currently, there is no alternative.

Speed ​​Boosting Bug Fixed

Actually, Speed ​​Boosting bug existed in the early access version of Madden NFL 27, but it was quickly removed in Title Update 1 on August 10th.

This issue was previously prominent in the game: players with the ball would gain unreasonable bursts of speed through specific maneuvers and barely slow down when changing direction, rendering defensive pursuits ineffective and completely violating the laws of realistic movement.

While some players felt this added to the entertainment value, it undoubtedly made the game more like a glitch, and it has finally been eliminated in MUT 27.

Old Skill System Removed

Furthermore, the abilities and X factors system, which veteran players had used for a long time, has been completely replaced in Madden 27 with tiered abilities from EA Sports College Football.

Now, each skill is divided into three levels: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. For example, Juke Box at Bronze level provides better controllable changes of direction, while Gold provides the fastest controllable change of direction animation.

Different levels in the new skill system correspond to different animation precision, casting speed, or effect bonuses.

Madden MUT 27 also removed the limit on the number of skills a single player can have, allowing the game to more realistically reflect the multiple specialties of versatile players.

Defense System Reworked

This is a positive development for players, significantly improving the gameplay experience: the old defensive button system has been entirely abandoned, and the new button mapping drastically shortens the operation path.

What used to require 8 to 10 actions can now be completed in just 2 to 3 in Madden 27. Specifically, adjustments for defending forwards and linebackers are now handled by the right analog stick, while adjustments for secondary and zone defense are triggered by the left trigger.

The original Y button has also become a quick-adjustment button; pressing it will display an icon above each defensive player's head, allowing for real-time assignment.

While this change may require some getting used to for most players in the early stages of the game because of muscle memory, once you master the defensive button controls, your efficiency will definitely improve compared to before.

Some Team Traditions Removed

Last year's new team entrance ceremonies and traditional celebrations (such as music and mascot performances) have been retained by most teams this year, but Orleans Saints' Who Dat chant has been removed from Madden 27 MUT for some unknown reason.

Meanwhile, Green Bay Packers' Lambeau Leap, although returning last year, is unresponsive in Madden 27.

Additionally, last year's new hot spots interaction (running to a specific location after touchdown and throwing the ball against a wall or touching the goalpost) is also not working in the game.

With so many unexpected issues, we hope they are either being reworked or are simply accidental bugs, not actually removed.

Heavy Weather Adjusted

Last year's featured heavy weather system used to create extremely dense fog and blizzard-like visual effects in the game, but this negatively affected gameplay; visibility was so low that it was almost impossible to complete matches normally.

While Madden NFL 27 retains the options for heavy snow and heavy rain, fog density and precipitation intensity have been significantly reduced, resulting in much improved visibility on the field and a far less extreme experience compared to 26.

The development team may have realized that last year's settings were somewhat exaggerated, even worse than real-world severe weather.

However, if players prefer heavy weather, Madden 27 hasn't completely eliminated this source: the newly added dynamic snow and dynamic rain theoretically could achieve similar levels of heaviness during the game, although the effect is noticeably weakened when manually selecting fixed heavy snow or heavy rain.

In short, these details that have quietly disappeared in Madden 27 still affect your actual gaming experience, don't they? Hopefully, some of these disappointments will return in future Madden games!