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Editorial

Patch notes

Hand-written analysis when we cover a patch. The Steam News feed below covers the rest of the games we track, automatically refreshed every 30 minutes.

From the editors

Editorial patch notes

Hand-written when our writers cover a patch in depth.

40 notes
Zenless Zone Zero 2.4 patch notes — WatchEye of Motorcity, new Hollow, Astra Yao rerun
zenless-zone-zero2026-08-17T03:53:07.541Z

Zenless Zone Zero 2.4 patch notes — WatchEye of Motorcity, new Hollow, Astra Yao rerun

ZZZ 2.4 launches August 20 with the WatchEye of Motorcity season, a new Investigation zone, the Astra Yao rerun banner, a rework of Anomaly class mechanics, and the new "Smart Bomb Bangboo" combat pet. Includes 600+ Polychrome compensation for the delay.

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Marvel Snap August 3 balance patch: full breakdown
marvel-snap2026-08-17T03:53:07.536Z

Marvel Snap August 3 balance patch: full breakdown

Marvel Snap August 3 balance patch nerfs the dominant Sandman + Lockjaw decks, buffs Zabu and Darkhawk, and adds a new Spotlight Cache. The last balance pass before the Fractured Frontier season launches Aug 4.

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Path of Exile 2 0.5.0 'Return of the Ancients' patch notes
path-of-exile-22026-08-17T03:53:07.536Z

Path of Exile 2 0.5.0 'Return of the Ancients' patch notes

PoE2's 0.5.0 'Return of the Ancients' patch brings the Huntress class, Smith of Kitava ascendancy, a full endgame overhaul, and the Runes of Aldur league. The final Early Access league before 1.0.

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Rocket League Season 21 — Pursuit in Paris brings Ranked Heatseeker, Parc de Paris Arena, RLCS 2026 decals
patch-notesrocket-league2026-08-17T03:53:07.536Z

Rocket League Season 21 — Pursuit in Paris brings Ranked Heatseeker, Parc de Paris Arena, RLCS 2026 decals

Rocket League Season 21 (December 10, 2025 - March 11, 2026) brought Ranked Heatseeker, the Parc de Paris Arena, improved Quads matchmaking, RLCS 2026 decals, and the 'Bring the Heat' event. French-themed season with French music, French designs, and the first real-life location-based arena in the game.

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Valorant Episode 14 Act 1 patch notes — new agent, Sunset rework, ranked refresh
patch-notesvalorant2026-08-17T03:53:07.536Z

Valorant Episode 14 Act 1 patch notes — new agent, Sunset rework, ranked refresh

Valorant Episode 14 Act 1 launches with a new Initiator agent (Waylay), a major rework of Sunset, a fresh ranked split, and a new battle pass. Full patch notes.

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Valorant patch 9.07b notes — Sage wall HP buff, Ascent tweaks, Reyna flash duration fix
patch-notesvalorant2026-08-17T03:53:07.536Z

Valorant patch 9.07b notes — Sage wall HP buff, Ascent tweaks, Reyna flash duration fix

Valorant 9.07b shipped Aug 12 with a Sage Barrier Orb durability buff (400 → 500 HP), Ascent mid boxes repositioned for better CT-side cover, and a Reyna Leer duration fix (1.6s → 2.0s). Plus Premier Act 3 schedule and the VCT 2026 Champions ticket pre-sale.

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Warframe: 1999 finale patch notes — The Hex concludes, new warframe, new questline
patch-noteswarframe2026-08-17T03:53:07.536Z

Warframe: 1999 finale patch notes — The Hex concludes, new warframe, new questline

Warframe's 1999 expansion finale wraps the Hex storyline, adds the new Cinderframe warframe, opens a new endgame zone (The Undercroft), and ships a year-end celebration event. Full patch notes.

