Everything new in the latest 'Fortnite: Battle Royale' update - We Are The Mighty
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Everything new in the latest ‘Fortnite: Battle Royale’ update

By Kaylee Fagan

For months now, “Fortnite: Battle Royale” has kept players on their toes with weekly — and sometimes daily — updates to the game, including new character skins, limited-time game modes, and fun and interesting challenges.

Some of those updates have been just for fun, and some actually change the way the game is played. For example, in the days leading up to the beginning of Season 4, the game hinted that a meteor shower would change the island forever. When the meteor did hit, it caused a large crater in the enter of the map, turning Dusty Depot into the craterous Dusty Divot. Later, there was even a limited-time tie-in with “Avengers: Infinity War.”

The developers have also introduced or removed a few truly game-changing tools, including jetpacks, guided missiles, and even a rideable shopping cart.

Here’s what’s new this week in the world’s most popular video game:

New items: Bouncers

Everything new in the latest ‘Fortnite: Battle Royale’ update
(Epic Games)

Following lots of rumors swirling on Reddit and Twitter, Epic has re-introduced jump pads to “Fortnite: Battle Royale.”

These jump pads launch players into the air at high speeds. This time, they apparently won’t inflict falling damage, and will be able to bounce both you and your shopping cart.

A few months back, Epic experimented with two versions of the of jump pads: one that would bounce players straight up, and one that would propel them forward through the air.

The pads were eventually removed, to the dismay of many streamers who quickly grew accustomed to using them for insane trick shots like this one:

Everything new in the latest ‘Fortnite: Battle Royale’ update

(Epic Games)

Skins

Epic announced these new matching skins this morning, called “NiteLite and Lightshow,” respectively, on the official Fortnite Twitter account.

Both are already available in the item shop.

Everything new in the latest ‘Fortnite: Battle Royale’ update

(Epic Games)

Gliders and pickaxes

Of course, the two new skins also come with matching accessories, in appropriate color schemes.

Everything new in the latest ‘Fortnite: Battle Royale’ update

(Epic Games)

Week 6 challenge leak

Challenges unlock every Thursday, but like most things in Fortnite, they almost always leak a few days beforehand.

These are the leaked Season 4, Week 6 challenges, according to Fortnite Intel:

  • Search Supply Drops (3)
  • Deal damage with Shotguns to opponents (1000)
  • Search Chests in Loot Lake (7)
  • Spray over different Carbide or Omega Posters (7)
  • Search between a Playground, Campsite, and a Footprint (1) (HARD)
  • SMG Eliminations (3) (HARD)
  • Eliminate opponents in Retail Row (3) (HARD)

As with any leaked content, challenges have the potential to change or be replaced.

Everything new in the latest ‘Fortnite: Battle Royale’ update

(Epic Games)

What’s up next

It’s hard to predict what the creators of “Fortnite” will change or add to the game next, but every week, dedicated fans dig through the game’s code looking for hints.

New cosmetics — like the new skins pictured above — are almost always among the first new additions to be datamined and circulated on fan blogs like Skins-Tracker and FortniteIntel, so check there if you want an early look at what’s next.

According to Skins-Tracker, these skins are called “Flytrap,” “Royale Bomber” and “Ventura,” and could be coming soon.

Everything new in the latest ‘Fortnite: Battle Royale’ update

(Epic Games)

Naturally, those dataminers also uncovered the matching accessories.

This new glider and axe set, named Venus-Flyer and Tendril, respectively, clearly complete the Flytrap look.

This article originally appeared on Business Insider. Follow @BusinessInsider on Twitter.

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‘Fortnite’ announces ‘The End’ as final season powers down

By Kaylee Fagan

The final “Fortnite” season 10 event ended suddenly, with every player’s screen going black and showing a black hole graphic instead. As millions of gamers tuned in to streams and their own games, they suddenly lost the ability to login (the only action on the display is an “Exit” button), and the official “Fortnite” Twitter account tweeted “This is The End.”

It’s likely not the actual end of “Fortnite,” the wildly popular battle royale game that overtook the gaming community starting in 2017. Rather, the gameplay map that fans have used the past two years is likely going to be replaced with a new setting.

If the tweet wasn’t enough confirmation, “The End” was definitely a planned sequence by “Fortnite” creator Epic Games, as the “lobby” of the game showed a special galaxy collapse animation for those who were in it at the time of the server power-down.

