Dragon Ball Z Budokai HD Collection 100% Save

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Taliesin and Evitel cover the latest news and deep dive into pertinent topics in The Weekly Reset. This week, Evie's News Run-Down: Forever, their take on Forever as a whole, and how it stacks up.World of Warcraft Forever is here! The Beta is live and we've all spent the past week enjoying the charms of Classic WoW with a modern vibe. It looks incredible, it plays beautifully, it's going to be huge. So do we need Retail WoW any more? With the less than stellar Midnight 12.2 Eclipse and The Last Titan news at Blizzcon, is Mainline in trouble after the World Soul Saga or can the two games co-exist and bring the best out of each other?

Show Topics

Behind the Scenes of the WoW: Forever Beta Issues - Tom Ellis Explains on X

Blizzard Will "Hold the Line" on Shared Tagging: No Plans to Change in WoW: Forever

Listen to Over Eight Hours of WoW: Forever Music

Increased Weather Effects Coming to WoW: Forever Beta

T&E have a website, you can catch them on their Twitch Channel for weekday streams and YouTube for more videos. You can also follow them on Twitter or even join their Patreon!

Marvel Rivals offers a vast selection of heroes and villains from the rich comic book universe, giving players plenty of strategic options. However, understanding which characters work as counters against others is one of the key factors to turning the tide of battle.

Characters in Marvel Rivals fall into three main categories: Duelist, Strategist, and Vanguard. Duelists excel at raw damage output, prioritizing offense above all else. Vanguards act as the frontline warriors, boasting higher health and damage reduction abilities while Strategists provide essential support, enhancing team performance through buffs or healing, and aiding in controlling the battlefield.

Here’s a guide to help you pick the best heroes for the job, as well as the counters to tackle them in Marvel Rivals.

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Best counters for all Marvel Rivals heroes

