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Final Fantasy XIV patch 5.4 gets another live letter November 27 – here’s when to tune in

Final Fantasy XIV's big updates are back on track after COVID-19-related delays to patch 5.3, and we're closing in on the launch of the next major release. Another patch 5.4 live letter has been scheduled for later this month, and that more or less confirms that the Final Fantasy XIV patch 5.4 release date is coming very soon.

The next live Letter from the Producer will broadcast on Friday, November 27 at 3:00 PST / 6:00 EST / 11:00 GMT. These broadcasts typically run for about three hours, and are hosted entirely in Japanese. However, the prepared slides that accompany the broadcast are shown in English, so you can get a solid idea of what's coming. (Plus you can get live, unofficial fan translations from the FF14 DIscord.)

Patch 5.4 has already been confirmed for a December release, and major updates typically launch about two weeks after a new live letter. So while it's not yet confirmed, you might want to circle December 8 on your gaming calendar.

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RELATED LINKS: FFXIV Shadowbringers review, FFXIV Gunbreaker job guide, FFXIV Dancer job guide from https://www.pcgamesn.com/final-fantasy-xiv-a-realm-reborn/ffxiv-patch-5-4-live-letter-november

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XIII remake devs apologise

XIII became something of a cult classic when it originally launched back in 2003, bringing then-popular cel-shading visual techniques to a more mature setting. A new remake of XIII launched earlier this week, and to say the response has not been kind would be an understatement. Players are roasting this game, to the point at which the developers have issued an apology.

"We would like to offer our most sincere apologies for the game’s technical issues," the devs say in a statement. "In its present state, XIII does not meet our quality standards and we fully understand players’ frustrations. The pandemic has impacted the game’s production on many levels. Pivoting to home working for the teams has added unexpected delays in the development schedule and the QA process."

A day one patch was intended to fix "all of the issues", but development on that took longer than expected, too. A number of patches are coming in the next few days and weeks, starting with one aimed at fixing "the most urgent issues regarding the controls, frame rate, collisions, rendering and sound."

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from https://www.pcgamesn.com/xiii/remake-patch

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How to install an SSD

Even the best gaming PCs slow to a crawl eventually, whether your system has simply been standing the test of time or you’ve been stuck on an old hard drive. Fortunately, you can escape the sluggish confines of a hard drive pretty easily if you know how to install an SSD.

SSDs are becoming increasingly affordable and progressing towards a price parity with their disk-based counterparts. Even so, hard drives still hold the crown for best value per GB, especially for PC users with slower internet speeds that don’t have the luxury of regularly uninstalling. Those that can justify the premium of an SSD, however, will see that the newer technology provides an astronomical leap in performance, loading apps, games, and Windows significantly faster.

This might sound tempting, but things aren’t as quite as simple as buying the best SSD available and plugging it in. There are compatibility issues that you need to watch out for and hurdles to navigate when it comes to swapping out your main system drive. But with your trusty screwdriver in hand, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about SSD installation.

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RELATED LINKS: Best graphics card, Best gaming mouse, Best gaming monitor from https://www.pcgamesn.com/how-to-install-ssd

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Get 25% off this Dungeons & Dragons gift set while you still can

The chances are you've come across Dungeons & Dragons before, whether it's beloved video game adaptations like Baldur's Gate 3, its inclusion in the television series Stranger Things from Netflix, or the source material itself. If you've not yet had the chance to play one of the most enduring tabletop games of all time, however, now's your chance to take the leap with these early Black Friday deals.

Your imagination is the main tool you’ll need to play D&D, as it’s lovingly called. But before you grab a pen and paper or whip open a Google Doc and dive headfirst into creating your character or planning your first campaign as a dungeon master, there are a few things you'll need to get started.

Thankfully, 14% ($6) off the Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition Starter Set means you can kick things off for just $37.99 over on Amazon US, while 25% (£22.50) off the Core Rulebook Gift Set brings things down to £67.49 in the UK.

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from https://www.pcgamesn.com/early-black-friday-dungeons-dragons-deal

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Stardew Valley 1.5 is “in the home stretch” of development

We're in the height of new videogame release season, but that doesn't mean your old favourites are falling by the wayside. Stardew Valley 1.5 is still on the way, and it's getting close. The game's developer says the new patch is in the "home stretch", and it's a "very big update", so we should have plenty of content to look forward to.

"The 1.5 update is in the 'home stretch'", Stardew Valley creator Eric 'ConcernedApe' Barone says on Twitter. "It's a very big update so there is a lot of polishing and bug fixing necessary to make sure it's ready. It'll be very fun to share it with all of you in the near future. I think you'll be really happy and surprised with all the new stuff!"