Other players in the game saw the world collapse in front of them, and the “Fortnite” status menu showed the phrase “Anomaly Detected” for all its different features.

This article originally appeared on Business Insider. Follow @BusinessInsider on Twitter.

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This scrapped game could’ve been the most accurate portrayal of Fallujah

By Kaylee Fagan

Making a video game based on historical events often means navigating the fine line between creating an experience that’s consistently engaging to the player without trivializing the gravity of the real event. This is especially true of military conflicts.

Battlefield 1’s single player campaign did a terrific job of this, giving the player the warning of, “you are not expected to survive” before tossing them into the grim reality that is WWI trench warfare.

www.youtube.com

Other games, however, use the backdrop of the invasion of Normandy as yet another arena in which players can “360 No Scope” each other.

Then, you have Atomic Games’ controversial Six Days in Fallujah, which was slated to be a highly accurate representation of what the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines encountered in November, 2004, during the Second Battle of Fallujah. Shortly after it was announced to the public in 2009, it was dropped by its publisher and is now nothing more than a “what if” of gaming.

As much as I love the FPS genre, most games lack the raw emotional connection that Six Days in Fallujah promised to offer. (Atomic Games)
As much as I love the FPS genre, most games lack the raw emotional connection that Six Days in Fallujah promised to offer.
(Atomic Games)

The developers at Atomic Games took their project very seriously. Every aspect of the game was created based on interviews with over 70 individuals, including the U.S. Marines who fought there, Iraqi civilians, war historians, senior military officials, and even former Iraqi insurgents.

The game was a far cry from typical first-person shooters that reward players for sprinting around the map, spraying bullets at the bad guys. Instead, it was said to have been more like a survival-horror game. Every minor decision made in the game would have lasting effects on player’s experience. Additionally, the game was built on an astounding engine that allowed for a 100% destructible environment — bullet holes left in walls from a previous skirmish would exist into perpetuity.

The game’s director, Juan Benito, told GamePro Magazine that giving players a taste of the horror, fear, and misery experienced by real-life Marines in the battle was a top priority.

“These are scary places, with scary things happening inside of them. In the game, you’re plunging into the unknown, navigating through darkened interiors, and ‘surprises’ left by the insurgency. In most modern military shooters, the tendency is to turn the volume up to 11 and keep it there. Our game turns it up to 12 at times, but we dial it back down, too, so we can establish a cadence.”

Everything new in the latest ‘Fortnite: Battle Royale’ update
I mean, ‘Breach’ wasn’t terrible, but you could tell there wasn’t much heart put into the game.
(QC Games)

In Six Days in Fallujah, you would’ve followed a young Marine who was attached to the 3/1 Marines. Throughout the game, you’d encounter factual skirmishes that involved actual Marines and insurgents that were present at that given moment, based off accounts from those who were actually there. The Marines to your left and your right in those skirmishes were to be the actual Marines — which also meant that those who died in real life would die at the same moment in game. This, as you can imagine, was met with extreme controversy.

The game was being created to honor their fallen service members, but public condemnation proved too great and too universal, so it was dropped within the month by Konami — for very valid reasons.

After the publisher dropped out, the game’s director quietly left along with much of studio’s staff. The remaining assets were hobbled together to create the the sub-par Breach in attempt to recoup on the time invested in the doomed title. The president of Atomic Games promised that Six Days in Fallujah would eventually see the light of day.

Everything new in the latest ‘Fortnite: Battle Royale’ update
You know — if it updated its graphics to be comparable with modern games.
(Atomic Games)

Cases can be made for and against the game, but one thing is for certain: it would’ve offered something vastly different to gamers. In 2009, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was released and multiplayer lobbies were filled brim with screaming pre-teens. It was just five years since the Second Battle of Fallujah, which might’ve been too soon, but it definitely would’ve been a grim reminder of the true horrors of war in an industry too-often trivialized it.

The gaming community has matured vastly in the last decade. Games like Valiant Heart and This War of Mine have all been based on the realities of war. Games like Arma III and Rainbow Six: Siege have all taken mature, realistic approaches to how modern shooters should play out.

If or when the game does eventually find its footing and a pathway to release, it’ll likely find support withing the military-veteran community — as long as the game doesn’t, even for a second, make light of the seriousness of the Second Battle of Fallujah.