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Warframe Dog Days 2026 + Amir's Shockwave Nightwave — full August event notes
patch-noteswarframe2026-08-17T03:53:07.536Z

Warframe Dog Days 2026 + Amir's Shockwave Nightwave — full August event notes

Warframe's August 2026 drops include Dog Days 2026 (Aug 4), Amir's Shockwave Nightwave (Aug 12), Fables & Frontiers: Running Late (Aug 12), six new Tennogen items including the first for Oraxia and Kullervo, and the Baruuk Deluxe Shaoshi skin. Plus 5 double-Affinity weekends from Aug 6 through Sep 3.

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Wuthering Waves 3.5 — Huanglong return, Yangyang SP debut, and the road to Mengzhou in 3.6
patch-noteswuthering-waves2026-08-17T03:53:07.536Z

Wuthering Waves 3.5 — Huanglong return, Yangyang SP debut, and the road to Mengzhou in 3.6

Wuthering Waves Version 3.5 is live (Jul 9 - Aug 20, 2026). Headline is the return to Huanglong and the debut of Yangyang SP, the first alternate-version Resonator. Plus the new Suisui 4-star, the Starpath Reverbs Resonator banner, and a setup for Version 3.6's Mengzhou reveal.

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Deadlock August 2026 update: 6 new heroes drip-fed, community voting, Hideout pre-game lobby
deadlock2026-08-17T03:53:07.535Z

Deadlock August 2026 update: 6 new heroes drip-fed, community voting, Hideout pre-game lobby

The August 18 Deadlock update adds 6 new heroes drip-fed over 2 weeks, community voting on release order, the Hideout pre-game lobby, and the long-awaited profile page. The biggest content drop since the August 2024 reveal.

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Delta Force August 2026 Warfare patch notes
delta-force2026-08-17T03:53:07.535Z

Delta Force August 2026 Warfare patch notes

Delta Force's August Warfare patch reworks the Layton Grove map, buffs 4 underused weapons, and adds a new 64-player "Rush" mode for Layton Grove.

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Diablo Immortal Season 15 patch notes — Bone Prison raid, monetization rollback, 2 new Helliquary bosses
diablo-immortal2026-08-17T03:53:07.535Z

Diablo Immortal Season 15 patch notes — Bone Prison raid, monetization rollback, 2 new Helliquary bosses

Diablo Immortal's Season 15 "Bone Prison" launches August 18 with the first 12-player raid (Cathedral of Bones), 2 new Helliquary bosses (Lilith and Diablo), and a sweeping monetization rollback — the Legendary Crate system is being removed entirely. Plus a new zone (The Dry Steppes) and full cross-progression parity between mobile and PC.

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Dota 2 Patch 7.39c — the meta stabilizes ahead of TI qualifiers
patch-notesdota-22026-08-17T03:53:07.535Z

Dota 2 Patch 7.39c — the meta stabilizes ahead of TI qualifiers

Dota 2 Patch 7.39c is a balance pass ahead of the TI 2026 qualifiers. The patch targets the most overperforming heroes and items, with a focus on stabilizing the meta for competitive play.

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Dota 2 7.39d patch notes — neutral item rework, Aghanim's Shard drop rate, and 14 hero changes
patch-notes2026-08-17T03:53:07.535Z

Dota 2 7.39d patch notes — neutral item rework, Aghanim's Shard drop rate, and 14 hero changes

Dota 2 7.39d is a small-to-medium balance patch focused on the new neutral item drop rates. The big change: Tier 4 and 5 neutral items now have a 35% combined drop rate after the 30-minute mark (was 18%). 14 heroes get targeted buffs and nerfs, mostly in the mid-tier competitive scene.

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Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 4 hotfix — map changes, weapon nerfs, and the new live event countdown
fortnite2026-08-17T03:53:07.535Z

Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 4 hotfix — map changes, weapon nerfs, and the new live event countdown

Fortnite 34.20 lands with a small map rework, three weapon nerfs (including the controversial Drum Gun), and the start of the live event countdown. Here's what changes and how to prep.