HeroCountersAdam WarlockVanguard: Doctor Strange, Magneto
Duelist: Squirrel Girl, Iron Fist
Strategist: Luna Snow, MantisBlack PantherVanguard: Groot, Hulk, Venom
Duelist: The Punisher, Winter Soldier
Strategist: Jeff the Land Shark, Loki, MantisBlack WidowVanguard: Hulk, Venom
Duelist: Spider-Man, Magik
Strategist: Cloak and Dagger, Jeff the Land Shark, LokiCaptain AmericaVanguard: Doctor Strange, Peni Parker
Duelist: Black Widow, Hela
Strategist: LokiCloak and DaggerVanguard: Captain America, Groot, Hulk, Venom
Duelist: Iron Fist, Moon Knight
Strategist: Adam WarlockDoctor StrangeVanguard: Groot, Hulk, Venom
Duelist: Black Panther, Magik, Star-Lord, Wolverine
Strategist: Luna SnowGrootVanguard: Captain America, Doctor Strange, Magneto
Duelist: Hawkeye, Hela, The Punisher
Strategist: Adam Warlock, Loki, Luna SnowHawkeyeVanguard: Captain America, Doctor Strange, Magneto
Duelist: Black Panther, Magik, The Punisher
Strategist: Loki, Luna Snow, Rocket RaccoonHelaVanguard: Captain America, Doctor Strange, Magneto
Duelist: Hawkeye, The Punisher, Star-Lord
Strategist: Jeff the Land Shark, Loki, Luna SnowHulkVanguard: Doctor Strange
Duelist: Black Widow, Hawkeye, The Punisher
Strategist: Jeff the Land Shark, Loki, Luna SnowIron FistVanguard: Magneto, Peni Parker
Duelist: Black Widow, Hawkeye, Winter Soldier
Strategist: Cloak and Dagger, Loki, Luna SnowIron ManVanguard: Captain America, Doctor Strange, Peni Parker
Duelist: Hawkeye, Iron Fist, The Punisher, Spider-Man
Strategist: Adam Warlock, Loki, Luna SnowJeff the Land SharkVanguard: Groot, Hulk, Peni Parker, Venom
Duelist: Black Panther, Black Widow, Iron Fist, Wolverine
Strategist: NoneLokiVanguard: Groot, Hulk, Peni Parker, Venom
Duelist: Black Panther, Iron-Man, Iron Fist, Magik
Strategist: NoneLuna SnowVanguard: Groot, Hulk, Peni Parker, Venom
Duelist: Hela, Magik, Squirrel Girl, Star-Lord
Strategist: NoneMagikVanguard: Doctor Strange
Duelist: Hawkeye, Hela, Squirrel Girl, The Punisher
Strategist: Adam Warlock, Loki, Luna SnowMagnetoVanguard: Captain America, Groot, Hulk, Venom
Duelist: Iron Man, Spider-Man, Storm
Strategist: Adam Warlock, Loki, Luna Storm, MantisMantisVanguard: Groot, Hulk, Venom
Duelist: Hawkeye, The Punisher, Spider-Man
Strategist: NoneMoon KnightVanguard: Captain America, Doctor Strange
Duelist: Black Widow, Hawkeye, Hela, The Punisher, Star-Lord
Strategist: Rocket RaccoonNamorVanguard: Doctor Strange
Duelist: Black Widow, Hela, Winter Soldier
Strategist: Loki, Luna Snow, Rocket RaccoonPeni ParkerVanguard: Captain America, Groot, Hulk, Venom
Duelist: Hela, Moon Knight, Spider-Man, Squirrel Girl, Winter Soldier
Strategist: Loki, Luna Snow, Rocket RaccoonPsylockeVanguard: Captain America, Hulk, Venom
Duelist: Black Panther, Hawkeye, The Punisher, Spider-Man
Strategist: Adam Warlock, Loki, Luna Snow, MantisThe PunisherVanguard: Doctor Strange
Duelist: Hawkeye, Hela, Spider-Man
Strategist: Loki, Luna SnowRocket RaccoonVanguard: Captain America, Hulk, Venom
Duelist: Black Panther, Iron Fist, Magik, The Punisher, Spider-Man
Strategist: NoneScarlet WitchVanguard: Captain America, Groot, Hulk, Venom
Duelist: Hawkeye, Hela, Moon Knight, The Punisher
Strategist: Jeff the Land Shark, Loki, MantisSquirrel GirlVanguard: Captain America, Groot, Doctor Strange, Peni Parker, Venom
Duelist: Black Widow, Hawkeye, Hela
Strategist: Adam Warlock, Loki, Luna Snow, MantisSpider-ManVanguard: Doctor Strange, Venom
Duelist: Black Widow, Namor, The Punisher, Scarlet Witch
Strategist: MantisStar LordVanguard: Doctor Strange, Magneto, Peni Parker
Duelist: Black Widow, Hawkeye, Squirrel Girl
Strategist: Jeff the Land Shark, Loki, Luna SnowStormVanguard: Doctor Strange, Magneto, Peni Parker
Duelist: Hawkeye, The Punisher, Star-Lord, Winter Soldier
Strategist: Adam Warlock, Loki, Luna Snow, MantisThorVanguard: Doctor Strange, Peni Parker, Magneto
Duelist: Hawkeye, Hela, The Punisher, Star-Lord
Strategist: Jeff the Land Shark, Loki, MantisVenomVanguard: Doctor Strange, Peni Parker, Magneto
Duelist: Hawkeye, Hela, The Punisher, Star-Lord
Strategist: Jeff the Land Shark, MantisWinter SoldierVanguard: Doctor Strange, Magneto
Duelist: Black Panther, Iron Fist, Spider-Man, Wolverine
Strategist: Adam WarlockWolverineVanguard: Doctor Strange. Magneto
Duelist: Black Widow, Hawkeye, Iron Man, The Punisher
Strategist: Adam Warlock, Loki, Mantis

All Marvel Rivals hero counters explained

Adam Warlock

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Defeating Adam Warlock requires shutting him down swiftly before he can gain momentum. Heroes with straightforward hitboxes, such as Squirrel Girl, are reliable options. Alternatively, characters who excel in defense and disruption, like Magneto, can effectively counter his abilities.

Black Panther

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Countering Black Panther provides a few strategic options depending on your preferred playstyle. You can either maintain distance to keep him at bay or engage him head-on using durable Vanguard heroes like Groot and Venom.

Black Widow

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For Black Widow, her effectiveness heavily relies on the player’s skill. Her strength lies in long-range damage, so selecting a fast and elusive character can significantly limit her impact. Spider-Man is an excellent choice due to his mobility, though other characters capable of repositioning or disappearing from sight can also work effectively.