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Why ‘Far Cry 5’ is the most veteran AF game ever

By Kaylee Fagan

The Far Cry video game series has always gone above and beyond in placing the player in a beautiful, open world and pitting them against a cunning and well-written antagonist. The graphics in the most recent installment are as crisp as you’d expect from the series, the gameplay is phenomenal, and plenty of critics are already singing its praise, but what sets this game apart from every other shooter is the storyline.

This time around, instead of exploring some scenic island fighting against drug-running pirates or a prehistoric valley against neanderthals, Far Cry 5 pits the player against deranged cult in a fictional county of Montana.

You play as a Sheriff’s deputy tasked with arresting Joseph Seed, a cult leader who is a mix of David Koresh, Jim Jones, and a hipster douchebag. There’s a palpable eeriness as you walk through his church’s compound and Joseph is seemingly compliant at first. He lets you handcuff him before saying, “you’ll never arrest me.” As you make your way back to the helicopter, one of his followers hurls himself into the propellers, allowing Seed to escape back to his followers, kicking off the game.

Everything new in the latest ‘Fortnite: Battle Royale’ update
And, yes, the hipster cult leader even has a manbun.
(Ubisoft)

The player is then saved by the first of many veterans you’ll encounter in the game, Dutch. He’s a loner Vietnam veteran who has shut himself off in a bunker while the world goes to sh*t outside. Inside his bunker, you’ll find plenty of little references to real-life military units, like an homage to the 82nd Airborne patch (the “AA” has been replaced by the number “82” in the same style) and a patch that’s the shape of the 101st, but with the XVIII Corps’ dragon.

He offers to help you out and gives you something to wear something other than your uniform, which includes (and I’m not making this up) some 5.11 gear.

Everything new in the latest ‘Fortnite: Battle Royale’ update
No word on if the guy has his own unapologetic military apparel line yet u2014 maybe in the DLC.
(Ubisoft)

The next veteran who helps you out is Pastor Jerome Jeffries, a Gulf War veteran turned Catholic priest. He’s holed up in his church with the few citizens who haven’t been indoctrinated by the cult. While there, you set up a resistance to buy time until the National Guard can come reinforce. You must band together with the rag-tag group of remaining people to take down Seed and his followers.

Everything new in the latest ‘Fortnite: Battle Royale’ update
Basically how every Chaplain assistant sees themselves after ETSing.
(Ubisoft)

Which brings you to the third main veteran in the storyline, Grace Armstrong, a U.S. Army sniper who deployed to Afghanistan. She’s one of the characters that fights alongside you throughout the game, providing fire support from a good distance.

Though his veteran status remains unknown, you’ll also come across a companion named Boomer. Boomer’s a dog who, if he gets hurt, can be healed with a nice belly rub. It’s the little things in this game that make it amazing.

Everything new in the latest ‘Fortnite: Battle Royale’ update
He’s a very good boy.
(Ubisoft)

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5 of the best Call of Duty games from the past decade

By Kaylee Fagan

Call of Duty has become a staple of military gamers. Both casual and hardcore gamers can enjoy picking up a controller and going a few rounds with their buddies in the barracks while waiting for their command to tell them it’s time to clean weapons at the armory or reorganize that connex container. While it’s a great pastime, there are plenty of titles to choose from, and not all of them are as good as the others.

Since the first release in 2003, Call of Duty has been the title of around 15 video games with the most recent being Black Ops 4, and there is another one on the way later this year. While a lot of people enjoy the multiplayer in the game, the franchise has also done a great job with storytelling in several of its installments.

It’s tough to choose from the 15 title roster, so we’re going to look at titles from the past decade that gave us a great story to play:

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That last mission is one of the best.

(Activision)

World at War

Okay, okay, this one was released in November of 2008 so not technically from the last decade, but it’s January 2019 so deal with it. This game needs to be on this list. The reason for this is that World at War featured some more mature thematic elements, showing World War II as a tragic and horrific event and showing that there’s a lot of moral gray areas.

The game also gave you control of a Russian character to see their side of the war, as well as giving birth to the Black Ops series.

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You fight off a Russian invasion of the United States.

(Activision)

Modern Warfare 2

While the first Modern Warfare installment was great, its sequel built on the strengths of its predecessor and made an even better game. This game’s story felt more like a military-action thriller, giving you a mystery to uncover, while still bringing realistic, war-related thematic elements and even serving up some controversy as a side dish.

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Sgt. Woods is one of the best characters in the entire series.