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Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 4 patch notes — new map, new weapons, ranked refresh
patch-notesfortnite2026-08-17T03:53:07.535Z

Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 4 patch notes — new map, new weapons, ranked refresh

Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 4 ships a new map focused on a post-apocalyptic wasteland theme, four new weapons (including the railgun rework), a new mobility item, and a major ranked refresh. Full patch notes.

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Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 4 'Shaken' launch recap
fortnite2026-08-17T03:53:07.535Z

Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 4 'Shaken' launch recap

Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 4 'Shaken' launched July 30 with a new island location, Spider-Man collaboration, and the end of Chapter 7 Season 3 'Runners' on August 19. The new season is rumored to be a 1-month mini-season.

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FragPunk July 2026 patch 1.4 notes: Shard Card rework
fragpunk2026-08-17T03:53:07.535Z

FragPunk July 2026 patch 1.4 notes: Shard Card rework

FragPunk's 1.4 patch is a Shard Card system rework. 20 cards rebalanced, 5 new cards, and a veto system that lets teams block 1 card per round.

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Genshin Impact 5.0 'Flowers Resplendent' patch notes
genshin-impact2026-08-17T03:53:07.535Z

Genshin Impact 5.0 'Flowers Resplendent' patch notes

Genshin Impact 5.0 launches August 28 with the Natlan region, Mualani + Kachina + Kinich, 4th anniversary rewards, Capturing Radiance gacha, World Level 9, and Sanctifying Elixir. The biggest patch of 2026.

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Hearthstone 'Whispers of the Old Gods' expansion: full breakdown (Aug 26)
hearthstone2026-08-17T03:53:07.535Z

Hearthstone 'Whispers of the Old Gods' expansion: full breakdown (Aug 26)

Hearthstone 'Whispers of the Old Gods' expansion launches August 26 with 135 new cards, the Corruption keyword, the Old Gods neutral minion cycle, 110 free packs, and the Twist mode return. The most-anticipated Hearthstone expansion since Murder at Castle Nathria (2022).

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Honkai Star Rail 4.4 — Fate collaboration breakdown (Rin Tohsaka, Gilgamesh, Himeko Nova, Kafka rerun)
patch-noteshonkai-star-rail2026-08-17T03:53:07.535Z

Honkai Star Rail 4.4 — Fate collaboration breakdown (Rin Tohsaka, Gilgamesh, Himeko Nova, Kafka rerun)

Honkai Star Rail Version 4.4 is live (July 15 - Aug 25, 2026). Headline is the Fate collaboration with Rin Tohsaka, Gilgamesh, and Himeko Nova. Plus multiple 5-star reruns (Sparxie, Permansor Terrae, Evernight, Cerydra, Anaxa, Aventurine). Banner phases, new mechanics, and the meta impact.

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League of Legends Patch 25.16: Worlds calibration begins
league-of-legends2026-08-17T03:53:07.535Z

League of Legends Patch 25.16: Worlds calibration begins

The 25.16 patch is the first balance pass focused on the Worlds 2026 meta. Three mid-lane mages return to the spotlight, jungle clears get a small QoL buff, and the new ranked-decay grace period is finally live.

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League of Legends Patch 25.17: Season 3 launch with Doom Bots
league-of-legends2026-08-17T03:53:07.535Z

League of Legends Patch 25.17: Season 3 launch with Doom Bots

LoL's Season 3 begins August 27 with the return of Doom Bots, the Xin Zhao visual update, Vayne and Sett in the jungle, and the new seasonal Battle Pass. Patch 25.17 is the second-to-last major patch before Worlds 2026.

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League of Legends patch 25.16 — Briar nerf, Smolder buff, ARAM balance pass
patch-notesleague-of-legends2026-08-17T03:53:07.535Z

League of Legends patch 25.16 — Briar nerf, Smolder buff, ARAM balance pass

LoL patch 25.16 ships Aug 14. Briar E cooldown nerfed (12s → 16s), Smolder Q damage buffed, ARAM balance pass (12 champions adjusted), and a ranked decay change for high-Elo players. Worlds 2026 patch preview at the end.