We've gotten only a few details on what 1.5 will contain so far, and there's a big variety of new features both big and small. Everything from split-screen co-op to banana trees and the option to move your bed.

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RELATED LINKS: Stardew Valley multiplayer, Stardew Valley realism, The best Stardew Valley mods from https://www.pcgamesn.com/stardew-valley/patch-1-5-release-date

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Here’s where Xur is in Destiny 2 today – Beyond Light, but not beyond Xur

Xûr is Destiny 2's Exotic gear merchant. He appears every weekend to sell the game's most coveted items in exchange for Legendary shards, but if you're a casual player with limited shards to spend, it can be hard to know which of his wares is most worth your investment. That's where we come in.

As of June 12, 2020, it appears that Xûr is back to providing random rolls - so the Exotic merchant is providing more excitement than he has in a long time. Xûr appears every Friday at 17:00 GMT (9:00 Pacific), and will stick around until the Tuesday reset. We'll update this guide shortly after he arrives, so if you're reading this, you need only read on to learn where he is, and which are the best items he's selling this week.

Now we're in Beyond Light territory, but Xur's first appearance in the Tower has been at the usual spot - so maybe don't expect too many surprises from the merchant in the new year of Destiny content.

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RELATED LINKS: Destiny 2 exotics, Destiny 2 class guide, Destiny 2 weapons from https://www.pcgamesn.com/destiny-2/destiny-2-where-is-xur-this-week-destiny-2-xur-location

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Godfall review – solid combat marred by repetition

Godfall is fine. The combat is enjoyable enough to make you check the loot you're hoovering up to see if it improves your build, and you won't mind following the quest marker to the next big scrap to go all over again. At first. But developer Counterplay Games struggles to develop this core combat loop, and after a couple of hours it starts to feel repetitive and worn.

Godfall is a looter-slasher action-adventure game made by the folk behind Duelyst and published by the people behind Borderlands if you're feeling generous, and Aliens: Colonial Marines if you're not. You play a fallen knight named Orin, and are trying to stop your brother from ascending to godhood at the expense of, well, the world. Also, he tried to kill you by knocking you off a large tower. It's fair to say you aren't on the best terms.

Your quest to sort him out involves clearing realms that are connected to a tower that also serves as some cosmic elevator. You whack foes with your sword, collect tokens to face a boss, and then ascend to the next floor to do it all over again, just in slightly different surroundings, whacking slightly different foes.

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from https://www.pcgamesn.com/godfall/review

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How to rank up fast in Call of Duty: Black Ops – Cold War multiplayer

Looking to rank up as fast as possible in Call of Duty: Black Ops - Cold War multiplayer? Every new release in the FPS games series requires a slightly different approach in order to maximise your XP gain, and that's definitely something you will want to do during the first couple of weeks of play. Some of the best Call of Duty: Black Ops - Cold War guns are waiting for you at the higher levels, including a FAMAS-like assault rifle and an anti-material sniper.

In previous Call of Duty games the golden rule has been playing time and making the most out of objective-based modes to maximise your in-match XP gains. Black Ops Cold War isn't particularly different, but the new mode Fireteam: Dirty Bomb and the reworked scorestreaks system both offer some great XP gains.

Join us as we run through some of the basic tips you can use to rank up as fast as possible in Call of Duty: Black Ops - Cold War, from the best game modes to how you should play them.

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RELATED LINKS: Call of Duty: Black Ops - Cold War review, Upcoming PC games, Best FPS games from https://www.pcgamesn.com/call-of-duty-black-ops-cold-war/rank-up-fast-multiplayer

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How to use Ymir’s Tear Stones in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

Wondering what Ymir’s Tear Stones are used for in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla? If you’ve stumbled across a chest containing one of these mysterious glowing stones, you’re probably wondering what they’re used for, and what you’ll receive for collecting them all.

30 Ymir’s Tear Stones are strewn throughout Asgard, and once you’ve acquired them all, you’ll be able to use them to make an offering. They can be found across the Asgardian islands - they’re marked as wealths on your map, so in order to track them down, all you need to do is use Odin's Sight to pinpoint their exact location when you’re close to the map marker.

Most of the Tear Stones are hidden within chests, and you may need to solve puzzles to reach them, or use oil jars to explosively clear your path. Some of Ymir’s Tear Stones won’t show up until you complete World Event mysteries, and a couple won’t be present until you’ve progressed through the story and completed the final mission on Asgard. Here’s what happens when you’ve collected them all.