(Activision)

Black Ops

The first game in the series to start in Vietnam, going into the Cold War, this game seriously delivered on some awesome story. This game also featured some of the best three-dimensional characters in the franchise and gave us a taste of Vietnam, something we want more of.

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This series is a lot of fun.

(Activision)

Black Ops II

The third installment of the series and definitely worth mentioning, Black Ops II was the first in the line-up of futuristic warfare games. Building off the story of the previous installments of the Black Ops series, this story gave you some insight into the ripple effect of one’s actions, showing how the previous two story-lines bled into the future.

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This also led to the creation of the best fictional unit for stolen valor.

(Activision)

Ghosts

Not loved by many but there are some of us who loved the story and the concept. This game really focuses on what brotherhood means as it follows two literal brothers as they fight to stop an organization known as the “Federation of the Americas” and their father’s former teammate.

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Everything we know about the upcoming ‘Star Wars’ game

By Kaylee Fagan

A huge new “Star Wars” game is on the verge of being fully revealed: “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order” is expected to arrive later this year on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.

Even better: The game is being made by Respawn Entertainment, the same studio behind the excellent “Titanfall” series and recent blockbuster “Apex Legends.”

So what is it? Here’s everything we know so far:

Everything new in the latest ‘Fortnite: Battle Royale’ update

No, not this Jedi — “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order” takes place long before Rey was born.

(Disney/Lucasfilm)

1. “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order” is a third-person action game starring a Jedi as the playable character.

Given the naming convention, you probably already guessed it: “Fallen Order” stars a Jedi.

That means, unlike “Star Wars Battlefront 2,” this game is no shooter. Instead, it’s a third-person action game that focuses on lightsaber-based combat.

Everything new in the latest ‘Fortnite: Battle Royale’ update

(LucasFilm)

2. It takes place between the events of “Episode 3” and “Episode 4.”

Spoilers for “Episode 3” ahead! In “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith” (“Episode 3”), a very moody Anakin Skywalker — before turning into everyone’s favorite cyborg, Darth Vader — sets out to destroy the Jedi Order.

It’s part of a bigger jedi purge, known as “Order 66.” Few Jedi survive the purge, but apparently the main character in “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order” is one of those few.

The game follows “a young Padawan’s journey in the Dark Times following Order 66,” according to Disney.

Everything new in the latest ‘Fortnite: Battle Royale’ update

(EA/Disney/Respawn Entertainment)

3. It’s likely to involve stealth gameplay.

In a tweet this week, the official “Star Wars” gaming account from Electronic Arts published the image above with the text, “Don’t stand out.”

Given the time period of the game, it’s very likely that the main character — a Jedi — is trying to stay out of sight. When the game was announced in June 2018, Respawn Entertainment head Vince Zampella referred to its setting as “dark times.”

What that means for gameplay is that stealth is almost certainly involved. After all, even the most adept Jedi couldn’t withstand the collective force of the Imperial Clone army.

Everything new in the latest ‘Fortnite: Battle Royale’ update

(EA/Disney/Respawn Entertainment)

4. It’s scheduled to arrive in “holiday 2019.”

When the game was announced in June 2018, it was given a “holiday 2019” release window by Respawn Entertainment head Vince Zampella. Given that the next major “Star Wars” movie is set to arrive on Dec. 20, 2019, we’d guess that “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order” will arrive somewhere in the vicinity of December or November 2019.

Everything new in the latest ‘Fortnite: Battle Royale’ update

The image above leaked ahead of the official reveal, and it offered fans an early look at what to expect from the upcoming game.

(EA/Disney/Respawn Entertainment)

5. There appears to be a droid of some form alongside the main character.

As you may have noticed in the image above, next to the Jedi is an adorable little droid. It appears as though that droid will star alongside the game’s main character — perhaps as an assistant? Or maybe it offers help in puzzle-solving situations? We’ll see!

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(Apex Legends/Electronic Arts)

6. It’s being made by the folks who made “Apex Legends” and “Titanfall,” Respawn Entertainment.

Respawn Entertainment, an EA-owned game studio, has only produced excellent games. Starting with “Titanfall” and, most recently, “Apex Legends,” Respawn Entertainment has a near-perfect record.

That said, Respawn Entertainment is known for creating first-person shooters — before Respawn, many of the studio’s employees developed the most iconic “Call of Duty” games. “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order” is the studio’s first attempt at character action.