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League of Legends Patch 16.15 patch notes — Worlds prep begins
league-of-legends2026-08-17T03:53:07.535Z

League of Legends Patch 16.15 patch notes — Worlds prep begins

Patch 16.15 is the first Worlds prep patch. Three mid-tier junglers get buffed (Vi, Lee Sin, Viego), two top-lane bullies get nerfed (Camille, Renekton), and the new Warding system overhaul lands. Patch hits live servers August 13, 2026.

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Marvel Rivals 3.5 Blade — full August 8 + August 21 follow-up patch notes
patch-notesmarvel-rivals2026-08-17T03:53:07.535Z

Marvel Rivals 3.5 Blade — full August 8 + August 21 follow-up patch notes

Full notes for the Marvel Rivals Season 3.5 Blade update on August 8 and the August 21 follow-up. Includes the Blade hero release, 2 team-ups removed, 2 team-ups added, ranked MMR overhaul with team-size caps by rank, automated chat moderation, and the August 21 sustain buffs.

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Marvel Rivals Season 3.5 — full patch notes for the Blade update (August 8 + August 21 follow-up)
patch-notesmarvel-rivals2026-08-17T03:53:07.535Z

Marvel Rivals Season 3.5 — full patch notes for the Blade update (August 8 + August 21 follow-up)

Full patch notes for the Marvel Rivals Season 3.5 update on August 8, including the Blade hero, team-up rework, ranked matchmaking changes, and the August 21 follow-up balance pass that buffed Blade's sustain. Includes every hero buff and nerf.

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Marvel Rivals Season 3 Empire of Eternal Night — full patch notes
patch-notesmarvel-rivals2026-08-17T03:53:07.535Z

Marvel Rivals Season 3 Empire of Eternal Night — full patch notes

Marvel Rivals Season 3 "Empire of Eternal Night" launches with two new heroes (Doctor Doom and Clea), a new 6v6 mode (Doom's Domain), a new map (Castle Doom), and a new ranked tier. Full patch notes.

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Marvel Snap August 2026 hotfix — Sandman nerf, Agent 13 buff, the meta shift explained
patch-notes2026-08-17T03:53:07.535Z

Marvel Snap August 2026 hotfix — Sandman nerf, Agent 13 buff, the meta shift explained

Second Dinner shipped a balance hotfix on August 2 with changes to Sandman, Agent 13, and three underused cards. The patch opens the meta after the Loki nerf, with the Bounce, Move, and Sandman-Onslaught archetypes all viable for the first time since 2025. This article breaks down every change and the new tier list.

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Marvel Snap August 3 balance patch — Hawkeye + Hulkbuster + Vision buffed, Captain Marvel nerfed
patch-notesmarvel-snap2026-08-17T03:53:07.535Z

Marvel Snap August 3 balance patch — Hawkeye + Hulkbuster + Vision buffed, Captain Marvel nerfed

Marvel Snap's August 3 OTA patch is a buff-heavy update ahead of the August 8 full patch. Hawkeye +1 Power on the On Reveal, Hulkbuster +1 Power, Vision +1 Power, Captain Marvel moved to a different slot (5/6 -> 4/5). Plus Absorbing Man gets +2 Power. Smaller meta shifts than July's patch but a solid set of buffs.

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Overwatch 2 Season 18 patch notes (August 26, 2026)
overwatch-22026-08-17T03:53:07.535Z

Overwatch 2 Season 18 patch notes (August 26, 2026)

OW2 Season 18 launches August 26 with Wuyang, the new Payload Race mode, Stadium Quick Play with crossplay, Hero Progression 2.0, and the biggest balance patch of 2026 (Roadhog rework, 60+ new perks, 8 hero updates).