Captain America

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Captain America, true to his comic and cinematic persona, thrives as a close-quarters brawler. However, his limited range and lack of fast gap-closing abilities leave him vulnerable to long-range attacks. His shield offers some defense, but it’s not enough to compensate for his lower health compared to other Vanguard heroes, making ranged characters particularly effective against him.

Related

Marvel Rivals character tier list – Best beta Vanguards, Duelists and Strategists

Marvel Rivals Closed Alpha Test characters: Roles, abilities, more

All Marvel Rivals characters – Full hero & villain roster

Cloak and Dagger

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Similar to Adam Warlock, Cloak and Dagger rely on space to maximize their abilities, which leaves them vulnerable to champions who can close the gap quickly or approach unpredictably.

Doctor Strange

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Doctor Strange is one of the most formidable characters in Marvel Rivals, making it tricky to counter him effectively. Your best strategy is to use tanky Vanguard heroes who can endure his powerful abilities or melee-focused characters who can disrupt his attacks up close.

Groot

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As expected from a tree-like hero, Groot is incredibly resilient and challenging to defeat. However, each role has viable counters. Duelists should opt for ranged characters to chip away at him, while Vanguards like Magneto can match Groot’s durability while outputting superior damage.

Hawkeye

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Hawkeye’s long-range prowess makes him difficult to approach without sustaining heavy damage. To counter him, use elusive characters like Loki, who are challenging to target, or durable Vanguards capable of breaking through to his position and neutralizing his impact on the battlefield.

Hela

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Hela is a formidable opponent and a strong counter to many top-tier champions, making it crucial to choose wisely against her. Ranged Duelists are a reliable option, while Strategists like the ever-persistent (and adorable) Jeff the Land Shark can effectively neutralize key parts of her abilities.

Hulk

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The Hulk may not have unexpected tricks up his sleeve, but his sheer toughness makes him a challenge to defeat. Your best strategy is to pick a character capable of delivering high damage, ideally from a distance. The Punisher remains a consistently excellent choice in this matchup.

Iron Fist

Charlie Intel

Iron Fist has impressed players with his exceptional abilities, but there are ways to counter his strengths. Strategists like Loki and Mantis are great for avoiding damage and crowd control, while Peni Parker stands out as a top pick for this matchup. Keep in mind, however, that Peni’s versatility might be limited against other characters.

Iron Man

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Iron Man’s ability to remain airborne throughout matches often renders close-range brawlers ineffective. Characters like Hawkeye, The Punisher, and Doctor Strange are currently the best counters to him, capable of dismantling Tony Stark with surprising efficiency.

Jeff the Land Shark

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Don’t let Jeff the Land Shark’s adorable appearance fool you; he’s one of the top picks in Marvel Rivals right now. Tanky characters tend to fare well against him, as Jeff lacks the firepower to deal significant damage quickly. On the other hand, melee-focused heroes like Wolverine can end the fight swiftly if they manage to close the gap and catch him.

Loki

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Loki, the Norse God of Mischief, is notoriously difficult to eliminate due to his unpredictable toolkit. The best way to counter him is with champions who can silence or suppress his abilities. Characters like Venom excel at finishing him off before he has the opportunity to react.

Luna Snow

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Luna Snow won’t be on the frontlines, but she poses a serious threat with her ability to sustain her entire team. To counter her effectively, use ranged heroes or those who can dive into the backline safely and quickly. With the right approach, you can neutralize Luna before she becomes a major problem.

Magik

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Like many melee-based heroes in Marvel Rivals, Magik is best dealt with from a distance. Characters such as The Punisher are excellent options to counter her, while easy-hit picks like Squirrel Girl can also dispatch her before she gets too close.

Magneto

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Despite being a powerhouse in his own right, Magneto is one of the easier champions to counter. Vanguard players can out-tank him, Duelists should opt for mobile heroes like Spider-Man, and crafty Strategists can also keep him in check. This variety leaves you with plenty of viable choices during drafts.

Mantis

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Mantis offers unique support abilities but lacks the traditional presence of damage dealers or tanks. Characters like Groot or Hulk are effective counters, allowing you to largely ignore Mantis during the match while focusing on higher-priority targets.