Everything new in the latest ‘Fortnite: Battle Royale’ update

(Disney)

7. The game is getting detailed during a panel at Star Wars Celebration in Chicago on April 13, 2019.

Ready to learn more? Good news: Disney’s about to tell everyone a lot more about “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order” on April 13, 2019!

During a panel at the Star Wars Celebration 2019 in Chicago, Disney is scheduled to reveal many more details about the upcoming game.

Here’s the full panel description:

“Join the head of Respawn Entertainment, Vince Zampella, and Game Director, Stig Asmussen, along with many special guests, to be the first to learn about this holiday’s highly anticipated action adventure game, ‘Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.’ Hear how Respawn and Lucasfilm collaborated on this original Star Wars story, following a young Padawan’s journey in the Dark Times following Order 66. And of course, we’ll have a few surprises in store.”

You can watch the panel live on Saturday at the Star Wars YouTube channel right here.

This article originally appeared on Business Insider. Follow @BusinessInsider on Twitter.

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Head of Air Force’s Air Combat Command dogfights his son on Twitch

By Kaylee Fagan

The commander of Air Combat Command and his son fought each other live on a Twitch stream in a combat flight action video game on June 29, 2019.

Gen. Mike Holmes pitted his skill with the F-15 against 1st Lt. Wade Holmes and his F-16 in this exhibition match designed to highlight the Air Force’s pilot community and to answer questions from viewers about military service.

While there was a fair share of air-to-air kills and crashes into the ground for both men, the younger Holmes was the clear winner of the video game version of life in the cockpit.

“This type of alternative interview format is a really great way to engage with our audience,” said Michelle Clougher, chief of the ACC Public Affairs command information division. “We’re always looking for a different way to tell the Air Force story, and these two rock-star pilots have a lot they can share.

“Ten years ago, we never would have thought to have our top fighter pilot play a video game while broadcasting it live to the whole world,” she continued. “But as our technologies evolve, so do we. We must communicate in a way that is meaningful and connects with people.”

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US Air Force Gen. Mike Holmes and 1st Lt. Wade Holmes, his son, play a combat flight action video game, at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, June 29, 2019.

(US Air Force photo by Emerald Ralston)

Twitch is a live-streaming video service platform introduced in 2011. The service has grown to share video content with more than 15 million daily active users.

During the stream, the Holmeses discussed the Air Force’s current pilot shortage, and explained the importance of air battle managers and the communications from the E-3 AWACS. They also expressed their gratitude for all the service’s crew chiefs and answered various questions about their aircraft, while sharing stories from their careers.

The pilots gave advice for joining the Air Force and compared real flight versus this arcade simulation. And while the general has more than 4,000 hours in a real aircraft — many of those are combat hours — the lieutenant had the edge with this matchup.

One Twitch user even asked the lieutenant to take it easy on his “old man” toward the end of one match.

“I appreciate that,” General Holmes said with a laugh. “I’m going to feign an injury here in a moment.”

“Air Combat Command does not teach me to take pity on my adversary,” replied Lieutenant Holmes as he secured the win.

The stream lasted for approximately one hour, and it can be viewed below:

“Thanks for tuning in,” General Holmes said to wrap up the event. “We enjoyed having a chance to talk to you for a little bit. As the Air Force, we’re trying to reach out to people that could find a home in the Air Force. We hope you’ll consider finding a way to serve your country in some way.”

This article originally appeared on Business Insider. Follow @BusinessInsider on Twitter.

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5 ways ‘Post Scriptum’ is one of the most realistic military games

By Kaylee Fagan

Much like a trustworthy chain of command, realism in video games is hard to find. Battlefield comes close, but it’s still got a few too many 360-no-scopes to get us there. That’s where a game like Post Scriptum, a WWII-themed, first-person, simulation shooter, comes in. The game’s slow pace with spikes of high-octane danger make it gripping and tons of fun.

When you think of military first-person shooter games, you probably think of Call of Duty — and if that’s your cup of tea, more power to you. But if you’re on the search for something that’ll get your blood pumping with tension, you might find you enjoy something like Post Scriptum more.

Leaning heavily on realistic scenarios, Periscope Games has created something undeniably cool. Here’s what makes it so realistic:

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Smoke and gunfire but no enemy in sight.

(Periscope Games)

Challenging combat

One of the running jokes from players is that the enemy will be patched in with downloadable content somewhere down the line.

That’s because even when you’re getting shot at, you often can’t see the enemy. Just like in real life, there are no clear indicators of where the enemy is shooting from. Also, you’re using iron sights, likely to the praise of older veterans, so it’s challenging to engage in combat in open terrain.