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Overwatch 2 Season 18 Stadium overhaul — full patch notes
patch-notesoverwatch2026-08-17T03:53:07.535Z

Overwatch 2 Season 18 Stadium overhaul — full patch notes

Overwatch 2 Season 18 overhauls the Stadium mode, introduces hero bans to ranked, and adds a new Healer meta. Full patch notes for the most ambitious gameplay change since the Stadium mode launch.

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Apex Legends Season 23: From the Ashes
apex-legends2026-08-17T03:53:07.534Z

Apex Legends Season 23: From the Ashes

Respawn's mid-year season drop. New legend, new map, ranked rework that finally brings the algorithm into the cross-progression era. The Newcastle-Horizon TTK rebalance is the most-requested community change of the past two seasons.

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Apex Legends Season 24.1 patch notes — Conduit balance pass, World's Edge rework, and the Catalyst buff
apex-legends2026-08-17T03:53:07.534Z

Apex Legends Season 24.1 patch notes — Conduit balance pass, World's Edge rework, and the Catalyst buff

Apex 24.1 is a mid-Season-24 patch with a Conduit balance pass, a World's Edge rework, a Catalyst buff, and a new ranked reward track. Here's what changes and how to adapt your play.

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Apex Legends Season 24 Takeover — Ash + Ballistic rework, helmet removal, new Mythic armor
patch-notesapex-legends2026-08-17T03:53:07.534Z

Apex Legends Season 24 Takeover — Ash + Ballistic rework, helmet removal, new Mythic armor

Apex Legends Season 24: Takeover drops a major Ash + Ballistic rework, removes all standard helmets, adds a new Mythic armor system, and launches the Creator Commissioner event. R-99 returns to floor loot, Peacekeeper enters the Care Package. Full breakdown of the meta shifts.

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Apex Legends Season 30 'Marked' patch notes: full breakdown
apex-legends2026-08-17T03:53:07.534Z

Apex Legends Season 30 'Marked' patch notes: full breakdown

Apex Legends Season 30 'Marked' launches August 4 with a complete Bloodhound rework, World’s Edge map rework with 3 new POIs, Corrupted Attachments, energy weapon overhaul, and the end of Switch support. The biggest Apex season since Season 16 (Vantage).

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Counter-Strike 2 July 2026 update — Cache returns to Active Duty, Premier Season 5, C4 explosion rework
patch-notescounter-strike-22026-08-17T03:53:07.534Z

Counter-Strike 2 July 2026 update — Cache returns to Active Duty, Premier Season 5, C4 explosion rework

CS2's July 8, 2026 update added Cache to the Active Duty Map Pool, removed Overpass, launched Premier Season 5, and reworked the C4 explosion model. New weapon collections (Spy Tech + Arabesque), new sticker collections, and a Source 2 engine update. Plus the Cologne 2026 Major shop and sticker pricing tools.

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CS2 Operation Breakthrough patch notes — new Premier mode, three new maps, weapon changes
patch-notescounter-strike-22026-08-17T03:53:07.534Z

CS2 Operation Breakthrough patch notes — new Premier mode, three new maps, weapon changes

CS2's Operation Breakthrough ships the new Premier map-pick mode, three new competitive maps (Ravine, Calavera, Cobblestone reworked), and a balance pass on the M4A1-S and the AK-47. Here's the full patch breakdown.

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CS2 Premier Season 5 + Cache rework — August 3, 2026 patch notes
counter-strike-22026-08-17T03:53:07.534Z

CS2 Premier Season 5 + Cache rework — August 3, 2026 patch notes

Valve dropped a ~10GB CS2 update on August 3, 2026, officially launching Premier Season 5 and shipping the Cache rework plus new scripting API for map creators. Full breakdown of every change.

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Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor update 1.0 'The Hollows'
deep-rock-galactic-survivor2026-08-17T03:53:07.534Z

Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor update 1.0 'The Hollows'

DRG Survivor 1.0 launches August 18 with the new Hollows biome, 4 new classes, and the deep-rock season pass. The full release leaves Early Access after 18 months.