Moon Knight

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Moon Knight is somewhat underutilized in the current meta, partly due to the numerous counters available against him. Black Widow and Hela dominate in one-on-one situations, while Captain America can easily handle anything Moon Knight brings to the table.

Namor

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Namor is versatile and relatively strong, making him harder to counter directly. The best approach is to select heroes who can out-damage him, with Black Widow and Hela being excellent examples.

Peni Parker

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Peni Parker’s high health pool is her most significant advantage, but she doesn’t have any particularly unique mechanics requiring specialized counters. Any high-damage Duelist should handle her effectively.

Psylocke

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Psylocke faces a range of potential counters, making her easier to handle regardless of your preferred playstyle. Strategists can negate her core abilities, while top-tier Duelists can quickly bring her down with focused attacks.

The Punisher

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The Punisher stands out as the best long-range character in Marvel Rivals, making it challenging to close the gap and take him down. Tanky heroes are a reliable choice, while highly mobile characters can evade his shots unless controlled by an exceptionally skilled player.

Rocket Raccoon

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Rocket Raccoon‘s small stature is a major advantage, making him hard to target consistently, especially for precision-based ranged characters. To counter him effectively, use melee-focused champions like Black Panther to close the gap and take him down swiftly. That said, it’s hard not to feel bad about targeting such an adorable character.

Scarlet Witch

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Scarlet Witch, despite her immense power in the lore, hasn’t lived up to expectations in the current meta. She struggles against ranged attacks, and heroes like Jeff the Land Shark and Venom, who can close the distance without exposing themselves, are particularly effective at exploiting her vulnerabilities.

Spider-Man

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Spider-Man’s agility and unique movement mechanics make him a challenging opponent to deal with in the hands of a skilled player. To counter him, choose characters like Venom, Scarlet Witch, or The Punisher, aiming to lock him down and eliminate him quickly before he can leverage his mobility.

Squirrel Girl

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Squirrel Girl made waves early on in the game but has since become easier to counter due to her limited mobility. High-damage or long-range heroes typically have the upper hand, while tanky champions can withstand her attacks and push through to secure a win.

Star-Lord

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Star-Lord offers a mix of accessibility and depth but struggles against certain characters. Heroes like Doctor Strange, Peni Parker, Loki, Luna Snow, and Jeff the Land Shark can significantly reduce his effectiveness in combat, making him a less formidable foe.

Thor

NetEase Games

Thor is a powerhouse when left unchecked, but he’s relatively easy to counter early in the game. Doctor Strange is an excellent choice, offering a combination of durability, damage, flight, and utility to neutralize Thor’s strengths.

Venom

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Venom is arguably the strongest character in the current meta, with few direct counters available. Your best bets are ranged heroes, durable tanks, and tricky characters like Jeff the Land Shark to disrupt his momentum.

Winter Soldier

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Winter Soldier excels at wreaking havoc on the backline, but ranged heroes can usually deal with him effectively. If that doesn’t work, Adam Warlock is a great pick, providing healing and control to neutralize his more disruptive abilities.

Wolverine

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Wolverine relies heavily on closing the gap to unleash his devastating melee attacks. To counter him, focus on ranged heroes who can keep their distance and eliminate him before he gets close enough to cause problems.

Now that you know about the counters of all Heroes in Marvel Rivals, be sure to check the best controller and PC settings to gain an advantage in matches. If you’re looking to rename yourself in the game, here’s how to change your name in Marvel Rivals.

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 1 (Xbox 360) Save

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Original release: 2025-12-17

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The announcement of World of Warcraft: Forever sent shockwaves through the gaming industry, but for players actively playing a mode like The Burning Crusade Anniversary, one question lingered: How will this affect the game? World of Warcraft: Forever Podcast & Brewfest in This Week's WoW Weekly

With WoW Forever not set to launch until Nov. 4 and instant, guaranteed Beta access behind a $60 bundle, it might've been fair to assume TBC Anniversary would still have a strong raiding population through at least WoW Forever's November launch. However, after just one week of the WoW Forever Beta, we're already seeing massive chunks of the raiding player base dissipate.