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Be careful about how you pass over open terrain.

(Periscope Games)

Tactics are a necessity

If you think you can charge at an enemy position and win on your own, think again. Communication, cover and movement, and fire superiority all make the difference when taking ground.

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Bushes are a real inconvenience in real-life as well.

(U.S. Air Force)

The environment can slow you down

If you’re sprinting through a field and come across some bushes, your character will slow down as you move through them. It sounds silly — in real-life you could probably charge through them — but you may want to consider crawling through them anyway, so you don’t suddenly become a 7-11 on Free Slurpee Day.

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There’s a happy corpsman somewhere…

You have to drink water to regain stamina

Much to the joy of Navy corpsman and medics everywhere, the game forces you to drink water. If you use the “sprint” button, whether you’re standing, crouched, or crawling, you’ll lose stamina. To regain it, you have to pound some of that good ol’ H2O.

Unfortunately, changing your socks has yet to become a feature in video games

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Best of luck to those new Lieutenants.

(Periscope Games)

There is no minimap

Most modern first-person shooters feature some sort of minimap in the corner of your screen that highlights objectives — but not Post Scriptum. If you want to know what’s going on, you have to pull the map up. Even then, your squad leader has to mark things down for everyone and actually communicate things.

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7 tactics in gaming that would result in a UCMJ hearing

By Kaylee Fagan

When people play video games, they tend to breeze through any mundane moments just to keep the game moving along. After all, no one wants to spend $60 just to sit around and deal with the regular crap that comes with real life. In the real world, we have to deal with all that regular crap because there are typically pesky laws or social norms that prevent us from doing whatever we feel is easier — or more fun.

The following tactics are generally accepted (and often rewarded) in the gaming world, but would likely land you in a UCMJ hearing if you tried them in the real, boring world.

Stealing vehicles to get somewhere faster

Walking long distances sucks and driving fast is fun. Logically, most gamers would rather ‘borrow’ the random car (or bike or horse) that’s just sitting right there and use it to go on their quest.

There are many games that do this, but the one most famous for it has it in the title — Grand Theft Auto.

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Because walking is hard.

Taking whatever you can find

Sometimes, gamers feel compelled to find all the hidden collectibles in order to unlock something. Other times, we just want to stock up on 500 wheels of cheese before we go fight a dragon —because you never know when you might need them.

In the real world, picking up whatever you want is typically considered theft — even if you’re 100-percent certain that the dead guy won’t be using that ammo.

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Now you’re ready to fight a dragon.

Sleeping wherever, whenever

A lot of games nowadays have a day-and-night mechanic. To make it feel more like “real life,” these games will often offer the player the ability to sleep, healing wounds and passing the time. Usually, you can just tap a button and, theoretically, your character falls asleep on the spot.

While troops may actually have this amazing “sleep wherever, whenever” ability, doing it when you’ve got deadlines to make spells bad news.

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Skipping conversations

No one wants to deal with drawn-out cinematics or long strings of dialogue while doing some side quest. When players are given the option to just tap ‘X’ and get it over with, they will.

In the military, you can’t just fast forward through the middle of a conversation with your commander — but we’d like to see someone try.

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Then again, some games figured the gamers out.

(Nintendo)

Sneaking into wherever

You never know what the little corners of a game might be hiding. You might come across a collectible item, pick up some awesome loot, or just find satisfaction in revealing every tiny bit of the map.

Generally speaking, just going into unauthorized areas just to to see if there’s anything cool inside will net you an asschewing.

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And yet it works perfectly fine to avoid details!

Destroying everything for the hell of it

Video games tend to reward players for wanton destruction with loot. Remember, suspiciously crumbly wall over there might lead into a cave where old people give out legendary swords.

Sadly, the military doesn’t look too kindly on its troops just randomly blowing crap up. The excuse of “I wanted to see what was behind it” won’t hold up.

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That’s a nice ramp you’ve got there… It’d be a shame if something happened to it.

Teabagging

There is no more definitive way to prove you’ve beaten someone than by running over top of their dead body and rapidly crouching, as if your manhood was a teabag.

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Even if you politely phrase it as “victory crouching,” it’s still getting you sent to the commander’s office.

In the real world, there are plenty of SHARP violations involved with trying that — defeated enemy or not.