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From Steam

Live Steam news

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Delta Force
Delta Force

2026 Delta Force Rise Series: Open Qualifier Season 2 Now Open for Registration

Dear Operators, Delta Force is launching its first official PC regional Operations tournament in 2026 - Rise Series, establishing a full-scale competitive structure across both EMEA and the Americas. Running as parallel regional circuits, the program features a $1,000,000 total annual prize pool across two seasons, an open qualifier pathway for rising teams, and a Partners Program backed by multi-

DF OPS | QIQI · 2026-08-11via Steam News

PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS
PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS

August Store Update 2026

Read the full announcement here!

[****] UZI · 2026-08-11via Steam News

PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS
PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS

Update 42.3

Read the full announcement here!

[****] UZI · 2026-08-11via Steam News

PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS
PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS

Map Service Report - Update 42.3

{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/27971017/c6c8adc4d5670ed2aab016cc334af385eb01a5f7.png Read the full announcement here!

[****] UZI · 2026-08-11via Steam News

War Thunder
War Thunder

Update 2.57.1.81

Aircraft A bug where the radio proximity fuzes of ARH and SARH missiles worked incorrectly when switching to INS+DL mode has been fixed. This sometimes caused missiles to pass straight through aircraft without detonating or to explode only after having already flown past the target. (Report).A bug where, on aircraft equipped with ESM capabilities, missile guidance for SARH missiles was limited to

Blitzkrieg Wulf · 2026-08-11via Steam News

Marvel Rivals
Marvel Rivals

Marvel Rivals Version 20260807 Patch Notes - Season 9.5 Arrives

Greetings, Rivals!Welcome to Season 9.5 of Marvel Rivals!Desire is the prologue to power, and the precipice of corruption. When desire dons the mantle of power, darkness silently creeps.This update begins on August 7th, 2026, at 09 : 00 : 00 (UTC), with estimated maintenance lasting 2 hours. All-New ContentNew HeroDark magic meets street hustle: The Hood enters Marvel Rivals!! New Stories- New The

Marvel Rivals · 2026-08-07via Steam News

Marvel Rivals
Marvel Rivals

Marvel Rivals: Step into Season 9.5 // Dev Vision Vol. 20

Step into Season 9.5, Rivals! Dev Vision Vol. 20 is officially here! 💫 Join Guangguang as he takes a deep dive into the massive amount of content dropped in our latest updates. We're breaking down a new villain reveal, the upcoming roadmap features, and more! 💥 Season 9.5 will be available from August 7th, 2026 UTC! Gear up for an unforgettable continuation of the season! 🚀

Marvel Rivals · 2026-08-07via Steam News

The Finals
The Finals

Hotfix 11.4.1

Hello Contestants,We’ve pushed a client hotfix to address some of the issues when starting the game. Please note this update only affects players on Steam.Fixed a common hang/crash when starting the game from SteamAs always, we thank you for reporting those issues to us, and we’ll see you in the Arena!

CM | Marshall · 2026-08-07via Steam News

Black Desert Online
Black Desert Online

[August 6] Special Guild League Event! Let's Join a Guild!

Check out this week's new events!{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/28674304/9e51244f1586b2425b68a6309e10f8389e588b19.jpg Guild League Focus Week Aug 6, 2026 (Thu) after maintenance - Aug 13, 2026 (Thu) before maintenance SPECIAL EVENT Guild League Focus Week - 1 Week Only Enhanced victory and defeat rewards will be available, along with special rewards for all guild members. Personal Match Rewards After each mat

rat · 2026-08-06via Steam News

The Finals
The Finals

Store Update 11.4.0

Get into the groove of this week’s Store Update and read on the latest TGM intel as the Online Series continues!STORE | FLOWER POWERPLANTIt’s all love in the Arena Free the spirits within you, spread positivity, and let Mother Nature take you for a ride. In this groovy update to the store, you can be a star child that gently shakes the Arena! Eliminate the competition in the name of peace, love, a

CM | Marshall · 2026-08-06via Steam News

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