Additional WoW: Forever Collector's Editions Available

According to Ironforge.pro, which pulls raid log data from Warcraft Logs, TBC Anniversary had a raiding player base of 212,821 the week of Sept. 8 through Sept. 14. The following week, from Sept. 15 to Sept. 21, that number plummeted to 124,487. That's a drop-off of 88,334 raiders. Right now, TBC Anniversary is in Phase 3: Black Temple and Mount Hyjal. Zul'Aman and Sunwell Plateau are still to come.

From there, it's unclear if there are plans to go into Wrath of the Lich King Anniversary. In addition to the TBC Anniversary players, the Mists of Pandaria Classic player base is also awaiting insight into what will happen to their characters, which have been with them since WoW Classic launched in August 2019. Speaking of Mists of Pandaria Classic, that raiding player base fell from 33,125 to 24,971 with the launch of the WoW Forever Beta. In MOP Classic, that version of the game has been in its final phase since June, with the launch of Siege of Orgrimmar.

With their futures uncertain and no clear progression path, this data suggests players are either playing the WoW Forever Beta or waiting to hear what Blizzard plans for both game modes.

Last week, we asked you to share portraits of Logan from Marvel’s Wolverine using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. Here are this week’s highlights:



calisarah1998 shares Logan growling in front of some wreckage



Gib84G shares Logan surrounded by money from the casino



PurplePampano shares Logan with his hat tipped



lets_gaming.vp  shares a black and white portrait of Logan peering through his claws



PatmanGames shares Logan with a shredded shirt



abd23.gameframes shares Logan leaping into the night

Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme, or be inspired by other great games featuring Photo Mode. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week?



THEME: Marvel’s Wolverine – Allies & Villains
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on October 7, 2026

Next week, share moments fighting alongside Team X and Jean Grey, or against various villains in Marvel’s Wolverine using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Gears of War 3 - Player Data Editor v2.1.4.0

Version: 1.0.0
Original release: 2025-12-17



Description

How to use:

1. Extract your “Player Data” and “Gamer Profile” from your XBox 360 Device.
   
2. Run the editor, open the “Player Data” and then your “Gamer Profile”.
   
3. Change what you want, click save and close the editor.
   
4. Open the modded “Player Data” in Horizon’s Package Manager and Rehash & Resign it.
   
5. Inject the “Player Data” back to your XBox 360 Device.
   
6. Go to the dashboard, sign out your “Gamer Profile” and go offline.
   
7. Start the game offline, sign in your “Gamer Profile” and load the modded save.
   
8. Play few matches, then go online.
   

• Add all grenades to weapons tab.
  
• Sync ID will increment at save progress.
  

• Add “Nemeses Killes” and “Grenades Sapped” to Versus.
  

• Fixed onyx requirements for VENGEFUL and LEADER.
  
• Set EXP Limit for Command Center.
  
• Remove Medal Amount Limit.
  
• Rename “Nemeses Killed” into “Nemeses Executed”.
  

• Added “Picked Up” and “Deaths Holding” for all grenade types.
  

• Remove “Kills Holding Shild” from Main and add Shield to Weapons.
  
• Add “Deaths Holding” and “Picked Up” to shield.
  

• Add Avatar Awards to Unlockables
  
• Add Unlock All Button to Unlockables
  

• Improve performance and gui.
  

• Add “Flag EXP” to Horde.
  
• Add “Impossible Set” to Weapon Skins.
  
• If you mod the levels of the fortifications the EXP will raise to the exact amount of each level. So you can the fortifications more legit.
  

• Add “Taken Captives” and “Downs From Cover” to Main tab.
  
• Add 2 new weapons “Flail” and “Ripper”. It seems that Ripper don’t exist in the final version of the game. But its stats exist.
  
• The performance and GUI are improved.
  

• Fixed save issues.
  
• Fixed the “Impossible Set” weapon skin.
  

• Fixed bugs with horde fortifications.
  

• Fixed: You were able to mod fortification levels, even if you didn’t own the DLCs.
  
• Fixed: If you did that - see above - the editor saved the exp but not the actually level.
  
• Fixed: Problems at reading fortifications.
  

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AppLovin have just announced a lawsuit against Unity as well as filing for a temporary restraining order. They are accusing Unity of harvesting data using their new Ad Quality SDK and using that data to train their own ad serving data models.