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Watch the best compete in the new ‘Call of Duty’ to help veterans

By Kaylee Fagan

Like clockwork, whenever a new Call of Duty game gets released, there’s a mad rush within the playerbase to be the first (or one of the first) to reach level fifty-five and “prestige,” effectively resetting your progress to gain a cool emblem that you can then show off to other players.

That emblem, especially during the game’s earliest days, shows your opponents (and teammates) that you’re extremely skilled at the game.

But this isn’t exclusively a player-driven tradition. Activision Blizzard is well aware of this race to the top and is using it to drive donations toward a charity that directly helps veterans find employment after service. Right now, you can watch the greatest players duke it out as they strive to be the first to prestige while simultaneously supporting the Call of Duty Endowment.

It’s called the #CODNation Challenge.

“The #CODNATION Challenge is an incredible and unique way for the gaming community to come together each year, have fun, and support our veterans in their transition back to civilian life,” said Dan Goldenberg, Executive Director of the Call of Duty Endowment.

The race to the top first officially began today at 9:00 am PST, but you haven’t missed out just yet — it’s expected to be a full 24-hour gaming marathon. The #CODNATION Challenge has partnered with ELEAGUE, the premiere esports and live tournament brand, to showcase each gamer in the running on Twitch.

To watch their live stream, check out the video below:

Every cent donated through the event is directly given to the Call of Duty Endowment. With it, the charity helps place veterans in high-paying, high-quality jobs — and things are going amazingly well.

The Call of Duty Endowment first set out to place 25,000 veterans in great jobs by the end of 2018, but they’ve nearly doubled that goal already, managing to aid 47,000 veterans hone their skills and get jobs that they can be proud of. They’ve since revised their goal. Now, they want to place another 50,000 veterans by the end of 2019.

So check out the steam, toss in a few bits, and enjoy watching the very best of the new Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, which launches tomorrow, Oct 12, 2018.

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A Marine designed this killer new ‘Call of Duty’ theme

By Kaylee Fagan

If you’ve never heard of Max Uriarte, you’re in for a treat. He’s the Marine, writer, and artist best known for his comic Terminal Lance, which pokes fun at the Marine Corps from a grunt’s point of view. Now he’s teamed up with The Call of Duty Endowment to create the Call of Duty: “Night Raid” PlayStation 4 Dynamic Theme.

The Call of Duty Endowment “helps veterans find high quality careers by supporting groups that prepare them for the job market and by raising awareness of the value vets bring to the workplace.”

All proceeds from the sale of the Night Raid theme ($2.99) go directly to the endowment to help vets get jobs after service. The Call of Duty Endowment has placed over 57,000 veterans thus far. Their new goal is placing 100,000 veterans into high quality jobs by 2024.

Check out some of the awesome artwork below:

Call of duty Endowment night raid dynamic theme tier 3

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See “Night Raid” in action

Uriarte deployed to Iraq twice with 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines. In 2007 he operated as a turret gunner out of Fallujah and in 2009 he was a combat photographer out of al Asad. His second deployment left a lasting impact on his civilian career as an artist — or, to be more specific, a Combat Artist.

“Combat Art is the act of capturing beauty in places you wouldn’t normally find it. It…exists solely for the purpose of creating art on the battlefield. When events are filtered through an artist’s eye, they capture things that maybe a camera does not, such as the feelings and emotion of the place or subjects. A photograph is objective — it shows reality. A sketch or a painting is subjective, it shows what the artist interpreted and what the artist saw that maybe no one else did (or could),” Uriarte told Fletcher Black of Activision.

Also read: Top 10 ‘Terminal Lance’ comics from last year

Everything new in the latest ‘Fortnite: Battle Royale’ update

U.S. Marine Max Uriarte (left); ‘Terminal Lance’ Marines Abe Garcia (right)

‘Terminal Lance’ strikes true with Marines — and vets from all branches — who’ve dealt with some of the…color…military service has to offer. The comic makes light of the tedium and nonsense that come with the job.

But Uriarte also has a serious side. His graphic novel, The White Donkey, was based on his combat deployment in Fallujah. His upcoming graphic novel, Battle Born: Lapis Lazuli, promises to be a visceral examination of the effects of war on an Afghanistan province.

Who better to design art for the Call of Duty Endowment than a combat-experienced Marine with an artist’s eye and a creator’s hand?