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RELATED LINKS: Assassin's Creed Valhalla review, How long is Assassin's Creed Valhalla?, Upcoming PC games from https://www.pcgamesn.com/assassins-creed-valhalla/ymirs-tear-stones

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Keanu Reeves’ Johnny Silverhand stars in Cyberpunk 2077’s next Night City Wire

Believe it or not, there was a time when Keanu Reeves wasn't associated with every big piece of Cyberpunk 2077 news - but that time, thankfully, is in the past. The next episode of the regular Night City Wire stream is all about Cyberpunk 2077 music, and that includes Keanu's slightly-too-handsome-to-bear role as rockerboy Johnny Silverhand.

Night City Wire episode five will broadcast on Thursday, November 19 at 9:00 PST / 12:00 EST / 17:00 GMT. "We’ll talk about our favourite rockerboy Johnny Silverhand, share a variety of Night City's tunes and a lot more", the devs say in the announcement. "It's going to be a big one!"

November 19 was the previous Cyberpunk 2077 release date before the most recent delay, and we're closing in the new December 10 launch. That means we're probably closing in on the end of all these Night City Wire broadcasts - at least until the DLC plans start rolling out after launch.

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RELATED LINKS: Cyberpunk 2077 release date, Cyberpunk 2077 lore & universe, Cyberpunk 2077 world from https://www.pcgamesn.com/cyberpunk-2077/night-city-wire-start-time-johnny-silverhand

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“Mute the game audio”, Twitch recommends, to avoid DMCA issues

One of the biggest problems content creators face is from music-related Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) claims. No matter how old your video or broadcast is, if you’ve been caught playing copyrighted music, there’s very little you can do to stop these takedown requests. Earlier this week, Twitch issued an apology to all its streamers who were forced to delete years worth of content due to DMCA-related issues. To solve any future problems, Twitch advises streamers to “mute the game audio”.

Responding to a concerned Twitter user about the music in Cyberpunk 2077 potentially being flagged, Twitch replied with this statement: “Hey there, thanks for reaching out. We recommend reading through any game's EULA, and utilising any option to turn music off if the game includes that option, or mute the game audio.”

Yes, you read that correctly. If you don’t want your previous broadcasts removed from Twitch, just mute the game audio. Twitch’s previous solution to avoid DMCA takedowns was to mute the offending audio, but it appears the copyright holder is still able to pull entire broadcasts down.

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from https://www.pcgamesn.com/twitch/mute-game-audio

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What’s louder, the beep of the microwave or the RGB mechanical keyboard mod?

Reddit user DekuNukem's old microwave keypad stopped working one day, so instead of chucking the whole microwave away, they've given it a new lease of life by replacing the keypad with an RGB mechanical keyboard. Surely this must now be the loudest and brightest microwave in the world - although we're not sure if this actually cost them any less than buying a replacement.

They could've gone for some silent mechanical switches, but instead went for Gateron Greens, a loud, clacky tactile switch - something to announce to everyone you live with that you're microwaving leftover pizza at midnight. At least the RGB backlighting will make the microwave easier to locate in the dead of night. Honestly, we're surprised Razer hasn't already made one of these.

Initially, as a quick fix, they wired up some simple buttons onto a circuit board, but this isn't exactly the neatest approach. That's when DekuNukem moved onto a clean construction with the mechanical keypad they were already working on, a 'duckyPad'. There's a small OLED screen built in which they programmed to show what the buttons on the keypad correspond to for the microwave's controls.

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RELATED LINKS: AMD Ryzen 3000 performance, AMD RX 5700 XT specs, Best CPU for gaming from https://www.pcgamesn.com/mechanical-keyboard-microwave

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Strategic Mind: Spectre of Communism will let you lead the Red Army to victory in WW2

A new turn-based strategy game has just been released, promising to live up to the legacy of Panzer General and offer a story-based campaign set on WWII’s eastern front. Strategic Mind: Spectre of Communism is the third title in the ‘Strategic Mind’ series, and the fourth game developed by Ukranian developer Starni Games

Strategic Mind is a war game series that tries to capture the magic of the iconic Panzer General titles of old, bringing it into the 21st century using modern graphics powered by the Unreal engine. While land battles are the focus, you can control military forces across air, land, and sea in tactical turn-based scenarios featuring different objectives and goals.

In Spectre of Communism, you follow the key beats of WWII through the eyes of the USSR, controlling soviet forces in battles both historical and across popular ‘what if’ operations. The previous entry, Strategic Mind: Blitzkrieg, put you in charge of the German Wehrmacht, while the first game (The Pacific) offers both US and Japanese campaigns set during the war in the Pacific.