Details of the lawsuit:

Quote:AppLovin has asked the Superior Court of California in San Francisco to temporarily restrict rival Unity from collecting and using certain data generated through its mobile advertising business, escalating a dispute between two of the sector’s largest platforms that is also heading to arbitration.

In an application for a temporary restraining order, AppLovin alleges Unity’s Ad Quality SDK has improperly collected data relating to advertisements served by AppLovin, including information about creatives, users and devices, impression revenue and engagement.

AppLovin further alleges, “on information and belief,” that Unity has fed its data into models used to compete against AppLovin in mobile advertising auctions. The company claims Unity has used AppLovin’s “own output to train those models and to model AppLovin’s ad decisions.” Those claims are AppLovin’s allegations and have not been adjudicated.

Quote:“AppLovin’s legal filings against us are a classic case of a dominant incumbent resorting to litigation and intimidation to address increased competition and slowing growth,” said a Unity spokesperson in a provided statement.

“AppLovin has demanded that we shut down features of a small, free product we operate called Ad Quality. As its name suggests, Ad Quality helps prevent inappropriate and harmful ads from appearing in games. AppLovin clearly believes the data our customers choose to share with us through Ad Quality is driving our sharply improving performance. Despite that performance greatly benefiting our mutual customers, or rather because of it, they will do anything to slow it down,” said the Unity spoksperson.

“In reality, Ad Quality isn’t the driver of our improved performance, so they’ll be frustrated in that attempt regardless of how this suit is adjudicated,” the Unity statement continued.

Blizzard has revealed the Bonus Reward for completing the October 2026 Traveler's Log!In today's WoW Weekly, Blizzard recapped the last week of World of Warcraft, while also revealing something new for the future. The October 2026 Trading Post's bonus reward is Ensemble: Thornshadow Assassin's Attire!

Dress to Distress with Costumed Calamity in October’s Trading Post

This Month's Bonus Reward: Thornshadow Assassin's Attire Transmog Set
“For missions that don't officially exist.”

October’s Trading Post is cloaked in calamity, with fiendish finds ready to add chaos to your collection. Complete activities to earn Trader’s Tender, fill your Traveler’s Log, and slink into the shadows with the Ensemble: Thornshadow Assassin's Attire.

Visit T&W (Tawney and Wilder) just outside the Mage District in Stormwind, or the Zen’shiri Trading Post next to Grommash Hold in Orgrimmar, to check out the latest items they have available. Players can also visit the Trading Post in the capital cities of Dornogal (The Foregrounds) on the Isle of Dorn and in the renewed Silvermoon City, where representatives of both Tawney and Wilder and the Zen’shiri Trading Post are open for business.

Champions new to or returning to World of Warcraft and Midnight can tour the Trading Post to learn everything you need to know, from where to find it to how you can earn additional Trader's Tender through the Traveler's Log.

The September Trading Post Outlet closes soon! Get in your last purchases before the vendors change over to their October inventory.

Atsu’s hunt is not over. A year after the original game launched, PS5 players can dive into the Ghost of Yōtei Complete Edition. Available now on PS5, this brings together the story campaign, the Ghost of Yōtei Legends multiplayer mode, and two new major additions: the roguelike mode Most Wanted, and the narrative expansion Echoes of Sekigahara. The story is split between the present day and flashbacks to Atsu’s time on the mainland.

To mark the Complete Edition’s launch, and celebrate the game’s first anniversary, we welcome back the voice of Atsu, Erika Ishii, to talk about the game.

Note: The below interview is condensed for clarity and brevity. You can listen to the full chat on the latest episode of the PlayStation Podcast, available later today.

Play Video





PlayStation Blog: It’s been a year since the game originally launched. What has Atsu brought to your life since?

Erika Ishii: I still can’t get over it, you know, because again, this was my dream. I played The Last of Us and I said, I want to do that. I already knew I wanted to act. I already knew I loved video games. But I said specifically – that. That is what I want to do. And… yeah, being on my PlayStation home screen, playing the game, getting to travel to Tokyo Game Show, which was another dream of mine. And to have a beautiful professional cosplay made for me of Atsu so I could be Atsu on the Sony PlayStation stage in Japan… it really does feel like a fever dream sometime.