Everything new in the latest ‘Fortnite: Battle Royale’ update

Call of Duty®: Black Ops 4: C.O.D.E. Jump Pack

You can also support veterans by grabbing the new Call of Duty®: Black Ops 4 – C.O.D.E. Jump Pack, which includes a special wingsuit, parachute, and trail. 100% of the proceeds will go directly toward helping veterans get jobs after their military service.

Check out both the Jump Pack and the “Night Raid” Dynamic Theme on your PlayStation!

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‘Fortnite’ finally fixed the giant robot that has been terrorizing the game

By Kaylee Fagan

The creators of “Fortnite” have responded to the pleas of hundreds of players by lowering the firepower of a giant robot that has been terrorizing the game for weeks.

Epic Games added the B.R.U.T.E. mech suit to the game with “Fortnite’s” season 10 update on Aug. 1, 2019. The B.R.U.T.E. is a two-person vehicle that requires one player to pilot while the other player controls a rocket launcher and shotgun. The B.R.U.T.E. can crush players and destroy buildings simply by stomping through them, and its boosters give it tons of mobility compared to players on foot.

The mech has been wreaking havoc in battle royale matches, and some of the most well-known “Fortnite” players started a social media hashtag #RemovetheMech to petition for the B.R.U.T.E. to be removed entirely. Players have specifically complained about their inability to defend themselves against the B.R.U.T.E. during competitive matches.

The game’s developers attempted to defend the B.R.U.T.E.’s strength in an Aug. 15, 2019 blog post, sharing specific stats about how many players were eliminated using the mech in battle royale matches. Epic said the mech was designed to bring “spectacle and entertainment” to the game, and make it easier for players with a lower skill level to win a match.

“The mission of Fortnite is to bring players of all skill levels together to have a fun experience where anyone can win. For example — everyone having a shot at that first elimination or Victory Royale moment and the satisfying feeling that comes with it. Right now, we know there are players out there who have never had that opportunity,” the developers said in the post.

Now, one week later, Epic announced sweeping changes to the B.R.U.T.E., lowering its speed and damage, and making it appear less often overall. The changes are designed to make the mech a defensive tank, rather than an aggressive juggernaut.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32QZBOe6gHM
Streamers React To The BRUTE Finally Being NERFED & Junk Rifts Being REMOVED!

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“We want to reduce a B.R.U.T.E.’s ability to engage and disengage at long distances to encourage a more strategic approach to an encounter,” the detailed patch notes read. “In general we hope to shift B.R.U.T.E.s away from being highly mobile and put more emphasis on their already defensive nature.”

The B.R.U.T.E. will still be around for the foreseeable future, but it seems that players will have now a better chance to fight back. “Fortnite” regularly cycles through weapons and vehicles, so its possible that the mechs will be a distant memory in a few months, or just replaced with something even more powerful.

“Fortnite” is the most popular game in the world with more than 250 million players, and it’s free to play. The game also supports competitive events that give away millions of dollars in prize money.

This article originally appeared on Business Insider. Follow @BusinessInsider on Twitter.

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A Navy veteran just got a special Xbox delivered via skydiver

By Kaylee Fagan

To celebrate the release of Battlefield V, Microsoft and Electronic Arts partnered to give a Florida veteran a limited-edition Xbox One X bundle, delivered via an outrageous skydiving stunt.

Motorsport driver and stunt performer Travis Pastrana of Nitro Circus dove from a height of 13,000 feet to deliver the first Xbox One X Gold Rush Special Edition Battlefield V bundle to retired Navy Corpsman Jeff Bartrom, who lives in Paisley, Florida. Pastrana hit a peak speed of 140 mph during the dive, and the jump took less than 55 seconds.

Travis Pastrana Aerial Drop With Xbox One Gold Rush Battlefield Bundle

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The giveaway was meant to thank Bartrom for his service, and it coincides with Microsoft’s #GiveWithXbox initiative. The company pledged to donate worth of Xbox products for every picture shared to social media with the hashtag showing the importance of gaming. Microsoft will donate up to id=”listicle-2621537520″ million to be split between four charities, Child’s Play, Gamers Outreach, SpecialEffect, and Operation Supply Drop. The social-media campaign is running through December 9th.

World War II shooter Battlefield V officially launched on Nov. 20, 2018, and is available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC. The Xbox One X version of Battlefield V also features enhanced visuals. EA Access members can play a free 10-hour trial of the game on their platform of choice as well.

Get the latest Microsoft stock price here.

This article originally appeared on Business Insider. Follow @BusinessInsider on Twitter.

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