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from https://www.pcgamesn.com/strategic-mind-spectre-of-communism

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League of Legends patch 10.24 notes – Cosmic Champion skins, Prestige Star Guardian Soraka

Well, League of Legends fans, it's here. Preseason 2021 has landed as of League of Legends patch 10.23, which means a raft of gameplay changes - Mythic items, item updates, an item shop overhaul, and balance changes to name a few - are now rolling onto the multiplayer game's live servers. Phew! But, the cycle continues, and its follow-up has arrived on the PBE. Let's see what's in store for League of Legends patch 10.24, shall we?

Good news if you're an Anivia, Illaoi, Nami, Nidalee, Hecarim, Varus, Vladimir, Skarner, Lissandra, or Soraka main and like the look of those skins in the Cosmic or Star Guardian lines - there are a whopping nine new Cosmic Champion skins in store this patch cycle, with a Prestige Star Guardian look for Soraka. You can check these out in the notes' skins section below.

As for balance changes, there aren't many to take a look at just yet given the patch is only beginning its fortnight of testing right now. But, be sure to keep checking back on this page over the next two weeks to keep up with all the latest Champion, item, and rune changes headed to the game - we'll keep these notes updated with everything you need to know.

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RELATED LINKS: Best LoL Champions , League of Legends patch 10.24, LoL tier list from https://www.pcgamesn.com/league-of-legends/lol-patch-1024

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Virtua Fighter 5 comes to PC for the first time (via Yakuza)

Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown has finally landed on PC, but in a way you may not have expected. RPG game Yakuza: Like a Dragon released on PC earlier this week, and fans were pleased to find the arcade machine in Chinatown includes a playable version of the Sega fighting game along with Virtua Fighter 2 in the Tsurukame Alley arcade.

The Yakuza series is known for being a bit silly and including plenty of fun mini-games like karaoke, dragon kart, and er, business management (I promise that is more fun than it sounds). However, adding full versions of additional games goes above and beyond what fans generally expect out of an in-game arcade. Still, it is great for PC gamers who have been wanting to play Virtua Fighter 5 in the comfort of their own home.

If you are a Virtua Fighter fan that is unsure about the Yakuza series, take a look at our Yakuza: Like a Dragon review and review roundup to see if it is worth splashing some cash on.

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RELATED LINKS: Yakuza: Like a Dragon review, The best RPG games on PC, The best open-world games on PC from https://www.pcgamesn.com/yakuza-like-a-dragon/virtua-fighter-5

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The best Crusader Kings 3 mods

Crusader Kings 3 mods are already flying, and the game was only released a few months ago. At the time of writing there's over 1,500 mods available via Steam Workshop alone. Turns out people are not only keen to play Crusader Kings 3, they’re keen to mod it to high-hell and back again as well.

If you're on the fence about buying it, we found it to be a great entry point into the complex world of grand strategy games, although make sure you read our Crusader Kings 3 review, for more.

While we're still incredibly early into the life cycle of CK3, it's clear that the modding community is already in full flow. Some have already begun work on the ambitious project of making some of the more expansive mods from CK2 available in CK3. With all this buzz surrounding the mod scene, we figured we might as take a brief look at what’s already on offer and let you know what the most promising projects are right now. Expect this list to grow and change over time as the mod scene matures.

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RELATED LINKS: Crusader Kings 3 review, The best Crusader Kings 3 mods, Crusader Kings 3 beginner's guide from https://www.pcgamesn.com/crusader-kings-3/best-ck3-mods

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Where to find Destiny 2 Entropic Shards

Destiny 2 Entropic Shards are tiny, pyramid-like structures that you can find floating around Europa while you're out on patrol. While they may appear somewhat random at first, they do have various uses and can help you towards completing various quests.

One of the first quests you'll likely come across that require Entropic Shards is Aspect of Control. It comes from the Exo Stranger, and part of it involves finding five Entropic Shards around the map. It sounds simple enough, but we're not given any indication on the map as to where they all are, so it requires some noodling around. Finding the shards will also help you towards completing various triumphs, so there are other uses for them, too.

Once you do find them, though, you'll need to shoot them for the game to register that you've found one. This does mean that the shards can be placed in random locations in the sky, so you'll need to have a good look around each room to find them. So, without further ado, here are where you can find Entropic Shards in Destiny 2.

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RELATED LINKS: Destiny 2 exotics, Destiny 2 class guide, Destiny 2 weapons from https://www.pcgamesn.com/destiny-2/entropic-shards-locations