I was curious to know whether your dialogue for the expansion was recorded after the fact or part of the bundle together with the original recording. Sounds like you came back. So what’s the time gap there between that last piece of dialogue you recorded for the main story campaign and then coming back to the expansion?

There were at least a couple of months between. They had to work really hard on polish to get the game out, then take a very well-deserved little bit of a break. But as we were nearing the end of production, I was inquiring constantly. “Are we doing DLC? Because Iki Island was really great and really fleshed out some stuff that I wanted to know about in Atsu’s backstory…”

And I did have a list of pitches for them [laughs] They didn’t go with anything that I suggested. But even at the launch party I was talking with Courtney Woods, the writer for Echoes of Sekigahara. And we were scheming. We thought “Atsu needs a little romance in her life”. Like, there’s no way she didn’t have any romance. She mentioned [as such] in one of the onsen scenes. So you know she’d had bedtime bed companions at least. But what’s the deal with personal attachments? Is this the only time in her life up until now she’s had them? And so I got my wish.

You had that little bit of time away. Did that time increase your awareness of the character, or anything you experienced outside the role that helped inform your performance of Atsu further?

Pretty much playing the game. It’s wild because, you know, most of the time voice actors don’t get to play the game until after it comes out. I was fortunate enough [to do so] during production. But playing through the finished game and literally being hands-on and in her shoes. Because a lot of times, if it’s been a while since you’ve played a character, they’ll play you reference audio. But I could go directly to being Atsu, go right into the booth. It was such a gift.

There are flashbacks. So it’s two periods of Atsu’s life. So how do you get into that headspace where you’re having to switch?

A couple of things helped. We had done a lot of flashbacks with young Atsu. And so extrapolating what happened. Most of the time in acting you have what is called a prior moment. Before any scene starts you have to know where you were. You have to have a whole lived life experience prior to this moment. I already had to have it in my head and sort of know what she had been through and what this huge informative point in her life felt like.

For an actor, you have to have [to be able to] drop in at any moment and be like, okay, well, I think that her time doing this probably informed how it’s going to be in the quote-unquote present day.

Play Video





This roguelike mode, Most Wanted. Did you record new dialogue for that?

Yes, there is some new dialogue for that. Because it is a new mode and non-canonical, it has a slightly different feeling to it, more mystical, in the way that the multiplayer is more mythological. There’s a heightened quality to it.

You’re not the only character in Most Wanted. There’s some familiar faces, but a surprise face is… Jin, who is returning, and I believe Daisaku Tsuji recorded new voice lines for this as well. I understand you didn’t crossover during the recording sessions but you folks must have got together to talk all things Ghost and just compare experiences?

I got to chat with him [when he was in Los Angeles] and we chatted a little bit about it. And that was actually before the game had launched. I told him how much his work meant to me and how I’m grateful to be accepting the Ghost torch.

In a lot of ways he was new to video games with Ghost of Tsushima. But since then he’s appeared in many other games. I think almost all of which I am also in. We joke that we’re bound together forever, and one of us will follow in the other’s footsteps.

Last year I asked you where launch day would find you. You mentioned it was a gathering of folk from the game. So where does the first anniversary of Yotei find you?

Oh, my gosh. I think the big thing is that the Complete Edition is out. I didn’t know the launch date until the rest of the world did. We all had a little betting pool as to when we thought this was going to drop. And I said, I guarantee it’ll be on the anniversary. I was one day off [laughs]. I feel like this is the one year celebration.

It’s very bittersweet to me. It’s been four years of my life being her face, her movements and her voice, and helping to develop her and working with just like some of the greatest team of all time is…  Atsu is going to be a part of my heart forever. And, you know, when they have the PlayStation logos, they’re going to have a picture of Atsu, a picture of my face there. I still see cosplays at conventions. I… This is, again, to bring it back around to the beginning, this was my dream. And I think that what do you do when you accomplish the big thing when you get to the top of the mountain is you just got to keep going there. There are more mountains to climb, I think.

I have the great privilege of, in addition to Atsu, having other characters or work that are a part of my oeuvre. I don’t have to be defined by Atsu, but she is… gonna always be so special to me.